In April 2016, a 4-month-old puppy was brought to the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter in Ohio, USA. He was in such poor health that he couldn’t even open his mouth to eat. Despite his condition, he stayed cheerful, wagging his tail constantly and offering kisses to everyone around him.
Veterinarians examined the puppy and believed he had developed a severe infection from a dog bite, which had left his face deformed. They treated him with antibiotics, hoping it would improve his condition.
Unfortunately, nothing seemed to work. The dog, named Squish, grew increasingly weak since he couldn’t eat properly. Things became so dire that a date was set for his euthanasia, as the vets thought it would be kinder to end his suffering.
Although Squish’s prospects looked grim, the caregivers were reluctant to give up on a puppy who showed so much love and affection.
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X-rays provide shock
They opted to send him to a specialist for X-rays before his euthanasia. During the scans, however, something unexpected appeared.
Initially, it was believed the dog’s facial deformities were the result of an infection from a dog bite, but this assumption turned out to be incorrect. The scans revealed that he had sustained severe fractures to his skull and upper right jaw. The scar tissue had prevented his jaw from growing in proportion with the rest of his body, making it extremely difficult for him to open his mouth.
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The only possible solution for Squish was extensive surgery. Unfortunately, no one was prepared to cover the costs, and there was no one willing to adopt him due to his severe health condition.
Squish goes home
With Squish’s future looking increasingly grim, veterinarian Danielle Boyd completed her internship at the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter and decided to take the dog home for a night. She thought it would be a nice change for Squish to spend at least one night outside of a cage.
When Danielle brought Squish home, he seemed like a completely different dog. Danielle wondered how a creature that had endured so much pain in his young life could still “trust people”—but there it was, he did.
Squish fell asleep in Danielle’s arms, and by the next morning, she realized she couldn’t let him be euthanized.
It wasn’t just Danielle who was captivated by Squish’s charm. Eileen Heldmann, the vet who had originally examined the dog, also wanted to save him. So, she performed surgery on him the following day.
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Successful operation
The procedure went flawlessly, allowing Squish to resume eating. During the operation, a tooth, an eye, and a portion of Squish’s jaw were removed, but afterward, they were left with a joyful dog.
“I cried seeing his excitement as he picked up a tennis ball for the first time, and that was only the beginning of his little victories,” Danielle told The Dodo.
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Fate brought them together
He enjoys playing, gathering balls, and of course, cuddling with Danielle.
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Later, it would become clear that Danielle had lost her own dog just two days before meeting Squish. It could be said that fate brought them together … they both needed each other!
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I’m thrilled that Squish’s journey ended in joy. Every good soul deserves a fresh start, and it’s heartwarming to know that Squish is now in a safe, loving home.
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