Meet our latest foster, Daisy! WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS!!!

WARNING: The photos in this post are extremely graphic and might be difficult for some members to look at. Viewer discretion is advised.



So we'd like to introduce you all to Daisy, the latest foster pug to spend time at Casa de Rhoda. Daisy is 5 years old and a total sweetheart. She's one of those cases where her life got BETTER by being surrendered to a shelter.

She was brought in by a couple who said they "just noticed this morning" that "something is funny with her eye" and that they couldn't afford to take her to the vet, so were "dropping her off here for you to deal with."

What Daisy actually had was a completely prolapsed eyeball -- it was totally out of the socket and resting on her cheek. Her owners said she was kept outside 24/7 (and judging by her appearance, she'd been bred more than a few times).

Daisy went into immediate surgery in our clinic. While intubating her for surgery, the techs and doctors saw that a 3-inch section of Daisy's upper jawbone (complete with teeth) was torn away from her jaw, and that it had been jammed upward through her sinuses and had forced the left eyeball out of its socket. Based on puncture wounds on Daisy's face, it was surmised that she'd been attacked by a larger dog, whose bite broke her jaw and caused all the resulting trauma.

Daisy, unconscious prior to surgery:




During surgery:




After surgery:


Obviously Daisy's eye had to be removed, and the 3-inch section of jawbone and teeth was removed as well. The doctor who performed the surgery found food in the cavity between the mouth and the eye socket -- she said based on the granulation of tissue in there, and the condition of Daisy's eyeball, that the injury had taken place at least a week and a half prior.

I took Daisy home that evening after her surgery. The poor girl was still unconscious during the whole ride home, and even when I brought her into the house. I got her set up on a comfy dog bed next to my bed, and later Rhoda, Marlee and I all went to sleep together in the big bed. Daisy hadn't stirred or even opened an eye at this point (but she was snoring nicely!).

Poor girl. I heard little toenails on the hardwood floor around 3 a.m. and opened my eyes to see her little head peeping up over the edge of the bed. How terrifying must it be to wake up in pain, in a strange place, with no smells you recognize? I put her into bed with us, and she fell asleep moments later curled up against my legs.

Infection was our primary concern (especially since they'd found food in the wound! Poor girl had been trying to EAT with her jaw like that!), but two weeks of antibiotics did the trick. Daisy healed quickly and got used to her missing eye after a couple days. She was a delightful little pug, perfectly housetrained, super-affectionate, walked beautifully on a leash, friendly with my dogs and oblivious to the cat.

And Daisy's story has a very happy ending: She was adopted by the sweetest, most wonderful retired senior woman in the whole world. She'd been looking for the right dog to share her life with since becoming a widow, and when she met Daisy, it was love at first sight for both of them. I've gotten several follow-up reports since Daisy's adoption -- her name is now Daisy Mae, she's with her new mommy 24/7 (they even run errands together!), sleeps in the big bed and apparently still snores like nobody's business, and has started the life she has always deserved.

Here is Daisy with her new mommy, living happily ever after in her new home:


A real happy ending!

Can we get a tissue alert on this as well??? I'm sitting here bawling at my desk. Poor sweet Daisy Mae. So glad she has a happy ending.

Amber wrote:Can we get a tissue alert on this as well??? I'm sitting here bawling at my desk. Poor sweet Daisy Mae. So glad she has a happy ending.

Me too, and I even skipped the pictures until the end. I am so glad she ended up in such a great home. I really hope karma catches up to her previous owners and they get what they deserve.

Yes, definitely a tissue alert needed. What is wrong with people?!?!
I'm so glad Daisy Mae's story has a happy ending.

OMG! I also am bawling like a baby reading this story, and crying with happiness at the ending. What is wrong with people? I was wondering if someone used her as pitbull bait?

Does she eat normally now? How long has she been adopted? How long did recovery take?

And cyber hugs from my gang to her. What a strong pug she is to survive all that!

She eats perfectly normally now -- she's a pug, so chewing wasn't really an issue! I gave her canned Canidae for about a week, and would have given it longer, but when she snagged a bully stick and started gnawing on it, and ate dry cat food that my cat knocked to the floor, I figured we could give the canned/kibble combo my girls get a try. She was fine with it!

Her recovery only took a couple weeks -- she healed quickly, and once those antibiotics were done and the sutures in her eye were removed, there really wasn't any reason why she couldn't be adopted out (and believe me, I looked for reasons! The veterinarian had to work pretty hard to persuade me it was time for Daisy to go).

I had her outside in a grass yard at the shelter to potty with my girls one afternoon, and this very nice middle-aged couple started asking about her. They were captivated by Daisy, and the woman said that she was looking on behalf of her 80-something mother -- and she sent her husband to the car right then and there, to go pick up mom and bring her to meet Daisy. I can't even describe how wonderful their first meeting was. She saw Daisy, clasped her hands to her chest, and said, "Oh, she's absolutely beautiful!" And the moment she sat down on a bench in one of our "get acquainted" rooms, Daisy went over and stood on her hind legs, with her feet in her new mommy's lap, and then jumped onto the bench, stepped onto her lap, and curled up with a big sigh. It was precious.

Yeah, I observed most of her surgery -- I'm kind of a surgery junkie (I love to stop by our clinic and watch spay/neuters or anything unusual, like amputations. I just find it fascinating. I even watched Marlee's spay when I adopted her. How many folks can say they've seen the inside of their pug? Yes, I know this makes me really weird).

Daisy's been in her new home about a month now. I've received emails from her adopter's daughter every week since, and a few phone calls from the adopter herself (who says that Daisy Mae is the best friend anyone could ever ask for). One of those match-made-in-heaven stories.

I needed a happy ending today and that definitely was one! Yay, for Daisy and her new life!

I am absolutely speechless that she was left like that. The incredibly happy ending is the best, however.

What the hell is wrong with people?

I am going to focus on the happy ending - how absolutely wonderful!!! And, thank you Dee Dee for taking her in and making her feel loved again too.

Yep, another one bawling like a baby at this story, bawling because of the cruelty and bawling because of the happy ending.

SacramentoPugs wrote:I had her outside in a grass yard at the shelter to potty with my girls one afternoon, and this very nice middle-aged couple started asking about her. They were captivated by Daisy, and the woman said that she was looking on behalf of her 80-something mother -- and she sent her husband to the car right then and there, to go pick up mom and bring her to meet Daisy. I can't even describe how wonderful their first meeting was. She saw Daisy, clasped her hands to her chest, and said, "Oh, she's absolutely beautiful!" And the moment she sat down on a bench in one of our "get acquainted" rooms, Daisy went over and stood on her hind legs, with her feet in her new mommy's lap, and then jumped onto the bench, stepped onto her lap, and curled up with a big sigh. It was precious.

OK, I thought I was being pretty strong until I read this part of the story. I'm now a puddle with a grin!

Tissue alert for sure - I'm leaking all over my keyboard. Such a sweet girl to survive such an awful beginning. Now she's on the gravy train for sure. Saira, don't worry about the previous owners' karma. It always does come to fruition. Cause and effect.

The former owners will get theirs in the future. Such terrible people. I am so glad she has a happy ending to such a horrible situation. Bless her little pug heart.

Ok, I almost read this at work yesterday but figured I should wait til I was at home in private. Thank goodness I did. I'm usually pretty strong when reading rescue stories - they break my heart and make me sad, but I can usually hold back the tears. Until Daisy's story. My god - when I got to the part about her waking up that first night, I lost it! And then the part about climbing onto her new mommy's lap and laying down, I lost it again.

What a wonderful ending to such a tragic situation. God bless Daisy and her new mommy.

GingerSnap wrote:

SacramentoPugs wrote:I had her outside in a grass yard at the shelter to potty with my girls one afternoon, and this very nice middle-aged couple started asking about her. They were captivated by Daisy, and the woman said that she was looking on behalf of her 80-something mother -- and she sent her husband to the car right then and there, to go pick up mom and bring her to meet Daisy. I can't even describe how wonderful their first meeting was. She saw Daisy, clasped her hands to her chest, and said, "Oh, she's absolutely beautiful!" And the moment she sat down on a bench in one of our "get acquainted" rooms, Daisy went over and stood on her hind legs, with her feet in her new mommy's lap, and then jumped onto the bench, stepped onto her lap, and curled up with a big sigh. It was precious.

OK, I thought I was being pretty strong until I read this part of the story. I'm now a puddle with a grin!

Yep. I was doing ok until I got to this part too. I should know better than to read this stuff when I'm at work!

Thank you for sharing Daisy Mae's story with us. I'm so happy to hear about her happy ending. Is there anyway for the shelter to report her previous owners for cruelty/neglect? I know that you don't want to dissuade people from turning animals in desperate need of care over to the shelter but this is a really extreme case of neglect.

PugLady3 wrote:
Is there anyway for the shelter to report her previous owners for cruelty/neglect? I know that you don't want to dissuade people from turning animals in desperate need of care over to the shelter but this is a really extreme case of neglect.

They were the recipients of a "welfare check" by animal control (they have two other dogs in their yard, apparently) and a promise that the officer would be by again to check on those dogs. Often.

They were the recipients of a "welfare check" by animal control (they have two other dogs in their yard, apparently) and a promise that the officer would be by again to check on those dogs. Often.

I'm glad to hear that someone is at least keeping an eye on them. Thank you for being Daisy's guardian angel.

This is one of many reasons why I love pug rescue. Thank you for sharing Daisy's story with us.

How awful! Yet, how wonderful too. I'm going to remember the story of Daisy walking up to her new human for a long time!

Thank you for sharing Daisy's story. I wasn't going to look and I did. I don't even have words for that horror. I am all teary eyed here at work. I thought I saw some scary eye issues in rescue but that takes the cake. That poor little doll face.

On the positive side- I am crying tears of joy seeing the photo with her new Mommy. That is the best happily ever after. Thank you Thank you Thank you for giving Daisy a brand new life.

A hard story to read, but a good one. Your disclaimer at the top was great, but definitely a tissue alert would have been appropriate!!! Daisy's condition was just unbelievable. I'm so happy that she found her "person" !!!

Any way we can get this lady to post on PA? She's one person I would love to meet. And Daisy too.

I just finished reading the story of Daisy Mae. Her story certainly takes you through a huge variety of emotions. Daisy Mae certainly is a very lucky pug and now living the life she deserves. Kudos to everyone who helped this courageous little pug girl.