With two massive hernias bulging from her groin, Polly was living in constant pain and discomfort. Her movement limited, she suffered a lonely and sedentary existence, forgotten and neglected in a backyard kennel surrounded by concrete and faeces.
It is so lucky our inspectors found her when they did, as she probably wouldn’t have survived much longer. Given the rough living conditions and the size of the hernias, it was a miracle that they hadn’t split or burst already. It was only a matter of time before this occurred, and if it had happened in the heat of summer, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Despondent and weak, Polly didn’t respond to our inspectors’ calls to come out of her kennel. They had to reach in and lift her out, handling her with extra care as they supported the heavy lumps, which weighed almost as much as she did.
Understandably fearful and timid, Polly still remained calm and dignified as our inspectors transported her to our Lonsdale shelter for an urgent vet assessment.
As well as the two inguinal hernias, our vet team identified a range of other medical conditions, including allergic skin disease, dry eye, knee damage and respiratory difficulties. Poor Polly was constantly scratching her itchy, irritated skin, as well as struggling to walk and breathe.