Emergency! ASPCA Vets Save Starving Pooch

Sometimes the big city can be tough on sensitive souls, and Nala, a tan pit bull with a sweet disposition, is no exception. Earlier this year, the two-year-old dog—emaciated and weak from prolonged starvation—was admitted to the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital in New York City for severe anemia and digestive distress. Veterinarians immediately performed extensive blood work and reintroduced solid foods to Nala’s diet. But subsequent radiographs revealed something heartbreaking and life-threatening: Nala’s nearly empty stomach was host to two metal buckles—the sizeable end parts of a collar.

“It’s not uncommon for dogs who are severely anemic to seek out sources of iron, like metal objects,” says Dr. Louise Murray, a board-certified specialist in internal medicine and the ASPCA’s Director of Medicine. “Nala was likely driven to eat her own collar in an effort to survive.”

Worried that Nala was too weak for surgery, Murray opted instead for an endoscopy, a less invasive approach to removing the buckles. After Nala was stabilized in the hospital’s intensive care unit, Murray and Dr. Cara Lane performed the hour-long procedure. They passed an endoscope (fiber-optic technology attached to a tiny camera) through the dog’s mouth, down the esophagus and into the GI tract, and visualized the foreign objects on a computer monitor. With the rapt attention of a dozen hospital staffers, Murray used a long, grabbing instrument to retrieve the pieces of metal, one at a time. The vets’ efforts were an unqualified success, and Nala was saved from risky surgery and further complications.

This summer, after a much-needed period of rest and recovery, Nala, whose name means “gift” in Swahili, is now available for adoption at the ASPCA. With a survivor’s spirit, this special lady awaits the unconditional love and affection she richly deserves.