Dog's Head Was So Swollen — And Rescuers Didn't Know Why

She didn't want anyone to touch her because it hurt so much — but she feels so much better now, and loves to cuddle.

When rescuers at Animal Aid Unlimited first got a call about a street dog with a severely swollen head, they weren’t sure what to expect. They drove out to where she was last seen and found the poor dog, later named Pauline, stumbling along the streets, dizzy and disoriented. Whatever was making her head so swollen was clearly very painful, and her rescuers knew she needed medical attention as soon as possible. 

dog with swollen head
Animal Aid Unlimited

Rescuers tried to offer Pauline some food and love to gain her trust … 

dog with swollen head
Animal Aid Unlimited

… but because she was in so much pain, she was terrified of being touched, and she tried to back away from her rescuers. She seemed unaware that they just wanted to help take the pain away for good. 

dog with swollen head
Animal Aid Unlimited

Finally, one of the rescuers quickly threw a blanket over her and scooped her up before she really knew what was happening. He carried her back to their truck, and drove her to the Animal Aid Unlimited shelter so they could figure out why her head was so swollen and fix it once and for all. 

dog with swollen head
Animal Aid Unlimited

After examining her, Pauline’s rescuers realized that the reason her head was so swollen was because of a large wound on her throat. After sedating her, they cleaned and treated the wound, then bandaged it up, and crossed their fingers that the swelling in her head would start to go down. 

“We knew that as soon as she woke up she would feel so much better,” Animal Aid Unlimited wrote in a video about Pauline’s rescue. 

dog with swollen head
Animal Aid Unlimited

After only three days, the swelling in Pauline’s head had gone down significantly, and after five weeks of rest and care … 

dog with swollen head
Animal Aid Unlimited

… sweet Pauline was finally back to normal, and looked so different from the scared, disoriented dog she was when she was first found. 

dog with swollen head
Animal Aid Unlimited

Now, Pauline is no longer scared of being touched, and loves to cuddle with the people who saved her life. She’s no longer in any pain, and can go back to living a normal life thanks to the people who took the time to help her. 

dog with swollen head
Animal Aid Unlimited

You can watch a video of Pauline's rescue here. (Warning: Video contains shots of medical treatment that may be difficult to watch.)

If you’d like to help other animals like Pauline, you can donate to Animal Aid Unlimited