Bella Needs Critical Surgeries to End Her Pain
Curled up with her favorite pink dinosaur toy, six-year-old Bella is as sweet as can be. She loves a belly rub and comes ready to play. But beneath her affectionate nature, Bella has been silently suffering.
When Bella arrived at our Pet Health Centers, this endearing French Bulldog was in desperate need of immediate medical intervention. Like so many of her breed, Bella was struggling to breathe — and without urgent care, she faced the terrifying risk of suffocation.
“Bella was diagnosed with brachycephalic airway syndrome, which is very common in these short-faced breeds,” explained Animal League America Associate Veterinarian Dr. Lyndsey Williams. “Unfortunately, they’re bred for certain characteristics that lead to upper airway abnormalities. The two biggest issues we see are stenotic nares — extremely narrow nostrils — and an elongated soft palate that can block the entrance to the windpipe.”
To save her life, Bella underwent critical airway surgery to open her nostrils and shorten her soft palate, finally allowing her to breathe freely. But Bella’s challenges don’t end there. She was also suffering from another devastating condition — a severe, chronic ear infection that became resistant to medication, leaving her ear canal completely obstructed. The infection had progressed so far that the only option left was a total ear canal ablation — a highly specialized surgery to remove the diseased ear canal entirely.
Though she will lose hearing in that ear, she will finally be free from relentless pain.
Two major surgeries. A long road to recovery. Bella is only beginning her journey to a pain-free life. This kind of specialized, lifesaving care comes at a significant cost — but at Animal League America, we never give up on animals like Bella. Because of generous supporters like you, we can provide the critical surgeries, post-op care, and rehabilitation she desperately needs.
Please donate to our Help Me Heal program today and help Bella breathe, heal and thrive.