Star was rescued from a plywood box along with 9 surviving puppies in the middle of a hot Missouri summer three years ago. By the time she was found she was dehydrated, malnourished, and near death from kidney failure. She was taken to Murphy Animal Hospital in High Ridge, Missouri, where veterinarians stayed by her side and nursed her and her puppies back to health.
Miraculously, Star pulled through, and was adopted by the owner of the animal hospital, Dr. Shannon Flegle, DVM. Her pups went to good homes around the St. Louis area and Star settled in to her new life.
But this summer Star became very sick. She was vomiting and would refuse to eat – symptoms that caused her new family to be concerned. Her condition became worse and they discovered that her kidney was failing her again. Dr. Flegle told Fox News that she tried everything she could think of to help Star be well again, but nothing worked.
“I tried IV fluids, any supplement, we did acupuncture on her.”
But the only thing that could save Star would be an organ donation.
Though kidney failure is not uncommon in dogs, there is no waiting list for a transplant. Finding a donor who is a perfect match is do-it-yourself when it comes to your dog. This kind of surgery is rare for dogs, but Star’s family was determined not to lose her. Dr. Flegle kept in touch with the families who took in Star’s puppies, and reached out hoping for a miracle.
Elsa was adopted by the Murray family. When mom, Jenny Murray, told her family that Elsa might be able to save a life, the family decided together to do whatever they could. Jenny told reporters that her children were happy to help:
“This is Elsa’s chance to save her mom, and they’re like, ‘Oh so she’s a hero!’”
Elsa was found to be a perfect match for Star, and the transplant went off without a hitch last month. Both dogs are recovering well and are expected to live completely normal lives. Elsa earned a hero’s cape with a star, and Star will get to live a long, happy life thanks to her daughter and their families.
H/T: ABC7News
Featured Photo: Murray Animal Hospital/Facebook
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