When a North Carolina rescuer showed up to a local shelter to pick up one dog, she was asked to take on four more!
Without hesitation, she headed home with all five.
It wouldn’t be until arriving home that she would realized two of the puppies needed immediate medical care.
Keep reading to hear about how two little puppies fought their hardest to beat the odds!
Prepared for the Worst
Kate Matthews, Board President of Hope Animal Rescue, arrived at a local shelter to assist with the care of one rescue dog.
When the shelter asked Kate to also take two other pairs of puppies’ home to foster, Kate didn’t hesitate.
It wasn’t until Kate arrived home that she was able to assess the puppies’ health.
That’s when she realized two of the puppies needed immediate medical attention.
Kate was alarmed when she saw the puppies’ gums were white instead of pink – a sure sign that things are not well.
“I was trying to be hopeful in terms that it wasn’t extreme and that it could be solved with fluids and some calories,” said Kate.
So, Kate hurried the puppies to the local vet.
Rushing to the Rescue
Unfortunately, Kate’s worst fears were confirmed. The puppies were very sick. They were in need of a blood transfusion – and quickly.
Kate knew this was a very serious situation and the odds were against the two puppies.
She was going to do everything she could to help the puppies, whom she named Sherlock and Watson.
“We didn’t want them to die without names,” said Kate. It was then that she named them Sherlock and Watson.
Because of Kate and the medical team, it would never come to this.
And so, Sherlock and Watson were rushed to the ER.
A Fighting Chance
Kate was in the parking lot of the ER when Watson went into cardiac arrest. He lost consciousness in Kate’s arms.
The medical team rushed Watson inside. They revived him and he was stabilized on a breathing tube. Watson did not give up.
Then, Sherlock went into cardiac arrest and also flatlined. Just like his brother, Sherlock refused to give up and the medical team was able to revive him.
“It was a very scary touch-and-go about 48 hours for those two,” said Kate.
But these two puppies knew they had full lives ahead of them, and they would keep fighting.
Tiny but Mighty
Sherlock and Watson were both given blood transfusions. After 72 hours Sherlock was healthy enough to come home with Kate!
Although Kate was so happy to bring Sherlock home, Watson needed to stay at the ER.
Watson had been unresponsive longer, and his body was not accepting the treatment as readily. So, Watson remained at the ER where he could receive specialized care.
“As we had Sherlock at home and were caring for him, and watching him get healthier, we were keeping our fingers crossed for Watson,” said Kate.
Then Kate received the call that she was waiting for – Watson was ready to be picked up to go home to Kate’s house.
But, the good news wouldn’t last long. Watson had a seizure.
The medical team was worried that Watson may have suffered a traumatic brain injury.
A Miraculous Recovery
To Kate’s relief, good news was right around the corner. Forty eight hours had passed and Watson didn’t have any seizures.
This determined pup was ready to go home and see his brother.
“We finally had Watson and Sherlock reunited in our home which was wonderful to see,” said Kate.
Slowly, Watson began to feel better with Kate’s care. He began to eat. After a couple of days, he began walking.
A few days later, he was playing!
Getting Back on 4 Feet
Kate was thrilled to see the puppies becoming themselves.
“Eventually the two of them are wrestling in our backyard as if nothing had happened,” said Kate. “They had no idea they touched death.”
Sherlock is a natural troublemaker. He tears at his toys and loved to tease Kate’s resident pup.
Watson is the explorer. While Sherlock nips heels, Watson is trying to figure out the world around him.
“It’s wonderful to see these puppies that we honestly didn’t think would make it, and now they’re just regular old puppies,” said Kate.
Sherlock and Watson now had the entire world at their paws – thanks to Kate and a quick-thinking medical team.
Happily Ever After
Sherlock and Watson have both found their forever homes.
While neither pup will ever be far from Kate’s thoughts, Watson might just be a little closer.
Watson, now Bilbo, was adopted by Kate’s very best friends, and although vets worried that Bilbo might have long term brain injury, you can find him performing one of his many known tricks for his favorite treats.
“It just so happened that they were looking for a puppy as we were looking for a perfect home,” said Kate. “The stars aligned.”
The stars did align for Sherlock and Bilbo – bringing Kate and a highly skilled medical team to them when they desperately needed help.
