MORE INFO FROM OP:
“When they brought her in, she was so sick her eyes were matted shut. Lifeless. The vet I was working with doubted she’d make it through the night, so we decided to humanely euthanize her.
Beforehand, I wiped her eyes with a warm, wet cloth—just a small kindness in her final moments. That’s when we saw them—her beautiful eyes, shining through the discharge from a respiratory infection. She was looking at me, pleading for a chance.
So I told the vet I’d nurse her through the night and see what happened. I gave her a flea bath, meds, and food via syringe, then held her against my skin for warmth. The next 24 hours were critical, and after two weeks of around-the-clock care, she pulled through.
I told myself I’d find her a home, but deep down, I knew that was a lie—we had bonded. Her eyes saved her in more ways than one. We often took in sick or injured animals, and too often, there were no homes for them. Pet overpopulation is an epidemic here in the South. If only more people would spay and neuter!
But Rice is still here, still kicking, and still a beauty.”
