A little Shih Tzu is recovering at the Wisconsin Humane Society from extreme matting that had wrapped around her back leg so tightly it became embedded in her skin.

Lucy was a matted mess when she first came to the Wisconsin Humane Society, but her injuries were far worse than even WHS staff suspected. The little pumpkin, a Shih Tzu, was full of kisses when she arrived, but she couldn’t bear any weight on her back right leg and hobbled around in pain.

WHS veterinarians sedated Lucy to remove the extreme matting and discovered something horrific. The mats on her back leg had wrapped themselves so tightly around her ankle that they became deeply embedded in her skin, exposing bone and tendon. The tissue was red and raw and seriously infected. She had been suffering like that for some time.

WHS staff gently cleaned Lucy’s wound, treated her for pain, removed all of her mats, and bandaged her leg to allow her to heal.  They dressed her in a sweater to keep her warm and cozy. And promised Lucy that she’d never suffer like that again.

Lucy is now resting in the ICU at the WHS Milwaukee Campus, and staff members are hopeful for a full recovery, but she still needs round-the-clock care to monitor her condition. WHS is asking for the public’s support of her medical expenses while she recovers. To make a donation for Lucy, visit wihumane.org or call 414-431-6270.