In early November 2009, officers with the Knoxville Police Department brought a small dog suffering from severe wounds to the John and Ann Tickle Small Animal Hospital at the UT College of Veterinary Medicine. Witnesses said the dog had been dragged behind a pickup truck for several miles.
The story quickly drew expressions of outrage against the perpetrator and compassion for the dog from the community, and volunteers from all over the university stepped up to offer care and support to the 17-pound terrier mix, now dubbed the Little Brown Dog.
When she was first brought to the teaching hospital, Little Brown Dog had frightful shear wounds—damage to skin and other soft tissues, joints, and bones caused by friction against a rough surface—and was listed in critical condition. She received two skin grafts to cover wounds on her paws, and she spent 5 weeks in the intensive care unit for pain management.
Assistant professor of surgery Dr. Patricia Sura and a team of veterinary students and staff members performed Little Brown Dog’s surgeries and provided her medical care, falling for her charm in the process.
“Little Brown Dog stole many hearts at the college. The length of her stay coupled with the horrific circumstances surrounding her injuries caused people in the hospital to seek her out to love on her,” Sura says.
Lauren Donovan, who was a veterinary student at the time and part of the team that cared for Little Brown Dog, says the chance to care for the dog was a wonderful educational and personal experience. Donovan checked the dog’s vital signs every morning and changed the dog’s bandages every other day.
“It was such a great learning experience for me to follow through on a wound-healing case from beginning to end. Usually a student would be able to see only parts of the process, but I was fortunate with Little Brown Dog. Also, the teaching clinician and I had many conversations about pain medication for Little Brown Dog, which have helped me in my clinical practice after graduation,” Donovan says.
Veterinary students were determined to make Little Brown Dog as comfortable as possible by scratching her belly, hand-feeding her special food, and dressing her wounds with hand-styled bandages featuring fruits, flowers, and Lady Vol colors.
Donovan adds that the good cheer was reciprocal—Little Brown Dog’s friendly and affectionate presence made the hospital a happier place. “It was so rewarding to see the final outcome—a perky dog able to use all four of her legs, with all the hair grown back too!”
Sura adds, “Little Brown Dog reminds most of us why we went into veterinary medicine to begin with—to help animals that can’t help themselves. I think Little Brown Dog is perfect.”
Today, Little Brown Dog has recovered and lives with her forever family, where she rules the roost, sporting little red boots for her hikes through the woods.
In all, more than $13,500 was donated toward Little Brown Dog’s medical care. Leftover funds went to the college’s Assisted Care Fund for animals who need medical help.
For the latest updates on Little Brown Dog’s progress, visit UT College of Veterinary Medicine website.
