Local sweetheart 'Tilly the Rescue Dog' needs surgery

Tilly has had a difficult start to life which the local RSPCA branch cannot disclose information about currently, but one of their dogs desperately needs public support.

Tilly was just one of many dogs the self-funded branch of the RSPCA took in which has come at a huge cost and strain to the rehoming centre. The charity in Cornwall took in a total of 42 dogs whilst already having over 30 unwanted dogs in their care. Many of the dogs have needed behavioural and medical support, but Tilly is still in need of surgery.

RSPCA Cornwall Branch In May 2023, the local RSPCA Cornwall rehoming centre took in 42 dogs that urgently needed support. Within their group of needy dogs, was shy Tilly. As she limped around her kennel, the team knew something was wrong with one of her front legs, but had graver concerns for how lethargic she appeared. She was extremely nervous, but whilst she was slowly moving around, the team noticed she had discharge coming from her vulva, which is usually a clear indication of Pyometra (infection of the uterus due to not being neutered). The charity rushed her to their local vets for urgent surgery.

The vets successfully spayed Tilly and removed all signs of the life-threatening infection, and managed to get a good look at her leg whilst she was under sedation. The vets confirmed that her leg was completely deformed as she was missing the bottom portion of her leg. The charity has said that she still tries to actively use her remaining portion of leg which seems to cause her confusion and uncomfortability. Her stump is apparently often twitching or shaking and a local orthopedic specialist surgeon has suggested that amputation is the best treatment for Tilly.

RSPCA Cornwall Branch The rehoming centre has little history on Tilly or any of the many dogs that have come into their care and cannot currently disclose any further information about this group of dogs. Fundraising Manager Sammy Howard commented: "Right now, our expert team is helping Tilly feel more comfortable being touched. Tilly is a very nervous girl and her after-care will require our team being able to check her wound regularly, so before her surgery, we need to ensure that she has a good bond with a few members of our team. She is gaining confidence every day thanks to the dedication of our team and her surgery has been recommended to be booked in towards the end of June.”

The self-funded branch of the RSPCA has said that Tilly has a long road to recovery ahead of her, both physically and mentally, but they won’t give up on giving her the second chance she deserves. The team are not currently looking for a home for Tilly whilst they're learning what her needs are, and what support she may need post surgery, but they hope it won’t be long until a forever home can be found for her.

For information on how to donate, follow the link: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/tillyssurgery or call the rehoming centre on 01637 881455 about other ways to donate.