Chestnut Praline, who we now fondly call Chessie, was found running around a park all alone. A good samaritan brought her to Brooklyn Animal Care Center, indicating she was shy and fearful. The shelter noted she was very reluctant to walk and needed some extra coaxing to be brave. It turns out she just wanted to sit in someone’s lap!

The medical team quickly realized something was wrong when Chestnut went into respiratory distress with a temperature of 106 degrees. This seemed to be a result of an obstructed airway making it very hard for her to breath, especially in combination with the stress of being in a shelter environment. The shelter had to keep her on oxygen, fluids and use ice packs to help support her breathing and bring her temperature down.

Muddy Paws quickly stepped into action to help Chessie. It was clear she was terrified, but she started to warm up after she had someone to cuddle on.

A sedated airway exam confirmed that Chestnut has an elongated soft palate. This abnormality, if left untreated, causes difficulty breathing, gagging, coughing, and vomiting. In certain humid and hot environments, an elongated soft palate can also lead to heat stroke, respiratory distress, heart conditions, and even death.

Chestnut is simply the sweetest, most gentle girl who just so happens to have the physique of a transformer. She’s been through a very stressful and scary ordeal, we can’t wait for Chestnut to breathe easily.