He arrived in crisis. Chance, a German Shepherd pup of just seven months, was dumped at an emergency vet clinic.
His face was grotesquely swollen, distortion so severe you could barely recognize the sweetness beneath.
The vet said “dog bite wound,” but the swelling, the bloodwork—they hinted at something more.
A chronic illness that no puppy should ever face so young.
When the folks at The Animal Pad rescue in San Diego got the call to help, they dropped everything.
Lauren, the director, remembers walking into the clinic and seeing a poor pup so bloated, eyes almost shut, trembling.
Fear was written on every inch of him—but so was something else: a spark. A little spirit begging to survive.
They named him Chance. And a chance is exactly what they gave him.
They stabilized him first. Fluids, waiting. Then tests. His body was fighting multiple battles: infection, illness, malnourishment.
Each result chipped away at the despair—but also revealed the path forward.
Then they found an abscess in his face: the root of the swelling. Painful, dangerous, threatening to take more than his appearance if left untreated.
Surgery followed: a surgical drain, cleaning, stitches. When that abscess was removed, the transformation was immediate.
Swelling receded. His face, once bowed and painful, softened. Chance looked like a brand-new dog.
Relief showed not just in his eyes, but in the way his body relaxed, in the way tail wagged. He could breathe easier, eat easier.
He could be a puppy again.
But the rescue wasn’t over.
His bloodwork still told stories darker than the abscess: chronic illness, anemia, the weight of neglect, the burden of having nothing steady to hold onto but hunger and fear.
Chance was painfully skinny. He needed to grow—physically, emotionally.
So The Animal Pad poured love in. Daily care. Soft clean bedding. Gentle human voices telling him he was safe.
Foster parents who let him romp or rest as he needed. Toys he could explore without fear. Patience they never thought they’d need but gave anyway.
Weeks passed. Chance put on weight. Energy shimmered in his gaze. He began to play with other pups—simple frolics weren’t possible before.
He curled into laps without trembling. His step grew steadier. His transformation went beyond his body: he started to trust again.
Now, though still on a medical hold, Chance lives in a foster home. He enjoys cuddles. Dog buddies. Moments of sunshine.
Moments of peace. He’s not “just healed.” He’s becoming himself.
Chance’s story is raw and hopeful. It reminds us how close the edge many animals teeter on—how one moment of abandonment can cascade into pain.
But it also shows how love, skill, commitment can reverse that cascade. How “brand-new dog” isn’t just skin deep, but soul deep.
When Chance is ready, adoption will be waiting.
Someone will see him not as “that swollen puppy,” not as “sick,” but as Chance—resilient, sweet, deserving.
Until then, The Animal Pad and his foster parents whisper kindness into every moment of his days.
