Wilma is a 5-year-old miniature dachshund.

We were asked to take Wilma by someone who hadn’t got time for her anymore and she was being left for 12 hours a day while he worked. Wilma had been in her last home for around 9 months and had been exchanged for a cat by two different breeders.

It took quite a while to get Wilma in and at one point I did nearly give up, but something told me to keep trying.

Wilma was picked up and her foster immediately noticed an odd-coloured, bloody discharge, which straightaway rang alarm bells. Suspecting pyometra, we arranged for Wilma to be taken to our vets that afternoon and after an examination she was admitted for emergency surgery at appointment.

At operation, vets found decomposing foetuses and a uterus that was so infected and damaged that it was stuck to the caudal body wall. Some of the muscle also had to be removed along with the uterus and ovaries and we were told it was possible she may not pull through due to the risk of level of infection.

But Wilma did pull through and the next day she was walking around ICU and eating handfuls of chicken. Described on her notes as a “stoical little dog”, Wilma is our little superhero.

What is really sad is that Wilma already had a large C-section scar so she has obviously had problems with giving birth in the past. We can only imagine how many times she’s been forced to have litters and I’m sure it’s no coincidence that she was swapped when her breeding days had come to an end.

Wilma is the sweetest, most gentle and happy little girl who deserves the very best that life can give. She has her post-op check today and then we will be looking for her forever home.

She is lives happily in foster with dogs, she has lived with cats with no issue and she is great with visiting children, though hasn’t lived with them as far as we know.

Thank you so much to our wonderful foster-parents who have shown Wilma so much love and care since she arrived with them, as well as providing her with the cutest little cosy pyjamas!