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Niurka's Safety Net:

Leaving  No Animal Behind!

-Christi Camblor, DVM
CWOB Co-founder

I remember meeting Niurka, and her family, at our most recent free clinic, hosted in the heart of a low-income, primarily Latino neighborhood in Sonoma County.

Niurka’s family was headed up by a soft spoken Spanish speaking woman named Maria, who asked me to check what she thought was a large tumor on the dog’s stomach area. Niurka had never before been to a veterinarian, and had developed the mass after having her most recent litter of puppies. Maria explained the large mass had been there for about a year, but they had not been able to go to a veterinarian because they couldn’t afford what they were certain would be hundreds of dollars in care.

After chatting a bit with the family and making a proper introduction  to my adorably pint-sized patient, I began my physical exam. The physical revealed a large, life-threatening hernia on her inner right thigh region. The hernia, (tear in her abdominal wall), was so large it could easily kill her as her internal organs were at risk for herniating out through the defect.

I explained the situation to her family and we quickly made arrangements to have Niurka undergo some blood testing and receive the life-saving surgery she needed. Thanks to the Sonoma Humane Society, who provided their surgical suite for the operation, I was able to get Niurka in right away, to spay her and repair the hernia.

At the time of her surgery , I discovered that poor Niurka’s hernia was so severe that a large portion of her bowel had actually already herniated out. Thankfully, I was able to reduce the intestines, close the hernia and Niurka made a full recovery.

Niurka’s family was sincerely grateful for our help. They love Niurka, they sincerely wanted to do all they could for her, they just didn’t have the resources or the access to care they needed to understand how serious her condition was and to get her the medical intervention she needed to survive.

Compassion Without Borders provides animals like Niurka with the care they would otherwise go without, ensuring that No Animal is Left Behind– regardless of the socioeconomic status of the families they live with, the geography of neighborhoods those families live in, or the language those families speak.

If you believe in our mission to ensure No Animal is Left Behind, please donate now.

$50.00 provides a life saving vaccination, deworming and ID tag and microchip to an animal in a low-income area. $250 helps with more complicated cases like Niurka. Every penny donated helps to ensure these animals get the care they all deserve.