Starving Stray Chihuahua Too Weak to Walk Gets Saved and Makes Amazing Transformation

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When a stray chihuahua named Lemon was picked up by Michigan animal control in 2015, she weighed just 2.5 pounds (approx. 1 kg) and was too weak to stand on her own two feet. As it turned out, she was picked up in the nick of time; the tearjerking transformation that followed is resonating with animal lovers everywhere.

Upon examination at an emergency clinic, staff noted that Lemon was emaciated, hypothermic, dehydrated, and had growths on her eyes that were impairing her vision. Not only could the little dog not walk, she was even too weak to sit upright.

Lemon was taken in by the Kent County Animal Shelter (KCAS) in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“The finder thought that she was dying,” KCAS animal specialist Jennifer Collier told WOOD-TV, “but she ate really well when she got to the emergency hospital [and] when she came to Kent County Animal Shelter she continued to eat well.

“[T]he difference with her that kind of touched everyone,” Jennifer continued, “was that even though she couldn’t really move or sit up, her tail always wagged.”

In moving footage shared by Jennifer on YouTube, Lemon’s enthusiastic tail-wagging almost knocks her off balance as a member of veterinary staff holds her upright for examination. A feeding tube was administered to help Lemon gain weight, and despite her numerous physical ailments, the little dog’s spirits were high.

As soon as Lemon’s condition was stabilized, she was taken into foster care by Jennifer in order to recuperate in a safe, comfortable environment. She even had the company of Jennifer’s rescued pit bull, Rosie. Lemon blossomed.

The tiny chihuahua was hand-fed around the clock to ensure she was taking in enough calories to gain weight and grow strong. On day 3 of foster care, Jennifer recalled, Lemon was able to sit up on her own. Shortly thereafter, she started to walk.

Lemon fell often; her weak body and compromised vision made balancing upright a challenge, but the little dog persevered. She began physical therapy to help develop her atrophied muscles, and as her body got stronger, so Lemon’s eyes also improved.

The chihuahua also learned how to play.

“I thought that it was only fair; this dog, you know, survived so long on her own without food and water, just emaciated in her state,” Jennifer told WOOD-TV, “that she deserved to have us try a little harder to get her healthy.

“I anticipated it taking at least a few months to get her to gain a healthy weight and regain enough muscle mass to be able to walk,” Lemon’s foster mom continued, “but as she did gain weight it became more apparent that there were some neurological deficits as well.”

As of December 2015, Lemon had more than doubled her original body weight and her coordination was improving dramatically. “This special dog requires a home that is committed to continuing her recovery journey,” Jennifer shared in Lemon’s video account.

Despite the ongoing care that Lemon would need in light of her neurological health, the deserving little dog found a forever home eight months after coming into Jennifer’s care.

Thinking of Lemon, Jennifer reflected: “She’s definitely one of the lucky ones.”