When Nubi was only four hours old, a veterinarian suggested euthanizing him.
This puppy was born without front legs. Although his mother did not reject him, Nubi did not have the strength to feed with the other puppies.
His siblings pushed him away. He's going to die," said Nubi's adoptive mother, Lou Robinson, "and he went home with me." ”
Robinson is a longtime animal rescuer, outside of Houston, Texas, and the founder of an organization called Warrior Education on Rescue, which features a calendar featuring Texas firefighters and rescue pets by teaching courses on how to care for animals.
The couple studied all the methods and wondered how to keep the newborn puppy alive.
For example, they learned that Nubi had to feed on a slope — to make sure the milk she drank didn't suck into the lungs, causing aspiration pneumonia.
Day 3, Day 7, Day 10, Day 16, Nubi thrives!" Robinson said. "His eyes were open, his ears were developed, and he found his voice, his smell and his voice."
Then one Friday afternoon, just when he was more than three weeks old, things got worse.
Sneezing, he didn't seem to want to eat. He blew the milk bubble out of his nose.
"He's going downhill," Robinson said.
X-rays showed that Nubi not only had terrible pneumonia. Puppies weighing 3 pounds have "esophageal abnormalities."
Nubi was given a large amount of antibiotics intravenously and placed in an oxygen chamber.
He struggled to breathe, and Robinson saw that he was "recovering." ”
He didn't give up. He's fighting," she said. "As long as he has the opportunity to improve his quality of life, we will try to give him a chance."
Nubi is now home, with Robinson and her husband. He just turned 5 weeks old.
Until he got bigger, doctors couldn't investigate him enough to find out how abnormal his esophagus was. They don't know if they're permanent or severe, if they can get treatment, or if he's just growing out of the worst-case scenario.
"We don't know," Robinson said.
Robinson spent a lot of time looking at Nubi. She liked the silly look he made when he slept. Then he woke up and wanted to play, play, play.
Nubi didn't seem to realize that he was any different.
He's smart and active. He was learning how to crawl and trying to get up from his face and climb onto his hind legs. He seemed frustrated—angry," because Nubi hadn't fully mastered the step yet.
Robinson said Nubi "has been very happy and contented." "Life always finds a way."