11/03/2025
Sixteen Years Later: A case that touched hearts around the world — and serves as a testament to the extraordinary outpouring of community support, compassion, and care that helped something so small and helpless beat the odds.
On November 3, 2009, a small brown terrier mix was brought to our emergency room with life-threatening injuries. According to a police department news release, witnesses said the dog had been dragged behind a vehicle.
Lovingly nicknamed “Little Brown Dog,” or “LBD,” the seventeen-pound dog had suffered extensive wounds and was in critical condition. During her long stay in our ICU, treatment focused on pain management, skin grafts, and wound healing. Her bandages were changed daily, at first under general anesthesia, and each time, veterinary students made sure LBD left the procedure stylishly attired, decorating her bandages with colorful designs, from Lady Vol colors to superheroes like Wonder Woman.
Media coverage surrounding LBD’s recovery was immense, inspiring an incredible outpouring of compassion worldwide. For the veterinary students and clinicians who cared for her, LBD’s case offered more than a lesson in advanced wound management and healing. Messages, donations, and words of encouragement reminded us all of the goodness people share when they see suffering and want to help.
LBD’s story remains a reminder of what can happen when compassion meets care.
She passed away in 2021, surrounded by her forever family.
