After sitting in an animal shelter for more than a year, a dog finally found her forever home, but an X-ray later revealed to her owner the chilling truth about her past.
TikTok user @some_palindrome took her rescue dog to a routine vet appointment when she received shocking news. The veterinarian took an X-ray and discovered an old bullet lodged somewhere inside the dog. She shared the heartbreaking discovery in an October 23 TikTok video captioned “This was not on my bingo card.” The clip has since reached nearly 330,000 views and 80,300 likes.
Despite the alarming find, her dog appeared completely unbothered, happily sitting in the car, staring out the window with her tongue hanging out. The owner paired the video with the song Many Men (Wish Death) by 50 Cent, symbolic of the dog’s near-death experience and the resilience she has carried with her.
Newsweek reached out to @some_palindrome via email for additional information and comment.
The owner couldn’t help but think about what circumstances might’ve led to her “sweet baby angel dog” being shot, but the past is the past. She assured viewers that her dog is no longer in danger. She’s now safe in her new home and has become an office dog.
“…my patients cry if she isn’t there, that’s how much she helps humans,” the owner wrote in the comment section.
TikTok users flooded the clip with tears over the canine’s previous life. One person wrote: “WHAT ON EARTH!! But she’s just a baby.”
Another added: “Love that sweet graying face so much. Who could hurt this angel! People are sick.”
Keeping things lighthearted, someone else said: “She says, ‘That’s my old life, I don’t talk about those days.'”
Surprisingly, many viewers said they had experienced something similar. A fourth commented: “This happened to me and my girl too!! They’re so brave and strong.”
Canine Bullet Wounds
While the dog in the TikTok video appears healthy despite the old bullet lodged inside her, bullet-wound injuries can be serious. According to VCA Animal Hospitals, penetrating wounds, including gunshot injuries, can cause life-threatening internal damage or infections, even if the dog shows no outward symptoms.
To assess these cases, vets typically use imaging such as X-rays or ultrasounds to determine the severity of the injury and whether surgery is required. Bullets and pellets can carry debris, such as fur, wood or metal, into the body, causing infections that are typically treated with antibiotics.
Whether a lodged bullet must be removed depends on its location and the tissue affected. In some cases, surgery is recommended; in others, the bullet can remain if it poses no immediate risk.
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