We thought we'd lose Little Bits the day she came out of the shelter - she was in that bad of shape.  One could encircle her waist with one hand, thumb to middle finger. 

Not only was she severely emaciated, Little Bits was raised in a purse as a 'purse puppy' and her hindquarters did not have the ability to develop properly.  To urinate, she used her front two legs and lifted her hindquarters over the edge of the purse. 

In fact, it took weeks until she felt comfortable enough to sleep in a regular doggie bed instead of a purse!

Little Bits had other health issues to overcome besides the weight issue - there was not enough muscle tissue on her back legs to do corrective 'popping kneecap' surgery, and she walked on three legs basically (putting her two hind legs together to act as a crutch).  Blood tests showed she had a severe calcium deficiency along with a heart murmur and was hypoglycemic.  Frankly, we didn't know which health issue to start with!

Always a sweet loving little girl, patience and TLC proved to be the winning factor in rehabilitating this Chihuahua.  She tolerated daily massages and therapy work, encouraging her to use the muscles in her hind legs that she had... and a good diet slowly started putting weight back on her.

Eventually the calcium deficiency was overcome as was the hypoglycemia.  Always front end 'heavy' because of the way she was raised, once Little Bits started gaining weight and getting healthier, she chose to rely on the front leg muscles still, despite the hind legs building back up muscle.  Her adoption family patiently worked with her in a sling-like mechanism, lifting the front end off the ground and forcing her to exercise those hind legs.   

Today, Little Bits probably could not win a race with her fellow Chihuahuas in her furever home, but she can once again climb doggie steps and no longer needs to lift her rear end up to urinate.  She walks on all four legs and throughout it all, never lost her sweet personality!

Little Bits brings a tremendous amount of joy and love to her furever home family.  No longer desired for being a 'purse puppy,' they're gone and she readily sleeps in an assorted amount of doggie beds scattered around her furever home.

However, at night, Little Bits sleeps curled up by her adopting mother's neck, and still enjoys all the massages she no longer needs to stimulate the leg muscles.  Now she just enjoys it all, done with love and TLC!