The 8-week-old puppy, now called Matilda, was found "skin and bones" with labored breathing, and unable to lift her own head near Myrtle Avenue in Neptune on Sunday night, May 7, the Monmouth County SPCA said.
"On the brink of death," the puppy was rushed to the SPCA shelter for urgent medical care, shaking and whimpering, officials said.
"We wrapped Matilda in warm blankets and began IV fluids to try and give this tiny girl some life," the SPCA said. "Matilda has been minimally responsive to our care, and she's still in critical condition but we're doing our absolute best to keep her comfortable."
As of Wednesday, Matilda was living up to her name, "Mighty in Battle," and showing "small but promising" improvements, the SPCA said.
"We're doing our absolute best to keep this girl on a positive path and we're so grateful to have all of you behind us, fighting the good fight."
Click here to follow Matilda's journey.
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