MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The dog that was set on fire by her owner, Riona, is set to have tissue expander surgery this week.
While it's an expensive option - with already more than $20,000 spent on Riona’s treatment - Tails of Hope Dog Rescue said it’s the best one.
"You can't put a price on a life," Tails of Hope said. "[Riona's] got a will to live, we want her to live, we'll go to any length to get her healthy."
The tissue expander surgery is similar to a breast implant, but can be filled with saline externally every few days through a small tube. The skin is able to be slowly stretched to a much larger capacity than initially thought.
“She will have this tissue expander placed under the healthiest and largest section of skin which will likely be the right side of her abdomen, since that section has the largest healthy portion of skin with the fewest scars,” Tails of Hope said via their Facebook page. “After this expander is filled and the skin is stretched, the skin will be removed and used over the furthest burns on both of her left legs."
There’s less chance of infection and rejection with this type of treatment.
Infection had been a major concern for Riona because of her burns. Tails of Hope said Riona's had to be sedated twice a day for pain while removing and reapplying bandages.
When this first happened, residents and people across the world united to try to help pay for Riona's medical expenses. It left many furious, confused, and motivated to try to get answers and the dog help.
Tails of Hope said Riona still might have four to six months on her road to recovery until she can be adopted, but said she is on the right track.
So far people have donated over $20,000 to her medical expenses. If you want to get involved, you can click here.
