Something Felt Off
Sarah Collins from Portland, Oregon, grew increasingly worried when her dog, Bella, began showing signs of unexplained swelling in her belly. After weeks of worrying, Sarah decided to install a door camera. The following morning, she anxiously reviewed the footage—and her heart sank.
Sarah couldn’t believe what she was seeing. How could this be happening? The gut-wrenching feeling of something being terribly wrong gnawed at her.
A Change in Her Dog
That morning, Sarah knew it was time to take action. For weeks, Bella, usually energetic and playful, had been acting differently.
She seemed lethargic and had stopped eating the food she normally loved. Bella wasn’t some elderly dog; she was just two years old and should’ve been full of life, like every other dog Sarah had cared for. But now, something was clearly off.
A Growing Suspicion
Sarah’s instincts kept pointing to the mailman. Bella had always been fine, but her behavior shifted around the time the new mailman started delivering the mail.
Sarah couldn’t figure out the connection, which led her to install the camera, hoping to catch a glimpse of what might be going on while she was at work. What she saw in the footage was enough to make her blood run cold.
A Visit to the Vet
Concerned about Bella’s rapidly growing belly and ongoing sickness, Sarah took her to the vet. She needed to understand what was happening to her beloved dog.
The vet’s reaction to Sarah’s description of the situation made it clear that things were worse than she’d hoped—but could anything be done to help?
The Ultrasound
Despite Bella’s previous anxiety at the vet’s office, she lay still on the table for the ultrasound. As the vet examined the results, he paused, his concern mounting. "Are you sure this is what you saw?" he asked, glancing at Sarah for confirmation.
"Yes, I’m sure," Sarah replied, but as the vet processed the information, his expression changed, and Sarah could feel the weight of the situation.
Sarah’s Love for Animals
Sarah Collins, originally from Portland, Oregon, had always been drawn to animals. Growing up, she had a variety of pets at her parents’ house, but it wasn't until she moved into her own home that she felt ready to adopt one.
Her new house had felt empty, and it wasn’t long before she visited the local shelter and met Bella.
Meeting Bella
When Sarah first laid eyes on Bella, a young puppy at the shelter, she knew they had an instant bond. Bella’s big brown eyes stared up at her, her tail wagging eagerly.
That was the moment Sarah decided Bella was the one she was meant to have in her life.
Bella Fit Right In
Bella quickly adapted to her new home. The spacious backyard became her favorite place, where she played with a collection of toys and always seemed to be in a joyful mood.
Sarah loved how Bella’s warmth and friendliness extended to everyone she met, especially the people who stopped by their house.
A Beloved Dog
Bella became a well-known and beloved figure in the neighborhood. Everyone adored her, especially the mailman, Joe.
But after Joe retired, a new mailman named Allan replaced him. Allan seemed friendly at first, always smiling and chatting with Bella during his deliveries when Sarah was working from home.
The Morning Routine
Every day, Bella eagerly awaited Allan’s arrival, wagging her tail at the back gate. Sarah never thought twice about their interactions—Allan would greet Bella kindly, but kept a respectful distance.
Little did she know, something was about to shift, and their seemingly innocent exchanges would soon take a dark turn.
Something Changed
Everything changed when Sarah began working at an office. She didn't like the idea of leaving Bella alone at home, but she made sure that she was able to leave the house and venture into the back yard while she was away.
For the first few weeks, everything seemed normal. But it wasn't long until Bella started acting a little differently.
Her Eating Habits Changed
The first sign that something was wrong was when Bella started eating less. Sarah gave her the same potions she would usually give Bella, but suddenly, she was only eating half of her food at a time.
At first, Sarah wasn't too concerned. Bella wasn't a puppy anymore; she assumed her appetite was just shrinking as she grew into an adult. But that wasn't the case.
Half Her Portion
At first, she still managed to eat half of her original portion, but as the weeks progressed, this changed drastically. Soon, she was hardly eating any of her food.
Sarah was confused, but decided to ignore this, since Bella was still acting like her usual self. She was still full of life and kind. So, Sarah tried something different.
Nothing Worked
For weeks, Sarah bought Bella different kinds of food. She tried other brands of kibble and even tried wet food, but it made no difference. Bella would walk up to her bowl, sniff the food, and walk away.
Nothing seemed to work. She wasn't even interested in her snacks and treats anymore. Slowly but surely, Sarah's concerns grew.
A Swollen Belly
It wasn't until Sarah noticed something truly troubling a few months later that the alarm bells really went off. Bella wasn't eating, but she wasn't losing weight.
Instead, she was gaining weight, and suddenly, her stomach was swollen like she was pregnant.
She Didn't Know What Was Going On
Sarah couldn't explain it. Bella had been fixed when she was a puppy. There was no way she could be pregnant. But the symptoms only got worse from there.
Suddenly, she refused to go on walks and preferred to spend all of her time lying around, whining quietly. Sarah had no idea what was going on.
Putting Two And Two Together
Slowly, she began to put two and two together. Bella was fine before she started working away from home. She was starting to wonder if something was happening while she was away at work every day.
That was why she decided to go to a local store and buy a security camera that overlooked the gate to their backyard.
Their Interaction
Sarah didn't check the camera for a few days; she waited until a week had passed before she finally checked the footage on her phone, and what she saw nearly had her sick.
That day, she was the new mailman approaching the gate where Bella waited excitedly, her tail wagging.
The Footage
At first, their interaction seemed friendly. Bella was wagging her tail while the man stuck his hand through the gate, petting her head and talking to her gently.
But that all changed when the man suddenly reached into his bag and removed a packet of foil. Then, she watched the man feed her dog something she couldn't quite make out.
Rushing Her To The Vet
That day, Sarah rushed her dog to the vet, her heart pounding as she held her breath. What if he had been poisoning her? Why was he giving her dog food without her permission?
When she told the vet what she had seen, his eyes widened in astonishment. He knew that this was a serious matter.
She Wasn't Herself
In the past, Bella had been terribly misbehaved at the vet, but this time, she barely moved from the table as the vet did the ultrasound. "And you're sure that's what you saw?" the vet questioned, concern evident in his voice.
"Yes, I'm sure," she confirmed. But as he stared at the ultrasound, his expression shifted, and she took a deep breath.
The Problem
"Your dog is severely bloated," he said. "Whatever he has been feeding her is not good for her. You need to ask him to stop."
Luckily, the vet was able to give them some medication and said that as long as he didn't feed Bella anymore, she would be fine. That week, Sarah decided to confront the mailman.
He Was Mortified
When the man heard what Bella had been through, he was mortified. He had no idea that the leftover beans, rice, and dairy products he had been feeding her could make her so sick.
He apologized again and again, and Sarah could tell that he regretted what had happened. She decided not to hold it against him.
Back To Normal
After that, Bella quickly returned to normal. The mailman stopped feeding her the food she wasn't supposed to eat, and the medication kicked in fast.
Before long, she was back to her usual self, and Sarah couldn't be happier. Her appetite returned, too.
Grateful
Sarah was grateful that the mailman only wanted to give her pup a treat, and told him that doggy snacks were okay. Everything went back to normal after that.
Bella lived a happy life with her new owner, and Sarah always made her that she was getting the nutrition she needed.