Pet makeovers can be adorable — sometimes. In the case of Violet, a 5 lb. white Maltese mix, the makeover she endured almost killed her.

When Violet’s owners used human hair dye to color her purple, she suffered a horrible reaction that resulted in her being taken in to Pinellas County Animal Services in Florida. Her eyes had swollen shut, she had burnt skin, and she was lifeless.

The staff didn’t think she’d make it, but they weren’t going to give up! They gave her fluids and pain medication, cleaned her off as best they could, and bandaged her up. She spent the night at the veterinarian’s home, and to the amazement of the staff the next morning she came back in, still alive.

The gritty work continued. They began to shave Violet’s fur to find that the burns were worse than they had anticipated — her skin began to fall off. Thankfully, she was anesthetized.

And her journey to healing began.

“Fast forward 3 months – pain medication, antibiotics, IV fluids, honey treatments, scab removal, anesthetizing, bandage changes, sleepless nights, worrying, hope, worrying, hope and finally the silver lining,” wrote Pinellas County Animal Services on Facebook. “Violet began to tell us what to do – it started with a little noise; not really a bark, not really a cry. But then she found her voice and she never, ever, EVER stopped. She began to walk the halls, visiting each office requesting treats or hugs or gentle pats, always in the lead with our veterinarian in tow. It was clear – Violet was on the mend and she wanted everyone to know it.”

If you have pets, please make sure to only use products that are safe for them. This terrible, painful incident could have been easily prevented had Violet’s previous owner done the research before applying harmful chemicals to her body.

The sweet dog pulled through, and now Violet has a loving home with an owner who specializes in beautifying pets, the safe way!