Her spine, ribs and kneecaps were broken, her legs dragged behind her and her nose was completely cut off.

There are no answers to how anyone could endure such inexplicable cruelty. But a dog named Khaleesi, found deformed and starving in Orlando, Florida, is proving to everyone that she’s a survivor.

“She went through a lot of pain,” Dr. Kerri Slomcenski, who is caring for Khaleesi at Hays Towne Veterinary Hospital, told WFLA, “and she had no one there to help her.”

But the desolation Khaleesi, a 2-year-old pit bull mix, had suffered is coming to an end, as animal experts are fighting to give her the normal life she deserves.

Dr. Colby Burns of the North Tampa Veterinary Specialists performed reconstructive surgery for five hours so that Khaleesi could not only look normal again, but breathe easily.

“We’re going to elevate some of this tissue and bring it around to the front to allow that to heal,” the surgeon explained beforehand, “while actually creating two openings so she has a nasal passage.”

Already looking like a new dog, Khaleesi is currently recovering from the surgery that gave her a new nose.

When she’s ready, Khaleesi will undergo surgery on her legs to help her walk again. She has a long road ahead, but her friends and fans know that she was born a survivor.

“Her attitude is great, here energy level is great, she wants to be a great dog,” Dr. Slomcenski told WFLA. “She wants to love people.”

Donate to a fund for Khaleesi’s recovery here.

Watch footage of Khaleesi recovering from surgery:

The Dodo is joining the Huffington Post in celebrating Pit Bull Week, a week-long, community-driven effort to bust the myths and raise awareness about pit bulls, a maligned “breed” that often bears the brunt of dated, discriminatory legislation that can make it near impossible for these dogs to find a forever home.