Content Staffs
On a cold January night, a man living in Earlton, New York, opened his front door and found an unexpected visitor. It was a skinny, hairless dog who was shivering in the freezing air — and the man had no idea where she’d come from.
“It appeared that she had been dumped by the roadside and abandoned,” a spokesperson for the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA wrote on Facebook. “It was a frigid night, and it was assumed she came to the door looking for food and warmth.”
The man brought the dog inside and called the police, who then took her to the shelter. When the staff set eyes on the dog, now named Penny, their hearts broke.
“She was in bad shape,” Ron Perez, president of the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA, told The Dodo. “She had some open lacerations on her face and neck, and was pretty much devoid of any hair. It was sad. It’s always sad to see them like this.”
It turned out that Penny had a severe skin condition called demodex mange, which is caused by mites burrowing into a dog’s skin.
If left untreated, demodex mange can be deadly, Chris Reeder, a board-certified vet at BluePearl Veterinary Hospital in Franklin, Tennessee, told The Dodo. “Generally, it’s more debilitating than fatal, but in certain situations it can be,” he said.
While Penny had managed to stay alive, the mange had taken a heavy toll on her health — she’d lost most of her fur, leaving her with dry, flaky skin that had become infected and scabby.
“When she scratched it, she would scratch her flesh, which would get infected and create more bleeding,” Perez said.
But with medical treatment and lots of loving care, Penny got better — and more quickly than anyone expected. “Within one week, she looked like a different dog,” Perez said. “The vet was pretty impressed with her recovery.”
As more weeks ticked by, Penny recovered even more. Now her mange is completely gone, although her hair may never completely grow back, Perez explained.
“She’s a real fighter and very resilient,” Perez said “Her stress levels are clearly much lower now, because she’s interacting with people and she has proper food and is sleeping correctly.”
As Penny has been recovering, the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA has been working with local police to find the person who’d abandoned Penny. Within 24 hours, Penny’s former owner was identified, and police arrested him on animal cruelty charges. If convicted, the former owner could face a $1,000 fine and jail time.
Everyone involved with Penny’s case is pleased that justice may be served — but they’re even happier about the couple who recently adopted Penny.
“We got a lot of applications to adopt her,” Perez said. “But these two individuals are fantastic pet owners. They took it slowly and came and visited with her a couple times a week. They brought their dogs in, and everyone got along fabulously. I’d like to think this will be the last home she’ll ever go to.”
Penny will leave on Saturday to start her new life, and the shelter staff couldn’t be more delighted.
“She’s just a sweet dog,” Perez said. “She really doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. She’s an absolute doll, and she’s going to be a great pet.”
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10 Common Dog Health Problems
Some health problems are specific to certain breeds, such as breathing complications for flat-faced dogs. But several other canine health issues can affect any dog. Here are 10 typical health conditions you need to watch out for in your four-legged best friend:
Top 10 Common Dog Health Problems
Skin Problems
One of the most obvious signs that your dog has a skin condition is itching. Other symptoms that may suggest that your dog has a skin problem include rashes, redness, dry skin, lumps, bumps, skin sores, dandruff, and hair loss.
Ear Diseases
Approximately 20 percent of dogs suffer from ear disease. It’s particularly common in breeds with floppy ears like cocker spaniels and basset hounds. It’s common to see wax buildup or discharge in their ear canal. But others may experience pain, itchiness, redness, swelling, and crusting in the ears.
Urinary Tract Infections
Simply known as UTI, this condition can make it uncomfortable for your beloved companion to pass urine. Signs of urinary tract infection include drinking water more than usual and passing urine more often than usual. Your dog may also only pass a small amount or lose bladder control. Additionally, you may see blood in their urine or notice a strong smell to it.
Vomiting
There are countless reasons why your pet may throw up. You don’t need to visit the vet each time your dog vomits. But it’s also not something you can just ignore. Don’t try to guess. If the vomiting persists or occurs with other symptoms like diarrhea or lethargy, you need to rush to the vet. It could be a sign of severe health problems, such as poisoning or gastrointestinal blockage.
Diarrhea
This symptom may occur on its own or be accompanied by vomiting. Its potential causes are similar to vomiting. One or two episodes of diarrhea may not be a pet emergency. But recurring diarrhea can result in dehydration.
Parasites
At some point in their lives, your pet may have to deal with discomfort due to internal or external parasites. Symptoms of parasites generally vary, depending on a few factors. These include the kind of parasite that has plagued your pet, where it lives, and how severe its infestation is.
Dental Issues
Like us, your dog can develop canine dental diseases due to high levels of plaque buildup. Several signs indicate that your pet may have dental disease. These include difficulty eating, bleeding of the gums or teeth, loose teeth, and bad breath.
Obesity
Nearly 30 percent of the general dog population is considered obese. Several factors contribute to a pet’s risk. These include age, genetic predisposition, lack of exercise, and overfeeding, among others.
Arthritis
This joint problem can restrict your dog’s mobility. Bring Fido to the vet if you see your dog slow down or limp before and after walks. Other signs include licking or chewing on tender areas and behavioral changes.
Poisoning
Symptoms of dog poisoning vary widely, depending on the kind of toxin a pet has been exposed to. The signs can range from vomiting to drooling, breathing difficulties, seizures, or worse, coma. Some of the most common poisonous substances are human foods like chocolates, grapes, raisins, onions, and caffeine. Other known culprits are human medications, household cleaning products, pesticides, and some plants.
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