Meet Summer! She is a 3yr old, Female, Staffordshire Terrier, recently relinquished by her owners to the East Valley Animal Shelter in Van Nuys. Summer has massive hair loss and irritated skin all over her body. It is obvious that she has had this condition for quite some time. To make matters worse, Summer had recently had a litter of puppies. She was still lactating the day she was dumped. It looks as though this poor girl has been bred many, many, times in her very short life.
A plea was sent out to rescue groups to try and save her from euthanasia. Because of her medical condition, a Rescue organization was her only chance of getting out of the high-kill shelter alive. The Pet Rescue Center caught a glimpse of her via email and spent the weekend arranging for her to travel to our center in Mission Viejo. Volunteers from all over LA and Orange Counties helped to safely get her into our care on Monday. After her evaluation, we now know that Summer will have a long recovery ahead.
A skin scrape diagnosed demodex, which is a common infestation of a dog’s skin. Mites reside and feed in the hair follicles of the skin causing severe pain, irritation, and hair loss. Most veterinarians believe that all dogs have small numbers of demodex mites residing in the skin and that having a few mites is normal and common. It is when immune related, nutritional, or environmental stresses impact the dog that visible skin lesions from mite infestations become noticeable. Summer is definitely malnourished and to think that she has been caring for litters of puppies in her condition is just horrifying.
Fortunately for Summer this is a very treatable condition that takes time and patience to cure, and The Pet Rescue Center is ready to give her just that. We had hoped that this would be her only ailment, but Dr. Wheaton (Matthew Wheaton is Co-Founder of The PRC and owner of Alicia Pet Care Center, where The PRC is located) found a mild heart murmur during her initial exam. We are optimistic that this will not affect her chances at a great adoption, but it is something we must work up with x-rays and an echocardiogram.
It might look like Summer has all the cards stacked against her, but this is quite the opposite. There is no doubt that this girl will have a full recovery and be healthy again. Summer has displayed nothing short of a perfect demeanor. She is gentle, forgiving,and so extremely affectionate. Her tail is still wagging and that is saying a lot for a dog that must feel poorly and be so confused. We are reaching out for help to pay for her medical needs. Her very first treatment plan includes x-rays, blood work, echocardiogram, dental, and spay surgery. We are already over $1500 in expenses and and she has only been with us 3 days. These costs do not include the long-term medications, boarding and feeding she will receive while she is with us.
It is difficult to ask for help at times, as we know money is tight for most of us. Please know that a little goes a very long way and we are so appreciative of any donations we receive. Summer is a beautiful girl inside and out and so deserves a new life. You can follow Summer's journey on our Facebook page. To make a donation, please visit Summer's fundraising on FirstGiving.com.
The Pet Rescue Center is a tax-exempt charity under IRS code section 501c3, and is housed inside Alicia Pet Care Center, located at 25800 Jeronimo Road in Mission Viejo. To view cats and dogs available for adoption, to submit an online application, or to make a donation, please visit www.thepetrescuecenter.org. Contact info@thepetrescuecenter.org or call 877/277-7938 for additional information.
Article written by Casey Oliver, Director of Operations at The Pet Rescue Center, and shared with permission.
