Duckie Needs Time to Heal
Somewhere beneath Duckie’s bare, irritated skin is the beautiful puppy he is meant to become. You can already see glimpses of him — in the brindle patches beginning to peek through, in the wag of his tail, and in the sweet way he leans toward every gentle hand.
But right now, Duckie is uncomfortable. This five-month-old mixed-breed puppy arrived at Animal League America from Texas suffering from demodex, a skin condition that has caused significant hair loss, flaky, inflamed skin, and the risk of secondary infection.
“Demodex is a type of mite that normally lives on a dog’s skin,” explained Animal League America Staff Veterinarian Dr. Katarina Valen. “It’s not contagious to people or other animals. But when a dog’s immune system dips down, it can run amok.” For Duckie, that overgrowth has left his skin raw and vulnerable. His feet were especially red and irritated when he arrived, and he is now receiving antibiotics, medicated baths, and fish oils to help hydrate and support his damaged skin. He has also developed a cold and a small eye infection, which our veterinary team is treating as part of his ongoing care.
It is likely that Duckie has been living with this condition for some time. Dr. Valen believes it would have taken months for his skin to reach this point. Without treatment, his condition would continue to worsen, leaving him vulnerable to more serious infections, open wounds, and even sepsis.
Although Duckie’s case is one of the more severe cases our team has seen, his prognosis is very good. Demodex is highly treatable, but healing takes time. In about four months, Duckie will look like a completely different dog. His coat may grow back fully, revealing the beautiful brindle coloring already beginning to show through, but Duckie needs help getting there.
Your gift to our Help Me Heal program will provide the time-intensive care Duckie needs. Duckie’s gentle, loving personality is evident. He wants affection. He wants to be close to people. Together, we can make sure one day this sweet puppy finally gets to feel good on the outside and the inside.