Scar: Dog brought in with serious case of scabies, slowly recovering

When we rescue a dog or cat with a serious condition, we are fortunate to be able to treat them as soon as possible thanks to your continued support. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on funds donated by individuals, businesses, and organizations that are passionate about animals. When we welcome an animal who is in desperate need of help, we’re fortunate to have a supportive community. We thank you for being part of that community.

Scar’s Story

On July 24, we rescued a Pomeranian mix from Fresno Humane Animal Services. When we viewed photos of the pup, we had a hard time believing it was a dog at all. He was a beady-eyed boy with a lion cut or mohawk that was not representative of any professional grooming. This pup, we learned, was suffering from a serious case of canine scabies, a terrible skin disease that leads to serious inflammation of the skin.

“The rash covered most of his body,” our animal care operations supervisor, Maritza Lopez, said, “and a lot of his fur fell off.”

Our animal care associates appropriately named the dog Scar (animal ID: 27075).

The scabies appeared to cover Scar’s entire body. Maritza believes he may have contracted this disease from his previous living conditions. Scabies is very contagious and is caused by mites that can easily infect other hosts. It is a serious affliction that must be dealt with promptly.

“When we first met [Scar],” Jackie Gonzalez, one of our dog care associates, said, “he was a bit grumpy and in pain.”

It may take some time, but when an animal begins to understand others are trying to help them, they begin to relax. Scar was a little snippy at first, but after his treatment, he seemed to warm up to staff rather quickly and allowed his true personality to shine.

“He’s calm and sweet,” Jackie said, “and seems to be a playful dog despite all he’s been through.”

Scar has been prescribed many oral medications along with regular medicated baths to counteract the effects of the scabies. We thank our clinic care staff for their assistance with treatment.

Today, Scar’s scabs have started to clear with healthy skin underneath. He is now in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery. Although he is looking much better, he still has a long road ahead of him.

“After the scabies clears up,” Maritza said, “we have to wait for his fur to grow back and for him to gain some weight because he was really skinny.”

It may be a few months before Scar is available for adoption. In the meantime, if you are interested in caring for him, a foster to adopt can be arranged as soon his scabies clears. Please contact our dog adoption center today at dogs@valleyanimal.org for more information.

3 Tips to Help Your Pet Avoid Contracting Sarcoptic Mange (Scabies)

According to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, sarcoptic mange (scabies) is caused by a burrowing mite that can move from host to host, animal to animal, human to human.

Signs of possible scabies are extreme itchiness, red and crusty rashes, and hair loss in infected areas. Seeing a veterinarian as soon as possible to determine the cause of the rash is recommended. Please note that these symptoms are not always caused by scabies, but it’s always better to trust your local veterinarian in the case that it is scabies.

Below are a few ways to help your pet avoid contracting sarcoptic mange:

1. Whenever possible, prevent your pet from interacting with other animals whose health status is unknown. Scabies spreads rather quickly, so keeping a distance will greatly improve your pet’s chance of not contracting the disease. Instead, opt for safer environments, such as our Dr. James W. Thornton Dog Park, one of the safest dog parks in Fresno County. To learn how your pup can become a member, email us at dogpark@valleyanimal.org.
2. Healthy pet grooming can help prevent and detect early signs of scabies. Making sure your pet’s coat is nice and clean can greatly impact their health. We recommend regular visits to a pet groomer to help your pet feel good and look good. Our certified pet groomer, Larissa Frias, offers affordable pet grooming services. To learn more or make an appointment, please email her at larissa.frias@valleyanimal.org.
3. Our low-cost clinic provides flea and tick treatments that have shown to reduce a pet’s chances of being infected by mites. For further questions or to schedule a physical exam at our clinic, please contact us at clinic@valleyanimal.org.

Our Services

We offer a wide range of services for our adoptables and your pets. For example, our low-cost clinic provides many ways to help keep animals healthy, and pet grooming uses safe products and soothing techniques to make any animal look and feel their best. We also offer plenty of enrichment opportunities, such as our canine socials and cat clubs, helping pets and pet owners engage with the Central Valley animal community.

We thank you for helping us make an impact and supporting our mission to unite dogs and cats with loving people.