Taken in during an operation intended for other dogs, Poleng's coat was completely invaded by mange, to the point that the scabs which covered it earned him the nickname “stone dog”. His story, told by The Dodowent through many stages before the canine finally set down his suitcases.
As soon as it was discovered, the dog's condition struck the people who came to rescue it. “ By the time we saw Poleng it was clear he had suffered enormously », explains a member of Little Steps Matterwhose team had never dealt with a similar case before.
Caresses kept at a distance for a long time
The emergency was such that he had to be hospitalized without delay. “ His body was ravaged by severe scabies, with painfully inflamed skin and thick layers of scabs covering his entire body. He almost seemed to have turned to stone “, confided a rescuer to The Dodo. Placed in the hands of a veterinarian, the survivor then began a long road to recovery.
Until then, the slightest physical contact hurt him, so he stayed out of the hands of those who cared for him. Once treated, the survivor changed his attitude and took a liking to the caresses of his caregivers. The coat of Poleng began to grow back, revealing a beautiful speckled coat.
“He is living a dream life with his family now”
Initially, a family took him in, then he moved to a second foster home. After 4 months, adopters came forward to keep him permanently: they had spotted the dog on social networks and had fallen in love with him. The shelter manager sums up the situation: “ He's living a dream life with his family now “.
In dogs, mange is a skin condition caused by microscopic parasitic mites. Depending on the species involved, these mites burrow into the surface layer of the skin or live in hair follicles. As Poleng has had the painful experience, this disease can cause impressive lesions and requires rapid veterinary treatment to allow the dog to return to a normal life.