It was dark when the truck slowed and stopped on the side of a remote dirt road. The door opened, and a small dog was forced out onto the shoulder. The truck sped away, leaving the dog behind, alone in the night.
Hours later, someone driving home along the road saw the forlorn figure of a dog and pulled over. The dog was still standing there, waiting for the people she thought loved her to come back. The driver put the dog in the car and took her home.
Chloe, as she was named, was found to be almost hairless. Her eyes were swollen and hazed over from infection. Her rescuer surmised that there was no way Chloe had gotten to the side of that remote road on her own. Someone must have found Chloe's health issues too much to deal with, and instead of seeking help, simply abandoned her and drove away. Unfortunately, Chloe's rescuer was also unable to provide her with the help she so desperately needed, and that's when the Northumberland Humane Society became involved. Chloe was surrendered to an animal cruelty investigator and taken immediately to a veterinarian, where she was found to be suffering from severe skin dermatitis and swollen eyes. One of her eyes had an ulcer over much of the cornea, impairing her vision considerably.
Chloe's residence at the shelter has been punctuated by daily administration of 4 kinds of eye medication. She was put on anti-biotics to control her skin and eye infection. The vet requested medicated baths for Chloe every other day and placed a cone around her neck to stop her scratching at her already damaged eyes.
On the follow-up visit, the vet was pleased with Chloe's progress. The staff at the Northumberland Humane Society had been diligent with the little dog's medications and because of this Chloe's eyes were less swollen, allowing the vet to ascertain the probable source of Chloe's eye issues - she had entropion, which is a condition where the eyelids roll downwards, causing the eyelashes to scrape the surface of the eyeball each and every time the eye blinks. Chloe had most likely been suffering from this condition for a long time, so long in fact that her corneas had become ulcerated.
Chloe, in spite of her health issues, has shown a remarkable and resilient spirit. She takes in stride the application of eye drops and salves throughout the day, every day. She tolerates standing in the tub soaking in medicated shampoo, she bears with being sprayed with strong smelling solutions to help her skin heal, and even forgives having pills forced into her on the occasions when she won't eat them in food. She still wears the cone around her neck to prevent her scratching and seems accepting of it. She enjoys going on short walks and spending time with the staff and volunteers. She loves riding in the van, even when these trips usually end with another visit to the vet! Physically, Chloe is responding well to her treatments. Her hair is slowly growing back and her eyes are clearing. It's thought that her right eye in particular will never be normal, having been scraped by eyelashes for too long, but there is marked improvement noticeable. Surgery will correct the entropy, and at last Chloe will be able to live without the torment of her cornea's being scratched each and every time she blinks.
One of the most rewarding things about working in the the field of animal welfare is being able to help animals like Chloe. Once her treatment is complete and she has recovered from her surgery, we will be looking for a permanent home for her. She will most likely need to eat a hypoallergenic food for possibly the rest of her life, and some permanent vision impairment will remain, but other than that, we are hopeful that Chloe will be able to live a normal life. Chloe will never again have to know the despair of being left, ill and alone, on the side of an unfamiliar road.
Like all Humane Societies, the Northumberland Humane Society is a non-funded facility. It relies on donations and it's own fund-raising efforts to survive and help animals like Chloe. If you would like to donate towards Chloe's treatment and surgery, please go to www.northumberlandhumanesociety.com , call us 905-885-4131, or mail us a cheque made out to Northumberland Humane Society.
As you can see by the photos below, we think Chloe may be part Shar pei. Her face however, leads us to think she may have some pug in her ancestry as well.
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