A couple of weeks ago, I told you about a dog named Arnold that had come into the shelter with Demodex mange. Suffering a terrible skin infection and unable to walk more than a short distance because of his severely swollen joints, it was heartbreaking just to look at him. You might think seeing Arnold would have prepared us for what was to come, but sadly, one week later, we would be sickened by another horrible case of neglect.
On the first day of May, along came Mario, Luigi, Bowser, Daisy and Princess Peach. Vineland Animal Control called to let us know he was heading our way after responding to a report of a litter of five Cane Corso mix puppies that were abandoned by the sewage authority's compost dump. Five six-month old puppies with severe Demodex mange, skin infections, swollen joints, secondary entropion (a condition of the eyelid folds inward onto the surface of the eye) and corneal ulcers had been dumped on the side of the road along the fence line of the compound. Fortunately, a concerned citizen on the way to work in the industrial park had spotted them and gotten them out of the road.
Like Arnold, their fir was nearly gone, their skin was on fire, blood was oozing from the wounds caused by their own nails as they tried to scratch at the maddening itchiness. Luigi's eyes were mere slits from his swollen lids and the pain from the ulceration caused by his eyelashes being rolled back, scratching the surface of his corneas. They lay as a lethargic pile of pups, scared, in pain, huddling together for support. Our instinct to stroke and pet them for comfort had to be checked as they cringed and their skin twitched from irritation of a simple touch.
Once again, we want to thank all of you who have stepped up to help our pets in need; these six dogs will go on to live happy lives because of compassionate people like you.