07/06/2024
Prepare for a doozie, folks 🥴.....
So, as many of you know, I have no problem helping out others that are seeking help with their animals. I am willing to go out of my way to trim hooves, clip nails, vaccinate, deworm, dress wounds, etc. You name it, if I can do it, I will try to help you.
That being said, I'm going to try to be as vague as possible, while still explaining the situation, and still having some tact....
This is a, roughly, 11 yr old Dachshund, that used to belong to my significant other and his ex-wife. Ex-wife wanted the dog and had the dog for about 5-6 years, then had to move to a place where she could no longer have the dog, therefore the dog was left with the person in which she used to reside with. No judgement there. I understand that life changes happen, some things are out of your control, etc.
HOWEVER, what I do NOT agree with, is the fact that you would allow your dog to get to this condition.
Absofu***nglutely UNACCEPTABLE. 😠
There are NO excuses that will make me change my mind that this is absolute animal cruelty and neglect, 100%.
Her defense was, "I am scared to clip them myself". This is an 8 lb (MAX) dog we are talking about, not some 200lb Mastiff. There is absolutely zero reason he could not have been carried to a vehicle and transported to a Vet, Groomer, etc. to have his nails trimmed before they got to this point. Not to mention, I have ALWAYS been open and willing to clip this dogs nails, regardless of any sort of history there may be between all of us, AT NO COST.
The last time I clipped his nails was in 2022. In March 2023, one of the children reached out to me and told me he was let outside and he could barely move. He was scared and asked if he needed to be put down. I can only imagine how much pain he has been in this last year and a half.... w
What you are seeing in these photos is OPEN SORES ON 3 OF HIS PAW PADS due to his nails growing, curling, and EMBEDDING themselves INTO his feet! 😡 Can you even fu***ng imagine stepping on tacks, NOT removing them, and being forced to walk on them daily???! I was able to clean and treat them, then apply ointment to aid in healing, but he is still now walking around on open sores....
His ears were so full of wax CHUNKS that you couldn't even see down into them. I imagine he has had ear infections in the past which were never attended to or, in the least, irritation and pain in the ears that was never addressed ☹️
Finally, his teeth. At one point, while trimming his nails, I knew I smelt death. I am a Slaughterman/Butcher for Christ's sake, so I know what rotting flesh smells like. It'll knock you over if you aren't expecting it. That ROTTING smell was coming from his MOUTH. 😤
EVERY. TOOTH. IN. HIS. HEAD is rotted. 😐
You can't convince me that no one could smell that, unless you just paid zero attention to, or was never around, that dog! He has a painful abscess/infection on the right corner of his mouth, as well. Now, common sense would say that, as your dog ages, and develops dental issues, you would change his food accordingly, ie. a soft food diet, soaking kibble to a mushy state, etc. until you can get him in to be examined by your Vet. I do not believe this was ever done for him.... I did my best to clean and disinfect his mouth, in hopes that it would give him at least SOME sort of relief 😔
I tried to call the owner of this dog, just to address these things with her, but the call wasn't answered nor was it returned. Therefore, I am making this issue public because I am completely disgusted that ANY OWNER, or even one who houses an animal, would EVER let them get to this fu***ng point!
As an elderly FAMILY MEMBER, have some damn care and respect, and get your animal the help it needs! If you can't afford it (which AGAIN, I understand and hold no judgement against!) and get the dog treatment then at least make the responsible decision to euthanize him due to his failing quality of life, while he still has a little damn dignity left!
To say I am disgusted is an absolute understatement 💔
