A 5-month-old German shepherd cross puppy suffering from mange, a painful skin disease caused by an infestation of mites is under the care of the BC SPCA in Nanaimo.
According to the animal shelter, Ladybug arrived at their Nanaimo location with severe crusting around her eyes and snout.
She had hair loss on her lower legs and the skin on the inside of her back legs was red.
“The vet clinic did a skin scraping confirming Ladybug had demodex mange. They also found bacteria and yeast on her skin. She had enlarged lymph nodes because of her skin issues and conjunctivitis and discharge in both eyes,” said Bonnie Pequin, manager of the BC SPCA animal centre, Nanaimo and District.
Pequin said the dog was prescribed five medications and given a Cytopoint injection to help control its itching. It is also receiving medicated baths twice a week to help with the skin issues.
“Unfortunately, Ladybug’s itching is so severe, we had to take her back to the vet for further treatment,” Pequin said.
Ladybug, described as “gentle and loving and warms the hearts of everyone it meets”, is currently receiving foster care.
Once her skin issues have been resolved she will be scheduled for spay surgery and vaccinations and will be available for adoption following recovery.
“She is initially very shy and is still reluctant to go on leash-walks, but she gives lots of kisses and happy tail-wags,” Pequin said.
“Once she gets outside, she loves to play and will do this adorable little ‘bunny-hop’ while galloping and chasing balls around. We are truly wishing the best for our little Ladybug.”
If you would like to help cover the costs of Ladybug’s treatment and the care of other animals in need, visit http://medical.spca.bc.ca to donate.
