In 2017, San Antonio Humane Society found a white Chihuahua who was missing large patches of fur and had red, irritated skin. The shelter thought the stray dog’s skin condition would get better once he was in the shelter, but to their surprise, it kept getting worse and worse.
The dog, Fritos, kept scratching and chewing his skin constantly, leaving large red patches all over his body. Some days, Fritos would chew his skin so much, it would become completely red and raw.
In a press release, San Antonio Humane Society discussed all the tests Fritos had gone through to try and diagnosis his condition:
“Initial tests for mites returned negative. Mange, negative. Scabies, negative. Fungal infection, negative. He’s been through blood work, skin scrapes, special diets, and special shampoos, but his condition continues to fluctuate with no real consistent improvement.”
The shelter workers were baffled by Fritos’ condition. Until, finally, a skin biopsy revealed the problem: Fritos had bad allergies. But the test didn’t say what Fritos was allergic to.
The shelter had no idea what was irritating Fritos’ skin, but one thing was clear: being in a shelter wasn’t helping Fritos. The shelter was full of allergens, and the workers were sure that was exacerbating his skin problems.
The shelter knew what the next step had to be. Samantha Delicati, SAHS Surgical Services Supervisor, said:
“We’ve come to a point where we believe the best thing for Fritos is a permanent home with a dedicated family committed to treating his condition.”
Unfortunately, the shelter was having trouble finding an adopter for little Fritos. Because of his skin problem, many people weren’t looking his way. Fritos sat in the shelter for over a year, scratching and scratching and waiting for someone to take him home.
Even though Fritos was suffering, he was still a sweet dog who loved spending time with people:
“In spite of his condition (or perhaps because of it), it’s clear that Fritos yearns for companionship. His greeting is a soft paw in your lap as he stands on hind legs, quietly requesting affection,” San Antonio Humane Society wrote in a press release.
After putting out the press release, many local news stations picked up Fritos’ story.
With the news stations’ help, the story went viral. Suddenly, after a year of being overlooked, many people wanted to adopt Fritos.
San Antonio Humane Society went through all the applications, and they chose the best forever home for Fritos.
The humane society was sure Fritos’ new parents would give him the care he needed. Fritos would have to go to the veterinarian frequently so they could figure out what he was allergic to. The shelter workers hoped that once Fritos was out of the shelter, his condition would get much more manageable.
https://www.facebook.com/sahumane/posts/10155347683921447
After spending a year in a shelter, Fritos the Chihuahua has now moved into his forever home. Hopefully, Fritos will soon make a full recovery!
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