Podenca Verity – a severe case of mange, anaemia and starvation!

This poor podenco has been named Verity. She was found in this terrible state and taken to Little Pod Association, who took her straight to their vet. She is suffering from an horrendous case of mange, her blood count is down to just of 15 so she is also severely anaemic, as well as seriously starving.

News on her from LPA.

‘Let’s start with the good news (yes there is some good news!!)

Verity’s initial blood tests show she is amazingly negative for all diseases (Leishmania, Filaria, Ehrlichia, Lymmes)… We have to wait for the next set of results from the lab to make sure but we are all completely astounded by this

The second piece of good news is that Verity doesn’t appear to have any broken bones or injuries that require any major surgery

BUT…sadly there is as expected bad news… The bad news is she has chronic anemia – Her blood cell count which should be between 37.0% and 55.0% is at just 15.2%. Her regenerating level is extremely low at just 4%. If these levels drop or she becomes unsteady or her condition deteriorates she will be having a blood transfusion. She is in the very caring hands of Janette at Finca la Castellana Animal Welfare Kennels who will be keeping a watchful eye over her day and night and Bruno has already spoken to their emergency vets in case anything happens.

Verity is running a temperature but her skin feels like it is on fire with the infection and irritation. She has had some injections to help with the irritation and will start medication for the 2 types of parasites she is carrying.

Overall although Verity is in a bad way right now, we are more hopeful she has nothing sinister that is untreatable, thus giving us hope of a full recovery. She weighs 14kg’s but she is very tall and very underweight. So it’s on to a really good puppy food, along with vitamins in both injections and a paste and hopefully we will some weight gain.

She’s a gentle and kind Podenco with a strong will and despite being in a new environment with new people feels safe. She is of course in quarantine for the time being but hopefully she will enjoy the peace and catch up on some well deserved rest. Verity is between 2 and 2.5 years old.’

It has now been decided to give her a blood transfusion.

Click here to donate to the cost of the vet treatment and kennel fees mark it as ‘donation Verity’

The parasites are Sarcoptes Scabiai – sarcoptic mange.