A few months back, staff at The Animal Foundation (TAF) took in a puppy that captured their hearts immediately. They had seen their share of sick and injured animals, but this little pug, weighing just 8 pounds, arrived with no fur and bright red, inflamed skin, a surprise that left them all stunned.
“She’s only a year old and is in so much pain,” TAF shared on Facebook. “Her tiny, malnourished 8 lb body is cracked, bleeding, and raw.”
Named Talulah, the puppy was suffering from severe mange, leaving her hairless and her skin a painful hue of pink. Clearly, she was quite uncomfortable.
“She’s itchy, swollen, and shivering from the pain,” TAF noted. “She can hardly stand. She can’t play. She’s just a shadow of a dog, but she yearns to feel better.”
Talulah’s case of mange was one of the worst the team had encountered. Thankfully, they had a solid treatment plan in place and sent her to a medical foster home.
“She’s receiving medicated baths, soothing mousse treatments, antibiotics for infection, and pain relief,” TAF explained. “Mange is caused by tiny mites. It is treatable, but her healing will take weeks…”
Just one week into her care, Talulah began to show signs of improvement, with her black fur starting to come back.
“Her skin is healing, her tail is wagging, and her personality is beginning to shine,” TAF wrote on Facebook.
By the end of two weeks, Talulah’s skin had smoothed out, and she no longer exhibited signs of discomfort.
“Talulah is now wiggly, curious, and looking wonderful!” TAF noted. “She’s no longer red and itchy and can finally begin to heal. She’s still with her loving foster family, who are showering her with baths, medication, and lots of affection.”
Three weeks in, Talulah was a lively little dog, becoming more playful and energetic. As her fur returned, so did her smile after joyful playtime with her foster siblings.
Her rescuers were blown away by how quickly she progressed.
“It’s unbelievable,” TAF mentioned on Facebook. “And this is just the beginning.”
Talulah went beyond all expectations. In late September, nearly two months post-rescue, she got a wonderful surprise: a forever home.
“Now called Wednesday, this once tiny hairless pup is thriving in her new family,” TAF shared in an update on Facebook. “Today, Wednesday looks like a whole new dog. She’s cuddly, sassy, and has two tortoise siblings named Herbie and Pie.”
Wednesday’s transformation has been remarkable, and her rescuers are genuinely delighted for her. Once suffering in “itchy agony,” she’s now living a carefree life, and her new family adores her.
“I think our favorite part is her sassiness. And when she wants to snuggle, she’s such a cuddle bug,” Wednesday’s mom, Annette, communicated in a message to TAF shared on Facebook. “She has brought so much joy into our home.”
