Late last January, someone who came to drop off donations at the non-profit no-kill shelter Kentucky Humane Society (KHS) noticed a skinny dog at the rescue’s parking lot. The pup had clearly been dumped and was already on the brink of death. So the moment he was found, KHS immediately sent him to their vet.
There, they discovered that the dog, whom they named Ethan, weighed only about 38 pounds. This was a far cry from what is the ideal weight of 80 pounds for a dog his size. Apart from this, it appeared that he was suffering from muscle loss and dehydrated skin and was reeking of urine and feces.
The staff at KHS believed that before he was abandoned in their parking lot, he lived in a locked crate for weeks without food. This would explain the significant weight loss he endured. Fortunately, the shelter was able to get him the medical care he needed.
However, it would still take a lot of fighting spirit for Ethan to survive. You see, while he did seem eager to eat and drink, he was just too weak to hold his head on his own. This made meals a challenge for him, so the shelter staff decided to take it slow and steady, hoping that he would be willing to fight, too.
The shelter also kept an eye on his health 24/7 and provided him with medications, iv fluids, and supportive care. Thankfully, after two weeks of monitor and care, Ethan was finally close to his 80-pound weight goal. He also gained enough strength to start walking and was already mingling with the other shelter residents.
When the shelter deemed him healthy enough, they decided to send him over to a foster home with one of their staff members, Jeff. The foster fur dad would take him home every night to let him enjoy a homey atmosphere and return him to the shelter every morning to get monitored. Look at the now happy Ethan and his current caretaker here.
Courtesy of Kentucky Humane Society