A pug named Dex was brought in as a stray to the Austin Animal Center in Texas in January, weighing just 10 pounds and in serious danger of losing his sight. The year-old pup was then taken in by Pug Rescue Austin, where it was discovered that he was in much worse condition than they initially thought.
According to Signe Corbin, founder and director of Pug Rescue Austin, his demodectic mange and skin infections, which caused him completely hairless except for his curlicue of a tail, were so critical that veterinarians suspected he had been suffering from the disease for up to six months.
“He had ‘dry eye’ (low tear production) and both of his eyes were infected,” Corbin told The Dodo. “He had painful corneal ulcers from not only the lack of tear production but likely from constant itching and rubbing his face, thus traumatizing his eyes. He squinted and kept them closed most of the time.”
Dex was given antibiotics and antifungal medications. He was also dewormed and given medicated baths to soothe his inflamed skin. To save his vision, they had to administer five different eye drops every 2 hours.
“He was very scared the first few days, but as he started to heal and feel better, he quickly warmed up to people and became particularly attached to his foster,” Corbin shared. “We discovered he loved to curl up in round beds with higher sides on them and he loved fleece blankets against his skin.”
“After a week or so, he became relaxed enough to start wagging his tail,” Corbin continued, “and after another week, he started enjoying chews, toys and interacting with other dogs.”
Dex was not the most handsome when he first arrived at the rescue center, but the adorable dog quickly earned followers on Facebook and those following the hashtag #dexupdate are spreading his story to contribute monetary and in-kind donations to help him in his recovery. One of them was Beth Legacki, who previously adopted two dogs from Pug Rescue Austin. She followed Dex’s story since the beginning and contributed to his wellness. When Dex was healthy enough for adoption, Legacki was first in line.
It was an emotional moment for Legacki to finally hold Dex. “I cried,” she told The Dodo. “He was shy, but I knew in my heart he belonged in our home.”
After a few months, the cute pug had gone from living alone on the streets to gaining a loving family with five rescue dog siblings.
“He has become very dominant in an adorable way,” Legacki explained. “He’s tiny and the most confident and feisty of our pack. He’s super proud and knows he has ‘street cred.’”
“He makes us laugh. He brings warmth and love,” Legacki added. “It’s hard to not get emotional when we look at him and think about where he came from.”
