Horribly Matted Homeless Cocker Spaniel Becomes Three Pounds Lighter After Two Hours Of Meticulous Medical Grooming
Humans and animals alike have the incredible capacity to withstand their traumatic pasts. A dog rescued from the streets of Chicago exemplified this admirable resilience.
The Trio Animal Foundation, whose primary mission is to provide financial assistance to homeless pets, was contacted by an open-access shelter. They had an urgent case that was beyond their own resources.
So terrible was this dog's condition that rescuers smelled him before they saw him. When they did see him, their hearts broke for the poor little guy.
"He looked like a matted ball, and he was a complete mess," was how they described the dog, Sang Su. No one knew what breed he was.
They could barely recognize him as a dog under his urine-soaked, matted fur. They assumed that, like most neglected dogs in terms of grooming, Sang Su was either a Shih Tzu or a Lhasa Apso.
The following day, Sang Su was attended to by four medical staff members. He was placed under anesthesia, and the two grueling hours of grooming were completed.
The 26-pound dog was three pounds lighter once the process was finished. Sang Su had infections in several areas of his little body and significant inflammation in places where his fur was so badly matted that it pulled on his skin.
The biggest shocker was Sang Su's breed
Underneath his urine-soaked fur, Sang Su was actually a Cocker Spaniel mix!
He had a tiny nub for a tail and ears as long as his face.
The poor dog was so terribly neglected that no one guessed his breed correctly.
Thanks to the hard work of his medical and grooming team, the beautiful boy underneath was revealed.
“I have been in rescue for 20 years, and this was the first time that I was wrong about the breed of the dog underneath such matted fur," said the president of the Trio Animal Foundation in another interview.
Sang Su's physical transformation was complete. The rehabilitation of his heart was an entirely different challenge.
Sang Su relied on the foundation's therapy dogs to bring life back into his eyes.
They taught him how to become a dog again.
The therapy dogs were gentle with Sang Su while he wore his head wrap to protect his still-healing ears.
Sang Su's transformation, inside and out, was a truly re-bark-able change.
Sang Su eventually found a loving mom who will ensure he never goes through another traumatic experience. Just look at that smile!
The staff of the foundation saw Sang Su's vacant eyes and hoped for the best. He was scared of humans at first but craved touch and attention at the same time.
They showered Sang Su with love and affection until he was ready to mingle with them and the therapy dogs who helped him adjust to his new, less hairy life. Sang Su is a testament that no pet is beyond help as long as there are people who are patient enough to work with them.
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