10
Loading video...
By Maria Azzurra Volpe
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A dog rescue from Missouri has left the internet heartbroken after sharing the story of Lycan, a dog who "turned to stone" due to severe neglect after being infested by scabies mites.
In a post shared to Facebook last week, Stray Rescue of St. Louis wrote that it got the puppy for emergency care after he wandered up to some good Samaritans who were shocked by his tortured appearance.
Due to severe neglect, Lycan got infested by scabies mites, who were "literally eating him alive," according to the dog rescue, and that resulted in him losing nearly every hair on his body, making his skin resemble stone.
Read More on Pets
"The dog who turned to stone," Stray Rescue of St. Louis' post reads. "This dog has been in constant pain and is suffering from scabies mites. Dogs are allergic to this type of mite and they cause extreme itching. He is miserable and can't stop scratching at himself, at all those little teeth that are invisible to the eye continually feed on him."
The post added: "He yearns to be touched, to be near us. He wants to be rubbed, petted, and—you guessed it—he's a leaner. He melts into every loving touch, ensuring you can feel his genuine gratitude when he leans in with all his body weight, begging for the love not to stop. He should never have been so lonely, so hopeless, for so long."
A representative for Stray Rescue of St. Louis, told Newsweek that the pup they named Lycan is about 6 years old, and surprisingly, he's a husky.
"We are in St. Louis, MO and he was found just south of here. He will need weeks to recover before he can be adopted," the representative added.
The post explains that scabies is a very contagious disease to both people and dogs, and even though they have started medicating him, the pup will continue to be contagious for about two more weeks.
...
According to Improve Veterinary Practice, scabies is one of the oldest known skin diseases, and dogs affected by it may show signs such as anorexia with weight loss, and peripheral lymphadenopathy. The most severely affected dogs will incessantly scratch and bite, causing excoriation, and neglected cases may end up in death.
Stray Rescue of St. Louis added in its Facebook post: "It's mind-blowing to fathom how long it would take for a beautiful, full-coated Husky to slowly be stripped of his fur by pests. It's even more mind-blowing to think that someone may have known he was going through this pain all along and chose to do nothing."
The post continued: "Our veterinarian says this took 'months.' To this dog, it must've felt like multiple lifetimes, and our hearts break thinking of the endless loneliness and pain this dog has endured. Lycan needs your prayers as he fights the infection. He desires nothing more than a loving touch and to be someone's companion. He will never know anything else except for unconditional love from this day forward and his days of sadness, isolation, and pain are nevermore."
Facebook Users React
Facebook users who read Stray Rescue of St. Louis' post and watched the video of Lycan being treated shared their thoughts about the situation in the comments section.
Megan R Johansson commented: "I'm crying!!! Thank you for taking him that day!! I am SO glad I reached out to a rescue group. Thank you for posting an update....as heart-wrenching as it may be.....I am SO thankful he is getting the care he needs. Lycan!!! Perfect name for him. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!!!!"
Susan Osterloh Steins posted: "This is absolutely heartbreaking. I just don't understand why humans do this. You are loved and safe now, Lycan. I hope he feels better and begins healing quickly."
Mitzi Maxson wrote: "No animal deserves to be treated like this!!!!! Thank you for taking this baby in. You are going to feel so much better soon."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines