PERRY – Four Chihuahuas are safely in the care of shelters and adopting parents after a long and traumatic journey that includes living in a cramped, dirty conditions of a Kentucky hoarder with 11 other dogs.
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According to Going to the Dogs Rescue, Chihuahuas Marvin, Maggie, Stewart, and Colgate were surrendered by the abusive owner, who was apparently keeping 15 Chihuahuas and Chihuahua mixes that were all unspayed or unneutered and in bad conditions.
“We do rescue mostly local dogs,” said the Rescue. “However, sometimes we get contacted on cases that require more assistance from Northern states due to the sheer volume of dogs in the South in need with less resources. Actually Stewart, one of the four we took in had parvovirus, a deadly and highly contagious virus, along with a few other of the pups.”
Once they were removed from the home they had to stay in Kentucky at a veterinary office while undergoing treatment and observation. They also all had coccidiosis, an intestinal parasite which they were treated for. Once they were given a clean bill of health they were transported up to Western New York to a few different rescue groups, including Going to the Dogs in Perry.
Stewart was just adopted and Maggie is pending adoption.
Going to the Dogs stressed that dogs in dirty or filthy living conditions and no vaccination history can contract parvovirus, which is a deadly and highly contagious virus. If caught early it can be treated, but is a very expensive process which includes isolation.
Buying dogs from backyard breeders, puppy “peddlers” online or puppymills or petstores comes with a great risk of getting a sick dog. Unless you have records to prove vaccination history, and they are willing to provide those to you upon meeting then you should be very concerned. Puppies should receive an initial parvo/distemper (dhpp) vaccine followed by 2 more boosters in order to be protected.
PHOTO CAPTION: (Photo/Going to the Dogs Rescue)