Earlier this month, six dogs had their worlds turned upside down when their owner surrendered them to an animal shelter in Houston. Among those pups was Doppy, a 10-year-old hairless Chihuahua.
A staff member at the shelter noticed that Doppy seemed to
be struggling a bit more than the other dogs. She thought Doppy might need a little more TLC than a large rescue could provide, so she reached out to Long Way Home Adoptables, an organization that specializes in seniors and dogs with medical needs. They happily agreed to take him in.
“We immediately were like, ‘Yes, give him to us,’” Gigi Stem, Long Way Home Adoptables’ foster and marketing coordinator, told The Dodo.
The first thing the Long Way Home Adoptables staff noticed about Doppy was that his skin was in rough shape. As a hairless pup, every irritation and skin issue stood out.
“When he first came in, he was completely covered in fleas,” Stem said. “That was the most visible thing.”
But as the staff continued examining him, they noticed several other concerning medical symptoms, including difficulty breathing. A visit to the vet confirmed that his breathing issues were being caused by a genetic condition.
“We discovered that he has an elongated soft palate, which is commonly seen in French bulldogs or other more flat-faced breeds,” Stem said. “But essentially his palate is so long that it’s obstructing his airway.”
Because Doppy’s caretakers don’t know much about his backstory, the origin of his medical issues remain a mystery. But they’re amazed that despite everything Doppy has been through, he’s never stopped wagging his tail.
“He’s such a happy little guy,” Stem said. “He doesn’t even know what’s going on with him. He’s just so happy and he’s so affectionate and loving.”
Long Way Home Adoptables set Doppy up with a foster home, where he’s been settling in nicely. He’s been loving playing with the other dogs in the home, who have given the 10-year-old pup renewed energy.
“From the minute that he entered into foster care, he was belly-up, tail wagging, just the sweetest, happiest guy,” Stem said.
Stem isn’t available for adoption yet — he needs to fully get back on his feet and get healthy first. In the meantime, he’s decompressing and having fun.
“We just want to see him get into a great forever home and be loved and cherished like the unique and amazing little guy that he is,” Stem said.
