Dante

This poor German Shepard mix was initially found as a stray, the lower half of his body scorched in agonizing chemical burns. After several months of recovery, his formerly sad story has transformed into one of healing and hope. Read on to learn how this precious boy overcame his hardships and fully healed, ready to start again.

Dante’s journey began on May 6th, 2024. He was discovered trembling on the roadside with severe, second-degree chemical burns that stretched across his fragile body. In addition to his pain, he was dehydrated and malnourished, with multiple infections compounding his state. His wounds, we’d come to learn, were more than a week old; someone had deliberately harmed him and then cast him aside to suffer. We rushed him to the ER, holding onto hope for the absolute best outcome. 

While under attentive, round-the-clock care at the hospital, Dante remained stoic despite the evident agony he faced. He was such a strong boy, and we wanted absolutely nothing but the best for him. Each and every day, he received thorough wound care and gradually started to heal. His appetite improved, and the wounds on his scrotum and thighs eventually healed. The challenge was securing gel pads to his body without further harm; he was in so much pain. He clearly had a long road to recovery ahead of him, but we were determined to stand by his side every step of the way, regardless of what it would take to fully heal him.

After his initial hospitalization, Dante was transferred to the Stone Ridge Veterinary Medical Center of Conroe for advanced treatment. After we had spent over $15,000 at the ER, the wounds on his back needed more attentive care as they still hadn’t healed properly and remained stricken with infection. At this new hospital, we implemented fish skin treatments using tilapia to enhance his recovery. This was an effort to combat the bacteria that had bloomed against his wounds, including methicillin-resistant staphylococci, as tilapia has antimicrobial properties. These treatments were done weekly. When Dante was not at the hospital being gingerly tended to, he was safely at home with his foster mom, soaking up all of the love.

Due to the extreme discharge that accumulated from his wounds, the tilapia continued to slip off from Dante’s back and was causing him some discomfort. The lead vet decided to transition to a new technique that would be performed twice a week. This would help control wound discharge and safely curb the grueling infections so that his back wounds could finally begin to heal. Over time, it began to work, and we witnessed some incredible progress right before our eyes! Simultaneously, Dante gained weight and began to showcase the playful, sweet boy he had always been deep down.

Dante, now a majestic 80-pound pup, is ready for his forever home. Although the fur on his back may or may not regrow, his wounds have fully healed, and he is no longer in pain. He has grown into a playful, loving companion and cannot wait to embark on his next adventure, where he will always be safe and cared for. We might be biased, but any family that adopts Dante will surely be blessed with the absolute best friend. Currently, there is an interested family that may choose to welcome him in, so we are crossing our fingers that Dante finds his forever home super soon!

We could not have done this without you. Your donations through CUDDLY make transformations like Dante’s possible. Your support has enabled us to take him in from the streets, heal his wounds, and bless him with a beautiful new life. By contributing to his ongoing care, you have saved him. Thank you so much, for everything.