When Shy Boy was found by Indian animal charity, TOLFA, he was in a bad way. He was suffering from mange – a painful skin disease caused by microscopic parasites. Sadly as mange takes hold it can kill, as it lowers a dog’s immune system leaving it open to diseases and viruses.
Luckily for Shy Boy, who was given his name because of his nervous disposition, he was saved and nursed back to health by the kind volunteers who work for Indian animal charity TOLFA.
“Shy Boy was very scared when he first came to TOLFA,” the charity’s Assistant Project Coordinator Jemma Sadler tells CloserOnline.
“Like most of the dogs, they're scared and it takes a lot of time, patience and love to win them around.”
After Shy Boy was treated for mange and brought back to health, TOLFA sorted a new home for him to live out his days.
Jemma adds: “By the time Shy Boy left us, he still didn't love us, but would come to the front of his kennel to say hello in the morning and allowed us to at least stroke his head.
“We are just coming up to winter time in Rajasthan, where it can reach 0 degrees at night, so we are sure that Shy Boy is happy to have his fluffy coat back. He’s been vaccinated against rabies and has now gone off to live a happy, healthier (and warmer!) life.”
Mange isn’t just a problem in developing countries. Dogs in the UK are also at risk – from other canines and from foxes. CloserOnline spoke to Katy Horton, from Vets on White Hart Lane, to see how we can prevent mange in our animals and how we can prevent it.
“As a vet I see sarcoptic mange, the one you’re talking about above, regularly in the UK,” Katy explains. “Dogs can catch it from other dogs who already have mange and can also catch fox mange.
“Luckily we have a few anti-parasitic products that we can use on dogs which will kill the mange mites. It comes in little vials of liquid that we drop onto the back of the dog’s neck. Our dogs are so lucky to have access to treatment, without it the itch becomes so all consuming that they get weaker and weaker and will eventually die.”
There are thousands of dogs and animals, just like Shy Boy, who desperately need help.
If you would like to find out more about the work TOLFA do and to hear more about their fundraising campaign – they hope to buy a surgical steriliser for their operating equipment – visit www.tofa.org.uk.