Flaky The Puppy, Left To Die Tied To A Fence, Was Friendless And Furless

While a puppy may only require a brief bath to restore his shine, Flaky will require months of attentive care from a devoted new owner to fully recover. The six-month-old Staffordshire bull terrier is nearly completely hairless due to a skin ailment. On May 16, the RSPCA discovered him abandoned and chained to a fence in Wyke Beck Woods, Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Flaky, who got his nickname from his ailment, suffers from demodectic mange, a severe skin ailment brought on by a mite that causes him to lose fur. “This poor dog is in a terrible condition and it will take many months for him to recover,” stated RSPCA inspector Rachel Oprysk.

“He has a severe skin condition called demodectic mange, and aside from a patch of hair on the back of his head and between his shoulders, he is nearly completely bald. Even his nails were overgrown. Over an extended period of time, someone has permitted him to enter this state. It appears that they abandoned him after that. It will take some time for his skin to heal,” stated Mandy Miller, manager of the RSPCA animal center in Bradford, West Yorkshire, where Flaky is receiving care.

There are various degrees of demodectic mange; some dogs lose some fur, but he has nearly completely lost his. He is a very loving and sweet dog, but right now he is having a little self-pitying fit. “I believe he must be in a great deal of discomfort because he came in with swollen feet and sore fur. He needs a little more time to feel better, but he has been through a long ordeal and I am sure he will start to perk up a bit after a while.” Mandy clarified that in addition to taking regular baths with specially formulated shampoos in an attempt to address his skin condition, Flaky is presently taking medicines to relieve the pain that comes with it.

Though it is difficult to tell due to his significant fur loss, it is believed that Flaky’s fur was formerly a brindle color. He had no visible identification on him, nor was he carrying a microchip. After being brought to the veterinarian, he is now receiving the necessary care and attention at the RSPCA Bradford & District Animal Centre. Inspector Oprysk declared: “This will take time to complete.” To get the skin problem under control, he will require special baths for several months. The good news is that he is now receiving that care, and with any luck, the animal center will be able to find him the kind of home that every dog deserves.