A stray puppy who was left to suffer in immense pain has found his happily ever after and a well-deserved family. Bruno the 10-month-old English bulldog was discovered alone on the streets of Bristol with an uncomfortable skin condition that caused him to lose his fur.
As soon as he arrived at Bristol Animal Rescue Centre, vets recognised he was suffering with a serious infestation of demodex mites (also known as mange), and immediately treated him with medicated baths to soothe his inflamed skin. Animal home manager, Jodie Hayward, told the Mirror: "Bruno's skin was in dire condition when he arrived and he was, understandably grouchy and in pain."
Demodex mites occurs primarily in dogs less than 12 to 18 months of age, and when left untreated, it can lead to secondary infections which can be fatal to dogs.
"The transformation we saw in Bruno once his skin started to improve was amazing," Jodie said.
"He became much more playful and cuddly, it was like a weight had been lifted from him, and he was finally able to be the cheerful dog he was meant to be."
The animal care team worked hard to gain little Bruno's trust and once the bulldog was no longer in pain, his lovable personality began to shine.
It took 81 days in the rescue centre before Bruno was adopted by a loving family who lived on a small holding farm.
The family had previously adopted another bulldog from the shelter, named Dorothy, and Bruno instantly gained a new best friend.
His adoptive family say he's now a happy and playful dog who is very much loved and enjoys life on the farm.
Dorothy and Bruno will often cuddle up together on the sofa, adventure to see the chickens and run around the open fields.
Another puppy who was abandoned on the streets in "immense pain" has fought her battle to survive thanks to the team at Bristol Animal Rescue Centre.
Xena the six-month-old stray also had a serious infestation of mange which caused her to lose her fur and have very itchy, inflamed skin.
The young stray dog was nursed back to health, before finding a loving home with an adopter on a glamping site near Chew Valley.
Jodie said: "We named her Xena because we knew she'd be strong. She overcame this horrible condition and is now living her best life. We couldn't be happier for her."
Now the young and playful pooch has plenty of space to run around and enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle.
If you'd like to help give more dogs like Bruno and Xena a second chance at a happy life, you can sponsor a dog kennel from £10 a month on Bristol Animal Rescue Centre's website.
Do you have a dog story to share? Email nia.dalton@reachplc.com.
