Abandoned puppy heals with help from Blue Cross

Poorly little puppy Archie was crying out for help when he was found abandoned in a bush outside a row of shops.

The eight-week-old spaniel cross was brought to Blue Cross by the dog warden in a terrible state.

Filthy, and with scurfy skin and hair loss across his back and belly, and an umbilical hernia, he needed immediate vet care.

Tiny Archie weighed just 2.4kg when he was taken in by the team at Blue Cross Hertfordshire.

With no microchip, it was impossible to know how he came to be cowering on his own by the shops, with no mum or family nearby.

Our team cared for little Archie around the clock in our rehoming centre, before finding him a lovely foster home.

Overwhelmed

With Archie’s traumatic experience, he could be worried and overwhelmed by new people.

So it was really important for him to have a consistent home environment where he could recover in a comforting space and continue to be assessed for his medical issues.

Sarah Miller, veterinary coordinator at Blue Cross Hertfordshire, explains: “Since being in our care, it was obvious that Archie had a skin irritation that caused his skin to be bald and patchy on his lower back, legs and bottom area.

“This was quite uncomfortable for the young puppy, itching continuously. As a team we were able to get him onto some antibiotics and he spent his time in a lovely foster home while we started to get his skin under control.”

Archie’s itchy skin was keeping him up at night, crying with the discomfort.

But in the coming weeks, regular vet checks meant Archie’s medication could be tweaked to help his skin improve.

As well as antibiotics, Archie was given steroids to manage his conditions, and it wasn’t long before his skin showed a dramatic improvement.

Thanks to Blue Cross, Archie also received all the care every puppy needs, from microchipping, to vaccinations, flea and worming treatment, along with his specialist skincare medicine.

To ensure the best possible care for Archie, our teams worked together to find an experienced spaniel foster carer – who was based in the West Midlands – where the adorable pup could make the most of his growing confidence.

“He's such a little poppet and his fur is looking fabulous,” says Sarah Galvin, foster coordinator at Blue Cross Bromsgrove.

“He settled very well into his foster home with an experienced spaniel fosterer, where he's in good hands and has been enjoying the sunshine.”

After having his second vaccinations from the vet, Archie was able to start socialising with other pets and enjoying puppy playtime.

Archie continued recovering and receiving all his routine vet care including further vaccinations and neutering before he was ready to find his forever home.

Spending a total of 80 days in Blue Cross care, adorable Archie got his happy ever after ending when he was adopted by a family in Northamptonshire.

Can you volunteer as a Blue Cross pet foster carer?