Image: L. Gomes / PML / Sasha is most likely a Samoyed breed and between the ages of 12 to 13 years old.

By Laurice Gomes

Pet Care

[WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT] ‘The odour, you knew something was festering’: Emaciated dog found in shocking condition

Jul 26, 2022 | 6:02 PM

CHILLIWACK — It was a heartbreaking sight to see an emaciated dog named Sasha, cowering even as the specialists at Gladys Pet Hospital in Abbotsford showered him with love and affection.

Lyndsay King, a certified veterinary assistant at the hospital, said Sasha is most likely a Samoyed breed and between the ages of 12 and 13 years old. She described the first encounter when the docile senior pup came to the clinic on Monday night.

“Smelly—you knew something was festering,” she said. “Sad, because he had to be carried in, it was just kind of a shock.”

Image: L. Gomes / PML / Staff at Gladys Pet Hospital cleaning Sasha’s open wounds.

King said Sasha’s nails were “astonishingly” long and probably around four inches long; two of the nails were curled into his paw pads.

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“We saw on his one shoulder that there was puss and blood and stuff,” she said. “We didn’t see exactly what was going on until we shaved him. He was very matted, like severely matted, his whole tail was like just a giant matte when he came in.”

King said Sasha is probably one of the top five heartbreaking situations she has witnessed in her career.

Image: L. Gomes / PML / The clinic is awaiting results of Sasha’s bloodwork to determine how his organs are functioning.

“He has so much hair, and when we brushed him out, and you saw how much hair came off, and how skinny he really was, it’s sad,” she said. “Like it breaks my heart.”

The veterinary assistant said Sasha is “extremely” emaciated.

“On a scale of one to five for body score, five being severely overweight, one being emaciated—he’s a one,” she said.

King was sent a video by Ashley Jackson of Heart and Soul Dog and Cat Rescue, whose rescue agency had picked up the gentle giant from a kind citizen Monday night.

“After the video I saw last night that Ashley sent me, and then I saw him come in—it was shocking,” King said in disbelief. “Honestly, to think that somebody could let that dog go that badly.”

Jackson, who is the co-founder of the foster-based rescue group that picked up Sasha, said she was told by her volunteer that the dog could barely walk at one point.

“The volunteer that picked her up said he was grossly underweight, that he had a gaping wound on his side,” Jackson said. “He was very weak and was falling over when he was walking.”

Image: L. Gomes / PML / Sasha has open wounds that were bleeding and full of puss.

With his age and his condition, Jackson said sadly, right now, finding a home for Sasha to live out the remainder of his life is what she would want for him.

“He’s a very old boy,” she said. “A quiet home, not any other dogs jumping all over him, someone that is willing to do physiotherapy with him, somebody with a lot of time.”

King said the clinic is awaiting results of Sasha’s bloodwork, and that will determine how his organs are functioning.

“Our biggest concern right now is his mobility. I mean, he is up there in age,” King said matter-of-factly. “He is a large breed, even though he is emaciated, he’s still about 60 lbs.”

Sasha has arthritis in his joints and has limited mobility.

“We’re going to start him on some antibiotics to treat the festering wound he has on his shoulder,” King said. “Some septic solution to keep it clean, and we’re going to put him on pain medication.”

King believes that Sasha has been left to fend for himself for at least a “few years”.

“Nails like that don’t grow in a year,” she remarked, with sadness in her voice.

To support Sasha in his journey to recovery, people can call Gladys Pet Hospital at (604) 850-2000.

Image: L. Gomes / PML / Sasha’s nails were around four inches long; two of the nails were curled into his paw pads.