A pit bull who was found covered in weeping sores with her eyes matted shut has undergone a miraculous transformation to become a beautiful, happy dog in need of a new home.
Morena was brought to Shaw Pit Bull Rescue in Columbus, Mississippi, in a terrible condition back in November 2019. However, three years on, she is fighting fit and hoping to secure a new forever family.
According to the animal welfare charity PETA, pit bulls are the most abused and neglected dogs and the most commonly admitted to and euthanized in many animal shelters.
It’s not clear exactly what horrors Morena faced in the early part of her life but they left her in a devastating condition.
Aimee Shaw, President of Shaw Pit Bull Rescue, told Newsweek: “Morena was only about six months old, covered in mange, shabby sores, bacterial and yeast infections, and her eyes were completely matted shut.”
Shaw Pit Bull Rescue was established with the express aim of rescuing abused, abandoned or neglected American Pit Bull Terriers.
According to Shaw, Morena was brought in after being “found close to the Columbus Air Force Base.” She said: “We were pretty maxed out for space, but when we saw the photos, quickly made room and made an immediate appointment at our vet.”
Morena was found to be suffering from a neglected case demodectic mange, caused by a weakened immune system which allowed the number of skin mites normally found on the dog’s body to rapidly multiply, causing untold damage in the process.
Though not itchy, mange of this kind is often seen on the face and particularly around the eyes. Treatment can last a prolonged period of time and involves regular skin scrapings to assess the progress made.
Veterinarians quickly prescribed a variety of medications, special shampoos and dips to treat her ailments. Eye drops were administered for 10 days, but Shaw said there were still doubts about whether Morena would make a full recovery.
“We weren’t sure if Morena would be able to see,” she admitted.
Several months of recovery followed and, despite those initial concerns and the severity of her wounds, Morena began to flourish.
Her hair came back to the beautiful dark chocolate tone she had been born with. More importantly, her sight returned.
“She is a great little girl!” Shaw said.
“She gets along with other dogs, she loves to run and play, and go for walks around the farm. She also loves to gnaw on deer antlers and play with ropes. She’s very sweet, and super smart.”