Discovered a little dog who had been severely matted and plagued with maggots. Her owner had believed the dog to be dead.

When Riverside County Department of Animal Services arrived, they discovered a little dog who had been severely matted and plagued with maggots. Her owner had believed the dog to be dead.

The dog’s owner originally got in touch with the California animal shelter, asking them to come get his “dead” 8-year-old Lhasa Apso.

However, when the police came they found the dog alive and hidden in a bush next to the home, not dead. She had clearly suffered from serious neglect.

According to an RCDAS press statement, the owner informed animal control officers that their dog had been “acting odd” and wasn’t interested in eating. When asked when the dog had its last grooming, the guy said, “approximately a year.”

Joh Hergenreder, an animal control officer, promptly transported the dog to the Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter, where she was checked, given painkillers, and given medical attention by doctors.
They started to work on her thick, several-inch-long matted coat. In order to complete shaving off the matted fur, doctors had to sedate the little puppy.

According to staff veterinarian Dr. Sara Strongin, “it took them about an hour to perform that work since the matted coat coated all surfaces along the whole length of all four legs, including the paws.”

They found maggots in her behind at that point.

The dog’s skin was wet and inflamed in this area, and the illness created an environment where maggots could grow, according to Strongin. The dog’s entire back end was impacted by the skin illness.

But after receiving many hours of medical care, the small Lhasa Apso is currently recovering greatly and will either be placed up for adoption or sent to a rescue organization to find a home.