A dog that ate twigs and stones just a few months ago found a happy ending.

A Weimaraner named Alex was picked up on the streets of New Orleans and taken to animal control for rabies in Vermillion Parish, weighing just 43 pounds.

Alex was so impoverished that Deanna Theis, assistant director of the Southern Animal Foundation, when she saw his photo, was amazed that he was still alive.

She knew he would not survive unless he was immediately pulled form the shelter, so that’s what she did.

As he passed medical tests, X-Rays discovered that Alex wanted food so desperately that he ate stones and twigs to fill his stomach. 🙁

His health was touch and go in the beginning. Alex’s severe starvation caused him a serious set back when his stomach reacted to the nutrition he was receiving and it flipped.

He had to urgently operate to remove foreign objects and fight the dangerous condition, but the dog withdrew.

After recovering enough, he went into foster care with Diane Lundeen. She already has two Weimaraners at home and when she met Alexa, she immediately fell in love with him. And he fell in love, gaining 10 pounds in the first week at home with her.

Four months later, Diane knew she couldn’t part from a dog whose eyes were so haunting when they first met. Those same eyes are bright and full of happiness now that he has found a home forever with Lundeen and his new siblings.

Now in each picture Alex smiles 🙂

Lundeen says that he is almost 80 pounds now: “He has good color in his gums, his eyes are bright, when he goes to sit down he doesn’t whine. He has this incredible joy for life that’s awesome.”

Congratulations, Alex! We are so happy to see him miraculously recovering.