June 5, 2020

When we first saw this skinny puppy it looked like he had been hit by a car, but then his neighbors told us that he had stopped eating and suddenly was unable to stand.

When we examined him in the hospital we determined by his nasal discharge, diarrhea and loss of appetite that he probably had canine distemper, a virus that can be fatal and for which there is no direct treatment. Because distemper sufferers often develop what’s called secondary pneumonia, we gave him preventive antibiotics and were so happy that he began eating within the first day.

He was so sensitive that it seemed like love was as important to him as food itself and we wondered if his condition could have improved without it.

He didn’t stand for quite a few days, and when he did, he seemed to be propelled by his will to give love.

Meet Sparkle now!