A few weeks ago, I rescued a senior dog who had clearly suffered long-term abuse and neglect. When I found him, he was weak, trembling, covered in fleas, and had no energy to walk. Large portions of his hair and skin were gone, his ear lobe was ripped, and he had scars and inflammation on his head that appeared infected.

I took him to the vet immediately. He was prescribed antibiotics, antifungal medication, ear drops, and pain medication. The vet estimates he is around 13 years old. He struggled to eat even soft food, so we had to switch to an extremely mushy diet just to help him eat.

After completing his first course of antibiotics, follow-up X-rays and a full workup revealed devastating news. He has advanced periodontal disease, multiple tooth abscesses, and necrotic (dead) tissue inside his mouth. The infection is so severe that it has created a fistula—a hole through his cheek into his mouth. When he eats, food comes out of the hole, and I can visibly see the movement of his tongue.

Despite everything he has endured, he is slowly learning to trust me and my family. He has weakened vision and hearing—possibly due to infection or age—but he remains gentle and loving.

Earlier today, he has undergone an urgent dental surgery to extract infected teeth and clean out abscesses and decaying tissue.

I truly don’t understand how someone could allow this sweet pup to suffer for so long—but I do know that he deserves comfort, dignity, and relief for whatever time he has left.

I’ve created a GoFundMe to help cover his medical and recovery costs. Every contribution, no matter the size, truly helps give him the life he always deserved. Any donation, no matter the amount, will go directly toward his surgeries, treatment, and recovery. If you’re unable to donate, sharing his story would mean the world to us.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for being such a compassionate community.