Abandoned Archie’s story
Poorly little puppy Archie was crying out for help when he was found in a bush outside a row of shops. The eight-week-old spaniel cross was brought to our member charity Blue Cross by the dog warden in a terrible state.
Tiny Archie weighed just 2.4kg, had scurfy skin and hair loss across his back and belly, and an umbilical hernia which needed immediate vet care. With no microchip, it was impossible to know how he came to be cowering on his own by the shops, with no mum or family nearby.
Archie needed plenty of care to help him recover from his health issues. Initially, Archie’s itchy skin was keeping him up at night, crying with the discomfort. But in the coming weeks, regular vet checks meant Archie’s medication could be tweaked to help his skin improve. As well as antibiotics, Archie was given steroids to manage his conditions, and it wasn’t long before his skin showed a dramatic improvement.
The team at the Hertfordshire rehoming centre cared for little Archie around the clock, before finding him a lovely, experienced foster carer home.
With Archie’s traumatic experience, he could be worried and overwhelmed by new people, so it was important for him to have a consistent home environment where he could recover in a comforting space and continue to be assessed for his medical issues.
Sarah, veterinary coordinator at Blue Cross Hertfordshire, explains: “It was obvious that Archie had a skin irritation that caused his skin to be bald and patchy on his lower back, legs and bottom area. This was quite uncomfortable for the young puppy, itching continuously. As a team we were able to get him onto some antibiotics and he spent his time in a lovely foster home while we started to get his skin under control.”
Archie’s itchy skin was keeping him up at night, crying with the discomfort. But in the coming weeks, regular vet checks meant Archie’s medication could be tweaked to help his skin improve. As well as antibiotics, Archie was given steroids to manage his conditions, and it wasn’t long before his skin showed a dramatic improvement.
Thanks to Blue Cross, Archie also received all the care every puppy needs, from microchipping, to vaccinations, flea and worming treatment, along with his specialist skincare medicine.
To ensure the best possible care for Archie, he was found an experienced spaniel foster carer – who was based in the West Midlands – where the adorable pup settled in well and could make the most of his growing confidence.
After having his second vaccinations from the vet, Archie was able to start socialising with other pets and enjoying puppy playtime.
Archie built his confidence with his foster family and after spending a total of 80 days in Blue Cross’ care, this adorable boy got his happy ever after ending finding a loving forever home.