A shelter dog that was surrendered with severe skin problems is finally getting the treatment she desperately needed.
When Keyla first arrived at a Manhattan animal care center last year, she was in agony and urgently needed help. "We do not know the reason why Keyla's skin condition was so severe," Lois Huang of the Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) told Newsweek.
"Her previous owner brought her in when he was unable to manage it by himself any longer. He stated that he attempted to treat her with antibiotics but her condition did not improve under his care," she said.
The shelter said the owner surrendered Keyla in the hopes she would find a "better life with someone who could afford to provide the necessary care."
It's a reminder of the financial demands placed on dog owners. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimates that the average American will shell out $3,221 on a pet dog during the first year of ownership. By comparison, cats cost just $1,904 to care for over the same initial 12 months.
But while Keyla's skin condition may have caused her previous owner to give up caring for her, the decision to surrender the pet pooch proved beneficial.
"Luckily, our longtime volunteer Susan Kuhlman noticed Keyla at Manhattan ACC and brought her to her husband Jay Kuhlman's vet practice Gramercy Park Animal Hospital," Huang said.
The Gramercy Park Animal Hospital has a track record of treating dogs from the shelter with severe skin conditions and wasted little time in helping Keyla. Little by little, the pet pooch is starting to return to her former self.
"She has been responding very well to the treatments that they are giving her, and she's even starting to grow hair again," Huang said. "The staff at the hospital say that she's a very lovable dog that always wants to play and is very treat motivated."
Since September, Keyla has been on a course of antibiotics, anti-yeast medication and Cytopoint, an antibody used to treat atopic dermatitis in dogs.
Despite the difficulties and the dog's occasional discomfort, staffers at the hospital have been blown away by Keyla's friendliness, especially around other dogs, and what they describe as her "resilient spirit" in the face of adversity.
Huang hopes that by sharing Keyla's story, the shelter will be able to drum up interest in her adoption.
"We are hoping that people are able to see past her medical conditions to see that she is a wonderful loving companion that just needed a little extra TLC to shine," she said.
"There are so many shelter dogs who simply need one person to see them and give them a chance. She would make a wonderful addition to a loving home that can help her with her training and handling sensitivity due to her skin," Huang said.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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