Las Vegas Rescue Dog Weighed Down by Filthy, Matted Fur Gets Makeover

A dog found wandering the streets of Las Vegas with a cumbersome, matted coat and numerous health conditions looks and feels like a totally different dog after some much-needed TLC.

Animal Angels Rescue Foundation (AARF) shared in a post on Facebook on Mar. 19 that someone in their community reached out to the nonprofit about a stray dog needing help in the Las Vegas area. AARF responded to the report and found a dog with a filthy coat and matting “so bad” the rescue wasn’t sure if the canine “even had two eyes.”

In its post, AARF shared photos of how rescuers found the neglected dog and mentioned that the pup’s physical condition was “one of the worst cases” the nonprofit had seen.

Because the dog’s fur was so tangled and thick, AARF could not tell the dog’s sex when they picked the pup up from the street. Due to this uncertainty, the dog was named Blythe. Once AARF took the dog to the vet and had the pet’s matted coat removed, the rescue determined that Blythe was a male. The veterinarian also discovered several health issues.

“He was severely dehydrated, and from eating stones, and rock, and dirt, he ground down his teeth, so he has a lot of exposed nerves and roots,” Animal Angels Rescue Foundation member Reegan Tabor told KLAS-TV of Blythe.

At the veterinarian, Blythe was evaluated, given fluids to address his dehydration, medically shaved and bathed, and had his nails trimmed. After receiving these initial treatments, Blythe looked like a new dog: clean, smiling, and energetic.

“Immediately, he felt better. After all, carrying all those heavy mats was tiresome, and they hurt,” AARF wrote in a Facebook update about the “sweet, very happy dog,” adding that the pet weighed 15 pounds and is believed to be about 2 years old.

However, Tabor told KLAS-TV that the poodle mix is still in for a long recovery.

“He’s very itchy, and he has sores all over him, ” Tabor said about his case. 

“Within recent months, he’s the third I’ve seen in this situation, and it’s very unfortunate. The things we’ve seen[ are] absolutely heartbreaking,” she added.

The next steps in Blythe’s recovery are getting neutered and extensive dental surgery, according to AARF’s update post. The pup is also taking antibiotics to treat an infection caused by trying to urinate through his matted fur.

“If he can make it through what he’s been through for who knows how long, this is going to be nothing for him,” Tabor told KLAS-TV about the procedures.

In the Thursday social media update on Blythe, AARF shared new photos of the dog, with his short fur, looking happy as he played around the home of the foster who took him in.

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“We are so very proud of him and how he is adjusting after all he’s been through. The resilience of a dog!” the organization wrote. “He was a little scared and confused leaving the vet today, but once he went into his foster’s home and met the other dogs and kids, that smile on his face is permanent.”

The foundation noted that Blythe should be available for adoption “soon.”

To learn more about AARF and support the foundation’s work, visit the rescue’s website.