Richard contracted a life threatening illness when he was only six weeks old.
Prior to coming to Helen Woodward Animal Center, he had contracted canine parvovirus, also known as Parvo. Up until very recently, parvo was often considered a death sentence. The disease has a 91% mortality rate in untreated cases, and it infects tens of thousands of dogs each and every year. Traditionally, veterinarians could only treat the illness’s symptoms, not attack the virus directly. While this increases the afflicted puppy’s chances of survival, it takes days – if not weeks – of round-the-clock intensive care, thousands of dollars, and still isn’t always successful.
Unfortunately, the odds looked grim for Richard. When he contracted the illness, he weighed less than half of a gallon of milk. His antibodies would struggle to fight off a common cold, let alone a lethal illness like parvo.
Richard at his medical checkup.
However, Richard was in luck. A few weeks prior to his arrival, the Center received a shipment of a cutting-edge parvo treatment. Canine Parvovirus Monoclonal Antibodies (CPMA) is the first parvo remedy that directly attacks the virus — rather than simply treating the symptoms. Richard would become one of the first puppies ever to receive the treatment in a shelter environment.
Within 24 hours, he completely transformed into a new puppy.
Prior to receiving the treatment, the terrier blend spent his days sleeping and lacked any sort of appetite. After, he acted like a normal pup, bouncing off the walls and playing with Center staff.
The Center’s medical team continued to monitor Richard for several weeks before declaring him fit for adoption. Once he received the all clear, he found his forever home fast. His newfound family loved his playful personality, and they had no idea he had fought for his life only three weeks before.
Richard now goes by Duke, and he’s been loving life with his new family ever since
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- Richard, now Duke, lounging by the pool.
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- Richard’s in a happy, loving home now!
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- Richard and his new family!
