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ACS shares story of dog that made incredible transformation from mange to adoption

‘(He) doesn’t even look like the same dog’

Rummy was adopted by a forever home after battling mange. (KSAT)

SAN ANTONIO – The story of Rummy — a dog that had one of the worst mange conditions that Animal Care Services had ever seen — didn’t start well, but it has a happy ending.

ACS shared photos of Rummy’s astonishing transition from homeless with severe mange to adoption, all of which took place in about a month’s time.

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ACS spokesperson Lisa Norwood said Rummy entered the city-owned shelter on Sept. 27, when a resident called officers to report a dog that appeared to have no hair and was bleeding and walking slow.

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Rummy had severe mange, Norwood said, so manager Bethany Colonnese decided to foster him back to health.

“He had zero hair, scabs and his skin was hard as a rock, and look at him now,” Colonnese said in an email. "(He) doesn’t even look like the same dog.”

Rummy was adopted out to a forever home during the first week of November.

Norwood said Colonnese “has performed many a miracle on pets with mange,” a highly contagious condition that could affect pets and people.

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Symptoms including hair loss, rashes and crusting on the skin, according to ACS.

Rummy’s last scrape test produced no live mites, ACS posted on Facebook Friday.

The post added Rummy will soon start obedience training with his forever family.


About the Author
Rebecca Salinas headshot

Rebecca Salinas is the Digital Executive Producer at KSAT 12 News. A San Antonio native, Rebecca is an award-winning journalist who joined KSAT in 2019.

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