Photos of Huck showing before and after he was rescued in La Ronge. (Flirting with Fido/Facebook)(Submitted photo/Dan Kennedy)

By Derek Cornet

success story

Northern pup rescued with severe rickets given new lease on life

Mar 16, 2021 | 12:12 PM

It has been said every dog has its day and that phrase certainly holds true for a rescued stray from La Ronge who is now living his best life on Vancouver Island.

The discovery of a young pup with advanced rickets sent shockwaves through the small northern town and surrounding communities as residents expressed sadness and anger for the dog’s severe malnutrition. After the initial photo of the pup appeared on Facebook on Valentine’s Day, he was rescued by a local resident and transported to Saskatoon to be placed in the care of Flirting with Fido volunteers.

“We drove up to Saskatoon to meet him and pick him up and he came to stay with us until he was recovered,” Dan Kennedy of Regina told larongeNOW. “He was our foster. He joined our pack and stayed with us until he was adopted.”

The dog was also given the name Huck as he stayed with Kennedy for about one month. During that time, Huck received veterinarian care but Kennedy noted his illness was solely linked to nutrition. Not only were the bones in the pup’s legs soft, he also had underdeveloped teeth and his fur was falling out.

Kennedy explained Huck was given the best fish-based puppy food to reverse the rickets, as well as provided Vitamin C and D supplements. Rickets is most often seen in neglected or abandoned puppies and is caused by a deficiency in Vitamin D, calcium and phosphorous. If left untreated, Huck would have lost his ability to walk.

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“Within one week, he was probably 50 per cent better than what he was and within two weeks, he was a completely different dog,” Kennedy said. “We had trouble introducing him to people and them believing he had rickets prior.”

Animal welfare continues to be of concern in northern Saskatchewan communities. In 2020, La Ronge-based Northern Animal Rescue took in more than 400 stray pets, mostly consisting of dogs.

Huck is just one example of the many who do go on to find their forever homes. Huck was rescued from freezing February temperatures and Kennedy expects the pup will enjoy his new life in a much warmer climate in Victoria.

“It was kind of good because he was never a big fan of being outside in the snow,” Kennedy said. “Once he came into our house and he knew the benefits of being inside and warm, he wasn’t a fan of the snow.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno