We all wish our furbabies would stay that way forever. Sadly all dogs grow out of their pudgy, clumsy selves in a matter of months. However, sisters Shelby and Darcy Mayo get to keep a forever puppy in the form of Ranger, their German Shepherd with Dwarfism. Although this breed is easily one of the biggest dog breeds out there, Ranger had a few health complications during his early years. So, now he is a truly unique and lovable pup!
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He was the smallest among the litter and had some health issues
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The beginning of Ranger’s life with his adoptive owners was pretty rocky. It must have truly been fate for these sisters to fall in love with the tiny German Shepherd pup.
“When we originally got Ranger from the breeder, he was smaller than all his litter mates, but we figured that was because he had a parasite called Coccida. In the weeks following, we took him home and he was parasite-free but later on ended up getting a parasite [called] Giardia,” Shelby said. “At the time, we also discovered that Ranger had a large infection on his neck. We were eventually able to get the infection under control, fast forward a few moater, we were finally able to get rid of Giardia.”
They visited different vet clinics to get Ranger better. Thankfully, his owners’ hard work has paid off and he is now a very cheerful boy. However the canine’s health ordeals weren’t over yet…
He stopped growing all of a sudden
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Shortly after recovering from the parasites and infections, something new began to manifest in Ranger. He didn’t seem to be growing like any normal dog would as time passes. With this concern, his owners took him to the vet again. Apparently the pup had developed Pituitary Dwarfism.. The condition basically meant that the young German Shepherd would never develop beyond his current state. Now, while that might sound like a dream come true to dog-lovers everywhere, the condition isn’t exactly something to celebrated.
Ranger the German Shepherd with Dwarfism suffered many ailments after being diagnosed
Initially, the Mayo sisters thought that their dog’s stunted growth had been caused by its earlier afflictions. However, it is not the case. The dog’s condition is typically linked with hypothyroidism, which is a disorder caused by the thyroid’s inability to produce enough hormones to keep the body running normally. Because of this disorder, Ranger developed flaky skin and began shedding fur at an alarming rate.
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“The thing with (dogs and dwarfism is) there’s not a ton of information out there because it’s rare. Even vets didn’t know much. They were doing their own research.”
Ranger, who’s already 2 1/2 years old, should have already grown to weigh about 90 pounds now. But he will only ever weigh 15 pounds in his lifetime given his perpetual puppyhood. In addition to this, the German Shepherd with Dwarfism’s lifespan may be compromised as well, but we’re hoping for the best. His fur-parents are doing the best they can to keep Ranger healthy and happy. As of writing, his owners have already managed to heal his skin flaking and fur shedding issues. Moreover, the adorable German Shepherd has already been spayed as well.
His fans have been really helpful
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With his owners handling his Instagram page, fans don’t just get treated to daily updates about Ranger. The sisters also use their platform to ask for advice and share advice to their 114,000+ followers. Actually, the sisters credit their followers’ advice as being very helpful in their journey as pet-parents with this special pooch.
“It’s really nice to be helping other people and also raising awareness,” Darcy said. “We do our best to give them advice, but it can be very sad to think your dog is sick.”
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Ranger’s owners are still in college. But they’ve opened a shop on Etsy that sells merchandise to help them save up for their special pet’s needs. This amazing German Shepherd with Dwarfism is truly one-of-his-kind. Our furry friends may not be as tiny as Ranger but deep in their hearts, they’ll always be our special puppy.
People fell in love with Ranger the moment word about him spread. However, some were also concerned that the emergence of Ranger may inspire a whole new breed. The concern has been raised with the Mayo sisters and they said that they advise against it, as their Ranger’s health was not the best and he needed a lot of medical care.
Everyone is raving about Ranger
Source: ranger_thegshepherd | Etsy