# Need help / Ideas for placement of a special care dog



## Fade (Feb 24, 2012)

When I first seen Titus my heart stopped in my chest and I had to really focus so my eyes did not tear up. One of our clients had found Titus in a drug house and brought him right over. 

He looked like a walking skeleton. He did not have a hair on his body. His skin was so swollen it had split open in many areas oozing out puss and blood. His eyes were just tiny slits covered by masses of swelling. His legs were so swollen the folds almost covered up his massive paws. He was just a skinny walking mass of oozing red skin. To add to all of this. Whoever had neglected Titus had also abused him. His ears had recently been hacked off with most likely a pair of scissors. This wonderful family took Titus in and poured out their hearts to him. They spent A LOT of money to make Titus well. The day Titus first walked into our clinic he weighed about 65lbs and we estimated he was a little over a year old. Today Titus is about 2 years old and he weighs 94lbs and is still filling out. He was VERY emaciated. We thought he was a pure pitbull until he started to put weight on...and more weight. and once his hair started to grow in, it clicked. Titus is a Neapolitan mastiff / Pitbull. He is developing beautiful jowls on his neck and wrinkles on his legs now that he is starting to recover.

After about 9 months Titus is mange free according to our last skin scrapping. But is suffering from a severe skin infection caused by the severe mange. He has grown out a coat of nice grey fur. but is still in need of A LOT of care and it is very expensive. He has to take very strong expensive antibiotics and get treatments every so often to help control his discomfort. He also takes other medications to control his itching.

The family needs to find him a new home. After hundreds and hundreds of dollars and pouring their hearts into him. Its to much for them to handle. They paid for all his vaccines and he is heartworm free. and the majority of his treatment is all done and paid for. 

How do you place a dog like him? I have reached out to some mastiff rescues and pitbull rescues. Even though he is recovering under his hair is still bright red scabbing skin from nose to tail he is by no means recovered completely. It will probably take a few years till the deep scaring subsides. 
Any suggestions? He is truly an amazing dog.So gentle and docile. He comes into our clinic and always rests his giant head in my lap. and just loves to be loved.


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## voodookitten (Nov 25, 2012)

That just shattered me reading that. If I wasn't in Australia, I would be busting my backside to give the poor man a home forever. I really hope someone can help here as that is simply heartbreaking.


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## BernerMax (Mar 15, 2013)

Yeah I would go with the Neo/mastiff rescue sites there are some in CA , also Best Friends Sanctuary in Utah(could you get someone to drive him out if they were willing to take him on?) sounds like an amazing story, mybe you could be featured on your local TV station and make a request for donations?
Good luck you guys are doing a wonderful thing!


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

I see listings on petfinder for special needs fosters/adopters. There's also rescueme.org or .com. Facebook is another option.


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## Fade (Feb 24, 2012)

I talked to the family eariler today and I think they are going to try to make it work. They love Titus he is part of the family. To help the family I started a donation fund in our community. She sent he over a whole bunch of pictures to show everyone Titus. Also in the spring we are doing a open house adoption event and Im thinking of doing a fund raiser for him.


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## georgiapeach (Mar 17, 2012)

Aww, what a sweetheart of a dog. You can just see the gratefulness in his eyes. It brought tears to my eyes!


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