This Fully Grown German Shepherd Has Dwarfism Which Means He Will Always Look Like A Puppy
As adorable as Ranger the doggo is, staying so small and cute has had to come at a price.
Stephanie
- Published in Animals
How adorable are puppies? The most adorable, right? As are kittens, or any kind of babies really, animal or human. Have you ever thought that it's a shame they have to grow up? Well, what if I told you there is a dog out there who will stay the size of a puppy forever? Yep, a tiny and cute puppy forever!
Well, that's exactly the case for Ranger, the 2-year-old German Shepherd.
As adorable as Ranger is, however, staying so small and cute has had to come at a price. His size is due to a rare condition known as Pituitary Dwarfism. The beautiful pup was diagnosed with the condition after suffering an infection caused by a parasite called Giardia.
“When we originally got Ranger from the breeder, he was smaller than all his other litter-mates, but we figured that was because he had a parasite called Coccidia," Ranger’s owner, Shelby Mayo explained.
"In the weeks following, we took him home and he was parasite free but later on ended up getting a parasite called Giardia. At the same 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 months later we were finally able to get rid of Giardia."
After Ranger recovered from the infection, his owners noticed he still wasn't growing at the rate he should have been. After another trip to the vet, they realized his rare condition.
There are some nasty side-effects that come along with his forever-cute appearance, such as shedding fur and flaky skin. This is caused by a disorder in the endocrine system called Hypothyroidism.
But despite any downfalls he may have faced, Ranger receives the best treatment possible from his human parents and his online fans alike. He lives a very happy life!
Naturally, Ranger has won the hearts of people everywhere!
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