Why? Why me? Why can’t I be normal like the other pups?
 
I am only 4 months old. My name is Ranger. I was born this past April, a small male pup in an unplanned litter. At first, I seemed okay, smaller than the rest but getting by, but that changed. I didn’t grow and was being pushed out of the way. The amazing teenage girl in my home recognized I was in trouble and noticed my lower jaw wasn’t quite right. She gave me my first chance at survival by bottle-feeding me and then hand feeding me till I could eat on my own.
 
Why me? No one knows. I have a genetic deformity, my lower jaw is about 1/3 the length it should be. This severe condition is called Micrognathia. My condition is one of the worst vets with years and years of experience have ever seen.
 
I won’t ever be the same as the other pups. No problem. I am loved and different is just perfect! Sadly, my kind of different is threatening my life. My jaw deformity is creating breathing issues and will soon create dental issues as adult teeth grow. I actually snuffle much like a pig would do. I sometimes can’t get air and pass out. I am now in desperate need of a Second Chance for a healthy life.
 
SCARS sees my potential. They see my joy and my will to live. They are MY second chance. I have already had my first meeting with a specialist and will go back this week for a further assessment to see if anything can be done for me. It remains unclear what the problem is and if it is fixable.
 
SCARS says different is perfect and won’t abandon me. Foster mom is worried, it has been a challenging year in rescue, so much need, so many gravely ill and injured animals have needed help. Funds to pay for my special care are just not here and I need help now. Foster mom sees me – quirky, lovable, sweet, joyous me – and knows I am a special one. Please help, it is all I ask, please help by donating to SCARS.

SCARS promised Ranger that we will give him the best life we can. We won’t abandon him. His foster family is worried, it’s been a challenging year in rescue with so many dogs and cats in need – so many ill and injured animals out there.

We see your potential Ranger and we WILL find you an AMAZING forever home. We won’t give up. We won’t stop until we find you everything you need and more.

Sept. 4 update – Am I ever glad to be back in my foster home, being in the hospital is never fun.  I had surgery to remove excess tissue that was obstructing my breathing from my throat.  I also had to have a temporary tracheotomy to allow me to breathe immediately after surgery.

Things have gone okay, we won’t know for awhile if the surgery was a successful long term fix.  Right now I have to take things easy, no playtime for me just very slow walks, lots of lying about and lots of sleeping.  My foster mom feeds me canned food by hand while I am sitting up, that seems to be the easiest for me.  She tells me she has lots of experience hand feeding dogs soft food – she looked after former SCARS Sanctuary dog Maliha for years.  Maliha had way more issues than me and had a happy life so she is hopeful I can have the same.

Once I recover from this surgery we will still have to figure out what to do with my bottom adult teeth as they will start causing problems with my palate fairly soon.  It isn’t going to be easy,  but I am quite a charmer and SCARS says I am worth it.

(See my Look at Me Now story!)