Foster Ziggy and the Love of His Foster Mom

This is a beautiful story of Linda Antonelli's dedication and love for Ziggy .   Here’s what Ziggy looked like when Linda took him into her home as a foster.


Linda writes:
 
It was 3 years in July that Ziggy was surrendered to me.  He is every bit a sweet boy.  Because he will always have some type of skin issue and due to his age, he will no longer available for adoption.  Hence, he will retire with me and my pack.  He will be 11 years old in October.
It took me almost 9 months to heal his raw body & feet, yet it was only about 70% better.  I carried him outside to the grass to eliminate and then back in the house.  He cried and held his feet up one at a time when he walked on the patio.  He mostly just wanted to sleep on his pillow in the house.  I detoxed him with a homeopathic remedy, fed him a home cooked diet with veggies & fruit, and experimented with different skin supplements.  He had bathes once a week with an organic tea tree oil shampoo (and others).  I would try something for a month and if it wasn't working, I switched to something else.  He still had mange but I didn't want to poison his system with the Ivermectin until he was healthy enough.  I believe I had him 6 months when I started him on the Ivermectin.  Poor baby threw up daily.  I stopped it and started it again for months and upped his supplements and detoxed him again.  It was a long haul.  P.S. three years later, Ziggy continues to be mange free however, due to the severity in his case, there is a possibility that the mange bug permanently destroyed the hair follicles on his neck.  I brought him as far to healed as I can.  He is comfortable and no longer smells so that's all that matters.
His coat grew back beautiful and it still makes me smile when I see him run and jump on the patio without crying or holding up his paws.  His feet are 100% perfect.  He also developed two growths on his neck but they have no cancer cells so I chose not to put him through surgery to remove them.  They don't bother him so they don't bother me.  He sleeps under the covers in my bed with all his other Boston Terrier friends (who also retired with me). lol
Ziggy is safe and as healthy as he can be.  He loves his Boston friends and is still very sweet.
 
Thank you so much, Linda, for all you have done for Ziggy, and I know he feels secure and loved as he lives out the rest of his life in your loving care!