A puppy that lost all her fur due to mange—a common skin disease in dogs that is caused by mites—looks unrecognizable after she was nursed back to health.
Jessie DeFreitas, a vet assistant from Crawley, West Sussex, fell in love with scrappy little mongrel Terra despite the fact that the poor puppy was suffering from such a bad skin condition that all her fur had fallen out.
But now, thanks to the 21-year-old’s dedication and love, little Terra looks like an Instagram model dog after being nursed back to health.
Jessie was shocked when the little puppy was brought in by her owners, who were not taking care of her.
The 21-year-old said: “Everyone at the vet knows I’m a huge animal lover.
“When I was told we had a new dog, I had to see her.
“She may have had mange, but she had beautiful eyes.
“The vet said if the dog wasn’t signed over to them, she wouldn’t have survived.
“She needed constant care.
“I asked to foster the dog. My mom asked if I was sure because we already have four cats and another rescue dog at home.
“But everyone knows I love animals. At the vets I’m constantly asking about people’s pets.”
Jessie brought Terra back home in August 2019.
In three short months, the dog went from being angry and biting to “kind and sweet.”
Jessie said: “I am a massive animal lover—a massive sucker for the cute ones, especially. I fell in love with her from the beginning.
“When we first brought her home, she was a playful biter. Her original name, Honey, didn’t fit her at all.
“To me, Honey is sweet and she is not.”
Jessie further continued: “My mom named her Terra with an ‘a’ because it fit her better—she can be a little terror.”
Terra fully recovered from the mange and she’s now a playful little puppy.
“She’s recovered really well. You can see it in her eyes—she’s become happier and happier.
“She’s amazing. She’s just the kindest and sweetest thing.”
