Dogs come in different sizes. Some grow to be giant and towering creatures, while others stay small even in adulthood. German Shepherds definitely fall in the first category, but not Ranger. Here’s his story.
Ranger is a two-year-old purebred German Shepherd who has a condition called Pituitary Dwarfism, which ceases his growth physically. In other words, he will stay looking like a puppy throughout his life.
Shelby Mayo, Ranger’s owner, recalled that Ranger was the runt of the litter. She thought that his size was caused by a parasite called Coccidia.
They got rid of this parasite, but a new one called Giardia emerged, along with a neck infection.
Eventually, they treated the infection and parasite, but Shelby noticed Ranger’s odd growth rate. He was still tiny. They returned to the vet only to find out that Ranger has a condition called Pituitary Dwarfism.
This diagnosis revealed that the condition is common in German Shepherds and is recessively inherited. Perhaps Ranger’s parents were carriers of the gene mutation and passed it on to him.
The condition is associated with hypothyroidism, a disorder that prevents the thyroid gland from producing sufficient hormones.
Shelby hoped that Ranger would get better, but things escalated quickly and got worse when she got him neutered. The surgery, along with his underlying conditions, caused his body to fall apart.
Ranger lost his appetite and weight, and his skin became dry and flaky, which led to hair loss. Fortunately, Ranger wasn’t alone.
His thousands of Instagram followers gave countless pieces of advice to his owner for making him healthy again.
For instance, one follower, handmade soap and lotion company called Guardians Farm, sent Shelby a special goat milk soap that she used on Ranger. Surprisingly, it brought his hair back!
With constant support, medication, and the soap, Ranger slowly recovered and is now healthy and happy. He loves playing with his two sisters, Jessie, a fellow German Shepherd, and Hazel, a Labrador.
Despite his short stature, Shelby and his countless online fans know that Ranger has a big heart, and he’s not going to let his condition limit his potential.
Source: WonderBot Animals via YouTube
