All dogs are gorgeous, wonderful creatures, but some of them just have the most adorable little faces that just make you want to give them endless hugs and kisses and cuddle them forever. That’s certainly the case with 2-year-old Ranger, a German Shepherd with dwarfism that will keep him looking like a puppy for the rest of his life.
- He was diagnosed with the condition after contracting giardia. The parasite giardia led to Ranger being diagnosed with pituitary dwarfism. As his owner Shelby Mayo explained via Ranger’s Instagram Stories, “When we originally got Ranger from the breeder, he was smaller than all his other littermates, but we figured that was because he had a parasite called Coccidia. 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.” Poor Ranger!
- His owner didn’t realize anything was wrong until later. When they noticed Ranger wasn’t growing at the rate most puppies do, they decided to investigate. They took him to the vet, where he was diagnosed with pituitary dwarfism after undergoing some tests.
- His condition does come with a few health issues. While Ranger looks absolutely adorable and his health is no longer in danger, he does have some side effects from his condition such a flaking skin and fur shedding. These are byproducts of his hypothyroidism and while it’s a shame for any animal to have to deal with health conditions, Ranger’s owners are making sure they take great care of him.
- He seems so happy! One look at Ranger’s Instagram account shows just how happy and joyful he is. He’s part of a happy, loving family, has lots of friends, loves playing with his toys and going for walks, and is living an all-around amazing life. We love you, Ranger!
