One Incredible Human Is Making Sure This Tiny Bulldog Doesn’t Give Up On Living A Happy Life

He battles every day to preserve her life. Kiki the bulldog awoke one morning while defecating in a puddle. She could hardly even stand. The founder of Southern California Bulldog Rescue, Skip Van Der Marliere, recalls, “I felt this was her last goodbye.” Kiki has made numerous visits to the veterinarian since Skip took her in about two months ago. She has only succeeded on one other time. Kiki’s rescuers think that Kiki’s scoliosis was brought on by her former parents locking her in a cage in a garage for the most of her early years. And of all her illnesses, it heals the fastest.

She was given to me in May by her previous owner. She had two sorts of crippling, untreated autoimmune disorders, one of which impacted her horribly raw, infected skin, and the other her bowels, and was extremely underweight, feeble, and suffering from big, infected bed sores. She could walk, but it hurt because of burning blisters on the bottom of her paws, according to Skip. “Despite her health issues, she was always interested in what was happening around her and enjoyed interacting with others.”

Skip has put a lot of effort into keeping Kiki alive and getting her well enough for her new life. Not always is it simple. Kiki’s skin issues have persisted despite numerous trips to the vet, and she is struggling to put on weight. Kiki is unable to receive the stem cell or corticosteroid treatments that might help her itchy, hairless skin until her persistent gastrointestinal issues are resolved. So Skip is experimenting with “strange meats” like duck and rabbit that he hopes she would eat.

For Kiki’s skin, there are plenty of medicinal baths and cool, gentle scrubs with a variety of brushes – tooth brushes, cosmetics brushes, anything soft that might provide the small dog some relief. Kiki enjoys the attention even though she isn’t always in the mood for a soak and probably didn’t get much of it before. She now only lies still while being scratched and petted. He says, “You can tell she likes it.”

Kiki continues to feel unwell. She lacks enthusiasm and shows no interest in food or toys. Skip and his husband won’t be there to help her through a crisis if she gets critically ill once more and needs oxygen or surgery. But at the moment, despite the ups and downs, that is not the case. It’s not her time yet.