Maggot-Infested Pup Rescued In RivCo When Owner Reported Her Dead

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Riverside County animal control officials this week rescued a dog that was so "severely neglected" that its owner thought she was dead. Officials said the Lhasa Apso was extremely matted and infested with maggots when they rescued her.

The dog, who is about 8 years old and named Twinkle, was found in a Riverside home when her owner called the Riverside County Department of Animal Services saying his dog died, according to the agency's spokesman John Welsh.

"But the dog was alive – and severely neglected," Welsh said in a news release. "Officer John Hergenreder brought the dog to the Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter on Monday afternoon and his veterinary colleagues immediately treated [her]."

When that officer got to the house, the owner told him that Twinkle had been acting funny, according to Welsh. She was eventually found hiding under some buses against the house.

The dog that the officer found looked nothing like a healthy Lhasa Apso — a breed known for its beautiful, flowing hair.

This Lhasa Apso's coat was so thick and matted, the animal appeared to be just a clump of tangled hair, according to Welsh.

The owner signed the canine over to the county, and she was transported to the shelter for an examination and treatment.

Welsh said veterinary technicians spent over an hour clipping away the matted clumps, which were intertwined in her paws and other surfaces. He said staff found a cocoon of maggots around the canine's rectum.

"This is where the dog's skin was moist and inflamed -- and the infection of her skin provided an environment in which maggots thrive," said veterinarian Dr. Sara Strongin. "The skin infection affected the entire hind end of the dog."

Twinkle was completely shaved, fed and provided painkillers and other medication.

"This dog suffered in this condition, and it's just terrible to allow a breed of this type to go this long without proper grooming," animal control Sgt. Dylan Gates said. "Grooming a Lhasa Apso is not just for looks. It is imperative to get the grooming done regularly to ensure the dog's health, too."

According to Gates, because of their thick coats, Lhaso Apsos require grooming about every six to eight weeks. Welsh said the dog's owner remarked that he last had the animal groomed a year earlier.

Gates said an animal cruelty investigation is underway and a request for charges could be submitted to the District Attorney's Office.

According to Welsh, the dog will spend an undetermined number of days in recovery, and after she's judged fit, she will either be placed for adoption or transferred to an animal rescue group that partners with the county.

And hopefully soon, Twinkle will have a little more twinkle in her eyes.

— City News Service contributed to this report