Mickey is a lovable pooch who, unlike just about every other dog on the planet, has some trouble getting food down.
He has no issues keeping that down, but when he munches, the food literally does not slide down his throat, due to a rare problem in his esophagus. “It does not contract to push the food or water down, and so it’s very difficult for him to eat by himself,” Barb Grodicky, of the Lethbridge and District Humane Society in Alberta, Canada, told CTV News.
Mickey’s previous owners could not take care of him in the ways that the dog needed to be cared for. When he arrived at the shelter he currently resides in, the poor pooch only weighed 33 pounds, a dangerous weight for a dog his size.
The staff fixed Bailey’s issue by sitting him up straight in a high chair, or a Bailey chair, as they like to call it:
Now Bailey is spoon-fed while he sits in the chair like a baby. It allows the food to slide down his esophagus.
Feedings takes about 15 minutes and is pretty messy since it consists of spoon feeding wet food, pumpkin puree and ground kibble to a dog whose esophagus doesn’t contract.
However, the high chair is working wonders because Bailey has put on a healthy 15 pounds since he arrived at the shelter almost two years ago.
The staff says every messy helping is worth it, even if it means giving a lot of time to the world’s slowest eater.
Well, second slowest eater. First goes to this guy:
If you or anybody you know would like to give Bailey a loving and patient home, you can contact the Lethbridge and District Humane Society.
Please SHARE this amazing story with all of your friends on Facebook to help dogs in need!
[Featured Image Credit: YT Img]