Puppyhood is short-lived, with many dogs growing from charming, clumsy pups to fully grown adults in a few of months. While German Shepherds are notorious for growing into enormous canines, one puppy named Ranger will remain little for the rest of his life. Pituitary Dwarfism is a rare ailment that causes the fully grown 2-year-old purebred German Shepherd to remain as adorable as a button indefinitely.
Ranger’s dwarfism is caused by the parasite Giardia, and while he is undeniably lovely, his condition has certain negative consequences. Ranger’s human, Shelby Mayo, explains, “When we first acquired Ranger from the breeder, he was smaller than all of his other littermates, but we believed it was because he had a parasite called Coccidia.” “We returned him home in the weeks that followed, and he was parasite-free, but he eventually with Giardia.” Ranger also had a huge infection on his neck, which we noticed at the same time. We were gradually able to contain the illness, and a few months later, we were finally able to rid ourselves of Giardia.”
Ranger healed from his original health problems, but his humans observed that he wasn’t developing as fast as he should have been. They took him back to the vet, who diagnosed him with Pituitary Dwarfism. The disease is usually associated with hypothyroidism, a thyroid ailment in which the thyroid gland does not generate enough hormones. Ranger had dry skin and hair loss as a result of this, but he is now receiving medicine to treat his problem. Ranger is now happy and healthier than he has ever been. Despite his diminutive size, he is an important member of the Mayo family and has won the hearts of many online.
Meet Ranger, a 2-year-old German Shepherd who suffers from Pituitary Dwarfism, a rare illness.
He’ll look like a puppy for the rest of his life!
Ranger: Instagram
h/t: [Bored Panda]