You might remember Ethan the dog, a once-abandoned dog whose story of recovery against all odds made him a viral sensation earlier this year.
Fans around the world have been following his story, from his initial recovery to his adoption. And in the most recent update, Ethan’s new family announced that he has made even more great strides with his health, overcoming his seizures.
Ethan’s story began on January 29, when a family dropping off donations tot he Kentucky Humane Society found a severely emaciated dog left in a crate in the shelter’s parking lot.
Staff was alerted and rushed to save the severely underweight, malnourished dog’s life, but it wasn’t clear if they’d be able to save him. They described Ethan as the thinnest dog they had ever seen.
“This rack of bones weighs just 38 pounds, when he should be about 80 pounds,” the Kentucky Humane Society wrote. “The outline of every bone can be seen from his dehydrated skin, and his muscle loss is extreme, as his body tried to find any fuel to survive.”
“Every day he is with us is a miracle.”
They estimated a 50/50 chance of survival. Ethan was severely underweight and malnourished, and they suspected that he had been left in a cage by his previous owner, going a long time without any food.
But soon, Ethan’s prognosis improved greatly. By February, he began gaining back his body weight, started walking again and was able to come off IV fluids.
Ethan’s story made him a viral celebrity. Animal lovers around the world sent him cards and toys. And as his health returned, so did his beautiful personality.
“He is wagging his tail all the time now and wants love all day long. He is being treated like a king and is loving every minute of it!” KHS wrote.
Ethan made even further progress when he was taken in as a foster by KHS staff member Jeff Callaway. It was the first time Ethan had ever known a loving home, and it completely changed his life.
“He was so brave to explore his new surroundings,” Jeff said in a Facebook post. “He gets along so well with other dogs and cats. He’s very patient and gentle when interacting with anyone.”
In Fact, Ethan made such an impression that the family decided to make it official, and adopted Ethan for good!
In just a few months, Ethan’s life had completely turned around — but sadly he wasn’t out of the woods yet.
Last month, Ethan’s family reported that Ethan was “experiencing daily seizures,” believed to have been due to brain damage caused by the starvation and trauma he experienced in his original, neglectful home.
While it was heartbreaking to see Ethan go through yet another health ordeal after a seemingly happy ending, the dog was now in a loving home, receiving the best of care — and had fans around the world cheering for him.
“It has been extremely hard for our family to see Ethan go thru these episodes,” the family wrote on Ethan’s Facebook page. “Believe me, Ethan’s health is in the best possible hands. From his daily vet to his neurologist, he could not have better caretakers.”
But as we all know by now, Ethan is a fighter — and this week the family gave an uplifting update to the dog’s story.
In an August 5 update, the family wrote that Ethan is “doing very well,” and his seizures have for now stopped!
The family says that they are still closely monitoring his health, but otherwise Ethan has been able to continue his normal, happy life: “His loving personality and joy for people is back in full swing and he continues to bring smiles and happiness to everyone we run across.”
The family writes that Ethan goes for nightly walks and even goes to work with his owners. He’s well-behaved at the office, and has learned to stay in his bed, where people come to greet him.
They also thanked the Kentucky Humane Society, which has continued to give them support even after the adoption. And they also thanked Ethan’s fans, who have supported him through everything.
“I can’t say it enough, Ethan has the best extended family in the world,” the owners wrote. “I think if there was anything Ethan needed, someone in his family would step up. Thank you for your understanding and patience as posts slowed down so we could focus all our attention on Ethan’s health.”
We’re so glad Ethan is still doing well after his seizure scare. After everything he has been through, he deserves all the best.
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