Tegan Stricland is a carer who visits patients with dementia in their homes. When he goes to see a new client, her daughter warns him: "My mother has a dog, and he's quite overweight because my mother feeds him too much."
However, Tegan doesn't expect the extent of what he's about to see.
Sad consequences of good intentions
He expected the Dachshund to be slightly overweight, and he's shocked when he meets Daisy.
"I thought it would just be a bigger dog, but Daisy is enormous!" he says.
The family doesn't know how old the dog is. They only remember that since she's been in the house, she's been constantly overfed.
For several months, Tegan tries to control Daisy's overfeeding, but it proves impossible. As soon as he leaves his client's house, she feeds the dog again. She says she can't remember if the dog has already eaten, and she doesn't want her to be hungry.
Eventually, Tegan asks his client to entrust the dog to his care and allow him to look after Daisy's health. The client doesn't want to agree, but the whole family is enthusiastic about the idea. In the end, Tegan decides to take a really significant weight off their shoulders (quite literally).
Daisy's new life
On 20th May, Tegan takes Daisy in and immediately takes her to the vet. A diet is put in place. At the start, the Dachshund weighs nearly 55 pounds. She isn't very mobile, mostly sits in a corner and has to be carried outside to do her business.
Since then, Daisy has already lost 10 pounds, nearly a fifth of her initial weight. Unfortunately, due to her long-standing obesity, she suffers from hypothyroidism, tooth decay and gallbladder problems, which are themselves caused by the rapid weight loss.
A page for Daisy
Tegan has a lot of bills to pay, and the vet suggests he create a website for Daisy. Now, the little dog has fans and several sponsors for her journey towards health and happiness. Through the posts published on the page, Tegan also shares knowledge about dementia, which indirectly contributed to the dog's condition.
And the dog is feeling better and better and has even started going for walks!
