When Microsoft Office arrived at Austin Pets Alive!, it looked like something out of a nightmare.
He was covered—no, engulfed—in hundreds, possibly thousands, of ticks. And he wasn’t just uncomfortable. He was dying.
This 3-year-old pup came from rural Texas, rescued by the Raymondville Animal Shelter, and he was in such bad shape that he couldn’t even stand.
Anemia had drained him, the parasite load had sucked the life out of him, and time was already running out.
The veterinary team at APA’s Shelter Pet Hospital sprang into action.
First order: a blood transfusion—an urgent, life-saving gesture. One of their own shelter dogs, Tiger, gave the gift of life in the form of blood.
Gradually, Microsoft Office stabilized just enough so medical staff could begin the long, painstaking, soul-tugging task of tick removal.
They spent hours picking off parasites.
Hundreds of them, all over his face, ears, body—inside folds of skin where no one thought to look. At last count, it was well over 1,000 ticks.
Many were engorged, already filled with blood. He was a walking eclipse of parasites.
But with each tick that came off, a bit of life came back.
It’s hard to imagine how it felt inside his body, but imagine relief, finally, after being assaulted from every angle. Pain, infection, blood loss—all slowly pushed back.
Now, for Microsoft Office, the battle is still ongoing. He’s free of ticks. He’s stable. He’s alive. But the path ahead is fragile.
APA has already spent over $1,000 on his care—fluids, medications, steroids, allergy treatments, and round after round of supportive care.
They say his prognosis is good if he continues to respond.
Now the shelter is searching for something he’s likely never known: a safe, quiet foster home, where he can heal without fear, without stress, without being touched by ticks ever again.
What hits me hardest in this story is how much cruelty and neglect can hide behind small acts of abandonment.
One day, Microsoft Office was someone’s dog. The next? He was left in the wild, picked clean by disease and parasites.
He became a statistic—except someone decided he wouldn’t end that way.
This is more than a rescue. This is a reminder. A loud one. Ticks happen. Outdoor life, wooded areas, grasses—all bring risk.
But letting it get this far? That’s human failure. It’s neglect, not nature.
So for every pet owner reading this: look over your dog. Do it every day. Check for ticks in folds, around ears, inside legs.
Because when left unchecked, it escalates. Far too many times, dogs arrive like Microsoft Office did—on death’s door.
But thanks to people who believed he mattered, he’s getting a second chance.
He matters.
He’s someone’s best companion waiting to be healed. If you ever scroll past a shelter dog covered in scabs, missing fur, or in pain—pause a moment.
Because behind all that is a soul that still wants to feel safe, warm, and loved again.
