Bella – In Foster – South East

English Bulldog · Female · Senior · 30 years

Bella has returned to us. Eight years old now, and once again wrapped in the safety of GBSR, she came back after her owner made the incredibly difficult but responsible decision to ask for help. There is no judgement here — only gratitude. They recognised Bella needed more care than they could provide, and they chose her wellbeing above all else. Our focus now is Bella, and giving her every chance to heal. Her Condition on Return Bella arrived back in heartbreaking condition. She has suffered with severe skin allergies for most of her life, always an itchy girl, always uncomfortable. Over time, her symptoms were managed with steroids — and when her skin worsened, the steroid dose increased. For approximately 16 months, Bella received systemic steroids without a documented break. Attempts were made to reduce them, but each flare pushed the dose higher again, until she was on extremely high levels of prednisolone. Now we are facing the consequences of prolonged steroid exposure. Bella’s skin is thickened, crusted, infected, and simply unable to heal. Her vets are investigating suspected calcinosis cutis and iatrogenic Cushing’s disease, alongside a severe pyoderma — an infection so unusual that her vet, with 30 years of experience, had never seen this particular organism present on the skin before. Last week, Bella underwent a £2,000 sedation procedure so her scabs and crusts could be carefully removed, the wounds beneath cleaned, and biopsies taken. We needed to understand exactly what is happening to her skin and how best to treat it. Her infection is extremely concerning. We have been warned that it may be incredibly difficult — and possibly impossible — to fully eradicate. But Bella deserves every chance, and we will give her everything we have. Bella is now in one of our wonderful foster homes in the South West, receiving intensive treatment, gentle wound care, and the love she has desperately needed for so long. She is only eight. She deserves to feel comfortable in her own skin again. And her story must raise awareness. Long‑term steroids can be necessary and lifesaving — but they are powerful medications, and prolonged use without careful monitoring can have serious consequences. Bella shows why ongoing review, steroid‑sparing alternatives, and veterinary guidance are essential. For now, our mission is simple: Help Bella. Heal her skin. Control this infection. And show her that GBSR is right behind her. Bella is home. Her Adoption Story After weeks of care, healing, and gentle reassurance, Bella was finally ready for her forever home. Yesterday, she was collected by her lovely new mum, Helen — and Bella settled in beautifully from the moment she arrived. She slept soundly in her soft new bed, surrounded by comfort, safety, and love. What a sweetheart she is. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Patricia and the gorgeous Sofia, who fostered Bella with such dedication. You prepared her for her happy ever after, and we are deeply grateful. Please join us in congratulating Helen and Bella. We wish them many years of happiness together. Bella’s First Beginning With GBSR Bella first came into our care at five and a half years old, an unspayed girl whose owners reached out through our Facebook page. They were facing significant ill health and knew they would be in and out of hospital for months. They loved Bella dearly, but they recognised they could not give her the care she needed. Her skin had already become difficult to manage, and despite their efforts, her condition was worsening. When we collected her, Bella had a sore, cloudy eye, yeasty and inflamed skin, patches of infection, and she was a little underweight. Our vet confirmed dry eye, ear infection, skin infection, and yeasty dermatitis. She was started on treatment immediately — a steroid injection, ear cleaner and drops, eye cream, and Malaseb baths. We are forever grateful to Paul and Bev for collecting Bella and bringing her safely to Patricia in the South East, where she began her first foster journey with GBSR. From that moment, Bella became part of our family. Follow Bella For more updates on all our dogs please join our community group {"slide_to_show":"3","slide_to_scroll":"1","autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"3000","speed":"800","arrows":"true","dots":"false","loop":"true","centermode":"false"}

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