An Update on Ariel — January 2026

When Ariel first came to us in mid-October 2025, her story broke our hearts. She was surrendered by her owner, painfully thin, neglected, and confused. Nearly three months later, she’s a very different dog — brighter, with a wagging tail that goes like a windscreen wiper when she’s out walking with her rescue friends. But beneath her cheerful spirit, Ariel continues to battle many serious health issues.

Ariel has undergone multiple scans, revealing a mass in her abdomen that is being closely monitored. Her most recent ultrasound also showed nodules in both adrenal glands. On top of that, she has a heart condition and is now on lifelong heart medication. Despite everything, she greets every vet visit with gentle patience and courage.

Her remaining eye, which had worried us due to its slight protrusion, was examined by an eye specialist. Thankfully, it’s not glaucoma — but scarring from old ulcerations caused by dry eyes. Ariel now needs eye drops and ointments three times a day for life. We truly hope she can keep her vision in this eye, as losing it would be devastating for her.

She’s also recovering from having 24 rotten teeth extracted. That first week after surgery, she seemed down — perhaps mourning yet another loss after already losing her eye. For this reason, we postponed the removal of her spleen, knowing that emotionally and physically, she might not cope well with another major operation at this stage.

After second opinions and further tests, two independent vets confirmed that Ariel has two types of cancer, already at an advanced stage. With her age (12 years), frailty, and the risks of anesthesia, we made the difficult but compassionate decision not to proceed with a biopsy or immediate splenectomy. Instead, our focus is on her comfort, happiness, and quality of life. Ariel also has lumps on two of her nipples; she is not sterilized. 

Her foster mum works tirelessly to coax her to eat — even handfeeding her and preparing home-cooked meals — as Ariel struggles with bloating and inappetence. On days when she refuses water, subcutaneous fluids are given to keep her hydrated. Recently, we brought her to a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) vet to support her comfort and appetite through acupuncture and herbal remedies. Ariel was such a sweetheart during treatment, patiently lying there as if knowing we were all trying to help her.

The first TCM consultation and medication cost $865. Ariel now returns for acupuncture sessions twice weekly to help her regain strength and energy. We hope it helps. 

Thanks to your incredible generosity, we have enough funds for Ariel should she require emergency care or expensive treatments ahead, she’ll be covered without delay. Every dollar helps us stand by her as she continues to fight bravely each day.

Thank you for loving Ariel — your support reminds us that even in her fragile state, she is surrounded by compassion, dignity, and hope. We’ll continue sharing her progress. 

From all of us at HOPE Dog Rescue, thank you for believing in our mission and for helping us give dogs like Ariel the care and love they so deeply deserve.

Note : video of Ariel during her TCM treatment, in parts of the video, you can hear she snoring and if you notice, she sleeps with her eye open, which contributes to her dry eye problem.

A midnight plea

Homeless. Not just the dogs but their humans as well ☹

A late night message reported that a family and their two dogs were sitting at a Jurong HDB void deck with all their belongings, suggesting they might need help.

The messages asked if we could go down and help the dogs, who were grossly neglected and famished. Kind dog lovers living in the vicinity rushed down to feed the dogs food and water, which they wolfed down very quickly. 

The neglected poodle

Poodle's nails and badly matted paw

Getting a shave and blood tests at the vet 

Our volunteers went down the next morning and found them still at the void deck and felt terribly sorry for the dogs. One dog, the poodle, was roaming the void deck and approached us when we arrived. The sight of the poodle was extremely shocking – we had a hard time trying to figure out where his face was! The poodle was in such a bad state of neglect, we couldn’t even begin to imagine how he had been living; how sorry we felt for him. His nails were so long, they curled sideways – how did he even walk without feeling pain and discomfort? Or had he gotten used to the pain? His eyes were totally covered with badly matted fur, almost blocking his vision. And the stench from him  . . . . that stench lingered in the volunteer’s car long after he had been dropped off at the vet.

The malnourished chihuahua

The other dog, a chihuahua, was in a backpack. Both are 11 years old. The ribs on the chihuahua were very obvious; poor little one must have been living a life as hard as his humans. Because the chihuahua was short coated, his physical appearance was not as horrific as the poodle, other than his protruding ribs, long nails and rotten teeth. 

We offered to take both dogs to the vet immediately, where the poodle was immediately shaved down and more than an hour later, we could finally see his eyes and he was even skinnier than the chihuahua ☹ He must have felt so relieved to feel so clean and fresh again. Both dogs were totally famished, they ate so fast and then vomited ☹

Apart from malnourishment, dehydration and slightly high kidney & liver readings, both dogs, thankfully, do not have major health issues. Both however, have extremely decayed teeth and mouths that smell like a really bad sewer. 

The case has been reported to the relevant agencies and a social worker is in contact with the family to assist in getting them proper lodging etc

The dogs will undergo dental when their body scores are better.

If you would like to help us with their vet bills and dogs’ living expenses while their case is pending, please drop us an email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg

BB Girl, The Stray That Lives Under The Lorry (New Rescue)

Amidst the recent rough handling / trapping of the Seletar farm dogs, humane trappers do exist with kinder, more professional ways of trapping strays. 

We were contacted by SOSD if we could take in a stray with a huge tumour on its neck. One of the feeders called AVS for help as the dog was very lethargic and not moving. AVS contractors came down, at short notice, and gently coaxed the dog into a crate. The dog was rushed to one of AVS appointed clinics for initial treatment. Subsequently, SOSD claimed the dog from AVS once we confirmed taking in the dog.

According to her feeders, the tumour has been hanging on the dog's neck and getting bigger for 5 years. We hope it is still possible to save her.

BB Girl has been checked by our regular vet and warded. BB’s entire body was covered with fleas! She has Grade 5 heart murmur, too weak to walk / stand on her own, not eating much, lethargic and apart from the huge tumour on her neck that possibly weighs 3kg to 4kg, she also has many skin lesions on her body. We don’t know how old she is. 

BB spent her days living under a lorry. 

Strays live extremely hard lives, often with nobody caring whether they are sick, or if they live or die. Fortunately, BB had her supply of regular meals from her feeders, who looked out for her and her doggy friends. 

She is now warded at our regular vet, with xrays and ultrasound scans planned to see if the tumour is cancerous and if it has spread. A CT scan (which is costly) might be required to determine the specific area the tumour is attached to. Surgery to remove the tumour is an option but we have to wait for the results of the scans etc and also for her condition to stabilize. She has just started on heart meds, some pain relief, as well as anti-nausea meds. Because of the poor state she is in, we have to take things slow or risk her having a cardiac arrest.

We hope to be able to give her some comfort and a sense of security. Doesn’t matter how much time she has with us, we hope that we can assure her that we will do our best to help her.

If you would like to give BB a chance at survival, please email hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg

Ariel; her life wasn't a fairy tale

How can anyone bear to watch their dog suffer and not do anything about it? 

How can they feel that such negligence is ok? 

These were the questions that went through our minds when we saw her. 

Meet Ariel, our latest rescued Shih Tzu. 

Life has not been kind to sweet Ariel

We were informed of her plight when she was brought in for grooming in a horrific state. Luckily, she met a responsible groomer who recognized that she needed help and took the initiative to convince the owner to surrender the dog. 

Left with one eye 

Ariel was emaciated, reeked of urine and had nails so long, they curled sideways. Imagine the pain and discomfort just trying to stand upright. We suspect she might have been caged in her own filth as her fur was urine stained / soaked. On top of all that, one of her eyes had been surgically removed due to a prior infection.  We can't even imagine the pain and suffering the sweet dog has been through. 

Urine soaked/ stained fur

Her fur was so badly matted 😱

Skin and bones beneath all that fur 💔

Hello sweet Ariel 💗

We would like to thank the groomer for being so pro-active and also the owner for giving up the dog for her better good. 

Ariel is estimated to be between 10 to 12 years old. She is not sterilized and we can feel some lumps on her nipples.  We will be sending her to the vet for a full medical asap.

Please help Ariel on this new chapter of her life by contributing to her vet bills.

Drop us an email at hopedogrescue@singnet.com.sg

What Causes Bad Breath in Dogs?

 Does your dog have bad breath?

Do you find that you recoil from your pup when they come in for a cuddle? Bad breath is quite common in our canine companions — especially as they grow older — and can be a sign of serious health issues in your pooch.

While it's perfectly normal for your pup to have some smell on their breath from eating, playing with toys and just generally living their lives, this smell can sometimes grow into a stink that repels all but the bravest pup parents.

And while you may be tempted to just grin and bear the smell, more often than not the stink in your dog's bad breath is actually a sign of an underlying health issue that is causing the smell. There are a number of different possible causes of bad breath in your dog, but the most common are kidney disease, liver disease and oral health issues.

Kidney Disease

If your pup's bad breath smells like feces or urine, it may be a sign that they have recently eaten poop (which is something you should look into on its own) or a symptom of kidney issues. 

If your dog's kidneys aren't working properly to filter and process toxins and waste materials, their buildup in the pup's body may be contributing to the bad smell of their breath on top of harming your dog's health.

Liver Disease

If your dog has recently developed seriously bad breath and their new scent is accompanied by concerning symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea, they may have a liver disease at the root cause of their symptoms.  

Oral Health Issues

The most common cause of bad breath in dogs, oral health issues is an umbrella term including health issues ranging from tooth decay to gum disease and oral infections. Regardless of the precise cause, bacteria and food debris build up over time in your pooch's mouth if not regularly cleaned away, creating plaque and a persistent smell. 

If your dog's breath smells a little bit, it is likely caused by emerging oral health issues. Although if they are left unchecked, the smell will become much stronger and your pet's oral health and wellbeing will continue to decline. 

How to Treat Bad Breath in Dogs?

The reason why your dog has bad breath will largely influence the kind of treatment they will require. Since bad breath is a sign of an underlying health condition rather than a health problem itself, it should dissipate once the underlying problem is successfully treated.

That being said, whenever you notice a change in the smell of your dog's breath you shouldn't assume its cause or that it is normal. Bring your pup to your vet as soon as possible for examination and diagnosis, since a number of causes of bad breath can be very serious health issues. Treatments at your vets can range from prescription medications, specialized diets, therapies and even surgeries to help treat your pet's condition depending on what part of their body it affects and its severity.

Sparkly teeth, but at what cost?

We’ve all seen fellow dog owners proudly showing off their pup’s gleaming smile after a trip to the groomer. It looks impressive on the surface but here’s the important bit: dental scaling is actually a medical procedure, one that vets perform under local or general anaesthetic. So it does raise a few questions. If your groomer managed to do it while your dog was wide awake, how exactly did that work? Was your dog restrained the entire time? Was it uncomfortable or even painful for them? And how long did they have to stay completely still (something most dogs aren’t exactly famous for).

There’s also the issue of what’s really being cleaned. A groomer’s “scaling” only polishes up the surface. It doesn’t reach the roots, the gums, or any of the hidden trouble spots. So while your dog may look as though they’ve got a dazzling set of teeth, beneath that shiny surface there could still be decay, infection, or gum disease quietly brewing. It’s worth remembering that dental problems can cause significant pain for dogs even if they’re very good at hiding it. That’s why scaling and polishing should only ever be carried out by a qualified vet where it can be done safely and thoroughly.

So before booking your dog in for a quick “teeth clean” outside of a veterinary practice, think carefully about what you might be subjecting them to. A proper dental procedure is about more than appearances – it’s about your dog’s comfort, safety, and long-term health.

Choosing A Food Bowl For Your Dog

When it comes to our dogs, we often focus on food, treats, and toys but their feeding bowl matters too! The material you choose can make a big difference for your pup’s health (and your cleaning routine).

The one to avoid are plastics. Plastic bowls are cheap and easy to find but they’re not the best for your dog. Over time, plastic gets scratched up, and those tiny grooves trap bacteria no matter how well you wash them. That can lead to skin irritation around your dog’s mouth (sometimes called “puppy acne”) or just an icky bowl that never feels truly clean. Some plastics can even leach chemicals especially if they’re low quality. The better picks are stainless steel or ceramic.

Stainless steel is the top choice for most pet parents. It’s durable, rust-resistant, and super easy to clean. Many vets recommend it because it’s hygienic and long-lasting.

Ceramic bowls can be a good option too, especially if you like something stylish that won’t slide around. Just make sure it’s food-safe and glaze-coated, and check often for chips or cracks because damaged ceramic can trap bacteria just like plastic.

So skip the plastic. Go for stainless steel if you want something reliable and fuss-free, or ceramic if you like a bit of style and don’t mind checking it now and then. And no matter which bowl you choose, give it a regular wash. Your pup deserves fresh, clean meals every time!