A couple from New York feared the worst when their rescue dog started limping, but after researching countless potential reasons, they never could have predicted the actual cause.
Alyssa Lam, 24, returned from a dog walk with her rescue pup named Mango and noticed that he suddenly started limping. For a while, Mango, who is part golden retriever, Labrador, shepherd mix and Great Pyrenees, didn’t want to put pressure on his leg and was moving slowly around the home.
Indeed, Lam, of Long Island, told Newsweek that she was “very concerned” because it seemed so out of character for Mango. He is normally so energetic, so the owners thought it must be bad to make him so lethargic.
“He was moving very slowly and carefully and would hold that paw in the air when standing,” Lam said. “We thought he had dislocated his hip or knee, since he is part Labrador, and because he loves to run fast. At one point, we even thought it was because he had Lyme disease.”
Before taking Mango to the vet, the couple decided to do their own thorough examination, although Mango didn’t let his owners touch his paw.
When the owners eventually managed to look at his paw properly, Lam was stunned by what they found.
“He loves to run and needs at least three hours outside a day, but when this happened, he was not moving all day. He would not let us touch his paws and would pull away, so we didn’t think to check as we thought it might hurt him too touch,” Lam said.
“In the web of his toes, we found a sticky piece of gum that was hidden in the hairs. His paw hair is quite long so it was hidden in a very dense forest.”
Mango was limping and seemed unwell for a whole day, but as it turned out, he just had gum stuck in his paw. Needless to say, his owners were so thankful that they discovered the problem before they got to the vets and paid hundreds of dollars.
As the gum had been in his paw for a day, it had hardened. Lam had to shave some of the fur in that area to try to get all of it out.
“Mango is a lot like a cat, so he does not like when we touch his foot and will start swatting us. Trying to get it off meant getting whacked in the head by an 80-pound dog who thinks he’s small,” Lam said.
After realizing the real reason why Mango wouldn’t move, his owners couldn’t resist sharing the amusing story on social media. They shared pictures of the rescue dog looking unwell on his dedicated TikTok account (@mangoritaville), even showing him with an ice pack on his hip.
Yet, it was just a piece of gum after all.
The post has gone viral online, leading to more than 1.5 million views and over 307,000 likes on TikTok at the time of writing. The caption alongside the post jokes that the owners are “so glad” that they found the real cause before spending a whole lot of money.
The response on TikTok has been overwhelmingly positive, as internet users can’t get enough of Mango’s antics.
Lam told Newsweek: “I’ve seen so many stories from people encountering the same thing with their dramatic pets. I’ve seen messages from all over the world, and it’s heartwarming to see how people can relate to the joys of having a pet, no matter what culture or language they speak.”
Mango was rescued from North Shore Animal League in 2023, and Lam remains eternally grateful for all the care the rescue provided. Mango certainly has his quirks, but adopting him is one of the best decisions Lam has made.
After seeing how many people across the internet love Mango, she even hopes to inspire others to rescue an animal in need of a home.
“During this time of year, shelters have such an influx of dogs who need a home. I would love to encourage anyone thinking of getting a pet to look into adopting. They might even find a one-of-a-kind dog like Mango,” Lam said.
In the days since Mango went viral, the TikTok post has already amassed over 1,000 comments at the time of writing.
One comment reads: “Dramatic dogs are hilarious.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “The ice pack on his hip is frying me.”
A third person said: “Not him tucked in for surgery.”
One commenter added: “He’s wondering what else he can do to get this kinda King treatment again.”
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