A dog who was rescued after being trapped inside a shipping container with no food and water earlier this year has died after battling a fungal infection, according to a local animal rescue.
Dubbed "Connie the container dog," the pup was found trapped inside a shipping container for at least eight days in January by Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston marine inspectors at Port Houston’s Bayport Container Terminal.
Coast Guard officers heard barking and scratching coming from inside one of the containers at the Port of Houston, and after using a crane to bring the container to the ground, they found the little dog, who had been trapped in the dark for days with no food or water.
Since her rescue from the container, Connie, who was pregnant at the time, gave birth to eight puppies and was adopted by a family. Her puppies were also put up for adoption.
Unfortunately, Connie's story of survival and rescue came to a sad ending after she died from pythiosis, an aggressive fungal infection, Forever Changed Animal Rescue said June 28.
Pythiosis is an infection from a water mold-like organism called Pythium insidiosum that is commonly found in water and may be present in soil, according to VCA Animal Hospitals, and can affect the gastrointestinal tract or the skin.
Connie also had lesions in her gastrointestinal tract, and despite best treatment efforts, including advanced imaging, diagnostic tests and blood transfusions, the rescue said her health declined rapidly.
"After all she had been through and survived, we simply couldn’t believe that this was how her story was supposed to end," the rescue posted on social media. "She was such a young dog, with the absolute sweetest spirit, and yet she was such a fighter, a true survivor."