A DOG which was at death’s door after being eaten alive by infestations of parasites, has made a remarkable recovery thanks to a Thirsk-based company.

The canine, called Tum, had been living in Chiang Mai in Thailand, an area popular with British backpackers, but suffered horrific skin injuries after becoming riddled with mites, worms, fleas and ticks.

But after emergency intervention from the UK charity, Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) and donated medication from VetUK, an online supplier of pet medications based in Thirsk, he is now on the road to recovery.

Dr Giacomo Miglio, clinical director, WVS Thailand, said: “Our experienced veterinary team immediately began to treat the cause of Tum’s suffering and the infected wounds all over his body.

“He is now much more comfortable but will need many more weeks of treatment to have a chance to fully recover and for permanent cure.

“However, he is now properly looked after, regularly groomed, bathed and - thanks to VetUK - treated with anti-parasites.”

Tum - thought to be a Shiba Inu crossbreed - is currently being cared for by a monk in one of the area’s temples and the monk has now received advice and support to enable Tum to continue to live there after treatment.

Dr Miglio added: “After several weeks of intensive treatment by our veterinary team, Tum’s physical condition started to improve and we discovered his friendly and playful personality.

“We included him in our daily walks and he loved spending time away from his kennel with his new human friends.”

WVS aim to provide a sustainable veterinary resource to help animals all over the world where veterinary aid and assistance is limited. They typically treat around 150,000 animals each year, supporting hundreds of different charities across the globe, while also delivering around 850 aid parcels.

One recent aid parcel of vital medication donated by VetUK to the charity, involved products worth around £160,000, including flea and tick treatments.

So far, the aid has helped to nurse hundreds of dogs back to health, treating 280 dogs at the charity's Thailand centre alone. It enabled WVS to send veterinary aid parcels containing more than £100,000 of aid to support 100 animal welfare charities and sanctuaries in 52 different countries around the globe.

The WVS are also looking for volunteers, either in the form of vets, veterinary nurses or non-veterinary staff, and are particularly looking to recruit for projects in Africa, India and Asia.

A spokesperson said: “From dogs and cats to chimps to cheetahs, we offer a range of volunteering options where you can work with a variety of species. We welcome volunteers to join our teams and bring their energy and strength to our cause.

“We also offer specific training projects for vet students and newly graduated vets, who are looking to gain practical experience in the field, as harnessing the idealism that fires them to become vets, empowers what we do and strengthens our recruitment options for the future.”

To find out more about WVS visit; wvs.org.uk