Texas Woman Recreates A Photo With Her Pup 11 Years Later And The Difference Will Blow You Away

Let me tell you the story of a dog who’s not just brave, but a total heart-stealer.

His name is Ducky, and he’s got this magical way of bouncing back, no matter what life throws at him.

He’s 13 now, but still full of charm, sass, and a wardrobe that would make any Halloween fan jealous.

Oh, and get this: he changes color. Seriously.

When he was a little pup, Ducky had this dark, silky fur. Over time, that changed into a unique greige that became his signature look.

His mom, Erin Abay, started calling him “Ducky with the Good Hair.” And honestly, he had better hair than most people.

But last summer, everything took a turn. Ducky had a dry cough that just wouldn’t quit, so Erin took him to the vet.

The news was tough to hear: Ducky had stage 1 lung cancer. They caught it early, though, and he had surgery to remove a big tumor.

Ducky came home and, true to form, acted like nothing ever happened. He was bouncy, happy, and full of life again.

They slipped back into their rhythm. Ducky hung out with the cats, loved his treats, and looked fabulous in his Halloween getups.

By the way, he’s worn more than 40 costumes over the years and uses his social media following to fundraise for local shelters.

Pure Ducky-style affection.

Erin’s been around dogs her whole life, and as the program director at the Humane Society of Navarro County in Texas, she’s quick to spot when something doesn’t seem right.

So when she felt a small lump during one of Ducky’s belly rubs a few months later, her heart dropped.

They ran more tests, and the news hit hard. This time, it was lymphoma.

Erin was devastated, as she shared in an interview:

“I immediately got concerned because I figured it was a lymph node, and none of his others were swollen. I was crushed.”

Still, she wasn’t giving up. They started chemo right away, making long trips to the oncologist every few weeks. Ducky, even though he was nervous, walked in bravely each time.

After his first chemo dose, Ducky’s fur started thinning. Shih-Tzus like Ducky tend to lose more hair in this case since their coats are more similar to human hair than typical dog fur.

It was hard to watch, but they kept going, side by side, like they always had. Ducky was still full of heart, and his spirit never faded, as Erin shared:

“Even when he was basically bald and not feeling 100 percent from chemo, he would chase after his [toys].”

And then, something wild happened. Ducky’s fur started coming back, but it looked completely different. His soft blond hair turned into full brown, as Erin shared:

“The color change was pretty exciting. He went from gray to hot chocolate.”

Also, his once-sleek coat was now curly and coarse. It was truly amazing. Watching his hair change felt like a tiny miracle in the middle of all the scary stuff.

After six months of treatment, Ducky was declared cancer-free. Now, Erin is doing everything she can to keep him healthy and happy, even though she’s been through a lot herself.

She has lived with cystic fibrosis her whole life and has spent years in and out of hospitals. But through it all, Ducky’s been right there.

Not long ago, she shared a photo on Instagram that really captured their journey together.

It’s wild to see how much can change in ten years. Sure, they’ve both gotten older, but somehow, they look brighter, lighter, and more alive than ever.

Erin knows their time together is precious. And she’s holding on to every single second.

Because Ducky’s not just a dog. He’s a fighter. They both are.