A  man was very disconcerted when he saw the strange appearance of his   black Labrador  dog , which was always a strong, robust and very healthy animal.

Blaze was 10 years old.

And when you look at  photos of Blaze from a few years ago, he looks like any other black Labrador retriever.

However,  his appearance began to be so dramatically different  that many believed his owner was fooling people by showing off another dog. But, he assured that it was his beloved black Labrador all his life.h-a-n-h

Blaze was always a healthy and happy dog,  who loved to play and explore outdoors with his owner,  Santeri Frilander,  where they lived in  Finland.But when he turned 9, Santeri discovered a white spot that appeared on his little ear. As the months went by,  more and more white spots began to appear all over his body, leaving his owner very worried and confused.It seemed like Blaze was starting to lose color all over her body.

Santeri did not hesitate to take his pet to the veterinarian to clarify so many doubts. He thought he might have some serious illness, but to tell the truth,  Blaze’s energy and desire for mischief were still completely intact. “He was always ready to go on walks and have many adventures,” said his owner.h-a-n-h

So after some tests and checkups,  the vet confirmed that Blaze had vitiligo.  It is a condition that causes  the skin or coat to lose pigmentation over time.The condition would allegedly only affect his appearance without compromising his health.

In fact,  Blaze barely seemed to realize what was happening to her fur.And he remained as happy as ever, only with time he definitely became more handsome.Santeri decided to go online to make his condition known.h-a-n-h

Through a photograph, he told about Blaze’s vitiligo, without imagining that it would go completely viral,  accumulating more than 32 thousand likes and 3 thousand comments online .As a result, Blaze became an online celebrity.h-a-n-h

“Many believe that he is very old, but it is just vitiligo,” Santeri said in a publication.h-a-n-h

Blaze had 10 siblings and none of them developed the condition. So there was no doubt that  vitiligo made him truly unique.He was a very friendly little dog who immediately became the best friend of everyone who crossed his path.He loved walking through the forests and swimming in the lakes.

However, Santeri claimed that his hobby was simply convincing humans to give him some food.“What he likes most is sitting next to the table and waiting for treats to be given. No one can resist those beautiful brown eyes.”h-a-n-h

After Blaze’s rise to fame,  his owner created an Instagram account   @blazethedog just for him.

«I don’t want to sound dramatic but I could die for this dog», «He is absolutely beautiful and imposing», «He is unique, without equal, his beauty shocks and makes you fall in love», «Simply impressive, he is fascinating and I wish he becomes an old man this happy »,  are just some of the compliments he receives.h-a-n-h

Vitiligo varies greatly in each case. There are some animals that completely change their entire color, while others only reach a couple of spots. The good thing is that as long as they receive frequent medical attention, to avoid any complications, everything will be great.

A few months later, Santeri, totally devastated, announced to all Blaze’s followers that  his beloved pet, at 11 years old, crossed the rainbow bridge.«Today we will light a candle for our beloved Blaze who passed away this morning. Have a good trip to heaven and thank you for everything,” he wrote, moving everyone who loved the sweet dog with vitiligo.

It is heartbreaking to think about the great void this little dog leaves behind, but we are excited to know that he left surrounded by all the love of his owner, and of the whole world.h-a-n-h