Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Rescue after Rescue (3/5): Ricky and his neighbour Rain

Ricky
Ricky has a very unique look among so many street dogs we meet – he has a scruffy body which makes him look lion-like. Apart from this, he is friendly even to strangers. When we met him for the first time, we could already pat him. Thereafter, he will always be waiting for us during our routine feeding and happily greet us with a swaying butt. Ricky was also one of the lucky few whose factory actually bothered to care for and look after him and tend to his day to day needs. We did advise his factory to keep him safe and off the streets as Ricky lived in a high culling area and can easily be taken away.

One weekend when we went to look for Ricky’s neighbour Rain (see story below), we found Ricky lying listlessly under a container truck. The worker told us he has been like this for the past few days and it was getting worrying. We thus brought Ricky to the clinic for a consult.

Various tests were done on Ricky and even an x-ray but nothing wrong was detected. Ricky was heartworm and tick fever free and his kidney, liver and blood count was good. He also stayed overnight at the clinic for two nights for monitoring in case there was something wrong with his immune system, but the only diagnosis was dehydration though the vet feedbacked there were multiple bite wounds on him. We heaved a huge sigh of relief though we do know we might actually sweat upon seeing the bill later! Ricky has been sent for sterilization and vaccination and thereafter returned to his factory where his workers have been asking about him whenever they see us.

    
Rain
Sweet Rain lives a few factories away from scruffy Ricky. She has a tipped ear so in all normality, we assumed she has been sterilized since a tipped ear is an indication of being neutered for street dogs. But when we saw her with a swollen vulva one night, our jaws dropped. The boys were also after her! Was she on heat? Or did she contract TVT like Chloe who was from the same area (http://noahsarkcares.blogspot.sg/2015/05/chloe-and-her-innocent-puppies.html)? We had a few cases whereby the dog had already been infected but did not show any signs yet. After sterilization and some time after when the symptoms started to show then we will know and then render medical aid to him/her.

Rain’s factory workers were curious as to what did we want with her as they confirmed that she has been sterilized. They were as bewildered as to why the boys were after her since she has already been fixed. We managed to convince them we meant no harm and on that very weekday morning Rain was in our hands, straight to the vet she went.

The vet did a thorough vaginal examination and did not find any lump so TVT was ruled out. A higher possibility was that the spaying was not properly performed and Rain has retained ovaries – that is why she came on heat again. We monitored Rain’s condition for some time and her vulva swelling did go down. It thus confirmed the vet’s suspicions of Rain having retained ovaries or otherwise, we might have to look at other conditions like vaginal infection but that should not attract the males to her.

    

We hated to have to send Rain in for sterilization once again as it was double the stress for her (and unnecessary too) but it needed to be done for her own good. Rain is finally properly sterilized and will be litter-free for the rest of her life. J
 
=========================================================================
 
With the multiples rescue cases pouring in, our vet bills are at an all high these few months. We appreciate any bit of contribution from each and everyone of you, and also need your sharing to spread the word about adoption for Nugget, Thumper and Teddy! Please email us at noahsarkcares@gmail.com if you are able to help in any way, thank you.

No comments:

Beneficiary of Animal Merchandise :)

Noah's Ark CARES Supporters