Readers Mail
By Kim Betts – KAR ….
Alert, Alert, Incoming…….very young male, unknown injuries, unknown history…….Incoming.
It’s just another new arrival at KAR Rescue Centre but how many people realize what happens next???
We will call the new arrival “Paul” – however KAR puppies are not usually given names when they first arrive for reasons which sadly may become clear.
Paul arrived early one morning with someone who had found him in the street. They hadn’t reported him to the KAR office, they didn’t want a puppy, they couldn’t feed him, he wasn’t theirs, they couldn’t keep him not even for a few days. So he became a KAR puppy and his KAR care package began.
He was given an immediate general health check for any signs of injuries or obvious illness.
He needed to go into a quarantine area (ideally for 14 days) as underlying illnesses can take time to incubate. He would need to be monitored carefully. This also helps to protect the other KAR puppies and dogs – it is very easy for diseases to spread …rapidly and with often fatal consequences. Is there a quarantine space available? A tricky assessment must be done as Paul needs a space NOW. Which pup can be moved out of quarantine and into shared space?
Will it be one of the ones on 4 hourly medications?
Will it be one of the ones with chronic diarrhea?
Will it be one of the ones that came in 2 days ago?
Will it be one of the ones showing symptoms of Giardia?
Will it be one of the litter who came in with incubated Parvo – but they will need at least another 1 week of treatment and further quarantine?
It is clear that it cannot be any of the ones already on IV!
It cannot be the mum who has recently given birth! They will need space on their own for at least 6 weeks.
But the staff did not need to decide between them – Sadly one poor little pup no longer needed her quarantine space.
After a couple of days in quarantine it is clear that Paul is unwell – he is such a sad pup, although he is undernourished he doesn’t want to eat, he shivers, he is lethargic and is beginning to have intermittent bouts of an upset tummy. He needs help ……following a vet visit he is quickly put onto IV medication as he has Parvo.
It has been noticed and treatment started early ….. Centre staff will be treating him intensively every day – so he may be lucky.
But then again he may not.His may become the next quarantine space that is sadly no longer needed – but there will always be another puppy waiting to take that space. And another. And another.
So please when you get angry and complain if we say “I’m sorry but we don’t have space at the moment – we may have in a few days so please care for the “not your” puppy until we do have space “Please …think of Paul and try to understand. We want to take them all, we want to take them quickly, we want to help you ….but sometimes we need time.
Time for us to help the ones that are already with us…….Hopefully Paul will recover and will give up his space happily for yet another Incoming. He will join the other pups that are running around playing happily together.
But he may not.
Please report puppy cases to our office – Tel 0533 8694098. We may not be able to help straight away but if we are not told of the problem we won’t be able to do anything !
If anyone would like to purchase any medications to help our sick cats and dogs we desperately need :
Klamoks antibiotics (625 and 1000mgs)
Synolux serum for injections (this is only available from a vet clinic – please tell them it is for KAR)
Spot on tick and flea treatment.
