Les Amis des Animaux
From foster to forever home
From foster to forever home
by Lynn Hull
And so we have relationships with a number of specialist practices where we have had significant success using the services of specialists in orthopaedics, ophthalmology, dermatology, endocrinology, oncology, haematology. To us they are worth their weight in gold.
Some may see this as madness, “unnecessary” expense on an animal. We don’t – and in many cases it is a way of curtailing suffering, avoiding exploratory techniques because it is not a vet’s area of specialism, and reducing the angst for the animals and fosterers alike. We would go so far as to say that sometimes it can be cost-saving but even more importantly it means that whatever decision we have to make, it is founded on specialist knowledge, good practice and reliable information. We feel we have done all we can . . . and for the greater part that means we have done a lot of good. Occasionally it informs us that the kindest act to prevent unbearable suffering is to say goodbye.
Here are some of our fosterlings that have had the benefit of specialist treatment:
OREO – has had his sight in his one remaining sighted eye saved. It meant two operations – one to remove a cataract and the second to laser treat the detachment of the retina. This for a husky who loves to play ball, and who, like the majority of huskies, can never be off lead is a life-changer. Now he is able to run around in his own secure garden and play ball! It’s been a long journey for him from Qatar where he was virtually a street dog, to being a sighted young adult looking for his forever home.
PIPPIN – One of an abandoned litter of setter X puppies whose fosterer noticed that he often vomited, not developing as quickly as the others and so we began to investigate. Because he was just a young puppy we went straight to a specialist. We thought that potentially he had megasophagus syndrome but that proved to be wrong. He had a “kink” in his oesophagus which prevented food from going straight down. As soon as he was old enough he had a ground-breaking surgery to rearrange his oesophagus and straighten out the kink. It has not been 100% successful but he is 100% better than he would have been had we left it. Pipin has now been adopted and is loved to bits.
OREO – this time a kitten who had horrendous skin problems that he was heading for euthanasia as it appeared that nothing could be done. Then a trip to specialist dermatologist led us not to a cure because there was none, but at least to a good management situation which allows this wee soul to have a full and normal life. He wears a bandana constantly to protect but it is now just part of who he is.
MICKY – is our latest case where the ending was not the happy one we had hoped. He was only 8 months old abandoned to the refuge apparently with rear leg deformities. Before any long-standing arrangements could be made we needed to know what was wrong with him. We had realised he was not paralysed – he could wag his tail and was not incontinent. So an appointment was made with the orthopaedic specialists we use. In addition to the deformities Micky had skin that was red raw and it hung in loose folds under his body, plus he had several unexplained wounds. He was seen in conjunction with the resident specialist dermatologist at the practice and it was discovered that he had a rare genetic condition where the body is incapable of making and retaining collagen. It is untreatable and incurable and leads to a slow painful death. Indeed this puppy had been dying since he was born. He was gently put to sleep whilst still anaesthetised.
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