Temba
Raju alerted us to Temba – a large, black, Tibetan mastiff-type dog – in his local area of Nayabusti. Although the local teashop lady had been feeding Temba and trying to care for him, he was becoming weaker with each passing day due to a large aggressive, infected tumour on the joint of his right hind leg.
On May 13, 2018, Temba was taken to the clinic, then back to the CDWK centre for care. After one month of good feeding and antibiotic treatment, Temba was strong enough for surgery. On June 13, Dr Sushil successfully removed the tumour in a 2.5 hour operation.
Although only two weeks since his surgery, gentle, friendly Temba is moving around well. However, he hates having his dressing replaced every second day. Unfortunately, two additional small tumours have started to grow – these will be removed soon.
Raja and Suvas, from a local thangka gallery in Boudha, Images of Enlightenment (https://www.facebook.com/imagesofenlightenment/) are supporting the treatment and care of Temba. They are regular and generous supporters of CDWK. When Temba is sufficiently recovered he will go back to Nayabusti, where the teashop lady is awaiting his return.
Lucky
Mingma, a friend of CDWK, alerted us to the thinnest German Shepherd we have ever seen. The dog, named by Mingma as Lucky, was located in Mulpani, far from CDWK. He was in such a bad state that Mingma brought him into the centre on his motorbike.
Lucky’s desperately thin body was covered in small infected, bleeding tumours, particularly on his face. He had other itchy skin conditions, missing fur, and was generally in poor physical condition. In addition, he is partially blind in both eyes, probably the result of tick-borne Erlichia cannis infection.
After a series of chemotherapy doses and a course of antibiotics, the skin tumours have disappeared. Now, the chemotherapy has ceased, Lucky is eating very well, and is slowly putting on weight. Dr Sushil hopes that as he becomes healthier, his fur will regrow properly. Lucky is a joy – such a sweet, gentle, lovable dog. As Lucky still has a way to go before he is well, he will remain in the care of CDWK for some time yet.
However, when he is healthy enough, Mingma will adopt him into his family home. Mingma’s sister, who lives in Sydney, is contributing to the cost of treatment and care.
Black Girlie
Itusha and Sanzivani, two local school girls from nearby Milan Chowk, have taken an initiative to spay the homeless female dogs living in their area. They will pay half of the cost of the surgery, which they raise from the local community, and CDWK has agreed to pay the other half and care for the dogs for a few days post-surgery.
The first dog, a friendly black girl in good condition, was brought to Dr Sushil’s clinic on a motorbike by the girls last week. Kate then took her back to CDWK for post-op care. When the spay wound was healing well, and the bandages came off, Itusha came on a motorbike and took the dog back to her place in the community.
It is wonderful to see two young local people with such initiative, taking such positive action – identifying dogs, contacting CDWK, taking the dog to the clinic and collecting her from CDWK, and raising money to pay for the costs. The next dog in their local area will be spayed in two weeks.
Fyauri
Fyauri, such a gentle and timid little soul, was found by a local Sherpa woman with advanced, resistant Canine Transmissible Venereal Tumour (CTVT). Fyauri had been living on the porch of a local house, and seemed to have been fed by local people.
Kate agreed with the local people that CDWK would provide chemotherapy for Fyauri if cared for her in the community. So for six weeks, Kate picked Fyauri up and took her for weekly chemotherapy at the Kathmandu Veterinary Clinic. When the tumour had resolved, she was spayed, and spent a week at CDWK recovering.
Two days ago, Kate returned Fyauri to her place in the community. Fyauri was greeted by the neighbourhood dogs. She seemed happy to be back and curled in the same place on the porch of the local house. The local Sherpa girl will monitor her, and Kate will take her to the clinic for her final check-up in a month.
Dhalane
Niraj, editor of Republica Newspaper, is a dog lover, who cares for street dogs, and has rescued several sick and injured dogs with CDWK over the years. At the end of May, he asked CDWK for help with Dhalane, an older male dog, lying on the step of a local teashop – very sad, weak, not eating, with his forelegs covered in congealed blood from nose bleeding.
Dr Sushil assumed that Dhalane’s condition was due to a severe infection with tick-borne Erlichia cannis parasite. He required an immediate blood transfusion due to severe anaemia. Back in the CDWK centre, Dhalane is eating well, and he has picked up a bit. In the last week, his nose bleeds have stopped and he is walking around the enclosure.
The lady at the teashop where he was found is very concerned about him, and wants him back as soon as possible. In a few weeks, when Dhalane is stronger and his medication is completed, he will be neutered. Then, although he is an old dog, he will be returned to the teashop, where he will be cared for and will likely live out the rest of his days.
Suki
On May 22, Sapna Ghimire and her mother, who care for street dogs in their local area, brought hairless Suki into the CDWK centre on their motorbike. Suki was diagnosed with a severe case of demodectic mange.
Suki, a friendly dog who likes human company but shies away from other dogs, is responding well to ivermectin treatment. Her fur is starting to regrow, and she is eating well.
When Suki’s physical condition improves, the Ghimire’s will return her to the community and continue to care for her and monitor her condition. The Ghimire family are regular supporters of CDWK.
