Have a Heart Namibia November 2021 Update

From Geesche/Have a Heart:

The AKI Emergency Fund for HaH helps

- the sick or injured animal to get help as fast as possible

- the less fortunate but caring owner in a heartbreaking situation

- the HaH volunteers to know there is a way, we are not helpless, we can help

- the vet who doesn't need to put down a loved and wanted animal with a treatable illness or injury only because there is no money

We really can not stress enough how much AKI does for the dogs and cats and people in Namibia!!!

And the 12 Emergency Fund cases are......

In early November, Spotty's family brought him to the vet clinic in Rehoboth, Namibia after he got in a fight with a baboon. He needed stitches, painkillers, and antibiotics. His family was in such a panic because they don't have money to pay for vet care like that. He needed help urgently though, so Geesche quickly gave her approval. Spotty was also neutered - which is normally part of the agreement when AKI/HaH help with a treatment.

Dr. Baines was in Uis for a spay day in early November and Bruno's family immediately took him to the mobile clinic to have his eye checked. Dr. Baines saw that this was an old injury, a ruptured eyeball - very very painful. Geesche said, "This is another prime example of why we need AKI's emergency fund so much. Uis is a small town in the middle of nowhere, 120 kilometers from any doctor (human or animal). For Dr. Baines to be able to help Bruno when he was in Uis for the spay day and without a worry how to cover the cost is all Bruno and Dr. Baines needed." Dr. Baines removed his eye and Bruno is now pain-free.

Back in May 2020, HaH treated Trixie, a tiny 6 kg. dog, for tick fever and TVT. They then spayed her. In October 2021, poor Trixie was the victim of a cruel person who threw a large rock at her. In Keetmanshoop, where Trixie lives, she couldn't get an x-ray, and her leg was obviously in bad shape. She needed to get to Windhoek, where it could be x-rayed and treated. In Windhoek, the vet discovered that her leg was broken at the joint. Surgery was scheduled as quickly as possible.

After surgery, when it was safe to move her, and once a ride was found, she was placed at Keetmans SPCA, where she was given a safe, quiet place to heal until she could be returned to her family. In early November, Trixie was brought back home. But her family acknowledges that it's so hard to keep her safe in their community, they feel it would be best to find her a home where her safety can be guaranteed. Meanwhile she is happy to be back with her family and they're happy to have her:

Girly from Rehoboth became an Emergency Fund client when she was booked for her spay, vaccination, and parasite treatment, but during pre-check, the vet noticed that she wasn't well. She had a fever (41 degrees C/105.8 F) and a test revealed Girly had tick bite fever. With tick bite fever, the blood doesn't clot well, and Girly could have bled to death during surgery. Girly's spay was postponed and she was given injections to protect her liver and to start her antibiotic course. She was also prescribed antibiotic pills for 10 days. After her treatment, Girly was spayed and went home with her loving family.

In early September, a stray cat (named Mommy Cat) was found with a broken leg. When a kind person brought her to the vet, they not only diagnosed a very difficult break, but also realized she was very pregnant. With a place available for her to recover, and the kittens due imminently, all involved decided it was safest for Mommy Cat to have her kittens. As soon as they were weaned, Mommy Cat's leg was fixed and she was spayed. The foster home has taken responsibility for everyone's care and for finding homes.

Brown Cat from Epako Township in Gobabis needed help urgently, it appeared that something had damaged his spine (hit by a vehicle, a rock, or was it a disease?) In September, he became an Emergency Fund client. Thanks to Willem, Brown Cat was rushed to the vet for x-rays. It would have been futile to sterilize him to only find out there was a major problem with his spine. The x-ray showed that he has narrowed spinal tissue--spinal stenosis. The vet prescribed meds, and he was sterilized. Geesche said, "Without AKI he would not have a chance! THANK YOU!!! "

Fluffy (not very fluffy) is from Omaruru and part of the !Narib Family. Dr. Baines helped her during a mobile clinic spay day in Omaruru. Fluffy had a badly torn foot pad; it was a very deep cut. The injury was cleaned and bandaged. Of course she was also spayed, vaccinated, and treated against parasites.

Babatjie - pronounced Babakey - is Afrikaans for small baby. Babatjie is from Gobabis and one day a young boy came running to Willem (he's well known for doing TNR in Gobabis for HaH) and told him about an injured cat. Willem found Babatjie - who is an old HaH customer - with a badly damaged leg. The vet said there are only two options, put her down or remove her leg. So Babatjie became an Emergency Fund client and her leg was removed. For her recovery she stayed with Willem and soon she was able to run around and play like nothing had happened.

In late September, Kitty Cat was found by a TNR volunteer in Walvis Bay. She was obviously not feral, but a stray/lost cat and she had an injured tail. The volunteer rushed her to the vet. Luckily, Kitty Cat didn't need an amputation, just cleaning, meds, and time for her tail to heal. The volunteer who found her, fostered Kitty Cat and planned to keep her until her owners were found - or forever. Geesche sent this message: "Thank you for helping Kitty Cat. With the AKI Emergency Fund supporting the less fortunate dogs and cats in Namibia, the volunteers have so so so much more positive impact and not only for the animals and their owners, it's so much less stressful for the volunteers knowing there is a way to help and we can do something!"

Wolf from Windhoek had a cauliflower ear. It didn't look too bad, but in the long term it can lead to serious ear infections and that can be extremely painful and can lead to death. In August, thanks to the Emergency Fund, Wolf had the minor surgery required to fix his ear, and Wolf was saved from any pain and suffering the cauliflower ear may have caused. Wolf's owner, Nadine was very thankful. She loves Wolf very much but couldn't afford the surgery.

Glitter is an old HaH customer, very much loved by his family. In July, his worried family took him to the vet because he had blood in his urine. Tests and treatment costs were more than the family could afford, so they asked HaH for help and thanks to AKI's Emergency Fund, Glitter became an Emergency Fund client. His blood test results were good and sonar showed some sediment in the bladder. He stayed overnight and the next day the sonar was repeated. The vet diagnosed idiopathic cystitis. Unfortunately, even with treatment, the problem might return and in some cases requires surgery. But for now Glitter is happily back with his family.

On September 20, Glitter was brought to the vet again - he hadn't urinated for a few days. It turned out that the family wasn't using the special food as prescribed because it was too expensive. HaH worked out an agreement with them to notify HaH if they again have trouble affording the food. Meanwhile, they were given a big bag of special diet to help Glitter and them out. (The good news is that HaH hasn't heard from them since.)

And the 12th Emergency Fund case is Snowy, whose owner, Jo-Dee, is a student and couldn't afford the vet care Snowy needed. Snowy had a badly injured leg and the AKI-HAH Emergency Fund stepped in to help. In July, Snowy was neutered and his leg was stitched up.