In this AKI Blog post, Geesche (HAH-Namibia) updates us on recent AKI-HAH Emergency Fund cases and about how HAH has used AKI funds for their Lifetime Care Program.
From Geesche:
This is the story of Rex from Keetmanshoop helped by the AKI-HAH Emergency Fund. HAH Keetmanshoop team leader Angie organised everything for Rex. This is Rex's story from Angie:
"Meet young Rex. He escaped from his yard one day and got hit by a car. The owners tried to splint Rex's leg themselves but that didn't work and the leg didn't attach again. HAH Keetmanshoop stepped up to help Rex and with the AKI Emergency Fund, his leg was amputated by Dr Erna in Mariental [Angie drove Rex 240 kilometers from Keetmans to Mariental and back]. He was of course also neutered and vaccinated. Rex is such a strong boy. He wasn't feeling well at all with the pain in his injured leg and I could see such a difference in him when I took him home yesterday after he healed from the surgery, and he was jumping up and down on those 3 legs, smiling if you wish." (Rex pictured below)
"Rex had an infection from the leg though so Dr Erna had to amputate more than she wanted to and she had to remove a lymph node. That infection would have killed him and the owners would not have known he had an infection because you couldn't see it. We are so happy that Rex could have his chance to be pain free again and live a long and happy life. Thank you to everyone who made this possible!"
You may remember Sasha, who had a bloated stomach and no one was sure what was wrong. Thanks to the Emergency Fund, the vet performed tests that ruled out a few things, but never came up with a definitive cause of the bloating. Sasha died in December. Her owners were very sad, but felt they did all they could (thanks to AKI). Sasha's picture is below.
Ranger from Rehoboth started getting knots all over his body (picture below). The family went to the vet and got antibiotics but they didn't work and a cancer test needed to be done. The family couldn't afford the test but we jumped in with the AKI-HAH Emergency Fund. Rex is a much loved boy, whose family was very grateful for the help.
The test came back negative, no cancer. That was the good news. But Ranger was getting worse by the day, more knots and he wasn't feeling well at all. After some days, I heard from the family-they were heartbroken but at the moment they felt it was best to let him go.
This is again a sad story, but to find something positive, the family feels they have done all humanly possible to help their dog. Nothing is worse than the thought one could have done more if there would have been money. The vet thinks it was cutaneous lymphoma, and that would not have been treatable here.
March 17 and finally we have some good news!! This is Lucky (below) from Otjivero (this is such a tiny settlement, I couldn't even find it on the map, but it's close to Omitara, East of Windhoek). According to his owner, Murphy Swartz, Lucky had a motor vehicle accident a few days earlier and he was really lucky the mobile clinic stopped in Otjivero. Lucky needed a stitch-up of a large but luckily superficial laceration and he had a broken toe and got a "Rober Jones Bandage" from Dr Baines. We are sure Lucky is already feeling much better and is healing well. Of course Lucky also received our "normal" full service and we hope he learned his lesson and will stay away from cars in future.
Dr Baines sent the numbers from his trips in February to Omitara, Fransfontein, Khorixas, Kamanjab, Gobabis, Otjiwarongo, Outjo, Otjivero and Drimiopsis and a total of 28 cats and 227 dogs - all old Have a Heart customers! - came to the clinic during the visits for their follow up check, parasite treatment, and if needed booster vaccination! All covered by AKI!
Knowing that all of "our" dogs and cats are vaccinated and treated against parasites for the first time in their life when they are spayed/neutered and that at least 95 % of those animals would otherwise not see a vet in their life and that we can offer a lifetime of support thanks to AKI, makes me tear up. Thank you so so much AKI for making it possible for owners to keep their pets healthy and happy - and their families safe! Enjoy some pictures of our happy, healthy customers.
We had one customer from those February clinics who needed a bit more care, Black Boy, a beautiful dog from Otjiwarongo. He is also a dog who would have never been able to see a vet, if not for HaH and AKI! he had an infected eye, and it had to be removed (picture below). Dr Baines did the surgery during his last visit when he was in Otji for a spay day. The owner, Mr Steven !Hoaeb, is so happy Black Boy is not in pain anymore!
