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The Weekend Sun
Adopt-a-thon a ‘superb’ success Thirty formerly homeless animals are now enjoying the love and warmth of a new ‘forever home’ following The Weekend Sun’s Adopt-a-Thon with Tauranga SPCA. The February adopt-a-thon saw 21 kittens, five puppies, four adult cats and one bird adopted into new families throughout Tauranga. Among them is four-month-old ginger kitten Leo, who is settling into his new home with the Signal family in Papamoa. Peter Signal says he and his wife went to the adopt-a-thon after losing their 17-year-old cat a month ago. “We said
Peter and Sharmaine Signal with new kitten Leo. Photo by Tracy Hardy.
we’d take the cat that came to us, not the other way around.” Leo is a “feisty” kitten. “He’s a real lively thing, tears around the house and chews on the blinds. He’s had a few water squirts.” Leo is happily adjusting to his new surroundings, and is eagerly awaiting being allowed outside. “He’s busting at the door, he won’t let you out of his sight,” says Peter. The Weekend Sun also raised enough funds to donate $750 to Tauranga SPCA, to be spent on food and supplies for the shelter’s animals. Margaret says staff are very thankful for the “amazing support” from the businesses which got involved with the adopt-a-thon, and the families. By Corrie Taylor
The tale of Freddy - finding the problem Freddy the poodle was brought into our clinic because he was losing weight, not eating well, occasionally vomiting, and becoming lethargic. He was three years old and usually a very active chap. These symptoms can appear in any of hundreds of illnesses, so we ran a blood test to try and find the cause. The blood test results were very similar to what we see in renal failure. But why would Freddy’s kidneys fail him at a young age? If this was renal failure, his chance
of survival was very, very slim. We sent a urine sample to the laboratory, which ruled out kidney infection and many other kidney and bladder disorders. So we looked further and did an ultrasound scan of his kidneys; which looked nearly normal. So something else was making Freddy unwell. Disorders of the hormonal system can show up in unusual ways, and are often known as ‘the great pretenders’, so two more specialised hormone tests were done and we found the
problem. Freddy’s adrenal glands were not functioning. Adrenal glands produce the corticosteroid hormones needed to adapt to stressful situations (the fight or flight response). And without these hormones, even small stresses can lead to physiological disaster. If not diagnosed early, this disease can also be rapidly fatal. But Freddy’s story has a happy ending. He is on hormone-replacement medication for the rest of his life – but he's happy. ‘Kathleen joined VCT in 2005. She completed her Veterinary Degree in 2003 and has a special interest in Ophthalmology (eyes) and Oncology (cancer). She is proud Mum to Manny & Pearl (dogs) and Woof (cat). Ph VetCare 07 576 9555’
How do I socialise my puppy? The best puppy-raisers begin an intensive socialisation programme starting when pups are four weeks old. Do this by exposing them to gentle handling and touch from an increasing number and variety of humans as the days and weeks pass. Handling ears, touching paws and examining teeth should all be accompanied by treats, toys or praise, so the pup comes to believe humans and human touch make good things happen. This concept should be instilled in his little brain before he’s at the
age of four months. Once the pup has reached the age of 12-14 weeks, it’s time to begin socialising him with other puppies, dogs and the outside world. This should continue to be a priority in your socialisation training right through to the age of two years. Successfully socialising your pup requires meeting a variety of dogs, people and encountering new environments every day. This hard work you put in now is what will ensure your dog is a confident, happy dog that takes new
experiences in his stride and is a joy to be around. Taking the time to socialise your puppy will help prevent a lot of future behaviour problems we see in adult dogs. We all want our dogs to lead happy lives; and it’s through this socialisation from puppy-age that enables him to happily live in this crazy human world of ours.