Saturday, February 20, 2016

Leia - Yet Another Case of TVT

Before reading further, please be advised that there are rather disturbing pictures below. Please do not continue if you feel uncomfortable viewing such photos. Thank you!

We do not know if you can call this a pure coincidence, but around the same period as when our Malaysian volunteers got hold of this dog suffering from canine Transmissible Venereal Tumor (TVT) [https://www.facebook.com/raymund.wee/posts/10208337626221805], we got hold of another dog locally with the exact same condition and severity too. Being able to successfully get hold of Leia after all these years was.. literally like a New Year’s gift to us. She desperately needed help.

Leia has been one of P’s charges for years. From her younger days, no one has been able to go near her, much less catch her for sterilization. P watched her give birth to litter after litter, and also seen her offspring disappear one by one. Leia was one strong survivor who was extremely street smart, thus her being one of the last few surviving in her pack of dogs too.

Leia keeping a safe distance away from P

Leia dragging the packet of rice into the vacant factory (and away from P) to eat

P started to notice dreadful sores on Leia’s private area, but P still could not go any bit nearer to her. Leia would often move towards the food only when P leaves, otherwise she would forgo the food totally. P could kind of guess what Leia was suffering from – TVT is a form of long suffering transmissible cancer and we have seen many cases over the years. However, Leia’s condition was almost at its extreme given the length of time she had been infected with this horrid disease.

Leia was becoming skin and bones, and also getting weaker. Dog catchers were hired more than once but still, she managed to escape each time. Until one fateful weekend a few weeks ago, P and another volunteer spent almost an entire day trying to trap her and thankfully got her. Leia was by then pretty weak from being sick and also with all the struggling. P could not ask for more.


In the process of following Leia around to trap her

We.. got her!!

 
 She was tired out, and so were we.
 

A close-up on how bad her wound is

Over at the clinic, the vet classified Leia as one of the worst cases seen and Leia was not predicted to have a high chance of recovery. In doing rescues, we often have to consider if putting the dog through various procedures for treatment or letting go was kinder and wiser. P thought over it carefully and decided to give Leia a chance. Given the severity of her condition, Leia had to undergo numerous vincristine jabs over two months to shrink the huge tumor on her and her body must also be strong enough to take the effects of the chemotherapy.
 
After the first jab - Leia's tumor drying up

We are now midway through Leia’s treatment and are extremely glad to inform that Leia is strongly fighting on. She has put on some weight and her tumor has shrunk noticeably. We hope to have your kind contribution in helping us with Leia’s medical treatment as her bills have reached a considerable amount thus far. Any bit of contribution counts and our contribution methods are as follows. Please email noahsarkcares@gmail.com for us to issue a receipt to you thereafter, thank you!

By Cheque
Please make cheque payable to: Noah's Ark CARES
and mail to:
Noah's Ark CARES
42 Cairnhill Road
#02-01 Singapore 229661

By Fund Transfer
(1) For transfer to DBS BANK:
Bank: DBS
Account type: DBS CURRENT
Acct number: 012-900823-0
Acct name: Noah's Ark CARES
Branch Code: 012
Bank Code: 7171

(2) For transfer to OCBC BANK:
Bank: OCBC Bank (OCBCSGSG)
Acct No: 501-827745-001
Acct Name: Noah's Ark Companion Animal Rescue & Edn Society
Branch: OCBC Head Office
Branch Code: 501
Bank Code: 7339
 
After a few more jabs! J

Beneficiary of Animal Merchandise :)

Noah's Ark CARES Supporters