It is hard to believe it has been 6 months since Milly was rescued from a snake riddled corn field on the edge of a busy highway. Whilst the UK was enjoying a long weekend to celebrate the King’s Coronation, our team in the Philippines fought in 36 degree heat to rescue this poorly dog and bring her to the safety of the Treatment Centre. Read more about Milly’s progress in this blog update.
Re-cap
Upon examination after her rescue back in May, Milly was estimated to be 8 months old. She was suffering from severe demodicosis, ehrlichiosis, emaciation, with a fistula wound on her forehead, which was infested with maggots. It was believed the wound on forehead was caused by being struck by a hard object. She also had anaemia and compromised renal function, probably from being so dehydrated.
You can see an interim documentary of Milly’s progress in this YouTube video:
Progress Report
Our team worked wonders with Milly. The wound on her head healed miraculously quickly (see photo). She has been given the love and compassion she was unsuccessfully searching for on the streets. However, Milly still has a long way to go in her recovery. She is still suffering from demodicosis, despite being well nourished and free from internal parasites, she is not as active as the other recovering dogs at the Treatment Centre. She only has the strength to socialise with one other dog for a short period of time. This is done in a kennel as the space of the Enrichment Park would be too energy depleting for her. Although her mange has healed, atopic dermatitis is preventing her skin from fully recovering. You can see from the photo that her fur has largely re-grown but is quite coarse and her skin quite tough. Milly has had the first two initial doses of the 5 in 1 vaccine, to be followed with a further two doses when she fully recovers. She continues to have medicated baths to help her skin.
Socialising
Kennelmate Michael has been heavily involved in Milly’s rehabilitation. In this regard she has made excellent progress. As well as being her day to day care giver, he plays with her quietly in the Enrichment Park and teaches her to socialise. He says: “Milly is a happy dog and loves to play with people. If you call her, she will immediately come over for a kiss. The dog she likes the most is Divi.” Michael has built a great rapport with Milly, the two certainly have a special bond. It’s wonderful to see Milly having a “favourite person” after being mistreated so badly by people in her early life. The photo below shows Milly now:
Ongoing Costs
When we last wrote to you, we explained the initial costs of rescuing and rehabilitating a dog over a three month period is around £350. Milly has been with us twice that time, still requiring veterinary intervention as well as general care. Please give what you can so we can continue to support Milly in her long recovery. She is a lovely little dog about to celebrate her first Christmas in a safe and loving environment.
