Baby Harper's Updates

Baby Harper had her ultrasound done this evening. Dr said her stomach had cleared up a little and she ate pretty well today. There doesn’t seem to be any foreign body in her stomach and the medications seem to be working. Harper still has not pooped since Saturday so we should be monitoring that. The Dr feels that whatever is blocking her stomach could be neurological, meaning because of her spinal problem, her nerves might not be functioning well, thus affecting the control of the stomach and bowel movements.

Her eyes show her pain and discomfort

Needing support to stand

She may be discharged tomorrow if she eats well again and will need to go back for a review in about 7 to 10 days’ time. Her foster would need to monitor her eating and bowel patterns as for the past 2 weeks, Harper would eat normally for a day, then go off food for the rest of the week. We reckon this is because after she has eaten the first day, her stomach is full but yet she doesn’t have the strength to move her bowels. If this does happen again, Harper may need to be on long term medication to help her stomach and bowel movements.

The vet did recommend we do a CT scan for her to get a better view of her spine but we will put that on hold for now as she has not been fully vaccinated and the CT scan would require her to be under GA. This perhaps would be done in early August.

 

 

Let’s hope this is just a passing phase and that baby Harper will outgrow all these health issues as she gets older and stronger, then we can focus on teaching her to walk again.

Her hind legs were starting to get strong but the past few days in the cage has pushed her progress back to square one.

Harper lost a lot of weight

 

We thank everyone who has shown love and concern to the baby Harper. Without your support, we would not have been able to save the little baby.

Should you wish to adopt Harper, please email Fiona@hopedogrescue.org

I Am A Little Fighter (Harper's 3rd updates)

It has been a long time since I felt such great sadness. My heart is heavy. We have two dogs in the vet, both in serious condition, lives at risk and our funds are running on empty. One baby Harper whose life is in danger, especially since she is very young and rather weak. The other, Chloe, an old rescued dog who has been seriously attacked by a few dogs. We visited Chloe just now and her cries were unbearable. Chloe’s story will be shared in our next blog post.

Harper had been unwell for a week

 As for baby Harper, to date, her vet bills are estimated to be about $1300. She is expected to remain at the vet for another few days, under close observation, where she will receive daily tests, x-rays and injections. She can’t be discharged just yet as her tiny body could shut down anytime.

Feeling very down and uncomfortable

Baby Harper has not been eating regularly the past week, and had only been drinking a lot of water and milk.

We thought she was just picky with her food since she was still energetic, playful, and was defecating normally. Two nights ago, Fiona decided to feed Harper some roast pork to test if she was being picky or if she was ill. Harper refused the food and went back to sleep. This was when we realized that something was wrong and we rushed her to the emergency at 10pm.

An X-ray was done on Harper, which showed a mass in her stomach. We couldn’t identify what the mass is but we knew it could be life threatening, as Harper’s breathing grew increasingly labored, her eyes lacked her usual shine, and her energy dwindled through the night. We decided to ward her for a night at the vet for examination.

The vet did an ultrasound scan the immediate morning, and the results revealed that her stomach and intestines were full of water and food. This means that whatever she had eaten in the past week had not been fully discharged.

This raised some alarm bells to the vet, and a series of test followed including meningitis and other diseases, to rule out the culprit behind the blockage in Harper’s tiny tummy. It pained us to see baby Harper being poked repeatedly to have her blood samples collected, but we know this had to be done to stay on the side of caution.

As results of the ultrasound scan are not definitive, we can’t be sure what the mass in Harper’s distended stomach is made up of. The vet suspects it could either be a foreign body, or an ileus. Either way, we know baby Harper is suffering in terrible discomfort.

Baby Harper feeling miserable alone at the vet

The vet said a blockage in her tummy would cause Harper to throw up since the food and liquid cannot pass through her digestive tract. However, the worrying aspect is that puppies, like Harper, do not usually know how to regulate their bodies like adult dogs do. Adult dogs would instinctively know to continue eating to induce vomit, in effort to feel better. We are still monitoring Harper round the clock to see if she would vomit.

Her eyes reflect her pain and sadness

 

According to the vet, Harper may also have some underlying neurological issues. Lisa suspected the same when she helped foster Harper while Fiona was out on some days, for long hours at a stretch. We are also unsure if her lack of appetite may be stemmed from her spinal cord injury, which could have caused so much discomfort that she couldn’t eat.  

 

Mr Aziz visited Harper at the vet as he was extremely worried about her

There are so many uncertainties and we worry Harper’s health will take a dip for the worst. As of now, our beloved baby Harper has already lost so much weight and we could tell from her eyes that she is in pain.

Mr Aziz was worried sick and he and his family visited Harper at the vet this afternoon to keep her company, to show some moral support, and to let Harper know all will be well. Mr Aziz was like a happy Grandpa, carrying Harper and patting her.



Baby Harper is weak, unwell and sad. The lack of exercise these few days have made her back foot knuckle again.

Mr Aziz holds Harper lovingly

 

Love knows no barriers. Mr Aziz has said he will not hesitate to help any living being

 

The entire Aziz family visited baby Harper at the vet

Harper has already undergone three X-rays and one ultrasound. X-rays are done daily, while her next ultrasound will be done on Tuesday to see if her stomach clears up. If it still hasn’t, and if she still does not vomit or defecate, the doctor will need to operate on her to see what is causing the blockage in her stomach.

Like all surgeries, there is an element of risk involved in these procedures, especially for Harper who has just recovered from an episode of chest infection caused by the haze, and the fact that she has not been eating and is rather weak.

It is a tough decision but we can only continue to hope for the best and to prepare for the worst.

We’ll keep you posted on baby Harper’s progress. Meanwhile, please keep Harper in your prayers.

Let's make this sad puppy well again

Should you wish to donate to Harper’s escalating vet bill, please email Fiona@hopedogrescue.org

On a side note, we have started preparing for the HOPE 2014 Calendar. Baby Harper will be the cover girl this time round, as we are all greatly moved and inspired by her courage and determination to live fearlessly, despite her disabilities – Harper was born with a broken spine which has impeded her walking and led to her incontinence.

We are currently sourcing sponsors to print our HOPE 2014 calendars, so we can print more copies, sell more calendars, and raise more funds. These funds would go into helping the needy dogs, and to give them a chance to live healthily, happily, and heartily.

To date, our funds can only help pay for a handful of calendars, which leaves us in a less than desirable situation. It is a given – the less we print, the less we sell, and the less funds we raise. Above all, it is more expensive to print these calendars in low quantities.

So, if you have any friends / connections out there who are willing to sponsor us, or to print these calendars for us at an affordable price, please let us know and we’ll be in contact with them.

From the bottom of our hearts, Thank You for helping us save lives.

Through A Dog's Ear (Healing Music for Pets)

Animals, like humans, can feel anxiety when they are put in situations they are not used to. Being left alone at home or taking a car ride to the vet can sometimes be stressful, albeit necessary, situations that they do not enjoy being put through. For most of us, we cannot help but feel guilty as our pets whine all day till we get home, or tremble in our arms not knowing where this car ride is taking them.

Music is the charm known to provide soothing relief to humans and even animals alike, as the world's leading animal healer, and renowned animal communicator Margrit Coates would tell you. She has great empathy with animals and uses those skills to communicate and heal them. While most of us lack the ability to speak to our animals directly at such a level, Margrit has compiled a collection of healing music CDs that will help relax our stressed animals. Lovingly composed and produced on a composition of piano and guitar, this is a range of healing music especially created for animals.

Like the soothing music played at spas, this healing animal music is meant to bring the same effect to your pets as it calms them and releases any tension they feel. You can play it at home while at work so your pet won’t feel anxious that you’re not around. In the car, your pet will soon lay its head to sleep, soothed by the tinkling sounds of relaxation. Excitable pets will also start to feel the serenity coursing through them with the tranquil music playing in the background. Animals who are recovering from past trauma will appreciate the tranquil notes that soothe their ravaged souls.

Creating a restful environment for your pets will bring a wholesome and complete way of life for them and for your family. To bring harmony into your household, do consider purchasing this as a gift for your pet.

Each CD costs $30 (inclusive of local postage) and all proceeds will go towards our animal rescue projects - sterilization fees, food costs and vet bills. To place an order for these pet music CDs, please fill in the order form below or email Fiona@hopedogrescue.org the following details:

Name:
Mailing Address:
Contact Number:
#1 Animal Angels : ______ (qty)
#2 Animal Healing : ______ (qty)
#3 Music for Pets : ______ (qty)
#4 Connecting with Animals : _______ (qty)
#5 Animal Communication: _______ (qty)
Mode of Payment: DBS or UOB Fund Transfer (Please indicate which bank is preferred)

These CDs have proven useful and effective in our work with rescued dogs, street dogs, as well as pets that may have separation anxiety, fear, stress and many other emotional issues.

Our hectic lives shouldn’t mean our pets have to suffer the same stress that we do. We have our ways of de-stressing but your pets only have YOU. A little music goes a long way. Get your CD(s) today!

Written by Elaine Quek

A Different Kind of Happiness

Looking back, have you ever asked yourself if you’re satisfied with whom you have become versus who you endeavour to be as a child? Well, I think we should all give ourselves a pat on the shoulder for being the person we are today, no matter your social status, your accolades, the number of friends you have on Facebook, or the digits in your bank accounts. It doesn’t matter if we are more stubborn than another person, or if we are less well-off than another being. We are all different and challenged in our own ways.

Of course, for most of us, our parents have been instrumental in moulding, guiding and nurturing us to become the person we are today. However, more often than not, we forget that we are our own parents, and we are a reflection of what life throws at us – lemons or unicorns. We learn through challenges, and we learn to calibrate and recalibrate ourselves until we rise above these challenges. We make decisions based on experiences, past learning or gut-feelings, whether it is practical or idealistic. We meet people, and we learn from them – be it learning to be as good as them, or learning to be better than them.

Dogs are no different. They too are born as pure as an angel and as innocent as a new-born child. And like us and our children, they learn through life-lessons, influences, challenges and past encounters. While we don’t speak the same language, we share this universal, unspoken language that cuts through the loudest of noises and the quietest of nights to reach the deepest abyss in our heart. This is similar to how parents can understand their babies even before they learn to speak. It’s funny that despite our many physical differences, we all so similar emotionally!

HAPPY

Happy, a female local, has been with us for almost a year now. She had been abandoned, and was left outside a vet clinic on a short leash. We took her in and boarded her at a kennel for the first three months, before moving her to a pet shop. Although staying at pet shops are generally more expensive than kennels, we realised it would be way more beneficial for a dog like Happy to live in a pet shop, until we find a suitable home for her.  

In between, a family fostered Happy but gave her up on the third day because they thought she was way too playful and their dog didn’t like her presence. It is a shame to give up a dog so quickly before even getting to know her. Fostering is about tackling and navigating through differences, through teaching and reinforcement. Fosterer needs to be in control of their pets and foster dogs, to monitor the play and to teach and correct their behaviours when need be.

Happy's markings are beautiful. The marking on her chest is absolutely unique!

Side-track, I too adopted a dog last November. The family who adopted the dog previously gave him up after staying with him for just one day, claiming that he was too playful and that he broke a vase in their home while playing. What they don’t know is that while he has his shortcomings, like all of us do, he is as sweet as an angel and I can never imagine living my life without him.

So, Happy was returned to the pet shop where she lived for the next six months. While at the pet shop, she only plays with one or two other dogs, and spends the rest of the time hiding behind the shop counter or under the sofa. This had a growing, negative impact on her.

Happy at her temporary foster home

Despite our volunteers taking her out for walks two to three times a week, Happy developed a fear of leaving the shop. She was afraid of the screeching tyres, busy traffic, and loud, sudden noises. Like most rescue dogs, it is difficult to put a finger to what triggered these fears.

Fiona, who has spent years working with special needs children, would often describe Happy as a dog with ADHD. Much like ADHD children, Happy hardly sleeps, and spends the night pacing the shop and looking for things to play. She never seems to put on any weight even though she has a healthy appetite.

Happy also displays some similar characteristics of autism inhuman, even though there hasn’t been any proven medical finding of autism in dogs. She has trouble coping with changes and would often panic when we take a different turn from the usual route, during her daily walks. Again, much like special needs children, Happy doesn’t cope well with changes and would prefer to stick to a fixed routine.

Happy is also forgetful and would often forget what was taught to her previously. If you have worked with special needs children, you will understand that with these children, you will need to repeat teachings until it is imprinted in their minds and becomes automated behaviours. 

Autistic children are also unable to moderate their own play. Happy is no different, and she needs a firm owner to tell her when to stop playing.

Black beauty

Although autism in dogs have not yet been proven scientifically, it is not far-fetched to believe that dogs and humans have their own differences too – not all dogs or children are the same as their friends. Fiona has found applying early childhood theories on dogs to be extremely helpful when understanding behavioural differences.

Like all of us, Happy has her own shortcomings, but she has many wonderful traits as well. 

For instance, Happy has absolutely no aggression and is extremely easy-going. She is also amongst the more sociable dogs that we have met. She wouldn’t mind if you clean her ears, put medicine in her mouth, clip her nails or touch her paws.

Happy having her photograph taken for HOPE's 2014 calendar with Joceline and Sherrie

She gets along superbly well with humans, children and other dogs; and she eats almost anything you feed her. Happy’s favourite moment is when she is in a dog run. You can almost see her radiating with happiness when she runs freely and boundlessly along with other dogs. I must forewarn you that the journey to the dog run may be a stressful experience for her, but once you see her running about in bursts of excitement, you will know the journey was worthwhile.

Happy’s happiness is addictive, and her energy is rejuvenating.

Raising a dog is much like raising a child. They are a reflection of our teachings. We, as parents, need to set clear boundaries, to stay consistent, and to remain firm when needed; but we also need to recalibrate ourselves to better understand our children and pets as they grow up. No individual is the same throughout the course of their life; and not every mistake will forever remain a mistake. As long as we understand their differences, these differences will soon become opportunities for us to get to know them better.

Every special needs child and dog is beautiful in their own ways. They teach us such valuable lessons in life; they teach us to learn and to laugh wholeheartedly without reservation; and they teach us to live in their special worlds which are unmaterialistic, genuine and, non-judgemental.  

For people who don’t understand Happy, you may think she is stubborn, difficult and wanting her own ways. Happy is none of the above. She is just different and she has her own fears, but beneath her fears and idiosyncrasies, we know she is learning to cope with her differences and to live life to the fullest like any other dogs.

ADOPT HAPPY

All Happy needs is a family that will learn to understand her differences. Are you that special person for Happy?

Note, we think it is best Happy goes to a home with a small garden so she can do her classic “Happy” run/dash, and it would be ideal for the family to have a dog to keep her busy. Happy is not for any regular pet owner. If you are ready to understand her differences, and to learn with her through her differences, please write to us at Alicia@hopedogrescue.org. It takes that special someone to love and appreciate Happy.

ADOPT HAPPY.

We thank Zeke and family for fostering Happy.

Written by Claire Chai

Abusing Amos

This is a story about a Shihtzu. Yes, that is right, a Shihtzu. What? You may be thinking, how could there be a call for a Shihtzu to be adopted? After all, aren’t they one of the most desired pets and one of the cutest dogs ever? Well, all dogs are cute but Shihtzus are apparently one of the more popular breeds of dogs. However, it is strange that we have had a recent spate of Malteses and Shihtzus being abandoned.

How could anyone abuse this sweet, innocent soul?

When you look at Amos, the main character of our story today, you would think ‘awwww so cuuuteee’… His eyes seem to be telling you ‘please shower me with love and care’. How could anyone bear to hurt a cute and tiny little dog like that? Yet, lamentably, there are callous people hidden amongst the decorous individuals in our ‘fine’ country. Amos is a black male Shihtzu, estimated to be 8 years old. Poor Amos was abandoned and left to fend for himself on the streets, rummaging for scraps and abused by heartless people.

Fortunately, there are still some kindred spirits in our modern and hedonistic society. A kind soul spotted Amos in the Tiong Bahru area for a few days surviving on orts. The straw that broke the camel’s back came when he saw Amos being kicked around like a soccer ball. How monstrous can people get? This caring man stopped the perpetrators in their tracks and tried asking who Amos belonged to, but no one had any idea. All they knew was that Amos had been hanging around the area for a few days.

Amos has bad skin and ringworms, most likely caused by neglect

After that, the man very kindly brought Amos to the vet, asked the vet to check if he was alright, paid for Amos to have a skin culture and skin scrape as his skin condition looked bad, but he mentioned that he could not take him home. This was the point at which HOPE came into the picture. The vet called HOPE for help to take over the case, foster and help rehome Amos and we promptly agreed.

One of our volunteers, Lynette, met Amos at the vet and felt so sorry for him. To use “Poor Amos” to describe Amos seems to be an understatement. He was in such a pitiful state that one wonders what he did to deserve such a fate. Amos had problematic and patchy skin, was thin, senior and had unhealthy teeth containing plaque deposits. He also had not been sterilized. When Lynette opened Amos’s ears to check them, they were all wet with pus and so severely infected that they had become the site of fruit flies’ feasts! His ears had been so seriously infected that he must have been neglected for more than six months. Despite the excruciating pain and discomfort, Amos has given us his utmost cooperation in letting us clean his ears. Poor Amos also had nails that were way too long for him to be able to walk without hurting. This was another piece of evidence showing the gross neglect that Amos had suffered from. I find it utterly unfathomable how anyone can find the heart to cause Amos such suffering. His adorable face screams ‘I am just a little dog. Will you look after me?’ How can anyone bear to abandon him, let alone abuse him?

Look at how badly infected poor Amos' ears were; imagine his pain and discomfort

Long, unclipped nails made it painful for Amos to walk

As with all dogs that are under HOPE’s care, we did had a battery of tests for Amos; checked his ears, teeth, estimated age, joints for arthritis, blood works for kidney and liver functions, tick fever, heartworm, parvo virus and distemper. Amos has a bad ear infection and ringworms, minor issues that he will recover from, with some love and medications. Apart from this, Amos is in good health.

Eyes that plead for love

Amos gets along well with humans but dislikes being caged up. He barks at the vet when he is caged up, but once he is out of the cage he is a good boy. Perhaps he is afraid of being left alone and abandoned again. Currently, Amos is looking for a new home. Will you give him one? He would be so grateful if you could give him a loving home!

Amos needs an immediate foster / adopter. If interested, please email Fiona at fiona@hopedogrescue.org.

 

We thank Dr Ang from Mt Pleasant Redhill for providing a bag of food for Amos and Andrinne for fostering Amos temporarily.

Written by Ng Weiling. Photographs courtesy of Lynette.

Yoga Cat

We had just started counting cats for spaying on our usual feeding rounds when we saw a lone cat sitting at a distance next to a worker. We felt something was amiss, so we called out to the worker and asked why the cat was on its own.

“Oh, leg no more, no walk,” he called back to us.

A worker showing us the injured cat

Immediately, I panicked and asked him to carry the cat over so that I could have a look. The moment I laid eyes on her, I was shocked beyond words. Her hind legs were so badly broken that she could not stand. They were sticking out in completely wrong directions. It was obvious that it was an old injury, as her bones had fused solid at those awkward angles. Just look at the photos and imagine the pain the cat would have gone through, dragging her wasted legs behind her for months as her broken bones mended themselves slowly, in all the wrong ways.

She can no longer bend her right hind leg
 

Look at this poor cat! Her left hind was in an entirely wrong angle!
 

She had not had a proper meal in a long while as there was no way she could get about without being mauled by dogs

By this time, Burmese workers from around the area had gathered around the scene. They informed me that, some time ago, people had clubbed the cat with a “kayu” – which means wooden stick in Malay. Saddened but furious, I demanded to know who could possibly have done such a thing to her. Immediately, the workers clammed up and shook their heads. They probably didn’t want trouble at the work place. It was infuriating, but there was nothing more we could do about the incident.
 



At the vet



Look at the sorry state she was in. Her limbs were all wrong!

How could any human possibly be so evil to beat a living creature to this extent?

We scooped the cat from the worker’s arms and propped her up on a high wooden box, safe from the stray dogs, so that she could eat. She was mere skin and bones; we could feel every detail in her fragile skeletal frame as we carried her. The poor starved kitty probably never had a good chance to forage for food in her condition. She hungrily wolfed down three whole cans of canned food as we watched. Although she was a little shy, she was truly a friendly and sweet creature.

 

After she was finally done eating, we placed the cat into a carrier and brought her straight to the vet. Unfortunately, we were told that there was no way her legs could be saved. Amputation was the only option. Right now, she gets around by pulling herself along on the ground with her 2 front paws, dragging her back legs behind her as she moves. The vet believes that amputating her hind legs would make it easier for her to “walk”.

Look how her legs fused in the wrong direction after the bones joined. Imagine the pain and suffering she has gone through

Talk about animal cruelty! We simply cannot imagine why or how someone could do this to a tiny, defenseless creature, why anyone would abuse and torture innocent animals. Imagine the pain this cat has gone through, and how her life has been changed irrevocably because of a single act of meaningless violence. She’s a trooper, she survived; but there are millions of animals out there who are still being abused and who aren’t so lucky.
 

If you see cases of animal abuse, please notify the authorities or call an animal welfare organization. Every life is worth saving.

Written by Elena Lin

Murphy, Saved From A Breeding Farm

On 20 Aug 2011, a painful decision was made to relieve Precious, our pet dog for the past 11 years, of further pain and suffering. It was a heartbreaking experience for us.

“No more pets” was what Mum told me, knowing the heartache we had gone through after trying everything under the sun to save her.

Days rolled by with the ever-growing void that “Preshie” had left behind and every day I silently hoped that I would come home to a surprise --- a doggie waiting to greet me. That never happened.

Sometime in October 2011, I ‘caught’ Mum scrolling through the SPCA adoption gallery page and asked if she had second thoughts of owning a pet again. She tried to brush it off with “I don’t think Dad will agree to that”.

I recalled Joanne (a course mate) had mentioned a dog adoption drive by HOPE Dog Rescue. I searched the website and found that the adoption drive was over. But Mum had fallen instantly in love with Murphy (one of the Famous 5 up for adoption) and I pleaded for her to check if he was still available. She advised me to “check with Dad first”.



At the breeding farm. So many dogs in a small cage. This is how they live all their lives.

Saved!

Day he was rescued.

Murphy

Dad said “yes”! I immediately sent an sms to the contact person (Lisa) to enquire if Murphy had been adopted yet.

The next morning, Lisa sms-ed Mum to say “ Murphy was still available for adoption” and that she could send us the adoption questionnaire. Mum then sms-ed me with the news while I was on the MRT to school and I literally squealed in excitement --- the possibility of adoption!

His very first bath after the rescue

After some anxious waiting -- the short-listing process and house checks that had to be carried out, an email arrived from Fiona confirming that Murphy was finally ours! And we hadn't even met him yet!!

Murphy’s arrival to our home on 4 Nov 2011 certainly lifted the gloom in our household. Our Malti-poo has since brought us so much joy and laughter and is a Light in Our Life.

Thank you HOPE Dog Rescue for saving Murphy from the breeding farm and giving us the opportunity to provide him a life he truly deserves.

Murphy just celebrated his 2nd birthday in May 2013

Murphy – our fluff ball



Murphy and Me as he is today





Murphy on the right, while mommy holds on to Cotton at our recent Meet Cotton & Harper session

Contributed by: Larissa Ng