As you know, within Meiji’s sanctuary are many, many fruit trees (durian trees as well) and most of her dogs eat durians. Some can even open a whole durian.
Recently, someone dumped a puppy near Meiji’s place and of course, Meiji took the puppy back. This puppy also started eating durians like everyone else, but with a passion and fetish like no other! Meiji monitored and the puppy could pass out the seeds.
Recently, a seed must have got stuck and the puppy came down with a fever. Emergency bells rang and Meiji rushed the puppy down to UPM to have the durian seed removed. Surgery was down to remove the seed from the intestines and the puppy was castrated (neutered) at the same time.
The vet writes in her report:
Foreign body obstruction. Soft tissue surgery: Enterotomy and castration has been carried out. It appears to be a durian seed obstruction at distal small intestine.
Puppy is doing fine and has been named, and very aptly, “Liu Nian” (chinese for that torny king of all fruit!).
Liu Nian
Meiji’s next case was a dog, Curly, with mast cell tumour on the forearm. Bloodwork was done and orthopaedic surgery carried out to amputate the arm and remove the malignant tumour. It was done at UPM.
The vet’s report:
Mast cell tumour of cutaneous and subcutaneous tissue at right fore limb. Orthopaedic surgery: Forequarter amputation has been carried out.
Curly, after amputation.
Liu Nian’s surgery and castration cost RM750 and we have subsidised RM375.
Curly’s surgery, bloodwork and other treatments cost RM1172.05. We have subsidised RM500 (our maximum).
So, in total, our subsidy for Liu Nian and Curly is RM875.
I checked with Meiji yesterday and both dogs are doing well. Liu Nian’s durian eating is being monitored more closely now!
We have been helping Meiji with dogfood, spay-neuter and medical treatment of her dogs for 3 years now.
Previously, when we started, it was full sponsorship for most rescuers, but with more and more rescuers asking for help, as of 4th January 2012, we implemented a subsidy scheme and this scheme applies to all. We also have no more panel vets so that rescuers can choose their own vets to treat their animals. The benefit of this scheme is that it enables us to reach out further to help more rescuers and their animals.