Podenco Post

  • Heartworm – Filaria – in dogs

    Heartworm (also known as filaria) is yet another terrible disease caused by the mosquito which can be a killer if not diagnosed and treated. Rescued galgos and podencos are tested for filaria, along with the other Mediterranean diseases like leishmania, ehrlichia.

    During my 10 years of working on the rescue team of L’Europe des Levriers bringing galgos and podencos from Spain to France for foster and rehoming, we only actually brought out 2 galgos who were suffering from the disease. This is because the stress of the journey and changing situation could make the situation worse.

    Heartworm is actually a parasitic roundworm which lives in the lungs and heart of the host animal. Once diagnosed and treatment starts, the animal must be kept as quiet as possible with little exercise so as not to trigger movement of the worm.

    Read about heartworm, its diagnosis and treatment, on this weblink.

  • 2 Podencos on the road, one nearly badly injured and needing vet help

    Ana injured podencos 400 3 2024
    From volunteer Ana Belen

    ‘Warning of two podencos, one of them run over dead and the other next to him. Down tryiing to get it. And the dead one is alive!
    Urgent veterinarian. Skull fracture, old infected shoulder fracture, elbow sprain on other leg. In the bones and fixing pus for the wounds.

    But Tutti wants to live. He’s young, over a year and a half, eats with excitement and moves his belly button and smiles at you as if he had seen a ray of hope.

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  • Podenco Canario Hunter in Germany – desperately seeking a forever home

    Hunter 400 3 2024
    This is Our petite, picturesque Canary male is missing only one thing: a home of his own.

    Hunter gets along with young and old and wants an active and equally loving family that will guide him safely through everyday life. He still seems a little green behind the ears – in one situation or another he is sometimes insecure and needs someone by his side to show him the way. He is pack fit and listens well to the whistle, with treats the training works great and the world is in order. He likes walks on the tow line and runs well on the leash.
    Hunter would like to have a dog he already has to play wild and shared adventures. He is very playful according to his age and is currently testing himself out. Otherwise, he is very human-related, he loves his caresses and needs close contact with his people.

    If you still have a place to give away and have relevant experience, you will get a great young man by the side.

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  • 2 more podencos abandoned on the streets of Almeria

    End of hunting and of course most regions of Spain are awash with abandoned galgos and podencos. Here are 2 by a road in Almeria. The shelters are full to overflowing – it’s heartbreaking and in the 16 years I’ve been involved in the rescue of galgos and podencos, the only situation which has changed is that the hunters no longer hang their dogs.

    Video

  • Extraordinary Galgos & Podencos Canada – homing the Spanish hunting hounds

    Extra pod Canada 400
    Yet another rescue association across the Pond working with Spanish rescue associations to home the galgos and podencos unwanted and abandoned by the Spanish hunters.

    Read the story on this weblink.

  • Lenticular Sclerosis in dogs

    Bo face 1 400
    A couple of years ago we adopted an older Spanish podenco who was blind. His eyes are cloudy blue, but we believe he can see shadows. He amazes us with how he finds his way around life, using his ears and nose. e’s even learned to walk up the ramp into the back of the car. Our suspicion is that his blindness is the result of an eye infection untreated – we know how bad the Spanish hunters are at looking after their dogs, especially if it involves vet fees.

    This weblnk takes you to an interesting article about blindness in dogs.

    And I would say to any readers – if your dog starts losing its sight, it is nothing to be concerned about, the dog will cope amazingly well. And use a Blind Dog harness, it’s a great conversation starter and a good way to tell people about galgos!

  • Bring Portuguese Podengos to Light

    Podencos in the Azores 400 2020
    Another rescue association involved in helping podencos. However, on reading their facebook page, I am uncertain that – with a project director in the USA, not all ‘podencos’ on their facebook page are actually Portuguese Podengos. Some are rough haired black and white. It would seem the team work with volunteers in the Azores, a series of 9 Islands in the North Atlantic ocean belonging to Portugal, rather than mainland Portugal.

    Regular readers of my blog will know that I advertise Portuguese Podengos looking for forever homes on behalf of the Portuguese association Dogs of Portugal. And in all the years of being in contact with them and Anifiera association, I have yet to see a black and white ‘Portuguese Podengo’.

    This is the definition of a true Portuguese Podengo. Basically small rough haired dogs with ginger with white markings, used on sailing ships to catch rats.

    Bring Portuguese Podencos to Light website.

    Weblink to a story in Podenco Post in 2020 about podencos in the Azores – see photo above.

  • Podenco Mikey off to his forever home in the USA.

    Bev Mikey 1 400
    From Bev Farmer of Podenco Friends

    It only takes one act of kindness to change a life forever. Some happy news to share meet Mikey.

    A couple of days ago I had a request from Naomi asking for help with a Podenco Maneto she had managed to catch after been in the streets for a couple of weeks. He was located 700 kms away so this is where years of friendships networks and partnerships that you can call on to for help ..

    I reached out to Tracey McLaurin of Senior Sighthound Sanctuary in the USA .. and asked her, do you have rescues you work closer to where he was located that could any help Micky . Less than 24 hours later. Many thanks to Estela of Proyecto Berta she managed to squeeze a place for him with them.

    Even better news Micky is reserved to Senior Sighthound Sanctuary and has his ticket booked to fly out to the USA in April..

    From a podenco surviving on the streets to a new life waiting for him in the USA. Thank you everyone that changed his life forever.

  • A dog is our best friend – very true

    I am your friend 400 2 2024

    Along with my horses, my dogs are my best friends. Never judge you and always keep your secrets!

  • 2 podencos from Murcia to Canada to forever homes

    Bev Martino 400 2 2024
    From Bev at Podenco Friends sharing a memory from 2017.

    ‘An early start for us leaving at 5 am to take Freya and Martino to Malaga airport for their flight to Canada Thank you to Tania Schmitt of Extraordinary Galgos & Podencos for giving these two the opportunity of finally finding their forever sofas.

    A collaboration of a number of rescue groups have come together to help Freya and Martino and there will more waiting at the airport from other rescues.

    Martino story first began on the Island of Lanzarote he is eight years old an older podenco passed around by the hunters and spent two stints in a perrera the first time six months. Thanks to Laura Johnson and her team from The Kennel Klub they secured his release and prepared him for his flight over to us on mainland Spain.

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