Leishmania is the third most important canine disease worldwide, caused by a sandfly. It bites an infected dog, then passes on the disease by biting another dog. It is diagnosed by blood test and, if caught soon enough, can be treated. Untreated, the dog will die. The disease is preventable by the use of a Scalibor collar (similar to a flea collar) but unfortunately these are expensive. Now there is a new cheaper alternative.
Sighthound Welfare Trust have launched this appeal on behalf of Baas Galgo.
The Frodo Memorial Appeal
SWT are appealing for funds to supply Spanish Rescues with spot-on medication that can help prevent the horrific effect of galgos becoming infected with leishmaniosis. We will send all funds received to Elsbeth (Ronda’s Shop) who is co-ordinating the transportation and distribution to the galgo shelters with BaasGalgo Foundation as happens with our hugely successful galgo coat appeals.
If you are in any doubt about this awful disease, please read the following moving account of one of our supporters’ beautiful galgo, Frodo. Linden has very kindly and bravely allowed us to use Frodo’s story and his name for this appeal in honour of his memory.
Frodo was the galgo that nobody wanted. He had been dumped and left to die somewhere in Spain when his usefulness was over. He came to England with Greyhounds In Need and completed his 6 months quarantine. At the end of the quarantine, when all the other dogs that came over with him went to their new homes, Frodo had no home to go to and he was left alone in the kennels. He had scars and bite marks all over his legs, he had a torn ear, a broken tooth and he was cross-eyed. When the next batch of galgos arrived from Spain, Frodo was moved into boarding kennels, again on his own.
We went to the kennels to meet another galga, Lily, a gorgeous black and white girl with the personality of a princess. After Lily had decided she would grace our home with her company, we met Frodo being taken for a walk by one of the staff. I will never forget the first time he looked at me…he had golden eyes, slightly crossed and they looked right into me. At that moment, I knew he was coming home with us. Before we could collect him, the kennels rang us with the devastating news that Frodo had been diagnosed with leishmaniosis.
We brought Lily and Frodo home on New Years Eve and from the beginning we knew that our Frodo had had a hard life. He was still under treatment for the leishmaniosis and Rob had to give him injections twice a day for several weeks. He remained on medication for the rest of his life. He had so many fears, so many things that made him jump and he obviously saw the world as a threatening place. I remember him hiding behind the living room door and peering around the door with huge eyes at the television. He was frightened of bags of dog food, and of boxes. Frodo and I had an instant bond, but the one time he ran from me was when I came home and he saw a rolled up umbrella in my hand.
In time, he began to get over his fears and began to play. From the frightened little ghost we had adopted,he became one of the happiest and daftest dogs I have ever known. He followed me around like a doting brindle shadow and would gaze passionately at me whenever I spoke to him.
Seven months later, Frodo began to quite suddenly go downhill. He underwent a huge amount of tests, but the results were that his kidneys were failing and that it was related to the leishmaniosis. He was moved up to the veterinary teaching hospital, where specialists in leishmaniosis in Italy and Spain were consulted. His condition seemed to improve and then nosedived again. We brought him home and I spent one terrible day with Frodo lying on my bed and me beside him waiting for him to die. He went back to the hospital and we visited him every day. Some days he was his old self, running to meet us and trying to climb onto my lap.
On the last day, the vet told us that both his liver and kidneys were failing and that he would not live more than a few weeks. This was one of Frodo’s best days, he cuddled into my arms and purred almost like a cat. The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do was to give a silent nod to the vet to let him go and Frodo died in my arms. He was four years old.
He was a very special boy…Frodo was the name we chose for him and someone told me that in Norse mythology, it means “joy” That is exactly what he brought us and what we hope we gave him, even if for such a short time.
It was all so unnecessary. Leishmaniosis is a preventable disease and if just one person had cared about him in his puppyhood, he could be with us still. I am very happy to use Frodo’s memory to help this appeal, if his story helps one other dog, his life will not have been wasted.
One dose of spot-on Pulvex monthly between April to September will help prevent the bite of the sand fly infecting galgos with leishmaniosis. It costs £3.00 approximately to provide 1 dose.
Ways to pay
By Cheque or Postal Order – made out to “Sighthound Welfare Trust” and sent to The Frodo Memorial Appeal, 95 Celtic Crescent, Dorchester, Dorset, UK. DT1 2TD.
By Paypal – Log in to your paypal account and type donate@sighthoundwelfaretrust.org.uk (please remember to pay fees) fees calculator http://www.rolbe.com/paypal.htm or choose the gift option under the personal tab.
By online banking – please ask for details of our bank account.
If you are a UK tax payer, please complete a Gift Aid form if you haven’t done so already from-
http://www.sighthoundwelfaretrust.org.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=3791 .
The Frodo Memorial Appeal will run for 2 weeks from Saturday 7th May, to Saturday, 21st May 2011.
In the unlikely event of surplus funds for this appeal, SWT reserves the right to use funds for veterinary costs of Spanish Galgos in line with its grant making policy and procedures.