Thong Pha Phum... The Forgotten Dogs...
Soi Dog Foundation 
Nov 29, 2012 
NGOs, Soi Dog Foundation 
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Relief Mission To Thong Pha Phum The Forgotten Shelter
A detailed insight for Soi Dog supporters interested in the on ground work being conducted in relation to dogs rescued from the illegal dog meat trade.
Thong Pha Phum is a primitive livestock shelter located in remote rain forest hundreds of kilometres northwest of Bangkok. During the 2011 Thailand floods it was used as a holding centre for rescued pets the majority of which were never claimed by their owners due to its remoteness and distance from Bangkok.
Thong Pha Phum has some of the most extreme climate conditions in Thailand.
The Relief Team:
Dr. Morna Hill and Dr. Suzanna Hebert from the United Kingdom
Dr. Barbara Hopf from Switzerland
Michelle Gunn, Veterinary Nurse from the United Kingdom
Khun Wit and Khun Roxy – Soi Dog Bangkok
Varaporn Jittanonta (Khun Toom) – Soi Dog Relief Coordinator
Dr. Vorn and Dr. House – Department of Livestock Development
In cooperation with the department of livestock Soi Dog and volunteer veterinarians from the UK and Switzerland are treating dogs at Thong Pha Phum and sterilize the approximately 300 dogs currently held there.
As mentioned the shelter holds a few remaining dogs from the Bangkok floods (the majority of which died due to the poor facilities and lack of veterinary personnel), dogs rescued from the dog meat trade who have been transferred there from shelters in the northwest as well as stray dogs from the nearby area. The conditions at Thong Pha Phum are primitive and the death rate of the dogs kept high.
Following is a trip report prepared by the team which gives some insight into the challenges of providing relief aid for dogs rescued from the illegal dog meat trade to Vietnam in the primitive conditions at Thong Pha Phum. This facility was never designed to shelter and treat dogs particularly the large number of which have been kept there.
It is only through your support that this important work continues. Please consider donating today at www.soidog.org/en/help .
Day 1: The shelter staff and Dr. Vorn prepared the dogs in the largest run for the team to treat and sterilize. Dogs still not in a good condition enough where treated but not sterilized. In addition the post operation care areas were found to not be sufficiently large and the shelter staff set to work to make additional post operation areas.
Day2: We further evaluated the dogs in the largest run and performed post operative checks on the dogs sterilized on Day 1.
We found several dogs with maggot infested wounds (11 male dogs + 1 female). We took them out for treating the wounds and sterilizing, keeping them in the main hospital area for further treatment.
Day 3: We continued with vaccinations of approximately 200 dogs, as well as sterilization and treatment of others.
One dog was found with Pneumonia and Morna gave him an antibiotic and kept him in the hospital.
In the hospital we have been cleaning the dogs wounds daily and applying antibiotic cream. We will give all dogs with open wounds enroflaxacin and betamox LA on Friday morning. We have given most of the dogs a Rimadyl tablet every morning . We would like the Rimadyl tablets to be continued and will put sheets on the kennels of these dogs to show the dose they need.
I’ve sent a photo of the dog with one testicle – we have put green spots on him with spray for identification and further treatment.
A number of dogs in the hospital have pressure sores. It would be ideal if they could have some padding/bedding in their kennels, especially the large dog with the maggot wound on his elbow (which is a result of pressure sores).
We have tried to separate the thinner dogs and have put them in the top shelter. We feel it would be beneficial for them to be in a larger area, but still separate from the main group. With all dogs we are trying to spread the food out to more areas (and water) to try to reduce fighting. The dog with the ruptured cruciate ligament (brown and white dog) has been isolated.
Tomorrow we plan to check the new arrivals (we have not had time to do this yet).
Schedules and instructions were given to and reviewed with the Livestock Department staff.
Day 4: In the morning the team continued treatment of new and existing dogs in the hospital and post op checks on dogs sterilized. Also continued with additional vaccinations in the largest and 2nd largest runs.
Additional dogs with maggot infested wounds were treated and suitable ones sterilized.
Some degree of population segregation occurred to limit the chance of disease spread though given the condition of facilities this is not ideal.
NOTE: The additional refrigeration unit purchased by Soi Dog has been delivered and is in operation.
I have a number of concerns (see below):
Hospital:
- All dogs with wounds had rimadyl tablets, enrofloxacin and betamox today. (16/11).
- 2 new dogs admitted to the hospital today with vulval wounds – they will each need a 25mg rimadyl tablet tomorrow
- There is an underweight dog with pressure sores in the left corner. She was on fluids today. She started eating cat food so we stopped the fluids before we left.
- In the far right corner is a dog we found in the afternoon. She was collapsed, very dehydrated and not moving at all. We think she may have a spinal lesion as she has no movement or sensation in her back legs. She has very watery diarrhea. We started her on fluids and have kept these going at a slow rate overnight. We will check on her first thing in the morning.
Dogs in the main outdoor run (large run opposite the shed where we operated):
- Thin dogs have been moved to left side of indoor area to give them more room.
- Mum and pups (7 puppies found today) are in a small enclosure where the thin dogs are. Both of these enclosures will need to be checked for food and water (we quite often found the water was empty.)
- Black dog with pad wound (castrated on Tuesday). – couldn’t catch him today. He has had a Rimadyl tablet (75mg)
- There are 2 or 3 lame dogs in the enclosure. No obvious wounds. Given rimadyl today.
- The cryptorchid dog is in that enclosure (green spots sprayed on him), he will need surgery next week to find the other testicle. He is also quite thin.
- Found light brown colour dog with wound above tail. We removed lots of maggots – escaped on the way to the hospital. Not able to find to dart. Will check on this dog when I return back with Barbara.
Indoor enclosure next to large one: One very aggressive male. Black/brown colour. A priority to castrate. Will see, though this dog no one can touch him. Khun Roxy may be able to dart him.
Other outdoor enclosure:
- 3 or 4 dogs with very bad skin (bald), need to check if they have had ivermectin. May be worth trying to give the dogs with very bad skin ivermectin every 2 weeks.
- Corgi type dog with wound on left shoulder. First treated on Thurs. Wound cleaned today. Given enrofloxacin, rimadyl and betamox today.
- Tan/black dog with head tilt, lame on left back leg. Wound on right elbow – treated Thurs and Fri. Given enrofloxacin/rimadyl/betamox today.
New group of dogs:
- Vaccinated by staff today, male with wound behind right ear, removed fly eggs today, no maggots yet.
- 2 dogs separated and put in another building – one pup with cerebellar signs from parvovirus. Another dog with back leg problems and thin. Feels like an old femoral fracture of the right hind and tendon/ligament damage to the left hind. Doesn’t seem painful but we are worried that there will be wounds to the top of the feet where they drag on the ground and these may get infected. Might be worth trying to get some boots for her or giving more padding/bedding.
It is only through Soi Dog supporters that this important work continues.
Please consider donating today at www.soidog.org/en/help so that this important work can continue.
Soi Dog would like to extend a huge thank you to the overseas veterinarian personnel as well as the local shelter staff who have been very helpful particularly in light of your resourcefulness working in these poor conditions.
Source: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=462377003804040&set=a.462376610470746.95651.108625789179165&type=1&relevant_count=40
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