The Amazing Work of KAPSA

The amazing view from the villa.

In October half term I was spending a week of work experience free relaxing time on holiday in Turkey.  However, those who know me will realise that this is impossible as wherever I go I seem fated to wind up with the animals! 

The view from one of the 300 restaurants

I stayed at the fishing village of Kalkan that had increasingly grown over the last few years due to the rise in tourism from the UK in the area.  Multiple Brits had moved across and bought property due to the amazing views, great weather and great food - there were 300 restaurants!  I really enjoyed the holiday and it was amazing being able to immerse yourself into the culture of the town with the Turkish food - not the all-inclusive British food in Turkey - and the call to prayer multiple times a day which reminded you that you were somewhere completely different to home!

It is also impossible for anyone visiting Kalkan not to notice the incredible amount of street animals.  Nobody can know exactly how many street animals there actually is due to more animals being dumped in the town and some dying or disappearing but KAPSA have neutered 1518 street animals since 2008 (statistic from the 10th November 2013) so that should give you some idea of the amount.  It was a very surreal experience having personal escorts everywhere by all the animals - every night the dogs would walk us back to the villa, they refused to leave until you got to your destination and would walk all the way across town with you no matter how many times you tried to keep them from following you, they would.  They were not begging for food and for street animals they were in very good health - no doubt helped by KAPSA's work.  One dog behind and one dog in front just walking with the occasional stop and check that you are keeping up with them and that the front dog was not leaving you behind.  The cats would just come out from everywhere as you walked by to come out and brush against your legs.  The Turkish and the tourists were evidently looking out for these animals.

Backwards from Britain.

That would be how I would describe it.  All the animals any family would love as an ideal family pet lived on the street and belonged to everyone.  The animals that I noticed causing a "kerfuffle" were the owned ones.  Maybe because they are not part of the hierarchy of the street dog pact or maybe they were adopted because they didn't fit in in the first place? I don't know.  Whereas in Britain the majority of the unsocialised dogs are in dogs homes or euthanised (not including the ones with mistraining from the owners causing them to be agressive...that is another debate for another day) and the ones like the street dogs of Kalkan are in homes.  Compared to the UK I thought everything was in harmony here.  You wouldn't dream of letting the dogs and cats run the length of the practice or there would be chaos and probably dead cats but here it didn't even cross my mind that I would have to worry about anything breaking out and as they were are socialised from a very young age and knew their place. What amazed me was that there was kittens just wandering around less than the size of your hand and the next minute a giant great dane sized dog walks straight past with neither batting an eyelid!

Trying her luck with the not so amused cats!

So onto KAPSA...

I saw a poster on the Wednesday of my Saturday to Saturday week long holiday about the work of KAPSA that mentioned "please feel free to pop-in and see our work at out clinic."   So being myself I e-mailed them asking if I could come for the day on the Friday.  They were so organised and Maggi replied very quickly that it was fine - which I was amazed at because I thought I would be far too last minute to have a chance of going! 

So I arrived at 9am at the clinic in chaos and met Lynn who was feeding the cats, there were lots of cats coming to the clinic for their breakfast (cats are afraid of the vets in the UK - as many cat owners will know - and don't come willingly  - these Turkish cats need to have a word with the ones in Britain and tell them there's nothing to be afraid of!)  And in the midst of all the cats were the other in-patients who were trying their luck annoying the cats!

This little puppy was hit by a car on the D400 a major road around Kalkan.  Amazingly she didn't sustain any major injuries but at only about 8 weeks old she was far too small to fend for herself on the streets. She is a gorgeous puppy who loved to have fun and cause chaos with the other inpatient pup with a broken leg whilst running round the clinic! Apparently she has breeding from a hunting dog decent due to her nose shape (It looks like a heart if you see her up close) however the rest of her body hasn't quite got the typical characteristics of a Turkish hunting dog. Since I returned to the UK she has been adopted and now called Suzie so hopefully causing mischief and putting smiles on more peoples faces.

The puppy above's partner in crime is this lovely puppy also hit by a car however he didn't fare as well with a broken leg.  The amazing thing I found about the clinic at KAPSA is that this very expensive operation is performed on street animals.  In the UK, some owned animals don't get this operation because it is too expensive and people can't afford to spare the money.

First task of the day was cleaning up and feeding all the in-patients.  Being street animals some of them weren’t all too keen on cat food and one in-patient much preferred lahmacun (it’s hard to explain what it is…it’s kind of like a pizza base with tomatoes and herbs that people roll up with salad in the middle) and also cake.  But that is usual because there isn’t much cat food on the street!   After feeding all the hungry bodies peace was restored.  Hasan and Didem arrived and vet tasks began. 

First we changed the little puppies bandage and splint which they did every two weeks.  Unfortunately it was slightly infected so had to have some antibiotics to help that.  To create the bandage/splint Didem drew a sketch of his leg onto cardboard, cut it out and with Hasan's help with a saw and some bits of wood and tape created him a splint.  In the UK the dogs have the same as a human would have - a pot which just for the material in the UK costs £100.  So a lot more animals can be helped just with a bit of wood and some cardboard!

Another of the one eyed kittens.

Ates

Ates saying hello to a one eyed kitten.

Another quite long term in-patient was Ates (fire).  He was suffering with mange and had just been declared not contagious anymore when I came.  He still had quite a bit of fur to grow back.  He was a larger than life character who was getting very stir-crazy from not being able to go out anywhere but he was very happy in the company of the cats.  He is currently still waiting for a home and would be a great pet as he is very very very friendly - and loves cuddles!  The mange was treated with injections, medicated baths and lots of TLC from all the volunteers.

A kitten came in to the clinic in the afternoon that was about the size of my hand.  Someone heard screaming when someone turned their car's engine on and this kitten (now called Minnie) was inside.  She had a very badly mangled paw (for example if a normal paw was the shape of an upside down spoon, her paw was upward facing spoon shaped).  She couldn't use her claws because of it - which apparently proved a little difficult for her when she tried scaling the curtains at her fosterer's house!

Due to the hard work fundraising and an amazing donation from an individual in the UK KAPSA were able to buy an x-ray for the clinic which is great because x-rays can be taken and seen within a few minutes and there is no stress of further movement to the injured animals. Before they were having to take injured animals 85km to Fethiye just for an X-Ray!

Again in the UK many animals are denied treatment due to the expense of x-rays.

Trap, Neuter and Return.

Kapsa operates a trap, neuter and return programme to try and maintain and eventually diminish the population of street animals in Kalkan.  The idea being that they catch an animal, neuter it and give them a vaccination against rabies and return it to the place where it was caught.  This is a forever ongoing process with multiple animals in a day for neutering - about 7 the day I was there.  It is working but it is a slow process.    

The problem is that if one male and one female dog were left without being neutered.  How many puppies will they and their puppies, and their puppies etc. produce in 6 years? 

The answers I was getting from people I have asked were as low as 40 and as high as 500.  It is actually 67,000 puppies.  That is the problem Kalkan is facing.  There are too many street animals being left to their own devices and have the opportunity to breed.  What KAPSA is trying to do is try to stop the uncontrolled breeding for the numerous reasons:

• Some people find these animals are pests, so shoot or try to poison them. (there unfortunately have been such cases).
• Due to the amount of animals, some are kept by businesses for the tourist season and put on the streets through the winter.  Some restaurant owners have been known to find a puppy for the tourist season to try and get the business, throw it out in the winter and get a new puppy in the spring.  TNR makes it harder for them to do that by removing the large availability of the pups.

• 

  A dog in for spaying and the 2 pups.

  There are still a lot of animals that have "special needs" such as Minnie and the one eyed kittens that just cannot live on the streets as they would be too prone to accidents and Ates who has been in the company of humans for the duration of his long stay at KAPSA is too used to humans to be put back on the streets so would really like a home - but if a home cannot be found for him soon he will have to be put on the streets.

Yes many people find it hard even in Britain to neuter the dog because it "isn't natural" or it's "cruel" but actually neutering is improving the welfare of the animals on the street by their treatment by humans and also they are less likely to get:

•  Pyometra (an infection of the womb which requires hospitalisation, intravenous fluids, antibiotics and spaying and is a risky procedure - much more risky than spaying normally and sometimes fatal - as the uterus is filled with pus.)
• Neutering may help with behavioural problems and can reduce aggression, reduce possessiveness over toys and food, reduce territorial behaviour towards visitors and reduce the tendency to roam in search of a mate.
• Neutering eliminates the occurrence of testicular cancer.
• Neutering markedly reduces the incidence of benign hyperplasia of the prostate gland, prostatitis and perineal hernias in dogs.
•  Prevents breast cancer.  Breast cancer can be fatal in about 50 percent of female dogs and 90 percent of female cats. 

 For an older, seriously ill animal, anesthesia and surgery are complicated - often fatal -and costly.

Winter Feeding Programme:

Spot the kitten? You wouldn't get this in UK vets!

Due to the availability of food in Kalkan being seasonal (due to the English tourists and restauranteurs only running the restaurants for the summer months) KAPSA organise a winter feeding programme so the animals do not get hungry during the winter months.  They distribute food to volunteers placed all around the town and they take a record of the animals they are feeding due to the tags on the dogs and identification of the cats and any unlogged animals are taken for neutering (it is much easier to catch them when they know someone and come for food everyday).  Last year with 70 volunteers, 6,300kg (nearly 7 tonnes!) of cat and dog food was given out between November and April!

 

Education:

The volunteers also go around local schools trying to teach them the importance of treatment of the animals.  KAPSA try and share with them what its like being a street animal and how we should help them.  This is important as this is the generation that when they grow up they will bring their animals for neutering and be responsible pet owners.


All the volunteers at KAPSA are animal mad and very nice and welcoming! I would like to thank Maggi, Sandra, Lynn, Gulfem, Jan, Hasan and Didem for showing me everything you did and introducing me to lahmacun and to all the other volunteers that I met and all the ones I didn't get chance to meet.


As KAPSA are a charity they are in need of funds to keep them doing their amazing work.  If you want to find out more then you can go on their website http://www.kapsaonline.com/

Join the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofkapsa/
Follow KAPSA on twitter @KapsaKalkan

And to donate which would be greatly appreciated visit the website and follow the instructions or the PayPal account is: kapsa.kalkan.ukdonations@gmail.com and our UK bank account is: Lloyds TSB, Sort Code: 30-97-62, A/C Number: 00259909. A/C Name: KAPSA. Thank you in advance from all the people at KAPSA, the Street Animals and myself as you can truly see what this money does for the animals Kalkan and the surrounding villages.

 

KAPSA are running low on cat baskets and other essential things.  Here are two kittens for neutering snuggled up together.

Hedgehogs in your Bonfire?

A great poster here.  PLEASE CHECK FOR WILDLIFE! Especially if you have been collecting up your bonfire over a period of time!  They choose to take refuge in there due to the appealing habitat it would be for them and they have no idea that humans are planning to set fire to this very appealing pile of wood.  Please check.  It is better being safe than sorry!

Cats and Dogs on Bonfire Night

Again a slightly hurried post.. will expand for New Years Fireworks post.  Some tips from my local vet Parkhill Vets on keeping your pets calm.

10 Tips to Help Keep Your Pets Happy During the Firework season

What you can do.......

 

1. Walk your dog early before the fireworks start.

2. Ensure windows, doors and cat flaps remain closed to prevent a frightened pet escaping.

3. Draw curtains and put on the TV or radio to mask the noise.

4. Provide a den or hiding place for your pet whilst the fireworks are going off. Cats feel more comfortable at a higher level.

5. Provide a litter tray for your cat.

6. Try not to leave your pets alone.

7. Ignore fearful behaviour, dogs may pick up on their owners' anxiety making the problem worse.

8. Provide distractions in the form of new toys and chews. Do NOT punish your pet! This will only make your pet more distressed.

9. For worried pets use an Adaptil Diffuser or Collar (for dogs) or Feliway Diffuser for Cats. Have these plugged in close to their 'Den' or hiding place, or where your pet spends most of its time.

10. Feed  Calmex for dogs 30-60 minutes before the desired effect is required. Calmex for cats is fed twice daily.

 

I would add to this by reinforcing the point of keep all gates and exits to your house locked.  Bonfire night is very very very prone to making dogs or cats run away because they get so scared they bolt in whatever direction to get away from the fireworks and stops them from thinking rationally, also make sure your dog/cat is identifiable with a tag so they can be returned if lost.

And some other good tips:

Horses on Bonfire Night (November the 5th)

All across the UK pet owners are dreading tomorrow night. The night when stress is very high among the animal kingdom with even the most "bombproof" of horses being affected.  Many horses have died through injury sustained on November 5th or died of stress directly as a result of it so please take these guidelines to try and prevent as much damage as possible and always contact your local vet if you think your horse may be particularly susceptible to injury and/or stress and get medication to help.

 
 Sorry for the posts being so last minute but been very busy as usual! (please await a blog post sometime soon on my adventures this half term just gone).

Some great advice I stumbled across from Rowena Cook:

* Ask locally if anyone is intending to release fireworks so that you can be prepared.

* If you have a horse that is sensitive to noise then give some sedation, or put ear plugs in.

* Provide plenty of hay or haylage to keep the horse occupied.

* Remain on hand so that any rugs can be removed or reduced in number, as some horses may sweat up and that in itself can cause distress.

* Your presence will also have a resassuring effect.

* For a horse that is fractious, do not go into the stable to try to calm him down unless past experience has shown that this does work, otherwise you risk injury to yourself. Better to close the top door and let the horse deal with the situation and then attend to him once the fireworks are over.

* If possible, leave some lighting on rather than the yard being in darkness; this has the effect of the "flashing" not seeming to sudden and bright.

* Leave a radio on throughout.

* Opinion varies as to whether horses that are usually out should be brought in but if not used to being in, then this can cause more upset than being left out. If you are concerned, a little sedation will ease the situation.

* For horses that are out, double check your field for any potential causes of injury should they run about and make sure all fencing is as secure as possible.

* Remain on hand if possible, or at least carry out checks through the evening.

* If your horse is colic-prone, be sure to have appropriate medication to hand so that you can take action prior to the arrival of your vet (if warranted).

and from World Horse Welfare:

Stable Care
 

• Make sure you have sand and water nearby in case of a fire around the stables.
   
• If you keep your horse at livery you should be familiar with the fire drills – make sure you know where you should go with your horse.
   

Field Care
 

• In the morning check your field for any stray fireworks which might have landed there. It’s not uncommon for people to use fireworks to mark other occasions such as New Year or a wedding, so keep an eye out for public notices of such events.

- See more at: http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/Fireworks#sthash.k1Al9XKc.dpuf

World Rabies Day

Well my last post was well timed as I have just found out today is World Rabies Day 2013.

 What is Rabies?

Rabies is a horrendous disease that is viral and transmitted through the saliva or tissues of an infected mammal to another mammal. The rabies virus affects the central nervous symptoms so causing very distressing neurological symptoms before the victim is to die.

Rabies is the deadliest disease on earth with a 99.9% fatality rate.

 Each year around the world, rabies results in more than 55,000 deaths – approximately one death every 10 minutes. Most deaths are reported from Africa and Asia with almost 50% of the victims being children under the age of 15.

 If you find yourself bitten by a rabid animal, you must:

• Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes. 
•  Apply ethanol or a similar antiseptic to prevent secondary infection.
• Seek urgent medical attention. You need to start post-exposure prophylaxis within 3 days or as soon as possible.
  - See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/first-aid-after-a-bite/#sthash.gKPk6Hdx.dpuf

If you are bitten or scratched by a rabid animal, you must

1. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes.
2. Apply ethanol or a similar antiseptic to prevent secondary infection.
3. Seek urgent medical attention. You need to start post-exposure prophylaxis within 3 days or as soon as possible.

If you have already had pre-exposure prophylaxis, you still need to seek further treatment.
Modern vaccines are the only way to prevent the onset of rabies after exposure. Traditional remedies, such as jackfruit gum and chilli powder do not stop the rabies virus.
Please treat any potential exposure to rabies seriously. Once clinical symptoms appear, death is inevitable.
- See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/first-aid-after-a-bite/#sthash.eF82SK91.dpuf

 If you have already had pre-exposure prophylaxis, you still need to seek further treatment.

Modern vaccines are the only way to prevent the onset of rabies after exposure. Traditional remedies, such as jackfruit gum and chilli powder do not stop the rabies virus.
Please treat any potential exposure to rabies seriously. Once clinical symptoms appear, death is inevitable.
- See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/first-aid-after-a-bite/#sthash.gKPk6Hdx.dpuf

1. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes.
2. Apply ethanol or a similar antiseptic to prevent secondary infection.
3. Seek urgent medical attention. You need to start post-exposure prophylaxis within 3 days or as soon as possible.

If you have already had pre-exposure prophylaxis, you still need to seek further treatment.
Modern vaccines are the only way to prevent the onset of rabies after exposure. Traditional remedies, such as jackfruit gum and chilli powder do not stop the rabies virus.
Please treat any potential exposure to rabies seriously. Once clinical symptoms appear, death is inevitable.
- See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/first-aid-after-a-bite/#sthash.gKPk6Hdx.dpuf

If you are bitten or scratched by a rabid animal, you must

1. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes.
2. Apply ethanol or a similar antiseptic to prevent secondary infection.
3. Seek urgent medical attention. You need to start post-exposure prophylaxis within 3 days or as soon as possible.

If you have already had pre-exposure prophylaxis, you still need to seek further treatment.
Modern vaccines are the only way to prevent the onset of rabies after exposure. Traditional remedies, such as jackfruit gum and chilli powder do not stop the rabies virus.
Please treat any potential exposure to rabies seriously. Once clinical symptoms appear, death is inevitable.
- See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/first-aid-after-a-bite/#sthash.eF82SK91.dpuf

 Modern vaccines are the only way to prevent the onset of rabies after exposure. Traditional remedies, such as jackfruit gum and chilli powder do not stop the rabies virus.

Please treat any potential exposure to rabies seriously. Once clinical symptoms appear, death is inevitable.

Please stay away from any unknown dogs and cats, any wildlife and any dead animals.

For more information please visit: www.worldrabiesday.org

- See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/first-aid-after-a-bite/#sthash.eF82SK91.dpuf

aliva or tissues from the nervous system from an infected mammal to another mammal. - See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/what-is-rabies-and-frequently-asked-questions/what-is-rabies/#sthash.4FFwaR0F.dpuf

aliva or tissues from the nervous system from an infected mammal to another mammal. - See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/what-is-rabies-and-frequently-asked-questions/what-is-rabies/#sthash.4FFwaR0F.dpuf

What is rabies?

Rabies is a viral disease that is transmitted through the saliva or tissues from the nervous system from an infected mammal to another mammal.
Rabies is a zoonotic disease. Zoonotic diseases can pass between species. Bird flu and swine flu are other zoonotic diseases.
The rabies virus attacks the central nervous system causing severely distressing neurological symptoms before causing the victim to die.
Rabies is the deadliest disease on earth with a 99.9% fatality rate.

Is rabies always fatal?

Yes, it is always fatal once clinical symptoms appear.
However, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) stops the virus before clinical symptoms appear, if given immediately after exposure (from a bite or scratch of a rabid animal).
- See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/what-is-rabies-and-frequently-asked-questions/what-is-rabies/#sthash.4FFwaR0F.dpuf

What is rabies?

Rabies is a viral disease that is transmitted through the saliva or tissues from the nervous system from an infected mammal to another mammal.
Rabies is a zoonotic disease. Zoonotic diseases can pass between species. Bird flu and swine flu are other zoonotic diseases.
The rabies virus attacks the central nervous system causing severely distressing neurological symptoms before causing the victim to die.
Rabies is the deadliest disease on earth with a 99.9% fatality rate.

Is rabies always fatal?

Yes, it is always fatal once clinical symptoms appear.
However, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) stops the virus before clinical symptoms appear, if given immediately after exposure (from a bite or scratch of a rabid animal).
- See more at: http://rabiesalliance.org/rabies/what-is-rabies-and-frequently-asked-questions/what-is-rabies/#sthash.4FFwaR0F.dpuf

Dangers of Pets Abroad

Last year when I went to a talk at the local vets about lungworm, the representative mentioned that she believed that the diseases in the UK would change dramatically due to a new law that was introduced on the 1^st January 2012.

This law is in affect to save pet owners hassle and money.  But what effect will it have on the population on the UK’s pets?

The law before the 1^st January 2012 was:

UK Pet Travel Scheme allows cats and dogs to enter the UK from an EU member state or a ‘listed’ 3rd country provided that they are microchipped, have been vaccinated against rabies, have had a blood test to confirm an adequate serological response, and have waited for 6 months after the blood test before entry into the UK. Animals must be treated against ticks and tapeworms 24-48 hours before entry into the UK. All treatments must be recorded in a pet passport or 3rd country veterinary health certificate. Pets from ‘unlisted*’ 3rd countries are required to spend 6 months in quarantine.

*An ‘unlisted’ country is any country not included in the list of EU and non-EU countries that is considered high risk for diseases such as rabies.

The law now:

Dogs, cats and ferrets entering the UK from an EU member state or a ‘listed’ 3rd country will still need to be microchipped and to be vaccinated against rabies. However, a blood test will no longer be required, and the waiting period after vaccination will be reduced to 21 days. Tick treatment will not be required. Dogs entering the UK must have been treated by a veterinary surgeon against tapeworm one to five days previously.

Dogs, cats and ferrets entering the UK from an unlisted 3rd country will no longer be required to spend 6 months in quarantine provided they enter the UK through an approved route and meet the EU entry requirements (microchip, rabies vaccination, blood sample at least 30 days after vaccination, and a wait of 3 months after the blood sample). Tapeworm treatment is required as above.

The advantages to the new law:

• ·         It will make going on holiday much more accessible to people who rely on animals for assistance.

• ·         It will also be easier for people who have two houses in different countries to be able travel without the hassle of quarantine.

So what effect will this have to the wider population?

The decrease in cost and hassle of being able to take your pet on holiday with you will invariably encourage many owners to take their pet away with them, which will lead to an increased chance of diseases not currently in the UK to be brought in from other countries.

This will have a serious effect on not only the health of the animals, but also human health.  The vets are struggling as it is to keep up with the mutations of parasites and diseases currently in the UK without new problems coming in from other countries. 

For example; at the moment the UK are trying to stay free from dog tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis) which is known to occur in the following countries of Central Europe: Belgium, Luxembourg,  France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany and Poland. “Although [the tapeworm is] relatively benign in dogs, the resulting disease in humans – alveolar echinococcosis – is an invasive, cancer-like cystic stage of the parasite, and is invariably fatal if not treated.”

These are some of the more common diseases that your pet may pick up abroad (and what they are spread by):

• Leishmaniosis (Sandflies)
• Heartworm (Mosquitoes)
• Babesiosis (Ticks)
• Ehrlichiosis (Ticks)
• Echinococcus multilocaris - Tapeworm (small rodents if eaten)
• Rabies (bite/saliva from another infected animal)

  Those of you who follow my blog will remember my post on Schmallenburg in livestock and the devastation that caused in many parts of the UK, that disease is also transferred by mosquitoes so we already know that mosquitoes have the potential to bring disease from Germany to the UK.

And with the law removing the need to have tick treatment to re-enter the UK there is also the potential for babesiosis and ehrlichiosis to be brought in.

 So what is my view?

 My view is that unless it is 100% necessary to take your pet abroad, leave them at home.  It is not worth the risk to your animals health and human health.  Please consult your vet if you have any concerns or queries about travelling abroad with your pet.

for more information on the requirements to take your pet abroad visit: 
https://www.gov.uk/pet-travel-information-for-pet-owners

I have referenced the BSAVA, ESCCAP and DEFRA websites in producing this post.