After the mating season, we have periods of chaos when kittens and puppies come and go. All the rescuers join forces to foster and give for adoption as many as they can.
Because abandonment and strays are two big issues, you can imagine the "flood" of tiny souls that only a few rescuers and NGOs are willing to confront. And they don't always succeed. The numbers are not in their favour. The other humans are just so used to animals on the streets, they don't even care.
Just this year Coco fostered 68 kittens and pups on short-term (from a few days to several weeks), that were waiting for adoption. On the long-term (months) she managed only 3 animals. They needed special medical treatment or had personality problems that needed to be fixed, so they could be adopted.
All this... in her free time. She has a full-time job, don't imagine she runs around all day searching for animals.
They find her.
Today, with Rudolph, I'm going to tell you what to do if you find a stray animal
Coco saw him posted on the rescue group, contacted the person who posted and took him in.
All animals that come from the street have fleas and during summer they can also have ticks. Parasites spread diseases and can also spread to humans. Ticks are not to be messed with, they spread Lyme disease which has a high rate of mortality.
Kittens and puppies also have intestinal parasites. Adults not so much. You can tell by the big, swollen belly.
You have to deworm and clean the fur. Look inside the animal's ears. Are they dirty? That can be the sign of another type of parasite.
There are 2 options: go visit the vet or do it at home. I don't recommend the last to noobs.
I insist: if you are a noob, let the vet take care of this aspect!
Treatment at home:
If the animal is not dirty, you can skip washing, apply the flea&tick treatment first. It's a drop you apply on the back of your pet's head - on the skin, not fur.
There are several brands you can find at the Pet-Shop or Pet-Pharmacy.
The quantity of the drop must be calculated per animal's weight. So be careful, overdose is toxic.
I advise cat-owners to be careful how they apply the drop, make sure it's exactly at the back of the head, not between the shoulders. We can lick ourselves everywhere except there. This will avoid intoxication.
For deworming, you have to buy a pill, there are different brands available, and split it into halves or quarters depending on the animal's weight.
You can give your pet a bath after 5-7 days. after all this process
If the animal is dirty, first the give a bath, then take care of the rest. Use a shampoo for animals. A lot of fleas will be gone, but not all.
Wait at least 2 days before applying the drop. If the skin doesn't have enough sebum, it won't have any effect.
You can apply the drops once every month or once every 2 months (depending on the brand), read the instructions to avoid intoxication.
Even if I'm vaccinated I still get a drop in the summer, because when the windows are open fleas and ticks could come in.
Coco is in contact with a lot of animals and she could be carrying a flea from another animal she touched. I come in contact with a lot of animals.
Every new animal that arrives, goes first trough quarantine, on the balcony, for a day so we know for sure all the parasites are dead.
Foodz, don't forget about food. Get the right food, for the right age. Don't forget the treats. 😸
Loovz, don't forget about love. Give plenty, no risk of intoxication, no side-effects. Supplement with cuddles.😻