It’s Practically Christmas 2011

This Christmas Gabriella is teaming up with Living Hope to raise ‘practical and useful presents’ for children in need.

If you wish to donate, then please bring your present to the Clinic in Noordhoek (021 7891546). The practical presents we are looking for include:

Toothpaste, soap, towels, exercise books, felt tips, crayons and anything that is ‘practical and useful to a young child’.

Gabriella will match all your donations and when you donate your name will be entered into our Christmas Raffle and you could win our Grand Prize.

Benson the cat

The Case of Benson the Cat

Benson is an 11-year-old Burman cat. In October 2010 his back legs collapsed and his dedicated owner took him for all kinds of therapy, including acupunture and hydrotherapy (amazing for a cat) and he recovered relatively well. However, in January 2011 due to the weakness in his back legs he fell and tore a cruciate ligament in his right back leg. This required surgical repair.

The surgery was a success, but he continued to be weak and wobbly in his back legs (Paresis: A condition of muscular weakness caused by nerve damage or disease; partial paralysis.)

I first saw Benson in February 2011 and found he was still suffering with a neurogical weakness in his back legs. As his problem was definitely spinal, I sent him for x-rays and we discovered he had some osteoarthritis in his upper lumbar and lower thoracic spine.

Creating pressure
The bony spurs in this area combined with a suspected bulging disc were clearly causing a stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal) and this was creating pressure on the spinal cord and interfering with information going to and from his back legs. There was no joint movement in this area of his spine, so with a series of gentle specific spinal adjustments, soft tissue work and ultrasound, spinal movement was restored in this region, which created more dynamic space for the spinal cord.

Subsequently, Benson has recovered good strength in his back legs and is even apparently jumping walls now.

I see a lot of animals with paresis and paralysis, once diagnosis is confirmed it’s always worth considering and trying specific conservative treatment. Response is also normally relatively quick in animals.

Warm ‘fur’ Winter 2011

I’m a Newfoundland and proud of it! My thick coat allows me to swim in ice cold water and tolerate extreme cold. However, I realise that many of my two and four legged friends are not as lucky and have to suffer in the cold and wet weather. I sense this winter is going to be very cold and my mission is to bring a little more warmth to all my less fortunate friends.

I decided we would specifically spare a thought during the winter months July till September 2011 for all the babies out there this winter who have to deal with the adverse cold conditions without adequate warmth, nutrition and support. I am asking everyone who knows me to please give either some formula, nappies, warm baby clothing or blankets. These items will be donated through my Umbrella to The Baby Safe (www.thebabysafe.org) with whom we are going to work with on this project and will go straight to babies in need. The Baby Safe provides “New Baby Packs” at Fish Hoek Hospital to mothers who have nothing for their newborns. Each pack contains a Baby Safe published booklet on infant care and safety, a blanket, nappies, vest, grower, gender specific newborn outfit, baby lotion, wash cloth, soap and also a handwritten note of congratulations. Every person who is kind enough to bring an item will be entered into a draw to win a variety of prizes, including free collars, treats, cool bling and Chiropractic treatments! I will endeavour to match every item kindly brought and will also be donating a variety of other baby products through other generous corporate donations.

For further details please contact me on 021 789 1546 or email me.

SPCA Thank You letter-Wiggle Waggle

Dear Gabriella,

On behalf of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA I would like to extend my sincere thanks to you for your donation of Gabriella’s leads and collars. It was such an unexpected and pleasant surprise.

I hope that you and Gabriella enjoyed the SPCA Wiggle Waggle and that you will be participating in the DBV Woefie Wandel on the 19th February 2011 in the Northern Suburbs.

I think you have a unique product and I was quite impressed when I browsed through your website and the work you do for those less fortunate animals and children. Added to this I would like to present you with a proposal and further discussions in the New Year regarding Gabriella’s collars, leads and healthy nutritious snacks.

Best regards and many thanks
Natasha

Natasha Johannes
Communication and Resource Development
Fundraising Officer
Cape of Good Hope SPCA
P O Box 3
Plumstead
7801
Tel: 021 700 4155
Fax: 021 705 2127
awareness@spca-ct.co.za
www.spca-ct.co.za

Coco runs!

For all of you who have so kindly enquired about Coco-she is now in a loving new home and is running about with her new furry friends.

Thank you again to everyone that helped in her recovery.

Coco – Animals are for life!

This is Coco, she woke up one morning and her back legs weren’t working! Her owners decided to put her down and she was taken to the Vet to be euthinased! These same owners then bought a puppy within a day to replace her?

Fortunately for her, the nurse at Vet looked into her cute, gentle eyes and rescued her from certain death. She brought her straight to my own owner Dr D the Chiropractor and I sponsored her to have treatment and slowly but surely she is gaining the use of her legs again and will be going to a new home. If you decide to have an animal at home, remember they are a responsibilty for life and don’t turn your back on them as soon as things don’t look so good. Thank you for from Coco and I to all the good hearted souls who have helped her out of the kindness of their hearts.

Chester: Don’t be cruel

This is Chester, he was rescued as a small kitten from some children who were throwing him under the wheels of the oncoming traffic on a main road.You have to wonder what terrible lives those children must be having to be doing such a cruel thing. Anyway, his back leg and back were damaged causing total paralysis in his right back leg. It was decided that if his back leg stay that way then it would have to be amputated. I chose to sponsor him for Chiropractic treatment and Shauna kindly brought him to the clinic. He regained some use of his leg and so he kept all 4 legs. Shauna decided to take him into her home permanently and he is now a very happy cat! Please don’t tolerate cruelty in any form.

My friend Charles: Say NO to Xenophobia!

This is my friend Charles, he’s from Zimbabwe. He was almost killed when he was badly stabbed in an attack of xenophobic violence. I organised for his trip back to Zimbabwe to recuperate. He’s recovered nicely and has bravely come back to Cape Town and is still his happy, helpful self. My view on xenophobia?? If you can’t spell it….don’t do it!! Stupid is as stupid does…we are all Africans, let’s stick together and not allow jealousy, envy, hatred or greed to influence our lives or our actions.