Carla, a 13-year-old Maltese-cross, came into our care as a stray.  As is the case with many of the senior pets entering the Home, Carla was not in the best condition. 

 With a mouth full of rotten teeth, a mammary tumour, and an inguinal hernia, what concerned our animal care team most was that Carla was struggling to urinate.

 She would urinated often, but always small amounts often tinged with blood.  Carla was quickly put on antibiotics and given pain relief, then taken to an offsite vet clinic to have her bladder drained and x-rays taken.

Our dear sweet Carla was then diagnosed with having an enormous bladder stone, a painful condition that was the result of the urine in her bladder crystallising over time.  She was then swept into surgery to have the bladder stone removed, her hernia repaired and the mammary tumour removed.

Carla then recovered in foster care where she transformed. She was much happier and was able to settle quickly as it was clear she was no longer in pain and was able to urinate normally.

Thanks to a clean bill of health, her second surgery was arranged to address Carla’s dental issues and the removal of a few problem teeth. 

Being such a sweet girl, it comes as not surprise that Carla found her forever home with her foster carer.

When Julietta, a tiny eight-week-old kitten came into the shelter, it was clear something was wrong, this little girl was refusing to put weight on her hind leg.

From her physical exam done by our Vet team, it was revealed that she had a fractured leg. Immediately, x-rays were taken to confirm the severity of her injury. Poor little Julietta had a break in her femur, which was of great concern as the break went through the growth plate of the bone.

To repair the injury, Julietta would need to undergo a very delicate procedure to pin the bone together. It would be important for the bone to mend correctly so that if did not interfer with her growth plate. After many hours, her delicate surgery was deemed a success!

Julietta was then placed into foster care, with a staff member to recover. At her 4 week check-up, further x-rays were taken which revealed that Julietta’s bone had mended well and she would be strong enough to undergo the surgery to remove the pins that were holding her leg together.

Still being quite young, it was important that we removed the pins, so that they did not interfere with her growth into a healthy cat.

Despite Julietta’s rough start in life, once she had fully recovered, she only spent two days back in the shelter, before this playful, friendly kitty found her forever home.

Beau and Tye, two 16-week-old Kelpie puppies, arrived at the Home in the arms of the council ranger.

 These siblings were found running the local streets of Bonnyrigg. Underweight and hungry, they were not wearing collars with tags to identify them, nor were they microchipped. No one came forward to claim this duo.

Beau and Tye were each placed into a foster home. This was to ensure these young pups were socialised with other pets and people while being exposed to a normal home environment, before becoming available for adoption.

First night in care, Beau vomited up pebbles, rocks and leaf litter! Thankfully he showed no other signs of being ill or distressed and was eating, drinking and toileting normally. Over the following days, Beau quickly put on weight, gaining just over two kilograms in his first week in care.

Tye also thrived in his foster home, quickly gaining confidence and learning how to interact with other dogs and other people.

 Considerably smaller than his brother, Tye arrived with an injured hind leg, rendering the limb useless. X-rays of the injury were taken and a consult with an orthopaedic specialist organised. It was advised that the damage is likely to have occurred when Tye was very young. Amputation was recommended as being the best course of action for the welfare of Tye.

Undergoing surgery, Tye successfully turn into a tripaw. He returned to his loving foster home so that he could recover in a familiar environment where he felt safe and loved. Ten days later he returned to the shelter for a final health check and to be picked up by his new humans.

We are pleased to report, that we have heard from both Beau and Tye’s new loving families and they are continuing to grow and thrive. 

Tye, now known as Tripod, even has his own instagram account @luna.and.tripod which he shares with his new fur sister Luna.

At 10 years 7 months Bullet found himself at Sydney Dogs and Cats Home.  Thankfully this old boy was microchipped, but when the team called the phone numbers and sent a letter to the address listed on the chip, no one came forward to reclaim Bullet.

Your stereotypical grandpa, Bullet loved a stroll and a natter with both humans and dogs alike.  However, Bullet had some obvious health issues.  He had very wobbly hind legs and would drag his back feet.  He had difficulty breathing a result of his breeding as he is a Pug cross Shih Tzu and has the typical brachycephalic flat face that results in the airways being obstructed.  And as seems to be the case with most of our senior residents, Bullet needed to have his teeth attended to.

With no owner coming forward after 14 days, Bullet was transferred into our care, and the team immediately organised to give him such much needed TLC in the form of veterinarian treatment.

It is only through the generous donations from individuals in the community that we can provide our neglected and abandoned senior pets with the care they require to gain a new leash on life.

X-rays were taken of Bullet’s spine and hips, and this revealed that our darling boy had severely dysplastic (malformed) hip joints and resultant arthritis.  While in our care we provided Bullet with a course of medication to help treat his osteoarthritis.  A soft palate surgery to free up Bullet’s airways was also performed.  Bullet for the first time in more than 10 years would now be able to breathe easily.  His teeth were cleaned and dental X-rays, which revealed a minor crack in his molar, were taken.

Bullet was a new man and ready to find his forever home.  Fortunately for Bullet it didn’t take long to find that one special person who was willing to provide Bullet with a loving home and ongoing veterinary treatment for his arthritis.

We believe every senior deserves a second chance, and thanks to the generous support of individuals like you, we can provide seniors like Bullet with proper care and treatment so they can find new loving homes to enjoy their golden years.

Please give now to the Senior Pet Project to help us continue to transform the lives of our senior residents.

ABOUT SENIOR PET PROJECT

Our Senior Pet Project, entering its second year, was started as an initiative not only to put a spotlight on these golden oldies to help with their rehoming, but also to raise the funds required for their much needed veterinary care and often prolonged stay at the Home.

With your support we are looking to raise $150,000 by 30 June to fund the Senior Pet Project for the next 12 months, enabling us to give the seniors entering our care a new leash on life.

Support the Senior Pet Project. Donate today.

Eleven-year-old Molly was no stranger to Sydney Dogs and Cats Home.  She had been picked up and brought in by the council range four times.  Molly’s human had become ill and ultimately hospitalised, so a close friend had taken Molly into care.

Sadly Molly’s owner passed and Molly’s carer had another dog and unfortunately was unable to keep her permanently.   So we welcomed Molly back into the Home for the fifth time.

A beautiful senior with a sweet temperament, we knew we would be able to find Molly a new loving home to spend her retirement years.  However before we did that, we needed to address some medical issues.

Molly, like many of our seniors, needed that bit of extra veterinary care before she would be ready to be rehomed.  We are able to provide our senior residents like Molly with the essential treatment they need thanks to the support of the community who generously donate to our Senior Pet Project.  Our goal is to raise $150,000 by 30 June in order to fund the Senior Pet Project for the next 12 months.

Molly had her blood taken and analysed to ensure she didn’t have any underlying health issues such as kidney disease.   A suspicious tumour adjacent to her mammary gland was removed surgically.  She also had a skin tag from the corner of her left eye and a mass from her left ear removed.  Dental X-rays showed her teeth were in good condition for a girl of her age.

But poor Molly had damaged her tail and the tip had died, so it needed to and was amputated.  Postoperatively Molly was given pain relief, and her bandages checked and changed regularly.

Molly recovered quickly from her surgery and was ready to find a new human to give her the love and care she deserved.  It only took a few short weeks for us to find Molly a new home where she could enjoy her twilight years.

Please donate now to support the Senior Pet Project and to give the senior’s like Molly the best possible veterinarian treatment they deserve.

ABOUT SENIOR PET PROJECT

Our Senior Pet Project, entering its second year, was started as an initiative not only to put a spotlight on these golden oldies to help with their rehoming, but also to raise the funds required for their much needed veterinary care and often prolonged stay at the Home.

With your support we are looking to raise $150,000 by 30 June to fund the Senior Pet Project for the next 12 months, enabling us to give the seniors entering our care a new leash on life.

Support the Senior Pet Project. Donate today.

Bo arrived at Sydney Dogs and Cats Home early in the new year.  A beautiful older Labrador, Bo walked well on a lead, knew a few tricks and had obviously been someone’s much-loved pet.  Sadly, Bo was not microchipped and no one came forward to reclaim this distinguished gentleman.

After 7 days Bo was transferred into the care of Sydney Dogs and Cats Home.  It had been obvious from the moment Bo entered the home that he had a large mass protruding from his left hock.

Our Chief Vet Officer Dr Christine Cole took a biopsy of the mass and sent it off to pathology for diagnosis.  The results revealed that Bo had a Mast Cell Tumour, the most common skin tumour found in dogs.  The team immediately set about liaising with our third-party off-site vet clinic to organise a suitable time and access to a surgical theatre in order to surgically remove the tumour from Bo’s leg.

Sadly when Dr Cole began operating on the tumour she found that the mass had infiltrated the surrounding tissue and tendons.  There was no way to remove the tumour leaving sufficient margin of healthy non-cancerous tissue.

An otherwise healthy and active dog, the team decided the best treatment option for Bo was to remove his left hind leg, ensuring the cancer was completely removed.  Once again access to the third-party vet clinic was organised and the surgery booked in.  The operation went smoothly, Bo being an ideal surgical candidate.

Post – op Bo was brought back to the shelter for observation and within less than 24 hours he was up and negotiating his way around the admin office.  Bo went back into foster care to patiently wait for his forever home and for the surgical site to heal.  Despite his beautiful demeanour and handsome good looks, it took several more weeks before Bo would eventually meet his perfect match and land himself a loving new home.

We are able to provide our senior residents like Bo with the essential care and support they need thanks to individuals like you who generously donate to our Senior Pet Project.  Our goal is to raise $150,000 by 30 June in order to fund the Senior Pet Project for the next 12 months.  Please donate now to support the Senior Pet Project and to give the senior’s like Bo the best possible veterinarian treatment they deserve.

ABOUT SENIOR PET PROJECT

Our Senior Pet Project, entering its second year, was started as an initiative not only to put a spotlight on these golden oldies to help with their rehoming, but also to raise the funds required for their much needed veterinary care and often prolonged stay at the Home.

With your support we are looking to raise $150,000 by 30 June to fund the Senior Pet Project for the next 12 months, enabling us to give the seniors entering our care a new leash on life.

Support the Senior Pet Project. Donate today.

A little eight-year-old, black and white Maltese, Django arrived at Sydney Dogs and Cats Home in a state of neglect. He had alopecia resulting in extensive hair loss on his tail, hind legs and back, probably as a result of flea allergy dermatitis. His nails were severely overgrown and he had grade 4 dental disease resulting in pain, severe tartar build-up and periodontal disease.

Although he was desexed Tango was not microchipped and no one came forward to claim this old soul.

His teeth were in such poor condition (image right) that the team immediately provided pain relief and organised for Django to have an emergency dental surgery resulting in the extraction of multiple teeth.

He also enjoyed a much-needed groom and was given Simparica to protect him from future flea infestation.  The team also ran bloodwork to rule out any underlying illnesses.  Thankfully Django was healthy and given the all clear.

Thanks to the support of the community and generous individuals who donate to the Senior Pet Project, we can provide the older residents like Django with the essential veterinarian care they require.

A staff favourite Django spent his days behind the reception desk until he was adopted. Thankfully just the right person came along, so Django only stayed with us for 11 days.

Our goal is to raise $150,000 by 30 June in order to fund the Senior Pet Project for the next 12 months.  Donate now to support the Senior Pet Project and give a senior like Django a new leash on life.

ABOUT SENIOR PET PROJECT

Our Senior Pet Project, entering its second year, was started as an initiative not only to put a spotlight on these golden oldies to help with their rehoming, but also to raise the funds required for their much needed veterinary care and often prolonged stay at the Home.

With your support we are looking to raise $150,000 by 30 June to fund the Senior Pet Project for the next 12 months, enabling us to give the seniors entering our care a new leash on life.

Support the Senior Pet Project. Donate today.

Beautiful Buddha, our slightly portly ginger senior, arrived at Sydney Dogs and Cats Home in February after being found wandering the streets as a stray.  Given her girth and the fact that she was desexed, we assumed she was owned.  However, Buddha wasn’t wearing a collar with identification, nor was she microchipped, and sadly, no one came forward to reclaim this gentle old soul.

Aside from her sweet nature, Buddha’s most distinguishing attribute was her cherry eye, a little pink mass protruding from her left eyelid.  Cherry eye occurs when the gland of the third eyelid prolapses.

With Buddha’s hold period elapsing and no owner found to reclaim her, our vet team immediately organised a corrective surgery for Buddha’s eye.

Thanks to the generous support of the community who donate to our Senior Pet Project initiative, Sydney Dogs and Cats Home can provide our senior pets like Buddha with the additional vet treatment they require.

If left unattended and continuously exposed, cherry eyes can become painful, inflamed and irritated.  Also, if Buddha rubbed her eye, it could bleed and even become infected.

We are pleased to report that Buddha’s surgery was a complete success and she’s made a rapid recovery.  Now in our care for four months, Buddha is patiently waiting for a forever home.   This sweet girl who wants nothing more than to curl up in the sun or on your lap to get lots of pats.  For information on adopting Buddha, please drop into the shelter or email info@sydneydogsandcatshome.org

ABOUT SENIOR PET PROJECT

Our Senior Pet Project, entering its second year, was started as an initiative not only to put a spotlight on these golden oldies to help with their rehoming, but also to raise the funds required for their much needed veterinary care and often prolonged stay at the Home.

With your support we are looking to raise $150,000 by 30 June to fund the Senior Pet Project for the next 12 months, enabling us to give the seniors entering our care a new leash on life.

Support the Senior Pet Project. Donate today.

At Sydney Dogs and Cats Home, we can never be sure who the ranger will bring through our door. This month we welcomed two turkeys, Brad and Chad, who were found roaming in the Bayside Council area.

With no one coming forward to reclaim Brad and Chad, the team reached out to several rescue groups before finding one that could provide Brad and Chad with a suitable home. And thanks to our fantastic network of supporters, we were able to find a volunteer ready to make the three-hour drive to transfer the dynamic duo.

We are pleased to report that Brad and Chad are happily enjoying the green pastures of the Sunny Corner Farm Sanctuary and handing out with their new friends, pictured below.

Cats, like us, can lose their hearing with age, but some kittens are born deaf. Hereditary deafness is more common in white-coated cats, and at the moment we have two such kitties in our care – Hunter and Nicky.

Three-year-old Hunter came into the shelter as a stray more than a month ago. Sadly we were not able to find Hunter’s humans, and no one came to reclaim him. Hunter is now waiting to land himself a forever home.

We also have little Nicky (pictured left) who arrived just days ago and is currently in foster care where she can put on some weight before becoming available for adoption.

Deaf cats make lovely, loving companions, but they do have some special needs in terms of their care. As they can not hear a barking or growling dog or vehicle approaching, deaf cats need to be indoor only cats. Also, because of their pale pink noses, they are more susceptible to skin cancer, another good reason to keep them as inside.

Deaf cats have a reputation of being more vocal and having a louder meow then their hearing counterparts. However, Hunter has been roaming and playing in the cattery, and he is not at all vocal. He’s very outgoing and animated but definitely not loud or particularly chatty.  Although he does love to purr.

As deaf cats have lost one sense, their reliance on visual cues is heightened. A deaf cat or kitten can be trained using visual cues. Cats like Hunter can be taught to come to you by simply crouch down and luring him with tasty treats. Hunter loves his pats however, so you probably won’t have to do this to gain his attention and affection.

With their heightened visual sense, it can be beneficial for the deaf cat to have another feline in the home.  The deaf kitty can take visual cues or mimic behaviours it sees in the other cat.

Cats also feel vibrations, so if you are walking towards a deaf kitty, it may detect the vibration of the floor and come running to greet you. Similarly opening a door may also create a disturbance in the air which your feline could feel like a slight breeze on their fur, alerting him or her that you are home.  Based on Hunter’s personality he’ll definitely be looking to greet you when you get home; he’s always looking for a cuddle.

If you would like to give either Hunter or Nicky a home, please contact the team at info@sydneydogsandcatshome.org