Spay And Neuter Clinics

One more time Isla Margarita! - Part 4 (06/06 – 06/07 2024)

Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of this report see below.

The last 4 females of our second spay neuter campaign 2024 on Isla Margarita are spayed.

On June 6th two were operated…

…and the last two on June 7th.

All dogs live in Porlamar…

…in the same street.

Life will surely be easier for this tiny bitch.

She hasn’t had puppies very often.

Being so small…

…it will be hard enough for her to compete with larger dogs on the street…

…even without a hungry litter.

The third patient wears a red collar.

A collar doesn’t necessarily mean that the dog has an owner.

This bitch got the collar from residents who feed her.

But they say that she doesn’t belong to them.

She comes and goes as she likes. In any case her chances to keep her feeding place have improved very much now that she won’t turn up with puppies.

The last patient…

…was also very small and very young.

She got spayed in time before her first heat.

Especially for young, inexperienced bitches it is hard to raise a litter on the street. Often not a single puppy survives the first months.

Now our budget 2024 for spaying bitches on the Isla Margarita is used up. We thank the Swiss foundation Tierbotschaftern CH who financed the campaign and B. Held whose donation fort he treatment of 2 mangy dogs enabled us to use all the funding solely for spays.

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One more time Isla Margarita! - Part 3 (05/23 – 05/24 2024)

Part 1 and Part 2 of this report see below.

After Claudia’s vet had to take a break because her dad was ill spays started again on May 23rd.

The first patient was actually a street dog but she has found a very loving friend who shares his home with her. She can come and go as she wants.

Prepping the already anesthetized dog…

…and soon she lies on the table.

Spaying her is an enormous help for the señor who takes care of her. He isn’t rich and doesn’t need hungry puppies to worry about. He himself couldn’t afford the spay.

Neatly stitched up…

…and already marked she will soon be able to go home.

The second one is very well-fed.

She lives in the area around the vet practice.

There dogs get also fed.

Already tattooed awaiting the ear tip…

Also on May 24th 2 bitches were spayed.

And also they live around the vet practice.

But the presence of a vet alone is not enough to control reproduction; medicaments and materials have to get financed.

Small animal vets in countries like Venezuela often have a hard time to make a living because they lack clients who come with their dogs and cats.

Reduced prices for animal welfare is the best they can offer.

The second patient of the day is a lovely…

…and very young bitch.

She has never had puppies…

…and a very smooth belly.

She is number 21 of this spay campaign. The last four will get done next week.

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One more time Isla Margarita! - Part 2
(04/23 – 04/25/2024)

Part 1 of this report see below.

On the 23rd of April 3 more bitches got spayed.

This one here is a stray…

…that lives in the same street as Paola, the lady who feeds 20 dogs.

She is about 2 years old…

…and gets fed by another lady.

After spaying she was liberated from a large number of parasites.

She was covered with ticks!

The other 2 came from Paola.

The first one had still swollen teats.

She must have had her last litter not too long ago.

The surgery passed without any issues.

Stitched up again...

…and ready to sleep off the anesthesia.

The second of Paola’s girls…

…is still young…

…and gets spayed just in time.

She will never have to feed puppies.

Let’s hope that her life will be a lucky one.

On April 24th the next 3 were spayed.

They came from Guarame.

There they live at the supermarket…

…where they get fed from various people.

They are all about 2 years old…

…and will have had 2-3 litters.

The first one is done!

When Claudia arrived at the supermarket, one of them almost jumped into her car.

A male was after her.

Maybe he smelled that she was ready to go into the next heat.

But that is cancelled!

Claudia was there at the right time!

She took all bitches along with her that were there at that moment.

This helps also to maintain an obviously good feeding spot.

All 3 dogs are really well-fed.

But that can change quickly when there are too many dogs,...

…regarding the availability of enough food as well as the acceptance by people.

On the way home…

None of them had any problems.

The dogs are always taken back the next day after the surgery and remain for one night at the vet, a service not every vet offers.

On the 25th 2 bitches from Porlamar were spayed.

They live there on the big open market of Porlamar.

It’s open every day and one can buy everything there. Dogs always find something to eat there.

This bitch isn’t very old…

…maybe one and a half years and she might have had 2 litters.

In the future she will have to feed only herself.

On the way back to the market…

The second one is still new to the area.

She popped up just a little while ago – abandoned?

It’s hard to guess her age; her teeth are snowy white but otherwise she is not in a very good condition.

She has ein enormous teats still filled with milk.

But nobody knows anything about her puppies…

She needed antibiotics and vitamins.

The surgery went well.

The next day she was released again at the market.

Hopefully she recovers now.

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One more time Isla Margarita! 04/15-04/17/2024

Our Swiss friends, the foundation Tierbotschafter CH, are just as enthused about the work of Claudia Simon and her Isla Street Animals e.V. as we are and have donated enough to spay another 20 – 25 bitches. April 15th, 16th and 17th 9 bitches were spayed; 3 each day.

The first 3 come from the area near the school.

A lot of dogs live there and Claudia has already often taken bitches from there to get spayed.

They are all very pretty, skinny and in need of de-wormers and spot ons against fleas and ticks but we don’t have the means for that. We are already happy when we can prevent births. Paola López who lives near the school feeds about 20 dogs. Paola is by no means a rich lady!

Now she has found a bitch with 9 puppies on the street. The puppies are 15 days old. We will have to help Paola!

As already often before it was Claudia’s husband who drove the dogs to the vet.

It is always astounding how well these dogs behave when being transported on an open pick up.

Soon the forst patient is getting prepared for surgery.

This is all routine, belly cut open, ovaries taken out…

…and stitched up again. No issues!

Marke das spayed and ready for recovery.

A particularly cute one…

…and still very young.

The surgeon puts on sterile gloves.

Then the operation begins…

…and leaves hardly any trace.

Number 2 is fixed.

The 3rd patient…

She is already a little bit older.

She has had a fair share of litters already.

And the cut was a little bit bigger than with the 2 youngsters before.

Liberated from the strain of reproduction twice a year her life will become easier from now on.

This is Negra. She belongs to Juan Carlos and Denysmar.

But Negra leaves and comes as she likes.

Negra on her way to the vet…

…together with 2 other dogs.

These two have been through a real odissey. They come from the neighbouring village Guarame and were abandoned at a gorge near the beach in the middle of the road. A resident from Bolivar picked them up, took them as far as the bus station in Bolivar and abandoned them again.

Negra is the first patient this day.

She is still young…

…but her life style has led to a couple of litters already.

But that is history now. Her owners will be pleased.

And maybe she’ll become a bit more homely now.

The first girl from Guarame…

…is still very young.

She hasn‘t had many puppies yet.

But she has been through enough already.

Hopefully she has some good times ahead of her.

The second little bitch suffers from mange.

She needs treatment.

Claudia suspects that the mange was the reason to abandon her. Many people in the Caribbean are afraid of mangy dogs; they fear that it could be contagious.

Also she is still a young dog…

…and has had puppies maybe once.

The surgery is finished; treating her skin will take more time.

Claudia will have to keep an eye on them.

These 2 pretty young ladies live at Mary’s bodega near the supermarket.

Mary feeds them. They are still very skinny.

They obviously like people, expecting nothing bad. They were spayed on April 17th…

…together with Shakira a dog from the beach of Guarame. Luis, a friend of Claudia’s husband, brought her from there.

„Miss Bodega 1“ is already asleep; the syringe with the anesthesia is attached to the intravenous catheter in case she needs another dose.

Also she is a young bitch.

A tiny cut is sufficient…

…leaving an equally small mark.

Maybe she will put on some weight now when she is not going in heat anymore.

The second one is a little bit older.

She looks like she was getting ready for the next heat.

But she is getting spayed just in time!

The belly is closed again; also this surgery passed without any issues.

And the little girl sleeps off the anesthesia.

Shakira is a strong bitch.

She has definitely had a number of litters already.

Also the ovaries don’t look like the ones of a very young dog.

Despite that the surgeon manages with a tiny cut and an almost invisible mark.

Shakira’s life will surely be easier from now.

We expect that in the following week the next bitches will get spayed.

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The last 2 spays of this year’s campaign on Isla Margarita (03/14 – 03/22/2024)

Part 1 and part 2 of this report see below.

On March 14th this little bitch was spayed.

She was the second last patient of our campaign 2024.

And she was hardly on the table when the pus started to run out of her vagina…

The young lady had a formidable pyometra!

During the whole surgery the pus kept running.

It still dripped when she was stitched up.

This was really a life saving surgery at the last minute! She would have died painfully very soon.

She will need medication and can’t go back to the street like this. Hopefully Claudia finds a home for her.

And then we got the great newsdann: The emaciated bitch, mother of two, was seen again! But her 2 daughters were missing. This dog has an „owner“ who wanted her back and we suspect that he has given the puppies away. Claudia refused to return the bitch to him and took her to a friend instead who will keep her. Claudia keeps looking for the puppies.

On March 22nd the little dog was spayed.

She looks already a little better…

…and has put on a bit of weight.

The surgery went smoothly without any issues.

The little belly was quickly sewn up again.

In the future it will be filled with food, not with puppies.

She has a good life ahead of her. We hope that her puppies can be found as well.

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The next 11 bitches are fixed!
Isla Margarita (03/05 – 03/08/2024)

Part 1 of this report see below.

Two females were spayed on March 5th. One of them we recognized from the photos Claudia had sent us before the campaign started.

The second looked like a little Panda and was new to us.

They behaved very well during transport…

…but getting off the truck was a different story!

The first one is anesthetized and fast asleep.

A little later she lies on the table, belly cut open.

And again only a little later she is already neatly stitched up!

A secondary bleeding has to be stopped.

Then the ear tip is done.

Time for the little Panda…

By the looks of the teats…

…and the ovaries these two might have given birth twice.

They are at the most 2 years old.

Whatever life has in store for them in the future, they will not have to nourish puppies anymore.

On March 7th the next 4 came.

They were brought from the school area where Claudia had already collected some dogs last year.

They were a bit unsure but curious.

The pretty young lady in the front…

…we know already from a photo Claudia had sent us before.

Prepping the patient…

Shortly after she lies safely tied up on the surgical table.

A surgery without issues…

She is sewed up fast.

A last stitch…

…and she is finished.

All dogs are being tattooed besides receiving an ear tip.

The number 2 of this day…

She is still very young.

She is getting spayed before her first heat.

It takes a very small cut…

…that leaves a very small scar.

Now she can go to recovery.

The third patient of the day has huge mammary glands while being very skinny otherwise.

She comes from the school area and had puppies 2 months ago. Claudia was told by the school that the 2 survivors of the litter were adopted.

Her ovaries are very large as well.

Despite the giant mammaries the surgeon performs a perfect spay with a tiny cut.

The undernourished bitch needed vitamins, an expense not covered by our budget. Here again we have to ask for a donation.

The last one of this group…

Again a very young dog with a smooth belly.

Also she was spayed before her first heat.

Skilled hands sew up the wound.

One cannot do it any better!

The day is not over yet!

The pick up brings 2 more dogs.

The first one is already on the drip.

She looks like she has had a few pups already.

Also what the surgeon extracts looks different from the ovaries of very young bitches.

Her teats are still a bit swollen. It can’t be that long that her last puppies were weaned.

But she is done with that now!

The little black female that came with her is an very young one.

She looks like she was ready to go into heat though.

She got spayed just in time!

A tiny cut…

…and a hardly visible scar.

The day is over!

On March 8th 3 more bitches were spayed.

The first one is shaved…

…and ready for surgery!

All three patients that day are quite young.

The surgery takes place as usual, fast and without issues…

…leaving hardly any traces.

The first patient is done including tattoo and ear tip.

All 3 bitches that are getting spayed that day have a home.

Prepping the surgical area…

None of them seems to have had puppies more than once.

We already mentioned the very good equipment of the practice. Professional drapes are part of that.

So far there was only one pregnant bitch and no pyometra.

Finished!

Marked and ready for recovery…

The last patient…

…is a lovely young dog.

She has never been pregnant yet.

Nevertheless; during surgery the vet discoverered a cyst that had to be removed.

Therefore the cut is here a little larger.

She has been lucky that she was spayed now and the cyst was discovered when it was still quite small.

Going home…

We are waiting on the exact calculation but it seems that our budget is now, after 20 spays, exhausted. One dog weighing mor and being pregnant, one needing a parasite treatment, another needing vitamins and the cyst removal have raised the costs.

Not all dogs Claudia had in mind got spayed. This emaciated bitch with 2 female puppies was seen only once. If she appears again we have to raise donations to get her fixed. Already one single litter can cause so much suffering for those that are affected! But simply with spaying we don’t improve the life’s situation fort he animals! They keep on starving, they keep on getting mistreated… Only if we educate at the same time the people on whom the animals depend so that they meet their four-legged fellow beings with empathy and respect we will change the future of these animals for the better. Read our report about the experiences our volunteers made working for the Barbados school and youth project next weekend!

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On Isla Margarita the first 9 bitches are spayed!
(02/27 – 02/29/2024)

As in the beginning of 2023 we are able to finance the spaying of 25 bitches on the venezuelan island Isla Margarita with the help of Tierbotschafter CH The first 9 bitches were spayed on 3 successive days; February 27nd, 28th and 29th.

The first 3 dogs were still very young.

None of them had given birth before .

A last stitch…

…and then the ear tip that will indicate in the future that this animal is spayed.

The first patient is done!

Also the second dog is very young…

…with small ovaries…

…and teats that have never fed puppies before .

After the ear tip…

…she is ready for recovery.

The third one is the youngest...

…and her ovaries are tiny.

The vet practice Claudia Simon takes the animals to is very well equipped with professional surgical tables and positioning aids…

…and every dog receives an intravenous infusion during surgery to keep it stable.

Number 3 is ready for recovery.

The fourth candidate is an emaciated bitch that has had numerous litters already.

Together with this young lady here…

…she is being taken to the vet.

Every single bone is sticking out. Hopefully she will recover when she hasn’t to feed puppies anymore.

Preparation for surgery…

Her ovaries differ very much from those of the previous patients.

But also here the expert surgeon makes only a tiny cut…

…and that ist he result!

After the ear tip she is ready to recover.

A big surprise: The fifth bitch weighs 19 kilos and her teats are preparing to produce milk…

She is pregnant!

But the surgery goes well without any issues.

Claudia writes: „I haven’t had such a heavy dog for a long time!“

The budget that we have is very limited and covers only the spays of 25 bitches up 15 kilos. More weight, needing more anesthesia, or pregnancies and pyometras cause additional costs. Therefore we ask for an „Easter egg“ in the form of a donation for Claudia Simon and her Isla Street Animals to our donation account!

The sixth bitch has a home.

She trusts people and shows her belly not expecting anything bad. All the animals that Claudia is feeding daily are spayed and neutered. Every new emergency Claudia asks donations for is getting spayed/neutered when receiving medical care. For campaigns like this one Claudia leaves her own territory and drives long ditances to collect the animals. The people whose animals get a chance to be taken along for surgery are very grateful for this opportunity.

Claudia’s husband brings the animals to the vet.

The belly is shaved…

Number 6 may have had one or two litter..

After the wound is stitched up neatly…

…and a secondary bleeding is stopped…

…nothing remains but a tiny scar.

A little corner of the ear is cut off to show that she is spayed. She can go home as soon as she wakes up.

The candidates 7 and 8 on the way to the vet…

Number 7 is a street dog…

She is a very bright young lady that hasn’t had puppies yet.

The first cut of the scalpel…

…and here already the last stitch!

A very neat looking belly!

Ears have a strong blood circulation.

But the bleeding is stopped quickly and when the young lady wakes up, it will be all gone.

The eighth bitch leads a life on a chain. Even though her bowl is empty here she seems to get fed adequately.

While shaving her it shows that she has a different problem than malnutrition!

She is infested by parasites!

Fleas are jumping on her belly!

This has to be treated and also in this case we ask for a donation as additional treatments are not covered by our budget.

The bitch is healthy otherwise…

…and hasn’t been pregnant more tha once or twice in her life.

She will go home not being plagued by fleas (for a while).

Apparently there is no country in the world where people don’t try to make money by breeding dogs, no matter how big the overpopulation is or how many homeless dogs there are already! Venezuela is no exception. This little dog belongs to the rare breed of white miniature schnauzers.