There seem to be many misconceptions about dogs with leishmaniosis, and living with a dog who has tested positive with the disease.
Flora‘s adoptant, June, took the galga on knowing she has tested very positive. Here she explains what is involved in looking after Flora.
By the way, to see Flora, one would not know she had any disease! She is an absolute picture of good health!
The third disease which galgos and podencos leaving Spain are tested for is filaria, or heart worm. As this is a far more serious disease than leishmania and ehrlichia, it is rare for a dog testing positive to be accepted into the adoption programme.
The blood test is done on the dogs as part of the vaccination and microchipping programme prior to the dog obtaining its Pets Passport. As well as the passport, the dog also leaves with the results of the blood test, so prospective owners know if there are any further tests to be carried out.
To read more about filaria, visit www.menandpets.com/en_filaria.htm
Before galgos and podencos leave Spain for fostering and adoption abroad, they are blood tested for three diseases, Leishmaniosis, Ehrlichia and Filaria.
For full information about Leishmaniosis, www.leishmaniasis.info which is the canine leishmaniosis website. This website also gives details of the medicinal products needed to treat the disease.
I have asked someone who adopted a galgo with leishmaniosis to write about their experience with it.
Before galgos and podencos leave Spain for fostering and adoption, they have a blood test for three diseases, Leishmaniosis, Ehrlichiosis and Filaria.
Ehrlichiosis is a tick-borne rickettsial infectious blood disease. The organism is called Ehrlichia, the disease is called Ehrlichiosis.
Brown Dog Tick (must feed a minimum of 2 -3 days to transmit). The tick can come from horse manure and other unknown sources.
Also transmitted from the deer tick, blood transfusion, contaminated needles/instruments, transplacental.
Visit www.workingdog.com/doc0045.htm to learn more.
You will almost certainly be asked to complete questionnaires about your home circumstances, you life style, your other animals, your family etc.
Please don’t consider this intrusive…the organisations who ask for this are just doing their job to ensure that the rescued galgo is not being taken from the frying pan and thrown into the fire.
Equally, if someone comes to visit you, please don’t feel insulted. It is standard practice.
Joanna Simm explains why.
The fees requested for the adoption of a galgo or podenco are another area that can cause discontent among would be adopters.
People may feel, quite justifiably at first, that they are offering to take in an animal who is unwanted who needs a home, who may have problems, medical or psychological, and feel a little ‘miffed’ that they are also asked to pay a fairly large sum of money.
There are several reasons for the fees that are charged for an adoption.
Almost all rescue organisations will ask that the galgo or galga you adopt be neutered if it has not already been done prior to the adoption. There is a reason for this, and a very good one too.
The problem in Spain that causes these poor dogs to be so abused and abandoned is caused by over population, over breeding. certain areas of Spain are literally so full of galgos that there is no chance of homes for them.
Why neuter?
For many of us who have heard of the terrible plight of the beautiful Galgo dogs in Spain, adoption is an idea that we have embraced as something we can actually do to help.
Most of us do not have a massive disposable income, so donating significant amounts of money is not possible, and we look for other ways to help.
So, can we offer a home to a galgo? Some questions to consider.
Spanish galgos, like greyhounds, can make wonderful pets and dozens of galgos are rehomed by rescue associations. The associations have to rely on the volunteers working in the Spanish refuges to assess the dog’s character, test it with other dogs, cats, etc. Sometimes they get it wrong.
Whether or not a dog is suitable for rehoming depends to a large extent on the treatment of the dog before it arrived at the refuge. Most of them are rehomed without problems, apart from having to be toilet trained! But some of them need rehabilitation before being suitable for a forever home.
