Free Clinic Day Sponsored by
Sedgwick County Animal Response Team (SCART)
Check In: Silvia with Mama Cat and Four kids
The all day SCART event took place on Saturday, March 11 at Wichita's Interfaith Ministries with a makeshift clinic set up in their basement.
SCART in cooperation with Inter-Faith Ministries hosted the bi-annual pet wellness clinic event, which also function as practice drills for animal response volunteers while offering free pet wellness exams, vaccinations and city license information for pets whose owners are experiencing or have recently experienced homelessness or poverty.
Exams were provided by Skaer Veterinary Clinic and services were free of charge. Information about no cost spay and neuter options was also available. The event was limited to dogs and cats. Proof of low income was required, by appointment only set up several months ago.
Cold day yesterday. Mostly dog owners came to event. The outdoor receiving and registration area was cordoned off to help keep loose doggies from running away. All the tables were covered by canopies.
Silvia's four kids are seven years old. Mama Cat is about eight.
After filling out paperwork for each kitty, carriers were tagged to correspond with each kitty's paperwork. Then Silvia, a volunteer and I carried the carriers over to a covered semi-circle waiting area of chairs covered by a large canopy before going in the building.
The Cat exam room was actually the women's restroom.
Natasha was first to be seen. She watched Mama Silvia a lot to know what to do. She was very good and wasn't scared. Every kitty had their teeth checked, bladder and abdomen checked, overall health. Then received distemper and rabies shots, and topicals for deworming and fleas.
Guero, who had been having diarrhea problems this last week, was thankfully well enough now to get his vaccinations. Dr. Christen Skaer checked both Guero and Gordo's surgeries. Gordo PU surgery, only a few weeks ago, was healing well. (PU = perineal urethrostomy).
Sometimes Mama Narcisca gets a brown discharge. Silvia asked Dr. Skaer about that and she suggested that Mama be checked for crystal problems in her urine since two of her boys had to have PU surgery for crystal blockage.
Two of the flea products they had on hand were Frontline or Cheristin. Had not heard of Cheristin before. (Cheristin FAQs) Cheristin is apparently safer for young cats and kittens. (FAQ page states, "Low-volume dose is effective for all cats 1.8 pounds or greater")
Vet Exam Kitty Selfies:
Natasha
Gordo
Guero
Ronnie
Mama Narcisca
After examinations, Kitties were checked out at the "Reclaim" Table. Silvia was told by Dr. Skaer and SCART that if any kitty seemed to be having a reaction, take to ER to be checked and treated and treatment would be paid for. Every kitty received paperwork and a rabies tag in an envelope.
Review of the event:
One little dog got loose and happily ran around excited. The volunteers were calm and easily helped the little dachshund return to his Mama.
Two of the topicals were placed too low below the cat's collars. When Silvia got her kitties home, they started trying to groom each other and began gagging and drooling. If the topicals had been put just above the collar line, would have been harder for the siblings to get it in their mouths during mutual grooming.
Natasha did not take to all the vaccinations and topicals as well as Mom and her littermates. She curled up in a ball and refused to eat. She also staggered to the litterbox. We took her to the ER for a checkup. At ER, Silvia was told that only the checkup would be covered and not any treatment if needed. After some discussion (heated), Natasha's treatment was also covered (Benedryl shot).
In Conclusion: Event went well and very organized. Plenty of volunteers who were professional and calm - very good with animals. However I will be contacting SCART to find out why ER said that treatment was not covered, only the exam if needed.
We're joining Cat on My Head for the Sunday Selfie Blog Hop: http://thecatonmyhead.com/snoozy-sunday-selfie/