January 2007

LOG-BOOK:

News about the Bird-flu is in red and about the environment in blue

January 1^st:  and of course we were disturbed last night about that was shot in Ánaxos (the following we wrote December 30^th: “At 10.38 p.m. a phone-call from Ánaxos about a shot (stray ?) doggie that was bleeding. Told we could only do something if the creature was brought over here and that we couldn’t keep it. A phone-number of a vet in his neighborhood the guy didn’t want to have anymore . . . . had probably already done enough.”) > now it was a lady and she wanted to listen in any case. To her some phone-numbers were given. So the doggie was still alive and soo urgent it hadn’t been evidently. At 11.30 a.m. we had send all Annual Reports by e-mail !!

January 2^nd:  all shops are closed; if they hadn’t had enough days-off yet !! And next Saturday (Epiphany) again everything is closed . . . !! Today busy with the monthly charging of all batteries, but as well with gathering materials for the neutering-program.

January 3^rd:  it’s raining, storming and there is a thunderstorm, but the temperatures are (still) high > today till 19 Centigrade !! Today the weekly “meat-cutting-day” and in total 12,21 kilo meat, liver & minced-meat was “processed” with a total amount of 72,37 Euro.

January 4^th: with the help of Melanie, Frans & Mariëtte from Pétra, the House-next-door was, after being empty for several months, prepared for the new inhabitants, who are coming tomorrow-evening. Two Greek visitors from Mytiléne. From the Internet, and an addition to what was published on our site December 30^th ’06:

 Lost water to be costly

Law to punish waste; adopt EU rules on management, quality

Households will be charged more for wasting water under a presidential decree that is being prepared by the government aimed at cleaning up and preserving the country’s water resources. The soon-to-be adopted law, seen by Kathimerini, encompasses European Union directives. Brussels threatened Athens with legal action in 2005 for breaching environmental laws.                             “By 2010 pricing policies need to offer the necessary incentives to consumers to use water resources more carefully,” a draft copy of the decree said. Brussels is also threatening to take Greece to court over the quality of its drinking water. The EU contends that more than 18,000 people in various parts of Greece are being forced to drink water that is contaminated with toxic substances. According to tests carried out by the Health Ministry, drinking water in 18 municipalities, mainly in central Macedonia, has been found to contain traces of nitrate, ammonia and arsenic. The decree will introduce changes such as a more accurate system of measuring the water users consume.                                                                                               Additionally, regional authorities will be required to monitor water quality in their district and will also be instructed on how to test the water appropriately. The law will place most of the responsibility regarding water management, protection and replacement upon the shoulders of regional officials. The expected changes will help provide a more complete legislative framework for water management after partial changes were introduced in 2003.                                                                                                    Apart from concerns over the quality of water, Greece will likely face water shortages unless its supply is properly managed. According to experts, changing temperatures and an increasing lack of water are two of the key difficulties Greece must contend with in the near future.                                                                                                                                                                    Sources said that the Council of State, the country’s highest administrative court, gave the green light to the presidential decree draft a few days ago regarding any possible legal hitches.

Our disabled Peregrine (06-233; November 15^th) today started at last to eat by himself !!

January 5^th: the baby Marginated Tortoise was 44 gram this morning. We started the “real” working-day with repairing and replacing the lightning in the House-next-door, which had “broken down a bit” yesterday during the cleaning over there. At 10.05 a.m. a phone-call from Skála Kallonís about a COOT which should be injured > picked-up. See further over there. From the Internet:

Heat could kill off fish

Study shows rising temperatures putting sea organisms at risk

Fish that live in the Mediterranean are in danger of being killed off, according to a Greek study seen by Kathimerini which shows that rising sea temperatures could have a devastating effect on sea life. Research released yesterday by the Aristotle University in Thessaloniki suggests that a rise of just a few degrees in the temperature of the sea will cause fish to die in vast numbers. The study was made public on the same day that climate scientists in Britain predicted that 2007 will probably be the hottest year on record.                                                                                                                                                                                       Greek researchers have been conducting tests for the last five years to establish the impact that a rise in sea temperatures and an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the water will have on sea organisms. “We are researching the lowest temperature above which the effect on fish will be seen,” the head of the program, Assistant Professor Vassilis Michailidis, told Kathimerini. “It is especially important that the tolerance levels of the organism to changes in their environment be established.” Earth’s average temperature has increased by up to 1 degree Celsius over the last few years and scientists predict that it will increase by some 5 degrees Celsius over the next few decades. The university’s research indicates this could kill off fish in Greek seas.

“The fish in the Mediterranean, especially the Sea Bream that we have studied – as they are the most popular type in fish farms – ideally live in temperatures of 18-22C,” said Michailidis. “Above 26C, fish cannot breath well and do not take in enough oxygen,” he added. “When the temperature rises above 29C their cardiac system does not operate well and there is an increased rate of death.”                                                                                                                                                                         Scientists have also identified the increasing amount of carbon dioxide in seawater, which makes it more acidic, as a threat to fish. “The constant emissions of carbon dioxide will lead to a fall in the pH value of seawater from 8.2 to 7.4 over the next 90 year,” said Michailidis. “Experiments have shown that organisms should not be exposed to these pH levels.”                       Even if fish such as the Sea Bream, which is common in Greek waters, survive these changes, scientists believe that many other organisms on which fish feed will be killed, thereby putting fish at risk as well.

Exactly at the minute the plane from Athens landed (and such a thing was even for our Greek taxi-driver a “miracle”) and so arrived over here at 9.20 p.m. both veterinarians Marinda and Mirjam.

January 6^th:  we couldn’t measure the Coot anymore > was too vivacious. If this situation will continue today there will be a release tomorrow. To start with both veterinarians had an excursion in the L.W.H.

January 7^th:  the Coot has recovered so much, that he/she last night (in an effort to escape from the cage) has damaged the nails from the middle toes from both feet till it bleeds. After we had sprayed both nails with a water-resistant spray, the bird was released at 8.25 a.m. in the Salines. The rest of the day was filled with preparing of the sets for the surgeries of tomorrow (they were sterilized later), the gathering of materials etc. etc. We received a message from Holland that our released Coot was a female.

January 8^th: we joined both Vets to the “Agrotikí Stégi” in Kalloní where today 8 stray cats and tom-cats the joy of parenthood for the future was taken away. Some animals were soo wild, that thick leather gloves were penetrated !! In the evening (in an inky darkness) our assistance was asked by the Veterinarian Team of the “Agrotikí Stégi” for the treatment of a severe ill horse on the field behind our house > done with pleasure. Not in the statistics.

January 9^th:  the baby Marginated Tortoise was 45 gram this morning (at the date of hatching, October 22^nd ’06 this was 12 gram !!). Both Vets left at 7.40 a.m. together with Ineke for Kalloní and (in principle) they are with 9 cats on their own today; the work over here, which wasn’t done yesterday, should be done today. It was “meat-cutting-day” and with the help of Douglas and Janice there was processed 11,355 kilo of meat, liver & minced-meat (total-amount of 69,20 Euro) [ in total now 23,565 kilo for 141,57 Euro]. At 12.40 o’clock a phone-call from the neighborhood of Agiássos about a severe injured little cat (the head seems to be a little “deformed”) one is trying to bring the cat here. At 1.20 p.m. a camera-man from the island-TV-station “Archipélargos” came to film over here for a program that will be in the air next Saturday. And at 1.50 p.m. we had a phone-call from one of the Vets, that they hadn’t been able to work due to X-rays that had to be made and that at that moment there was a power-cut . . . . !! At 2.05 p.m. a phone-call from Eftaloú about our ex-patient “Hómerus”  (tom-cat; 06-219, October 22^nd till November 11^th ’06) > he isn’t doing well and is probably coming back (leg-amputation ??). Due to all problems both ladies were back home at 7.40 p.m.

January 10^th:  both Vets left base at 7.55 a.m. for Kalloní, where 8 cats are waiting for them. After we had already been confronted with a military tank-lorry loaded with diesel, of which one of the stopcocks had opened . . . . (our car was skating in all directions !!), we were “rejoiced” again with this phenomena after we received a phone-call from one of the Vets: “maybe this cat was already neutered in the past” > so we went for a ride to have a look and tell the truth. Was indeed the case. On our way to Kalloní there was Police everywhere and soldiers were swarming all around > a car with 4-WD was laying with four “legs into the air”!! Luckily one started with sanding and by the village-loudspeaker-system in our village and in Kalloní people were warned. One hour later both ladies could be picked-up and most obstacles had disappeared; in difficult corners the road was sanded and one was busy in the straight parts of the road. At 1.45 p.m. back-at-base.

January 11^th:  for today 8 cats are “programmed” of which in any case 2 Tom-cats. Departed at 8.05 a.m. for Kalloní, while in the meantime there is quite a huge uncertainty about the flight of number 3 of the team, Annella. Due to the storm in Holland delays are to be expected and then it’s the question if she’ll have the connecting flight from Athens. Did we discover yesterday afternoon in the pigeon-cage in “The Keep” a died-off part of a wing (but then it was too late to perform any action), today we discovered that the former owner of this wing-part (Pigeon 06-249; December 14^th ’06) was stepping on the hanging wing. Bird was caught and the present hole in the wing (after cleaning) was closed with 1 U-stitch. Further all big feathers of that wing were clipped. About half past ten a phone-call from Kalloní, that a stray bitch was “offered for neutering”. The dog should be adopted by people already in the possession of a male one. After deliberation with the Agrotikí Stégi decided to “de-mother” the bitch tomorrow. So tomorrow there will be present 6 cats, 1 dog and 1 bitch. At 12.20 o’clock a phone-call from Eftaloú about the little tom-cat “Hómerus” (see as well January 9^th) which seems to be in a worse condition > will be brought. In the Crow-cage in the court-yard of the House-next-door a double shelter against rain & snow was placed; close to the floor, so disabled birds can enter as well. The announced tom-cat arrived at 1.33 p.m. > see further over there. The care-taker, a woman from Mólivos was shown-around as well. In the afternoon we could read that the plane for Athens had left with only 1 hour delay > so should be possible to be here tonight.

January 12^th:  ultimately Annella arrived even 5 minutes too early yesterday evening > so miracles still exist with Olympic Airways !! The baby Marginated Tortoise was 46 gram this morning. Departed was at 8.05 a.m. and at the Shell-Petrol station we heard that in Mandamádos (a village close by) there was an outbreak of a contagious disease in sheep and a whole flock had to be destroyed. In the Agrotikí Stégi we heard that it should be a case of Bluetongue > already 91 animals were destroyed. A doggie, which was hit by a car already days before X-mass, came for a second opinion and advices were given. It showed to be that the electric hair-clippers were yesterday taken back to the L.W.H. for cleaning, but that no-one had said so. This essential tool was still in the surgery over here > Joris had to go back cleaning the tool and bring it back to Kalloní. In the afternoon Annella was given an excursion over here.

January 13^th:  because we have closed all holes through which rats could enter “The Keep”, the ventilation now is quite insufficient: everywhere a lot of condensation and wood is expanding in a way some doors of cages couldn’t be closed well or opened with lots of difficulties. With the help of Jeroen those doors (but as well the door of the Zoökomeio) were repaired. Further we improved the ventilation by placing a rotating flue-extractor on top of the roof. As well a roof was made above the feeding-place of the Barn Owls to prevent manure falling into the feeding-bowls. Melanie first assisted with cleaning cages and hereafter in the rooms which are in use by as well people as animals. The three vets were taken for a long weekend in Mólivos where they will be treated by (a part of) the grateful villagers. They will be brought next Monday to the Shelter in Skála Eressoú to work over there next week.

January 14^th:  the past days we have concerned ourselves quite intensively with a Tom-cat in Holland, with which the owners (in vain) had visited a Vet. Hereunder a part from a grateful e-mail:

 “Hello Joris and Ineke, we have promised to report about our sick Tom-cat Joris, now here it is: HE IS DOING FINE !!! We only give him during the night the Rescue Remedy, because during the day it makes him sleepy. Today he was for the first time out the house and he is enjoying it. We don’t find any blood anymore, the lemon we stopped, and he is able to urinate like a water-fall, we can hear it even outside the litter-box. In a word: we are sóó grateful.

What the Vet couldn’t reach with her expensive (more than 630 Euro > note of the L.W.H.) medicines, you did, THANK YOU, A THOUSAND TIMES THANK YOU ! We were at our wits’ end, he was ill already for such a long time. If we ever can do something for you, you should tell us !! Warm greetings from the five of us, together with the cats the ten of us (eh . . . 17, we also have two guinea-pigs and 5 fishes), and a lot of success with your mighty wonderful work !”

And so let it be written.

In spite of the, still present, diarrhoea we started to give the little Tom-cat “Hómerus” a, quite heavy, antibiotic-cure. As well 4 times a day Norit is given ( 250 mgr/day). We have discovered that his rear-leg is affected till about the heel > as soon as it is possible we must amputate the leg. Two Jehovah’s who wanted to convince us, were convinced by Ineke to a more animal-friendly point-of-view (after they had been shown around). From the green stable-clothes, we received from the Foundation for Animal-help in Venezuela, this morning the trousers were adapted to a less “seated life”.

January 15^th:  the baby Marginated Tortoise was 48 gram this morning. Thanks to (?? Or in spite of ??) the started therapy the droppings of the little Tom-cat “Hómerus” are becoming more concrete. However, he has a huge conjunctivitis in both eyes > this due to the faeces which he has spread really everywhere ?? Today was again “meat-cutting day” and 12,225 kilo (for 73,75 Euro) were processed by Ineke with the help of Douglas & Janice. Total this year now 35,790 kilo for 215,32 Euro. We heard from the “meat-cutting-crew” that they had seen us on TV last Saturday: it showed to be they had given us a separate “item” (see as well January 9^th). At the end of the morning the faeces of “Hómerus” were (except for the color > Norit !!) normal again . . . . !! The amputation of the rear-leg is in principle planned for the 18^th. Around night-fall a phone-call from the three Vets, who are now in Skála Eressoú: in spite of the moving-over they had been able to help a lot of animals.

January 16^th:  the droppings of “Hómerus” may be normal of constitution now, but with his lame rear-leg he is dragging through the faeces and so as well he as his cage still were this morning one immense “shit-set”. We have discovered that in the House-next-door in the living at least three joists (above the apothíki = bedroom of “Mispoes”) are sóó moldered that those should be replaced . . . . !! We started quietly with the completing of the cages for birds of prey in the Sick Bay. Our leg-less and one-winged Jackdaw (05-205; August 31^st 2005) was sitting at the end of the afternoon quite lethargic at the bottom of the Crow-aviary and tumbled down for the last time in the Sick-Bay at 4.17 p.m. . . .!! In spite of his disabilities he survived quite long, was always sprightly and full of mischief !

January 17^th:  the baby Marginated Tortoise started a growing-sprint and was 50 gram this morning. We could continue with the completing of the cages for birds of prey in the Sick-Bay: the first cage is almost ready. The little Tom-cat “Hómerus” started to become worse in the afternoon: refused to eat and showed to have a lot of pain. He was ice-cold as well. So it’s the question if there will be a surgery tomorrow. In the evening we contacted the care-taker (in Holland) here about.

January 18^th:  “Hómerus” couldn’t stand on his legs anymore this morning and was tumbling all the time. Mindful of the contact with the care-taker we decided to put him down . . . .  We transferred the Peregrine (06-233; November 15^th ’06) to the aviary outside together with the other one; hoping he will eat over there as good as he did in the Sick-Bay. At 10.15 a.m. the first cage for the birds of prey was ready. Against nightfall we took back the Peregrine and fed him: being outside has been sóó interesting !

January 19^th:  the baby Marginated Tortoise was 51 gram this morning. We received a phone-call that next Monday the whole school (45 children) from Kerámio is coming to visit us. At 11.35 a.m. the 2^nd cage for the birds of prey was ready.

January 20^th:  while Melanie was busy with cleaning cages and Jeroen started with the floor of the corridor in “The Keep”, we continued with the cages for birds of prey in the Sick-Bay. At 2.10 p.m. a phone-call from a woman in Mytiléne who had a pigeon in a bad condition. She’ll figure out how to get the bird to the L.W.H., because at thát time of the day of course there were no coaches anymore in our direction. At 4.20 p.m. we discovered (after she had tried to escape) that the Sparrowhawk (06-224; October 23^rd ’06) had a severe “bumble-foot” in the good leg > taken back and this infection was treated. See further by SPARROWHAWK. At 4.23 p.m. we received a phone-call from the Shelter in Skála Eressoú that a just released cat was walking around where “everything was hanging outside” > so probably snapped stitches. Will be brought and was over here at 5.28 p.m. See further by CAT.

January 21^st:  at 7.15 a.m. we received a phone-call from the two (remaining) Vets, that they had discovered on the wat back from the airport a knocked-down dog with an open fracture of the rear-leg > they should come and bring the dog. See further by BITCH. And in spite of all consternation around this poor soul, the 3^rd cage for birds of prey was ready at 10.30 a.m. Our pregnant Greek friend Násja passed-by with her mother, bringing a little puppy for examination (evidently she is practicing with the pup, because she is already living together with her fiancé !!). The pup had on one rear-leg a double thumb, of which in any case one should be removed > agreed for next month when we have trainees again. In the afternoon it showed to be that the little cat, which was re-stitched yesterday, is doing quite well: till now on no signs of an inflammation and/or fever !

January 22^nd:  already for some days we have problems with the Central Heating and this morning it refused to start completely !! At 7.50 a.m., while we were hurrying to have everything ready for the planned excursion, there came a phone-call from the Shelter in Skála Eressoú about another cat with the “whole interior hanging out” !! Will be brought, but this is evidently not a good advertisement !! The excursion was totally 56 persons (children & teachers). The cat was brought-in around 10 a.m. and it was even a bigger mess than the one before . . . !! With the same “shipment” a little Tom-cat was brought in, about which there had been contact in the past and where (at least) one eye should be removed; see further by CAT and TOM-CAT. At 12.15 o’clock the 4^th cage for the birds of prey was ready. We received a phone-call from Mytiléne from Ineke, that the condition of her lungs is worsening and that she needs an admission . . . . And that will be in Athens . . . . !!

The last Saturday (the 20^th) taken-in and re-stitched cat has produced droppings at last !!

January 23^rd:  the baby Marginated Tortoise was 52 gram this morning. The yesterday taken-in (and re-stitched) cat had a good night; however didn’t produce yet any droppings. And while on one side there was constructed, at the other side (in the kitchen) there was the weekly “meat-cutting-day”: today 15,570 kilo for 96,24 Euro. In total now this year 51,360 kilo for 311,56 Euro. And at 11.50 a.m. there was again a (little) cage ready, after first lots of joints in between tiles had to be closed; as well in the two new cages above. Returning from some shopping, we discovered just outside the village, next to the carpenters-shop op our carpenter a knocked-down puppy: everyone made a curve around him, but no-one did anything. Taken home > see by PUPPY. At 6.10 p.m. a phone-call from Plomári about an, already discovered January 21^st, little bird of prey; probably a Sparrowhawk. Will be “delivered” tomorrow with the coach from 1.15 p.m. from Mytiléne. Our eldest cat “Clara” (97-064; May ’97), which at the time was sterilized by a Greek Vet (but where the ovaries remained intact !!), is now already suffering for days from an immense pyometra (womb-infection) > she is already under antibiotics, but the womb must be removed > is going to happen next Saturday, when we have back here the instruments now in use by the 2 Dutch Vets.

January 24^th:  for today among other things we planned the removal of the eyes of the little Tom-cat, taken-in the day before yesterday.  And that happened in exactly 22 minutes > see further by TOM-CAT. Neither the Dasarcheío (Forestry Department) nor the Dasonomeío (Forest Patrol) could pick-up the injured bird of prey in Plomári, because: . . . . the man who had discovered the bird (a hunter !) was today in the mountains again (murdering again defenseless animals ?? ) and didn’t come to Mytiléne today  > he will call us this evening to make an appointment for tomorrow . . . ?? At 11.10 a.m. one of te two Dutch vets phoned from Mólivos that they had over there already for two days a cat with neurological disorders > they’ll pass-by this afternoon !! At exactly 12 o’clock the next (small) cage was ready; only the door should be removed again to open better, because the tiles and the door have a problem together. 

Warm, dry spell threatens Greek crops

Temperatures 3 degrees above normal

VASSILIKI PASCHALI/ANA

The sun shines as wildflowers bloom near sparse snow in Karyes on Mount Olympus, central Greece, yesterday. This is set to be the driest January since 1989 and temperatures are some 3 degrees C above the seasonal average.

The temperatures in Athens and Thessaloniki are some three degrees above the average for this time of year and the unseasonably warm weather that Greece has experienced in recent weeks could have devastating consequences on the country’s agricultural sector, officials told Kathimerini yesterday.

The lack of rain this winter as well as the increased temperatures have upset crops and unless there is a gradual shift to more wintry weather, they will suffer. “If it does not rain across Greece, the situation will be very serious,” Agricultural Development Ministry official Giorgos Georgakopoulos told Kathimerini. “The current weather conditions are definitely damaging crops. The wheat is withering because of the drought. The blossoming of trees, particularly citrus trees, will bring production  forward.”  The head of the assessment department of the Hellenic Agricultural Insurance Organization (ELGA), Anastassis Anastassakos, believes the current situation is “very bad” for Greek farming.

He said that some livestock breeders are having difficulty finding grass on which to graze their animals and farmers in southern Greece cannot plant spring vegetables because the land is too dry.                                                                                                  European Union agricultural ministers are due to meet in Brussels on Monday and Greece’s minister, Evangelos Bassiakos, is expected to ask for measures to be taken to protect the environment and the water table while also requesting support for crops and farmers affected by drought.       

The head of forecasting at the National Meteorological Service (EMY), Dimitris Ziakopoulos, told Kathimerini that this has not been the hottest January on record but the average temperature in Athens this month has been 15.5 Celsius (60 Fahrenheit) whereas it is usually 12.6C (55F). The average in Thessaloniki has been 12.7C (55F) this month compared to the normal January average of 9.3C (49F). Ziakopoulos said this month is likely to be the driest January for 18 years. So far a total of only 1.3 millimeters of rainfall has been recorded in Athens. Rainfall in January usually reaches 49 millimeters.

The announced cat with the neurological problems arrived at last at almost 4.45, but had died in the car on it’s way to the L.W.H. . . . . !! At 9.20 p.m. we received the expected phone-call from the man in Plomári with the bird of prey > the bird had meanwhile changed the temporarily existence for the eternal . . . . (what can one expect after so many days without treatment and/or food ??).

January 25^th:  the baby Marginated Tortoise was 53 gram this morning. At 9 a.m. the door of the yesterday build cage was repaired. We think that the little Tom-cat with the eye-problems and the 2^nd re-stitched cat are mother and son: he was constantly crying for her (and she for him) and now they are together in one cage, and she is nursing him. We started constructing 2 big cages under the cages for birds of prey: cages which can be changed into one huge one by removing a partition and v.v.

Today the two remaining Dutch Vets have finished the sterilization-program and they are going back to Holland tomorrow. In total since the beginning of the program 151 animals were treated: 91 cats, 56 Tom-cats, 3 dogs & 1 bitch. Thanks to their dedication there will be a lot less animal-suffering in the next future on this island. Thanks a lot on behalf of the animals, which can’t say this by themselves (although maybe they didn’t appreciate the surgeries !)

At 6.15 p.m. a phone-call from Káto Trítos about a gull, of which one wing should be a “mess”; the caller already had visited the Vet Paleológos. The bird will be brought tomorrow. And at 7.57 p.m. first a call from the Vet Myrsíni Tourvalí about a pigeon which “something wrong with a wing” (according to her salmonella ??), but we should be phoned later about this bird. And that happened at 8.30 p.m. and as well this bird will be brought tomorrow. We received an e-mail from an American colleague from the State of North Carolina in which our help was requested for a Pigeon, where the “top beak was broken off to the nostrils”. We were able forwarding her mail to the expert in those cases: Sir Les Stocker MBE, who on our request has taken-over the coaching.

January 26^th:  we were barbarous disturbed in our sleep when at 4.30 a.m. both Vets were ringing at the door to bring back the borrowed  materials . . . . (“eh, we are a bit early we believe . . . .”). A huge part of the morning-working-hours was used to make our surgery “workable” again, sorting out the brought-back materials, sterilizing instruments and so on. A pity that not all borrowed materials had been brought-back . . . !

In spite of that, we were capable constructing a part of the double cage: one quarter is ready now. At almost half past ten the announced Pigeon arrived > see further over there. The discoverer/bearer became a conducted tour as well. And in stead of after 3.30 p.m. the bearer of the Gull was at our doorstep at 2.30 p.m. > so in the midst of the siesta. But it had been “the hand of the Gods” to leave her work so early, because now she could pick-up in the village of Íppio a shot Pigeon. So see further by YELLEOW-LEGGED GULL and by PIGEON II.

January 27^th:  all yesterday taken-in patients were still alive this morning. The baby Marginated Tortoise was 54 gram. At 8 a.m. we started with the surgery by the cat “Clara” (97-064; May ’97), and it was quite necessarily !! See further by CLARA. Much needed assistance was given by Melanie, who hereafter kept herself busy with among other things the most necessarily cleaning of cages etc. Jeroen showed his artistic qualities again with the second part of the floor of the corridor in “The Keep”. And we continued with the construction of the double cage, while as well half of the stitches of the first re-stitched cat were removed.

January 28^th:  did we have yesterday still 16 degrees centigrade, this morning at 6.15 a.m. it was hailing/snowing !!

All duties of Ineke concerning the animals (feeding, cleaning etc) had to be taken over and we have an electronic warning-system, with which she can give an alarm-sign . . . !!

Around 8.30 a.m. we had to take back again from the Barn Owl-cage in “The Keep” the White Barn Owl (06-203; October 6^th ’06), because there had been “swimming” and the bird couldn’t reach again the sleeping-nest > was soaking and soaking wet !! And in spite of all problems concerning Ineke’s health, arranging that she can leave for Athens as quick as possible, etc. etc., the first half of the big cage was finished today ! We have discovered that in the shot Pigeon from Íppio there is as well a pellet-hole in the breast (closed with 2 agrafes) and a ditto in the crop (closed with 4 agrafes). There is a bad passage of seeds from the crop to the stomach as well !!

January 29^th:  everything & everyone was still alive this morning ! The baby Marginated Tortoise was 57 gram. For the first time in all those years in Ágia Paraskeví the shopping for the animals wasn’t done by Ineke > it was really like being “out of place” !! Doing so, we heard in the Agrotikí Stégi that from the sterilization-program in Mólivos one Tom-cat with a severe bleeding was “delivered” over there > they could fix it. For the “meat-cutting-crew” we had today in total 12,68 kilo for a total amount of 76,46 Euro. In total now this year 64,040 kilo for 388,02 Euro. The January 20^th retaken-in Sparrowhawk we have transferred again to the cage in the House-next-door: it’s not really improving and due to the situation of the legs this won’t happen in the future as well. We could remove the last stitches from the belly of the first re-stitched cat. From Pétra Melanie brought with her a little Tom-cat, which was roaming already for days around her house. See further by TOM-CAT. We arranged a meeting with  Douglas & Janice, Frans and Melanie about how things should happen when Ineke isn’t here. There will come some help during some mornings of the week in any case. We were able to work (a bit) in the double cage in the Sick-Bay.

January 30^th:  the baby Marginated Tortoise was 58 gram this morning. At 9.55 a.m. again a part of the double cage was finished; now only the door, the partition and emptying the cages. The constantly leaking (modern !) water-tap in the Sick-Bay is changed by an (almost) antique brass one, “rescued” May last year from the demolishing of the house of our opposite neighbor Yiánnis. This old thing isn’t leaking at all !!

January 31^st:  at 10.55 a.m. the door of the double cage was finished; now only the partition and emptying.

Total amount of visitors this month:  065                      (total this year: 065)

Kinds of animals who are mentioned like this were for the first time in treatment in the L.W.H.  

Amount of kilometers (Animal-Ambulance) for bringing-in/releasing animals this month 035 (total this year 0035 kilometers)

Total amount of intakes this month: 13 [wild ones: 05; others 08], (total this year 013 > : wild ones 005, others 008; total since the start of registration in 1996: 3556),  of which:

COOT (Fulica atra): 1 adult from Skála Kallonís, was discovered in the streets the evening of the 4^th; should be

injured. Over here no injuries could be discovered > observation. Is in any case too light. (only 518 gram). And because it’s the first patient of this year, we took a picture of him/her

After further examinations we discovered a small hemorrhage on top of the bill > had a “kiss” from a car ?? (see as well January 7^th).

TOM-CAT (Felis catus): 3; the first a quite young specimen from Eftaloú (had been here before: 06-219): now severe diarrhoea and the right rear-leg is really one mess. First we’ll try to get a perfect command of the diarrhoea and afterwards the leg will be amputated.

(see as well January 17^th  & 18^th ) The 2^nd came from the Shelter in Skála Eressoú > severe eye-problems. At least one eye should be removed.

After a further inspection on the day of intake, it showed to be that probably the other eye should be removed as well. Because the poor soul is already blind for 99%, this will not make a big difference. But it can safe at least his life. Had his surgery without problems January 24^th. The 3^rd came from Pétra and was even much younger than number one. Had been roaming around already for days with more than a severe diarrhoea and was hardly savable anymore > put down.

SPARROWHAWK (Accipiter nisus): 1 from the L.W.H. > severe bumble-foot right leg. Emptied and taped. Put under antibiotics.

CAT (Felis catus): 2; both from/via the Shelter in Skála Eressoú. The first was sterilized the day before intake over here and released one day afterwards (so this morning). All stitches were snapped and the “whole interior” was hanging outside; it took almost 20 minutes before everything was clean and without dirt and sand. Stitched again and put under a heavy umbrella of antibiotics. Will stay here till all is closed well. The second had the same problem as the first . . . !! Only now the mess was even bigger (but not so dirty, because it happened indoors)  > re-stitched.

BITCH (Canis familiaris): one quite young specimen from somewhere around Mória: knocked-down and was laying in the verge of the main-road. Discovered by the two Vets Marinda & Mirjam : at intake in the L.W.H. we saw quite a huge skin-injury on the head, but as well that the “fracture” wasn’t a fracture, but that the whole knee was damaged and that the lower part of the femur was coming out. So “prognosis infaust” and the dog was put down.

PUPPY (Canis familiaris): 1 from our village. Knocked-down and discovered laying half on the road. Was still alive and taken with us. At home-coming he succumbed. Showed to be a male, had a closed fracture of the right tibia ánd quite a huge prolaps ani: so was hit in the belly. So had been lost in any case.

PIGEON (Columba livia dom.): 2; the first came from Mytiléne. According to a Vet over there it should be Salmonella (but in thát case, she should be the first to euthanize the bird !!). We did a puncture in an abscess  (??) in the right wing. Further observation & wait and see. The 2^nd (which was a look-alike with the 1^st) was discovered alongside the road in Íppio. Open fracture left wing (shot). Splinted and antibiotics. (see as well January 28^th)

YELLOWLEGGED GULL (Larus cachinnans michael.): 1; discovered in Thérma. The wing which should be a “mess” wasn’t so bad as it was announced: indeed an open fracture of the hand-part of the left wing, but not complicated. Splinted and antibiotics. Is probably shot as well. During an examination later that day in the afternoon a shot-hole was discovered in the belly; behind/above the right leg.

CLARA (Felis catus): from the L.W.H.  (see as well January 23^rd & 27^th): an immense pyometra was removed and it was “a close shave” >  the perforation had already started !! It showed that the method, used by the Greek Vet in the past, has had as a consequence (not only the pyometra) that in both uterus-horns there had grown a connection again in between the cut parts !! We have given her all the time to recover and she started to become conscious again a bit around 10 a.m. However, at midday there was no hart-beat nor respiration anymore. Of course we have removed the stitches to see if anything had gone “wrong” inside, but everything was clean and there was no blood-leaking. So e must conclude that the (by the way strictly speaking too) light anesthetic at last was fatal for her. She has lived almost 10 years with us, was the most ideal foster-mother for all orphaned kittens and was the last cat that still remained from Thermís.