Community Health Center
In coordination with the Sistema Regional de Salud de San Miguelito, Las Cumbres y Chilibre; Spay/Panama sterilized 40 dogs and 2 cats on Sunday, November 1, 2009. The animals were also dewormed, had their ears cleaned, sprayed against fleas and ticks, given an injection of vitamins and vaccinated against rabies.
This blitz represented a cost savings to the community of approximately $4,000 if we consider that a sterilization in a veterinary clinic can cost $100. It should be noted that ALL the animals that were operated were from low income families, who can not afford to pay the operation in a regular veterinary clinic.
The results of the blitz represented to the Zoonosis Department a reduction in the dog population of 175 puppies (35 x 5) this year if we consider that the 35 sterilized female dogs could have litters of 5 puppies each. Next year, the blitz represents a reduction of the dog population by 700 if we consider that 60% of the litters are females
(175 + (105 x 5))
Total collected from the guardians and rescuers was $29, the equivalent of $0.69 per animal.
Spay/Panama has the equipment and qualified veterinarians to perform over 100 operations in less than 8 hours.
20% of the operated dogs had Sticker tumor or canine transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT). This tumor is contagious among dogs through sexual or social contact. The sad part is that none of the guardians knew what their dogs had. This tumor is treated with chemiotherapy.
