An update from Friendicoes India

AAA partner group in India, Friendicoes, have had a very busy past month. Medical cases treated include colic, lameness, laminitis, wounds (both accidental and from poor treatment by owners), ring bone, fracture, dentition, deworming, Haemoprotozoan, respiratory infection, enteritis, corneal opacity and corneal ulcer, heat stress and an outbreak of Glanders.
One of the most common ailments, particularly during summer, is colic. The lack of clean water for drinking means the animals quickly get dehydrated and this leads to colic. The Friendicoes team provide analgesics and fluid therapy to the animals, and advise the owners to ensure that their horse is given water multiple times a day, and allowed to rest in the shade as much as possible.
One horse presented with a particularly nasty back sore due to improper balancing of the cart he was pulling. The wound was cleaned with antiseptics and dressed, pain killers and tetanus vaccine were given, and the cart was corrected with the help of a local worker. Friendicoes are looking into providing a workshop for the local owners on proper horse-friendly cart design.
Another horse was treated after having fallen on the road a week ago and sustaining an injury. The owner ignored the injury, which lead to it forming a painful abscess. Friendicoes had to open the abscess up, drain it and clean it with antiseptics. Antibiotics, painkillers and a tetanus vaccine were given, and the abscess treatment is ongoing.
In a different incident, a road accident involving a truck caused both owner and horse to be injured. The horse suffered a severe laceration near the rib cage. Physical manipulation did not show any signs of fractured ribs. The wound was cleaned and sutured with antiseptics and painkillers and tetanus vaccine were also administered.

One poor horse was left suffering with chronic diarrhoea for over a month before his owner brought him in. The horse was found to have gastro-intestinal ulcers and was extremely dehydrated. Fluid therapy was started and anti-ulcer drugs given. The owner surrendered the horse to friendicoes and fluid treatment continued at the sanctuary.
Friendicoes also rescued a cow from Gurgaon who had been in an accident injuring his left forelimb, leaving him unable to get up on the fractured leg. The quiet and uncomplaining cow’s leg was put in a splint and bandage and is now able to eat and move around at the recovery point in the sanctuary.
Followers of Friendicoes may remember their water bucket distribution initiative, which is ongoing. Working animal owners are provided with buckets to encourage them to give their animals fresh water as often as possible. Many of the poverty stricken owners are very happy to receive this help. In India, providing water to man or animal is considered “dharma”. Friendicoes and the local owners thank the supporters of Animal Aid Abroad who have helped this initiative continue.