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DODGIE 6/12/2012

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 I got a call from June around 1pm saying she had a koala in
the car! Apparently while Annie was on her way to the doctors
she spotted a koala atempting to take his time crossing Soldiers Pt Rd. She
stopped and ushered him off the road with a cardboard box and called June &
Doug. He has nasty sore eyes, what appear to be old car hit injuries that
have healed and the fur is starting to grow back and no chip. He weighs 8kg
but his head feels boney. He could be old maybe? He is having a holiday with
Aunty Carmel and will see Don in the morning. He is quite placid and wanted
to see what my camera tasted like. Sue

13/12/2012

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My koala in care, Dodgie, is looking much brighter today.  When he came in there was some concern about his old wounds and patchy fur on his head but that's not the problem.  His eyes are sore.  I've been bathing them and applying ointment twice a day but they are still sore.   Alex the vet thought he was wheezing and Sue heard him cough
.    For four days Dodgie sat in the same place all the time and only ate the leaf in the tube next to him. He seems to like to eat only one type of leaf at a time/per day and ignores the rest. He'll eat pretty much anything though, as long as it's fresh.  He doesn't bite or scratch but does dodge the syringe by flinging his head back and forth.  He doesn't like pumpkin yet. . .    He's also got a skin condition  It's a bit like eczema on the inside of his lower hind legs. 
  So I think he'll be in for a while longer yet.  He goes to the vet tomorrow morning. CARMEL

29/12/2012

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2 weeks of chloramphenicol finished more than a week ago, and as he demonstrated to Sue when she did a home visit yesterday, he pees fine. His left eye has been good for a week now too, but the right has needed ointment for another week and is still a little watery (normal?).  This finished last night with a final wash to remove all traces of ointment.  Both eyes look fine this morning.   Dodgie's head is looking better too with fur regrowing.  He's also been treated for what Don thought was a yeasty skin infection on his inner shins and thighs which had extended slightly to dots on his paws.  He's been getting a wash with malaseb dermawash every second day.  It's wiped on with a sponge with a lot of squeaky objections from Dodgie,The dry pale scabby sores have pretty much gone leaving fresh pink skin.  No sign of fur growing back yet though.   He's increased pellets from about 100 per day on arrival to almost 200 monster pellets per day now.  He's not at all aggressive.  He reaches for me gently when I come into the cage wanting some more lovely fresh leaf.  He prefers to gorge himself on one fresh type of leaf per night, rather than grazing through everything. He's been bellowing occasionally for the last 10 days so he feels well. He found the door on the very first night and does move around on the floor but thankfully sticks to his logs with his back to me when I'm working in the cage.   Sue has recommended I make an appointment with Don for him on Wednesday if possible so the skin on his legs can be checked, and to see how his left eye is then, before microchipping him for release, hopefully that day.   

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8/1/2031

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Just two days after Annie and I had released
Dodgie  deep in mozzie infested bush behind Homestead Avenue, he was playing in
the  traffic near the roundabout at old Salamander Shops. He didn't live up to
his  name really, getting hit by a car. Luckily there were no apparent injuries 
 
  
 
So he was released again at Kent Garden
  yesterday morning by Rebecca and I. It was supposed to be further around in
  Green Point Reserve  but we saw two koalas in residence there
  already. 
  
 
Of course he didn't like the tree I sat him at
the  base of, and took off to find his own. He chose an angophora over several
silver  trunked gums with scratch marks on them but I'm sure he would have moved
last  night again anyway. An interested neighbour said she would keep an eye on
him. I  suggested if she sees any hot koalas today that she might like to offer
them a  cool down under her backyard sprinkler.
 

Whether Dodgie heard our many pleas not to ever
  play in the traffic again, I guess we'll have to wait and see. Play safe big
  boy!  I hope you like this release site.  
  
 
kind regards,
Carmel

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