27TH FEB 2012
Footrot Flats was hit by a car on Monday morning at 6am.... Sue delivered him to me at about 9ish... He is a 7750 gram young adult male.. He was hit near ... yes, you got it ... On Nelson Bay Road near Footrot Flats ( for those who don't know it is approx half way between the Anna bay round about and Frost Road). He had sever head injuries and prognosis poor... When he tries to move his brain cant work out what his eyes are seeing so he thinks he is falling .. of course he then tries to grab hold of anything close to stop himself, so don't be standing too close when he does it... Taken to Don from noahs ark vet put on pain relief..
Back to Don from noahs ark vet on Wed.. actually seems a little better, tries to position change himself.. loves supp feeds (back to grinding leaf again ). Thursday evening actually managed to eat leaf that was held up for him.. and also that night "trapped" some and ate it .. he cant get his hands to hold it ... that was a good day hasn't managed since... So now he is able to get out of the basket.. havent seen him do it no doubt falls ( with purpose) when on the ground he can manage to sit himself up.. but he absolutely trashes the cot in the process.. He has very little control over his arms and legs and when he is concentrating on something he goes into spasm again but this is happening less frequently.. The photo with the pink ear ( laceration ) was taken after his feed Photo 1481 taken on his first day..
Back to Don from noahs ark vet on Wed.. actually seems a little better, tries to position change himself.. loves supp feeds (back to grinding leaf again ). Thursday evening actually managed to eat leaf that was held up for him.. and also that night "trapped" some and ate it .. he cant get his hands to hold it ... that was a good day hasn't managed since... So now he is able to get out of the basket.. havent seen him do it no doubt falls ( with purpose) when on the ground he can manage to sit himself up.. but he absolutely trashes the cot in the process.. He has very little control over his arms and legs and when he is concentrating on something he goes into spasm again but this is happening less frequently.. The photo with the pink ear ( laceration ) was taken after his feed Photo 1481 taken on his first day..
16/3/2012
Footrot went to see the vet yesterday ,Ilona.. from NOAHSARKVET
She manipulated his neck ( this did not impress him) and did some acupuncture ... he was having one of his " down time" moments ( really deep sleep... only those of us with a brain injury can understand)... anyway this is when she put the needles in.... her outlook for him not as good as Dons..
Has it made a difference ??? not too sure ( cant expect miracles with one treatment) ... he is now sleeping like a koala rolled up, though he also like to lay like the photo... he was full of pumpkin and leaf... slipped himself down, groaned and went to sleep..( funny boy).
We took him out yesterday evening and he climbed ( sort of) an upright we put against the fence.. he did use his arms and legs to move up and around the log, and looked like he was trying to put his back legs under himself as if to sit.. we were happy with this... This morning he didn't seem to have the energy... hadn't eaten as much over night either.. maybe it took a lot out of him ..?
He is bright and alert.. he does not seem to have lost any strength in his limbs just the coordination......Sometimes he holds onto the branch with the leaf and pulls the entire branch to his mouth, he just opens and hopes for the best.. other times cant even manage this ... Has made progress with eating.. has tongue almost doing the right movements.
We are going to the Medowie vet tomorrow for some more treatment... cant hurt
She manipulated his neck ( this did not impress him) and did some acupuncture ... he was having one of his " down time" moments ( really deep sleep... only those of us with a brain injury can understand)... anyway this is when she put the needles in.... her outlook for him not as good as Dons..
Has it made a difference ??? not too sure ( cant expect miracles with one treatment) ... he is now sleeping like a koala rolled up, though he also like to lay like the photo... he was full of pumpkin and leaf... slipped himself down, groaned and went to sleep..( funny boy).
We took him out yesterday evening and he climbed ( sort of) an upright we put against the fence.. he did use his arms and legs to move up and around the log, and looked like he was trying to put his back legs under himself as if to sit.. we were happy with this... This morning he didn't seem to have the energy... hadn't eaten as much over night either.. maybe it took a lot out of him ..?
He is bright and alert.. he does not seem to have lost any strength in his limbs just the coordination......Sometimes he holds onto the branch with the leaf and pulls the entire branch to his mouth, he just opens and hopes for the best.. other times cant even manage this ... Has made progress with eating.. has tongue almost doing the right movements.
We are going to the Medowie vet tomorrow for some more treatment... cant hurt
17/3/2012
17/3/2012
JUST A QUICK VIDEO OF FOOTROTS PROGRESS
EVERY DAY OF CARE AND REHAB SEEMS TO WORK
LETS HOPE FOR THE BEST
EVERY DAY OF CARE AND REHAB SEEMS TO WORK
LETS HOPE FOR THE BEST
7/4/2012
FOOTROT HAS NOW MOVED IN TO SUNRICE REHABILATATION ENCLSURE
9/4/2012
FOOTROT IS MAKING GREAT PROGRESS DAILY WALKS AND EXERCISE AND GREAT VET CARE ARE STARTING TO PAY OFF !!!!!
ALMOST GETS AWAY FROM US THERE IN THE END !!!
ALMOST GETS AWAY FROM US THERE IN THE END !!!
22/4/2012
Footrot
Flats is having a name change....... He will be now known as...
“PRINCE, the koala formally known as Footrot”..
There is no longer a chance of him being put to sleep so he gets a real name.
We decided on prince for two reasons.. firstly he sits in his basket, when we are going to his walking place, and he looks like he could do a royal wave and demand more leaf, “push me faster!.. no bumps please !”... secondly Prince (the singer) did a name change (symbol) so we thought that would be appropriate.
Footrot Flats is the name of the acreage near where he had his accident... the vet needed a name to charge HKPS for his medication etc. And like everyone else I didn’t expect him to pull through and didn’t want to give him a name people could identify with ...
“PRINCE, the koala formally known as Footrot”..
There is no longer a chance of him being put to sleep so he gets a real name.
We decided on prince for two reasons.. firstly he sits in his basket, when we are going to his walking place, and he looks like he could do a royal wave and demand more leaf, “push me faster!.. no bumps please !”... secondly Prince (the singer) did a name change (symbol) so we thought that would be appropriate.
Footrot Flats is the name of the acreage near where he had his accident... the vet needed a name to charge HKPS for his medication etc. And like everyone else I didn’t expect him to pull through and didn’t want to give him a name people could identify with ...
27/4/2012
Prince, the koala formally known as
Footrot....
Update:
Prince is doing really well loves to climb (trying to get away from us) and even though it still takes him a while to get his balance and stop leaning on someone, he walks really well... at times even bounds. We walk him for at least an hour each afternoon, try for longer ( how I wish we would just keep daylight saving all year..) We walk well passed dark, when koalas see better, and thank goodness koala have white bottoms.. We tried walking in the mornings but it is sleep time and he wants to do just that...
He always heads for trees to climb which is good but unfortunately has no fear of cars.. One place we walk is close to the road and across the road are a lot of food trees, he heads directly for them. Buses, trucks, cars, motor bikes.. with or without lights.. He pays no attention just wants to get to the food trees and that is the way to get to them L.. Oh Dear..
He is only having one supplementary feed now... we could probably stop this one also but he loves it sooooooo much... Yesterday he was trying to hold onto me so I would give him “pumpkin” (the feeds are made up of a formula, protein paste, cereal and pumpkin..they love it!).. anyway I told him I didn’t have it yet.. so he ended up holding me and said “ I will hold onto you and then you get the pumpkin... please..”
He is a very patient boy, except for pumpkin time, tolerates being touched by humans with only a low grumble, and it looks like it is all going to pay off for him...
We are hoping to release him in approx two weeks all going well... if not, at the very least he will be taken by a wildlife park... we have to be sure he will be alright by himself before we release him.... this is what we have all been working towards....
A boy back in the bush where he belongs... FREE...
It is an amazing journey we have all been on.... he was so very sick..
Update:
Prince is doing really well loves to climb (trying to get away from us) and even though it still takes him a while to get his balance and stop leaning on someone, he walks really well... at times even bounds. We walk him for at least an hour each afternoon, try for longer ( how I wish we would just keep daylight saving all year..) We walk well passed dark, when koalas see better, and thank goodness koala have white bottoms.. We tried walking in the mornings but it is sleep time and he wants to do just that...
He always heads for trees to climb which is good but unfortunately has no fear of cars.. One place we walk is close to the road and across the road are a lot of food trees, he heads directly for them. Buses, trucks, cars, motor bikes.. with or without lights.. He pays no attention just wants to get to the food trees and that is the way to get to them L.. Oh Dear..
He is only having one supplementary feed now... we could probably stop this one also but he loves it sooooooo much... Yesterday he was trying to hold onto me so I would give him “pumpkin” (the feeds are made up of a formula, protein paste, cereal and pumpkin..they love it!).. anyway I told him I didn’t have it yet.. so he ended up holding me and said “ I will hold onto you and then you get the pumpkin... please..”
He is a very patient boy, except for pumpkin time, tolerates being touched by humans with only a low grumble, and it looks like it is all going to pay off for him...
We are hoping to release him in approx two weeks all going well... if not, at the very least he will be taken by a wildlife park... we have to be sure he will be alright by himself before we release him.... this is what we have all been working towards....
A boy back in the bush where he belongs... FREE...
It is an amazing journey we have all been on.... he was so very sick..
Prince sends love to you ....
30/5/2012
Well Prince-Footrot is FREE !!!!!
Came in Feburary 27th and May 30th was released ( just over 3 months )...... Just goes to show what a bit of determination and
Ilona’s expertise at manipulation and acupuncture .....can do..( I have no doubt that this is what got him through....)
Mixed with a whole heap of love.....( that comes easily from our family)...
I look back at the start of his journey and I cry... to see what he was going through.
At the time I was ecstatic because I could see him making progress..
Though he is not 100% he is very close and we couldn’t take the chance that he might begin to get “ captive stress”..... Not uncommon in koalas in long term care....
He was released between Port Stephens Drive and Nelson Bay Road at Anna Bay..... we were trying to keep him as far away from the traffic he seemed obsessed with walking toward the road...Wonder if he was thinking that it was the road he was crossing when he had his accident and so that is where home is..
We chose a med sized tree.. lots of nice leaf accessible from the branch below... Decided to get him to walk to the tree as he had been curled up asleep all day...
He was just happy to sit in his basket and look around... I encouraged him to get out.... Walked to the tree and started to climb...
He didn’t like the trunk I had chosen so decided to JUMP to another branch... not a good attempt... he tried twice more just landed the second one and by the third had gotten it together.. Well now we know he will work these things out...
Rebecca and my brother Richard, (who was our transport), checked on him the next day..
He was up a tree asleep, until he heard Rebeccas phone ring.. that made him pop his head up.
On the Third day he was nowhere to be found...
An amazing story from beginning to end.....
Came in Feburary 27th and May 30th was released ( just over 3 months )...... Just goes to show what a bit of determination and
Ilona’s expertise at manipulation and acupuncture .....can do..( I have no doubt that this is what got him through....)
Mixed with a whole heap of love.....( that comes easily from our family)...
I look back at the start of his journey and I cry... to see what he was going through.
At the time I was ecstatic because I could see him making progress..
Though he is not 100% he is very close and we couldn’t take the chance that he might begin to get “ captive stress”..... Not uncommon in koalas in long term care....
He was released between Port Stephens Drive and Nelson Bay Road at Anna Bay..... we were trying to keep him as far away from the traffic he seemed obsessed with walking toward the road...Wonder if he was thinking that it was the road he was crossing when he had his accident and so that is where home is..
We chose a med sized tree.. lots of nice leaf accessible from the branch below... Decided to get him to walk to the tree as he had been curled up asleep all day...
He was just happy to sit in his basket and look around... I encouraged him to get out.... Walked to the tree and started to climb...
He didn’t like the trunk I had chosen so decided to JUMP to another branch... not a good attempt... he tried twice more just landed the second one and by the third had gotten it together.. Well now we know he will work these things out...
Rebecca and my brother Richard, (who was our transport), checked on him the next day..
He was up a tree asleep, until he heard Rebeccas phone ring.. that made him pop his head up.
On the Third day he was nowhere to be found...
An amazing story from beginning to end.....
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