GUM TIPS Web Page : www.koalahospital.org email : koalahos@midcoast.com.au

Koala Preservation of NSW Inc P.O.Box 236, Port Macquarie NSW 2444 Australia  Phone (02) 6584 1522     Fax (02) 6584 2399

Issue 4                     Supervisors Report                December 2003

Go To............... Front Page Presidents Report Supervisors Report Rescues and Releases & Goodbye Fuzzy Roy Manning Area Report Goodbye Miss Beautiful Congratulations! Mira's Memo Tawny Frogmouth This Month's Biography Barbara Barrett Hospital Report Nightmare on Lord Street

The last few months have been a mixture of hectic and quiet. There have been periods where thankfully there have not been many admissions and then days when it does not seem to stop. One Friday we had 4 admissions by lunchtime which was quite alarming As the breeding season is in full flight, we have had a number of motor vehicle admissions, and sadly a lot of them are dead on arrival. As always, these are big healthy beautiful viable breeding Koalas in their prime out searching for mates. It's natural selection happening--human style. As we continue to speed in motor cars and encroach on Koala territories, we are killing the breeding stock and the old, frail and ill Koalas are the ones remaining. Not a good scenario. So far admissions to dog attacks has been minimal--is the education finally reaching the public? Urogenital Chlamydial infections and Conjuctivitis cases are still coming in. The Hospital always has great success with conjunctivitis, especially with our Veterinarian, Frank Arnell's wonder eye surgery, and good old Terramycin ointment to complete the treatment. "Wet Bottom" cases are still frustratingly hard to beat. We have just received a marvelous donation of drugs from Jim Adams, the manager of Delvet Pty Ltd Sydney, which we are trialling at the moment. Bayer Australia has also kindly donated wonderful drugs to the hospital also. Baxter Healthcare Pty Ltd has recently donated  tubes of medical honey, which we find invaluable for wound management. Without the kindness and sponsership of these multi-national companies we could not do, what we do, it would be impossible and with the wonderful donations from the public generally this hospital would not be able to continue. The Koala Hospital could not survive also, without the dedication, care and awe inspiring work of all the wonderful volunteers that show up here day after day. The hospital is filled with these happy, cheery caring people who obviously enjoy what they do so much. On behalf of the Koalas, THANK YOU, to all of you. Cheyne Flanagan

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