In early March this year, Foreign Dog Rescue once again found themselves asking for donations via Facebook for NICKO. Nearly £1,000 was raised within days, and so we were able to secure his safety, get him well again and pay for his travel to the UK where Collie Rescue found him the most fantastic home. Here is his story, taken from Facebook communications between Lesley Bassett and Mina, his foster mother in Greece.

2nd March, 2018 – Lesley Bassett.
I received information from several people about a collie in Greece. I have to say I was stunned, never before have I seen a dog in such terrible condition and I had no idea how or if we could help. After many messages over several days I finally made contact with someone who was able to assist. The owner of this poor dog passed away a couple of months ago and he’d been left on the streets fending for himself. We have managed to arrange a foster carer and he has been taken to Athens to be treated by a vet. He’s dehydrated and anaemic, his liver and kidneys are ok and surprisingly has tested negative for Mange. More tests have been performed and we await the results, but in the meantime he is safe and receiving medication. It has been agreed that if a suitable home cannot be found locally he will be signed over to Collie Rescue when he is fit enough to travel to the U.K. The foster carer has named him Nicko.
A couple of local ladies are trying to help and I’ve been in contact with them over the past 24 hours. They’ve managed to find “a mistress to host him” (foster carer) and now they’re trying to sort out transport to a vet, none of them have a car. It’s all a bit tenuous but he’s in such poor condition I’m afraid I couldn’t do nothing. Waiting now until I have a definite point of contact with a foster home and an indication from the vet as to what he needs. My concern is Leishmaniasis, if positive we’ll need to know if it’s cutaneous or visceral. One step at a time but at least it’s looking like someone is going to take responsibility for him now. His tests have revealed mild Babezia, Erlicha and Leishmaniasis (all Mediterranean diseases), so he is receiving the necessary medications. The skin scrapings also show a mild fungal infection so he’ll be given medicated baths to help. He is being kept in quarantine at the vets until we can be sure he isn’t harbouring anything infectious. Nicko’s bloods came back today and liver and kidney function are fine. The test for Leishmaniasis came back as 1/100, so he’s starting a course of Zylapour tomorrow just in case. He’s also starting a course of Vibramycin (Doxycycline) for Erlichia. Three of the skin scrapings surprisingly came back negative for mange, so they’ll run thyroid tests tomorrow and check for an allergic dermatitis. His results for Babesia will be back tomorrow, so fingers crossed for a negative on that one too. He’s also full of worms which was no great surprise. Vet suspects he may be an older dog, but hard to tell because he’s in such bad shape. I think that makes it more important he has a safe and happy retirement.

9/3/18 – Lesley Bassett – This evening I have received some more pictures and an update of our Greek friend Niko. He still has a long way to go but I hope you’ll all agree he is looking much happier and his eyes are brighter now. His skin is being treated with special baths, but unfortunately the medication for the Babezia caused diarrhoea and he stopped eating so the vet stopped these pills and he was OK again, this is going to be a long journey for him but at least he is in safe hands now. He’s also being fed a premium diet to help build his condition.

14/3/18 – Post from his foster mother, Mina, in Greece
Our collie boy “Niko” is doing better. As you can see, he has a very good appetite.
He has taken antibiotics for Erlichia for 15 days (of the 30-day-treatment) and he is a totally different dog. He gets out in the garden and he barks if he hears a stray dog passing by. He has become self-confident and he “asks” from the vet to caress him and show him affection. He is clearly a people orientated dog, playful and carefree. I am sure that when his fur becomes as it should be, the “ugly duck” will become a beautiful “swan” ready to be adopted.

16/3/18 – Mina I collected “Niko” from the vet and took him for a warm bath with Betadin scrub. Twice he jumped out of the bath tub but I managed to massage his body with the medicine. Then I took him back to the vet’s where I used my scissors and cut as much hair as I could. Next bath will be easier. Niko loves the vet. I think he believes the vet has adopted him. The vet began again the medicine Antirobe for the Babezia. And this time Niko didn’t have stomach upsets which is good. I wish so much to get well and have his lovely collie fur back again. I will give him a bath again on Monday or Tuesday with the medicine. My back is killing me again, but Niko must get well.

23/3/18 – Mina Today I gave Niko one more bath. It is easier now that I have cut his hair. He doesn’t like to get into the bath tub but when I start to massage him with the special shampoo, he enjoys it. My back hurts a lot but I am happy. His skin is softer and smoother. His treatment is well underway, and he is full of energy and gets along with both female and male dogs as you see in the photo. The vet told me today that we will not recognise Niko after two months. I can’t wait to see that and nothing would make me happier than to bring him to the UK where I hope he will find a loving family. I have tested him with my cats in our house, he didn’t even notice them. Get well soon baby. We love you.

PHOTOS Above OF HIS RECOVERY AND WITH HIS FOSTER MUM, MINA IN GREECE

HARRY’S STORY, IN HIS OWN WORDS !

​Hello everyone. I want to thank you all for donating to my medical treatment in Athens and to ensuring I would end up in a happy loving home after a four day trip from Greece to Lincolnshire!  My lovely friend Mina, in Greece, tried talking to me in Greek, but I didn’t understand it very well – BUT, when I arrived here I understood the language. I knew what Sit, Come, and Good boy was all about, and I liked the name Harry. Unfortunately none of you speak fluent ‘DOG’, so I cannot tell you how I got to be in such a state, or what happened with my ex-owners. I was a very poorly boy.                                                                                                                 Life here is good. Plenty of food, a lovely friend called Evie, who is extremely tolerant of my bad manners, and gives her bed to me (reluctantly). I steal her toys, I chase her, but she chases me back, and it’s good fun. Oh yes, I have to mention Whisper, my lucky black cat. She rules ALL of us. I found a very comfortable human bed when my mum went away for 2 nights. Not sure she will get it back to herself though. I am beginning to trust cars and have had a couple of short journeys to some lovely fields, but mum daren’t let me off the lead just yet. As mum buries her head in my thick mane she whispers in my ear that I should be up for a visit to Collie Chaos this year where I can meet all you lovely people and other lucky rescue Doggies. She says I will get even more fuss. That can’t be bad. Love Harry. X