Kwai is a people-loving dog. She’s usually fine with other dogs, but not always. I first met her about a year ago. She has an owner, but she is also a community dog. She’s free to roam around, pretty streetwise, but she can also be a massive pain in the ass and get herself in trouble.
She started walking with me a few days after I started my morning walk in the neighbourhood. I didn’t know her name back then and I called her My Girl. I found out a few months later her name was Kwai. And also that foreigners in the area called her Snowy.
This is a photo of the first time she joined the walk, when Happy was still called Black Doggy. She had a collar. They both love water and never miss a chance to swim or bathe. They’re very good friends and I’ve never seen them fight.
Her owner seems to really love her, but like many local people who don’t have a lot of money, they don’t take her to the hospital if there’s an issue, they don’t give her anti-parasite treatment, and they just let her be.
She lost her collar at the start of September. And shortly after, my friend Nha who also loves animals and helps many of them, told me that she was putting collars on local dogs so they wouldn’t get picked up by the government pound. Apparently, if people complain about the presence of a stray dog, they can come and remove the animal. And the poor thing is taken to the government shelter where there are hundreds of dogs who are kept in less than ideal conditions.
So I decided to get collars for Happy, Little Alien and Kwai. I also got leads because both Happy and Kwai like to run after chickens. They both killed one, on separate walks, and I felt terrible about it. For the chickens, and for the people they belonged to. To this day, I still put them on a lead in certain areas where chickens are likely to be on the side of the road or on the road. Alien doesn’t want to be on a lead, and that’s fine, as he doesn’t kill chickens. When Milo started to join, I also put him on the lead, not because he went after chickens, but because he was scared of moving through certain areas. He’s not as streetwise as Kwai!
She got vaccinated on December 28th. The vet came to her place, where she lives with Milo and Soda, and where Happy and Alien used to live too. They all got vaccinated that day. Kwai attacked Little Alien on that day, in front of everyone, not for the first time, nor for the last. I never quite got what her problem was with Little Alien, but she could be very aggressive with him.
On January 27th, she started an attack on Little Alien, and it was horrible, because Milo and Soda joined, while Happy was barking at them (to stop I think). I pulled them off him, but it was really hard because they were not listening to me, and I was a bit scared of being bitten. I was so mad at Kwai, because she was the one instigating the attack. Alien didn’t join the walk for a few days, and when he did again on January 31st, I noticed he was not looking good and ended up taking him to the hospital, where he spent a week for treatment and recovery.
I was so mad at Kwai, but she was oblivious. I don’t really understand dog psychology, I’m still learning, but it seemed to me that she didn’t seem to think she had done anything wrong. She still expected treats and cuddles from me.
She does something that I’ve been trying to get her to stop. When we walk, she looks at me, and if my eyes meet hers, she comes to me and stands to kiss me and get a hug. I kind of like it, but at the same time, she loves to bathe in muddy puddles, and I don’t especially want to get that dirty. I got more strict after the attack, and she started to listen better. But she still tries to do it every now and then.
I still don’t know how to get them to stop jumping on me. I probably should watch more dog videos and read some books, but I don’t have much time for that! I think I’ll take my dogs for some training soon, but I’m not sure I can train stray and semi-stray dogs.
At the beginning of March, I noticed I hadn’t seen Kwai for a few days, which was unusual. I hoped nothing bad had happened to her. And then, on March 3rd, in the evening, I opened Facebook. I rarely go on Facebook, unless I’m trying to find adopters for some animals. That’s why I use it, because I don’t know any better alternatives. I don’t even remember why I opened it, but when it opened, the first post I saw in my feed was this one:
She was 10 km away but I had no doubt it was Kwai! I replied to the post to say I knew that dog and where she lived, and that I would check with the owner in the morning.
The next morning, I went to see the owner and asked about Kwai. They hadn’t seen her for a few days and thought she had run away because of fireworks. I showed them the post. They also recognised her. When they realised where she was, they could hardly believe it. There was no way she got there on her own. It’s way too far. She either jumped in a car or some idiot decided to take her and drive her away.
Anyway, they have no car and they couldn’t get her back on their own. I told them I could go get her and they said ok. So I asked the vet if she could help me, expecting to have to beg for it because it was a bit far, but she said yes right away. She talked to the person who had posted on FB and we got organised to go get the dog. I went on my scooter, it was a beautiful day, and I got there quite fast. It was an area where I had never been, and would never go to for any other reason.
Kwai was there, in a side alley near a massage place, where all the ladies had been looking after her. She was sleeping. I called her name. It took her a few seconds, and once she realised it was me, she jumped on me before I could take off my helmet.
The lady took videos that she shared with me afterwards and everyone was so happy to see Kwai so happy!
The car arrived soon after, so we said goodbye, I carried Kwai to the car, and we headed back home.
Since then, she’s been very cautious. She was always happy to see me in the morning, but she didn’t join us on our walk for quite a while after this incident. She comes most mornings now, but not every morning anymore.
At the end of March, I found out that she was a regular at a local bar, where they apparently let her in and call her Snowy. A friend sent me a screenshot of an IG story from an open mic night. A bit blurry, but there’s no doubt that’s her on the picture!
She came walking with us yesterday, and something very strange happened to her. Toward the end of our walk, she bathed in a muddy puddle, as she does, but this time, she got out whining and she kept on whining for the rest of the walk. She seemed to be hurt around her bum, but she wouldn’t let me have a look. She knew the way home and started walking really fast, so we tried to keep up.
When she got to her place, she went into hiding, still whining. It was so unlike her that I was very worried. I thought maybe she got bitten by a bug or a snake, although I’m not sure they could live in a big puddle. Maybe there was something sharp in it? Her tail was down and she seemed to be in pain.
I just couldn’t leave her like this, so after I managed to get her on the lead, I called the hospital and asked if they could send a car to pick her up.
They did and were with us 20 minutes later. I followed on my scooter and was at the hospital with her for a little while.
Vet said it was definitely something with her tail, but that there was also probably some stress, as the second time we tried to lift it, she was more calm. But she recommended X-rays just to make sure and then blood tests.
She did not like being X-rayed and I could hear her cry.
She wasn’t as bothered by the blood test.
The vet explained a few things to me, but it was all quite unclear to me. What was clear is that she thinks Kwai might have a blood parasite, which would be consistent with the low level of PLT. Which I know is very common among stray dogs because of ticks and other parasites. She said the best thing to do would be to give her antibiotics for a month to try to clear the parasite. I had to do that with Happy and Alien when I took them in, as they both had a blood parasite.
We tried to call the owner, but they seem to have changed their number. I didn’t see them today. And I don’t know what the best thing to do is. She’s not my dog, If I buy the meds, I can’t be sure the owner will give them to Kwai thoroughly twice a day for a month. They just don’t treat their dogs like I treat my dogs. I’m trying not to judge. It was very easy to give Alien his meds twice a day for a month, but it was such a drag with Happy. He just wouldn’t take them if I didn’t trick him. And he was hard to trick. I don’t know if Kwai would be easier. I don’t know if the owner would have the patience if she was difficult to medicate. But I know I simply don’t have the time to deal with it myself.
At this point, I am prioritising sterilisation, and I’m hoping to get Softie to the hospital soon. This kind of medication would be possible if I had unlimited funds, but at this point, I can’t afford treating all dogs for blood parasites, as they probably all have one. I’m giving treatment to the puppies against parasites and hoping it will keep them safe.
The vet bill came to 2850 baht yesterday (about £65).
Kwai was fine this morning. Her tail was up and she joined us on our walk around the lake. It had rained before we started, the field was full of puddles, and she was a happy doggy!