*Newly posted photos from last week:
Pat Arnold's Daily Dog Log
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 9 2003
Margaret calls and has decided to adopt Pixie
Choosing between Muffin and Pixie was a tough decision for Margaret to make, she said when she called this morning, because she likes both Pixie and Muffin very much.
As plans shape up for the coming week, we'll arrange a time when we can take Pixie to Margaret's home to introduce Pixie to Margaret's other pets. We think we will have the time to make the home visit with Pixie either Tuesday or Wednesday. We're all hoping everything will turn out fine for Pixie.
Betsy may be able to come home tomorrow
Dr. Morton called this morning to give us the update on Betsy, and the report is that she appears to be feeling better each day and has begun to nibble at her food. She will probably be able to come home tomorrow. Dr. Morton wants Betsy to stay as quiet as possible, which won't be a problem for us since Betsy will be staying in the big kennel in the kitchen and will only be going outside for potty walks on leash.
Monday will be a busy day
The first thing Bill and I will be doing tomorrow morning is to take Julie to see the eye specialist in Arlington. Her regular appointment is scheduled in April, but because her eyes have begun to have a cloudy appearance, Dr. Paulson thinks it's important for us to bring her in to his office as soon as possible.
After this vet visit with Dr. Paulsen we'll bring Julie "home" and then call our clinic here to see how Betsy is. If she's ready to be released, we'll go to pick her up when we get back from Arlington with Julie.
Yesterday
...
Straydog UPDATE posted SATURDAY 2/8/03 at ~9:47 p.m. CT
Pat Arnold's Daily Dog Log
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 8 2003
Pixie is tentatively adopted but not at Adoption Day at PetsMart!
No dogs were adopted during our Adoption Day at PetsMart in Plano [Texas], but while our volunteer group was there with a van load of dogs, we had visitors come here to look at and hopefully adopt Muffin and/or Pixie.
A woman named Margaret called earlier this week inquiring about Pixie and Muffin, whose pictures she had seen on Petfinder.org, and she wanted to come out to see the dogs this afternoon. She has two male dogs and two cats, so the adoption of either Pixie or Muffin really depends on how the dog of her choice will get along with the family pets she already has.
Margaret and her sister arrived this afternoon, and we took a tour of our shelter, stopping to talk to the many dogs as we passed by their kennels, and we went in their respective kennels to visit with Pixie and Muffin.
Pixie is a four-year-old Basenji mix
She is a pretty, medium-size, black and white dog with short fur. She shares a big kennel with her pal, big Catahoola mix, Boomer. Pixie is usually a little standoffish with new people when she chooses to be, but she is playful, and she has had several kennel companions during her stay at our Happy Home for Strays, so she may adjust fairly easily to two new dog friends. Getting along with the cats is something we won't know about until we try.
Pixie took the dog treats from Margaret and then did her usual happy dancing around, just out of arms reach of the two visitors. This is how Pixie reacts to new people when they come into "her home." Once Pixie is away from "her territory" she will probably react much differently, and I think she will become more affectionate toward her new mom or dad much quicker.
Muffin is a beautiful, five-year-old Shepherd/Retriever mix with fluffy soft golden fur
Muffin can also be a little shy when meeting new people and often appears aloof, but it doesn't take her long to warm up to new folks she likes once she feels comfortable with them. Muffin shares a kennel with her best buddies, Fluffy and Buffy (who happen to be brother and sister, tho they don't look at all alike).
When the three of us went into the kennel with Muffy, Fluffy and Buffy, it was the brother and sister pair, Buffy and Fluffy, who were the ones to give the slurpy doggie kisses to the nice visitors, while Muffin stayed a short distance away most of the time. Muffin would come up to us for a tiny bit of petting from the "new people," but would then go to her favorite spot, preferring to just sit and watch her best friends (Buffy and Fluffy ) interact with the visitors.
Which dog to adopt (and she only wanted one) was a tough decision for Margaret to make
The personalities of both dogs are very similar, but because Pixie has had three kennel companions and may adjust more easily to new dog friends and a new home life, Margaret decided to adopt Pixie--that is, if all works out with the introduction of Pixie to her other pets.
We'll be in touch tomorrow to set up a time convenient for both of us to make the home visit, early this coming week.
Betsy is making a good recovery and will be able to come home Monday
Monday just can't come soon enough for us. We miss Betsy who has been at our vet clinic since this past Monday, recovering from the surgery the doctor performed to repair her broken leg on Tuesday. Betsy's brother, Buddy, misses his sister too, and even tho we've all given the big fellow lots of extra attention, we know he is wondering where his sister is.
I've checked on Betsy's condition every day, and because the clinic is closed on Saturdays and Sundays, Dr. Morton called me this morning to say that Betsy is feeling much better. She's off the strong drug (morphine) she was on to control the pain, and is on a milder drug now, and she is doing okay. Dr. Morton said that he'll call us again tomorrow (Sunday), and he's pretty sure that we can bring her home Monday.
*Pat Arnold's Daily Dog Log
LAST WEEK:
*Photo Pages and Videos
LAST WEEK:
(1) Blind Puppy Chubs and Sister Cassie learn to walk on leash
(2) Rottweiler Betsy breaks a leg and goes to vet clinic ER
(3) Betsy waits for the doctor to come into the Emergency Room
MPEG Video: Pat explains to the vet techs what might have caused Betsy's injury.
(4) Dr. Morton examines Betsy after she's sedated
(5) Dr. Morton shows us the kind of "splint" he plans to use
(6) Davey's next to go into the clinic and then Brigitte and her siblings
(7) Trixie has eye problems, and Tina brings Trixie to the clinic
(8) Trixie gets some antibiotic eye drops
(10) Heather, Davey and Snowflake
(MORE TO COME FROM LAST WEEK)
WEEK BEFORE LAST:
(1) Melinda and Cassie socialize outside while Chubs naps in the house (1/26/03)
(2) Old Davey meets a young and rambunctious Heather in the park (1/29/03)
*MPEG Video: Old Davey and young Heather meet in the park.
(3) Davey and Heather are not going to become kennel mates
*MPEG Video: Heather runs and romps alone in the park
(MORE TO COME FROM THE WEEK BEFORE LAST)
*Adoption Day Saturday, February 15 - Canine Commissary at 15th and Custer in Plano, Texas
*Our Dogs for Adoption - Volunteer Shannon's page
*Our Dogs for Adoption listed on Petfinder.org
*Our Mission & How We Got Started
*"Goodbye, Danny Boy." - An example of the only acceptable use of euthanasia
Special-needs
dogs (including puppies) continue to increase our vet bill!
If you would like to help directly with the vet expenses, you may send your tax deductible donations directly to:
Morton Small Animal Clinic
1404 E. Tyler Street
Athens, Tx. 75751
and please make a note on your check that the donation is for Straydog Inc. so they'll be sure to apply your donation to our Straydog account. (Or you may send a donation directly to Straydog Inc., P.O. Box 1465, Gun Barrel City, Texas 75147.)
As always we thank you, very, very much, for your help.
List of some
of the items we're in need of:
One of our supporters emailed us recently suggesting that we post a "wish list" on our website, and here it is:
We Always Need:
Postage Stamps, paper towels, bleach, dish soap, X-large Rubber Gloves, a few Pointed Shovels and Garden Rakes, Dog Leashes, various sizes of Snap-On Dog Collars (not the buckle collars) and various sizes of Dog Harnesses ... plus a lot of other stuff.