Bill Arnold's Daily Straydog Log
TUESDAY MAY 18 2004
NOON UPDATE
Rocky will come back home to Straydog along with the other dogs who are going to Dr. Reeves' clinic today for a vet visit
Rocky's back to normal! He had total run of the clinic all day yesterday per Mrs. Reeves. He's eating well, and he seems to be feeling fine. We all look forward to seeing Rocky when he gets here late this afternoon. (Rocky's homecoming and our report on the other dogs going to see Dr. Reeves today will be published in tomorrow's update.)
Jason, on overnight duty last evening, rescues a stray on the way to work
Jason said the medium size female white Pit Bull (whom he has named Lucy) was running down the middle of the highway and was almost hit by two cars before Jason could get to her. When he finally stopped his car and opened his car door, the dog jumped right in and lay down on the seat beside Jason. Knowing we are full here at Straydog Jason first took the dog back to his home to see if she would be compatible with his dog, but that didn't work. His original dog was much too territorial and wouldn't accept Lucy. Before Jason called me, he talked with Bobby, another Straydog employee, and Bobby said he'd take Lucy to his home. The problem with that plan is that Bobby already has one of Straydog's rescues, and he's having trouble keeping that dog in his fenced back yard. Also we don't know if Bobby's dog and Lucy would be compatible. We're hoping Lucy will work out at Bobby's, but if she doesn't, she'll become a resident up for adoption at Straydog.
So, now we're overloaded again ... as if we weren't already overloaded.
Emails from Straydog supporters who are trying to help Angie and Jessie
Dear Bill and Erin:
After reading your Straydog update about Angie, I returned a phone call to SJ (Dewey's mom) and found out where Angie lived and her phone number. Gary and I visited Angie Saturday morning and took towels, blankets, food, bowls, and money. I met Patch and told Angie I hoped she could use the money to help defray some of the expense of his surgery. I met just some of her dogs (she calls them kids) - all of whom seemed happy, healthy and clean. Angie is an amazing woman and so are you guys. I told her I would keep in touch and continue to support her when we can. I want to thank you again for all you do - your dedication and devotion in caring for so many dogs. Pat was an amazing woman and I know she is very proud that you are continuing her efforts.
Pam B.
Erin - I know both of these
women and have been helping Angie for many years. Thank you, thank
you so much for helping with the two dogs at Angie's - Tiger and
Patch. I will be sending you a (small - all I can afford) donation
toward their "room and board." As long as I have known
Angie, she has been helping the truly at-risk animals from the
mean streets where she lives (one is lounging on my bed as I write
this - Anna Marie) The need is so overwhelming. Being in Angie's
neighborhood has been an education for me in just how much cruelty
there is within some people toward the helpless among us.
Jessie is also a wonderful, sweet woman who does all she can for
the poor animals she finds - even though her neighborhood is much
better, safer and cleaner than Angie's. I have taken her extra
food a few times and she is always so appreciative. Thank you
from the bottom of my heart for helping these two wonderful rescuers
help the helpless.
Beverly F.
Rudy's gaining weight again
We're keeping him in the small entrance area of his and Rosie's kennel a good part of the day so he can't just run and run and run, which we determined is the main reason he keep s losing weight.
Katie's still doing okay and will go to Dr. Reeves for acupuncture today
Dr. Reeves warned us last week that he thought Katie's time would be upon us very soon, but she continues to baffle us with her comebacks. This morning she was actually running in the park.
Erin's report on her trip to Dr. Morton's clinic late yesterday afternoon with Skipper and Blackie
Skipper
Skipper was okay! Dr. Morton felt his testicles and said, "There is a hard knot here in the middle but all around it is rather loose, so you will see the inflammation subside soon. Have you been using antibiotics?"
"Yes, this is the third day," I told the doctor. "We didn't know what to do since it was the weekend when we noticed him licking and the swelling, so we did what we had done with Russell when he had his post-neuter infection."
"We don't know if it's the licking that causes the infection, or the infection that causes the licking," Dr. Morton said. "Keep on the antibiotics for another day or two, but things don't look too bad and will get better soon," he predicted.
Whew! Not another Russell experience where we have to use antibiotics for a month and have the dog be lanced and drained!
Blackie
Blackie has chronic colitis, which flairs up four or five times a year, it seems. Right before Mom died, we posted an update with Mom taking Blackie to the vet. We have a photo of Mom in the van with Blackie on her lap, which is how I road with Blackie this evening. "He will shiver too much if you put him in a crate," Tina told me. "Just keep him next to you" she said. So, that's what I did, and Blackie was fine and seemed very comfortable riding in my lap.
What we've been doing this last year is this: if it's just diarrhea, then we give the fella acidophilus to help with digestion and Slippery Elm (an herb that coats the digestive tract and aids in healing inflammation and is very soothing for ulcers). With these supplements Blackie's problems usually go away in a couple of days. If he just vomits, then we use the same protocol and everything clears up within a day or two. But, if it's both vomiting and diarrhea, we're afraid he may become dehydrated and want the vet to see him in case we need the 'big guns', the heavy duty drugs!
Last September Dr. Morton had blood work done on Blackie for this same problem, and the doctor did another blood test today.
Before the blood work Dr. Morton's assistant did a fecal test which came out negative for any parasites. Blackie's temperature was normal too.
Dr. Morton decided that because Blackie is a small dog and because of Dr. Morton's in-house blood test requirements, he would take blood from Blackie's jugular vein (in his neck) so we could get correct readings with the in-house blood work testing equipment. As Dr. Morton was shaving Blackie's neck, he said, "The second vile of blood must be drawn consistently to get a correct reading, and this is best done with drawing blood from the jugular vein." We wanted the results right away, so were happy that Blackie was a good sport and held still during the drawing of blood from his neck. (Dr. Morton's assistant also clipped Blackie's nails before he was done in this examination room.)
After twenty minutes we had our results. The blood work came out just fine! Dr. Morton said that we know from this that Blackie's blood is clean, but we don't know how hard Blackie's kidneys are working to get his blood clean without a urinalysis!
I was happy to take the contraption Dr. Morton handed me to collect Blackie's urine. I took this 'fishing pole' with a ziplock bag attached to the end of it, and Blackie and I went outside for a walk. "Stay close to him," Dr. Morton said. I was up for the task!
Blackie didn't really have to go a lot, but I did manage to collect a few drops in the baggie anyway.
"Is this enough?" I asked Dr. Morton's assistant after my 10-minute walk with Blackie. "We'll find out. I think so," the assistant said.
I sat in Blackie's examination room and waited. The doctor came back and said Blackie was like a super-charged car. His kidneys look fine, so he seems able to withstand steroids with no problem.
I took the steroids and antibiotics home in case Blackie gets worse.
We are now ready for anything, ready to keep the little dog (who slept with my mom every night under the covers) alive and well!
So far, since Blackie got home (and up until midnight, the time of this writing) there has been no vomiting. Maybe this will just be a two- or three-day episode, just like the previous times.