Bill Arnold's Daily Straydog Log

MONDAY MAY 24 2004

NOON UPDATE

Patch to have his first surgery today on one hind leg

      We'll report on the results when we hear from Angie. Tomorrow we'll be picking up Patch from the clinic and bringing him home to Straydog for the long period of convalescence before the surgeon operates on the second leg.

Rocky's slowly gaining more and more strength every day

      Yesterday was Rocky's fifth day back home, and he's finally starting to show that he's recovering from what Dr. Reeves is now almost 100% sure is one of the several tick diseases. Rocky's taking his medicines twice every day, he has a good appetite and is eating three or four big meals every day, gaining weight, and his stools are looking perfectly normal.

      The first few days he was back we were all worried that Rocky might have a relapse at any time and that all our efforts to help him regain his health might have been en vain, but there's no doubt now that he's on the mend. You can see it in his eyes. He is so happy to be alive and feeling well again, and right now it looks like he's going to keep on getting better every day. Let's keep praying that Rocky keep improving.

With all of the adoptions Saturday (three from Straydog) we're mixing and matching kennel mates

    Jeannie moves in with Sandy

      Baby Girl (adopted yesterday) had been in with Sandy since Jordan was adopted. Jeannie had been in a hospital kennel recovering from heartworm treatment and was ready to move outside into a vacant spot. Jeannie and Sandy got along well during their introduction in the park yesterday, and she's moved in with Sandy.

    Jackie moves in with Pokey

      Puppy Holly (adopted yesterday) had been in with Pokey since Holly's sister, Grace, was adopted back on April 24th, and Pokey was now alone again. Jackie had been kenneling with Russell for a while, but they'd been getting into skirmishes lately, which were seeming to get more and more serious, so we tried Jackie with Pokey, they got along, and Jackie left Russell and is now kenneling with Pokey.

    Thelma's adoption changes nothing in their kennel

      Louise is a bit lonely now without her sister Thelma to play with, though she still has her mother, Jasmine, and Jasmine's been crying a little bit wondering where her other pup went, but the mother and remaining daughter are doing okay together. Unfortunately the adoption of Thelma doesn't open another kennel spot.

Keeping up with which dogs are in what kennel must be difficult for you readers

      I need to create a map on our website showing the location of every kennel and who's in with whom so you could click on the map link at any time to see who's where. Fat chance of me ever getting around to that project.

Correction about Holly's adoption

      We have not done the home visit yet at Volunteer Erica's place (as I erroneously reported yesterday), but Erica is a trusted volunteer who knows the requirements for a home for one of our adopted dogs, so we felt comfortable letting Erica take Puppy Holly home with her Saturday evening, but we will be making the home visit soon to be sure Holly is getting along okay.

LATE BREAKING NEWS

Baby Girl's being returned this afternoon

      Erin just called saying the man and woman who adopted Baby Girl want to bring her back to Straydog. They live in Denison, Texas, which is at least three hours away from us, so Erin will meet the man with Baby Girl at PetsMart in Plano. REASON FOR THE RETURN: Baby Girl had become hostile toward their original dog, the Golden Retriever, Mack, and Mack was scared to death of Baby Girl. Erin tried to reason with the man, tried to get him to give it more time, but they don't want Baby Girl.

      How depressing! Erin and our Adoption Day volunteers do so much work every weekend, and then what we thought was a successful adoption falls through ... once again!