THE DONKEYS THINK WE'VE LOST OUR MINDS..........!!!

 This morning Buddy was acting colicky laying down and wiggling around.  Between that and seeing how much weight Rosie and Coquette have put on, not to mention Gizmo the little mule is starting to plumb up nicely too.  So..........I made the decision that everybody's time out of their pens is going to be sharply curtailed for awhile.  The problem with this scenario is, if the beans don't get eaten, the beans will still be there when they do get out.  Once the beans fall, if it rains on them they will turn black and the donkeys won't eat them.  But in the meantime there are beans everywhere and every time the wind blows more beans fall.  Our whole acreage is pretty well covered with mesquite beans, so there is no way we could rake them up. 

Buddy got a colic dose from Equine Colic Relief USA, and Coquette, Rosie and Gigi got to stay in the pens too.  Doug let the others out at 1pm, much to the disgust of these four.  As of tonight the whole herd will be staying in all night until 1pm tomorrow.  Using this routine, they will get about 4 hours out in the afternoon, but that's all.  I don't know if even 4 hours will be a problem, or if the beans on the ground will continue to be a problem.  We'll just have to see.  I know one thing, they are NOT going to be happy.

When we got home from John's radiation treatment, Buddy had passed some poo, in fact quite a bit with plenty of beans.  And he was acting normal, wanting out of that pen.......!!!  LOL

BUDDY BRAT LOOKING OUT OF DONKEY PRISON..........THANKS DOUG

 COQUETTE WANTS OUT.......THANKS, DOUG

The vet clinic called today and said Penny is doing OK.  She still hasn't eaten much, but they did more x-rays and said she is impacted with mesquite beans.  She actually passed a couple of wads of them and they saw plenty in the x-rays.  Although they did take her out in a grassy area and she ate some grass.  She's had an IV with glucose and will get another one, plus they will tube her again with water and add oil this time.  Hopefully things will start moving soon. 

COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE

Tula has been with us for about 10 years.  She came in distrustful of people and to this day, hasn't changed much.  We can work with her in the safe corner of her pen to put a fly mask on her, but she isn't comfortable, and if you want to get touchy feely, her skin crawls and she will usually take off at speed.  In the last year she has started taking animal crackers from visitors, if they are on the other side of the corral panels, which is a giant step for her.  

Earlier this week, we noticed she was drooling, but still eating and taking treats, then she stopped taking treats, so it was time to call the vet.  We've never had a vet for her and because of her issues and really hoped we'd never have to.  

E-mailed Jackpot Equine my "go to" vets, in the evening and Dr. Lindsey was here the next morning at 10am.  We've had both Dr. Lindsey and Dr. Karla out and they are both really caring and compassionate vets.

I had given Dr. Lindsey a head's up in my e-mail, so she was aware of the limitations working with Tula.  We got her in a squeeze, and she got a happy shot.  Then she got another one.  Donkeys can be very hard to get cooperative even with drugs sometimes.

She has never been dangerous, she doesn't kick, rear, or strike out with her front feet like some do.  She just wants to get away, but finally the drugs took effect and we could take the squeeze away, so Dr. Lindsey could get to work.

 1st she got her mouth flushed out. 

 Frijolita is trying to figure out what is going on with her friend, Tula

 Tula had some hooks, but this is about when Dr. Lindsey found a hole in the top of her tongue about half way back.
Thanks for the pictures, Linda

She used a hemostat to poke in the hole, which was about 3/4's of an inch deep.  Didn't find any foreign matter, so she probably poked it with a mesquite thorn or cactus spine.  It probably was in there for a couple of days when we noticed the slobbering, and then worked it's way out.   

It got flushed and she is on antibiotics for the next few days.  She seems fine and no more slobbering.  She also got her teeth floated, I would imagine for the 1st time in her life. 

What I find interesting is, after we have "controlled" her like this, you would think she would be stand offish for awhile.  It's almost like she knows it needs to be done, but she just can't bring herself to participate.  When it's all over her behavior is just like it was before we corralled her.  No better or no worse.  

Coquette had an ACTH blood draw for Cushings.  She has been heavy every since we got her about 3 years ago, which is probably more Insulin Resistance than Cushings.  We've got some weight off her, but not much.  She has excessive hair growth and she is always hungry.  So while the vet was here I thought it might not hurt to get her tested.  Quilla and Daisy are already on pergolide, one more wouldn't make that much difference, but I hope she isn't.

Everyone is wearing a fly mask now except for BlackJack.  The flies don't like him very well.  We aren't having much of a fly problem so far, BUT, they do like to get in the donkey's eyes.  Buddy has already lost his mask.......somewhere........!!!!   

THE EXPERTS ARE ON THE PROBLEM

I went to my blog server and voiced my disapproval of not being able to download my pictures, without Google's nose in my business.  Seems like I'm not the only one, quite a few people jumped onto my message, and now the Forum moderator has asked us all for some information to try to figure out what is going on.  So we'll see, seems like it would be easier to go to Google and ask them what they are doing, but maybe I don't see the "big" picture.

It was 17 degrees here this morning, Doug's water is frozen until later in the day.  Of course all the water buckets have to have ice broken and netted out.  At least the heater is still floating in the Rubbermaid tank.  Although everyone has small bucket in their pens, we also have 2 other areas for water and they are both heated, so they have access to open water all the time when they are out of their pens.  

The reason I mentioned the heater floating in the Rubbermaid is a couple of days ago it wasn't.  It was sitting on top of the insulated box around all the faucets that go to the feed room, pens, etc.  None of us know how it got there, someone had to grab hold of it floating in the water, and hang onto it long enough to drag it out, when the electrical wire probably stopped it from going any further.  Over the years it's never been a problem before with the donkeys.  But, Saddik the new dog was not here before.........so he's getting the blame, unless we catch one of the donkeys dragging it out.  

Although they don't enjoy the cold weather, I'm pretty sure they are all enjoying, no fly masks, no polo wraps or socks on their legs and no doctoring.  I'm going out this morning and gathering up all the fly masks to decide which ones are salvageable which ones to throw away.  I think quite a few of them are still good, but I'll still have to get in touch with Colorful Equine to order a supply to start out next spring. 

We'll be taking Jake home to his herd Friday.  The little ones are big enough to take care of themselves and the other jenny hasn't had a baby, so we'll give it a try.  If she does have a baby, we could always go back and bring Jake back here, if we thought it was necessary.  He's really a nice donkey, gorgeous and very sweet and mellow.  I'm sure he will be glad to get home to his family.  The 8 donkeys adopted together by one couple, were a active herd, Jake was the herd jack, 5 jennies and 2 weanling jacks.  It's not often a little herd like that would get to stay together, so this is a special situation.  They now have 3 more little jacks to have gelded in the spring.  It would have been cheaper if Jake had thrown jennies instead of jacks........LOL  One of the jennies got her neck trapped in the fork of a tree this summer, probably broke it and couldn't walk, so had to be euthanized, unfortunately. 

Since we are in a cold snap, John has upped everyone's hay, which they seem to appreciate.  At least they aren't leaving any, like they were during mesquite bean season.  Except for the 3 fatties, Coquette, Rosie and Buddy Brat, the others all look pretty good, so I don't think a little bit of extra hay to help keep them warm, will be a problem.

GOING TO THE MOVIES?

Well John and BlackJack aren't exactly going to the movies, they are going to be in a movie, tomorrow morning starting at 7am...........!!!  Why can't they start at a decent hour, like after chores are finished, chores are much more fun if two are doing them and only half the work.........!!!  LOL

BJ is the only one of us that has had experience packing, but it's been a long time, at least 15 years.  The pack saddle is not that old, but the straps are dried out.  There is nothing more frustrating than trying to work with leather straps that have the flexibility of a piece of metal.  John soaked them in water for 2 or 3 days and then slathered on as much Lexol as he could.  But it hasn't made much difference.  Of course all the straps needed to be adjusted since the last time it was used on obviously a larger animal.  

When I say he's the only one with experience, that is really important information.  Some of you know John was never around large animals until we got BlackJack.  He still has creative ways of putting on halters sometimes... and we won't even talk about tying a quick release knot.........!!!!  I had horses as a girl, BUT, that has been a LONG time ago.  My experience was with riding saddles, not even sure I ever saw a pack saddle up close. 

But the show must go on.  We put the saddle on BJ last week, but without all the "stuff" that hangs on it, like shovel, ditty bag, you know all those things miners use.............or at least to give the perception of things miners use. 

I wouldn't say BJ was the most patient victim, but then again it took us forever to get the straps adjusted and all the other donkeys were out doing donkey stuff and he knew it.  

I really surprised myself....I still remembered how to tie the cinch straps.  I would imagine most saddles now have buckles.  John was impressed, so was I............BJ.........not so much, I'm sure.  

Hopefully they will only be needed tomorrow, one movie that John, BJ, Cisco and Buddy Brat were in was only suppose to be one day, ended up 4 days of mostly standing around waiting and waiting some more.  

We were told it was going to be a Western, Zombie, Comedy............I don't even know what that is, although I said something to JR our grandson and his wife and they both laughed and seemed familiar with the concept.  I didn't even ask if they watch them, don't want to know.  But the latest we heard it's going to be a heavy rock video.......!!  I don't know anymore about that than the other, I'm afraid......!!!  LOL

Have a woman coming out to visit with Pepsi and Pancho next week, keep your fingers crossed.  Also had someone else interested in them, but they have 80 acres which would be a lot of acres for 2 little miniatures or in Pancho's case almost mini.  So I'm going to see if they might be interested in Ruthie, Wister and Ruger.  Eighty acres for 3 donkeys would be like donkey heaven, they wouldn't even need to be fed except for something to have them come in once or twice a day and check in.  The people have a large stable for their horses and some boarders, that all stay in stalls and paddocks, so all that land is going to waste from my point of view..........LOL

Doctoring is getting almost boring............YIPPEE....!!!  No leg wraps on anyone, the flies are respecting the Swat or Thuja zinc oxide. 

100 DEGREES AGAIN........???

 HOW ABOUT JOHN'S SHOES, THEY ALMOST GLOW IN THE DARK.....!!  lol

What happened to cooling off and the end of the monsoon?  Guess we'll have to wait for awhile longer.  I think Tucson had 3 days in a row over 100 degrees this week.  Today is cloudy so it's not going to get so hot, but it might rain.  The closer we get to the week-end the higher the chances for rain, in fact 50% for Saturday, the next race night.  SIGH!

Had good races Labor Day week-end, I won both heat races and both main events, couldn't do much better than that.............LOL  Unfortunately they weren't point races because they added the Hornets just a few days before the week-end.  It wouldn't have been fair to drivers that already had other plans. 

Pepper is still mostly laying down on his left side.  About twice a week he gets down on his right.  Usually it's in the wash where the sand is soft and deep.  Probably because it's so soft, he loses his balance going down and his weak side goes first.  We just take one day at a time, he is still interested in going out and surveying his territory and will let you know if he thinks he's been in the pen too long.  

A couple of days ago, I noticed Boaz had a wound of some kind right below his knee with the scar tissue on it.  I cleaned it up, wrapped it up and this morning removed the bandage.  It looks to me like a rattlesnake strike, the flesh is starting to look icky.  Called the vet and they said bring him right in.  Unfortunately I let him out after I doctored him.  John and I walked all over the place and couldn't find him, so I called them back and said I'd make an appointment Friday if it doesn't look better when I change the bandage then.  John had already hooked up the trailer, so while I was calling, he was putting it back where it belonged.  Came in and told me while he was backing the trailer up, Boaz came waltzing by from somewhere.  Grrrr.!!

Our "fat" farm is growing, the minis and Frijolita are getting added tonight.  We haven't had any rain for awhile, so the "weeds" are drying up pretty quick, although if it rains some more, they will probably perk up again.  Most of the mesquite beans have fallen and we have noticed the donkeys don't eat beans after they have been on the ground and start turning brown, which is a good thing.  Because of the lack of goodies to eat, we're going to try just keeping them in at night and letting them out during the day.  Their necks are getting hard and cresty, so we'll keep watching them and if being out half the time doesn't work, they'll go in for the duration.  The other 6 will continue to stay in 24/7.  Rosie and Buddy Brat are capable of eating enough in a hour to equate what the others eat in 4-5 hours.  Actually Penny and Gigi wouldn't have to be in the pens, but Rosie and Coquette would have an absolute hissy fit, if their best friends weren't with them.  Coquette especially stresses really bad if Penny is out of her sight. 

SNOOKY IS OUT AND ABOUT

The house cats (4) are always trying to figure out how to get out in the big world.  Night before last one of them managed to knock one of the screens out and when John got up in the morning, the 3 boys were out and Moogee was sitting by the opening probably thinking, "you guys are going to get it".......!!! 

Nigel wasn't too difficult, lately if he gets out he will actually let us pick him up.  We locked him and Moogee up, opened the back door and Sunny made a tactical error and came in.  Snookey has always had a wild streak, we saw him a couple of times yesterday, but haven't seen him yet today.  Last time he got out he was out for 3 days before we suckered him in.  I've made up my mind I won't worry about him, we all make decisions and sometimes they work out, sometimes they don't.  We don't have a lot of coyotes around here anymore, so hopefully he's just out enjoying his freedom.  

I had some boring things to do in Benson yesterday, John decided to stay home and try to catch up on some of the little piddlely things that always need to be done, and seem to multiply at a rapid rate.  I went in, did all my stops and everything was really going smoothly.......!!  

Headed for home and it started raining, turned  the windshield wipers on one click and immediately had to go to full on.........!!!  Couldn't see past the hood hardly, but I know the road and there wasn't any other idiots out there.........LOL  By the time I got to our little dirt/mud road it had quit raining, but everything was flooded.  I had driven thru the washes that cross over the main road and hoped the last big wash would be OK...............NOT..........!!!!  It was running about running board high on the van.  The van weighs 3 tons, so it's not going to float away like a little car.  But the weight will drag it down if the ground underneath isn't stable.  Tried to call John, (I was almost close enough to yell), but was in a dead zone for a signal.  Backed up and finally got it to ring, had to leave a message..........!!  He called me back in about 5 minutes, said he had gotten caught in the garage and had to wait it out.  

I told him I'd just sit there and wait for it to go down, but he fired up the Bronco and came to rescue me, any excuse to play with the 4 wheel drive.  He went out about an hour later and drove the van home.  

I think the donkeys are getting as tired of the rain as we are.  Although they are still enjoying all the green stuff and of course the mesquite beans.  Right now we have 6 fatties staying in the pens.  Buddy Brat is the last addition........!!!  This isn't his first "rodeo" he has to go in just about every year, until the majority of the beans are gone.  He knows when he is being mistreated and lets us know every time he sees us, by screaming and running to the gate. 

 JOHN AND BUDDY BRAT

Rosie went in a few days ago, because she was laying around and acting very ouchy on her feet, although they weren't warm.  She's walking much better, we even dragged out one of the slow feeder nets to put her hay in.  Didn't take her long to figure it out, she even knows how to shake it to get the hay to fall out, so she doesn't have to pull it out.  

They haven't even been on Burroland the last few days, if we go to town or it rains and the wash runs, they don't get over there for their 2 or 3 hours in the afternoon, much to their disgust.  Reba and Rusty the mules are particularly upset and will stand and stare at the gate for hours.  Oh! well as long as they are standing, they aren't eating....!!!   LOL

I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY HATE BEAN SEASON.....!!!

PROUD MOMMA

We had mostly wind with a little sprinkle here and there yesterday afternoon.  The beans have been ripening and dropping a few at a time, which of course was very exciting for the donkeys.  Somewhat like a scavenger hunt.  Well, the wind dropped any bean that even felt like dropping.  There are beans everywhere and donkeys vacuuming as much as they can.  

Unfortunately it's a 2 edged sword.  Too many beans can cause founder, not to mention a lot of weight gain, which none of these guys need.  We fight the battle of the bulge 24/7/365, as it is.  The ones that have already been foundered or are chronically foundered certainly don't need to eat beans.  They are even falling in the pens, of course those won't last long and as soon as the over hanging limbs divest all their beans, the pens will be a bean free area.  BUT, what to do with 30 acres of bounty........????  

If we keep them off the beans, the beans will fall anyway and lay there, especially since our local ranch has very few if any cattle left to free range.  There aren't enough little critters around to eat them all either.  

We are going to try keeping them on the 10 acres at night.  That way the 10 acres should get cleaned up pretty quick.  Then we will let them over on Burroland for a few hours in the afternoon to get a start on cleaning up that area.  I'm sure after a couple of hours of vacuuming, they will not be at all interested in coming in for carrots pieces, and hay.  John will have his work cut out for him, trying to get them in the pens. 

They aren't the least bit interested in coming in to eat.  In fact some of them almost run if they see us out trying to find them.  Right now they are in for breakfast and some of them aren't even touching their hay.  This brings up another problem.  We do Poo101 watch to make sure beans don't take over.  If it looks like beans are at a higher percentage of poo, than other material, they get to stay in their pen, sometimes 24/7 until bean season is over.  Buddy Brat has done that quite often.  But if they stay in the pen, the beans are still going to be out there.  SIGH!

2013 IS JUST ABOUT OVER......!!!

This year has gone by so quickly, but I guess it's time to get ready for a new one.  This year has been a good one, no big crisis'.  I just wish we could get our numbers down, unfortunately most of the donkeys and mules we have left aren't really adoptable for the most part.  The brothers Ruger and Wister are adoptable and actually are starting to hang out together, which is what I was hoping for.  

Their mother Ruthie would be adoptable, but we don't have anyone to go out with her.  It would be nice if Boaz could go with her.  But I'm afraid his knee would be a deal breaker for someone wanting to adopt.  

This is what his leg looked like this morning when I was changing bandages.  I've been using the balm and powder from Source One Naturals and it's looking less angry and seems to be drier, so I'll continue using it for awhile.  I sometimes think medications work and then seem to lose their effectiveness. 

Boaz and Ruthie have been together for at least 4 or 5 years and would be a good pair.  But that probably isn't going to happen for the above reason.  

Of course there is also Jack and Molly the mini mules.  They will take a special home that really wants them.  They've settled down a lot and really are a lot of fun to be around, but when it's all said and done they are MULES.  

Coquette would be very adoptable, she has been worked with and likes people.  BUT, she and Penny are totally and completely bonded, at least from Coquette's point of view.  Last night starting at about 1am, Coquette had lost Penny.  She kept calling and yelling, John finally got up, went out in the cold to make sure nothing was seriously wrong.  She was standing out in the pen area, yelling, no one else in sight.  It went on until about 4am, when we assume she finally found Penny, because they came in together for breakfast.  They like to hang with Pepper for some odd reason.  We think, Coquette was busy doing something, when Penny and Pepper went someplace else and Coquette didn't get the memo.  Penny would be a hard sell, and we won't separate them.

This morning we looked out the kitchen window and saw Buddy Brat and Cisco play fighting.  Not that unusual, except Cisco  was a roping donkey in a school that taught roping and was loaned out for the students to take home and practice on.  Needless to say his legs are shot.  He usually moves at a slow steady pace rather than grabbing neck and pushing and shoving.  I had wondered who had been slobbering on Buddy's neck, now I think I know.  He is on CosequinASU, which is an outstanding joint supplement and it seems to be working for him.  This is what makes rescue worthwhile, when they once again act like donkeys.  

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE...!!

Wister is becoming a big boy

Wister is becoming a big boy....!!!  Thanks Jamie for the picture

I think we got 3 or 4 sprinkles this morning about daybreak, so now we have humidity.  That seems to be all we get.  All of our friends in different areas have gotten inches of rain, we barely have 1/2 inch total.............!!!!  When it's humid for days at a time, the pens start smelling like an outhouse.  Although the pens are picked up daily, & we cover the "pee ponds" with dirt, the humidity lets us know the pee is still there right under the surface.  If it gets really bad, John will use the back hoe & dig out the pond, sometimes he has to go 2 or 3 foot deep to get it all, & bring in fresh dirt/gravel.  

I seem to be getting a handle on the skin problems for the most part.  We're still taking Gus in tomorrow for a scraping, even though I'm managing to keep his legs dry using Columbia Vet Powder, which is powdered zinc oxide.  

This is Jack the mini mule's shoulder, both sides & his belly looks like this.  Never has been wet or gooey, he had raised welts about the size of a pea & the hair sloughed off to this.  He's the only one that has this condition, all the rest are legs, except for the dry flakes, some of them have on their necks & backs.  

Still fighting the battle of the mesquite beans, no one is interested in coming in to eat, & more than likely will leave hay.  John has cut what he's feeding them at least in half, some of them even more than half.  So if they usually get 5 pounds of hay a day they are getting 2 1/2 pounds or less.  They don't seem to care at all..........brats......!!!  

Buddy was looking so svelte, at least for him.  It will probably take all winter to get the weight he's put on off again.  

BlackJack & Frijolita both have crests normally & they are getting bigger.  I'd really hate to have to pen them, but it might come to that if the beans last much longer.  Makes me wish we had a dry lot. 

HERE'S RED THIS MORNING......!!

RED

 

 Red has settled in nicely, although she has already figured out, everyone else is going out and she isn't.  We'll give her a couple of days in before letting her out to roam.  She's pretty bomb proof, so it probably wouldn't be necessary, but this way she gets a chance to look around without "eyes" & "nosies" everywhere......!!!

 

WHERE'S BREAKFAST AROUND THIS PLACE?

FOUND IT.....!!!

HAD TO HAVE A PICTURE OF THOSE PRETTY FEET...!!

 

She's a lucky girl to get to 28-30 with such pretty feet, judging from the feet we usually get in. 

Well as they say "one door closes, another door opens"  or something like that.  Red puts us up to our self imposed limit of 20.  Got a call this morning, looks like we'll be taking in at least one & possibly 4 donkeys........!!!! Don't know all the particulars yet.  John's already been out trying to figure out pens.

 

Poor Buddy Brat, his pen already got halved so the mini mules would have a pen.  Now John is talking about taking another half of what he has left to make a pen.  At least he still has a shelter, which is important to him.  He seems to think he will melt if he gets wet.....!!!

 

Still giving Cheyenne a shot every morning.  This morning John forgot & let her out before her shot.  We went out & found the herd, got a halter & lead on her & she preceeded to pitch a "mini" fit.  The thing about a mini fit is, they are about as hard to control as a "big" fit...........!!  Didn't have anyplace to push her up against, so had to lead her all the way back to the pens where there are convenient corral panels.  Even then she was a little pill. 

 

Molly's thrushy feet seem to be doing good.  I didn't even soak any of them this morning, I dug around & couldn't find any nasty smelly stuff, so I crammed Banixx soaked cotton into the nooks & crannies & turned her loose.  Last night I picked her feet up to make sure they didn't have any manure embedded in the frogs, & the cotton I had put in that morning was still there.  Now that is some deep crevices.......!!!!  If they look good in the morning I might just wet all 4 feet down with apple cider vinegar.  I think it will be important to check her feet every day in the future & make sure she doesn't have manure or dirt packed in her frogs to hold in moisture.  Most of the donkeys don't have the problem of deep crevices if anything just the opposite, flat feet. 

Today has been "interesting", so far.  It was 9 degrees this morning, so I guess you could say, we are having a warming trend....!!!  Unfortunately the water buckets didn't reflect this "heat" wave & were iced over with ice thick enough John had a hard time breaking it with his trusty "ice breaker".  

We needed to have Buddy Brat to the vet to have a little probable sarcoid taken off his sheath, by 10:30, so there wasn't a lot of time for John to play with ice.  He made sure Ruthie & the little mules had water & figured the others could get a drink from the 2 heated tanks when they went out after breakfast.

Rusty is almost back to normal, so he didn't have to go see the vet.  He still needed to take some Tucoprim this morning & rather than relax & enjoy it (mixed with applesauce) he tried to throw a mule fit.  Caught John flat footed, & we almost had a train wreck.  One thing about Rusty, when he misbehaves, if you get in his face, he will usually give up gracefully.  So I got in his face, & he decided it wasn't worth the tantrum, except for a little head pulling away.  A couple of jerks on his gums with my thumb & he decided the head pulling wasn't working out so well either, so we managed to get done what needed to be done.  Wish I was bigger or he was littler.  (G)  Can't wait for tomorrow morning for the continuing saga........!!!

Buddy hopped in the trailer & off we went.  Got to the vet, she checked him over & brought out this oversized ball point pen thingie.  I've had things burnt off with liquid nitrogen before, with a thermos & cue tip I think, it's been awhile.  This little thing has a 1 use cartridge of liquid nitrogen in the handle, with a tip that can change size depending on the size of whatever you are freezing.  His little growth wasn't very big, so it didn't take much, which was great.  

While we were there I had her check a little tumor below one of his eyes, that had developed over the last year.  About the size of a pea, seemed loose, like it might be encapsulated, not attached to anything.  Everyone thought it would be a good idea to take it out, since he was already there.  Dr. Megan thought it might be a thorn or something rather than a "real" tumor.  

She cut thru on the bottom & a big mushy thorn materialized.  Pulled it out & there was still something there.  She started pulling on it & this wad of "hair" came out.  As she cleaned it up & sutured it the vet tech cleaned up the wad.

This is the "hair", when the tech stretched it out it was about 10 inches long.  The general consensus is, it's an eye lash that went crazy & continued to grow even though there was no place for it to go.  I guess it got trapped in the wound made by the thorn someway.  Whoever heard of a 10 inch long eyelash............????

There have been larvae in the Rubbermaid water tank & we all had been wondering what they were.  There are some water bugs of some type, look like Daphnia, but who knows, thought it might be some of their "children".  Yesterday John found quite a few mosquito dead in the water.  Not a good time of year to be hatching out & going thru your life cycle if you are a mosquito.  The water was warm, but once they become adult mosquito, it looks like they didn't even make it out of the water.  Too bad.........!!!!! 

When we came home from the vet, all the jennies were running like crazy west of the pens.  When we left this morning Lysa hadn't got here yet to clean the pens.  I guess she left one of the gates open, because Ruthie & Aaron were out in "public".  The jennies weren't trying to hurt him or anything, but Ruthie was really trying to protect him, & everyone was acting like idiots.  John got a treat & Ruthie was more than willing to follow him back to the pens, & of course the mean "wittle" kid trotted along with her.  

He will be 3 weeks old tomorrow, I had said we'd let him out at 4 weeks, but might go ahead & let him out when we are here to make sure there are no problems.  We'll be letting the mini mules out soon too.  Probably won't let everyone out at the same time for the first time, that might get a little exciting.....!!!

R.I.P. JENNY BIG GIRL

The vet just left, & John is digging.  Unfortunately he's getting very experienced at getting the hole just the right size.

The vet drew blood on Buddy Brat & Cisco & we decided to take both of them into the clinic, to have Buddy's sarcoid taken off his sheath.  The clinic has a new freezing machine that Dr. Megan said would be perfect for Buddy's little match head size growth, but they don't take it into the field.  And in order to get an endoscope done on Cisco, we have to go to the office, so we'll just take them both at the same time.  She agreed that a lot of the swallowing problems Cisco is having could definitely be caused by being used as a roping donkey.  And the endoscope might not even show anything even if they manage to get it down his throat, which might not happen.  

Then it was on to Jenny for evaluation.  I unwrapped her foot, & on examination, Dr. Megan said she could feel swelling clear up above the coronet, & that we had lost some of the hoof integrity on either side of the abscess area.  There was very little doubt that the foot was not going to get better.  I was surprised the material that I thought might be cartilage that was sticking out of her foot, was just more proud flesh.  She said proud flesh on lower legs & feet, can behave in lots of weird ways.  

Jenny was the first one that I couldn't stay with, we had just too much time & effort together, & she was still healthy & happy, just couldn't walk very good.  John stayed with her & said he was petting & talking to her when she went down.   She was going to be euthanized if we hadn't taken her 5 1/2 years ago, & she had over 4 years of relatively good life, so I guess I will have to be satisfied with that.  

Good-bye my big girl.....!!

WE GOT A CHRISTMAS BABY, AFTER ALL......!!!

When John went out around 9pm last night to let everyone out, he saw a new little guy in Ruthie's pen, on the ground & still wet.  

This was this morning just about dawn

Right before John went out last night the donkeys were braying.  As soon as they got out of their pens they surrounded the pen, gawking.  This morning they were still gawking, when they came in from Burroland.

This was the first time he laid down, finally ran out of gas I guess.  Looks like a little boy, from the little glance under the tail, Ruthie "allowed" me to look.  Had to be quick, she is very good at going between anything she thinks doesn't need to be close to her little one.  Looks like he will be about the color of his older brother, Ruger, a light tan.  

We are waiting for the vet to show up to see Cisco about not being able to eat hay without quidding, Buddy has a sarcoid on his sheath & of course Jenny.  When I saw the baby last night I thought of the old saying about, a door not closing without another door opening, or however it goes.  I hope this little guy has a better life than Jenny's has been.  She's never given up, which really makes this hard to face.  

RAIN, RAIN, RAIN

I'm always amazed when the weatherman gets it right.  They said rain & we actually got 3/4 of an inch of rain overnight. 

Needed the rain, BUT, the vet was suppose to come out this morning to check Jenny, pull blood on Cisco & Rusty, & probably removed a growth from Buddy Brat's sheath.  They called & cancelled, can't use x-ray, etc when it's raining.  Besides wet donkeys aren't going to be the most pleasant patients. If there is anything a donkey hates worse than being wet, it's being touched when they are wet.  Really puts them in a cranky mood........!!!   

Cisco actually choked yesterday morning on a piece of carrot.  I sure hope we can find out what is wrong with him.  So for now, he will be getting animal crackers as a treat, rather than carrots.  

Also have a problem with the ACTH test for Cushings for Rusty.  It seems right now they are not manufacturing the testing material according to the vet.  It can be compounded, but of course compounded medicine is usually more expensive.  She suggested trying Rusty on a low dosage of pergolide & see if it helps with his exuberant hair growth. 

Both Pepper & Daisy are on 3mg of pergolide a day, which I get in 1.5 capsules.  Too high a dosage to start out on, so she was going to figure out a good starting dosage & let me know.  

We talked about the fact that Jenny seems to be walking a little more comfortable & the drainage from the foot is almost gone.  I haven't put a sugar/dyne poultice on for over a week, & am only soaking her foot twice a week in epsom salts & betadyne.  She thinks it might be time to see how much proud flesh we can get off & use a pressure bandage.  She was also pleased that the hoof wall growing in at the coronary band looks to be good growth.  She said because of where the proud flesh is, the new hoof growth will basically push the proud flesh off the foot as it grows.   Not sure I want to see that.  

Ruthie is still bagging up, as they say, but no other changes.  I keep remembering with Mocha, that she didn't even look pregnant, but Tucker showed up anyway.  Ruthie usually hangs around the house & pen area, but this morning when John went out, she wasn't to be seen.  He took off frantically to find her.  She was down below the house vacuuming up mesquite leaves that blew off in the horrible wind that accompanied the rain last night. 

YIKES.........I'm really getting behind.  This time of year is when I do a newsletter for Christmas.  I know, a lot of people HATE newsletters at Christmas, but that's the best I can do.  Besides I don't talk about who is at the top of their class, or has a new job  that pays twice what the old one did.  Like that's going to happen in our economy right now.....!!!  Or talk about people that unless you know them, really doesn't make a lot of sense.  I look at John he looks at me, & we ask, "who are they talking about"?  Anyway I talk about the animals & what they did this year it's usually more interesting than than what people do anyway.  So far I haven't gotten started.  But I have good intentions & nothing planned tomorrow, sooooooo.......!!!!!

The vet is coming out next Friday to test Rusty the mule for Cushings.  He is getting hairy & I don't remember him doing that before.  I have all my information printed out to back up my request for an ACTH test rather than the Dex test for Cushings.  Some vets are coming around to the idea of one blood draw & no threat of laminitis & using the ACTH test.  But it is vital that it be handled properly.  The last one I had done, had to be done over...........the lab didn't do it right.........!!!!!   Hmmmmm........as I recall we had a discussion over why in the world I wanted that rather than the gold standard Dex test..........!!!

While she's out, I'll have her draw a CBC on Cisco.  He's just not right.  We had his teeth done, but he still eats like he's got something going on.  We were going to haul him in for an endoscope, but since the vet was coming out for other animals, decided to get a CBC & see if it tells us anything, then we can do the endoscope later.  Buddy Brat has a small sarcoid on his sheath. I've been putting Equaide on it & it is holding it's own or getting smaller, but won't hurt to have it looked at.

And last but certainly not least is Jenny big girl needs to be re-evaluated for her foot.  We're still soaking, & poulticing, & fighting proud flesh.  I don't think it's any worse, but have no clue if it is getting better.  The proud flesh drives me crazy, which is actually a pretty short drive..........but the vet says we can always take care of it later, we need to try to take care of the oozing.  I don't see how the hoof wall can grow correctly, if it's got this blob of "stuff" in the way.  It does look like we are getting some hoof growth at the coronet, but below that what happens, when the growth reaches the proud flesh? 

So if I don't update for a few days, don't be surprised.  Patti left me with a "dummy" blog to play with.  I got into it a couple of nights ago, & I think it will be easier to set up another dummy blog than to try to straighten that one out.  It's amazing how much damage one person that doesn't know what they are doing, can do........!!!!!!  LOL

Just got a call from Mocha & Tucker's Mom.  You might recall that they also took in Missy the Great Dane someone dumped in our area.

It seems that during the night Missy knocked down the fence & attacked Tucker.  He's OK, but has a gash on his side, his ears have been chewed & he has some bites on his hind quarters, poor little guy.  She also killed the ducks & geese.  Missy's been there for a couple of months & none of us have any idea what happened to set her off.  Like January said we don't know her history, so we'll never know, but obviously she shouldn't be around other species, don't know about dogs.  January said she got into a fight with one of their other dogs, over food, but that's different.

She's already checked with a Great Dane rescue in El Paso & they will take Missy.   I feel terrible about this happening since I was responsible for putting Missy into that home.  As they say, no good deed goes unpunished, & in this case the ducks, geese, & poor little Tucker pay the price. 

HAPPY MULE APPRECIATION DAY, TOMORROW

The 26th of October is Mule Appreciation Day, as we found out when we were trying to figure out when Donkey Appreciation Day is.  What we found out is, there is no special day for donkeys.  I find that sad, considering there are special days for just about everything else.  

These are pictures of crotchety old Jack.  He's blind in one eye, doesn't hear very good, & doesn't have enough teeth to make a difference.  His owner of 17 years was going to shoot him because when he went blind in the one eye, he got real spooky & the guy couldn't trust him.  He's still spooky, but we've learned not to come up on his left side, & to make as much noise as possible when we do come up to him.   

 

I had my other cataract removed today, & will have to go into Tucson tomorrow for a follow up appointment.  So far I am quite pleased with both eyes, although so far my glasses are pretty blurry.  They said I can't get new glasses for 3 or 4 weeks until my eyes stabilize .............. hmmmm ...........  this might get interesting.  Unless my vision gets clearer, I don't think I could drive, & I'm sure I'll find a lot of other things that I can't do.  I guess this is one of those things that will be great when it's over, but in the meantime, WHAT A PAIN.........!!!!!

Today John had to take me in at "O dark thirty" for the surgery.  He threw me out & headed back home to take care of the animals.  Our nephew waited for me & took me to his house, until John could get back into town to bring me home.  It's great living out in the boonies, until you need to do something in town that interferes with chores.  John had to leave the "fur" kids in their pens & we didn't get home until about 2pm to let them out.  You talk about a grumpy bunch of critters.........!!!!!   They made sure we knew how unhappy they were.

Seems like right now I'm doctoring more than usual.  Of course Jenny's re-sectioned foot is a daily treatment.  Right now, Buddy Brat has a little tumor on his sheath...........Equaide.  Cisco has some kind of crud in his ear.  The vet "thinks" it might be mites or something.  Suggested Animax which seems to be making a difference.  He also said something about getting ear mite treatment for cats & trying that.  But so far the Animax seems to be working.  Of course I still have to keep Thuja Zinc Oxide on Cisco's sheath to keep the flies from landing on it, which makes him get on the ground & scratch himself bloody.  Zinc Oxide on Gus & Quilla's front legs, when the stable flies have chewed off what hair they have & tried to make a bloody mess out of their legs.  Boaz came back from his weed control gig, with a few habronema larvae on his face in a couple of spots.  I sent 3 fly masks with them, they lost them, & Karla said she found areas of her 5 acres she had never seen before, but didn't find the masks.  Boaz doesn't seem to have a healthy immune system, so as soon as the barrier wasn't there, the flies took advantage of the situation.   

Looks like Chantilly will be going to a new home soon, we will do a home study next week.  Lilly lost her companion a few weeks ago, & is very lonely.  Her Mom & Dad came out & zeroed in on Chantilly.  They seemed like very caring people & it should be a great home for a shy little sweet girl.  

I was hoping our new banner would show up better & you can't hardly see little Buddy Brat peeking around the right side of the banner.  I would imagine he was looking for more people to come by to pet & feed him timothy pellets.  It didn't take him & Pepsi very long to figure out the "drill", people come by, gush & make over them, do some petting, feed some pellets, maybe do some more petting.  Pepsi even ended up with lipstick on his nose......!!!!  

He also turn into a "attention" monster.   He decided that all the attention should be his, & let Buddy know this was HIS show & Buddy could stand over there & be quiet.  Of course we let Pepsi know that his behavior was unacceptable & made sure Buddy got his share of attention.

This morning was crisis management as usual, when we have to haul donkeys someplace early.  Lysa was coming to clean pens this morning, but we needed to feed before we left.  We finally decided that we'd load the boys, & John haul them to the Rummage Sale, while I fed.  I followed later in the van.

Let me say that donkeys have a way of ruining the "best laid plans of mice & men".  Buddy went in the trailer like a veteran.  Pepsi hasn't been in a trailer for almost 6 years, & decided he wasn't going.  We figured he's a mini, how much trouble can he be?  Quite a bit, actually.......!!!!!  We found out you can get 3 legs off the ground & still not get him in the trailer.  We also found out that he is a kicker under the right circumstances, & this seemed to be them.  He doesn't just kick once, he kicks like a machine gun.  Good Grief............!!!!  We finally got the front feet in the trailer, I looped a rope around one hind foot, & managed to get it on the trailer floor more or less.  Then John literally dragged him into the trailer by 2 ropes, one on either side of the trailer.  The one leg on the ground he wasn't willing to lift, until the last instant & it got scraped up a little.  

When he got there, John said he hopped out of the trailer, walked like a little trooper to the pen, John opened it, & "NOPE, not going in there".  John said 2 guys saw the problem, came over & literally picked him up & threw him in the pen.  I asked if John told them he might kicked, said he didn't have a chance, Pepsi was already in the pen.   Thank goodness he isn't a mammoth..........LOL

We wondered how it would go when we got ready to come home.  Just about like it went in the morning, until 2 women & a man helped.  They even knew what they were doing, so it went pretty good.  John said when he got them home & opened the back of the trailer, there was no problem with them getting out, guess there's "no place like home"............!!!!  

We're taking Cisco to an equine dentist tomorrow.  He's been acting a little off lately & eating real slow.  I checked his mouth & didn't find anything, but I'd like someone that knows what they're doing look.  Yesterday afternoon I noticed a bunch of flies, around one of his ears.  I got a flashlight & looked inside........YUCK!  He had a big raw strip about an inch wide that is about 5 inches long.  At the bottom of it is a place that was gooey & slimy.  I've never seen anything like that.  So far I've sprayed the inside of his ear 3 times with Vetericyn.  The difference is amazing, the gooey spot is dry & the red raw strip is scabbed over.  Thank goodness he is very docile, spraying liquid into their ears usually isn't a real big hit.  He lets us know he isn't thrilled, but at least he doesn't try to hurt us..........!!! 

GLAD I'M NOT A FLY WITH LOTS OF EYES......!!!

JEFF, BRIANNA, ZEKE, TERESA & MIKE IN TOMBSTONE

The first eye went so well, they are doing the other one next Thursday........!!!!!  Seems rather quick, but I can't get new glasses until they are both done & healed.  So the sooner the better I guess.  Just wish it was later in the day, or we lived closer to Tucson........... Or they did house calls.  That's not going to happen, they have their cataract surgery down to a well ran assembly line.  And they still manage to make you feel like you're the only one they are interested in.  At least until you go into the twilight zone, after that who knows what happened.......LOL

Tomorrow morning we are taking either the 4 little minis, or Buddy Brat & Pepsi down to Sierra Vista for the Care for the Horses Rummage Sale.  Ann has been having this for a few years & it has become quite a happening, they usually do really well not only with donated items, but make money to continue their good work.  We've taken donkeys down before, for the people to pet if they want.  I think last time it was BlackJack & Chester.

Speaking of BlackJack we are going to bring him & Boaz home Monday.  Karla called & said the weeds are pretty much gone, so the boys have done their job & it's time to come home.  They might be disappointed when they get here, the donkeys that weren't picked for weed control, have made sure no weeds survived here, so there isn't much to browse on.  

Still working on Jenny's foot with the proud flesh, & it seems to be doing pretty good.  Proud flesh can grow into a monster almost overnight, but can take a long time to control & get rid of.  

Last night I used a rag to clean off some of the stuff the Equaide had destroyed.  One rather large piece about the size of  a half dollar, (if anyone remembers what they looked like) came loose real easy..............and started bleeding all down the front of her foot.  At least it wasn't a sprayer, but it didn't want to quit.  Equaide is great stuff, BUT, it doesn't stop bleeding like Wonder Dust.  Sigh......!!!  So for a couple of days I guess we'll use plan B, Wonder Dust.  Hopefully if I don't mess with it for awhile it will stop being such a problem.

I've been putting off having Courtney come out because Jenny's foot is compromised right now & her other feet seem to be doing OK, in boots.  The other one she comes out for is Gus.  For the last 2 or 3 weeks, he has been walking pretty normal & willing to walk fast, chases John down for treats when it's time to go in the pens.  It seems like usually he gets ouchy after a trim, so I've been putting it off.  But, I'm sure if his feet get a little too much growth, he'll slow down & not be as comfortable. 

Went down to Tombstone as planned to do some further planning with Teresa this afternoon.  I think Teresa knows everyone in town, as we walked up the street, she kept stopping to introduce me to someone.  She started to introduce me to one dirty looking "miner", & then said "oh you guys already know each other".  HUH?  Didn't look like anyone I knew, until he started talking about how well the donkeys were getting along.  He is Thelma's "Dad", but I had never seen him "dressed" for Tombstone before.  

He said they are getting along just fine, Eeyore is smitten with her & follows her everywhere.  They call her Roo, I think he said the name is from the movie with Eeyore in it, but I'm not sure.  To say I have been out of the movies for years & years is an understatement............!!!!  LOL  Especially cartoons, although I guess they don't call them cartoons anymore.  There I go, dating myself again.  

Where the donkeys, probably Cisco & Buddy Brat, will be on display is inside the wooden fence where they have the big shootout shows 3 times a day for half an hour.  Lots of shooting & screaming & shooting........!!!!  Teresa was worried about the loud noise.  Cisco had a guy shoot a rifle over his back in the Gundown movie a couple of years ago & didn't even flinch.  

When I got home I told John we were going to have to shoot off a gun probably the 16 gauge shotgun.  So after we got everyone in their pens, John first shot in between the 2 sets of pens.  The only one that freaked was Ruthie, she wasn't impressed at all.  Frijolita looked around like she was interested in what made the noise ears up & curious.  Unfortunately Frijolita does not "enjoy" people for the sake of people, only if they have treats.  Otherwise she would stand in the corner & just stare at them, wondering where the treats were. 

Then he went down by the minis, Cisco & Buddy.  As I thought, Cisco didn't even wiggle, Buddy kinda looked around, but no big deal.  

Then we went down by Chantilly, she's the only one in that row of pens that would even be a possibility to go.  Rusty & Jack are mules, Tula is wild as a March hare, & Gus is just getting over 3 different bacterial infections, so he's not going out where there might be some other kind of bacteria for him to catch.....!!!  I'd love to take him, he absolutely loves people, especially children, a perfect ambassador for donkeys,  but don't want to take a chance on him picking up something new.  

Wasn't no big deal for Chantilly either, but she can get a little nippy, especially if she thinks people should have treats & they don't.  She's such a pretty girl, & is looking for a Forever Home, but we'll probably leave her home. 

There is one tiny little glitch we hadn't planned on.  We have to be down to Fairbank for the start at 9am, which means we will have to start feeding about 5am probably.  The donkeys will not have time to finish eating, so we can let them out.  Lysa usually comes on Friday, which would work out just fine, she'd come, clean pens, & let everyone out before she left.  BUT, she told John today her & the family are planning on going to the Grand Canyon for the week-end & plan on leaving either Thur or Fri.........!!!!  I think we'll probably feed as planned, drive down to get there at  9am as planned, set the donkeys up as planned, but then one of us will come back home & let the donkeys out.  It won't take that long, but I hate to miss anything.  I had planned on going back & forth between walking with Zeke & Mike, & sitting at the table with the donkeys.  But with the change in plans, we'll just have to see how it works out. 

We've never seen a Gila Monster on the property before.  He was out in the open this morning, in fact I almost stepped on him.  I ran to get the camera & John kept track of him.  By the time I got back he had already found one of the brush piles to go into & didn't appreciate my efforts to get a good picture.

The dogs were barking like crazy, & the neighbor's dog was harassing him, which isn't a good form of entertainment.  Gila Monster's have a real nasty bite & disposition to match.  According to John's book on desert animals this is their mating season, so he's probably out looking for a friend.  

I guess Buddy has decided Pancho is going to be his victim as far as taking off fly masks.  I didn't see the mask go, but Buddy was in the area when I noticed it was missing & he has a track record.