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. 

Haven't gotten an update on how Missy is doing in her new home.  Last I heard she & Claude had gotten home, & she was in the screened in porch on a bed they made for her.  That was a couple of days ago, so I would imagine by now she's got a chance to check out the new "digs".  

Went out to visit with Bijou this morning.  The local businesses in the area are trying to establish an annual "happening" to get people involved.  Stacy said she was going to bring Bijou out with some of her other animals for the people to see.  

When I got there there was another mini horse tied by the gate.  I did a double take, it was about the same color as Bijou, but probably 3 or 4 inches taller.  Looked around & saw Stacy under a tree with her little group.  

Bijou is behind Dusty.  Dusty is a dwarf mini-horse & quite a bit smaller than Bijoy.  He is also a little bit nuts, he LOVES women.  He also thinks any attention given to any animals should be given to him & he really tries to make his point, by pawing & rearing.  Of course he isn't very big, but does seem to be quite strong for his size.  Stacy got him when he was 4 days old, & they didn't think he would live, so they spoiled him rotten.  He's now 9 years old & can be a handful.  I guess he spent a month at the vet one time under constant care.  She said he loves to go to that vet & when he hears the vet's voice he has to go find him.  She said he checks out where he stayed in a stall & goes in the office to make sure everything is as it should be I guess........!!!  

This is Annabelle I think, a miniature Hereford.  She's 11 years old & Stacy said she doesn't know she's a cow, she thinks she's a horse, but most of the horses are afraid of her.  You can tell how short she is compared to Dusty & Bijou on the left.  But her belly is about the size of a normal cow.  So from the back she looks like she's pregnant.  Stacy said her insides are normal size, but the rest of her isn't. 

They also had a real cute goat named Conrad.

Stacy said Dusty has always preferred people to other equine, but for some reason he has attached himself to Bijou.  She said Bijou doesn't seem to care one way or the other, but Dusty has to be with Bijou, if at all possible.

It was fun to see Bijou, he looks good, goes without his boots at home, although he had them on today.  His eyes looked pretty good, unfortunately he has a lot of scar tissue around them, that will never go away.  She said he got his fly mask off one day when she wasn't home.  By the time she got home, I guess he had scratched his eye, until she couldn't see if the eye was still there or not.  It looked pretty good today.  He also recently popped an abscess on the bottom of one foot.  He's was walking real good today, so hopefully no more abscesses......!!!

I hate to have to give Jenny anything by mouth.  I called the vet clinic at Gilbert today to see if she might need some antibiotics.  She popped an abscess awhile back, & it is still oozing & occasionally bleeding a little bit.  So they said to give her SMZ for 10 days.  I always taste anything I give them, don't have to taste this stuff, I remember what it tastes like.............very VERY bitter......!!!!  I know their taste buds are different than ours, otherwise they wouldn't think lemon rinds are a treat, but even making allowances for different taste, this stuff can't taste good. 

I mixed it up with some molasses, stuck it in her mouth, plunged it in & she has a gift of being able to reject most of it.  She doesn't make a big deal about it, the stuff just dribbles out of her mouth, doesn't matter if you hold her head up, or what you do, it doesn't go down her throat.........GRRRRRR..........!!!!    We have 10 days twice a day to make this work, & I have a feeling we won't be feeling the "love" before it's over............!!!!!   LOL 

Heard from the other clinic about Gus' test for infection.  He has staph & a couple of other bacterial infections I can't pronounce.  So now besides getting Naxcel, he's going to also be getting Gentamicin for a few days.  He is such a sweet boy about getting shots, of course he knows there is a animal cracker when it's over.

Tomorrow morning Missy is going to her Forever Home.  We had just about finalized the hand over of her to a Great Dane Rescue up in the Phoenix area.  But Mocha & Tucker's Mom decided she would like to give her a home, & has had Danes before.  We won't even have to deliver her, Claude is coming thru here tomorrow morning on his way home to Las Cruces from Phoenix.  I think she will be a great addition to their family.  

TUCKER & MOCHA, THANKS JANUARY

This is a picture taken by Tucker & Mocha's mom.  She said the hat originally was on Mocha, but if you'll notice there is a piece missing from the brim.  Tucker took a bite out of it when it was on Mocha, & I guess when Mocha got hold of it again, she tore it up until it wasn't wearable anymore. 

Pepper has an appointment to see the vet Friday morning.  Maybe she will have some ideas about what is going on with him.  Maybe not, I'm sure he is well past his "expiration" date by most standards.  At least she can look in his mouth & see how the tumor is doing, & give him a general check-up.  

This is the before & after of Gus' trip to the vet to see what is going on with his leg.  This morning it looks even better, so I assume we are on the right track.  Haven't gotten the results back from the swabs & scrapings yet, but Animax & Naxcel seem to be doing the job.  

The vet was going to have me give him Tucoprim, BUT, Claire had said equine that are Insulin Resistant, shouldn't be given sulfa drugs.  Unfortunately she didn't tell me why, so when the vet asked why, I had no answer.  That happens quite often with me........!!!  At my age my brain is full & there isn't much room for anything else, so I rely on my good friends to "try" to keep me in the loop of knowledge.  (G)

According to Dr. Eleanor Kellon, sulfa drugs can cause an insulin rise in people studies, but is a complete unknown in IR horses.  It's just another piece of information that makes sense although hasn't been proven.  Why take a chance if you don't have to, so no sulfa for IR donkeys around here.  I printed out information to take to my vet when we take Pepper in Friday.  Who knows, it might give her information that will help her be better informed for her patients. 

He's having to stay in the pens because of the bandage & polo wraps, but he doesn't really seem to mind.  It's getting cool enough here at night (52 degrees last night) that we might be able to leave it upwrapped in a few days.  We've already noticed a lot less flies.  He doesn't usually go too far from the pens & the house, but he does like to roam around. 

  

 

We've been calling her Missy, she showed up here last week, hungry & scared.  She looks like a purebred Great Dane.  We've asked around & no one has claimed her.  John's theory is, she's recently had pups, & once the money making puppies were weaned, the owners came out to the first mailboxes on our road & dumped her.  

Our 2 dogs split a can of dog food & each get 1 1/2 cups of dry food a day.  They weigh about 60-75 pounds each.  At first she was eating about 18-20 cups of dry food a day, I need to ask John if he's backed off on the amount yet?  She's very sweet but shy & taller than the minis.  I've been in touch with a Dane rescue in Phoenix, there aren't any Dane rescues in Tucson, to see if they have a place for her.