MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE.........!!!

 

After tomorrow hopefully the stores will return to normalcy,. and stop trying to get people to spend more than they should.  Well actually I guess they do that year round, but this time of year, they really push for lots of spending.  There was a spot on TV the other day about the best way to return unwanted gifts.  Really?  Christmas isn't even here and people are thinking about gift rejection.  

We spent 10 years in Saudi Arabia, where we couldn't even have a bible or Christmas tree, and that gave us time to reflect on what Christmas is about.  Oklahoma in 1907 was the last state to recognize Christmas as a holiday.  Alabama was the 1st in 1836.  For 100's of years people had celebrated Christmas, in their own way, for their own reasons.  Somehow I don't think the primary objective was to buy presents for people, for them to return to the store.  

Well I guess that's my little rant against the commercialization of Christmas, now on to donkey stuff.  Well maybe a slight diversion.  Linda e-mailed yesterday from California and said they are about done.  She also sent a picture that shows just how close to done they are.  

Can't sell trees, if you don't have trees to sell...............LOL  That's a good thing.

Not sure when they will get back here, they plan on going thru Las Vegas to visit Linda's grandmother and might find some other places to see and do on the way.  

Unfortunately this morning I had to e-mail them that Leddy their donkey is 3 legged lame.  I noticed yesterday he was favoring a front foot, this morning he's just barely putting it on the ground.  I hate abscesses, until they pop they are elusive and impossible to find and treat.  You can soak the foot, the idea being to soften the hoof and sole, so the infection can get out easier.  But the jury is out on if that actually helps to quicken the process.  He is moving around, staying with the "herd" and I think most people that have dealt with abscesses agree, movement helps to hurry the process.  Once the abscess gets to the surface, or gets close enough that you can get reaction by pushing on the hoof or coronet, or sole, it can be opened up, which gives them instant relief.  So far I haven't gotten any reaction.  A vet or farrier usually have testers, which is a torture tool, to clamp on different areas of the foot, and hopefully get a reaction at the spot where the abscess is trying to get out.  Then they can use a knife to open it up.  

As usual animals get sick on week-ends or holidays, Christmas coming on Sunday, makes it a double header, I guess.  But I'm not sure at this stage testers would even find it, so we'll give it a couple of days and see how it goes.  

Everybody else seems to be doing good. Unfortunately we had a wind storm a week or so ago, and Rosie's shelter paid the price.  

Making shelters out of pallets and cattle panels, covered with tarps, might work good where the sun doesn't rot the tarps in a couple of months.  This is the 2nd tarp that's been on this shelter. We had talked about using fiberglass panels to cover it, just hadn't gotten around to it, BUT, I think we've decided to go ahead and take down the cattle panels, and make it into a shelter like the others.  

Rosie is a wood eater, she doesn't crib, she actually eats wood.  So I hope John will agree to use pipe instead of 4x4's for the uprights.  Otherwise our little beaver girl will probably have them chewed up in no time.  

We moved her to an open pen, which is always traumatic.  They know their pens and will fight to get back in it, when you are trying to introduce them to the new pen.  She does enjoy having a shelter, and has one in the new pen.  But that doesn't mean anything when the, stupid people are trying to put her in a pen, that isn't hers.  It's always fun to watch their minds work, keeps us on our toes.  BlackJack is about the only one that won't fight for his pen.  He's been moved around so much, by the second move, he's fine with it.  

I hope everyone has a Very Merry Christmas and that you get to celebrate it in your own way.  Hopefully you won't feel obligated to return any gifts you receive.   LOL

LYNN, LINDA, LOLA, LENNON, LUCY, AND LEDDY HAVE ARRIVED....!!!

They pulled in just at dark, and unloaded Leddy, so we haven't really seen him yet.  We had put hay and water in his pen, which he seemed to appreciate.  We'll see him in the morning.  From what I saw he is a little bigger than BlackJack.  The 3 dogs came in like they had never left and started playing with Saddik, and picking up sticks for us to throw, just like normal.  

They drove from Santa Fe, New Mexico today, which is a pretty long drive.  Last spring Lynn and John set up a spot for their RV with utilities, but it was too dark tonight to set it up, so they are dry camping in the driveway, until tomorrow...........LOL It's good to see them again, it's like they had never left. 

Talked to Dr. Voss about Rosie today.  They are trying to wean her off the COB and alfalfa and I guess she isn't impressed.  She is also off of insulin and IVs, so they are basically just observing her.  I think we have all had a shock, she does NOT have fatty liver disease, I would have bet my life she did, and I'm sure everyone that has seen her obese body, thought she did too.  So why is she so fat?  Her numbers aren't out of whack, her liver and kidneys are healthy, and she has been on 3 pounds of hay a day forever, of course she self feeds on the acreage, but I can't imagine that she eats that much "wild" food, there isn't really that much available.  And for most of the day she and Gigi stay close to the house, waiting for something to happen I guess.  

They will call in the morning and decide whether we should go up tomorrow to pick her up or to wait another day or so.  They did find something interesting when they x-rayed her.  She seems to have a slight impaction, nothing alarming, in fact she is pooing just fine.  She also has what looks like a piece of baling wire in her gut.  I have no idea where that came from, our hay is tied with nylon hay string and we are pretty diligent about keeping stuff like that picked up.  Dr. Voss thinks she will pass it, I'd be curious to "save" it, if and when she does.  I'd like to know if it's been in there for a long time, I assume it would be pretty corroded if so.  

BlackJack is still coughing off and on.  Dr. Jeremy suggested wetting his hay to see if the dust in the hay might be part of the problem.  We started that tonight. He doesn't have a temperature, so I'll just keep doctoring him for about the next week.  SMZ's are really bitter, so I try to "doctor" it up with molasses.  So far he seems to approve of my efforts............LOL

NEW UPDATE ON ROSIE

Talked to Dr. Voss this morning.  Because she went in on Saturday, they could only do in-house blood tests.  The really important one to run on an obese donkey is the lipid test, to see if the liver is damaged, in a fattie's situation, to see if they have fatty liver disease.  He mentioned also Cushings, which of course we're familiar with.  I don't think they've tested her for Cushings at this time, that was just a SWAG, (Scientific Wild Ass Guess) thrown out for thought.

So the plan of attack at this time, is to get the results from a lipid panel.  They have Rosie on insulin that is keeping her glucose around 120, 100 would be better.  Dr. Voss said she REALLY likes the alfalfa they've been feeding her, but not interested in the grass hay.......... Somehow I'm not surprised.  They were going to take her out to the grassy 1/4 acre pasture they have.  I'm sure she'll enjoy that...!!  LOL

At this time it looks like we'll go up Wednesday to pick her up.  I know Gigi will be happy to see her again.  She's upset that Rosie isn't here, which is understandable.  The people originally had 2 pregnant jennies, that had babies.  Somewhere in the 11 years they were in that pen, Gigi lost her mother and Rosie lost her offspring.  So they aren't mother and daughter, but they are very bonded.

Lynn and Linda their 3 dogs and Leddy the donkey should be on the road from Colorado, headed for SE Arizona.  Don't know how long it will take them, probably 2 days if they push, 3 if they don't.  Quilla got moved last night, so Leddy can have the larger pen, since he's a larger donkey.  We didn't want to move Quilla after Leddy got here, not only would he get moved out of what he has come to believe is his pen, but he'd see someone else in it.........!!!  This way he will have a couple of days to realize he is still getting fed and the routine hasn't changed, only where he is in the line-up.

BlackJack is still coughing even though he's been on SMZ's for 3 days, although not as much.  He'll get SMZ's for7-10 days and then I guess we'll re-evaluate if he is still coughing.  Dr. Jeremy said he had lung sounds on one side more so than the other.  BJ is never sick, so this was a surprise.  We'd throw him in the trailer to take him up to Gilbert Wednesday, when we pick up Rosie..........BUT........we left the trailer up there...........LOL 

LOOKS LIKE WE'LL BE MAKING A TRIP TO THE EQUINE CENTER IN GILBERT TODAY....

Yesterday was a long day.  Rosie hadn't eaten her supper and was lethargic.  She is extremely overweight, has always been overweight, but the mesquite bean season really sent her over the edge, before we even realized it.  

Dr. Jeremy Alltop was out here all afternoon working with her.  First we tried tubing her to get hydration.  Donkeys have a much smaller opening than horses to put the tube thru.  Unfortunately her opening is even smaller than a "foal tube" and it turned into a bloody mess.  

We progressed onto IV with 5 liters of fluids, which went well.  Unfortunately the bloody mess was continuing to bleed.  I did learn lots of ways vets use to try to stop a nose bleed on an equine, most of which weren't working.  We finally thought of using flour, which I have used before and FINALLY got the faucet to shut off.  

Dr. Alltop has kept in close touch, but she is not interested in eating or drinking on her own.  We are dealing with hyperlipidemia .  The simple explanation is, she is way too fat, her liver has fatty liver disease, and we are feeding her a minimum diet, although she is out on the 30 acres and supplements what we feed her.  Her body is telling her she is starving, so her liver starts releasing it's stored up excess fat into her blood stream.  If she doesn't eat, it keeps releasing fat until it basically takes over the blood stream and there isn't enough oxygen available to keep her alive.  We've drenched her with Karo syrup which is an emergency treatment, to shock her system into thinking, it was wrong there, is plenty of calories available. 

So the options are, to either put dextrose into her with IV's here or take her up to the clinic and let them attack the problem.  We've opted for hauling her before it gets worse. 

Will update later.

AT THIS RATE IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG HOT SUMMER...........!!!

Yesterday we had a wind storm, nothing spectacular, just wind before a little bit of rain.  But it did tear up the tarp covering Rosie's pallet shelter and left much of the tarp shredded and hanging.  We didn't think it would be a problem, until John went out for afternoon round-up and caught GiGi, swallowing a piece about the size of a saucer and grabbing another piece and swallowing it before he could get to her.  So now we're on poo watch for the next 2-3 days, to make sure it comes thru the pipeline.  Why in the world would she eat it, it has no taste and I'm sure it doesn't smell like something good to eat.  The only thing I can figure out is, she liked the crackling sound it made as it went down her throat.  

This morning John and Doug took down the rest of the tarp, and put up a new one.  They've never bothered it before, and Rosie is usually our "alternative" eater.  That's why the wood in their pen is covered with chicken wire.  So hopefully they will leave the new tarp alone.  We plan on putting roof paneling on, but right now it's just too hot to be out there if you don't have to be. 

So tonight during round-up John noticed Boaz wasn't acting right, had water running out his nose with some green goop.  SIGH........!!!  He had been out on the property "self" feeding on mesquite leaves and beans, so it wasn't the usual pellets that he has problems with.  He didn't seem overly uncomfortable, so I opted to give him a shot of banamine and about 20 minutes later he seemed better.  I can only assume he gulped down too many leaves or beans and they got hung up somewhere, not too far down.  

John and Doug continued round-up and John came in to tell me Quilla was acting funny................!!!  It's a good thing my hair is already grey I guess.  He was off, but nothing you can really put your finger on.  He wasn't interested in eating, had gut sounds, felt a little warm, but no temperature.  We discussed taking him for a trailer ride, which sometimes gets things like gas moving along, but it was almost dark.  So we opted for walking him around the driveway.  He was not impressed and actually tried to run away, which gave John a thrill.  He managed to keep up until Quilla gave up, but it was touch and go for awhile.  He finally dragged John back to his pen, so we let him go and have been checking on them both.  

John just came in and said they are both eating.  Vets don't want them eating anything after they have choked for 12-24 hours.  As Dr. Karla said she likes them hungry and pissed......!!!  I've never had a problem with feeding them, I figure if it's a choke I can clear, it wasn't bad enough to upset their system by not feeding them.  

I am very relieved, it's very upsetting when they aren't feeling good, and having 2 at the same time, so soon after Daisy is scary.  

Now we're just on watch for Miss GiGi.....!!! 

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.

YIKES IT'S AMOST THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER..!

Holidays have become so commercialized, I almost dread them anymore.  I was in Walmart the other day and they already look like Christmas is NOW.   Even had a decorative sign saying only 30 some days until Christmas.  Guess I'm getting old.........!!!   LOL  

And poor Thanksgiving gets stuck between adults dressed up for Halloween and the Blitz of Christmas shopping.  Do people still make homemade costumes anymore?  I don't even think they had store bought costumes when I was a kid.  If they did, I never saw one.  

As for Thanksgiving, John has given me a pass, again, this year.  We will go out to eat, but I have promised him I'll cook a breast, so he can have sandwiches.  I think he likes that more than the original meal anyway, as long as there is lots of cranberry sauce, lettuce, onion and mayo.  

I am still checking Rosie's belly every day, but except for that I'm officially out of the doctoring business.  Her belly still has 3 areas that are scabbed over.  I have thought before she was about healed and the next thing I know those areas get bloody.  Have no idea exactly what it is, it's not down the middle, which is normal for ventral dermititis.  Earlier this summer I heavy dosed her with wormer in case it was neck worms.  But it didn't seem to make a difference.  The homemade salve made with DMSO and Nitrofurazone seems to help, but you have to keep using it past the time you think it's healing.  I guess next spring I am going to start doctoring before anyone has skin problems.

Sacred Datura

This is a patch of jimpson weed on our property.  We actually have quite a few patches of it.  It's a member of the nightshade family, consequently it is poisonous and also is an hallucinogenic.  The Indians called it Sacred Datura, used it in their religious ceremonies and unfortunately it has been discovered by people that like to get high.  I guess it is quite dangerous, but that isn't always a deterrent.  It's dangerous to animals too, but the donkeys stay away from it.  If they were hungry they might try it, but believe me this bunch are not hungry. 

 The "fatties" are still staying in the pens at night, much to their disgust.  The beans are just about gone on the 10 acres, we haven't went over to Burroland to see how things are going over there.  We haven't really heard that many cows over there, hopefully they have been sneaking over there quietly.......LOL

The weather cooling off is helping with the skin problems, I'm down to Boaz, Rosie and Coquette needing to be doctored.  The salve Dr. Lindsey sent is still working.  I asked and she said I could use it on Rosie, so I'm trying it on her belly, so far, so good.  

I've got my fingers crossed the fly masks last till the season is over.  We only have one new mask left and some of the ones they are wearing are getting rather ragged.  

Falena is walking very good since Tyler opened up her abscess.  Unfortunately she has a big gouge missing from the side of her foot, and it is going to have to be covered for the foreseeable future, to keep it clean.  I'm pretty good at making a gorilla tape boot, but in our rocky soil, they don't last but a few days at best.  I dug thru my stash of foot covers and dragged out one of Jenny's, she wore after her hoof resection.  It's lightweight and would be perfect, BUT, Jenny was a mammoth and Falena isn't.  Even with the diaper wrap, ETC, it's still pretty big on her foot.  It does stay on, but it gets turned.  I don't know if it bothers her to be turned or not.  It's really hard to find boots that will stay on donkeys anyway, their feet is not shaped like a horse or pony, and they can just walk out of a lot of them because their foot is so upright.  

When Tyler was here last week to open up Falena's abscess, he also shod her rear foot that keeps trying to turn under.  He also put a shoe on Gigi's crooked front foot.  It's really made a difference in her ease of walking.  I'm not a fan of shoes, but have about decided that Gigi will probably have to have a shoe the rest of her life.  I'll see what Tyler says the next time he comes.  We've tried giving both of them chances to go barefooted, but after a few months their feet get wonky again. 

GREAT VET CLINIC

Rusty was not improving as the day wore on, so I called the local vet clinic and she was out of town for the next few days.  With a 36 year old mule and temperatures above 100, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to wait and watch too long, if nothing else dehydration becomes a factor.  I had heard thru the grapevine about a fairly new mobile vet clinic in Tucson, ran by 2 recent graduates.  I went on their web-sit, didn't see Benson area listed, but figured, what the heck.  Called, talked to one of the vets, told her what was happening and she said she could come right out......... I told her I also had 2 others with skin problems for her to look at.......she said fine.  

John had just let the herd over on Burroland, Rusty wasn't a problem, he was laying down in the shade over here.  But the other two weren't on this side of course.  Usually a lot of them "help" John open the gate, so they don't miss anytime eating beans........LOL  So John and I went over to find them.  Finding them wasn't much of a problem, they were all under trees that were dropping the most beans.  Getting them to move in the direction of the pens..........that was a problem.  No cooperation at all.  Actually John had went over first by himself and quickly decided one person couldn't do it.  It wasn't easy for 2 either, especially Rosie, who's answer to being headed in a direction she didn't want to go is to explode in a high speed run, the opposite direction.  Boaz pretty much gave up when he saw both of us and we got him penned.  Rosie dragged the game out as she "raced" all over the place at mid afternoon in the hot blazing sun.......!!!  You can tell when they give up, which she finally did.  I looked up from closing her gate and the vet truck was just coming in.  Whew!  

Rusty actually got up and walked to his pen, which made it a lot easier.  She checked him over, all his vitals were good, so he got tubed with mineral oil, electrolytes and a shot of banamine, which is what he's gotten the 3 or 4 other times he's done this.  This morning he seems to be just fine, and is eating his breakfast.......  I know at his age, anything could happen, and if it happens again we'll probably have a complete blood workup, to see if his "innerds" are up to par.  

I had already told her that Boaz would have to have a happy shot, because if he isn't happy with what you are doing, he isn't above letting you know it.  He has a wonderful personality but has a lot of survival attitude if he thinks it's necessary.  So we headed for Rosie, who is easy if she knows she doesn't have a choice, like being in a pen, tied up...........LOL  Dr. Lindsey agreed, with my diagnosis, over reaction to bug bites and/or possible neck worms.  She recommended giving her a steroid shot.  Years ago a vet tried that on Cisco, but he's such a mess, I didn't really notice a difference.  Hopefully it will work for her.  

Then on to Boaz.  Since she was going to be looking at sores on his sheath, the happy shot was definitely necessary.  Even then, he let loose with a couple of cheap shots.  The vet was raised on a ranch in Nevada and said the wild donkeys and mustangs use to come down on their ranch all the time and she has worked a lot with donkeys...........YEA.......!!!  She was surprised at how thick his hide was though.  I think that happens when these jacks are gelded later in life.  I think they must build up a tough hide to hopefully survive the horrible nasty fighting these guys go thru for the right to breed, in the wild.  Boaz isn't a BLM burro, but he's been thru a lot at sometime in his life, lots of scars and a real aggressive attitude if he thinks it's necessary.  I think he might have been part of a roping string of young jacks on a ranch, the cowboys used for roping practice at one time.  

She took a biopsy and if it is cancer, she will come back and freeze all the spots.  

I was pleasantly surprised with the bill.  I don't think it cost much if anymore than if I had the local vet come out for a farm call for 3 donkeys.  And she was very good, seemed to know her stuff.  Anyone that can hit the vein on a thick skinned ex-jack on the first stab must be good............LOL 

110* DEGREES THIS WEEK-END...!!

PANCHO AND I THINK SELENA.....DOUG NEEDS TO UPDATE HIS CAMERA DATE....lol

I sure am glad I'm not racing this week-end, it is suppose to be a scorcher....!!!  They say (which I always take with a grain of salt) that our El Nino this year will be very strong for the first time in 10 years or more.  If so it should be a good year for lots of rain.  

When I race I have to sit in staging before my race for as long as it takes for the race before mine to get finished.  When it's hot it is really hot in the car, with a fire suit and helmet on, even if the race ahead of mine is efficient.  Our good friend Larry will be racing, hopefully once the sun goes down it will cool off quick.  If it's humid it won't.......!!!

The donkeys are all doing pretty good, I can't get over how little doctoring I'm having to do, so far this year.  I only have about 5 that I have to doctor every day, and even then, no bloody sores and bandages like in the past.  Just places I have to keep covered with thuja zinc oxide.  I finished the 3 treatment, 2 weeks apart on the three I suspect might have neck worms.  Rosie is the worst one, she has 4 places on her belly that have to be doctored all summer every year.  I'm sorry to say her belly is still icky, but I don't think it's as bad as it has been in the past, so maybe the extra worming is helping.  

I finally broke down and bought cordless clippers.  So many times I run across mats or something that needs to be trimmed and it's not worth dragging out the "industrial" strength massive heavy duty clippers.  I usually just grab a pair of scissors and whack away.  On the long haired ones, like BlackJack he ends up looking rather moth eaten.  I've put it off, most clippers are for dogs or if they advertise for horses, they say for bridal paths, whiskers and fetlocks.  In other words probably not up to getting thru, sweaty matted donkey hair.  I went on e-bay and picked out 5 or 6 for John to read about and decide which one to try.  Of course he picked the most expensive one.  I don't know if he actually read up on each one, or just figured the more it costs the better it will work.  LOL  Anyway when the clippers get here, my first victim will be BJ.  The little bit of Poitou background he has makes his hair long and very fine, so of course it mats easily, especially in his armpits.  I really hate to go under there, with a pair of scissors, it's too easy to gather up skin.  He's really very good to work with and even forgives easily as long as there are cookies to be had, but I hate to hurt them if it isn't necessary.  

Salena and Falena have settled in really well.  It was almost like they remembered the routine.  Unfortunately right now we have no routine.  The beans are going into full ripen and fall mode and getting them to come in and eat hay and mush is a battle.  They are only getting about 3 or 4 hours access to Burroland each day, which they seem to think is unacceptable.  They get out about 1-2pm and are expected to show up for feeding around 5pm.  NOT HAPPENING..............!!!  John has to go over there 4 or 5 times and find a few at a time.  I've tried to show him how to do it effectively.......LOL  I go over with a riding crop, find Tula, start swinging the crop, jumping around like a mad woman, screaming at the top of my lungs.  She and all the ones with her, know it's time to go to the pens, and they take off at a rapid rate.  Along the way the others usually catch up, so I end up with the whole herd, running like their lives depend on it.  It's up to John and Doug to get them in the pens, because I've usually shot my wad on finding Tula and doing my "I'm going to kill you" dance, and end up slowly following them.  If I have to go find them, they better get moving.  John will find them and tell them to go.  So they go, but at their chosen speed.........maybe.  If we have to get involved in making them do, what they know they should do, from my point of view, it shouldn't be on their terms, they need to "fear" for their lives...........LOL

GRANDKIDS OUT FOR A VISIT

 Saturday the kids came out for the afternoon.  I'm pretty sure when they went home they slept good at least the 2 little ones...........LOL  Becky and JR spent a lot of time chasing them, so they probably were worn out too.  Some of the donkeys love kids and will stand still as long as the kids pay attention to them, Gus is one of them.   

Becky and Kyler being entertained by Pepsi and Cheyenne

 

The golf cart was a big hit

Of course we had to sit in the race car, thanks Becky

I got my new clipper blades, so we'll try clipping again.  It's not hot yet, so no big hurry although I've noticed as I get older it's easier to put things off until later.  Probably should make the effort to "git er done" ASAP.......!!  LOL

Everyone is doing pretty good, although Courtney is going to have to come out again and build an epoxy sole for Gus.  We had to take the last one off because it was coming loose around the edges and we were afraid rocks would get under the edges. 

Started Rosie on a 5 day Panacur worming treatment this morning.  She has had sores on her belly ever since we got her 1 1/2 years ago.  They are in a line, will get better with treatment, but never actually go away.  If she has thread worms or neck worms, this could possibly be the cause.  

STARTING TO FEEL LIKE SUMMER AROUND HERE

Not my idea of nice weather, but that's what happens as we move out of spring.  Hasn't made it to 100* yet, but it won't be long.  The nights are still getting chilly, so I'm waiting to body clip Daisy and Quilla. 

Looks like Wister and Ruger will be going to a new home up by Flagstaff this month.  Sounds like it will be a good fit, but it's a long way up there to do a home study.  So we will make one trip, and as I told Anna, if we didn't think it would work out for the boys, we'd have no qualms about turning around and bringing them back with us.   She has reining horses and says she's admired donkeys some of her friends have, so she isn't a total newbie to equine.

ANOTHER PICTURE FROM KARTCHNER CAVERNS EARTH DAY CELEBRATION

Lynn must have poked her eye last night, it was closed and dripping this morning.  Rusty the mule is limping on a normal looking cool front foot and Penny's legs are starting to look like a science project because of flies.  I wrapped her front legs in polo wraps a couple of days ago.  She lost one of them yesterday and I noticed the flies were just moving up her legs to above the polo wraps.  So this morning I put some IMMUNE ONE HEALING BALM on her legs and put men's crew socks on both front legs.

Thuja Zinc Oxide is my usual "go to" balm for cuts or anything that needs to be protected from flies, BUT, it is heavy and gets on everything.  Immune one balm is less sticky, gooey and all that, so I could put it on and rub in, so that it almost disappeared.  Then put a sock over it.  If I tried to put a sock over zinc oxide there would be zinc oxide everywhere, except where I wanted it.  And the Immune One seems to start healing and drying up wounds real quick.  Penny was actually pretty cooperative, although she refused to take an animal cracker from me.  She took them from John like no big deal, but I swear she pursed her lips if I tried to give her one. 

Gus' legs are already covered as is one of Rosie's front legs.  For some reason the outside of her knee on one leg gets all tore up when she lays down, guess she has bony knees.  Boaz's scarred knee is doing really good, so far it's holding it's own and hasn't gotten bloody thank goodness. 

Sounds like business as usual around here..............LOL

TIME FOR FLY MASKS

Instead of putting on fly masks everyone at once, we're putting them on as needed.  So far about half of them are wearing masks, mostly because of gnats not flies.  Usually gnats aren't a problem, but they sure are prevalent right now. 

I'm getting into the summer doctoring mode unfortunately.  Cisco's sheath and Rosie's belly are my primary objectives.  Not sure what Rosie's belly problem is.  She ends up with swelling in 2 or 3 places and open scabby places too.  And it seems to be an ongoing problem thru out the summer.  It's some type of ventral edema, I just don't know what causes it.  I've given her Tucoprim in the past and it seems to help, but as soon as I quit giving it, here comes the edema and open gooey scabby areas. 

I am pleased with Boaz so far.  His scarred knee is closed and staying that way, although it does have a crusty scab about the size of a dime on it.  I think that is caused by him laying down and the edge of the bone being so close to the surface.  At least if it is closed and dry, it shouldn't be that interesting to the flies.  

Just had to stop, someone knocked on the door.  It was Vic and Lara.  They were our neighbors a couple of years ago, lived just north of us.  Vic use to come over a couple of days a week and pick up poo, just because.  They moved to Colorado to be close to family and then the family went off doing their thing.  So they came back to this area and had been renting a place down by St. David.  Guess they got in touch with the owners of where they lived before and will be moving in as soon as possible.  They were good neighbors, glad to have them back.  The owner had talked about putting in a gate, so the donkeys could go over and keep the weeds in control.  That would give the donkeys 10 more acres of wandering space, plus brush to chew on.  We'll see if it happens or not. 

INTERESTING WEEK.........(aren't they all)......!!!

Doug is finally getting settled in, the sewer is the last to be installed and hooked up and they should get that done today.  Well except for internet, I have DSL with our land phone.  He doesn't need a land phone he like most people in the 21st century has a "carry round".  He's been told by the company that he gets his phone from, that we're in a dead zone, no signal.  They have extenders and different ways of boosting the signal I guess, so I have the local computer geek coming out Monday to see if he has any brilliant ideas.  

I was afraid Doug would get bored out here, but he says he doesn't think it will ever get boring. I think he's saying it's somewhat like a 3 ring circus...........LOL

Got Gus and Quilla home and they just fell right back into the routine, Gus lays down in his favorite dusting place in the afternoon and by the time John goes out to do round up, he's standing in his pen, wanting to know where supper is.  Quilla is Quilla, nothing fazes him.  I guess Vaska, one of Claire's horses was pretty upset, cried all night and laid down by the gate they went out when they left.  Haven't heard if he has settled down yet.  

Doug is really a lot of help, I have to hurry making up my feed pans, between him and John rounding up donkeys, it now takes less time and they end up having to wait for me.  Didn't take him long to figure out the routine, and who goes in what pen.

Janice is out this morning grooming donkeys.  She comes about once a month and usually gives everyone a "lick and a promise" at least.  Today she's probably going to have to spend more time on Rusty the mule.  He is really shedding a lot. If you touch him there is an explosion of white hair everywhere......!!! The white or light colored ones seem to start shedding first.  Well except for BlackJack, he doesn't shed much at all, must be that Poitou blood.   The donkeys, well most of them really appreciate getting groomed, although Gigi, Rosie and Penny can be stand offish.  I think she can usually groom on Penny a little bit.  Gigi is really evasive, unless you are outside the pen, with a cookie, then she's usually pretty friendly.  

Yesterday I noticed 2 of the cats were in the spa room, "observing" something right outside the window.  I also was hearing a squeaking sound about every 3 or 4 seconds, but couldn't really tell where it was coming from.  In my infinite wisdom and a lifetime of living with cats, my assumption was the squeaking sound was coming from where they were looking.  

This is a rock squirrel.  Yesterday afternoon,  he was just sitting there squeaking at the cats inside the window.  He wasn't in any hurry to leave, I went over to see what was there, went ALL the way to the other end of the house to get the camera, came back and he was still sitting and squeaking.  He finally saw me after I took the picture, and ran up a 4 inch pipe just to his left behind the wood.  Unfortunately for him, the other end of the pipe is buried in the ground......in other words no escape.  I went out the door to see if I could help, and the pipe was doing a little dance.  By the time I got back in the door, he had figured out how to back out and left at "warp" speed, I didn't even see which way he went. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR......!!!

The flagstone is done and the new gate installed.  I'm going to miss the redwood gate we'd had since the house was built.  Unfortunately over the years the donkeys had almost destroyed it by pushing on it when they wanted us to come out and play, and chewing on it when bored.  It was starting to look rather bedraggled. 

The cracks in the walls have been fixed, but they will wait about a week to come back and paint.  We have to hose the walls for about 4 days to help the salts and minerals to leach out. 

The donkeys are happy to not have to stay in their pens, when the guys are working.  After the first couple of days, they actually became resigned to their fate, and stopped yelling so much.  We did let Pepper out every day.  His legs are so creaky that he needs to be able to move around as much as possible.  He's been laying down more since it's been cold, I would imagine those old legs don't handle cold very well. 

Gigi is finally walking pretty good for her.  After Tyler took her shoe off last time she got really lame.  I guess it changed the angle enough that she had to readjust her walking.  And I'm sure the cold weather doesn't do her any good either.  

Everybody else seems to be doing good.  Not sure they enjoy the cold weather but I'm sure they are happy to not have to wear fly masks, and get doctored, so it's a trade off.  Since it's been cold John upped their hay, even the fatties, so I guess we're not going to do diet control for awhile. You can bet, Rosie and Coquette will enjoy it for as long as it lasts........LOL

SECRET SANTA......???

Got this off Facebook, don't know who Carole Powell is, but this is wonderful......!!

Today we went to a funeral for a 22 year old woman that fell while enjoying the great outdoors.  No parent should ever have to bury a child.  What a waste, she was a lovely young lady that wanted to help others less fortunate, as her life's work and will be missed judging from the many people attending her service.  

This evening we were rounding up and feeding right before dark, and the dogs started barking.  That's not unusual, John says Niki barks every time the neighbor coughs.  It's not quite that bad, besides our neighbors aren't that near.  

Anyway we usually look down the driveway when they bark, just in case.  We noticed a car out there, but didn't think much about it, as we are always expecting FedEx and UPS and have a large container out by the driveway for them to leave boxes in, so the donkeys can't get to them.  This time of year they use contract drivers that use their own vehicles to deliver.  Sure enough I saw someone get out and go towards the container.  So I finished what I was doing, jumped in the golf cart and went out to see what they brought.  Imagine my surprise when I looked at the container and saw a $20 bill stuck under a rock on top.  No boxes inside.........!!!!  I guess someone wanted to buy the donkeys some extra carrots for the holidays, I do wish they had come in so we could thank them.  Hopefully they will see this blog.

Gigi seems to be getting a little better, I know she's already looking forward to her graham cracker, applesauce sandwich with j-herb in it.  She gets that twice a day and anxiously watches when I come out of the house and head for the pen area.  I might add Rosie watches about as anxiously, their pens are side by side.  I've explained to her that Gigi is getting medicine that she doesn't need.  I don't think Rosie wants the medicine but she'd sure like to get hold of that graham cracker..........!!!

RAINY DAY AGAIN.......!!!

Well, maybe rainy is a little much, it's mostly been dreary, windy with occasional 2 minute sprinkles.  This morning when we got up it was 50 degrees, it is now time to do evening chores and it's 50 degrees.........!!!!  This afternoon it was a little warmer, but not much.  John said it wasn't going to rain, so I've been making fun of his weather reporting abilities.  

Of course the donkeys are grumpy, I went out this afternoon to make sure the heater was on in the feed room, and about half of them were standing in the "rain", I yelled at Cisco and told him he had a perfectly good shelter in his pen.  Unfortunately when I looked in his pen there were 4 mini donkeys already in his shelter.  There are plenty of places to get in out of the wind and rain, but a lot of them just turn their butts to the weather and wait it out.  

This is Rosie last January , with her pones and bubble butt

I took a picture of Rosie this morning to compare to what she looked like last January when she came here.  She is still a "little too short for her weight", but we are headed in the right direction.  She's lost the lumps and her tail is no longer embedded in her fat rump.  YIPPEE..........!!! 

BRRRRRRR........!!!

 HOW CUTE IS THIS?

Eighteen degrees this morning 21 degrees yesterday.  But, in the desert those cold temps don't usually last long.  Yesterday was nice, sunny and warm, today looks like it will be a repeat.  Too bad we couldn't put off chores until about 9 or 10am.  Don't think the donkeys would allow that.......!!!

I picked up my super duper fly trap this morning, the one that seems to be real good at catching lots of stable flies.  A couple of days ago I noticed a praying mantis on the outside, waiting for flies to land where she could get to them.  Yesterday morning she was still hanging on the side in the cold.  I guess she warmed up enough to move yesterday afternoon, because she was gone last night and wasn't there this morning.  I'm not sure about the life cycle of praying mantis.  I know this time of year we see lots of big fat ones, which I think are females with eggs.  It seems that they probably lay their eggs, maybe in the ground, I don't know and then die in the cold.  One of these days when I run out of things to do, maybe I'll look it up.  I've seen little tiny ones less than half an inch long earlier in the summer.  If they only live one season they sure grow quick, since most of the ones we see this time of year are 4 inches long or more.  

Since it's getting cold the starvation rations have been upped, much to Rosie, Coquette and some of the others pleasure.  Rosie is quite a "beaver", she will chew on just about anything wood and has started dismantling her plastic water bucket.  I don't know that she is that hungry, she doesn't try to run John down when she sees the hay bucket.  She is very nervous for a donkey, and I'm not sure her chewing doesn't have something to do with her personality.  It's not cribbing, actually I don't know if donkeys crib, never heard of one.  

Cisco is the only one getting doctored now.  I'm still putting Animas in his left ear.  It's much better and doesn't have that YUCKY smell.  Because of the gooey texture of the Animas I can't tell if the ear is dried out or not.  I'll doctor for a few more days and then see what happens.

Pepper is still getting Tucoprim and we haven't heard him cough, so I guess whatever he had is going or gone.  It's been 5 days which is the minimum for giving antibiotics, so a couple more days will just be a little extra insurance.  

Well, it looks like my racing days are probably over.  We were told at the driver's meeting Saturday night that the track had been leased by USAC for 3 years.  USAC runs open wheel cars like sprints, 1/4 midgets, not stock cars.  The latest rumor is we're done, USAC will only run 6-9 programs a year and we won't be part of the program.  Unfortunately the closest dirt track is at Casa Grande, half way to Phoenix.  It's exactly 120 miles from our gate, the reason I know that is we raced up there years ago, when we had less donkeys and were younger.............LOL  If we went up there I would have to race Bombers or factory stocks or something like that.  Nothing wrong with that, but I've got a perfectly good Hornet with a rebuilt back-up motor sitting in the garage.  We use to get in about 4am, and it was hard then, can't imagine what it would be like now.  

I finished 2nd in the main event Saturday night and 2nd for end of the year points.  So I can't complain, just wish we had someplace to go play.  

ON PEPPER WATCH..........AGAIN....!!!

I know he doesn't do it on purpose, but it seems like a lot of our time is spent worrying about the old buzzard. 

He's been laying down more often lately, usually on his good side, thank goodness.  He's also developed a dry cough, and since I'm the type of person that looks, "for the zebra, rather than the horse" my 1st thought was lung worms.  We've never had lung worms that I know of but donkeys are known for being carriers.  A lot of horse owners don't want donkeys around for that reason. Ivermectin takes care of lung worms and I'm giving him antibiotics, Tucoprim, just in case it's something else. 

A couple of days ago he was laying down when it was time to come in for feeding.  When he got up he could barely walk on his right front, which is the one with a bad knee.  I picked the foot up to make sure there wasn't something else going on and noticed his sole is lower than the sidewall.  It looks like it's going to slough off, but with him it's hard to tell.  He has a lot of rotation and the hoof grows crazy, not to mention we don't know for sure exactly where the end of  his coffin bone is.    Courtney has kept him going a lot longer than we ever thought possible. 

I gathered up some foam, vet wrap and duct tape to make a boot for him.  I have Soft Rides, but hesitant to put them on him for a couple of reasons.  One is, because of his gnarly feet, not sure they would stay on and number 2......... although they are fairly light weight, not sure he could walk with the extra pound or so.  By the next morning he was walking a little better and has continued to improve, so hopefully we bit the bullet..........again. 

Yesterday morning John noticed Cisco rubbing his ear.  He had icky problems in his ears all summer, off and on.  I had quit watching him since it got cooler, but sure enough he had some type of slimy, gooey, smelly YUCK in there.  Animax i.e. Panalog is what the vet usually uses for ear problems, but I can't remember what she used to clean it out and I'm a little cautious about putting stuff in an ear.  Thanks goodness he has "donkey" ears, and I have small hands.  I rooted around with a rag to get rid of most of the yuckies and then squirted in the Animax.  That bad thing is I got the stuff on my hand and could smell it all afternoon.  Hopefully I can get it cleared up, otherwise we'll have to take him to the vet and do a culture I guess. 

Everyone else seems to be doing good.   I hesitate to say Rosie is losing weight, but she does look less fat.  As fat as she was, less fat is a good thing.............LOL  Tyler will be coming out Monday to check on Gigi's foot with the shoe.  She is walking very good, almost without any limp at all although her shoulders are still deformed because of walking oddly for 11 years.  We will have had them a year in January and hopefully one of these days Tyler will be able to take the shoe off and leave it off. 

GETTING CLOSER TO WINTER, BUT WE STILL HAVE FLIES

We usually have to leave fly masks on until in November sometime, and it looks like this year will be no exception.  At least it is cooling down.  Last night when we came in from the races it was jacket weather, really chilly.  Didn't realize how chilly, until I hopped into bed..........YIKES........those percale sheets were really cold.  So this morning I stripped the bed, put on the mattress heater and covered it with flannel sheets.  I hate a cold bed, you jump in, curl in a little ball and warm up pretty quick...........at least where your little ball body is.  Unfortunately if you want to turn over or stretch it's cold, cold, cold, all over again.  We usually turn the heater on before bedtime.  When it's time to go to bed, I turn the heater off, jump into bed, and I don't think there is anything else that is quite as "yummy" as jumping into an overheated bed, from a chilly room.  I don't like to sleep warm, so I never sleep with the heater on.  John on the other hand, just wants the chill off and then doesn't mind sleeping with the heater on low.  Good thing we have our own controls.........LOL

The donkeys have been fairly cooperative lately, must have something to do with the absence of weeds and mesquite beans.  They are still on short rations and really aren't acting all that hungry, although some of them make sure to check out all the pens to see if anyone left any scraps.  Once it starts getting down in the 30's at night, we'll up their hay to help them keep warm.  It will be hard to take weight off the "fatties", like Rosie, and Coquette during the winter, but I think we can keep them from putting anymore weight on, hopefully.