Getting the little jenny is moving along, they want to bring her down here Wed or Thur.  I just got a message from someone else that the jenny has been seen by a vet & it was recommended that she be euthanized.  I'm sure by now most people know my opinion about euthanasia unless there is absolutely no option left.  

I know that vets a  lot of times are quick to recommend euthanasia as a quick easy fix to the problem when time & on going effort could make a lot of difference.   Unless there are x-rays there is no way of really knowing what the inside of her feet look like.  I am waiting to hear back from people that supposedly know the vet, so we'll see what I can find out.  

Boaz has once again, shown his affinity for going on a walk-a-bout.  Wasn't here at feeding time, so John headed one way & I headed the other.  I left the gate open when I went out with the golf cart, just in case, everyone else were in their pens.  I went up the road quite a ways, headed back & who did I see doing a "burn-out" turn into the driveway...........????  At least he knows where he belongs, he just has wanderlust.......!!! 

John walked the complete fence line of the 30 acres & didn't find any hoof prints inside the fence, but did find a bunch of them outside the place where he got out last time, & John fixed it.  It's in a bad spot because it's right at the edge of the 15 foot high bank of the big wash, impossible to put up a post that will be sturdy enough to discourage a determined donkey I guess.  John did a quick fix & so far Boaz is staying home.  John says the permanent fix will take most of the day, & he hasn't had time yet. 

This morning John noticed a tiny little pile of diarrhea in Aaron's pen........hmmmm....!   Not unusual for 5-7 day old foals to have diarrhea while their system adjusts to being on their own, rather than relying on momma's body to take care of him.  They also eat momma's poo to get the probiotics into their gut, which we caught him doing yesterday.  Time for Pepto Bismol or Keopectate.  I had to get in touch with Kathy at Longhopes Donkey Shelter in Colorado to find out how much to give him.  

When Georgette & I went up to Longhopes in Aug, they had a little 5 day old foal, with diarrhea & she got Pepto Bismol, so I figured Kathy would know, & she did.   So now John & I will be on poo patrol for a day or so.  This is why we are never bored........!!!! 

Wish I had a camera tonight when I went out to do chores.  Aaron discovered rearing & kicking out to the side as you run past something.  Ruthie was laying down & he attempted to jump over her.  Didn't go too well, he hung up & then had to try to figure out how to get all 4 legs on the same side of Mom.  A lot of squirming & wiggling & a very mellow Mom & he was off running again.  

Ruthie has finally come off of "guard" duty, or at least she isn't quite as on guard as she was.  Even came over to me to be petted tonight.  While I was petting her I felt a nudge, turned around & there was a cute little face wanting to participate. I kept scratching on Ruthie & reached back with the other hand & scratched his back & neck.  I think I have a friend for life, he seemed to think it was great.  

He's 4 days old & the difference between him & Tucker is amazing.  They were both born on a Tuesday, & Sunday morning John was hauling Tucker & Mocha into 24 hour care in Tucson.  He stopped on the way one time, because he thought Tucker had died he was so still.  This time is a much more fun experience, so far. 

Aaron is twice as big as Tucker was, John picked him up this afternoon to move him out of Daisy's pen, he was laying down & didn't see a reason to get up.  I asked John if he carried him all the way to his pen.  He said no, he's heavier than he looks.  He actually looks pretty sturdy. 

Heard from Julie, she said to use the pictures however I wanted to so here goes:

This is a sample of what Ruthie had to put up with the first couple of days, lots of eyes wanting a baby of their own I guess

Who wouldn't want one of these for their very own

 

Finally got those long legs operating effectively

Momma loves her little man..!!!!

Ruthie has been very good at letting the other donkeys & Rusty the mule, know that their admiration isn't appreciated.  Poor Daisy shares a fence at feeding time & isn't allowed on that side of the pen without being met by a huffy kicking momma.....!!!  Last night John didn't get the gate closed in time, the baby went in, momma went in with a vengeance & Daisy tried to chase the baby.  Not sure  if Daisy was trying to steal the baby or thought he was the problem.  Either way, John hustled around & got everyone where they needed to be before someone got hurt.  

Can't keep calling him baby, although I could call him Habibi, which is Arabic for baby.  But his name will be Aaron.  We had a family out here to see the donkeys a couple of months ago, & one of the men was having a birthday.  His Mother asked if we would name the baby after him.  I asked what if it was a girl, but of course there is the Irish spelling of Erin, so everything was covered.  

This morning he was acting a little funny with his mouth.  I would imagine he is cutting his first 2 teeth, they show up within a few days of them being born. 

This is a link to a story about the sanctuary, where Diega was before one of the board members took her to Phoenix.  I hope they can make some changes that are long overdue, & make sure the first & foremost goal, is to make sure the animals are well taken care of.  It looks like there are 145 animals on a 7 acre property.

I was up there a few years ago, when there were actually more animals & was really surprised that they didn't look crowded.  I figured they would be standing nose to tail, waiting for someone to move a few steps, so they could move.  But they actually had more room than I expected.  I know some of the animals were kept in barns, which I didn't see.  Don't know if they ever were outside or not.  Some of the horses were in small individual pens, I was told they went out in an area that looked to be about 1/2 acre, but I don't know how often. 

I just hope this is a good thing for the animals.

Julie & Joe stopped by the day after the baby was born & Julie took some great pictures.  I'm waiting to hear back from her, so I can put them on the blog, I'm sure she won't mind, but wanted to ask her first.

Ruthie is really protective & we still haven't got our hands on him.  I thought after a couple of days she would be more receptive, but so far she doesn't see a need for us to be part of their little family, so I guess we'll have to get pro-active.  He's definitely livelier than Tucker was, during the day they get the 6 pens on the west side & he takes full advantage of being able to run from one end to the other.  

Looks like there's another little girl in the pipeline that might be coming out to stay with us.  Right now she's up in Phoenix with some nasty, nasty feet.  Her name is Diega & she's only 2  1/2 years old.  Not sure when it will all happen, but soon.  

This is front feet, don't know how they could get that bad in 2 1/2 years.  She also has a lot of proud flesh on the wrapped leg. 

We also might be getting another mule for Rusty.  He doesn't care for the donkeys at all, so is by himself now with Jack gone.  There is a large rescue in northern Arizona that is going thru some big long overdue changes & one of them is downsizing.  This is where the jenny is coming from & when we were e-mailing back & forth, I told them they might as well throw in a mule for Rusty.  Wonder what it will be......???

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.  

Merry Christmas to everyone & their "fur" babies........!!!

John has got a new project to keep him busy.  When my Mother moved out here with us this summer her very nice Lincoln town car came with her.  Because the donkeys love to inspect & dismantle just about anything we decided it should be in the garage unless it's going someplace.  

I noticed the other day, the pillow in the back seat, had a couple of small holes in it & the missing pieces were laying on the seat........Hmmmmmmm.......!!!!  

A couple of days ago John was going to unload some apple treats from the trunk, & not only found a hole in the bag, but found mice poo too.  Grrrrr....!!!  Finally found the small live trap used when the feed room got inundated with the little monsters awhile back.  

So far his count is 3, 1 little girl, & 2 boys.  When I say little I'm not kidding, these are tiny tiny little mice. They are only about 2 inches long, John is trying to figure out how they are getting in the car.  As small as they are it certainly wouldn't take much of an opening for them to have free access.

He is hauling them over to the chicken pen.  We figure they are probably beating him back to the garage.  That's what happened when they were using a tree limb to get in the air conditioning opening in the feed room.  In fact one time John was walking back to this side of the wash, & a mouse, (we figure it was the one he had just released in the chicken pen) ran across his boot, headed back to the feed room.

At least they aren't pack rats, thank goodness.  They can completely destroy the wiring in a car, no one can figure out what the fascination for the wiring is, but that is what they usually chew up.  Even people living in town have trouble with pack rats. 

This was Jenny big girl this morning while her foot was soaking.  Ears up & willing to chase me down for a treat.  It is so difficult to think that unless we can figure out something to help her, Wednesday will probably be her last day.  She is in excellent health, only 12 years old & still goes out with the others.  But she just has one good foot left & unless there is a light at the end of the tunnel for her, I see no reason to continue to torture her.  She does not enjoy being soaked & wrapped & all that goes with it, even with treats in the offering.  If this is going to be her life, I think it might be time to let her go.  There isn't a more stubborn person on the planet than I am, when it comes to my animals, & I'm am more than willing to fight the good fight.  But not at the cost of her not having quality life.

Ruthie is still hanging onto her little one.  

I'm not sure how it is positioned, this morning she had more bulging on the right side.  Lysa thought she saw it moving, but I didn't see it.



Right now Boaz's knee is acting like it might actually heal over.  We've been working on it almost a year.

 January 2012

 1st debridement

 2nd debridement

 

December 2012

I don't know if it will actually completely heal, but it is certainly headed in the right direction.  It will always be a scar, hopefully with enough elasticity to not crack open because of being on the knee.  It doesn't seem to bother him at all, certainly doesn't slow him down.  Most donkeys prefer to "mozy" along, Boaz doesn't mind running with or without a reason. 

I'm afraid we're coming down to decision time with Jenny.  This is not all proud flesh as I thought.  Some of it seems to be cartilage.  I don't think cartilage outside the hoof wall is going to work, especially when the coronary band is as fragile as hers is. 

I got on the internet & at first thought it might be lateral cartilage, but that's suppose to be behind the coffin bone.   Of course no more coffin bone than she has left, maybe it has shifted to the front, who knows, I certainly don't.  I do know that it is one messed up foot.  The material isn't bone, I do recognize it as cartilage, like the cartilage at the end of a rack of ribs. 

The vet is suppose to be here next Wednesday to take x-rays.  The last ones taken in October I think, looked about like the ones taken in the spring, no shifting. 

She is still willing, no make that insisting to go out with the other donkeys & roam all over the place, so she has quality of life, but at what cost?  I don't mind taking care of her as long as the ears are up & the eyes are shiny, but I really would like to see something that would help me think there will be better times for her in the future. 

The hoof re-section is just about completely grown out, & if she hadn't popped an abscess above it, she would be on her way to being just one of the gang.  But the abscess started months of getting worse, developing into chronic infection that is probably in the coffin bone again.