VET OUT TODAY

Had Dr. Karla from Jackpot Equine out today to look at Gus.   The last couple of weeks he has been grouchy about being touched on his back and sides.  He will lay his ears back, and reach around to bite you if you didn't move quick enough.  Talked about a personality change, this is real unusual behavior for him, he loves everyone especially children.  When we have visitors I always let them go in his pen, because he is so gentle and loves people.  

She checked him all over, and got kicked at a few times for her efforts.  I was glad he was, doing his thing.  It's always maddening when the vet gets here and they have miraculously gotten well.  Because of the muscle atrophy on his hips and general observation, she thinks he might have quite a bit of arthritis in his hips after years of trying to keep weight off his nasty front feet.  Makes sense.  She thinks the kicking is from anticipation of you touching his sore hips.  She said she could hear them crunching.

We also discussed ulcers and both agreed, ulcers aren't a normal donkey problem.  I had taken  him off Previcox a couple of weeks ago and thinking back this touchiness started about the same time.  So she gave me some Ranitidine generic Zantac to try for a few days. If it makes a difference that might be the problem.  Otherwise I'll start him back on the Previcox and see if it helps his hips, so he isn't so touchy.

He's actually walking really good for him.  She was amazed after looking at his x-rays.  His feet look horrible, but they seem to work for him, and Courtney has figured out the best way to trim him.  If it wasn't for her I don't know if he would still be here or not, his feet are that bad.  Right after I took this picture of him, Saddik and John he got up on the porch, which means he had to step up about 10 inches and then step down later.  Didn't seem to bother him.

Heard back on Saddik's valley fever test.  His numbers have actually gone down a little bit.  Since our local vet is only available 2 1/2 days a week, I've had to branch out to Tucson to Adobe Vet Clinic, which is available 24/7 and that's where I took him the day he was sick.   This vet wants to up his valley fever dosage, actually she wants to up it 4 times what he's getting now.  Hopefully we can get this taken care of, he certainly doesn't act like he has something wrong with him. 

WARMER WEATHER AND RACING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER

This time of year there isn't much to say about the donkeys.  They just do their thing out there, being donkeys.  In fact I noticed the other day some of them are getting rather independent, like if we aren't going to pay attention to them, they'll find something else to do.  Even BlackJack was ambivalent when we had some people out on a tour.  He's usually at the front of the line for soaking up attention.  It won't be that long until the warmer weather and flies, start up the "doctoring" season.  Right now everyone is doing good.  Once doctoring starts a lot of them will get much more attention than they'd like, unfortunately.  Gus and Cisco are completely off the Previcox and so far, so good. 

Yesterday was the 1st practice for the racing season.  Our first race will be the 1st week-end in February, not too far away.  

I have a bad habit of carrying my camera around and not taking pictures.  As usual, I forgot until I had already put the car back up on the trailer.  We were going to take some pictures today, when we unloaded it.......BUT........., today has been one of those days.  Mike and Tony came out to volunteer their help in building a new shelter that will run thru 3 pens.  We also had a neighbor working on an old Ford pick-up, John bought awhile back for a friend to use.  It came back and he's fixing it up to sell, but wasn't getting to it.  So one of the neighbor's offered to fix it.  John is involved in those projects, not to mention he better cut some firewood before sundown or it's going to get chilly in here tonight.  So I would imagine the car isn't getting unloaded today........!!!   LOL  

My practice went really well, once we got thru tech inspection.  We knew there was going to be a problem, because this car came from the factory with suspension that they aren't use to seeing on a Hornet.  Hornets have to be factory stock, which it is.  But, in 1995 Dodge built these little beauties specifically for road racing.  The inspectors wanted to argue, but once John said it was an ACR Dodge Neon, the race director, knew what it was, and wanted to know where we found it.  The inspectors were still grumbling, so it might not be over, but at least they let me on the track. 

We had no idea how it was going to be on the track, but I have to say I was really impressed.  John hasn't done anything to it, because we didn't know what it needed, so why mess with it.  It seems to be very well balanced and John said it looked good out there, so I don't think he's going to be changing anything. The real test will be how the tires hold up the 1st race night. 

Saddik the "sick" dog has bounced back from whatever was wrong with him.  We still haven't got the results back for his valley fever numbers.  We're hoping they are going down.  The vet thinks he might have had a pancrentitis attack.  (I know that isn't spelled right, but my spell checker doesn't care)   Or perhaps something to do with his valley fever.  Hopefully we'll find out something tomorrow.

DOG CRISIS

Yesterday morning chores were going smoothly, donkeys went in their pens and the dogs were running around doing dog stuff.  I got done with my part of the chores, came in the house and about 10 minutes later John comes in and says Saddik is sick.  Went out and Doug was with him in the driveway as he was throwing up for about the 4th time.  He was sitting with his eyes closed and trembling.  Talk about a quick turn.  

We watched him for a few minutes and other than throwing up some more, nothing changed.  Came in called the local vet, who wasn't there for the day, so went to my backup in Tucson, Adobe Vet Center.  They said bring  him in, which although he wasn't feeling well, thrilled him to no end.  He loves to ride in the van.  

The day before I caught him playing with a doll, he found somewhere.  We have no kids in our area that I know of and it looked rather bedraggled like it had been out for awhile.  Although when I saw him, he was shaking it and doing his best to destroy it.  It's arms and legs were held on by wires and there was also staples here and there.  My first thought  was he might have wire or staples in his gut.

Got there, did x-rays, blood work, IV because he was dehydrated from vomiting and he got a shot for nausea.  No foreign objects thank goodness, but when the radiologist read the x-rays he noticed nodules in Saddik's lungs.  He's on treatment for valley fever and that's probably what they are, but don't know if they are active or leftover from before.  I asked her to also check his titer to see if his valley fever numbers are going down.  They've been holding steady for a long time.  The vet said she actually would give a higher dosage of Fluconazole than he has been getting.  When that info comes back she'll call me and probably raise his dosage.

This morning he is bouncing around like a maniac, so I assume he is feeling better, thankfully.  I hate it when my animals don't feel good.  Good news is, all the donkeys are doing well and in fact I'm weaning Cisco and Gus off Previcox.  They are both down to half of what they had to be getting and after a few days, I'll cut it again.  Previcox, to me is a weird medication.  It's a dog and cat medication, and is used a lot for equine although it's never been approved for equine.  But if it is used for equine their dosage is less than used for dogs and cats.  Go figure........!!!!  So far they are both doing good.

We're all tired of the cold

This is Daisy, our matriarch.  She is our oldest jenny at about 33, and she actually is in really good health, except for having to be on Pergolide for Cushings disease.  Other than that she is usually in the A Team herd, lead by Tula.  Tula is actually the head jenny, pretty much in charge of everyone.  But Daisy and Frijolita are almost always with her. 

 Tula never asked to be head jenny and I don't think really enjoys the job, but the others look to her for where they should go and when.  Drives her crazy when it's time to go into the pens to eat, when some of them go in "HER" pen, usually it's one of the geldings.  John and her have worked out a routine, if someone follows her into the pen, when she sees John in the area, she will run out of the pen and the offending donkey follows her.  She will make a big wide circle and once John is close to the pen, she will sprint to the pen.  She knows John will close the gate before her unwelcome suitor figures out what happened.  This has been going on for years, and the other donkeys have never figured it out.  But Tula and John have.  LOL

Right now it's cool enough Daisy is probably enjoying all that hair.  This spring when it get warm I'll body clip her and Quilla who also has Cushings, even with the medication they have too much hair to be comfortable in our 100 degree summer temperatures.  

I had to build a fire this afternoon in the wood stove.  It was down to 61 degrees in the great room.  I usually don't start a fire, just because it's chilly.  John cuts the wood and I don't want to waste it, I can always put on a heavier sweat shirt.  But he came in for lunch and whined about how cold it was in the house.  So I didn't have to make the decision..............LOL

Everyone is doing good right now, I think we all enjoy the lack of health issues in the winter, I know I appreciate not having to doctor and I'm sure they like not having itches and sores not to mention irritating flies.  But it won't be that long until spring........!!!! Which reminds me, I need to order fly masks, from Renee at Colorful Equine. 

WE SURVIVED THE WILD DONKEY CAPER

Well yesterday we loaded up corral panels, halters, leads, butt ropes and animal crackers and headed out for adventure with wild donkeys.  The area they live in is rather "rustic", at least the roads are, up in the hills east of where we live.  There were patches of snow along the highway to get there, and once we turned off the highway, the dirt road was really rough.  It was about 4 or 5 miles in, with some real interesting hills to climb.  Would be great for sledding, but not really fun dragging a trailer.  About halfway in a SUV came up behind us, so we pulled off the road, so they could go around us.  They pulled up and the woman said, "I'm Beth", which is who we were going to see.  So we followed them home.  Pulled in and the 1st thing we noticed was they were minis..........What?  

THIS IS CHLOE

THIS IS MOMMA, aka SUNSHINE WITH THE SORE FEET

Chloe came right up to us and wanted treats.   After talking with Beth, I realized real quick that treats are how she communicates with them.  The 1st clue was the extra weight they are carrying.  It didn't take long to figure out the people really love these donkeys, but didn't know anything about how to feed them or take care of them.  

I decided to see how much I could get away with, and started rubbing my hands all over Chloe, rubbed her ears and her butt, reached down and picked up her feet.  She seemed to think it was just fine, and I did introduce her to animal crackers, which really cinched our relationship.  After that I couldn't get away from her.  Beth said the donkeys always ran away, if they tried to work with them.  I explained to her that if  you start something with them, you have to finish it, rather than just let them walk away.

Since Momma was laying down I asked John and Chris to get the panels and we'd just build a pen around her.  That idea went out the window when she saw the 2nd panel, she got up and started trying to escape.  But her feet hurt, so she didn't go very far.  

I had already tried to use one of the halters I brought on Chloe and the noseband hung below her mouth, so that wasn't going to work.  I know how to make a halter with a lead rope, but if your victim gets uncooperative it doesn't work very well.  

So John and I went to her, made friendly gestures and she was just fine.  This is before I got it adjusted, but she really was a good girl about the whole idea. 

She was limping on her left front and holding up the left rear when she would stand.  I checked both legs and feet and didn't find anything except a little warmth in the hooves.  Her front hoof has some changes that lead me to believe she has been chronically foundered for sometime. I would imagine the cold, damp nasty weather we've been having has tipped her over the edge.  She let me pick up her feet and I cleaned them, saw nothing out of the ordinary. 

Come to find out these donkeys have roamed the hills and valleys for years.  When I say years I mean years, Chloe was born in the area over 9 years ago and they have never been penned.  Their owner moved away a couple of months ago and Beth had been making sure they had water etc, when the woman wasn't home for months at a time.  So she said she would take care of them when the owner left for good.  She said sometimes they will be gone for days and all the people in the area know them and watch out for them.  She loves them and has been very upset because she lives so far out, none of the area vets will go out there.

Then we discussed treats.  Needless to say they pretty much feed themselves for the most part.  They have access to miles of desert flora and fauna depending on how far they roam.  She gives them grass hay in the winter when it's like it is now,  but not much.  Other than that they are responsible for feeding themselves, and seem to be doing a good job of it.  But Beth has also been giving them whole carrots and whole apples which of course help make the foot problem worse..........YIKES, I can feed 20 donkeys with one apple and they think they really got something...............and only 4 of mine are minis.........!!!  So these little girls have been living a little too high on the hog and Beth promises to take care of the problem.  I left some animal crackers with her, like I said Chloe seemed to think they were really good.  They might not appreciate the change in their diet, but it is for their own good. 

One good thing is they move around so much and the ground is really rocky, so their feet are actually in really good shape except for the distortion in Momma's front foot.  I just hope my WAG (Wild Ass Guess) is in the ball park & she gets better real soon.  Beth has my number.  We also told them how to build a small corral to feed them in, so they have someplace to work with them, if they need to. 

SNOW..........???

Well not much snow, but we did get a dusting in amongst our rainy start of the New Year.  I keep saying it's worth it for all the pretty spring flowers we'll have, I hope they don't disappoint me.  Other than that, I think we're all tired of rain and dreary.  The poor donkeys haven't had a chance to dry out for days.  They aren't real wet, but they stay damp.  Rain also highlights areas in the pens that need fill gravel brought in.  I wish there was some way to raised the level of all the pens about 6-8 inches, and roll the gravel, so they wouldn't develop low spots, so much.  Where we drive the golf cart thru pulling the hay cart, is nice and firm, but on both sides of that path, if pretty soft. 

Looks like John and I will be going over to Dos Cabezas tomorrow to evaluate a jenny that's been limping a couple of weeks.  I guess the neighbors moved and left the donkeys with these people.  They've had them a couple of months and can give them carrots, but can't work with them at all.  They are in a large pasture area, which means, she can't be caught...........SIGH...!!  My guess is an abscess, but that's all it is, a guess.  So we'll go down and try to see if we can figure it out.  Hope we don't need binoculars to see her..............LOL   I haven't got a chance to talk to John, he's in Tucson today working on race cars, but we might take enough corral panels to make a small pen and show them how to use it.  Who knows if we got her in a little pen, she might be more cooperative.  If they haven't pushed cooperation, she probably doesn't see any need to be around them, except to get the carrot.  Donkeys figure that out real quick.........LOL

NOT MUCH GOING ON....!!

That's probably what Penny is thinking too......!!!  She is parked by the courtyard because I had walked in the house without her getting an animal cracker.  John and Doug both carry cookies and all the donkeys know it.  Most of them make sure they are available, if you would like to give them one.  Some of them, like Penny and Justin, believe cookies are a God given right and believe any and everyone has a unending supply.  Unfortunately for them I don't carry cookies and I had just escaped into the house from her insistence that if she "bird dogged" me enough I would give her one. I didn't, much to her disgust.  She actually gets more cookies than the others.  We figure she probably hasn't had a lot of goodies in her former life, BUT, I refuse to be looked at as a PEZ dispenser.  You should see the look of panic Doug and John get on their faces when they run out of cookies, surrounded by donkeys, a long way from the feed room.........LOL

Got about 1/2 inch of rain yesterday and according to the weatherman, this whole week is going to be rainy, off and on.  So far today it is nice and sunny, and they aren't always right.  But I would imagine they will at least be partially right, and I'm sure if and when we get more rain it will be at feeding time......just seems to work out that way usually. 

Brrrrrr

This is what effective begging looks like.  I think it's Justin, but can't be sure....LOL

I'm sorry to be such a whiny wimp, but 16 degrees this morning is just the latest in a long line of early morning surprises....!!!  It is nice and sunny this afternoon, and looks lovely, BUT, I'm inside.  I have stuck my head out a couple of times, and looks can be deceiving, so I think I'll just stay in here.

John as usual is out and about.  Tony and Mike, came out from Tucson today to work some more on the shelters.  They've really been a lot of help with doing some of the work that gets forgotten in the daily routine of crisis management.  Right now John is busy cutting wood, which we use to heat with and building race cars to get ready for the new season which starts the 5th of February.  Between those 2 "jobs" and trying to keep all the water pipes and hoses from freezing, not much building or remodeling would get done until spring, if it wasn't for the guys coming out.  Jenny is working today and I guess they got bored.   

Yesterday John did put an engine hoist together.  He has to exchange the engines out of two Kias, which was going to be a lot of fun with just his tractor.  His hoist is in at our son's in Tucson, and probably would never make it back home anyway, so he might as well get another one.  I'm sure he'll need it in the future.  

We've been a little worried about Penny, because of the cold.  John noticed she was shivering a few mornings ago, when he was putting everyone in their pens.  She's had a broken jaw and probably was born with something like spinal bifida.  She has a hunched back and her hind legs aren't right, although she gets around just fine.  But for some reason the cold seems to be bothering her more than the others.  

Penny and her best friend, Coquette

Over the years we have had others, generally older ones that needed a blanket when it got cold.  The problem we have is, if we put a horse blanket on one, they have to stay in the pens, because of the brush and mesquite trees we have.  I'm sorry to say these donkeys are so use to being loose on the property if we make them stay in the pens, it's like we are torturing them, for no reason.

John has been putting a microfiber blanket on her in the morning when she comes in the pen for breakfast and leaves it on until she goes out.  We tried putting the blanket on overnight one night.  Took John quite awhile to find it the next morning, who knew they roamed so far at night.  It was all the way over by the north fence line in Burroland.  That morning when she came in, we put another blanket on her and Saddik the dog promptly grabbed it and hauled it under Doug's RV.  That's where we know to look for things like missing gloves, towels or anything else that looks "interesting".  

We were surprised he got it off her, she hates him with a passion.  One afternoon when it finally warmed up enough so I ventured out Penny was as usual begging for cookies.  She doesn't like people, but she will put up with us as a necessary evil, for treats.  We make sure she gets more than the others, she probably hasn't had a lot of goodies in her life.  

Most of them love the fruity Tums.  The only time they get them is when I bring the bottle out of the feed room and sit on the porch.  For some reason she was by herself, usually Coquette is glued to her side.  So I got the bottle and, sat down and we had a love fest.  Well maybe I did, she was just in it for the Tums.  So here comes Saddik, he's still enough of a puppy to lumber into just about anything without thinking of the consequences.  As I said she doesn't like him, but she wasn't about to run off.  He's bound and determined to see what she is getting and she was bound and determined he wasn't.  What gets me is he's been here long enough to read donkey body language.  She started out, ears in "not happy" position.  Then she went to hind legs just rising in place a couple of inches.  No reaction.  Then she started getting into position to send him somewhere he probably wouldn't want to go.  That's when I got up, and put the Tums back in the feed room.  I would imagine he did a fly-by, grabbed the blanket before she could react and never slowed down, because if he had been there for any amount of time, she would have nailed him, if she could.  

So between the brush and trees, and the dog, she's not going to be able to be blanketed at night, unfortunately.  I am making sure she has all the mush she will eat.  I'd like her to have a little more meat on her bones, but she will only eat, what her body needs I guess.  And with her back and legs she doesn't need to carry more weight than necessary.  Sure hope it warms up soon.........!!!!

TIS THE SEASON

Well Christmas has finally gotten here after months of advertising.  I don't recognize the Christmas of my childhood, and the circus it has become.  I guess I've become a Scrooge, but I doubt that the children today get the thrill children of an earlier era had when they got to see a department store Santa.  There weren't that many, I lived close to a big city, and he only hung out at Sears and Roebuck and Montgomery Wards.  So getting to see him and tell him what you wanted for Christmas was very exciting.   One year while I was waiting in line to talk to him, Mrs Claus came up and asked me my name.  When it was my turn to go up, Santa called me by name.  To say I was enthralled at the idea that Santa knew my name is an understatement.  I don't know if Santa was wired or Mrs. Claus wrote it down, but it's still a wonderful memory, many years later. 

I remember going to midnight Mass with friends, although I am not Catholic and appreciating the grandeur celebration of  the birth of Christ.   I'm not a religious person, but that doesn't stop me from respecting beliefs of others.  I am sad to hear and see so many differences of opinion on what is or shouldn't be Christmas.  I guess it's that old Libertarian thought process, why does the beliefs of others have to even be discussed or destroyed by anyone?  I would have no problem with a pagan ritual on one side of me and all the pomp and circumstance of hundreds of years of religious ritual on the other.  

We're not doing anything special, John has had it easy all these years, I've always been of the contention, that giving presents because of a holiday isn't necessary.  It seems so many families are broken, and either expects presents to show caring, or give presents  to show caring.  And you hear of so many family fights during the holidays, for whatever reason, generational differences, politics, expectations not met, lack of respect for individual ideas.  A lot of families aren't as close as they once were, and to come together for the holidays and be one big happy family, when you barely know each other, is a lot of ask.  

We have a tour Christmas morning.  The woman said they were coming to Benson, just to see the donkeys.  It's always nice to have people that appreciate the donkeys and how special they are, come for a visit.  A lot of people come out to visit, that haven't been around donkeys and probably haven't ever thought much about them, it's just something to do.  I hope when they leave they have a better understanding of donkeys and their place in the world.  Many times people have said, they didn't know there are donkey rescues or a need for them.  That's the people we like to see, because they will probably talk to other people if they had a good experience, which helps spread the word.  

Right now everyone seems to be doing really good.  Gus has a vertical split in one of his front feet, so Courtney had to take his foot cast off.  We were afraid his foot might go "wonky" (that's a technical term) without the extra support, but it's been almost a week and he is walking really well.  Also good news,  the split isn't as deep as it looked in the photo.  

As soon as the holidays are over, I'll be getting in touch with Renee at Colorful Equine to order my annual spring fly mask order.  I just sent off my annual order for fly predator wasps from Spalding Labs, so I guess spring must not be too far away.   Right now John is out cutting more firewood, because the next few days are suppose to be really cold, so it's not spring yet.

Would you believe two days ago, Saddik the dog found a long nose snake out and about?  Who would

think a snake would be out when the days are only getting in the 60's, if that, and the nights are really chilly.  He wrapped around a greasewood bush trying to get away from Saddik.  John said he was striking and shaking his tail, of course they aren't poisonous, so that's about all they can do.  I asked John if he picked him up and he said no, he used the snake catcher, because the snake was so mad and striking at everything that moved.  John put him in the hay barn, have no idea where he's been staying.  Couldn't put him in the well house, as far as we know the rattlesnake is still in there, that probably would not end well............LOL 

Merry Christmas to everyone...!!

I HOPE SANTA BRINGS WARM WEATHER.....!!!

Really getting tired of cold weather.  Nights in the teens and days in the 50's...........not good...........LOL

So far this week John and I have been gone every single day.  Nothing really exciting, just things that needed to be done in town.  Yesterday we helped Santa by taking the great grand-kids goodies into Tucson for Christmas morning high excitement.  Last year they got Strider bikes, which have no pedals.  They have to balance and steer and use their feet to push off.  This year they are getting "real" bikes with pedals.  They also come with training wheels, which our grandson is going to take off, that's the beauty of the Striders.  The boys should already have that balance thing figured out and not need the training wheels.  

We also went back to where we delivered Ruger and Wister to give them their rabies shots.  The woman was tied up in the house when we got there, so we went out to where the boys were.  There are pole fences around some of the trees and Wister was inside the fence.  When he saw us coming he put his head down, scrunched his body down and out he went.  Unfortunately the poles are set at horse, not donkey height.........LOL  

THEY OBVIOUSLY THOUGHT WE WERE BRINGING COOKIES............SURPRISE....!

It looks like they are in a pen, but they really aren't.  They are standing in their turn-out, but the end gate is open, so they can roam all over the place............like where the mesquite trees are suppose to be in protective custody. I should have gotten a picture of the barn, it's really a nice one.  I noticed Ruger had figured out how to go in and out of the barn with no problem.  

The fencing is suppose to be put up in January at their foster home, and they will go back there and be permanently adopted.  There will be a strand of barbed wire 6 inches above the no climb fence, to discourage fence leaning by the boys.  

Julius, the outdoor cat has been coming in more and more.  He likes to come in mornings and clean up the canned cat food, the other 4 have for breakfast and then he lays in the sun, or gets in Snooky's doughnut bed, much to Snooky's disgust.  So far he usually goes back out in a couple of hours, but he has stayed in all night once and all day once.  I don't know if he is getting out of the cold, or if he is trying to figure out if he wants to give up his independence.  He's actually a full brother to Snooky and a half brother to Sunny.  

The donkeys are all doing good, enjoying a little extra hay because of the cold.  I've tried upping the amount of hay pellet and beet pulp mush, and some of them are leaving a little bit of it.  That's good to know, we were wondering if they needed more than we were feeding them.  Obviously not, or at least we're pretty close on what we're feeding.  As long as they don't start gaining weight, we'll probably continue feeding extra.