Haven't heard form the vet clinic about Jenny today.  They usually call in the afternoon, although they said they'd call if she got up, so I assume she hasn't.  

Tucker is doing just fine after his traumatic day yesterday.  He was laying down a little more than usual, but when I let him & Mocha out this morning he took off as usual.  I checked him, much to his disgust, & everything seems to be just fine, no drainage or swelling. 

Today is the 1st race day of the season, so Burroland is closed.  I looked over there & almost everyone was milling around trying to figure out why they couldn't go over there.  When John rounds them up at 2pm to feed, it's much easier if they are all over here on this side.  

LOADED UP & READY TO GO......!!!

Since everyone was so upset I took a bottle of fruit flavored Tums out to the feed room porch & sat down.  Didn't take long for the observant ones to figure out there was treats being offered.  Ended up with Chantilly, Rusty, Gus, Mocha, Justin, Tucker, & Daisy.  Some of them had never had Tums but decided real quickly that they were worth pushing others out of the way.  Gus even put his front feet up on the porch & started making ugly faces at Tucker, shaking his head & putting his ears back.  Maybe because of being with Quilla all winter up at Claire's he seems more assertive.  I don't know, but he is definitely more involved with the other donkeys, even if it is in a negative way sometimes.......!!! LOL

Courtney is trying to get a day to come out & trim those that need it & reacquaint with Gus' feet.  She's also talking about bringing Martha out to do some massage work on Gus.  She thinks he might have some alignment issues, if he does Martha should be able to find them. 

TUCKER HAD BRAIN SURGERY TODAY

I took this right after he got on his feet afterwards.  He did real good, very little bleeding.  It's so much easier on them when they are young, although Nancy said as tiny as his little "marbles" were it wasn't very easy for her.  She said she likes them about a year old.  But since he was born in September, that would be right in the middle of fly season.  Besides he was already getting obnoxious, & we didn't want to put up with him all summer.  

Jenny is still down.  I'm really getting worried, donkeys or equines in general are not built to lay down for any length of time.  They have a tractor, but I don't know if they have any type of sling they could use to try to get her feet under her.  They also have an Anderson sling in one of the stalls.  She has already shown what she thinks of inside stalls, so that isn't really on the table.  They said she seemed stronger today than yesterday, but don't seem to have any ideas of how to get her up. 

The vet clinic called this afternoon.  They moved Jenny out to the grassy area yesterday afternoon on a canvas.  He said they had about 10 people, pulling on it to drag her.  He said she just rode along like that was what she was suppose to do.  He said she is much happier being outside, which I'm sure she is. 

He said he thinks she is stronger today, but hasn't gotten up.  She's eating all the green grass & clover she can reach, & they put up a sun shade for her.  They also changed the bandage on her foot & he said it looks real good.  Sigh! 

He said everyone has fallen in love with her, because she is so sweet, although we both agreed that she is rather opinionated.  

Tomorrow morning right after chores we'll load up Mocha & Tucker to take him for his gelding.  To say I am reluctant is an understatement.  I hate gelding it's such a barbaric way of doing surgery.  He's such a spoiled little baby, I told John I don't think I can watch this time.  The young ones get along so much better than the older ones, so once it's over I'll be OK.  But in the meantime...........!!!!  

Heard from Dr. Voss this afternoon about Jenny.  She is still down, he says she just acts like she's weak.  He said he really didn't want to put her into a sling, I guess it pushes on their bodies in areas that make them uncomfortable.  So they planned on triple folding a canvas & literally carrying her outside to a small grassy area & leaving her there overnight to see if she will be happier outside.  She has let them know she does not like being in "donkey incarceration" as Dr. Voss said. 

She has been on Baytril since last Thursday.  He said there is research showing muscle weakness in people that have been on Baytril, but nothing that he knows of on equine.  But just in case they quit giving it to her.

Haven't heard from the vet clinic this morning.  John talked to Dr. Walker yesterday afternoon, & she was still down.  They planned on trying to move her today to the stall with a sling.  I thought that was going to be done yesterday, but guess not. 

He said she seems comfortable, is eating & drinking.  They did an IV of DMSO yesterday, I don't know why & John didn't ask.  I was at the emergency room with my Mother, so missed out on Q&A.  Mother's OK, by the way.......!!!!  

When I got home after dark John was still outside.  I usually do the pellets etc, John does the hay.  He forgot to soak Pepper's pellets.  He said he dump Pepper's food, walked back to the feed room, remembered he hadn't soaked, went back & Pepper was already choked.......!! SIGH!  This is why his pellets get soaked.  It took about an hour to get him cleared.  

So as usual we aren't bored.........!!!! 

NOME, ALASKA - 4TH OF JULY - 1916

When I got up this morning this is what I saw outside the spa room window at John's bird feeding station.  Years ago he found out that if he wanted to feed birds outside the back yard wall, he would have to build a barrier between bird seed & donkeys.  And it would have to be sturdy enough to with stand attacks.  

He took a 16 foot cattle panel bent it around in a circle, put a gate in the end of it, added a few T-posts & it's held up to all attempts of the donkeys to tear it down.  I think they have all had a shot at it at least once.  

This morning was Gus' turn I guess.  I hadn't seen him out there before, but he seemed to think there should be some way to get in there.  This was the 2nd picture I took.  As you can see, his hearing is perfect, he heard the camera click from inside the spa room.  They all seem to know they aren't suppose to be there....!!!

Talked to Dr. Walker about Jenny this morning. He had called yesterday, but we got in from Tucson too late to call back.  She went down sometime between 1-6am Sunday morning & they haven't been able to get her up. She's eating & drinking.  They've blocked her re-sectioned hoof & it didn't make a difference. Blood work is good, muscle enzymes are a little high like tying up. He said she hates being in the inside stall, which would cause stress.  Saturday morning when they were cleaning her stall, she slammed the wheelbarrow out of her way & took off. Said she didn't go anywhere, stood outside the stall. I asked if he thought she had given up, he said no. They have a sling in another stall, so they are going to try to transport her to that stall or to an outside pen. Wanted to keep her inside for cleanliness, but looks like as usual with Jenny she's calling the shots.

When she came here 5 years ago, she was laying down pretty much 24/7, eating & drinking because of both front feet. So it's not like she's never done this before. Of course he discussed the "delicate" idea of cost. They are already over the estimate when we went in, but I'm not going to give up unless she does. Wonder if they have room for a lot of donkeys, to go with us to the poor house...!!! LOL

Haven't heard form the vet clinic, week-ends aren't good for getting information even in people hospitals.......I know....been there, done that.  They are suppose to change her bandage today & see how it's doing.  Unless there is something going on, I doubt if they will call even then.  They locally infused antibiotics into the area during surgery, & she is on Baytril now, so I would think she should be doing good.  Sure hope so.

A blog watcher recommended Equisocks for Jenny's foot.  I read up on it & sounds like it might be a great idea for Jenny.  When the vet calls with an update I'll ask him about it.  The bottom inch or so of her hoof was already cracked horizonally about half way around.  Now that they've cut a "window" to the inside, it might not hang on as it grows out.  This stuff sounds like it might be a good idea.  As I read about it & how to use it, it sounded very much like the stuff they made my thumb cast out of last fall.  It was very sturdy, I even used it for a hammer a couple of times, when I needed one. 

Yesterday afternoon when John started rounding up early to feed, before we went to racing practice, everyone showed up except Pepper.  It's been weeks since he got down on his right side & couldn't get up.  John went over on Burroland & couldn't find him.  He could have walked across the driveway & saved himself a lot of walking.  Pepper was laying almost within sight, had been down long enough to scrape up his face.  We got a couple of ropes, flipped him over on his good side & after a couple of minutes, up he popped.  Since it was early he started to take off thru the trees for adventure, we had to "escort" him to his pen.  If his body was as strong as his mind, he would be  formidable.

Went to practice last night as planned.  Would have been more fun if my car had been  available, but it was good to see the others out there tearing up the dirt.  Looks like there are some new Hornets, so maybe we'll have more cars.  The more the merrier, especially if they are all on the track at the same time.......!!! (G)

John took a "sample" of what came out of the gas tank for "show & tell".  The general concensus is they probably put alcohol or methanol in the gas & it ate up the fuel pump.  It's a 4 cylinder Hornet, not a dragster or late model........!!! Jeeesh! 

The vet clinic called yesterday a couple of times to let us know Jenny is doing great.  We are shooting for going to get her next Thursday.  That should give the resection area time to dry up & start scabbing over.  Also if there was any infection left it should show up by then.  They will change the bandage again tomorrow.  

We are thinking about taking Boaz up when we go Thursday, to let them evaluate the proud flesh on his knee.  Yesterday he came in with it a bloody mess.  Unfortunately there is no good granulated tissue within the circle, only proud flesh.  Nancy the local vet has scrapped it twice & it looks much better, but it's what it is, proud flesh that will have to have daily care & probably will need to be kept covered or it will become a bloody mess.  Proud flesh has no feeling which is a good thing..........BUT........... it has zillions of blood vessels, consequently it bleeds like crazy if the surface is scratched or heaven forbid punctured.  He's only 8 years old, & that will be his life, unless we can find a way to get rid of it once & for all.  

We were suppose to take the race car to the track today for practice.  But when John tried to start it yesterday........NOPE......!!  It has a problem with some kind of goop caught in the fuel pump, & coating the inside of the gas tank.  When he bought it the owner couldn't get it started because the fuel pump wouldn't work.........Hmmmmmmmmm....!!  John had replaced the fuel pump.   We are thinking that they might have put some kind of fuel booster in the gas & for some reason it wasn't a good idea.  The stuff caked on the fuel pump intake, but as soon as you take it out of the gas, it dries & acts like flour.  I've already ordered another pump, & we're going to take the gas tank into Tucson Monday to have it powered washed inside.  Hopefully it will be all ready to go for the 1st race of the season next Saturday, the 31st. 

JENNY UPDATE.......!!

Jenny is doing good this morning the vet said, when I talked to him.  They had to take quite a bit of the coffin bone, but he said the joint wasn't involved, so that's good.  Said she's eating & drinking, & seems to be doing just fine.  He also said they had to remove quite a bit of the hoof wall.  When we were up there Dr. Voss had talked about what they would do if they have to take off so much hoof that it would be in danger of collapsing.  They can either put an egg bar shoe across the bottom, or run a piece of metal strap across the open part of the hoof & attach it to the hoof with screws, or both.  He didn't say anything about either one of those & I forgot to ask.  Hopefully I'll remember it for tomorrow's call.

I don't know for sure but am guessing that since it is a back foot the lack of coffin bone will be less of a problem than if it was a front foot.  Unfortunately her front feet are already lacking coffin bone, but she has adapted well & doesn't seem to be too uncomfortable on them.  

I've always thought that equine carry most of their weight on the front feet, something like 60/40%, which would mean the back feet carry less weight.  But recently I read that donkeys are more balanced than horses & actually carry closer to 50/50%.  

John's already started getting the hay barn ready for her to stay in for awhile.  She stayed in the hay barn when she came here almost 5 years ago, & as I recall wasn't real happy about the situation.  She really likes to be out with the "jenny" herd.  John plans on fortifying the corral panels with T-posts, otherwise I'm sure she would rearrange them at will.  

Yesterday was a fun time.  Boaz, Ruthie & Ruger's family came out to visit for the first time.  They seemed to approve of how the donkeys are getting along & said how much they appreciated us taking care of them.  I'm just glad we could do it, right now there is such a need & all rescues & sanctuaries are full, with more needing to come into sanctuary. 

I really hope the new hay season will lower prices, so that people that want to keep their animals will be able to do so.  We'll have to buy hay this summer, I'm sure not at the price we paid last time....!!!  I would imagine those prices are gone forever.  Right now people in this area will be thrilled when the price goes down to $15 a bale.  So there won't be a lot of incentive for farmer's to charge less, unless there is a glut of hay. 

 

 This is a picture I took yesterday morning before it got very light.  This is Gus on the "wrong" side of the courtyard gate.  I left it open for a moment & he wandered in to check out 3 sprigs of grass growing in the tree well.  They seem to have a 6th sense when it comes to, not only going where they don't belong, but if grass or greenery is involved finding a way to it. 

 

This morning when I went out Quilla & Gus were standing in Gus' pen together.  So I guess they have bonded by being up at Claire's, at least a little bit.  Quilla usually goes out & comes in with the herd & Gus comes in by himself, so they aren't "joined at the hip", but it was nice to see they like to hang out together.  

Haven't heard from the clinic yet, I doubt they have even started surgery yet. 

Jenny will be staying up at the clinic for a few days.  They took x-rays & she has a bone infection that has eaten away about 1/2 of her coffin bone.  SIGH!  The x-rays in  November looked like the coffin bone was intact, there was a channel in the tissue beside the coffin bone going up to the coronet, where the infection was moving around.  At that time the vet said it looked like a garden variety abscess nothing earth shattering. 

They will do surgery tomorrow morning to do a hoof resection.  This is what I didn't want to have to do, because we have no clean, dirt free place to keep her.  Dr. Voss seemed to think that if we keep her confined for a few weeks & keep it covered with a diaper that further infection shouldn't be a problem.......if they can get it cleaned out. 

So it looks like she will be staying in 1/2 of the hay barn, 12'x40'.  She'll be out of the weather, if we have any & the ground is soft & covered with old hay.  John said he would rake it all up, but I think it will give her something to do, prowling around looking for tidbits.  She isn't going to be the least bit happy to not be going out, I'm sure of that.........!!!!  So having something to occupy her would probably be a good idea. 

I asked Dr. Voss what he thought might cause her to have both front feet do this 5 years ago, & now this.  He said he thinks some animals have lousy feet & lousy hooves.  All it takes is a break in the enclosed structure for bacteria, germs or whatever to get in & gain a foothold.  

In hindsight I guess we should have taken her in sooner.  I've been soaking her foot every day & we tried antibiotics, but he said it was probably too deep for anything to make difference.  It's been a roller coaster, it would dry up, she would walk sound & I'd think we were on the right track.  Then it would ooze & she would be lame for a couple of days, I'd about decide to call the vet, & she'd go sound again. 

She'll probably be up there until sometime next week.  That way they can do all the initial doctoring. 

Jenny is loaded up & we're about ready to head for Gilbert.  She actually loaded pretty good, she got tired of Tucker's nose up her butt & at one time he was trying to mount her.  Maybe she saw the trailer as a place to get away from him.  Poor little Tucker trying to figure out life's mysteries & after next Friday there won't be anything to figure out for him in the future.  He'll be a happier little guy for the experience, although he did look pretty happy this morning.......!!! (G)

This is NOT the best way to load, I think when I took this Ruthie & Ruger were already in the trailer.  Finally got it organized & Jenny went in.  She has been to put it politely, "pissed" ever since.  John put hay in for her, & she slung the bucket up against the wall, needless to say there is hay all over the place.  I tried to move her little pan with the beet pulp & pellets over to the side & she flung it to the other side.  Hmmmmm........!!! hope her disposition improves before we get up there. 

 THANKS CLAIRE

TWENTY degrees here this morning.........YIKES I thought winter was over & so did a lot of the trees & flowers in the area.  According to the weatherman, the rain/snow/sleet/wind is over & by tomorrow we'll be in the 70's.  Of course it will probably be in the 90's by next week.  One thing about the desert, the weather can be very interesting.  

Gus is still moving around even went over to Burroland yesterday, so the cold weather isn't bothering him too much.  I put leggings on all 4 legs & will leave them on till this cold snap is over.  He didn't appreciate having them put on the rear legs.  Of course when he "complains" it's done in such a mild mannered way, it's hard to tell if he's really upset or just letting you know it wasn't his idea.  Not even hardly worth him making the fuss....!!!  I've had a few that REALLY knew how to complain & let you know it.........!!!!  LOL

We're suppose to take Jenny up to Gilbert tomorrow to see if they have some ideas about her abscess/bone infection in her rear foot. She's been on the roller coaster of "it's getting better, it's not getting better" long enough.  I would imagine they will do a regional distal limb perfusion.  Since she is close to 3 legged lame, we're going to try to get the back of the trailer as close to ground level as we can & John will jack the front of the trailer up as far as he can.  Jenny is not the most cooperative girl on a good day.  And when she doesn't feel good, she can be a formidable opponent.  Like trying to move the mountain to Mohammad.  Vic, our wonderful neighbor is going to come over & help, so we should be able to get her loaded.  She rode down here from Phoenix almost 5 years ago with both front feet almost as bad as this rear one, so I hope she will make the trip OK. 

THE LOST IS FOUND...!!

The weather calmed down, Buddy Brat & Honcho were found a few miles from home headed for Vail.  Actually they had found a wash to stand in till the weather got better.  Lauren said when Justin (her husband, not our donkey Justin) found them they were really glad to see him.  Followed him all the way home. 

Well forget about Cisco going along with anything.  When John went out this morning Gus was in his pen, so John went ahead & shut him in.  Rounded up everyone, looked around & Cisco was standing outside "his" pen.  Wouldn't move not even for a treat.  I finally had to halter & lead him to that "other" pen.  Then he wouldn't eat.  Of course all the time Gus was enjoying his breakfast.  SIGH!  They don't make it easy do they?  It will take a few days I guess for Cisco to give up.  

Our weather went to hell just as we started feeding, 30mph winds & rain.  Makes for a fun time for all, especially the ones that don't have a shelter.  As soon as they got thru eating, we let the ones without shelters out, so they can find a place to wait out the weather.  It's suppose to drag into Monday & in fact they are forecasting snow down to 3000 feet.  We are at 3300......!!!  

Just got a call from Buddy Brat & Honcho's mom.  She said someone in the neighborhood has been opening gates & letting animals out lately.  Said their dogs had a fit about 3am, they didn't see anything, but when they got up this morning, gate wide open, horses & donkeys gone.  They found the horses visiting with the neighbor's horses, but no donkeys.  Because of the nasty weather I would imagine they are hunkered down somewhere waiting for the weather to clear.  Her husband had been out driving around & she had been on the phone, but no one has seen them.  One thing about it, if someone wanted to steal animals they'd have taken the horses, not the donkeys. 

RUTHIE & RUGER HANGING OUT ON THE FEED ROOM PORCH

The feed room porch is a favorite hangout for most of the donkeys at one time or another.  I don't know what the attraction is, although it is close to where they know "goodies" come from.  Jack the mule loves to hang out on the porch.  The other day I watched old Pepper struggle to get up on the porch.  It's about a 10 inch step up & between his cracked hip & lousy knee it wasn't easy for him.  He made it, & I asked him what he was trying to prove.  He didn't do anything once he got up there.  Maybe he was just proving he could still do it......!!!

Last night when John was rounding everyone up, the last one out was Gus.  John finally saw him wandering in from Burroland.  When he got over here John tried to lead him to his new pen over on the east side by Mocha & Tucker.  He got as far as the feed room & stopped, kept looking over to the west side, where his "old" pen was.  John tried to talk him into following him, but said all he got was sad eyes & Gus looking the other way.  Gus can be very expressive if he wants to.  John told him, "come on", headed for Gus' old pen, & John said he happily followed along.  

Of course it was a surprise to Cisco who was already in the pen.  Cisco is very flexible, although he had enjoyed being by his girlfriend, Tula.  (Hate to tell him, but she's EVERYONE'S girlfriend)  But he was willing to follow John to the new pen, which incidently was his old pen before we put Mocha up there before Tucker was born.  It was a large pen at that time, but now is 2 smaller pens....!!  I don't know what we would do if we had permanent pens, rather than corral panels.  John changes them around as we need another or larger pen.   

WE MADE IT....THE BOYS ARE HOME

 THUNDER (MR T.), CLAIRE, SHIRLEY & GUS' BUTT

When we got ready to leave Quilla was at the other end of the field.  I went to halter him & Claire went for Gus.  Quilla saw me coming with that halter & he took off, of course he made a mistake of going where the other people were, which ended his break for freedom.  "ME" thinks he likes the good life with all the attention, rather than "camping" out at Longears camp.......!!! LOL

 DAVID SAYING GOODBYE TO THE BOYS

 We got home about 8:30 last night.

Our neighbors had fed everyone else, so once the boys were put in their pens & got their hay, the rest were ready to go out.  We left Gus in overnight since he was in a different pen than when he was here before, but Quilla went out after he ate his hay.  He came in with the herd this morning, although later we saw him "fratching" with Boaz.  Boaz wasn't here when he left, so they had never met.  It wasn't anything mean, just boys introducing themselves.  

When we let Quilla out this morning he headed for Burroland, Gus hung around the pens a little while, but now he's disappeared, so I don't know if he went over there or maybe down below the house. 

Our ground is a lot harder than what Gus is use to, but we'll try it without boots & see how it goes.  Claire said he went without boots most of the time he was up there, so hopefully it will work out.  

Lynn is turning into a real cougar I guess.  This morning she was trying to entice Tucker of all things.  At least he's more her size, she usually tries to entice Boaz, which isn't possible.  Tucker doesn't have a clue, but he's more than willing to join in the fun.

Still soaking & doctoring Jenny's foot.  Didn't soak it last night & this morning a piece of hoof about the size of a dime fell off up by the coronet.  At least I can get the antibiotic in better with that piece gone.  I don't know if we could get her in the trailer to haul her to Gilbert, but I'm starting to try to figure it out.  They can IV antibiotics right into her leg above the hoof, which would probably work much better than by mouth or squirting antibiotics into the open areas of the hoof, which is what I'm doing.  They would have to keep her for a few days to do it more than once.  That wouldn't be a problem, I just don't know if we could get her loaded in the trailer with that bum foot. 

HEADING OUT.....!!!

Getting ready to hit the road for Phoenix to pick up Gus & Quilla. 

This morning when I let Mocha & Tucker out, Boaz was waiting for her & she thought Boaz might be the answer to her "prayers".  She displayed, Boaz tried to make the "parts" work like they use to before gelding, which of course they don't, thank goodness.  All the time Tucker is braying & getting in the way.  Mocha peed, Boaz peed & here comes little Tucker, I don't think he had a clue, but he did his little bit for the cause.  Then he jumped on Mocha, fell off & started nursing.  "WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE"?  He's rather confused on his place in the world right now I guess..........  (G)

Won't matter after March 30th, he has a date with the vet.  We'll haul him & Mocha in for his "brain surgery", I hope it goes well.  I cringe every time one of them has to be gelded, it's such a barbaric surgery.  And he's such a little baby.  But it will be a lot easier on him at this age.

Recently Mark Myers at Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue gelded 200 in 3 days. The Vet students from Texas A&M come to his Miles, Texas sanctuary when he has a big group to geld & learn their trade in the field with the teachers overseeing the operation.  I wonder if all 200 survived?  With that many the law of averages comes into play, especially with inexperienced students doing the work.  I hope it was a good experience for all involved.  

Heading out in the morning to pick up Gus & Quilla.  We'll feed in the morning, Lisa will let them out once she gets the pens cleaned up, & Vic & Lora will feed at the regular time in the afternoon.  Their pens are waiting for them, & we'll feed them when we get home.  

 MAIL DELIVERY 1914

I'm waiting for a couple of tours to come out this morning, so thought I'd update the blog.  

Not much going on right now, still doctoring Jenny's foot.  She's really limping this morning.  Trying to shoot antibiotics into the cracks in the hoof, might not be reaching the source of the drainage.  So although I'm doctoring her twice a day, it might not be getting in far enough.  If she is still limping badly tomorrow I'll call the vet & see what the next plan of attack is.  

Boaz is out of diapers now.....!!! LOL  I'm not having to "bandage" his knee.  He's graduated to having zinc oxide put on it.  Then I am covering the knee with one of Pepper's old knee pads, to keep Boaz from banging it up when he lays down.  It is probably always going to be a problem for him.  But once it's completely healed I'll try leaving the pad off & see what happens.  I hope I don't have to make anymore pads..........I am NOT a seamstress & it takes me forever to do even the most simple sewing. And this is pretty simple......!!!! 

Everyone else seems to be doing good.  We're all ready for Quilla & Gus to come back Friday.  We had planned on putting Gus back in his old pen & moving Cisco to the pen next to Mocha & Tucker.  But since we soak Gus' hay his bucket goes into the "line" logically under their hay, or we forget it & have to backtrack.  So Cisco will stay where he is & Gus will move into Bijou's old pen.  It isn't very big, but maybe it will give him incentive to go out & move around. 

Quilla is going to end up next door to his old nemesis Daisy.  When Quilla first came here we put him in with her & she hated him.  As far as I know he never even paid any attention to her, but she squealed & kicked at him & really threw a hissy fit if he even looked at her.  There will be a fence between them, so hopefully she'll not act so silly. 

We're  going to a meeting at the track tonight about the new racing season.  You can't get 2 racers in a room without a fight & a room full can erupt into chaos in no time.   Should be a fun night, hopefully no one will get ejected from the track, before the season even starts.....!!! LOL

 FORD'S THEATRE 1865

Not sure Justin will survive Tucker's upbringing.  Tucker has decided that Justin is his playmate & from what I can tell, Justin doesn't have a lot of say-so in the matter.  Last night poor Justin was trying to walk around with Tucker hanging from his back.  Tucker is learning that not everyone appreciates all his excess energy, he's learned to watch the rear feet when harassing his "victim of the moment".  He's spending more time away from Mocha, so I guess he thinks he's grown...!!   They are still staying in their pen at night, so they have time to eat.  In the morning they are anxious to go out & don't care if they leave hay or not.   

Monday I will be making his life "altering" phone call to the vet.  His little purse has something in it, just hope it's both of them.

Boaz's knee seems to be healing good, wish there was some way to get it covered with "real" skin rather than scar tissue, & a little hair would be nice too.  At least it won't be an oozing blob bouncing around anymore.  

Still doctoring Jenny.  She has never been what you would call cooperative.  She's not mean, won't kick you or anything like that.  We've been doing this for weeks, it's not like she doesn't know the drill.  She has to be tied up or she will wander off.  She doesn't walk off, she moves slow enough just to disrupt whatever I'm doing, usually trying to stick her foot in an IV bag with epsom salts water in it.  I swear she knows the most inopportune moment to move.  So she has to be tied, which doesn't stop her from jerking the leg when she feels like it.  Grrrr........!!! If I yell at her, she just looks at me with those big brown sad eyes, like I'm suppose to feel sorry for her. 

Still windy, I know it's spring & wind is to be expected, but I DON'T HAVE TO LIKE IT............!!!! 

At least Arizona doesn't "do" daylight savings time, although I read the other day that the Hopi tribe does.  The weird thing is they are inside a  "doughnut" of I think it was Navajo reservation, that completely surrounds them.  WHY..??  I'll think of all you confused people Sunday morning.......!!!! LOL  I'm not sure if you lose sleep or gain sleep. 

Still doctoring Jenny, I just hope her hoof doesn't start breaking apart as it grows out.  Yesterday the drainage was just blood, no serum.  Not sure if that is good or bad. 

Next Friday we are going up to retrieve Quilla & Gus from Claire's.  John & I had SOOOoooo much fun yesterday afternoon working on the new pen arrangement.  First let me say, we have been married almost 51 years & early on we learned that in order not to get a divorce or kill each other, we would NOT try to work together.  I know a lot of couples do & get along just fine.  We don't.  

John was out working on the pens, & I made the mistake of going out & seeing "how it was going".................!!!  That changed the dynamics for the afternoon, & I stayed out there to make sure.......!!!  It's still not done, but we'll be ready by Friday.  And we're still talking to each other............!!!!  LOL

Looks like we'll be getting another mule too.  Last year there was an old mule up by Phoenix looking for a home & our neighbor that helps us a couple of days a week, said they would take him.  But they are moving to Colorado this summer to be closer to family.  He's blind in one eye, probably only sees shadows with the other & has pretty bad arthritis in both front legs.  So he's not a good candidate for finding a new home.  I just hope he can see well enough to be able to go out & not have to stay in a pen all the time.  If he buddies up with Rusty & Jack he should be OK. 

I think Jenny's foot infection, "might" be getting a little better.  I'm still soaking her foot every day In Epsom salts & pushing penicillin into the 2 openings at the coronet.  The slash has not drained at all for almost a week.  The other 2 openings are still draining but very little, not even reaching the bottom of her foot in a day.  

Patti had given me a hoof care kit made by Decron Group to help open up the places at the coronet.  The day John picked up the package the area opened up so I could get the end of a syringe into the hole & squirt in my pencillin wash.  So far, so good, so I haven't tried the kit.

So this morning John noticed she had a sore on her lower lip.  Looks like she's had a cactus thorn embedded that finally worked out.  Poor girl, if it isn't one thing it's another for her lately.  I have a call into Dr. Shamis to let him know she's eating again. I hope he doesn't say start  her on the antibiotics again, although it did seem to help with the infection.  Destroyed her gut flora though.

Heard from Bijou's new mom, he's settling in nicely, got his mane & tail detangled & groomed this morning.  One thing I've noticed about these mini horses is they have a LOT of mane & tail.  It's hard to keep a fly mask on them, because of all the mane.  With him it's hard to find his ears, they are buried.  

Kathy said he's roaming around, investigating & one of the geldings has decided to watch him for the day rather than go out with the herd.  So he might have a big buddy to go along with Gabe the goat who knows.  No matter how much we think we know what is best for them, sometimes they make their own decisions.

For instance, this morning I got what I thought was a brilliant idea.  Gus & Quilla are coming back next week.  So the "pen dance" starts.  Cisco has been in Gus' old pen since he's been gone.  But Gus will go back into that pen when he comes back.  That leaves Cisco & Quilla looking for pens.  There's an small empty pen between Ruthie/Ruger's pen & Jenny's pen, so Quilla could go in that one.  Still need a pen for Cisco, although he could eat outside.  But he likes to have a pen.  This morning I remembered that BlackJack & Frijolita hang out a lot during the day, well at least BJ follows her around a lot.  And they are both "chow hounds" & eat fast.  So if they ate together Cisco could go into Frijolita's pen.  

I told John when he put everyone in their pens this morning to put Frijolita in with BJ................!!!!!  NOPE, not going to happen.  John said there was no way she was going in a pen with HIM......!!!  So we're working on plan B, which means we might have to rearrange some pens to make them more convenient for us, not for them.  The way they are now, you have to go thru a pen to get to another pen, which isn't always a good idea, depending on who you are trying to move past whom. 

Boy, if you like wind today was a day for you.  Me...........not so much, hate wind always have, since we lived in Keflavik, Iceland for 2 years & the wind blew the whole time we were there........!!!  Blew me off the porch one time, another time out in a field.  I ended up wrapped around a big rock, until some nice man stopped, & dragged me back to his car, with the suggestion that I stay inside unless someone was with me......!!!!  I wasn't carrying quite as much "ballast" then, as my Dad always said I was built for speed not endurance.........  Ha!

But we did manage to get Bijou delivered to his foster home with Kathy. In spite of blowing dust obliterating the road a lot of the time.  

This is Kathy & her Dad making friends  with Bijou.  I think her Dad was unwrapping a peppermint, & Bijou was interested in the process.  But he didn't turn out to be a peppermint type of guy.  Carrots.............now you're talking........!!!

This is him ignoring the new neighbors & the new neighbors almost breaking their necks to gawk at him.  I didn't get a picture of his new buddy Gabe the goat.  Gabe wasn't real sure about him, but Kathy e-mailed me he is warming up, so it won't take long. 

YIPPEE..!!!! Cahones showed up before fly season.

 Surprised Tucker hasn't tried this on Momma Mocha...!!

At least I think they are both there, on Tucker's 6 month birthday.....!!!  John had a jeep tour in Tucson today & didn't get a chance to grope him before he left.  But if he's got them, I'm going to be on the phone to the vet, pronto.......!!! 

This morning I also noticed dirty hair hanging down under Bijou.  He is such a hairy little sucker it's hard to even figure out where hair stops & little horse starts.  I was told he actually sheds out in the spring, I sure hope so, for Kathy's sake.......!!! LOL  It seems that he probably doesn't drop far enough, when he pees, (not even sure he can reel out enough to clear) hair gets wet, he lays down & the rest is easy to figure out. 

I came in got the scissors, went out to cut off the mud balls of hair.  Found out something pretty quick.  Although he's been a line pony & is dead broke to lead, go in trailer etc, being groped is not one of his favorite things.  In fact he actually kicked a couple of times, after he trotted off to try to escape.  John won't be home until after dark, so we'll either try to cut them off in the morning, or I'll take the scissors with us when we take him to his new foster home & do it there.  I'd like to use the clippers & just clip his tummy.  But if he doesn't want to be touched, I doubt seriously that a vibrating set of clippers would be a very bit hit either. 

His eyes were a little goopy, so I got a warm wash rag & wiped them.  Now that was perfectly OK, in fact it seems to be one of his favorite things.  Susan said he has chronic conjunctivitis, but a fly mask controls it in the summer.  I have a "care" package to go with him tomorrow, & we always put fly masks on them when we haul anyway.  Kathy's family is all excited about him coming to visit.  I think it's going to be a great place for him. 

Well a day of soaking & this is what we ended up with.  There are at least 2 plastic bags, the clear one at the top, that is like a produce bag.  Over to the right is a black bag of some kind & they are tied together with a knot.  The stuff at the bottom on the left side is string, or  cord. Like a dish rag gone bad. 

I have no idea where it came from, John didn't find anything this morning when he walked the fence line.  The string would have made it heavy enough that it probably wouldn't blow around.  Of course dogs could have dragged it in from someplace else. 

I wonder how long something can stay in their system without causing problems or being eliminated?  Is it something that could have already been in their system when they came in January? 

INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW...........!!!!!

WHAT IS IT.....??

That was my first question this morning when John came in & said, "you got to see this"............!!! 

Well actually I know what some of it is, donkey poo.  And I think it's probably a plastic bag that has managed to travel completely thru either Ruthie or Ruger.  It was in their pen & managed to make the trip without getting caught in the cecum or someplace else.........Whew...!!!

I have it soaking in a bucket of water to try to figure out what kind of bag.  It's lighter weight than the usual plastic bag, more like a produce bag from the grocery store.  I'll probably take a picture of it, if I can get enough of the poo off.

Our neighbor's aren't always careful with their trash & if the wind blows like it did a few days ago, John has to do a perimeter walk, to pick up trash.  Hadn't done that, but he's out there right now. 

We'll be taking Bijou down to his foster home Wednesday.  It sounds like it's going to be a great home for him, he'll even have a little goat friend.  The goat is crippled & doesn't go out with the horses & donkeys in the big areas.  So they can buddy up when the others are out running around.  

JENNY'S DRAINING FOOT THIS MORNING

The split or whatever you want to call it is the line about halfway down her foot.  It runs from the middle of the front all the way around to the heel bulb & is open.  Last night when she came in it was completely dry for the first time in weeks.  And from what I could tell it is still dry.  The drainage is from the newest opening up at the coronet.  This morning I'm soaking her with White Lightening, doing that a couple of times a week, & epsom salts or plain water the other days.  

I'm also pushing a pencillin wash into the openings once or twice a day with a small syringe.  I've used this before on a wide open chest abscess from being kicked that healed good, so hopefully this will help Jenny.  I thought it might cause a barrier that would cause the infection to move inward rather than outward.  So I will watch it carefully.  Right now the drainage is clear or a little bloody.  Got rid of the black, nauseous smelling stuff, hopefully for good. 

She is finally starting to eat again, thank heavens.  That antibiotic really messed up her gut.  The feed store pro-biotics seemed to do the trick.  Patti said I might try Florastor which is a "people"  product that says it "maintains the balance of the intestinal flora".  Might give it to John.  Since he is gluten intolerant, & he cheats by eating wheat now & then, his system probably would appreciate the boost.

This morning we heard thundering hooves before we went out.  Boaz was chasing Frijolita with a gleam in his eye.  Daisy was trying to join in the fun but she couldn't keep up the pace, which was pretty fast.  John went to Frijolita's pen, yelled at her & in she went, much to Boaz's disgust, he'd invested a lot of time & effort into "getting" her.  I hate to tell him, but in all the time she has been here, if she ever cycled we never knew it.  She definitely wasn't buying what he was trying to sell........!!! LOL

Somewhere in the fray, his knee bandage got caught in the brush I guess.  The only thing left of the diaper was the inner lining, have no idea where the rest of it went. 

I THINK I KNOW.....!!

 1917-1918 General Store

I think I might have figured out why the donkey's teeth were good & didn't need any hooks or waves worked on.  They all spend a lot of time "browsing" on brush, trees, firewood, whatever is on the property.  I wonder if all that wood chewing, keeps their teeth worn down?  Makes sense to me.  If they were on just hay all the time, it would be like a soft diet, compared to chewing on mesquite.  

Jenny still isn't interested in eating.  Patti has been giving me some good ideas up to & including taking her to Gilbert to see if "regional distal limb perfusion" might  help.  I guess we'll see how things go over the week-end.

Might have a soft place for Bijou to go.  Kathy has been a good friend for years & has a "soft" pen with a shelter that can open into a round pen.  She also has a horse & 2 donkeys.  If it works out we'll start out with her fostering, to see if it's a good fit.  He's such a good little guy, it would be nice if he had a more comfortable place to live, which means one with soft ground.  Kathy even offered to "till" the pen to make it softer.  

When Boaz came in this morning the bandage on his knee was askew.  Since it was covered with Elasticon, that stuff doesn't just fall off...........BUT.......if a little boy donkey was romancing one of the girls during the night, it could get pushed down on his leg.........BINGO!  I recognized the evidence from past "askewed" bandages on his knee.........!!!! LOL 

Pancho Villa

We've been really busy the last couple of days.  We took Boaz into the vet yesterday to have his leg re-evaluated.  Nancy said it looked good, but needed some more cleaning up, so hopefully the skin can cover the area.  This time she just used a local & he did just fine.  

On the way home we stopped for a quick lunch.  A couple from Wisconsin came over to see Boaz & we visited for quite some time.  This happens quite often when we are hauling donkeys, people seem to be drawn to them.  He was a good boy & showed them how wonderful donkeys can be.  They said they might come out & see all the donkeys sometime this month, before they head back to Wisconsin.  

Courtney came out yesterday to check feet, especially Jenny & Bijou.  She agreed Jenny's foot seems to be a little better, doesn't smell as bad, still draining which I hope is a good thing.  Last night Jenny absolutely refused to eat or drink.  That antibiotic is really a rough one I guess.  I called Dr. Shamis this morning & he said to discontinue it that it's probably killed all the good bugs in her system.  He thought cultured yogurt would be good to try........SIGH!  So I hopped in the van & headed for Sierra Vista.  Checked at the one health food store, nope...........but..........  they have a Farmer's Market on Thur.  Found it, saw an old friend I hadn't seen in years, & found some yogurt........!!!  Cool.....!!

On the way home I stopped at the feed store & got some pro-biotics, just in case.  Good thing because I think she hates the yogurt as much as she does the antibiotics.  John looked like he had been in a yogurt storm by the time she got thru shaking her head with her mouth open.  And I put applesauce in it to try to make it tasty.  Frankly my opinion of yogurt is about the same as hers..............not real food.  So I used the back up from the feed store.  Tonight she was picking at her hay, so hopefully we're on the right track.  

Courtney agreed that Bijou needs to be on soft ground, which we don't have.  Wish I could find someone with soft ground, that would like to have a cute little guy with bad feet & a sweet disposition.  He has to stay in boots here.  

When I was getting ready to go to Sierra Vista, Justin & Tucker were sparing out by the driveway.  I came in the house to get the camera, went out & of course they quit.  They are about the same size, although Justin weighs more.  I'm glad Tucker has someone to play with & learn donkey manners.  Justin loves to do guy wrestling with just about anybody that will play with him.