Forever Home Donkey Rescue

Well it looks like I'll be having cataract surgery on one eye next month.  If I like the results then I'll have the other one done later.   I've never been able to understand why things start so early in the morning, like wars & surgery.  Shouldn't doctor's get to do their work at a decent hour?  I remember reading war stories when the pilots met for their take off briefing at 4am.  Are they trying to sneak up on the enemy?  If so, why did they usually find planes from the other side flying around too.  A nice 7am wake up call sounds better to me. 

When I have to be in Tucson at  6:45am it's going to make doing chores a real challenge.  John's about decided to drive me in, come home, do chores, come back & get me.......!!!  The woman making the arrangements looked at us, & said "that's going to be a lot of driving".  REALLY......???  But she still put me down for 6:45am..............LOL

Heard from Pancho & Ruger's mom.  She said they seem to be adjusting just fine, & Ruger tried to go to work with her this morning.  I assume that means he was at the gate when she was trying to get out.  When we were there yesterday, I noticed the driveway gate might be a problem, so I told her not to panic if they do get out, because it's probably going to happen.  

Haven't heard from Karla how BlackJack & Boaz are doing.  I'll probably try to call her tomorrow & see if they've lifted their heads yet.  

We're trying something different with Buddy Brat & his weight problem.  We had been leaving him in the pens, & feeding him a minimum amount of hay.  If he's lost any weight it wasn't much.  

There is a train of thought, that if you cut too much food their body goes into starvation protection & hangs onto every calorie, & they really don't lose weight.  John got the idea of feeding him a bare minimum of hay, less than 2 pounds a day & we're still soaking it.  But let him out to roam & browse on brush, he will get exercise & hopefully not find enough to gorge himself.  We're watching his neck crest & if it starts to get harder we'll have to come up with another plan.  He is really a challenge, he needs to be on a complete dry lot, but if his body is clutching on what calories he's taking in, not sure a dry lot would even work.  

Jenny definitely has an abscess, hopefully that's all the problem she has.  I soaked it again this morning, I want to make sure it stays open, so it can drain.  So far it hasn't drained much.  She's putting a little more weight on it.  The more she walks on it, the faster the infection will work out, so hopefully she'll continue to improve.  

Something bit or stung Quilla on his sheath a few days ago.  His sheath & belly swelled up pretty bad, all the way to his chest, & about 3-4 inches thick, poor guy.  I started him on Tucoprim Friday.  Over the years I've had others that had the same type of swelling & the vet had me give them Tucoprim. 

Both Cisco & Gus have something going on with the front of their hind legs.  There's a serum type stuff oozing out of their legs.  If I comb thru the hair I end up with a gooey mess on the comb & they don't like me doing it.  I assume it probably hurts.  The gooey mess looks like skin that's been in water too long.  I'm using thuja zinc oxide on Gus & Ironwood Horse Medicine with baking powder on Cisco, to see if either will help.  If by tomorrow one or both isn't better, I'll call the vet & haul one or both for a "lookie see".