LOOKS LIKE I'M GOOFING OFF........!!

It's been a week since I updated the blog, I think that is a record, don't think I've ever done that before except if I was gone someplace and usually I'm not gone that long.  

There really hasn't been that much to write about.  It's cooling off, which means less doctoring for skin conditions, which is really great.  Last night John took off the fly masks for the night.  Usually in the summer during fly season, we just leave them on, because the flies get up before we do. 

We had to take Anubis the dog, back to the vet again.  She was in awhile back for being lethargic and as the x-ray showed, full of, well let's just say she hadn't been going "regularly" for some reason.  Got that all taken care of and she started limping around 3 legged lame.  My "expert" opinion was hip, but Nancy said it's her knee.  I have been giving her Previcox until I could get her in and she's almost back to normal.  According to Nancy, Previcox is one of the great inventions in the world, for man or beast.  Hmmm......maybe I'll trade my Aleve for Previcox.  Anyway, while there they said they'd clip her nails and break off some teeth plaque.  In the process of teeth cleaning we found out she has one tooth that is loose and another one that has shrunken gums, exposing part of the root.  So now she gets to go back in next Monday for a snooze and removal of 2 teeth.

I'm giving a couple of the donkeys Previcox and it has really made a difference in their ability to walk around comfortable, old Pepper for one.  Nancy said that equine assimilate it differently and while dogs can take 227 mg or more, equine are much more sensitive and only should have 57mg or even half of that.  Who would ever think that equine should have much less of a type of medication than dogs?

The picture above is Boaz's knee, I took the picture to show Nancy that it is "finally" healed.  I think she was as excited as I was, 3 surgeries, lots of doctoring and wrapping over almost 3 years.  That little spot at the top, seems to be where he puts pressure when he lays down.  It hasn't been open in quite awhile, but I keep an eye on it.  I'm just glad I don't have to keep the knee wrapped all the time.

I told her about the problem with trying to get Pepsi to take the cancer medicine Neoplasene.  She said to mix it up with a double handful of grain.............YIKES....!!!  I can't imagine what he would look like after 3 months of that diet twice a day, the Goodyear blimp comes to mind.  This morning we separated him from Lynn and Justin and I gave him 1/2 cup of oats, with 1/2 cup of senior feed.  I added a teaspoon of molasses with a "dab" (do you know how small a dab it?) of the offending medicine.  NOPE...!!!  He did eat hay out of the other end of the bunk, but that's as close as he would come to it.  So tonight I'm going to see if I can get him to eat the oats and senior feed without anything added.  I'm sure he will think that is just fine, then maybe I can add molasses and that will probably be OK too.  After that I'm sure when I add a "dab" of you know what, I will get the judgemental look as he stands there and everyone else is eating.  SIGH!  She said she had never had one refuse it.  John said the owners probably told her they were feeding it, but weren't.....!!! LOL

We are not going to do the Cascabel Christmas Fair this year.  I think we've done it 6 or 7 years and it's a lot of fun.  Even though we don't have much to do, to get ready it's still a lot of work.  I'm sure there will be some disappointed people, every year we had people come that had been here before.  What I found interesting is the kids that remembered certain donkeys or mules, especially if they weren't still here.  A lot of people remembered Sha'ba, I guess because his ears had been cut off and most people had a hard time accepting the fact that there are people in the world capable of such cruelty.

 

RIP, SHA'BA.......he still loved people 

NOT SO GOOD NEWS FOR PEPSI

Who knew tarantulas start out little, never saw one this small.  

John almost ran over this little girl, (she has spinners on her butt, makes her a girl) with the hay cart in the hay barn.  But he saw her before it got messy.  Poor little thing is already missing a front leg and I don't think they regenerate if they are missing.  John's company he does jeep tours for, has a tarantula and a snake they take out for "show and tell" with the clients.  The tarantula has had a broken leg before and they fixed it with super glue.  Since spiders have an external skeleton, the super glue will give the leg structure until she sheds.  But this little one doesn't have a leg to fix.  John put her in the back of the hay barn and when he checked on her she had buried herself in the hay.  

I got a call from the vet clinic Monday and was told Pepsi's tumor is a sarcoma rather than a sarcoid.  So we took him in yesterday and Dr. Nancy shot chemo directly into the incision.  We also were sent home with Neoplasene, which I wasn't familiar with.  Also a wound balm I'm suppose to use, after the injected chemo sloughs off the cancer cells that might be left.  Dr. Nancy said if the tissue doesn't slough off, then she got it all.  But the lab report said the edges weren't clean.  

I will be giving Pepsi the Neoplasene by mouth, twice a day for 3 months.  I have always tasted anything I am going to stick in their mouth.  Let me say one thing, a lot of the oral medicines that need to be given, do not taste good............this one is no exception.  I have tasted Baytril, and Metronidazole and a few others that rated high on the "yuck" scale.  I do think this one has them all beat.  I can't even begin to describe it, I also haven't figured out something to kill the taste........SIGH...it's going to be a long winter, I'm afraid.  Last night I tried Dr. Nancy's suggestion, honey, well actually I used molasses, stronger flavor between 2 small graham crackers.  Pepsi wasn't impressed and it was very messy.  

This morning I tried peanut butter and powdered sugar, which isn't as messy.  He readily took the cookie, but didn't eat it with relish,  I'm hoping it will grow on him.  

I know their taste buds are different than ours, otherwise they couldn't enjoy orange rinds as much as they do.  But this stuff is really going to be a hard sell I'm afraid.  Wish me luck.......!!!

UPDATE:  John went on a tour today and asked his nephew Bob about the spider leg.  Bob does a lot of the tours and is the company's "go to" guy.  Anyway he's quite a spider expert.  He said she will be able to grow back a leg.  The next molt will grow a small leg and the molt after that the leg should be almost the same size as the other ones.  

GETTING CLOSER TO WINTER, BUT WE STILL HAVE FLIES

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

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

PEPSI HAD SURGERY

 Pepsi contemplating whether it's worth it to come into the courtyard of the house..!

  

Not what he had planned for the day.  When we took him and Rosie to the vet Tuesday, I must say, for a little guy he can be a real handful.  Nine months in a home that let him get away with whatever, has turned him into a real brat.  I thought we were going to have to rope him, which would have been a whole lot of adventure I'm sure.  But John managed to get a lead rope around his neck and I got a halter on his squirmy little head.  Next problem trailer loading...........jeeesh!  He just wasn't going to make any of it easy.

Rosie was reluctant but not as much trouble as the little guy.  Got to the vet decided to check Rosie's belly spots in the trailer.  No sense in asking for problems, Nancy knows our animals are not always polite and cooperative..........LOL  Nancy thinks it might be a worm like neck worms i.e. thread worms, since I've spent the entire summer, clearing it up and it coming back.  So she will get wormed weekly until cold weather and I'll continue doctoring the 3 areas on her belly.  I told them when we went in I didn't want to hear any remarks about her weight.............LOL  She's lost about 60 pounds, needs to lose another 100 probably.  But the mesquite bean season set us back on her "diet".  She is unhappy with the amount of food John gives her and has eaten the door off the well house.  This morning when John went out she had the hinge and a little bit of the attached wood in her mouth, chewing on it.........!!! 

 I wish I had a camera when John took Pepsi out of the trailer to go into...........the big cave that eats little donkeys, or as we refer to it, the large animal part of her clinic.  Actually a video would have been better.  He jumped out of the trailer, looked around and locked all 4 legs, in the "NOPE" position.  It took 4 people, John and a vet tech pulling on the lead, Nancy pushing and shoving along with a guy in to have his 4 alpacas looked at.  Poor Pepsi, I couldn't even get in there to help, he was surrounded by a sea of people, and his little hooves were digging  channels in the dirt, as they literally dragged him about 30 feet.  I'll say one thing he never changed his mind...............LOL

Needless to say his cooperative thoughts were not working, but a happy shot took care of that.  My diagnosis was wrong, it wasn't an encapsulated eye lash, it was a little tumor about the size of a large pea.  Sent it off to see if it is cancer, if so, we'll have to take him back to have chemo shot into the area, in case she missed any cells.  It was loose and didn't have irregular edges, so hopefully it will be OK and if we're lucky it won't be cancer......!!  

Of course there were stitches, seven of them that have to be removed in 10 days.  And in the meantime we have to put salve on the area twice a day.  This means we have to catch the little monster twice a day to put on the salve.  So far he isn't giving up, we have to get a halter on him, put him in the Redneck Squeeze, snub his head to the corral pipe and hope for the best.  You would think he would give up, but so far shows no inkling to do so............. SIGH....!!!  I will remove the stitches, which should really be entertaining, unless he makes up his mind that we are actually not hurting him and that we are going to accomplish the task, with or without his cooperation.  Wish me luck.......!!!!

The race track added us to the 2 day program this week-end at the last minute.  It's going to be non-point races both nights, so I told John we wouldn't go.  But he wants to at least go Friday night.  Our son is racing at the asphalt track Saturday night, so we'll go there, since my races aren't point races.  I tried to talk John into driving my car Friday night, but he said he won't drive it.  I don't know why, if he wrecks it, he has to fix it..........LOL

Hunter and Kyler came to visit today

The great grandkids came out to visit yesterday.  Seems like donkey poo was quite a hit.  You can't say we don't go all out to entertain them........!!! LOL 

This is a perfect place for little boys to get dirty and Kyler and Hunter did their best.  Our grandson e-mailed that they were both asleep before they got out to the mailboxes, when they left for Tucson.  I'd turn them loose and go find them later, but you know how parents can be.........LOL  I'm sure when they get a little older I can loosen up the parents to let the kids get hurt and dirty.  

Anubis is back to normal, we kept her on the courtyard for 3 days and she was ready to go back to her pen.  She has always had spaying incontinence which is one reason she could never be an indoor dog.  Nicki couldn't be an indoor dog, just because he's Nicki, talk about a bull in the China Shop.....!!!  The vet gave her a prescription for a hormone pill to see if it would keep her from dribbling.  She's been on it for a few days and there is definite improvement, hopefully it will cut down on my bed washing duties and I'm sure she'd be more comfortable.  

I won my race Saturday night.  This is starting to be a lot of fun........!!! LOL  I do have to quit running into other cars with my "back" bumper though..........!!!  This is the 2nd race night in a row, that someone has tried to remove my poor little bumper.  I don't take it personal, but John is starting to complain.  He gets tired of putting it back on and of course the more it has to be worked with, the less he has to work with. 

We are taking Rosie and Pepsi in to the vet tomorrow morning.  Pepsi has a growth below his eye, my "WAG" is........ an encapsulated eye lash.  Buddy had one of those a few years ago, and it looks about the same.  But we'll see what the expert thinks.  

Rosie has been fighting 3 areas on her belly almost all summer.  They are open and bloody.  I will doctor them, really doesn't seem to matter what I use and they will heal up nicely.  I will stop doctoring and a few days later they will be drippy and oozy, doctor again, heal again, and so it goes. 

Everyone still has their fly masks on.  A few days ago I think maybe we could start trying to take them off.  But on 2nd thought I think the flies are building up for their last ditch effort at being obnoxious.  My neat little stable fly trap is doing a rousing business.  I ran out of the special bait, so put some raw meat scraps in the dish and haven't noticed any difference in the amount of flies getting trapped.  I wish there was some way to kill them every day.  It's not getting warm enough now to basically "cook" them, so they just gather in the top day after day and eventually die.  Liquid nitrogen comes to mind, but I don't have any of that laying around.  Couldn't use sprays, because then it wouldn't draw the flies in if it smelled wrong.  ANY IDEAS..........?????

SICK DOG

PICTURE TAKEN A FEW YEARS AGO FOR AN ARTICLE IN GRIT MAGAZINE.  THANKS SUE HANSEN AND OF COURSE DAISY AND BIG GUS IN THE BACKGROUND

Anubis. had been acting funny for a few days and over the week-end was very lethargic.  We took her into the vet Monday and she has a swollen lymph node behind her jaw, although a blood work-up was pretty much down the middle except for a slightly elevated calcium number, which could be a sign of a tumor somewhere.  They took x-rays and one reason for her bloated look is she was full of.......well let's say she hasn't pottied lately.  So the decision was to run 3 liters of IV fluid thru her over the next couple of days and see if that made things progress along.  They ran an IV, sent us home with 2 bags and instructions.  You might know the port wouldn't work for us, so we took her back yesterday morning and it wouldn't work for them either.  Pulled it, and decided to just run the fluid under her skin, like they do with little puppies and kittens.  So that's what we did and it worked out just fine.  She is a very mellow dog and just laid on her bed on the courtyard the whole time.  We have her on the courtyard so we can see if she eats, drinks, poos, and pees.  So far she's eating, drinking, and peeing............still no pooing.  We're taking her in today for further evaluation and to decide what PLAN B will be.  The x-rays showed no tumors or anything out of the ordinary, but with her colon so full, there could be something in there hiding.  It's amazing she is still eating, you'd think her system would say, "don't send anything else down here".  

Pepper got down in his favorite "bed" in the wash yesterday afternoon.  Amy and Morgan were here cleaning pens and heard a lot of grunting.  Checked on him and sure enough he was on his right side.  I was going to get the ropes, but they said they could flip him just using his legs and they did.  That's probably much easier on him, but John and I need the leverage of the ropes and having some distance from his hooves if he thrashes.  Must be nice to be younger and stronger..............!!! LOL  Amy is like me, she likes the old guys, so Pepper is one of her favorites.  Actually she adopted Big Gus in the picture above about 5 years ago, and a few years later Rambo i.e. Bo, so she has 2 of our alumni.  She still thinks Gus is fun and entertaining, not everyone would keep that thought after being around him for awhile.  He is highly intelligent, very curious, and needs to be entertained, which is a dangerous combination........!!! LOL  When he was here, which he was twice, John use to come in with the latest Gus story and say, "I'll be glad when he's gone".  But when he was gone, John would come in and say, "you know I really miss Gus". 

I've about decided to not actively look for a new home for Pepsi.  When he was here before he was pretty attached to Lynn one of the other minis.  When he came back he hooked up with Lynn again and Pancho isn't as important these days.  Lynn, Cheyenne and Justin actually belong to Courtney our trimmer.  She brought them to us almost 7 years ago for weight control and once the weight was gone, well they just kinda "hung" out here.  If she ever takes them back, she might end up with 4 instead of 3...........!!!!! 

Hey, just had an update on Anubis, John came in and said she had been in my tomato vines on the courtyard.  I guess she finally had to go, and wasn't willing to go in the tiles, so the tomatoes were the next best thing.  That's OK, they weren't doing very good anyway.  I don't think she put out as much as I saw on the x-rays, but at least it's progress in the right direction.  

MY NEW BEST FRIEND........!!!

Well, maybe not my best friend, but I've been watching her build a magnificent web, and catching snacks for her larder for the last couple of weeks.  She's on the courtyard, where I soak Cisco's hay every morning and night, so we have a lot of contact.  She doesn't even move when I'm in the area.  One morning I came out after a low of 41 degrees and she was hanging on the web, like above.  I touched her and she didn't move, so I was afraid she had gotten too cold.  But later in the morning after she had a chance to warm up, she was running all over the place.  I haven't seen her early in the morning again, so assume, she got caught out that night and is making sure it doesn't happen again.  

I think everyone is enjoying the cooler weather, less flies, less doctoring.......although the donkeys are still wearing their fly masks and need them.  Less flies doesn't mean, NO flies unfortunately.

This morning while I was languishing in bed and putting some thought into getting up, I heard a large bird run into one of the bedroom windows.  We've actually had less bird strikes this year than we usually have, which is good.  Large birds are REALLY loud when they hit.  I got up to look and right below the window was sitting a Sharp-Shin hawk.  As soon as he saw me he move away but stayed on the ground, so I assumed he had hit the window, which is unusual.  Birds of prey rarely strike the windows.  I stood real still, but he still knew I was watching him, so I moved to another window to sneak a peek.  He went back right underneath the window with purpose, picked up a dove, which was what had hit.  A Sharp-Shin is a small hawk, not much bigger than a dove, and he had a hard time getting off the ground, but he finally made it.  We've had hawks learn to fly birds into the windows, makes hunting a lot simpler for them, I'm sure.  One time John's sister was complaining about the prey birds hanging around where she fed the birds.  John's nephew told her "well it is a bird feeder you know".........she was not amused.............LOL

Had a lady come out to visit with Pancho and Pepsi.  She has a rescue heart, already has a "family" of them from what she said, including a blind weanling horse.  He was born with cataracts, has been checked, and there is nothing that can be done to give him even minimal sight.  She really liked the boys, but on second thought, decided her plate is pretty full, she also works.  I appreciate her putting thought into making a long term decision and deciding not to adopt.  Pancho has been in 2 homes in a little over 2 years, for no reason except people changing their minds, basically........no commitment to making it work.