GOOD NEWS..........!!!

Dr. Lindsey was going to run Quilla's blood test last night, but she called and was running from emergency call to emergency call and said she would get back to us in the morning, since he seemed to be doing pretty good.  I had taken his temperature and it had gone down from 102.2* to 99.5* which is pretty normal.  

This morning John went out to check on him when he got up.  He had pooed, drank a little water and was really happy when John brought him a little bit of hay.  All good signs.

When feeding started we gave him his mush and he wasn't interested.......Hmmmmm.......!!  He's never been a big mush eater, some of them would leap tall buildings in a single bound to get to the mush, but others not.  So that was no big deal.  When the hay came he was ready..........!!!  

Dr. Lindsey had called while we were out feeding and said all his blood showed was a slight elevation of  white blood count, aka, known as probable infection.  But since the bute knocked down his temperature so quickly she doesn't want to give him antibiotics, unless he needs them.  So we'll watch him, take his temperature and see what happens.  

He is so mellow it's hard to tell if he isn't feeling good.  Dr. Lindsey asked yesterday if he's always so laid back or if it was that he didn't feel well.  She even tubed him without sedation, which is unusual.  

Glad my "marshmallow" man is feeling better

Still watching GiGi to make sure she doesn't stop eating, and it would be great to see blue tarp in her poo.  Unfortunately we would have to keep her in her pen for 2-3 days, because she very rarely poos in her pen.  So far, so good, she's eating good and acting normal, another day or so, and we should be out of the window of her having trouble passing the tarp pieces. 

THE VET JUST LEFT..............!!!

Quilla was still rather icky this morning.  John left him in last night and he hadn't drank any water, pooed or peed...........here we go again.  He didn't seem overly uncomfortable, but obviously he wasn't feeling very good.  

I called and made an appointment at Adobe Vet in Tucson for tomorrow, but as the day wore on, he seemed to be getting worse.  I checked his gums and they weren't a nice pink, more of a grey pink and he had a temp of 102*, normal being around 100*.  Told John and he said call Jackpot and see if one of the vets could come out.  Dr. Lindsey answered the call and said she was on her way.    Thank goodness, I did remember to call Adobe and cancel the appointment for tomorrow. 

She got here right after a gully washer of a rainstorm, I was afraid it was going to be so rainy, she wouldn't be able to work with him, but it didn't rain again, until after she left...!!!   His temperature was up to 102.2 and she didn't like the color of his gums either.  She ran the lactate test, Dr. Karla ran on Daisy that showed probable dead tissue and his numbers were very low..........good sign.  Then she tubed him and didn't find any nasty smells or anything icky backing up in the tube..........another good sign.  

She gave him some bute to bring down his temp, drew blood to test to see if any of the numbers are out of whack, and off she went.  I checked his temp when we were feeding, during a rainstorm, I might add and it was down to 99.5*.  He's drank some water and is roaming around in the pen wondering what happened to his supper........really good signs.  Unfortunately no supper for him, until at least morning.  She's suppose to call tonight after she tests the blood.  Hopefully everything will be good and he'll be ready for breakfast in the morning and life will go on, with no more surprises. 

 

AT THIS RATE IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG HOT SUMMER...........!!!

Yesterday we had a wind storm, nothing spectacular, just wind before a little bit of rain.  But it did tear up the tarp covering Rosie's pallet shelter and left much of the tarp shredded and hanging.  We didn't think it would be a problem, until John went out for afternoon round-up and caught GiGi, swallowing a piece about the size of a saucer and grabbing another piece and swallowing it before he could get to her.  So now we're on poo watch for the next 2-3 days, to make sure it comes thru the pipeline.  Why in the world would she eat it, it has no taste and I'm sure it doesn't smell like something good to eat.  The only thing I can figure out is, she liked the crackling sound it made as it went down her throat.  

This morning John and Doug took down the rest of the tarp, and put up a new one.  They've never bothered it before, and Rosie is usually our "alternative" eater.  That's why the wood in their pen is covered with chicken wire.  So hopefully they will leave the new tarp alone.  We plan on putting roof paneling on, but right now it's just too hot to be out there if you don't have to be. 

So tonight during round-up John noticed Boaz wasn't acting right, had water running out his nose with some green goop.  SIGH........!!!  He had been out on the property "self" feeding on mesquite leaves and beans, so it wasn't the usual pellets that he has problems with.  He didn't seem overly uncomfortable, so I opted to give him a shot of banamine and about 20 minutes later he seemed better.  I can only assume he gulped down too many leaves or beans and they got hung up somewhere, not too far down.  

John and Doug continued round-up and John came in to tell me Quilla was acting funny................!!!  It's a good thing my hair is already grey I guess.  He was off, but nothing you can really put your finger on.  He wasn't interested in eating, had gut sounds, felt a little warm, but no temperature.  We discussed taking him for a trailer ride, which sometimes gets things like gas moving along, but it was almost dark.  So we opted for walking him around the driveway.  He was not impressed and actually tried to run away, which gave John a thrill.  He managed to keep up until Quilla gave up, but it was touch and go for awhile.  He finally dragged John back to his pen, so we let him go and have been checking on them both.  

John just came in and said they are both eating.  Vets don't want them eating anything after they have choked for 12-24 hours.  As Dr. Karla said she likes them hungry and pissed......!!!  I've never had a problem with feeding them, I figure if it's a choke I can clear, it wasn't bad enough to upset their system by not feeding them.  

I am very relieved, it's very upsetting when they aren't feeling good, and having 2 at the same time, so soon after Daisy is scary.  

Now we're just on watch for Miss GiGi.....!!! 

WASN'T MEANT TO BE, RIP OLD GIRL.........!!

Big Gus, John, Daisy and I a few years ago

I will never be very professional about this part of rescue.  As the morning wore on there was no change in Daisy's demeanor, so I made the call.  Dr. Karla was running around in Cochise and Santa Cruz county, so she was sorta in the neighborhood, but we had to wait our turn.  She finally got here and  everything went quickly and quietly.  We've never had a bad euthanasia, but have heard of horrible stories.  

John usually buries them, but it takes him about 8 hours to dig with his little tractor and backhoe. Unfortunately he is still going to Tucson every day for radiation, which really cuts into his time available to dig.  We started trying to find someone this morning.  John made a couple of calls and we asked some people that might know of someone.  Unfortunately in the last few years, most of the backhoe guys that would bury animals has gotten really small.  But Dr. Karla had a card for a family owned company in Tucson that travels all over the state.  He's coming out tonight with his backhoe.

Most of the donkeys have come to visit with her.  Some people try to hide what has happened, but we've always been of the idea that if you hide what happened, they might run around trying to figure out where they went.  She and Tula were particularly close and of course they hung out with Tula.  They've come by and then left. 

Some people called for a tour tomorrow, as hot as it is I was surprised.  But they want to come, so we'll be ready.  Thankfully they are coming early in the morning.   

TIS THE SEASON I GUESS..........!!

Mesquite bean season is always a challenge.  None of our donkeys and Gizmo the mini mule need the sugar and starch.  But they don't care.  So it's always a battle, and we hope the beans run out before they can too much weight, or we have to put them in the pens under house arrest.  

Yesterday morning Daisy didn't come in for breakfast.  We looked for her and she was down over on Burroland, acting like colic.  Got her up and walked her over to the pens.  I've had real good luck with Equine Colic Relief, USA for gas colic or something simple, so I gave her a dose and we watched her for awhile. 

Vic a neighbor was cleaning pens, came in and said she was cast up against her shelter wall.  We got her up and I took her over to the sandy area everyone likes to dust bathe in and called the vet.  I've noticed that anytime a donkey gets sick it's on a week-end or holiday.  Guess mine aren't the only ones, Dr. Karla said we were her 4th emergency and it was only around noon.

She got here pretty quickly and went to work.  In fact, Doug came in and said the vet was here.  Our driveway announcer doesn't work when the temperature goes over 100.  We went out and she had already found Daisy and was working on her.  Did the usual colic treatment and we discussed Daisy's age and choices.  She is about 35 and hauling her somewhere for surgery would not be an option.  So we drugged her out for the day and she stayed on her feet all afternoon. 

John checked on her when he got up this morning, and she's perky, hasn't drank any water or pooed.  Dr. Karla said to feed her lightly this morning, so we'll see how that goes. 

So at feeding time last night, Doug comes in with the information that Cheyenne our smallest mini was laying down and wouldn't take a carrot........SIGH.....!! 

More Equine relief, well half a dose for a little girl, and in her pen for the night.  When John checked on her this morning she had eaten her supper of mush and he said she was not happy to have been in her pen all night long by herself, which is a good sign.  So he let her out to go find the others. 

Cheyenne probably just had a little gas, but Daisy's is a little more serious.  They can't really tell what is going on in their intestines, except for surgery.  X-ray can't really pin-point the problem when you are dealing with 2 1/2 miles of gut unless it's something really traumatic.  Well that might be a little bit of an exaggeration, but there is a lot of gut wadded around in there, basically hanging loose to wiggle and squirm at will.  It's a wonder they don't have more problems than they do with bowel twists and ruptures. 

So we can't have Daisy x-rayed.  Hopefully she will be interested in her breakfast and will poo soon afterwards. 

DON'T GO OUTSIDE BAREFOOTED......!!!

THANKS FOR THE PICTURE, DOUG

One of the neighbors........ we have a pair of ravens that have been here for years.  Actually years ago one of them got electrocuted, so we aren't really sure if this is one of the same pair or possibly one of their offspring.  We call them Heckel and Jeckel, have no clue who is who, but they hang around the pens and dump food in the water buckets.  

One year they had a baby and we didn't think they'd ever get him weaned.  He was as big as they were and still squawking and flapping his wings wanting to be fed.  Who knows maybe this is him all grown up with a lady friend.  I say he, because surely a female wouldn't be that clingy............LOL

It is HOT, HOT, HOT, my thermometer on the back porch says 110.1* and if you go outside it feels like it.  Earlier I needed to put out my gallon jug for sun tea and didn't see any need to put on shoes just to go on the courtyard, set the jug down and come back in.  I will put shoes on to go out fetch it........  I think another 5-10 seconds and my feet would have been blistered, it was that hot.  I hope people don't try to take their dogs out on walks when it's this hot.  There was a picture on the internet the other day of a dog's feet after he had been walking on hot pavement.  The pads were gone.........how horrible........!!

The donkeys are just hanging out waiting for it to cool off.  Unfortunately the mesquite beans are getting ripe, so they have something to do while waiting around in the shade.  Unfortunately some of my "fatties" are already starting to show the results of eating mesquite beans.  The worst ones may end up in the pens 24/7 until the beans are gone, if they aren't careful.  Buddy Brat and Rosie will probably be the 1st ones.  Poor Buddy has spent a lot of time in solitary over the years.  I try to stay inside when he is in the pens.  Every time the door opens he starts screaming pitifully and I hate to hear him, poor little guy.  

I'm suppose to race tomorrow night.  It's suppose to be as hot tomorrow as it is today.  And the "powers that be" in their infinite wisdom have decided we need to run 2 main events instead of just one.   So instead of running an 8 lap heat race and 20 lap main, we will be qualifying which is a couple of laps, and then run two 20 lap main events.  Thank goodness they won't be back to back, so I'll have time to go back to the pits and drink lots of fluid.  I was complaining to one of my friends I race with and said I hoped no one had a heat stroke, especially me.  He facebooked me back and said if I start to pass out to head for the infield and if he sees me driving erratically he'll nudge me into the infield.........YIKES...I guess that's what friend's are for..........!!!   LOL

NOT GETTING ANY COOLER............!!

Thank goodness none of our guys have this much hair.  BlackJack has more hair than anyone else because of having some Poitou ancestors, like this mom and baby.  Right now it is so hot and humid I'm sure they all wish they didn't have any hair at all.  

Tyler was here this morning to do Penny and Gigi.  They both have to be trimmed regularly and Gigi has to have her shoe reset or replaced.  Today was a replacement day, it usually lasts about 2 extra settings but eventually starts wearing too much on one side, which defeats the whole purpose of her wearing a shoe.  

Neither of them is very cooperative ever, but this morning Miss Penny had a bee in her bonnet for some reason, maybe she's tired of hot weather.  Tried to kick John when he brought her into her pen even before Tyler got here.  We use to try to help, but Tyler and CJ his apprentice do much better without us getting in the way, so these days we just stand back and watch the show.  

Tyler is very good at controlling the situation and Penny was trimmed before she knew what was happening.  You would think with the passage of time she would get into the routine of Tyler coming out and trimming and then it's over.  BUT, she doesn't seem to be anymore interested in cooperating than she was 4 years ago, when she came here.  

This is going to be our "cheap" transportation for awhile.  We bought this last winter to make into a race car.  It had been totaled by the insurance company because the back door and upright post had been mangled, when neighbors backed into it.  It was advertised on Craigslist, so we drove up to Phoenix and bought it.  

A couple of days later a racing friend saw a road racing Dodge Neon on Craigslist up in Phoenix, so we went up and got it.  That's what I'm racing this year.  

John was impressed with this little Kia Spectra5, everything on it works looks good inside and out, so he wasn't in any hurry to tear it up to make a race car since we didn't need another one right now.  

Fast forward a few months and John has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and needs to go into Tucson every day 5 days a week for 5 weeks to get radiation.  The van and the pick-up are NOT gas savers for this 70 mile one way daily trip.  They are comfortable and everything works, but we are thrilled to get 12mpg on either of them.  

The door wasn't weatherproof and was really noisy because it didn't shut properly.  Local junk yards didn't have a door, but they will get on the internet and did find one up in Phoenix, that could be delivered to Tucson.  So that's what he did.  

First I want to say, we have only seen one other Spectra5 that wasn't white.  There is a blue one in Benson we see occasionally.  We assumed that the door would be white..................!!!! As you can see it's actually a really pretty bronze color.  SIGH!   

John got out the port-a-power and a big hammer and got it to fit.  It even opens and closes, but rather than put pressure on the damaged center post we will just use one of the other 4 doors to load or get in and out.  John is going to be "rattle-can" paint it when he gets a chance.  That's a slang term for painting it with a spray can.  

We've already noticed a problem.  You better remember where you parked it in a parking lot, because it isn't big enough to find easily.  And being white makes it even worse, in the desert 90% of the vehicles are white.  But it is a lot easier to park than the big guys we are use to.  So I guess it's a trade off, for 25mpg........!!!  The 1st time John put gas in it, it was 4.5 gallons.   The only thing we put that piddly amount in, is a jerri-can, when we're going to the races.........!!!  

 

I REMEMBER A MOVIE, DECADES AGO, THE LONG HOT SUMMER, I THINK IT'S HERE

Whew........it's hot.......!!  We raced last night and it was miserable until a couple hours after the sun went down.  Thought I was going to have a heat stroke.  Actually I think I was hoping for one, so I could go home...........LOL  We took lot of water and tea, so when I wasn't on the track, we were drinking. 

I did OK I guess.  Had my best finish of this year a 7th.  We ran a chicane, in other words a obstacle course of sorts.  Certainly added a new dimension to racing and I hope they don't do it again.....!! LOL  They manage to mangle 3 of the 4 corners of my car, well one of them I did on a good friend.  He squirreled and I was "right" there.  The other 2 were undeserved, anytime I get damage to the rear of my car, I'm not happy.  John let one of them know he wasn't happy and I took care of the other one.  He's a new driver, but that doesn't excuse him using the back of my car for a brake.  

Poor John now gets to try to pull out the dents.  He'll get them out, but my car won't be quite so "purty" in the future. 

Doug got to feed by himself.  It's really good to have him here, to feed when we go racing.  Otherwise we'd have to feed them about 1pm and they would have to stay in their pens until we got home about 1am.  It doesn't hurt them, BUT, they think it does.   Years ago, when we use to come in late and they were still in their pens, you never heard such pitiful braying, when I'd get out to open the gate.  We raced about 130 miles from our gate, so we got in REALLY late and they let us know it.  He said everything went smoothly, which is always good to hear.  

Talked to Casper's foster "dad" today.  He said Casper is getting friendlier with them, but is still trying to attack Gizmo, the "good" little mini mule thru the fence.   He certainly doesn't give up..........!!! LOL I guess the other day one of his 2 goat buddies, went after one of their dogs and Casper slammed the goat.  Jeesh, I guess he doesn't want anyone attacking anybody, except him.  Should have named him Enforcer, I guess............!!

We had enough rain the other day to flood some of the pens that need sand/gravel brought in.  John has the tractor and bucket, and Doug has a shovel and rack.........but it is just too hot right now to be grooming pens.  Felena and Selena's pen was relatively dry and empty, so we moved Quilla into that pen, his pen was a mess, almost completely flooded.  The girl's pen has a real shelter, and is much more spacious than his pen, so we might just leave him there.  His pen is actually a temporary pen we set up years ago, and it's been in constant use every since.  I'd like to take it down and make the alleyway between the east and west pens wider, but sure as I do, we'll get an emergency call, for a donkey than needs to be rehomed, right now...........!!!!  Sigh   

 Gus in his favorite sand bathing area by the dog pen, thanks Doug for the picture

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY......!!!

I read something a couple of days ago that said, "we don't celebrate the 4th of July, we celebrate Independence Day".  Hmmmm, never thought of it that way, but then again I was taught civics in school and have no problem knowing what the day stands for.  

Jessie Watters was on TV interviewing what turned out to be college students from the University of Maryland at the beach.  He was asking them what the 4th of July meant.  Some of them actually knew it was Independence Day, but had no idea of the who, what, when, where and why.  That is very sad, that the future mothers, fathers, teachers, and leaders don't know the history of our nation.  Judging from the giggling and laughing, I wonder if they even care.  

Saturday night I practiced on the chicane at the race track.  We only had about 6 laps and they ran us off to let the "real" race cars practice on the oval........!!!   Hopefully I learned something, because I will be racing this Saturday and it's suppose to be on the chicane.  I guess I'm having fun, not really sure........LOL

The donkeys are actually doing pretty good, considering the heat, humidity and all that goes with it.  Quilla seems to be walking a little better, but if it's an abscess it hasn't popped. 

Yesterday morning everyone showed up, except for Frijolita.  This is very unusual, Frijolita really likes to eat and knows exactly when meals are served.  She also usually hangs with the "A" team, that consists of Tula, the Colonel, Frijolita the 1st Sargent, and the rest of the squad, Daisy, Quilla, BlackJack and Buddy. 

Doug looked for her, then John looked for her and then John went out again, while Doug and I fed the others.  He showed up after we had fed and I had gone out on the 10 acres to check again.  We were pretty sure she was down somewhere and when they are down and the trees are leafed out, it's not easy to find them.  John finally came over from Burroland and said she was in the farthest corner, down and had been down for awhile.  No idea of what was wrong, but he finally got her to get up and she was favoring a rear leg.  

When they can't walk, we usually feed and water them where they are, no sense in making them move.  So we got her hay, mush and a bucket of water gathered up and headed across the wash.  Low and behold, guess who had made it clear across Burroland...........and she was walking pretty good.  Got her in her pen, and for the most part that's where she's been ever since, by her choice, although this morning she is gone with the herd.  It will be interesting to see if she comes in for the afternoon feeding. 

I checked her foot and there's nothing I can see.  Frijolita has string halt, which is a neurological condition and we were told she had probably eaten some noxious weeds of some kind before she was captured by the BLM at the age of 6 months.  It doesn't usually bother her unless she is in a hurry, so this is unusual.  I'm wondering if the hot, muggy, humid weather we are having right now if causing her problems? 

Other than that still doctoring skin problems on 5 "patients" and seem to be keeping up pretty good.  So far nothing has gotten ahead of me and out of control. 

LOVELY RAIN AND COOLER WEATHER...........!!!

The last few days have been overcast, cooler with a few sprinkles.  We haven't really gotten much rain, but we are enjoying the cooler weather.  

Well, except poor Quilla seems to be dealing with a hoof/foot abscess.  He has been ouchy on his left front for a couple of days and this morning he is pretty much 3 legged lame.  Abscesses are terrible and horribly painful for the animal.  It can takes days or longer to work thru the hoof to either come out above the hoof at the coronet, or out the bottom.  The bottom of his foot looks strong and no possible open places, so I assume it's headed for the coronet.

Like most problems with animals, everyone has their way of treating the problem.  I have checked his foot over and see nothing out of the ordinary and no soft spots.  I am of the school of, if you don't know where the problem is, you probably shouldn't try to "fix" it.  Last year Selena had an abscess and it was real easy to find.  I called Tyler, and he came out, opened it, drilled it, put a bandage on it, said leave it on till it falls off, and away he went.  She was fine.  But it's very hard to watch them try to get around, I follow the idea that the more they move around, the quicker the abscess opens, hopefully it won't take too long.

Just went into Benson in the rain and had to drive thru a flooded area about 1/2 mile long on our road.  I don't have a problem driving in the water, BUT.......... I do have a problem with people coming towards me, that think in order to get thru the flooded area you need to drive as fast as you can, throwing a wake that is higher than some of the little cars trying to pick their way thru.  I thought about pulling in front of them and making them stop or hit me head on.  The wake they were making would probably slosh back into their engine compartment and drowned their car and there they would sit.   Lovely thought, but probably not a good idea..........LOL