Friday, January 31, 2020

TWO NEW FUR KIDS

Yesterday Cochise was breathing funny, so I called Dr. Jeremy.  He told me what to do until he could get out here, which he did this afternoon.  In the meantime Cochise had let me know he didn't want his temperature taken.  Last night I asked Lynn to try and he got it done.  Lynn has turned into quite a  "donkey whisperer".  He can get them to cooperate more times than not.  

Cochise has a lower respiratory infection how he got it I have no idea.  First thing Dr. Jeremy asked was had he been off the property.  He did a walk the 11th of Jan, but that was too long ago. I guess it is something that can be passed around, but the incubation period is about 2 weeks.  

But before Dr. Jeremy came out, Suzanne, John and I headed out this morning to pick up 2 donkeys sight unseen.  I got a call awhile back from a woman that was looking for a farrier that would come out to her rather isolated area.  She had a gelding that had been laying down most of the last couple of weeks.  I gave her a name and number and low and behold Tyler went out and found a great big abscess in his foot.  Cleaned it up and the woman was quite thrilled.  She had told me she was looking for a new home for her 2 donkeys and she said something to Tyler about it, and he said he might know someone that would take them.  

Guess who he was thinking of?   LOL  We have tried to quit taking in healthy donkeys, they take up space that an unadoptable donkey might need.  But we've got a couple of empty pens, so we agreed, figuring since they were healthy we could probably rehome them quickly.  

 There is a big difference in healthy and adoptable unfortunately.  Jenny and Benjy are large standards and both of them are are obese by about 100 pounds each or maybe more.  They are in their teens and are not halter broke, which could make getting them in a stock trailer....interesting.  We started out trying to halter Jenny.  She wasn't the least bit interested.  Benjy was busy kicking up his heels, trying to bull his way thru the corral panels and in general letting us know, we were NOT invited into his space.  The woman said they would go in the trailer by themselves and you what?  She was right..............!!!  Talk about amazed, John and I couldn't believe it...........!! LOL  
 


 This is two nice horses that have been their friends for about 8 years. 


 The people have about 30 alpacas, they have sheared in the spring and sell the wool.  The woman said it sells for about $25 a pound..............YIKES...!!



Suzanne and I introduced them to animal crackers.  Not sure if this one was after crackers or Suzanne's phone.....or just wanted her picture taken....!!  

Guess what?  In all the excitement I didn't get even one picture of Benjy and Jenny........LOL  I'll try to get one tomorrow.  

It looks like Levi's foster home is going to be a foster failure, Robert says he wants to adopt him.  We've never had a foster returned, they end up staying in the foster home which is great.  

Some of you might know we have 4 house cats and one indoor/outdoor cat.  Four of them are males and one of them is a little muted tortoiseshell female that hates all of them.  She's always been a feisty thing, attacking the males and making their lives miserable until they've had enough and attack her, which makes her scream like they are killing her.  So we have to break it up, which of course makes her think we've taken her side.  


 
Recently she had gotten lethargic and wasn't acting herself, so off to the vet she went.  Found out she has hyperthyroidism and will have to be on medication the rest of her life.  That means 2 times a day she has to swallow half a small tiny pill.  Cats do not take pills readily and this one really isn't interested in cooperation.  I forgot to mention when you pet her if you aren't doing it right, she will scratch or bite you, so this is going to be fun.  

Linda started out being sneaky, petting and telling her what a good girl she is.  Two times and the game had to be upped.  Then I tried with ham, how she can find that tiny piece of pill is amazing, she's very good at it.  

So the last couple of days she is becoming a "kitty burrito".  That means I drop a towel over her while she is sleeping, wrap it around her neck, pick her up, make sure all feet and claws are covered, hand her to whoever is available, hoping they don't let a foot get loose, pry open her mouth and drop the pill into the back of her throat.  So far, so good we'll see how long it lasts. 

2 comments:

Sandy Stearns Gambone said...

Can you get the transdermal form of the thyroid medicine for her? You rub it in her ear. I had that for my cat and it was much easier than pills. Good luck

ellie k said...

I was going yo say try wrapping her in a big towel with just her head sticking out or pick her up by the scruff of the neck and they sometimes hold still. I am keeping my sons cat for three months and it is the clingiest cat I have ever seen. She wants to sit on my lap every time I sit down. I sleep on my side and she sleeps on my hip and side. I try to get her to sleep beside me but she waits until I go to sleep and gets back on me. She is a loving cat and loves to be petted and brushed She seems to love her Gram and settled in here like she owns the place.