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The jack russell I've had since October finally got adopted today! The chihuahua made it safely to Seattle to be trained by Pets for Vets as a service dog. 2 of the 3 horses have been adopted... Which might make it sound like I'm clearing the place out, but I just got a Labrador with a broken leg on Friday to make up for the little dogs I offloaded. Heh.
Today was shit.
Mar. 23rd, 2011 08:05 pmThis morning I told a lady that her elderly dog has a tumor that I'm unlikely to be able to remove all of due to location. We'll try, but I expect it won't go well.
This afternoon, I killed 3 cats for 1 client, right after Dr S killed one for another client. Then Dr S went home early because we were really slow for the day... and shortly after he left, we started getting emergency calls.
I've got a dog with a shattered femur and broken pelvis; I'll be amputating her leg tomorrow. Owner doesn't seem to grasp the concept that unless he builds a fence, he will continue to have dogs hit by cars on the road in front of his house. (I heard several times during the exam on this dog about how his other dog was just hit and died last month!)
Ended up euthanizing an old dog about 20 after 5, while tech and Dr A prepped a probable pyometra/possible peritonitis that turned out to be (as so many things that Dr A has seen recently! Poor Dr A...) completely freaky. We got in, and the whole abdomen is full of pus, the left ovary is adhered into a big knot of intestine and omentum all stuck into a solid chunk surrounding something nasty and oozing pus. So I called the owner and explained the badness while Dr A closed the abdomen up, then we sat around and waited for the owner to come say goodbye so we could kill that dog too.
I'm gonna tell you about this last dog, because you all need a good, whoppin' dose of rip your damn heart out, right? She was a chihuahua pit bull mix. Not really something I'd generally recommend, but she managed to turn out sweeter than sugar. So the owner comes back to say goodbye, and brings her little girl to say goodbye too. The dog was just waking up from anesthesia, so she was wobbly and having trouble sitting up. Mom's trying to explain to daughter why it's the best thing for the dog to let her die quietly, they're both crying and hugging the dog, and the dog manages to sit up long enough to lick the little girl's face. I don't really have words here for how heart-breaking that moment was. You'll just have to accept that after that point, I was crying too.
The one good thing of the day is that Holly has gone to a new home--hopefully a permanent one!
This afternoon, I killed 3 cats for 1 client, right after Dr S killed one for another client. Then Dr S went home early because we were really slow for the day... and shortly after he left, we started getting emergency calls.
I've got a dog with a shattered femur and broken pelvis; I'll be amputating her leg tomorrow. Owner doesn't seem to grasp the concept that unless he builds a fence, he will continue to have dogs hit by cars on the road in front of his house. (I heard several times during the exam on this dog about how his other dog was just hit and died last month!)
Ended up euthanizing an old dog about 20 after 5, while tech and Dr A prepped a probable pyometra/possible peritonitis that turned out to be (as so many things that Dr A has seen recently! Poor Dr A...) completely freaky. We got in, and the whole abdomen is full of pus, the left ovary is adhered into a big knot of intestine and omentum all stuck into a solid chunk surrounding something nasty and oozing pus. So I called the owner and explained the badness while Dr A closed the abdomen up, then we sat around and waited for the owner to come say goodbye so we could kill that dog too.
I'm gonna tell you about this last dog, because you all need a good, whoppin' dose of rip your damn heart out, right? She was a chihuahua pit bull mix. Not really something I'd generally recommend, but she managed to turn out sweeter than sugar. So the owner comes back to say goodbye, and brings her little girl to say goodbye too. The dog was just waking up from anesthesia, so she was wobbly and having trouble sitting up. Mom's trying to explain to daughter why it's the best thing for the dog to let her die quietly, they're both crying and hugging the dog, and the dog manages to sit up long enough to lick the little girl's face. I don't really have words here for how heart-breaking that moment was. You'll just have to accept that after that point, I was crying too.
The one good thing of the day is that Holly has gone to a new home--hopefully a permanent one!
Things keep happenin'...
Jan. 1st, 2011 10:20 pmSale of the clinic closed on Wednesday, bank funded it on Thursday. For better or worse, it's my responsibility now. I'm sure that by the end of January, that won't seem quite so overwhelming, but right now? scaryscary. Sale of the land is still pending. When that goes through, I'll be over a million dollars in debt. Literally. How freaky is that?! Well, I'm freaked out by it, anyway. Also, I'm extremely tired of insurance applications, as the lender required that I have disability, office overhead, life, real property, and business property insurance!
Bruce has decided to give up on the commuting thing and become my house-spouse full time, effective later this coming week. I look forward to having many fewer household chores to deal with while trying to figure out how to run a business, but have to admit to being a little stressed over the decrease in income (reference above about $1M debt!).
Arctic got adopted to a local lady with 200 acres to play on. Good deal for him, I say...she wouldn't let Bruce and me move up with the dog though.
And in a totally bizarre set of events, Birthday Bear got adopted out. I'm sure you remember my posting about him earlier; he's been at my place for a while now, playing with Minnie (my one-eyed yellow pit mix).
Earlier this week, a lady (M) arrived at our clinic with a dog she was going to foster, that she had just picked up from a rescue. Knowing how slim the chances are that this particular rescue had scanned the dog for microchip on getting her in, I scanned her. And microchip she did have. So I called the associated phone number, and asked if they were missing a dog. The gentleman who answered said "A 3 legged German Shepherd? She's alive?! I thought she got eaten by a cougar!" Turns out she's been missing for about a month, and was found 30 miles from home. Have I mentioned that even out here in the middle of nowhere, microchips are useful for getting animals home?
So we contacted the rescue, and told them what was up, and kept the dog. Which left M sad, because she'd driven all the way up from PF (in a snow storm, no less!) to pick up this sad, skinny, 3 legged German Shepherd. So, about half jokingly, I offered to replace her with a different 3 legged dog. Took a couple minutes to convince M that I actually had one, and then she was quite excited about meeting him. So I sent my mom to get the dog from my house, and bring him back. It was instant love, of course--only a totally hard hearted monster could resist Bear. *Sidelong look at Bruce*-+
M took Bear home, and emailed me back that he'd gotten on instantly well with their other dog-a 1 eyed yellow pit mix!-and that her kids love him. They were going to rename him Baxter, but the 4 year old was pronouncing it "bastard" so they are going to call him Bailey Bear instead.
Now I just have Holly to place; and got an email just today that sounds fairly promising on that front, so wish me luck!
So that's the summary of my week. How are you all doing?
Bruce has decided to give up on the commuting thing and become my house-spouse full time, effective later this coming week. I look forward to having many fewer household chores to deal with while trying to figure out how to run a business, but have to admit to being a little stressed over the decrease in income (reference above about $1M debt!).
Arctic got adopted to a local lady with 200 acres to play on. Good deal for him, I say...she wouldn't let Bruce and me move up with the dog though.
And in a totally bizarre set of events, Birthday Bear got adopted out. I'm sure you remember my posting about him earlier; he's been at my place for a while now, playing with Minnie (my one-eyed yellow pit mix).
Earlier this week, a lady (M) arrived at our clinic with a dog she was going to foster, that she had just picked up from a rescue. Knowing how slim the chances are that this particular rescue had scanned the dog for microchip on getting her in, I scanned her. And microchip she did have. So I called the associated phone number, and asked if they were missing a dog. The gentleman who answered said "A 3 legged German Shepherd? She's alive?! I thought she got eaten by a cougar!" Turns out she's been missing for about a month, and was found 30 miles from home. Have I mentioned that even out here in the middle of nowhere, microchips are useful for getting animals home?
So we contacted the rescue, and told them what was up, and kept the dog. Which left M sad, because she'd driven all the way up from PF (in a snow storm, no less!) to pick up this sad, skinny, 3 legged German Shepherd. So, about half jokingly, I offered to replace her with a different 3 legged dog. Took a couple minutes to convince M that I actually had one, and then she was quite excited about meeting him. So I sent my mom to get the dog from my house, and bring him back. It was instant love, of course--only a totally hard hearted monster could resist Bear. *Sidelong look at Bruce*-+
M took Bear home, and emailed me back that he'd gotten on instantly well with their other dog-a 1 eyed yellow pit mix!-and that her kids love him. They were going to rename him Baxter, but the 4 year old was pronouncing it "bastard" so they are going to call him Bailey Bear instead.
Now I just have Holly to place; and got an email just today that sounds fairly promising on that front, so wish me luck!
So that's the summary of my week. How are you all doing?
Just got back a rescue that I thought had been successfully placed for good. Guess he wasn't staying in her yard...and for whatever reason, she's not willing to consider building a fence (even after a friend offered to do it for her if she bought supplies) or installing an invisible fence, which we know he does fine with, as that's what's at my house. So I now have 2 fosters in my house and one at my tech's house.
So really, if anybody knows anybody that wants a dog for Christmas, I've got a lovely selection of dogs with good personalities. Older, calm, smallish (30 pound) female; happy go lucky middle sized (50 pound) every-buddy-is-my-friend dog with 3 legs thanks to a bullet; and apparently pure-bred Siberian Husky with no problems we know of other than a disregard for invisible fencing (he was wearing a functioning collar when found).
All are neutered, vaccinated, and chipped, and all are ready to go immediately.
Pictures and more detail here:
http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?shelterid=WA388
So really, if anybody knows anybody that wants a dog for Christmas, I've got a lovely selection of dogs with good personalities. Older, calm, smallish (30 pound) female; happy go lucky middle sized (50 pound) every-buddy-is-my-friend dog with 3 legs thanks to a bullet; and apparently pure-bred Siberian Husky with no problems we know of other than a disregard for invisible fencing (he was wearing a functioning collar when found).
All are neutered, vaccinated, and chipped, and all are ready to go immediately.
Pictures and more detail here:
http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?shelterid=WA388
Anybody looking for a faithful companion?
Dec. 6th, 2010 10:04 amI have 2 dogs in foster currently. Arctic is a young adult male neutered Siberian Husky, good with other animals but needs a good fenced yard (was found wearing an Invisible Fence collar--still surprised nobody at least called to get the collar back, those things are spendy).
Holly is a medium sized, short haired, yellow dog of indeterminate breed, a "lady of a certain age". Really well behaved and calm, have yet to find anything that gets her riled up.
Pictures and full profiles here: http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?shelterid=WA388
In other news, if you have a pet, get them microchipped, and register the microchip. I have a client who found a cat last weekend. She brought it in, and it has a microchip.
I called the microchip company: chip is not registered to an owner, but lot was shipped to Idaho Humane Society.
I called IHS: click/disconnect
Called IHS again: left message
4 hours later, no return call, called back, again got message machine.
I called Humane Society of Palouse (howdy, sphynxagain!) and left cat's description.
Finder called IHS, left message.
Finder called all veterinary clinics in Pullcow area, as well as Pullman shelter.
We heard nothing back over weekend.
This morning, I called IHS: click/disconnect.
I call IHS AGAIN: finally spoke to someone who gave us owner information. For someone in Meridian (this is many and long away from Pullman, where the cat was found).
Finder calls number IHS gave. Turns out that cat belongs now to that owner's daughter, who is a WSU student. Cat has been missing since September, which is why nobody had a current lost ad.
Morals of the story:
--Microchips get lost pets home. They are worth doing.
--Registered microchips eliminate the hassle and many potential points for failure in getting the pet home; what if I'd not persistently called back, or if IHS hadn't kept back records of microchip numbers with adoptions? if the microchip is not associated with owner's name, it makes it MUCH less likely to be traceable.
--Update your registration when you move! What if we'd dropped it when we found the registration was so far removed from where the cat was found?
Holly is a medium sized, short haired, yellow dog of indeterminate breed, a "lady of a certain age". Really well behaved and calm, have yet to find anything that gets her riled up.
Pictures and full profiles here: http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?shelterid=WA388
In other news, if you have a pet, get them microchipped, and register the microchip. I have a client who found a cat last weekend. She brought it in, and it has a microchip.
I called the microchip company: chip is not registered to an owner, but lot was shipped to Idaho Humane Society.
I called IHS: click/disconnect
Called IHS again: left message
4 hours later, no return call, called back, again got message machine.
I called Humane Society of Palouse (howdy, sphynxagain!) and left cat's description.
Finder called IHS, left message.
Finder called all veterinary clinics in Pullcow area, as well as Pullman shelter.
We heard nothing back over weekend.
This morning, I called IHS: click/disconnect.
I call IHS AGAIN: finally spoke to someone who gave us owner information. For someone in Meridian (this is many and long away from Pullman, where the cat was found).
Finder calls number IHS gave. Turns out that cat belongs now to that owner's daughter, who is a WSU student. Cat has been missing since September, which is why nobody had a current lost ad.
Morals of the story:
--Microchips get lost pets home. They are worth doing.
--Registered microchips eliminate the hassle and many potential points for failure in getting the pet home; what if I'd not persistently called back, or if IHS hadn't kept back records of microchip numbers with adoptions? if the microchip is not associated with owner's name, it makes it MUCH less likely to be traceable.
--Update your registration when you move! What if we'd dropped it when we found the registration was so far removed from where the cat was found?
The weekend sucked. Non-stop emergencies, so much that we declined all appointments during office ours Saturday to work on juggling emergencies. I shan't belabor you with the details, but I am tired and sore and glad it's over.
Today was definitely a Monday. Someone brought us a stray bird. Also a box of kittens found under a bush at the end of a dead end road.
Anybody reading this want to transport my foster dog to a potential home in Canada?
Today was definitely a Monday. Someone brought us a stray bird. Also a box of kittens found under a bush at the end of a dead end road.
Anybody reading this want to transport my foster dog to a potential home in Canada?
Latest foster news
Aug. 17th, 2010 04:28 pmSo the raccoons are all grown up and I have kicked their fluffy butts out into the woods.
Not that this leaves me foster-less, mind you. There is also the horribly aptly named Chewy; a 6 month old Golden Retriever who was released because the owner couldn't afford surgery to remove the chunk of wood that lodged in his intestine after he chewed it up and swallowed.
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17136815
Awww, ain't he cute?
On a related note, I got an email today about him, which I shall reproduce here in its entirety for your amusement.
Did Chewy get adopted or is he still available?
Italics and bold in the original, NOT my additions. I did not omit the name to protect the innocent, there was none in the email; no signature of any kind. Does anyone else find this rather... brusque? I have a fairly strong feeling that this person (whoever they are) will not be adopting a foster from me. I did, in an attempt to be non-judgmental, send them an application to fill out, but frankly will be surprised if it gets returned, since I'm declaring a minimum donation for adoption of $100. Experience with this sort of email leads me to believe that people who have money to spend on adoptions also manage to find time and keystrokes enough to spend on signatures.
Not that this leaves me foster-less, mind you. There is also the horribly aptly named Chewy; a 6 month old Golden Retriever who was released because the owner couldn't afford surgery to remove the chunk of wood that lodged in his intestine after he chewed it up and swallowed.
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/17136815
Awww, ain't he cute?
On a related note, I got an email today about him, which I shall reproduce here in its entirety for your amusement.
Did Chewy get adopted or is he still available?
Italics and bold in the original, NOT my additions. I did not omit the name to protect the innocent, there was none in the email; no signature of any kind. Does anyone else find this rather... brusque? I have a fairly strong feeling that this person (whoever they are) will not be adopting a foster from me. I did, in an attempt to be non-judgmental, send them an application to fill out, but frankly will be surprised if it gets returned, since I'm declaring a minimum donation for adoption of $100. Experience with this sort of email leads me to believe that people who have money to spend on adoptions also manage to find time and keystrokes enough to spend on signatures.
When a rescue is not a rescue
May. 17th, 2010 06:48 pmI was given a box of raccoons today. Yay. The people have had them for a month now, which means they're "good and acclimated to people handling them". Also, they were brought in a filthy kennel that reeked of old urine. All of them have sores on their feet of varying severity, probably from standing on a wet/urine soaked towel constantly. They were filthy and covered in feces. Somehow, I have a hard time calling the people who "rescued" them good fosters.
They are now dewormed, vaccinated for parvo and distemper, bathed, and in a larger kennel with clean bedding. Will see how they do.
They are now dewormed, vaccinated for parvo and distemper, bathed, and in a larger kennel with clean bedding. Will see how they do.
Happy stories
Dec. 20th, 2009 01:42 pmHeard back from the folks who adopted one of my fosters from early this year. (http://draggonlaady.livejournal.com/185822.html)
This is how she looked when she was here:
And this is her now:
This is how she looked when she was here:
And this is her now:
Tis the season!
Dec. 9th, 2009 04:33 pmFor black cats, of course.
I now have at least one, probably 2 young adult, very friendly, short haired, female black cats. They need homes that are not mine.
Cat #1 was found in the Safeway parking lot 2 days ago. She has a collar. I have hopes of an owner showing up yet, and have placed found ads in the local papers. We'll see.
Cat #2 was left on the clinic's door step sometime last night/this morning with no information. I'll be spaying and vaccinating her tomorrow.
Anybody need a kitty?
I now have at least one, probably 2 young adult, very friendly, short haired, female black cats. They need homes that are not mine.
Cat #1 was found in the Safeway parking lot 2 days ago. She has a collar. I have hopes of an owner showing up yet, and have placed found ads in the local papers. We'll see.
Cat #2 was left on the clinic's door step sometime last night/this morning with no information. I'll be spaying and vaccinating her tomorrow.
Anybody need a kitty?
And another foster off to a new home, hurrah! Norman has been re-named Rough, and gone off to live with one of my really amusing and dedicated clients. Hopefully he'll fit in with her crazy menagerie and they'll all be happy. Wish him luck!
Need a nice dog?
Oct. 28th, 2009 12:42 pmSecond hand pup, in need of good home; anybody want a male German Shepherd mix dog that has apparently had some training and really likes people? Restrained from eating the finders' 5 small dogs and numerous cats, walks well on a leash, very quiet, kennels easily. Showed up on their porch at 5 am and was brought to the clinic as a Sheriff's Dept impound? Nice boy, needs neutering. About a year old. I hear by dub him "Norman".
Celebrate!
Jul. 22nd, 2009 02:53 pmNotorious P.I.G. has been shipped to the Seattle area to be a luxury-model city-pig, in the yard of a classmate of mine from Veterinary College. Hurrah!
Snowflake is spending the night with the nice man who owns the local feed store; hopefully she'll be staying there for permanent-like!
The fawn will be transferred to a different rehabber next weekend, so that he can be buddied up with another fawn or two and learn to be a deer instead of thinking he's a pet.
So we're getting down to a much more reasonable number of fosters... now if I can just find someone who wants an elderly but sweet long haired cat....
Snowflake is spending the night with the nice man who owns the local feed store; hopefully she'll be staying there for permanent-like!
The fawn will be transferred to a different rehabber next weekend, so that he can be buddied up with another fawn or two and learn to be a deer instead of thinking he's a pet.
So we're getting down to a much more reasonable number of fosters... now if I can just find someone who wants an elderly but sweet long haired cat....
overwhelmed
Jul. 6th, 2009 10:53 pmIt's been a crazy weekend. I will refrain from whining about work for once. That doesn't mean work was nice, just that I'm on a different topic.
I finally got one of the two dachshund mixes (Haze) adopted out. That leaves one dog (Snowflake) in foster.
Saturday afternoon, Bruce helped me help the sheriff's deputies round up a pot bellied pig that'd been abandoned about a month ago. He's large. He's now parked at Bruce's folks', since I have no pig-proof fence. (Hello, Notorious P.I.G.)
While there, we also scooped up a cat that'd been abandoned. VERY sweet calico, in very rough shape. She's been leukemia tested, de-flea'd, de-matted (ie, mostly shaved) and vaccinated. Now she just needs to gain 2 pounds to be the size of a real cat. We've dubbed her Caliope.
AND I now have a fawn. Cute little buck fawn, except for the part where he stinks of rotting flesh. Yay maggots and abscesses.
So.... does someone out there want a critter of any sort? I've got a variety pack and am happy to transport to the Seattle area this weekend. Please? PLEASE?!?!?
I finally got one of the two dachshund mixes (Haze) adopted out. That leaves one dog (Snowflake) in foster.
Saturday afternoon, Bruce helped me help the sheriff's deputies round up a pot bellied pig that'd been abandoned about a month ago. He's large. He's now parked at Bruce's folks', since I have no pig-proof fence. (Hello, Notorious P.I.G.)
While there, we also scooped up a cat that'd been abandoned. VERY sweet calico, in very rough shape. She's been leukemia tested, de-flea'd, de-matted (ie, mostly shaved) and vaccinated. Now she just needs to gain 2 pounds to be the size of a real cat. We've dubbed her Caliope.
AND I now have a fawn. Cute little buck fawn, except for the part where he stinks of rotting flesh. Yay maggots and abscesses.
So.... does someone out there want a critter of any sort? I've got a variety pack and am happy to transport to the Seattle area this weekend. Please? PLEASE?!?!?
What is WRONG with people?
Jun. 20th, 2009 09:38 amI mentioned a few days ago that I've been getting a lot of random and annoying calls about foster dogs... people that can't follow exceedingly simple directions like "for more information, call H and ***-****"
The other day, I got an email inquiry about Haze and Snowflake from someone in W-ville. Says she's looking for 2 small dogs to adopt together, because her old dog has died and she has "a hole in her heart" without dogs around.
Okay, great. I sent her an adoption application, and some more info on the dogs, said I'd be happy to meet her in the middle to introduce her to the dogs since she lives quite a ways away.
Today I get back an email saying "Thank you, but I'm not ready yet, just looking. I do hope you find a great home for these two. I am interested in 2 but it is too early, just lost mine last week. Thank you."
So what the Hell? If you're not ready, why are you looking and asking about them? Do you think I'm going to just hold them indefinitely until you feel like adopting new dogs? WHY ARE YOU WASTING MY TIME? Gah.
The other day, I got an email inquiry about Haze and Snowflake from someone in W-ville. Says she's looking for 2 small dogs to adopt together, because her old dog has died and she has "a hole in her heart" without dogs around.
Okay, great. I sent her an adoption application, and some more info on the dogs, said I'd be happy to meet her in the middle to introduce her to the dogs since she lives quite a ways away.
Today I get back an email saying "Thank you, but I'm not ready yet, just looking. I do hope you find a great home for these two. I am interested in 2 but it is too early, just lost mine last week. Thank you."
So what the Hell? If you're not ready, why are you looking and asking about them? Do you think I'm going to just hold them indefinitely until you feel like adopting new dogs? WHY ARE YOU WASTING MY TIME? Gah.
Faith in humanity
Jun. 19th, 2009 11:20 amSo a while back, when I had Rascal the broken-legged (stress on the ed there, of course), I was whinging about expensive fosters and trying to find him a home, as is my wont. I actually managed to get a few hundred dollars donated towards his cause from some folks here, and some folks on another website, and ran raffle to get about a hundred more. The rest of his bills came out of my pocket of course (this is so commonly the case that it is the reason I got the non-profit status; I do enough of this that it's worth it to do itemized deductions). And I thought that one was taken care of and done.
Until the other day, when I got a check in the mail, from a beautiful, wonderful, unbelievable person that I play word games with online. For $250. And a note that they intend to send another, not so puny check, at the end of the year. PUNY? Besides what I donate, that's the largest single donation I've gotten!
So I'm actually not only caught up on the bills for the dachshunds, but actually ahead for once! whee!
Until the other day, when I got a check in the mail, from a beautiful, wonderful, unbelievable person that I play word games with online. For $250. And a note that they intend to send another, not so puny check, at the end of the year. PUNY? Besides what I donate, that's the largest single donation I've gotten!
So I'm actually not only caught up on the bills for the dachshunds, but actually ahead for once! whee!
