Well Bella, now Ruby's, mom emailed me some new photos. her eye is healed up, she is spayed and a happy happy kitty! She has two loving brothers and loves all the attention she gets from everyone.
She has gained over a pound, is tape worm free and has done wonderfully. When the vet spayed her, she placed her at about 1 year and she has already had a litter according to her Uterus.
Anyways we you can see she is happy spayed, and her eye is all healed up! Thanks to everyone for their support and help with her. Her mom and I are so thankful and happy for her! thank you!!!!
Well Charlie and I were doing some thinking and he has not worn his party shirt in a while. So he got that out with his doggles, and his blue mohawk and put on a show for the camera. He was dually rewarded with treats and a game of fetch afterwards. As well he got to ride in Grammy's car to pick up the golf clubs. We will be releasing a Charlie calendar towards November :)
Wow! Well I got a surprise today when I saw miss Gracie! She has HAIR ON HER FACE!! WWEEEEE!!!!
Her face is tan like I suspected - she's growing hair back and looking fabulous. She gave me a big kiss on my hand. She's very gentle and loving - we love Gracie!!
Just compare the first video with this one taken below, two different dogs! And she's only going to get better!!!
Well... where is the Dr.House of veterinary medicine when you need him?
Bonnie's 6 skin scrapings came back negative, as did her DNA mange test which is supposed to be definitive. They say its likely bad skin allergies which can happen but I still think its demodex mange, everything fits. So she continues the way that she's on... she is STILL at the pound, likely curled in a ball in her snug bed. She likes stuffed toys as well!
I was hoping this would be an easy "she has mange, take this, she'll get better" case but no I'm not so sure. So begins the battle of the raw verses cooked food, what she should eat, eat out of (ceramic bowls), what she should wear, shouldn't wear.. it goes on and on!
I'm sitting here now with four of her videos open playing at once, from the first day she came in until today, looking at the progression of everything. She's such a cutie pie. We renamed her Gracie, because she was saved by the "grace of God".
When she came in she was sent to be euthanized immediately, she looked like a very old dog who had been decaying - like a zombie dog sort of. So the legend goes, the vet raised his hand and said "this dog has mange! it can be cured!" and sent her to her "hotel suite" at the pound where I've been visiting her ever since. If it wasn't for the possibility of private rescues I wouldn't be able to help her. But by the grace of the whole situation she's going to be ok.
And guess what? she's not a zombie! She's only two years old with lots of life and love to give!! Yay Bonnie!! See her photo progression below:
Week 1 - The first day I met Bonnie... she made me cry! I didn't know how to react but she wagged her tail and let me know everything was cool.
Week 2 - Bonnie's going bald and raw. I discover this week Bonnie loves soft denta chew bones and soft beds. You can say she's a softie. Still not allowed to touch because she's in quarantine. But gawsh darn she's cute. A little depressed no tail wags this week, she's not sure what the plans are for her.
Week 3 - Bonnie got to see the vet again do some tests, and go for a car ride! she loved it! everytime she saw a cat or dog she whined and whimpered. She charmed the vets office and was a very patient good girl. Now she sits and waits for the full results of the tests... she just wants to be loved! She also finds out this week the love and support pouring out from all over North America, places she's never even HEARD of. wow! She's feeling loved. Everyone has started calling her Gracie, a special collar and tag have been made to order and will arrive soon. Things are looking up for miss Gracie!! Video from today August 19th below.. set me free she says!! i want to be loved!!! All these pictures makes me think of Elliott Smith's songs "between the bars" but not much longer :)
As some of you know, last year was the year of the Chained Dog. I founded Unchain Ontario's Dogs as an awareness group and we were able to nudge some laws in not being so favorable of allowing permanent neglectful chaining.
This year has been Dump A Sick Senior Year. People who dump dieing dogs should be heavily fined in my opinion. Also, I do believe that this wouldn't be such a problem if there was somewhere for low income families to go when their companion animal is facing serious illness. Never the less there are resources out there, I know because I've researched. I'd like to pay tribute (and thank you to the rescues) to the Seniors that were dumped, many completely blind, deaf, matted, and suffering from degenerative disease.
Westminster Pet Sanctuary - located near Ottawa, ON helped 
me big time with a senior American Eskimo named Pierre Elliott. Completely blind and mildly arthritic Pierre was at the shelter with no hope. Estimated at 13 years, his coat was heavily matted. With an emergency transport from Toronto to Ottawa, Pierre ended up in the loving arms. He lived a couple good months, until passing away from a tumor on his heart. He died very much loved and I am very thankful that he got to live out his days cher
ished.
Adopt-A-Dog-Save-A-Life in Toronto helped me out of a pinch with Layla who arrived not long before Pierre did. Layla is a senior Cocker Spaniel, who was also blind, suffering from terrible ear infections, and a swollen liver among other things. I was so fortunate to find a foster mom through this rescue to get her into a home. She's still alive and well acting like a puppy and receiving top notch care.
Mississauga Humane Society helped us out with a Chow mix girl who came in with logging chains around her neck, some vision issues and arthritic. Wosely aka Willa was quite soar, but MHS took her into their private foster homes and she was adopted out!
Southern Ontario Sheltie Rescue (SOS Rescue) helped me out just this week with a senior sheltie who needed a rescue. He has a lump on his side and his family did not want him anymore because he was too old.
Now I'm not the one to keep a deathly sick animal alive for my own selfishness, but many of these dogs still have time and love to give and receive. Call me old fashioned, but these sweet animals seem like they have given their life love and companionship and in return they get dumped on the side of a road.
Certainly an animal has more rights then, my desk lamp?
Wow! What a past couple of days it has been for Bonnie... she's being showered with love and affection from near and far!
First off, she went to the vet on Thursday and I had the vet do a whole work up on her to make sure we aren't missing anything. She is heart worm negative and was given a shot of cortisone to see if it would help (in case it was allergies). It did not so we believe it is demodex mange but we are waiting for the bloodwork and skin scrapings to come back.
There are two types of mange, sarcoptic and demodex. Sarcoptic is contagious to humans (its like scabies) where as demodex is not contagious to healthy human or dogs. So once we rule out that it is not sarcoptic then we can fully treat for demodex.
On a lighter note, the loving people at LOYAL Foster Based Rescue here in Ontario will be taking Bonnie under their wing for as long as Bonnie needs to get better and when time comes they will search out the ideal home for her. You can visit their rescue at http://www.loyalrescue.com/
We have secured a local foster home for her, and LOYAL will be helping with the bills as well!
Bonnie on August 16th whining to get out of her cage!
Please help Bonnie! She needs a bit more care then your average pup to get her skin condition under control - all the money will go directly to Bonnie's care. We aren't clear if its demodex mange, sarcoptic mange, skin allergies or a combination of the three. Fingers crossed for this pretty girl!!
Bonnie is heading to the vet today... my fingers and tripled crossed for her (ouch)
I really need to figure out funds for this girl, I'm about $200 short right now, and I have to find a place for her to go!
You can see her photos below poor girl... I don't want to see her get unnecessarily put down!
Sumi is secretly a ninja ganster dog, or so I've been convinced. He is a strikingly handsome 5 year old Shiba Inu, who may or may not know kung-fu (yet to be determined). He came to the shoot with a sky blue bandana, kicking it old school.
Well an old friend of mine has a very handsome senior Boston Terrier named Luke aka Lukers. Luke is a diva dog, which means he means business when he strikes a pose! He was originally bought from a breeder and when they went to neuter him, it turned out he was a boy on the outside and a girl on the inside. Quite unusual, they asked the breeder, who said they could exchange Luke for a new dog. Realizing that Luke was not a car to be traded in they kept him, and have continued to love and nourish his loving diva personality! Here are some pics from the shoot:
Well I've been visiting Bonnie as frequently as possible, visiting with some treats both supplements and things for her to enjoy.
She's kenneled 24 hours a day right now because of where she is and her condition. She couldn't be happier about it! She's got a soft bed, lots of food and water, and a lot of people speaking kind words to her. She even has the whole area to herself. She feels like a Princess. She's very calm, happy to greet people, though a little weary of people's reaction to her, well for lack of better word, gruesome appearance.
She's almost completely bald from the mange and the antibiotics she's on. Come next week she'll make another trip to the vet, and continue her healing process. Even though she looks worse, she is feeling better, safe and secure in her little "condo" at the pound right now. Once the vet can pin down the type of mange, we can continue the treatment from there.
You can see her video below, chewing on her dentabone, play bowing/stretching as she eats it. Can you believe this girl is only around 3 years old? Maybe even younger!
I would love to hear anyone's guess on her breed! She's a petite girl, around 34 lbs
I just had to make a note about these cats. They are adorable. They are brothers, 5 years old, neutered and de-clawed. Someone "found" them, together.. imagine that? Lots of people avoid the surrendering fee for their animals by saying they "found" them as strays, and these two were one such case.
They are bonded together; Pumba looks after Timone (the orange tabby) lovingly. Timone has a thyroid problem and a grade one heart murmur. He's featured on my etsy site here:
I don't know how no one could want these cute boys; it never ceases to amaze me how much affection animals have not only for humans, but themselves.
Well I've been busy hanging out with some pretty cool furry critters. I had the pleasure of meeting with a rescued Chihuahua Miko and his support sister Calypso.
Here are some photos of Bella after her surgery. She is doing well, was treated for fleas and is being treated for tape worm too poor girl! Thanks to everyone's support! Looks like she's going to be going to her new permanent home on Saturday.
Thanks again for all the support!!!
Bonnie is a stray dog that came into the facility where I volunteer on Wednesday. When she was found, she was emaciated, covered in mange (severe mites), and bleeding. The thought they were going to euthanize her but asked if I could help her, they would be able to spare her life.
You can see Bonnie here, but I warn you it is disturbing and I am hoping to help her look her very best and feel her very best:
Seeing abused animals on a daily basis has given me a pretty thick skin at what to expect with strays. I was however, not prepared for the condition and extreme abuse this dog had endured.
The good news is mange is treatable and she is a very lovely little girl. Only three years or so.
So I am holding a sale on my www.latejuly.esty.com store for the Month of August!
