Opa's place -Where an old rooster visits with friends

[easttxchick]

I'm just sitting here waiting for a phone call from my vet to determine if there is anything further they can do for my 16 year old doxie, Boz. They are afraid he is in kidney failure, but wanted to run some tests.
He didn't seem to feel well yesterday and when DH came in from work last night, he knelt down beside him and looked at me and said, "He's always been here". It certainly does seem that way. Can't imagine life without him...

 

[Opa]

The friendliest most affectionate dog I've ever owned was a female JRT and unfortunately at only eleven years old she lost her mind. Extremely loving 99% of the time and stone nuts dangerous for remaining 1%.

I stupidly bought her knowing that normally it is inadvisable to have two female dogs in the same house, particularly when they are both terriers. I had hoped that since both were spayed and extremely well trained that it wouldn't be a problem. It wasn't for seven years, then the younger one started becoming extremely territorial and aggressive. Fights would ensue that resulted in having to take both to the vet to have them sewed back up. You could not believe the intensity of the fights and then just s short time later they would be back to playing like best friends. Every few months we would have a fight and I finally would just super glue them back together.

This continued for four years and the time between fights grew closer. We knew, and even our vet said, that one day one would kill the other. Trying to separate them during the fights was very difficult and dangerous. More than once I contributed as much blood to the melee as the dogs. This continued for several years, but we kept hoping we could recognize when it was about to happen and get them separated.

Then sweet affectionate Jasmine started growling and snapping at Hope's granddaughters. We knew that we were going to have to do something. One night the fight was absolutely horrible and blood was flying everywhere. Hope decided she could take no more. Knowing that waiting til morning to take her to the vet would only result in us backing out on what we knew must be done, I opted to put her down myself. It was one of the most difficult things I have ever done and even though it has been well over a year if I dwell on it to long I find myself getting choked up.

Dogs are like no other animal we own. They strive hard to please us and quickly become deeply embedded in your hearts. My remaining dog acts as if her sole reason for being is to be with me and now that she is getting quite old it's heartbreaking and touching to watch her trying to please me while the infirmities of her age make it difficult. Cats are okay, but typically they just seem to tolerate us. Dogs strive to please and their happiness is quite apparent and when we become aware that this friendship is soon to end it hurts.

 

[MagsC]

Sheila,

I sure hope there is something that can be done for Boz.

 

[easttxchick]

Well, my vet finally called me at 5:50 and told me that Boz was dehydrated. We have known since September that he has kidney disease, but his tests showed he is NOT in kidney failure! He wants to keep him a few days and give him IV fluids and then he can come home!

Every day I have with him at this point is a gift.
Finally told DH I had ordered the call duck eggs and he said, "I knew you would, I just didn't know when".

Maggie I have 2 Sumatra eggs ready and if Nancy lays tomorrow, I will ship you 3-can't wait any longer than that if we want any kind of viability. Frank(Sumatra roo) thought he'd have a go at me this evening, but I changed his mind pretty quickly-big, beautiful jerk that he can be.
Opa such a sad story about your little JRT-I have such a strong bond with mine that it is ridiculous. To me, they are a part of our family.
I hope you all have a wonderful night.

 

[Highlander]

Morning all! Nice sunny day here today so going to make the most of it and stay outside for as long as I can!

Sheila - glad you have some more time to spend with Boz. Dogs really do make an impression on our hearts, don't they.

took some random pics yesterday - thought I would share. Opa: do you remember that really ugly chick I hatched last year? The blue Orp? He has grown up rather well, don't you think?

My white Orp roo from the same hatch:

We had a rainbow at dusk yesterday which I thought was a bit weird, but pretty cool!

And the sunset last night

Have a good day everyone!

 

[Opa]

Thistle he has indeed grown up to be a rather handsome devil. I have one that looks just like him. They are wonderful birds and many that have seen the pair fall in love with them. Ya done good with your ugly chick.

 

[ranchhand]

Good morning all,

Supposed to a pretty day today so I will have to take advantage of it, too. Supposed to rain tomorrow. Yesterday, the AC came on for a while in the afternoon, when it topped 78F in the house!

Spring lasted all of a week.

Cayce, I'm not sure who's cuter, the ducklings or your son!

Sheila, sorry Boz has been sick, glad he is on the road to recovery. When DH and I first moved in together we said no dogs, the 2 cats are enough. Within 5 years we had 3 cats, 3 dogs and a boatload of chickens, and now 4 ducks. But the dogs and cats are the most special of friends. No kids, so they are my kids.

Highlander, gorgeous pics! Do you have a pic of the Hipswells?

Opa, I remember the story of poor Jasmine,

Need to wrap the bottom of a big pen in wire again today, a snake (or snakes) has been stealing eggs. I have been getting 8 per day and suddenly the last two days I'm only getting 2. Hmmm.......
So far this year, just this week even, we have had two black racers and a canebrake rattler that DH found out by the garden yesterday.

The rattler is no longer anong the living. Might as well be in Texas!

 

[YakLady]

Oh, man! That's another thing I don't miss about living down South-the snakes! I remember growing up in Oklahoma, and tearing through the farm barefoot in the Summer as a kid. Darn near drove my poor Grandma crazy. The State bird was the Scissor-Tail Flycatcher. They would find baby rattlers and stick them on the barbed wire...alive...to save for later. I don't know how many times I would crawl through the barbed wire fences to look up and see a baby rattler hissing at me. Never got bitten, though!

 

[MagsC]

Hi everyone!
I woke up to five Ancona ducklings in the incubator, more than I expected but I am not complaining. Seems like my hatching goes a lot better in the spring than during the summer.
Sheila, I will be happy to get two or three Sumatra eggs. Of course when am I NOT happy to incubate/hatch eggs,lol?

How is Boz doing today? I am grateful for our dachshunds and I realize I should enjoy the time I have with them.
Highlander, the picture of the rainbow was absolutely beautiful!!! (the others two but that was my favorite) It must be nice to live where you do.
Ack. Snakes. But in another post I told what WE used to do with rattlers.

I am giving myself 20 more minutes or so before I go offline for a couple of hours. I find I have to do that or I will be on here forever,lol.

 

[YakLady]

Quote:
Beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing! I love your blue orp roo-hard to believe he was once considered ugly. I recently visited Sam's place, and I think I took a picture of his blue orp roo. I'll check out all my cameras and see if I can find them.