A very old stray {The Old Fella Story}

[Dixie_Flyer]

Went camping this weekend at a campground on the lake, had not been there for a few years. Once there I began to walk around looking at the different sites when I noticed a very old dog. He just lay there until I got too close then he got up on three legs and hobbled away. Just judging I would say he is at least 11 years old. Well back to my story. The next afternoon he wanders into camp and just sits there looking. He looked so sad, so the wife got a bowl of our dog's food and put it down for him and he came over and ate. He then walked over to our dog and the two of them sniffed each other over and then they lay down together for the rest of the afternoon. That night he disappeared.
The next morning he was back and was a little more receptive of me. I looked at his injured leg and found that half of his rear foot was gone. It had healed and was not causing any problem except that he was walking on the stub that was left with no foot pad which causes him to limp. His front teeth were gone except for one canine tooth and it looked decayed. His eyes were tired looking and showing his age. He spent the rest of the day just laying around looking for a handout and by afternoon the campground host came around and saw him. I enquired about the dog and was told he had been there for three years and that most of the campers were tolerant of him and gave him food.
So what to do? Do you pick him up and bring him home or do you let nature take it course. He can't harm anyone, he has no teeth and he isn't a nuisance unless you don't like dogs, and no one seems to mind him being there. He is gentle and likes other animals as seen by his interaction with our dog. He still would not let me touch him but he would eat from my hand. Enough said, what would you do???

On June 28th 2008 Old Fella passed away of complications caused by bone cancer. Fella spent almost three years with his new family and became the icon of rescued old stray dogs. He will be greatly missed but his foot prints have been left in our hearts forever.

Now Charlie, the ten year old rescued Golden Lab has come to be a part of the continuing Old Fella story. (*Note, Charlie took his journey to Rainbow Bridge unexpectedly September 30, 2008)Suzie continues to charm her way into our hearts with her antics as she has grown from a puppy into a young lady. Togther they will carry on the Old Fella legacy. Come join us in their daily lives and be a part of the best feel good thread in RV.NET history. The legacy lives on.


HIghways Article Puppy Love

Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue

[MetalGator]

ZuZu is doing great! She is back to her old self. I am SO happy! I was so worried about her but she is a tough little girl.

Here she is after she got home from the vet for the last time.

[Scottiemom]

How is ZuZu doing, Burch? Anymore problems? Does she appear past the crises?

Dale

[Scottiemom]

Perhaps a quick call to the vet would resolve that. If she's back to acting totally normal for her, I would think you could hold off on the x-ray and if anything changed. . . well, you know she would need to have that done.

Dale

[MetalGator]

Scottiemom wrote:
I spent about $3,000 on Brendon last year for his bladder cancer scare that turned out to be prostatitis. So I got insurance on him through my auto insurer, Progressive.

Dale

We just changed our car and motorhome insurance to Progressive. I might look into that because I have a 13 and 12 year old boys and ZuZu.

ZuZu is doing great tonight. She is back to her crazy self and eating and pooping like normal. I am second guessing taking her back to the vet tomorrow because I really don't want to put her through another x-ray. She has had 3 in the last 3 days. I guess I will make that decision tomorrow morning but I am not understanding the reasoning for having her at the vet all day today getting IVs and X-Rays ($$$) when she has already passed the obstruction (yesterday) and is functioning normally. Now to put her through that again tomorrow?

Burch

She is running around the house going crazy right now like she normally does! So happy to see that.

Burch

[Scottiemom]

I spent about $3,000 on Brendon last year for his bladder cancer scare that turned out to be prostatitis. So I got insurance on him through my auto insurer, Progressive.

Dale

[MetalGator]

Well, Zuzu isn't totally out of the woods yet. She went back to the vet this morning and they did another X-ray. The vet said they still could see a gas pattern in her intestines. It was much less than before but they want to fill her full of fluids again today to see if that will totally flush her out. She did take another poop this morning so things are moving.

I have to take her back in tomorrow morning for another x-ray. I already was going to the vet as Pinto has to get his second round of vaccinations. He is too small to get all his vaccinations all at once. He had his first round two weeks ago.

If all goes well, hopefully ZuZu will get the all clear tomorrow. If not, I will need to take out a loan. This whole ordeal has already cost almost $2000 with her having to stay overnight in the pet hospital and all the vet visits.

Burch

[Scottiemom]

I don't know if you give your dog rawhides, but I never do. I just don't see how those things can digest (they don't) and all the dogs I've ever had would try to chew and swallow them. There are lots of good things you dog can chew and digest.

So glad ZuZu is better and getting back to her normal self.

Dale

[Martyn]

Glad to hear that, Burch! 😉

[MetalGator]

I have never been so happy to see a dog poop! ZuZu just pooped and I think I found what was blocking her intestines. I don't know what it is, but it could be a rawhide or some type of chewy. I was trying to clean it off with the water hose and it broke in half. The vet and the ER vet both said keeping her full of fluids might push it through and it did. Poor thing has peed 8 times since we picked her up from the vet. I guess she got flushed! I am so happy. She already seems to be feeling better as she is acting more like herself.

Burch

[SGTJOE]

I sure hope whatever is causing ZuZu's problem that it will be taken care of without surgery.

[MetalGator]

ZuZu is in the pet hospital. She has been there overnight. The vet thinks she has a blockage in her intestines. They are hoping it will come out if they keep her hydrated. But if it doesn't, they will have to do surgery. I am so worried about her. She is the sweetest thing. It's only 8 days until her 1st birthday. I can't lose another dog this close to losing Lola last year.

[Scottiemom]

MetalGator wrote:
ZuZu still won't eat anything and she hasn't pooped. I don't know if she pooped yesterday morning as she goes outside in the dark (5am). She still feels bad and isn't herself. I did get her to eat a small dog treat cracker this morning and she drank a little cream and some no sodium chicken broth. At lunch time I tried to give her a small piece of cheese and she started to eat it and then spit it out. The only positive today is she did growl at Monty to get out of the way earlier and she also started barking at the vacuum when I was putting it away. She didn't make a sound yesterday.

Is ZuZu in the habit of eating stuff she shouldn't? Toys? rawhides? Could she have a blockage? I think I would get her to the vet and maybe get an x-ray. My Neal used to eat rocks and the first sign was he wouldn't eat and couldn't poo.

Dale

[MetalGator]

ZuZu still won't eat anything and she hasn't pooped. I don't know if she pooped yesterday morning as she goes outside in the dark (5am). She still feels bad and isn't herself. I did get her to eat a small dog treat cracker this morning and she drank a little cream and some no sodium chicken broth. At lunch time I tried to give her a small piece of cheese and she started to eat it and then spit it out. The only positive today is she did growl at Monty to get out of the way earlier and she also started barking at the vacuum when I was putting it away. She didn't make a sound yesterday.

[Scottiemom]

Brendon was sick in April. Diarrhea and then puking. They gave him a shot for his tummy and an antibiotic. Then on the way up here to Indiana, just six weeks later, he started with it again. I spent NINE hours in 2 pet ER's before I got him some help. That vet also gave him a shot for his tummy and then a priobiotic this time. She said she had seen multiple patients with this. So far he's been good. The first vet did change him to a prescription gastro food. Wishing the best for Zuzu.

Dale

[MetalGator]

I am worried about ZuZu. She has been really sick. She started puking yesterday morning and was sick all day. She won't eat anything and when she drinks water, she pukes it up after 30 minutes. When we went to bed last night, she was really lethargic and would just lay in the backyard when I would take her out to do her business.

This morning she is slightly better. I was able to get her to eat a couple of small treats but she still doesn't feel well and is not herself. As far as I know, she hasn't puked today. I guess I will wait and see how she does today. If no better by tomorrow morning, she will make a trip to the vet.

Burch