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

[Dixie_Flyer]

TomW2 wrote:
When I was about 20 I had my first personal dog - a little one weighing less than 20 pounds. One time I took her with me in the car when I went shopping. I came out of the store to discover she had tore up the vinyl covered foam padded dash on the passenger side. This wasn't the first time I had taken her with me and left her in the car so I don't know what set her off to do that.

Great banner, Richard. I assume Good Sam provided it.

Now you are showing your age:)

Yes Good Sam had the banner made for me. When we went to St. Augustine this past weekend people in the campground noticed it and came over to say hi. Met some very nice folks that I wouldn't have other wise.

[TomW2]

When I was about 20 I had my first personal dog - a little one weighing less than 20 pounds. One time I took her with me in the car when I went shopping. I came out of the store to discover she had tore up the vinyl covered foam padded dash on the passenger side. This wasn't the first time I had taken her with me and left her in the car so I don't know what set her off to do that.

Great banner, Richard. I assume Good Sam provided it.

[CindyNRoger]

Great story Richard! Started my day off with a good laugh. :B

CONGRATS on the new banner! Very well deserved!!!!!

So glad Wolfie is getting better - prayers still in-bound.

[Dixie_Flyer]

I am glad that Wolfie's problems are not what you feared. Sounds like with the right medication he will be fine. The issue with him tearing out the screen and chewing up things reminds me of a story.

My mother-in-law had a Weimaraner that tore the inside of her brand new car to shreds while she was getting her hair fixed. The dog became a lifelong companion that could not be out of her sight. The dog was supposed to be a hunting dog for my father-in-law, but he had to find another one that would go with him as Duke refused to do anything without mom being involved.

It was suggested that Ted buy Minnie a shotgun and take her with him. But that fell on deaf ears as he couldn't stand the thought she might be a better shot than him. Then there was the Thanksgiving that Minnie decided to have the turkey for dinner that had been hanging around the yard. So while Ted, the great white hunter was out hunting to bring back a few Pheasants, Minnie and Duke went after the turkey. Now this was during the depression so food was precious and hunting laws were secondary to a great Thanksgiving dinner. Somehow Minnie managed to catch the turkey with Duke’s help so she brought it into the house to cut off its head, that’s when the Turkey managed to get loose from Minnie and began flying all over the house with Duke in hot pursuit. By the time Ted got back from hunting the house was a wreck, Minnie was exhausted from cleaning the bird stuff off the walls and floor and the turkey, he managed to make his escape out the kitchen door. Ted stood in the middle of the kitchen and looked at Minnie and made the mistake of asking, “Well what have you been doing all day?” Poor man!!

I have said all of this to say, Look at all the memories you are building!!!

[Scottiemom]

So glad Wolfie is on the mend. Is it possible to crate him when you leave the MH? We crate our two Scotties. As soon as the crate goes up (we actually use a small ex-pen because Scotties, as you know, can't jump!) they are waiting for their cushions and their treats. They sleep till we return.

Thank you, Sandi, for giving the momma cat and her kittens a home and thanks to Richard and Sue for taking them in and helping to save them. You truly are doing God's work in saving his creatures.

I LOVE the banner. I hope some time to meet you on the road and thank you in person for all you do.

Dale

[Dandy_Dan]

Carole, Glad to hear that Wolfie's problems can be taken care of. Too bad he had to show his love via the upholstery in the new MOHO. Still looking forward to meeting you in Albuquerque......

[dogdiva]

So glad to hear Wolfies problems are fixable. Thanks for the good update

The DAP might help, but I think that the OUTSIDE noise stirred up Wolfie. Maybe parking where there wont be alot of things stirring around outside the RV

[Code2High]

Glad to hear that it is an identifiable problem and something that can be fixed. Have we tried the Comfort Zone (DAP) with Wolfie?

[Gentle_Spirit]

*******UPDATE ON WOLFIE***************

Well, here's what's going on. He has a severely infected anal gland, infected right eye, arthritis in the front left leg AND lick granuloma also on the front left leg.

The lick granuloma is almost healed and the vet is pleased with the various treatments I've done to cure it (he says curing is difficult because the licking is usually due to boredom). The treatment that eventually worked was Tea Tree Oil. Lick granuloma is when they lick a spot so much it becomes a sore that won't heal because they won't leave it alone. This started when my other dog Baxter was so sick and dying and poor Wolfie was not getting the attention he deserved. Now that Baxter is gone, Wolfie is getting so much attention that he's leaving it alone and it's almost completely healed. Then we have the goop in his eyes - turns out that he has an infection in one eye, which he has had in the past, so I have to put ointment in 3 times a day.

The anal gland problem is not so good. The vet examined and blood squirted across the floor! It's infected, so now he's on a topical fluid as well as antibiotics. Then in 3 weeks he has to go back in to be sedated and have the whole thing flushed out again. Yuck! But the good news is that it's not life threatening! I'm so relieved. I guess it's hard not to expect the worst.

We did take our first trip in our motorhome and the only problem we had was on the last day (day 5), we parked in a lot and went into a casino for breakfast before our trip home. When we came out, we noticed Wolfie hanging out the window next to the passenger seat! He had torn out the screen, tore it up and chewed up the metal frame. Then I noticed he also chewed the corner of the upholstered valance above the dinette which I had made into a bed for him. AAGGHH! I don't know what got into him, if he got scared or what. We had spent 5 days in 3 different camping locations, leaving him in the coach on several occassions and he had been fine. It never occurred to me that the cats could have gotten out til my husband informed me that both cats were still inside. Speaking of the cats - they did great. My older cat, Tiger, 11 yrs., was his normal affectionate self the whole time. Our other cat, Spicey yowled while traveling, but calmed down. She hid most of the time, but when she did come out she was fine. So, our maiden voyage was pretty good.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers for Wolfie - it worked! He'll be okay! I'm so relieved...now if we can keep him from eating the motorhome.....

[whimstock]

Dixie Flyer wrote:
How do you like the new banner?

I love the banner!!!!

Appropriate and very well-deserved! 🙂

[Code2High]

Proper prior planning pays off! Sounds great, boy those kits are big alongside her... are they biggish or is Mama just tiny? She's beautiful in any case.

Thank you so much, Sandi, for stepping up to take these babies. The kittens and their mama may well turn out to be very good traveling cats for having had this experience... I know my baby that I drove cross country with is shaping up to be the first cat I've ever known that thinks that sleeping in a crate on a road trip is a relaxing experience.

[Wanderlost]

Totally cool, Richard!

[Dixie_Flyer]

How do you like the new banner?

[Dixie_Flyer]

Wanderlost wrote:
Mama is a beautiful cat. Hope she finds her forever home soon. Thank you, Richard and Sue, for what you did for her and the babies.

Sandi also needs a lots of thanks for what she has done and is doing for the mother and her babies. Without her none of this would have happened.

[Wanderlost]

Mama is a beautiful cat. Hope she finds her forever home soon. Thank you, Richard and Sue, for what you did for her and the babies.