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

[newk]

I hope this isn't considered a religious debate, even though it WAS. My sis sent it to me, and I thought y'all might get a kick out of it.

[Dixie_Flyer]

I don't know if anyone here takes the Yankee Horseman's Pedlar magazine but Elisabeth Gilbride, the assistant editor has written an article about Old Fella that will appear in its June issue. I haven't read it yet but I understand from those who have it is great article.

Each day when Sue and I walk the fur kids we go visit the Old Fella Memorial and when the children are there we watch them as they stand looking at the statue and sometimes one of them will reach out and pat the statue. It brings a smile to my face and tears to my eyes as I watch Old Fella's spirit alive and well. The bricks are coming along and soon we will begin the walkway and I hope to have it finished by August.

This has been a wonderful year for Old Fella with many feature articles being written, but I think being named RVer of the Year and receiving the award at the rally in New Mexico will have to go down as being the highest point of the Old Fella journey to date.


I can't say enough about Sue Bray, the Good Sam Club and John Sullaway with Highways Magazine for what they have done to bring recognition to the rescue effort. What a pleasure it was to meet Sue and confirm what a kind person she is. I hope the next Rver of the Year will bring even more recognition to the Good Sam organization and when they meet in Kentucky next year I hope to be there to meet the person who will receive this honor. As life goes on and reveals to us the wonderful surprises that are held until the time is right for us to fully understand their value, it is then I stand amazed at this journey that has taken me so far down a road unknown and so full of magic and awe. The Old Fella story will always be the journey taken that has opened my eyes to the wonderful hearts that are a part of America’s compassion for God’s creatures. Thank you everyone who has been a part of this story and has renewed my faith in humanity. God bless you everyone.

[Dixie_Flyer]

det62 wrote:

Dixie Flyer wrote:
In the voting Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue is 7th in Georgia. Let's keep voting!!


Shelter Challenge

One of the first things I do every morning :B

Okay folks we fell back to number 8 !!

[det62]

Dixie Flyer wrote:
In the voting Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue is 7th in Georgia. Let's keep voting!!


Shelter Challenge

One of the first things I do every morning :B

[Dixie_Flyer]

Good morning everyone. Mama is dong better and has returned to normal since I cut back on the Metacam and Joint Strong. I think I am going to try cutting way back even more on the Metacam now that she has it in her system and continue to supplement it with one scoop of the Joint Strong which is half of the recommended dose for a dog her size.

Peaches continues to do very well on the Joint Strong without any side effects at all. She is running and keeping up with the rest of the gang in the back yard. She too was hit by a car a few years back according to my daughter and this is what caused her pain on her hips. The X-rays didn't show any bone damage or joint damage but she couldn't walk on her right rear leg. The vet said she most likely had a pinched nerve in the leg and hip. Whatever her problem the Joint Strong cured it to the point that she no longer limps or holds the leg up when walking or running. I had watched her in times past, before the JS and she would hold the leg up when lying down and it would shake as if she had no control over it, she no longer does that.

Suzie has a bad joint in one of her rear legs that causes it to jump socket at times. But she hasn't had the problem lately so I am hoping she has out grown that and will be okay. Surgery was recommended for her to correct the problem, but Dr. Jim said to give her time and see if it didn't take care of it's self and it seems to have done that.

Hobo seems to be a very healthy girl without any ussues except she loves to eat and we have to watch her or she will snatch food from Mama or Suzie if they don't eat all of theirs at one time and leave some food in the bowl. I am amazed at Hobo's progress, expecially walking on the leash. She shows no fear anymore and walks without pulling you along. She always looks at you for approval when something comes up she is not sure of and if unsure she will just sit down until she knows what you want her do but always with that tail wagging.

A few more days and we leave for Ohio and the rally. I am looking forward to see everyone and letting Mama, Hobo, Peaches and Suzie meet some folks they haven't seen before. Okay I have to go for now, talk with you later.

[ljr]

Code2High wrote:
I am not super familiar with the metacam, but do know that most anything NSAID can cause GI issues.

Amen and I speak from personal experience. I was prescribed an NSAID for a rather painful condition but after a few days of constant 3-burrito heartburn, I decided the pain wasn't so bad after all and quit taking them.

[Code2High]

Joint Strong is not a medication, just a supplement. Which is not to say that she could not have a reaction to it... any life form can develop a reaction to anything at any time, really. I am not super familiar with the metacam, but do know that most anything NSAID can cause GI issues.

I found that Tig had zero problems with it once we got past that initial adjustment, but... I also learned a month or two later that the same company makes a supplement called "Young At Heart" which I decided to try Tig on. It contains the glucosamine but not at as high a level as the JS. (Tig was hit by a car as a pup, and so has old trauma in the pelvic area...) The distributor I was talking to that day worked it out to half a scoop of the JS and 3/4 scoop of the Young At Heart. That caused an improvement in her digestion over what it was both before and after starting the JS, with the absence of nightly er... "off-gassing" and also a general increase in perkiness, and that remains the supplementation she's on now.

I had her on fish oil and sam-e before, but she's getting plenty of EFAs from the other, and the sam-e did not seem needed, so I don't do that now. We ran blood on her at the beginning of this month, and while her BUN is still a little high, the other things that were a little high (cholesterol, creatinine and a liver thing) last year are within normal ranges. So I'm pretty happy with her progress, since at her age (11) one usually doesn't expect to see things improving.

So that may be one route. The guy behind all this stuff is a bodybuilding supplementation expert by the name of Bob Fritz, I want to say. I've heard that a person might get hold of him by calling the 800 number on the can... never tried it... and get his perspective on things.

One might also consider that if she's a little out of whack, a few days of acidophilus/bifidus supplementation could be helpful. Enzymes can also be helpful, and I note in looking at the Young At Heart that that formula has both items, which I probably knew at some other time but I'm falling asleep here so had forgotten. But that would explain the GI benefits.

And now I will go to bed as soon as possible, as I have a carload of (not so happy with me!) feral cats that need an early morning lift down to Burbank to get some snippage done.

[Dixie_Flyer]

In the voting Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue is 7th in Georgia. Let's keep voting!!


Shelter Challenge

[dogdiva]

RIchard
Perhaps it is a combination of the Metacam and the Joint Strong. Consult with the vet Good idea to withdraw the meds.....maybe one at a time OR as you have done, stopping both Please keep us posted. I have just started Elizabeth and Henry on the Joint Strong but havent noticed any particular change in BMs or appetite.

[Dashonthedash]

I just got back today from my RV trip to Utah and Arizona. Kala is now in British Columbia with her new forever home, but I still miss her. Richard, occasional stomach distress is not unusual, especially with older dogs. I hope Mama is feeling better, but if the problems continue, see your vet. Many things can cause digestive discomfort in dogs, but only your vet can find the cause and proper treatment and, even if it turns out to be minor, she will feel better.

[Dixie_Flyer]

I got very ambitious today and decided to wax the camper. Something that is twelve feet high and thirty feet long shouldn’t have to be waxed or you should be rich enough to have someone do it for you. When I was at the top of the nose of the camper I began to wonder what in the world was a 68 year old man doing twelve feet in the air hanging on to nothing but thin air with a cloth in one hand and pad with wax in the other.

The humidity is very high after the 4” of rain we had yesterday so it is hard working outside in the steam bath. I hope everyone was safe had a great weekend.

[kokosfriend]

Good news about Sarah. Perhaps the lab in her is taking over because they love people too much!!

Have a great time.

Barb

[Dandy_Dan]

Good Afternoon, time to think about gearing up for the Old Fella Rally in Ohio. Only 16 more days until we get to meet again at the pleasant Evergreen Campgrounds. I hope everyone had a safe and Happy Holiday weekend.

We went camping this weekend and took Sarah for her first outing. The more she was around people the better she got. If we had her on the leash and walked up to someone, she would walk along with and not seem too intimidated by people. She even got to the point that if someone she had seen before came up around the 5er and she was outside, she would let them pet her without getting the tail stuck between the legs. Overall she was great. Her and Anna got along with no problems at all.

[Code2High]

Best cure for anxiety is a long, structured walk every day. About three miles "at heel" no stopping, no sniffing, just following the leader, will generally do wonders for a dog with nervous energy.

Rescue Remedy in the water can also be useful.

Gigi, pm CatandJim re: fostering puppy mill dogs.

[Hoops]

Wishing everyone a very sunny and wonderful Memorial day.

My son has a Lab, that has alot of anxiety issues, and D.A.P. is not working for him. Can anyone recommend anything else? Like something to sprinkle on his food? Thanks for any help.

Becky