Merlin

Richard, I'm truly sorry for you and your poor doggie.  The liver can sometimes repair but it sounds a bit too far gone.  Your sadness at having to lose Abby Rose and now this - love him and keep him very close and together you will deal with the decision that awaits.  Judging by what Abby Rose's new family tell me, you have given both your dogs lots of care and love and they have been so very well looked after - you can't do more than that.  My thoughts are with you.

These two dears were dropped off at the SPA at Carcassonne the other day by an English lady.  Divorce and return to the UK was the reason given.  Sacha is nine years old, spayed, fully vaccinated and has a valid UK passport.  Popeye is her two year old son (bit of another mix in there we think) who is also neutered and fully up to date with his vaccinations but does NOT have a UK passport.  They are both microchipped, wonderful with children AND cats and need to stay together!  Not surprisingly, they are very confused and upset at the moment as it's clear they have been well looked after, clipped etc., and it's very sad and it would be lovely if they could find a good home asap.  Rowan has 'reserved' them so that we can keep them together till a home can be found for them - would be nice if some English folks could help them and minimise their confusion etc.  They are so gentle and sweet. [IMG]http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab161/squarepeg2010/poodles.jpg[/IMG]

That's wonderful news Richard - I thought about the visit a lot today and had my fingers crossed!  The donation that Richard is very kindly giving is for the Hope Association (not me!) without whom we may never have found these kind people who took Abby Rose into their home.  I am sure they will keep us updated as to how she is getting on but I have little doubt that she is going to have a wonderful life with these folks.  Great news!

She's just as you said - gorgeous!  She looks really well too...... considering what she's been through.  What a happy ending to a very troubled summer - wonderful.

I am very pleased to say that it looks like Abby Rose is going to have a lovely home with a lovely retired couple.  She is going on Sunday to see if she settles and if so will have a super life for the rest of her days.  I spoke to her owner today who is incredibly grateful and also very sad for these last few days will be hard for him as it has not been an easy decision for him.  He knows she will be very happy with these kind and caring people but it is going to be quite a wrench for him.  Life gives us some very tough decisions but there is no way he would have left till he had found the right home for Abby Rose.  Hopefully we have done that.

If you email me the picture Rowan I can put it on for you! 

Needless to say, and Rowan knows, I am thrilled to bits for all concerned, especially, as it happens, the now besotted husband!  It's amazing how a dog can creep into the most reluctant of hearts and fill it with joy and emmotion.  Lovely Bella, she's a lucky dog and deservedly so.

If you can't manage to post a picture on here then email me one via the pm (private message) system.

Please put a picture on here of her.  I assume that you would be prepared to pay for her keep if someone can be found to look after her whilst you are away?  Would you be prepared to travel to take her to someone who can maybe take for the for months?

Hi - can you pm me your address?

This dear little thing is still looking for a home - she would make a lovely companion for a family without small children.  She can't help being afraid of small ones - I know a couple of mine cower when the grandson arrives and HE'S well behaved with the dogs!  The shrill pitch of tiny voices and their constant sudden activity can be hard for some dogs to deal with and the odd nip happens.  She's nine years old and needs a bit of a quieter life where she can show how kind and good natured she actually is.  She is very beautiful..! [IMG]http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab161/squarepeg2010/_MG_4845.jpg[/IMG]

If you get to a vet asap on Saturday you have plenty of time for the 24 hours to pass before you need to head out on Monday.  What you need to do is try to find a vet who is open or who will do it on an after hours appointment on Saturday.  Depending on what time you think you will arrive in Calaise?  Or, alternatively, find a vet in Paris who will do it before you head out to the coast.  It all depends on your time schedule and where you plan to stay the night and how you are getting to Calaise?  But it can be done.  Google vets in the area you think you will be and 'phone them.  good luck.

Here is little Moon - bathed and fed and safe. [IMG]http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab161/squarepeg2010/Moon003.jpg[/IMG]

OK the final update on this slightly mixed starting post , is that ALL three dogs in the pictures now have homes and are coming/have got away from Carcassonne! This is thanks to Sue at Poorpaws and Sue and Steve who have been helping Rowan walking the dogs there.... well done those people!

You can't beat a daily search for ticks with your fingers and they love the attention and skin stimulation - you can usually feel a tick immediately unless it is still crawling around as yet not attached.  We have German Shepherds so it's pretty challenging finding ticks - but we do.  All these potions are hit and miss and for sure some have bad reactions - we had one collar, Preventix, I think it was called, that we got from the vet and it actually caused a 24 hour paralysis in two of our dogs!  It was so frightening as it came on withing twenty minutes and the vet was also appalled.  Scalibor is supposed to be the best for ticks but it doesn't get fleas (which cause tapeworm by the way).  I have stopped all chemicals and now use Diatomaceous Earth to worm and treat fleas and ticks - it's more laborious and fiddley but it works and it's organic and the parasites can never become immune - it works in the house also!

This might help.  When my son took his cats through the tunnel last year they had come from the US six months earlier and some of the documents from there were missing a date of some sort..... anyway by the by, the Channel Tunnel authorities wouldn't let the cat through without a vet stamping a paper and they had a list of vets in the area.  My son was able to get to a vet and have what was necessary done - with the tunnel trains you can get on the next one usually without problems if you miss the one you were lined up for. I think that quite a few people get there with 'bits missing' off the paperwork or their 48 hour tick and wormer have slipped so the local vets come to the rescue.  If I were you I wouldn't bother trying to make the vet appointment in Paris - just head straight for Calaise and get it sorted there - I am sure someone will be able to advise you.

I should not forget the original dog in the first picture - she still needs a home and I would love for her to have the happy result that the other two beauties had.  I think I will get the right information on her - she is five - and put her on a new thread.  In the meantime she's an urgent case still.  Thanks to all.

Well good news here too - Moon is being taken out of the refuge tomorrow and will be safe!  The other dog with her has already been adopted too so both dogs get to be free again.

Sampson went to his new home with a kind English couple over the week-end and is just loving it!  He has found a new friend and they play together all day long!  He's been a good boy as we expected so his owner can now leave for London with a light heart knowing that Sampson is happy and will have a lovely life.

All that matters is that Poppy has a good ending after her ordeal and I'm very glad.

Another correction to this one! Sorry I have been so confused about this dog!  Moon is actually the smaller one on the right as you look at the picture.  Also I have further information that she has been sterilised and does not like cats.  She's still lovely though - n'est pas?

Well call me cynical, but in some ways I hope that little Poppy goes to a good home rather than back to her owners!  Yes, we need to hear the whole story for sure, but I am damn sure that if I had lost my little OLD dog (I take the point Christine made that the dog might have been stolen - nevertheless) I would have camped out,  tramped the streets from morning till night, put in motion all the publicity I could (as was done to find them!) and not slept till I found her.  We'll see but I remain sceptical - either way that little old lady has won out bless her and will be out of that place on Monday I hope, one way or another.

Latest news, Poppy's owners have been found!  More news tomorrow on the full story apparently..................  I shall be very interested to hear it!

Every little helps!  Maybe you could persuade your husband just to go and have a look at the Spa at Carcassonne....?  There are so many there that would melt the most determined of hearts!

Here is the real Moon, the larger one on the left as you look at the picture - lovely little girl (well they are both lovely bless them).  It may be too late for her by next week so if anyone is interested they need to contact Carcassonne SPA very quickly as Rowan has now left on business and can't liaise for her.  She's adorable and sadly this is the only picture we have of this young lady....... far too young to die! [IMG]http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab161/squarepeg2010/Chien-SPA-NOVEMBRE-031.jpg[/IMG]