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Merlin

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Posts posted by Merlin

    Pip - tiny, old and now alone

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Trying again! Dont usually have a problem but then again the past two weeks have a been a technological hell..... nope it's not happening - it looks just fine and correct in the post box but when I hit the button to post it.... it comes out completely different! comme ca... weird

    [IMG]http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab161/squarepeg2010/IMG_1671.jpg[/IMG]

    Pip - tiny, old and now alone

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    OOOOh thank you for your words of comfort - don't know why I feel a bit weepy about him today! I have taken some pics for you all to see but I need my hubby to get them off the camera for me and he's off down to Carcassonne today getting two other lovely sad cases out to travel them on the first leg of their journey to safe homes we have found for them! So will post them soon - just seen him trot past the window, dear little man, must go and gather him up for his afternoon kip!

    Pip - tiny, old and now alone

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Update- sorry but I have been without broadband for nearly 10 days now! Grrr it's so frustrating and Orange have been so very unhelpful I despair as having to rely so heavily on technology! Anyway to Pip. Well this little fellow has put on lots of weight and is a little more relaxed ....... however..... I get the gut feeling that he's winding down. He clearly no longer feels the urgency to survive, which is good in some ways as he looks more peaceful when he sleeps for much longer periods now - and whilst he continues his constant trotting round the garden he's not got that wild searching look in his eyes. He's not eating as well at the moment, could be the heat, but he adores scrambled eggs and ham! And why not? If this little chap hasn't much longer to go then I am going to make sure he has treats. He still can't bring himself to cuddle up on my lap in the evenings for more than a minute, but licks my cheek as he wriggles to be put down as if to apologise for his brain relentlessly driving him on. He's quite taken my heart and reduces me to tears when I hold his twisted little body and wonder how bad his life has been! My love and caring came too late for this little dog but he does at least know it for now and for however long he has left.

    Pip - tiny, old and now alone

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    WJT hi and thanks for your comments. Sadly I doubt this is the case with Pip as I wormed him the day he arrived with Drontal Plus and check his motions daily for signs of trouble.... he will get another dose in a couple of weeks according to the vet and then again in another month etc. It's true that worms can be responsible for all sorts of health issues that you might not think of and I am not in the least surprised to read of your experience with your pensioner! Glad he's back with you now though - bit of luck and I hope he lives on for a good while yet! Pip is sleeping as I write and with this heat so are all the rest of them thankfully - the advantages of cool stone floors very welcome when it's like this.

    Pip - tiny, old and now alone

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    update on Pip yes - well the little fella has come on well physically, eating well, back on his feet, free of ticks and generally putting on weight. However, mentally he is not doing that well. He recognises me and will follow me around indoors now BUT, and this is what is worrying me, he is like an overwound up clockwork toy and just continually trots around all over the place without aim. He's exhausting himself doing it and will not settle at any price so I have to keep putting him in his cage in the living room in the cool to rest..... but he barks and turns circles in there too! I explained to the vet and he gave me some tablets to oxygenate the brain more to see if that will help him to focus more on his surroundings, but so far no change. He's very determined on his crusade whatever that might be poor little mite and it doesn't seem to include us! He sniffs occasionally whilst roaming round the garden but his sight is not good and neither is his hearing which is to be expected. I plan to give him another week and then take him for the vet to assess and give a verdict on what we should do in Pip's best interests - it pains me that he can't seem to enjoy his new found comforts and cuddle up with me on the sofa and relax. For the moment he is getting yummy food which he eats with relish three times a day and is now spared the heat and discomfort of the scratching from his matted fur and what must have quite appalling for him at the refuge. I will take some pictures but bear with me as have just changed computers and struggling a bit with a new set up!

    Pip - tiny, old and now alone

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    It's my fault Christine for not making it clear that the poor little man had already had one bath and trim, I was pretty bushed when I wrote that one - they did what they could in the time available and I am very grateful as what we still had to do was bad enough!  He was so good poor little mite but his coat is such a mess it's going to take more than a couple of baths to put right!  At least now I think we have all the ticks and for sure he's more comfortable and certainly smells a lot nicer to cuddle!  He's had a busy day pottering and objects to being put in his nest in his cage in the living room for naps!  He must be exhausted keeping up all this trotting about......... wonder if he's got dementia and can't just sit and chill?  Time will tell. 

    Pip - tiny, old and now alone

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Firstly, I am pleased to report that Pip has turned a corner that 24 hours ago I never thought he would!  As I write he's pottering round the garden on his own - I am so pleased.  Last night we both managed to get some sleep and he was a lot less disturbed and fretting.  Today his is eating small amounts every couple of hours (special senior diet moist meat which he loves and pounces on the minute he sees the bowl) and finding his bearings round the house and now the garden.  I am pretty sure he's way older than 12 judging by his boney fragile frame and the way his joints crack a lot.  Still picking the odd tick off him and his ears, eyes and skin are going to need a lot more TLC, but slowly slowly, he might just get there.  He is managing to get around on his own which is what he seems keen to do and is obviously used to toppling over once in a while - he's coping!  I will take him to the vet on Saturday for a look over but to be honest I really don't want to mess him around too much till he's a bit stronger if possible.  I just want him to 'feel' the freedom, the comfort, the love and the change of his circumstances after goodness knows how long this little mite has been battling to stay alive.  He shows no signs of being happy yet - like tail wagging etc., but he's definitely less stressed and confused, so that will do for the moment.  I have not given him any more medication as he seems bright enough now but I suspect he could do with a bit of an Metacam to ease his old bones along - the vet will no doubt say what we should do there.  For the moment he is getting fish oil as a start.

    Now, I must add something here about the SPA at Carcassonne.  Rowan has already said that Pip was bathed and cuddled as often as possible during the two weeks or so he was there and to be fair they didn't know we were collecting him on that day and also, they do what they can, but there is only so much they can do........  There are so many sad cases in there as in any refuge and the volunteers are amazing there - they really make such a difference and but for them, a lot more dogs and puppies would suffer a great deal more than they do!  I don't blame the refuge for Pip's state - his poor condition happened long long before he finally ended up being brought into the SPA!  Hence my feelings of anger towards people who had let him get in this state and THEN abandoned him!  For whatever time he has left, he will have the best a dog can have and it's sad to say, but his good fortune was to end up in the SPA in the first place, as for sure left wandering he would never have survived!  He's a tough little guy he tells me and so he'll make the best of whatever we can do for him for however long he has - I can see him out of the window, padding through the flower beds!  The one thing that worries me is that he never seems to want to just sit and flop and chill.....?

    I will be posting pictures soon - it's a heartbreaking fact that there are lots more out there in Pip's condition that will never make it to a safe haven of comfort and care....

    Pip - tiny, old and now alone

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Well this little scrap is in a bad way!  I have been with him for most of the night until he finally settled and slept at around 4am this morning and I just settled on the sofa next to him till dawn.  I had to give him a very mild sedative in the end, so he could get some rest.  We got him home and had to clip off the matted hair to expose open sores beneath and we took 36 ticks off him before we bathed him and then had to let he be despite knowing there are probably more lurking........... I asked for him to be Frontlined whilst he was still at the refuge as I know they have a bad tick problem there - but clearly it didn't cope with the infestation he had!  This poor soul is still sleeping as I write and frankly that is the best thing for him at the moment.  He has really sore ears which I suspect are infected and his skin is bald a raw in places - his whole little body is twisted and he topples over a lot.  I am not sure what the vet is going to say when I take him, but I want to give him every chance at having some good times so I am hoping that he will agree to give him some help and get him through the next few days and weeks.  I wept whilst I nursed him in my arms most of the night and thought very malevolent thoughts about people who do this to animals - this kind of neglect is disgusting!  I will keep you posted and hope that I have some more positive news about the little pipsqueak in a day or two - whatever happens he will have large amounts of love and comfort showered on him.  All our other dogs are being wonderful with him - it's as if they know he's fragile and needs to be left alone....... the just wander up to his bed and give him the odd sniff, wag their tails and walk away.

    Pip - tiny, old and now alone

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Picking up this little chap today!!  Been fretting over him in this heat and can't wait to give him some peace and TLC.  I will post pictures as soon as he's seen the vet, settled and maybe after a shampoo and bit of a clip as I gather he has some matted up bits for sure!  He's quite thin too so some good grub should cheer him up.  We have to change his name (he doesn't know it so not a problem really as I named him on the spur of the moment so I could post him on my page) as we already have a Pippa podenca!  Once he's been here for a day or so I am sure we'll get him named right.  So he's one less to worry about folks!

    Tango is giving up and needs our help!

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Tango arrived in his new home last night!  He's such a good boy and I am sure he's going to have a wonderful life with kind owners R and C on their beautiful Alpaca farm with their other dogs.  He got really lucky and deservedly so!

    Here he is resting last night after his long journey together with Katie the Akita!

    [IMG]http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab161/squarepeg2010/Tangohome.jpg[/IMG]

    Pip - tiny, old and now alone

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Hi Val - my OH did the pick-up at Carcassonne yesterday and Tango should now be home with his new owners!  He was so good in the car and so so glad to be out!  My friend Melissa went with him and took out a very damaged little lass called Megan - I can't tell you how beaten she must have been as she wouldn't even stand up properly but crouched close to the floor and the walls the whole time she's been at the refuge.  My friend does dog therapy and I asked if she would consider working on Megan.............last night Megan was quiet and relaxed with another dog in Melissa's care and today she actually stood up properly, went for a short walk and then lay on her back in the sunshine!!!  Such a result!  As for little Pip, I am waiting to hear from Rowan later this evening as she was going to have a good look at him today for me - I am very close to getting him out I can tell you and I doubt my husband will make too much fuss as we have to go back for another rescue in the next week or so and take her to a foster home.......... so watch this space folks!  The heat at the refuge in Carcassonne is intense at the moment and my husband was upset to see that most of the kennels give little respite to the dogs.... facing south and with tin rooves!!

    Pip - tiny, old and now alone

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    I've named him Pip and am beside myself with sorrow for this little dog who arrived at the SPA in Carcassonne two weeks ago.  Just look at him :-

    http://doglinks.wordpress.com/2011/06/14/pip-how-does-this-happen/


    I know this happens all the time all over the place but when I saw his face today I could have wept.  Rowan is going to get him out of his cage for me today and give me a bit more information about him if she can.  But he 's unclaimed after two weeks and he's timid and confused and basically being left to get on with it.  He's not pretty and he's very old....not a lot more to say I suppose except that I want to help him get out and find some love and safety.

    Jazzy - overlooked for 2 years at Carcassonne SPA

    in Animal Welfare, Rescue & Protection

    Posted

    Well here's a lovely young dog who's been in the refuge for coming up for two years.........!!! Why?  You tell me........ 3/4 of his poor life as he's only 2 and half years old.  He's busting with affection and has been totally overlooked and seen all his many cell companions adopted and always been the one left behind.  Ever hopeful and always kind, he watches and waits patiently as another cell mate comes in for him to buddy up with and then............won't someone give him a life?

    Here he is :- http://doglinks.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/jazzy-special-mix-at-the-spa-in-carcassonne/ 

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