Merry Christmas Everyone!

I was so busy with Hottie's leg that I wanted to quickly post some of my

homes Christmas decorations

 

 

Sideboard in the dining area

 

 

Santa doll I made

 

 

Mantle in living room

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

All the best wishes to all of you!

 

More Animal Stress for me

On 2 Dec at around 1PM I got a call at work that Hottie had done something to her leg and couldn’t walk. She’s always been a very sound horse with no problems so this was very unusual. I called the vet and they said they could be out there by 3PM and I left work thinking, OK it wouldn’t be too big of a deal but still nervous. When I got there I burst into tears when I saw the size the upper inner thigh had swollen too and that she couldn’t put any weight on it. Plus she was in serious pain. Ugh! It just broke my heart she kept turning her head to look at her leg as if to tell me, it hurts there. The vet ultra sounded it and thought it was cellulitis – which is an infection under the skin that spreads rapidly from the tiniest poke or scrape. So she got, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory high dose pain meds, and steroids and then a diuretic to get some of the fluid out. I went out every night to give meds, ice her leg, taking her temperature to make sure she didn’t show a fever and slowly walk her around once she could put weight on it.

When the swelling wasn’t improving after a week I called the vet again and they came out. It was then determine she had a hematoma probably from a blunt force trauma. Hottie was sedated and several needles were inserted into the swollen inner thigh/buttock and a large bloody pocket of fluid was drained out. Poor baby was such a good patient. It was determined that she somehow tore a muscle. It could be she was kicked by another horse. Another possibility the vet thought for where the injury is, is that she could have got her foot caught in the fence and went to pull it and somehow did the splits with her hind legs.

So now she is recovering slowly. The vet said it would be a few months and we would keep her comfortable as it's very painful. She has moved down to a lower pain med of bute (Horse Aspirin). She is walking better now and not dragging her leg. It will just take time

In between all this Hottie drama, I notice Finnegan was breathing harder, panting when playing lightly – which uh oh had red flags go up for me for heart problems. He woke me up several times breathing hard on the pillow above my head and then the other night sneezing so I thought OK – Maybe he’s just got a respiratory infection. We discovered he does have a heart murmur. Sadly, it is very common in Maine Coons to have heart disease. Right now were at the wait and see stage. He’s taking antibiotics like a big baby for a possible respiratory infection and slight temperature. If he still has breathing problems after his medication I probably will have to have his heart ultra-sounded and that will determine if he definitely has it. He is such a big sweetie too. He’s my shadow and I love him to pieces!

What a way to approach the end of the year? It can only get better, right?

Wishing all a

 

I'm so glad I was born an adorable bunny

and not a turkey....especially today!

After Mouth Surgery

 

Feeling much better and relaxing on the back of the couch.

 

When I first brought him home I was really scared the

first few days.  He looked so horrible,

I thought he might not make it.

He wasn't drinking or eating the baby food,

 I bought for him to lick.

 

Even with pain meds 2x per day he

 would lay and just moan in pain.  Broke my heart!

But now, I can tell he feels better.

 

 

He is becoming more outgoing again.  More vocal and expressive!

 

 

He has always preferred dry cat food.  I thought with being

toothless he'd have to get used to eating more soft cat food.

He shocked me after 4 days he actually went back

on his own to eating dry cat food.  It's very small morsels,

so he doesn't have to chew it and can swallow it one morsel at a time.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

I'm so happy with his progress! 

And to think, I had several people say they wouldn't have paid

for his pricey surgery and would have put him down.

I will gladly go with less stuff, cut costs, take my lunch, dye my own hair

and smile at my rescue kitty that ended up with me and makes

me smile BIG!

 

 

 

 

whats going on...

My poor Taz has been battling  severe gingivitis

To understand it take a look at this article.

http://www.virginiaveterinarydentistry.com/647115.html

 

He was approximately 4- when he came

 to live with us after my husband

found him on-line for me at a rescue.

 Pretty boy is so timid and was so traumatized

he lived under our bed for the first week

 with a litter box, and food and water

  

 

Now 8, We've tried all the treatments prescribed in the article.

Teeth Cleanings, steroids, antibiotics,

laser treatments and they help for a

short time.  The last treatments did nothing.

  He's had several teeth removed and the gums are

 nice and light pink where the teeth have been removed.

 They are severely inflamed & red where the teeth are.  It's a

extremely painful condition and the vet told me

 at his last removal when Finn was neutered

his gums were so bad they bleed at being touched.

 So on 12 Nov....

 Taz will be having surgery to remove

all his remaining teeth. 

The vet said the  canines are a large undertaking.

I have been told by many people who's cats have all teeth

 removed you would never know they are

toothless with the exception of drooling.

 Vet personnel tell me that he will do much better

 and be in less pain when they are all out. 

  So I will be on vacation that week, I scheduled his

surgery purposely so that I could keep an eye on him. 

He'll be on pain meds so I'm

praying all will go well for him.    

 

 I'm also hoping this little guy, does not pester him

as much.  They may need to be separated while Taz heals.

 

 

He looks all sweet and innocent but he lives up

to the  holy terror nick name. 

He jumps on everyone (critters) and tackles them!

Gwenie bun was not having any of that and let him know it

and sent him running and mowing!

___________________________

I have also started doing physical therapy for a past

neck injury from a car accident

 

I don't want to celebrate too early but I am seeing some

improvement.  Finger's crossed I'll have less pain & migraines!

 

I haven't spent anytime this summer in my art room sadly.

My goal is to get busy at least a few times per week after work

in the evenings.  So hard to fit it all in. 

My priority has always been that

my animals get their daily attention,

so my art is taken a back seat.

I just gotta find time to do more art!

 

 

 

 

 

Anniversary Getaway

 

On 25 September my husband Matt and I celebrated that 7 yrs ago we went on our first date and then 4 yrs. on the same date got married.
We got away to  to Myrtle Beach.
  The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed

a sunset beach ride.

 

 

I've wanted to do this for so long...

 

He's pulling, and didn't want to turn.  I thought it was
a good pic though.

 

 

 

 

 

Another wonderful memory...

Love you Matt!

 

 

I look forward to riding off into

many more sunsets with you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I haven't had time to do a post so then I thought I'd just share my latest phone pics. May not be the best quality  but it shows what I've been up to.

Baking pear bread from pears in garden

Decorating my wheel barrel out front with gourds I finally painted that I've had for years.

Fall wreath I made for porch...

Finn hanging out with me while I remake a clay tile like the one he broke. Hmph!

Ok, I forgive you little stinker you are just too cute!

And lastly Murphy decided she'd rather play in the box that her new toys came in.

Have a great week!

Hanging out

Had to share I thought it was cute, Finns smooched  in next to Benny in the litter box while he eats.

Meet Finnegan

 

Our new addition Finnegan has been with us for one month.

My friend Connie sent me an email at work and said guess what they posted on our work bulletin board mane coon kittens (I’ve always wanted one) but I had said NO new animals unless someone passes. Coincidentally the night before my poor Taz woke me up sadly trying to play by himself. Which I have to explain. Last November we lost Kitty- my step son’s cat. He died from an infection that didn’t respond to antibiotics.

 

 

He and Taz were buddies.  Then sadly we took in Jake (big dog) due to the death of my mother-in law.  It was that or he went back to a shelter.  No one in the family would take him.  All the changes were overly traumatizing to Taz.  He hates the dog.  He spent at least 16 hrs. a day in his bed.  Never coming out.  He only came out when we all were sleeping.  Not a good life.

 

This is where Taz spent most of his days.

 

So my thinking was.  Finnegan (I also got the name from Connie) was little and Taz- a timid cat could boss him around and he sort of resembled Kitty and maybe if he could be Taz’s new bud.

 

 

Finnegan is a sweetie, but a busy kitten.   The progress is that now, Taz is out of his bed.   Although I’m not so sure he’s overly thrilled about the high energy of kitten Finn.  He also see’s that Finn could care less about the Sheppard/lab big dog and that Jake doesn’t care about Finn.   So unlike before, he will lay on the other side of an open door of Jake.  I have to mention that Jake is such a good dog- a rescue that, minds like a champ, all the animals including Murphy and buns can walk around him.  His only down fall is shedding- Ugg!  

 

 

There have been  many groans and growls from Taz as Fin jumps on him. Finn loves him and wants to play and wrestle.  I think when Finn matures and

chills a little they will be buddies.

 

Finnegan is overly interested in Benny.  At night my buns go in there houses for dinner and sleep.  I literally had to take Finnegan out of Benny’s cage so he could eat  his veggies and I could shut the door.

 

 

I’ve planned ahead and Taz and Finn will go to the vet on the same day next month.  Taz for bad teeth and Finn to be neutered.  I’m thinking with both not feeling too great at the same time, they will be able to rest and recover without wrestling matches.

 

 

 

 

 

Too Many Apples

 

This was our apple tree  July 17.... you can see it was full of apples.  It was the fullest it's ever been.  Spring 2012 it warmed up to 80+ degrees way too early, for Michigan.  Everything bloomed and then froze. So all the fruit trees didn't bear any fruit.  This year the trees were over producing after, they had a year to rest. We pruned so many branches to help with the weight of the apples, but not enough.

 

Finally the tree gave and split right in two.

Thankfully just missing my greenhouse.

 

What a mess and a job to clean up a 30 yr. old apple tree!

 

 

It was so sad looking.  That tree shaded half the yard.   I was really upset about it coming down. It made the deck cool and shady.  Notice the umbrella shielding

my shade flowers that no longer had shade until the wheel barrel of flowers could be move.

 

 

So we went tree shopping.  We decided on maples since they grow fast

and  I am hoping to see shade before I'm old and feeble.

 

All planted and my husband extended the bed wider for me than it was...

 which means more planting space. (Smile)

Old plants and new plants shifted around.   I also added a

shade cloth across the beams over the deck.

 

another view.... I'm not as sad, it will all grow.  A few other garden pics.

 

 

 

Kitchen window box

 

view off right side of deck

 

My little moss pot experiment....something different

 

 

I like how this pic came out with my St. Francis statue in the background

 

 

A new cement bunny statue I got for  $12

He stands about 20" and I washed him brown with

watered down brown acrylic paint.   I didn't like the grey cement look

He watches over the vegetable garden.

Coming on next post.... a new critter was added to the household.... even though  I said no more animals.... it's not a bunny!