Sylvia

21 May

Just spoke to Dr. Watson… He will sedate her one more time for a thorough cleaning and “look see” but it appears that all things have gone better for this girl than we could have hoped for.

I have identified a “medical foster” who lives far away but has agreed to help her through recovery.

Her future is bright and our thanks are not able to be expressed in mere words.

You don’t know what an encouragement this has been for me personally as Director of a small rescue who is tired all the timeJ.

We will wait these next few weeks for an answer as to if she will need another surgery. In the meantime, more than enough has come in for her care and if another surgery is needed we will pursue dollars then to cover it.

Thanks again from the bottom of this humble heart.

If anyone knows of an suitable adopter, no matter where they are, please get in touch with me. Sylvia will be almost normal in her potty habits, but not completely.

Sincerely,

Karen Stein Ragusa

Caring4Creatures

678-275-4055

 

Update on Sylvia

19 May

Dr. Watson was able to re-position the anus to a more proper location and cause some separation to the vagina/urethra/vulva area (prior to this surgery the poop was basically dumping into the vulva).

While this procedure will certainly help this girl it may not completely rectify her situation. But we felt like doing a total restructure would have compromised her little bit of muscle in that area and it wasn’t worth the risk if this procedure can make her sound enough to eliminate fairly normally and not have the terrible pain she was enduring.

We will know in about 3 weeks if a more complicated procedure is needed but Dr. Watson is very satisfied that it went better than he thought it might.

I wish to thank all of you for your kindness to this sweet bubble of energy.

She’s amazingly healthy from her tail up! She has you all to thank for the smiles she will exhibit in the future….now does anyone know of a stay at home person for the next three weeks that can give this girl her meds and love on her til we determine the next step????

Love you for loving her.

Karen

A simpler time… A more loving time

18 May

So it began on the day before mother’s day that I couldn’t stop thinking about Mamie.

My grandmother was almost 100 when she passed several years ago, so I know that she would be completely mystified by the things in the news today.

Not angry.  Not condemning.  Not judgemental.  That’s what made her truly unique and why I adored her so.

Seems to me it’s those things that sets current generations apart from past generations.

She had a simple way of accepting people and things for what they were.  She always tried to help where she could but never got in the way or into other people’s business.

There is a saying in Louisiana; “live and let live”.  “Let the good times roll”, too, but that’s a blog for another day… Our society has become so into worrying about what everyone else is doing that few are doing really well with what is inside their four walls.

Judgement and criticism dominate instead of grace and mercy.

I am thankful to have had her in my life.  I often think (especially since moving out into Gainesville to this barn that sometimes resembles a residence) how much alike our lives are.  She constantly swept her house for all the dust that would come in from the plantation and the sugar cane farmng that went with that life.  No washer or dryer.  No air conditioning…not even hot water.  Bugs and critters!  I have experienced all of these things since moving here with my foster babies.  It has been quite an experience.  This simpler life.

I am thankful for experiencing it.  I don’t know what I’m being prepared for but without any real formal training, I am becoming a survivalist.  And it’s nice in ways I would have never imagined.

The really amazing thing about Mamie is that she always kept her loving demeanor no matter how much dust was blowing into that house that was so warm in the summertime….something i haven’t mastered yet, but i am being refined :)  Thanks be to God.  The only true sufficient One.

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
(Mother Teresa, 1979 Nobel Peace Prize, 1910-1997)
I think Mamie and Mother Teresa were kindred spirits….hope to meet them in that place one day soon…

IT’S CAR WASH TIME!!!

12 Apr

The truth about Pets and Pests

7 Mar

This video is shared courtesy of our friends at Mercola and Dr. Karen Becker

The whole article is worth the read as well.

Enjoy the info!

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 ”Nikko’s Law” Project..Pet Safe Anitifreeze – Home

15 Feb

http://www.stopantifreezepoisoning.com/index.html

Puppies

24 Jan

We had puppies Jan 20….7 girls and 4 boys…..wow!!! What litter for this little mama…mama and pups are reported doing fine..Will post pictures later…

New Year Resolution # 1

12 Jan

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Can we save the “Baldwin Babies”??

21 Sep

Since arriving in Milledgeville in June, we have caught 10 dogs in previous extreme distress.

Six of them to be exact. Professor, Pinnocio, Pistachio – the boys. Essie, Cokie and Tortie – the girls. All were breeder dogs that took some extremely dedicated volunteers and I weeks to catch. Their coats were matted horribly and totally flea ridden. All were very scared and unsocialized. Two others were running at large, both had terrible skin infections and one is heartworm positive, Tess. Raz has a damaged trachea.

We were able to catch the ninth one, Dice, when he turned up at Baldwin County animal control. He was starving, thirsty and (like the rest) covered in fleas. He’s just a Georgia black dog who is as sweet as any you’ve ever met. He had been living at a property (not part of anyone’s family, just hanging out) on a main road and I had been feeding him as I was trying to catch the other breeder dogs.

When he went missing, I had to find him. That’s when we discovered that animal control had picked him up. There were some challenges in getting him back (did I mention Baldwin County Animal Control doesn’t like me very much!) :)

The tenth pup was by far the most challenging to capture. Hardwick is about 1.5 years old and had someone that cared enough to put a collar on his neck when he was a just a baby. The problem was that they didn’t care enough to remove it as he got older and much… much bigger.

Hardwick had been running free for at least 6 months with the collar cutting deeper and deeper into his flesh. It began bleeding at first and then became gangrenous. It took me three weeks of daily dedication in trying to catch him before I was able to contain him until he finally succumbed. We were able to pull him out from under a house and get him to Village Vets in Atlanta and have the collar surgically removed.

He was near death when we got him. We are also having to treat him for heartworms, of course. But all in all, Hardwick is now doing wonderfully well as are the other 9!!!

Please contribute to this worthy endeavor as we have vet bills outstanding and don’t have the money to cover.

C4C strives never to turn our backs on a situation that is so desperate. Neither could we let Hardwick be shot and killed by the local animal control officer. That was not an acceptable solution.

Please, Please help us.

To donate (any amount), simply click on the ChipIn icon at the top or bottom of this post.

PICTURES COMING SOON OF THESE 10 BALDWIN BABIES!

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Pit Bull Blues, By John Shipe

21 Sep

Please note, this video is not owned by Caring 4 Creatures.

We just loved it and had to share!

ENJOY!

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Life goes on… and on… and on

19 Sep

As the saying goes:

“People change, things go wrong.

Just remember life goes on.”

June brought with it a temporary move back to Milledgeville, GA; making this a full circle back to where C4C was first founded. Here we would have to wait and see if we would be awarded the PETCO grant which would allow C4C to move on to a property that would give the animals and people involved what is needed to truly live out our vision.

A long awaited request was denied and with that came disappointment but not a decision to quit.

We had to continue to focus on what we had already committed to… and not the least of these was Maximus.

We had also taken in 5 dogs off of a drug dealer’s property who were seriously in need. We had to fight for every resource to help save their lives and give these precious five a chance at a future. Again many stepped up and allowed that to happen.

As of August, all 5 have been adopted and are experiencing a life like they had never even dreamed of.  At the writing of this journal, plans are in motion to make a reunion celebration for these precious ones, their new families and those who stepped in to support the cause.

July brought a lost dog from our own pack. Boone, a sweet but timid husky mix who had been with us nearly six months and who had been adopted less than a month before.  The adopter was told to NEVER let him off leash and on July 4th, while they were away vacationing, they left him with a relative in Hapeville that took him out without a leash, and from there he has never been seen again.

Many sleepless nights with much effort and even sleeping in my car in that neighborhood have been a loss.  No sighting of him, not even a word of hope.

If you are reading this now please take heed of this HUGE word of caution, do not have pets out during times of fireworks and extreme sounds or circumstances.  Too many chances for disaster exist especially when paired with having dogs off leash.  I still think of Boone every week and it is now September. He was tagged AND chipped and neither have done any good in locating him.  I pray that he is OK.

July also brought us a successful surgery for Max and a new way to conquer adoption days- even with me being out of Atlanta.  Caring 4 Creatures would never been able to stay in business had it not been for our dedicated fosters who have stuck with their commitment to care for these animals, no matter how hard or inconvenient.  Because of them, at least 50 animals have been saved while this rescue has been in transition.  Some new volunteers came and older volunteers left, but in spite of it all our once little rescue continues to grow.

This has truly been a tumultuous time in my life.  I so understand the need to have a proper foundation and resources, but we are a true work in progress (and in transition). So we are again working with a very lean crew at the moment with hopes of rebuilding very soon stronger than ever before.

 

And so life will go on for our rescue. C4C will move forward. Where will life take us next?

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April showers bring May… Moving??

16 Sep

It has been a while since I have had a true chance to reflect on the passing months. An update is overdue.

The month of May brought with it lots of saying “Good Bye”.

Good Bye to our home in Lawrenceville where our children grew up and where at least 300 dogs lived and then moved on into their forever homes.

Though some sad memories exist, we are fortunate to have mostly happy memories from those years.

After all was said and done at that house, the sadness of not saving them all seems to linger with me.  The kittens and pups that didn’t make it from parvo, distemper and URI’s.  The sleepless nights of holding onto mainly hope itself when little medical evidence of life remained.  But, surpassing the things that could be seen, every once in a while one animal would pull through. I remember Jackie O, who had the life return to her beautiful blue eyes and she started playing again as if she had never been sick.  Holding  a baby in the twilight of what might be death, over and over again is a hard thing to understand.  That is the real odds we face when taking  babies from high kill shelters.  So many diseases come with them. They don’t all survive… but when they do, our efforts (as much as their own) are SO WORTH IT!

Much thankfulness comes to mind even in these hard circumstances…. my daughter, Katie, helping me in the basement with pups with distemper (a thing I hope to God I will never see again in my lifetime). But how dear was the experience we shared in that grief and glory of letting go and celebrating newly found life together.

And the several in November that we lost when so many that cared came and held and medicated and dropper fed and cried and worked so hard to do “what we could” together.

I am so blessed to have so many people who care alongside me.

Debbie wrestled with kittens that were fighting for their life with me. She didn’t stop there…. she rode with me to the south side of Atlanta to pick up two dogs being discarded in the middle of the night. I will never forget the selfless, mightily uncomfortable and inconvenient acts that she has pushed through for this rescue.

And the man that Susan knew who brought medications over to try to help a helpless situation (I sadly don’t remember his name).

And then I remember a person who met up with another person to bring supplies when road conditions were too tough to even get out.  And when a person delivered oxygen under those same circumstances.

Far too many deeds to mention… but we said “Good Bye” to that place that held so many memories. Dogs that were too weak to stand and too sick to breathe (like Zach that made it!)  And dogs like Rocky who had a foot that had been caught in a trap and total strangers stepped up to pay for his surgery. I remember all of Rocky’s aftercare that Darryl and I did in the foyer of that dear house, because that was the only quiet spot in the whole place at that time. Many many bandages wee placed in that foyer room and the dining and living rooms as triage space.

The little chihuahua who was in our emergency care with an IV hanging from the dining room light fixture after he had been thrown from a balcony.

For some reason I am remembering the moments of those hard cases.

There were also many memories of laughter and enjoyment. Memories of the neighborhood kids coming over when we had puppies out in the yard in baby play pens with perfect weather.

Hundreds of dogs and cats were cradled there in that sweet place while they transitioned from fearful, homeless pets to well loved beings that were ready to start anew.

May brought packing boxes and new hopes of moving into a new place where we could finally do rescue right.  Picking a new board that would give me advice that would move us to the next level.  And hopefulness that more volunteers would dedicate themselves to the vision that we share as Caring4Creatures, Inc.

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MAX is moving on

13 Sep

So much time has passed with so many developments in our little rescue that I have forgotten as much as I will probably remember to update, but I appreciate your patience and resolve to stick with us and empower us to do what we have been called to do.

Over a month ago Maximus returned from New York City as a new man… I mean a new dog.

He could pee for the first time in over five months!

But for the last 6 weeks we have been trying to counter the incontinence that came from his bladder stretching from all of the months of being full and the muscles being non-existent. His ability to control his own bladder was in need of some serious relearning.  He has come so far with the help of medication (and some serious patience).  He has had his tinkle trousers repaired more than once, but for the most part has tolerated a diaper and is finally at a place where he is going through the night and waking up to it being dry.  Thank God.

Sheryl has been the most awesome foster parent and he is finally ready (after pulling him from the high kill Floyd County shelter in February) to be marketable to his future forever home.

I know that it will be with much sadness that Sheryl and her family will release him into his new forever home, but it is time.  He has been through so much and has been a grand champion throughout this process.  I love the way he has persevered in the most casual AND reverent manner.  Always knowing that the love we were giving him was enough to pull him through.  His graciousness and gratefulness has taught all of us a lesson that will live on past his time in our care.

Much thanks goes out to the folks that have supported his cause. Our ability to help him could not have been accomplished without your generosity.  I especially want to thank all of the volunteers who gave him the love and care he needed to move on with his brand new futue.  It is a selfless love that gives away the little you have to a creature that can only repay the acts of kindness bestowed on him with a loving gaze that runs deep and long but has not monetary value. For those precious souls,  that is enough to work tirelessly again and again for these innocent creatures.  It means the world to me that you stuck by him and me.

 

 

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Who’s blog is it anyway?

20 Jul

So this is Maximus’ blog right?

If so, why this picture and not his? Well, I had a thought.

Since Max is on the road to “recovery” and coming back to Georgia feeling just dandy; what better present to honor his new found peeing freedom than with the possibility of someone’s interest in him actually saving another life.

After all, this is ANOTHER black shelter dog. Just like Max was back in February: unwanted, sort of sickly, and not particularly glowing with positive traits.

As sweet as he was, Max was hurting and quite the busted up combination, walking gingerly and peeing (well actually dripping) as he went.

Compared to Maximus, this guy is in great shape!

So Max got up this morning and peed and peed right around 5:30 am . He can’t seem to stop going these days!

When Max woke up after taking a nap yesterday afternoon, he had a strange sensation. One that he forgot he could ever have again. It started out as an urge as he managed to get in that normal “Max” stance- the one he was so accustomed to posturing himself into before the surgery.

He leaned a little to the side and scooped his hip under just a little and looked like he stopped just shy sitting down, and then cocked his head and closed one eye; and oh what an amazing thing… instead of straining to pee out a wimpy little stream something kinda crazy happened!

Wow! How amazing- a blast of fluid, not a trickle like what’s left out of a hose once you turn the water off, but an all out stream like you use to wash your car, came rushing out.

He couldn’t believe it. Whoa, just to make sure it all really escaped, he took two steps and tried again, but nothing… and yet again… nothing.

He had, in fact, emptied his bladder. Holy cannoli… What an experience!

He couldn’t believe it. Each time he had to pee, he went through his three tries pattern again because that’s what it used to take to concentrate and strain so that the full feeling would leave for a little while, only to return in an hour; hour after hour, and repeat the three prong process.

But not yesterday, not after the long nap and that nice lady at the vet.

This is how Max would tell his story:

“I think her name was Dr. Berent. She helped to fix my pee pee. Wow, she can work on my pee pee anytime. I didn’t like what it felt like after some of the other doctors tried figuring out what was wrong with me, but now it feels great, and that Dr. Berent sure does know what she is doing. Thank goodness for Dr. Joe who recommended the doctors in New York so highly.

I think I am finally fixed. And thank you to all the nice people I heard Darryl and Karen talking about that made it possible for me to come all the way up to New York City just to have my happy life back. I didn’t think I could be happier, cuz even though it hurt to pee and I was always embarrassed when I went in my bed, I sure was happy at my foster mommy and daddy’s house cuz they knew I didn’t mean to dribble all over their house. And I was so much better than before when I was hurt and was at that awful Floyd County place where no one wanted to take me home cuz I was just another Georgia black dog that isn’t really special and you can’t really pick out one from another cuz we all look alike… well back to the story.

My other daddy drove me all the way here in a rented VW Bug and I had a lot of room to stretch out cuz he took the one seat and I took the other three! He made my bed nice and cozy with my things my foster mommy sent and stopped every hour or two, whenever I whined just a little when I felt a little uncomfortable. He stopped over and over again and never got mad that it was taking so long to get there with all of the potty stops.

It’s good we left Saturday night after Ms. Vickie & Mr. Ralph helped him get the rental car, because we might not have made my appointment on Monday morning at the Animal Medical Center of New York if we had left on Sunday like he had planned. God was helping him to think even though he was real tired.

I know I’m special cuz I keep hearing from all of the volunteers what a good boy I am and especially since Lyndsey came to visit me at my foster mommy’s right before we left and she rolled all over the floor with me. That sure made me feel good. But oh, now I feel so much better! Didn’t think I could. I already had the people at Village Vets that first found out about my fracture and Dr. Joe at Suwanee Animal Hospital who found out about that yucky stricture taking care of me real good. I think I must have seen Dr. Joe ten times and each time he gave me such a warm feeling because I could tell he really cared about me and was always so gentle. My friends over at Gwinnett Animal Hospital were wonderful also. Even though they did poke at me quite a bit, I always felt better afterward. I must be special.

But I’m also kinda sad. Because I know that dog that’s pictured above who’s at the animal control right now is as special as me. And he doesn’t have much time just like me. I heard he won’t be around much longer!

Sure he has a different story but he has the same dream…. to have people love him the way they have loved me. All of the people at Caring4Creatures, and so many more that have supported me getting better and having a future.

I want that for this other black dog and so many others.

I was worth saving. So is he.

People are so special to each one of us because if it wasn’t for the special people, you would never have known how truly special I am.. And now I’m even specialer, cuz Ms. Karen says I’m part racehorse. She says I must be because I pee like one now… Woo Hoo!

Thank you all and “God bless us everyone!”

Oh, and I almost forgot, I heard they were having some kind of party in Snellville at a place called Gary’s Bistro to celebrate me being able to pee! I don’t know if that’s a really good reason to have a party, but they say it is and if I can be there with all those people that think I’m so special, I guess it’s not up to me to decide if it’s a good reason.

So come on out and watch me pee (I think they’re even making a movie of it to go on Youtube). There’s even gonna be some food and drinks for everyone!”

Check back soon for more details on C4C’s event at Gary’s Bistro August 2, 6:00-9:00 pm

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MAX is on the road again!

19 Jul MAX NYC 2

Well, Max is now finished with his procedure and headed back to Georgia!

THANK THE LORD!!!!

I can’t even express my elation that he is safe and sound and most of all HEALTHY!

More updates to come; but for now here are a few pictures from his journey.

Above is Max pictured with the lovely Dr. Allyson Berent, DVM, DACVIM of the Animal Medical Center of New York. What a blessing she has been throughout this process!

Above is Max’s X-Ray after the stent was placed.

Above is Max once more with his doctor on his way out of AMCNY!

Below is Max’s report from the surgeon upon completion of surgery.

DISCHARGE INSTRUCTIONS FROM AMCNY:

Discharge Date: 7-18-11

Medical Record Number: 92-85-61

Pet: Maximus

Diagnosis:

  1. Urethral stricture-likely trauma
  2. Urethral stent: 10x40mm COVERED FLUENCY
  3. High BUN with Normal creatinine: worry about GI ulcer from the Metacam

Case Summary

Maximus presented to the Interventional Radiology service at the Animal Medical Center for placement of a urethral stent. Maximus has a urethral stricture which is suspected to be secondary to a pelvic fracture and trauma. Possibly from being hit by a car. You reported that Maximus has been straining to urinate since you adopted him six months ago and will often leak urine as well. His bladder does not seem to empty well and he strains very hard to urinate. He has been evaluated by various veterinary institutions in Georgia and he was determined to have a urethral stricture in his pelvic urethra. He also had a filling of urine in front of his prostate that was likely associated with his obstruction.

On examination Maximus was bright and alert. His bladder was moderately sized but not turgid. He was dribbling urine when lying down and when excited. He was in great body condition with no other physical examination abnormalities detected.

On 7/18/2011 Maximus was anesthetized. Blood work was done under anesthesia and was suggestive of a GI ulcer. We recommend stopping the Metacam as that can cause ulceration. An endoscope was inserted into the urethra. At the level of his stricture there was a tiny hole that he was passing urine through. This was nearly impossible to see any lumen through. Using fluoroscopy and a guidewire we were able to pass a catheter through his urethra and into his urinary bladder. Then a balloon was needed to open his urethra (5.5 mm) in order to get the stent through. His urethra measured between 8.4 and 9.1 mm in diameter and the obstruction was about 10-15 mm in length. Once we were passed the obstruction a stent was placed over the wire (10 mm x 40 mm covered stent). He recovered very well from anesthesia.

As we discussed we do not commonly place urethral stents for strictures but more commonly for tumors. We have placed about 15 for strictures and they have all done relatively well. The biggest concern is post-stent incontinence. This occurs in about 25% of dogs with tumors and less of dogs with strictures. Stent associated discomfort is not typically seen. Stent migration is also a risk, but we have not seen that with strictures either. Finally, the risk of urethral stent reactions in the urethra are quite rare and are usually associated with urinary tract infections. We are pending a culture now.

You may see a little straining or blood in his urine for 2-3 days after the procedure. This will get better with time. If he is incontinent this too can get better with time. Please keep Dr. Berent updated.

TESTS PERFORMED:

  1. Urine culture: pending
  2. Urethrogram for stent placement
  3. Anesthesia blood work: BUN 61 creatinine 0.6.

Thank you to everyone who has read and shared Max’s story. Thank you to those who have prayed and loved him through this long journey. Thank you to all those who have given freely and abundantly… It is because of every single one of you that Max lived to tell his story!

Don’t forget to visit Max’s ChipIn!

The surgery is complete, but payment is not :)

We have FAITH that the funds will come!

On that note, don’t forget that donations can always be mailed (No matter what size!) if you do not wish to use our online credit card option with ChipIn:

Caring 4 Creatures, Inc.

1032 Old Peachtree Road

# 401-130

Lawrenceville, GA 30043

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