Bowie update

I suppose that now would be a good time to give an update. It's been three weeks, and he's doing quite well.

He rides great in the car.

He loves the couch.

He's still learning about what he's supposed to do, but he knows that sitting is a pretty safe option.

He has started playing with Honey and has shown a slight, very slight, increase in energy level.

We're still trying to figure out if he'll do okay on his own or if he'll need another dog like Honey around to help him "dog" better.

He's getting better at following directions, like getting in his crate, following, leaving the room (usually the kitchen), and he hasn't had an accident in a while. He's coming along pretty nicely.

Bowie's default setting

Sit.

Silly

I make the most noise when I'm asleep.

Meet Bowie

We brought him home because he was shutting down at the shelter. He didn't wag, he didn't bark, he didn't want to go back into his kennel (he had to be carried in by teams of volunteers more than once). He just stood there, looking sad, all the time.

He likes attention, but he's pretty quiet about it.

He really liked Honey, though, and he would wag for her.

He was a bit nervous about the cat, but I think they've worked out their differences.

I was worried that he may just be a quiet, stoic guy. But after a few days, he's starting to relax and show his silly side.

He did great when I took him to work and decided to hang out in his crate because it was pretty comfy. He was quiet and well-behaved. He does great on walks and is doing well with his house-training. Hopefully his neuter incision heals quickly so we can stop watching him like a hawk. I'd say he's settled in pretty well, pretty quickly, and he'll make someone a great, quiet, lazy companion.

Tina has been adopted!

She finally made it to the adoption floor Tuesday, and before we could even see her this weekend, she was adopted! Hope her new family deserves her. She's a sweetie. And nuts. But a good girl, either way.

Sweet Tina

Gimlet (now Rugen): Update

Few things make me happier than seeing a happy, healthy former foster. Look at him! LOOK AT HIM! 💗💗💗

Party time

Tootie was having trouble getting water out of her bottle, so I went to put her new bottle in, and before I could secure it, she latched on. She was so thirsty and my arms were so tired.

Play time?

D'aww

Tootie's fridge

Apple- used to like
Rice- don't like
Weird nasty hippie organic juice- like
Pear- don't like
Emeraid- like
Beechnut corn & sweet potato- like now
Apple sauce- used to like
Gerber vanilla custard pudding with bananas- like now
Baby food and juice dated to be used within one day of suggested use after opening date (she's a rat, after all). That Gerber stuff is nuts. Whey protein and everything. I feel like I should be eating it.

Facebook updates

For those not on Facebook...

Hi Mom, and Laurie.

Tootie's teeth

This is what Tootie's teeth looked like when she came in:

Dec 15, 2016

Dec 15, 2016

How she survived, I have no idea. I would blame her previous owners, but given the time between when they went to jail and when she was brought to the shelter could have been long enough for them to overgrow, knowing how fast her teeth grow.

I can't really keep track of when she's had her teeth trimmed, since the shelter vets tended to clip 1 or 2 at a time. But they grow really fast.

Dec 30, 2016

Jan 02, 2017

Jan 05, 2017

Jan 07, 2017

I'm going to try and keep a closer eye on them and get her in before they get too long and she gets mad. She will seriously wave her head around and hit things with her teeth if they get too long (especially if I'm trying to feed her, like she's saying, "How am I supposed to eat?! Look at these things!").

Jan 10, 2017

This is how they're supposed to be; she's been eating great all day!

Supporting Tootie

Tootie did great at the vet today. Her energy is up, her feisty level is high, and she was thrilled to get some oxygen while they trimmed her teeth.

Her lungs, however, sound worse. Her breathing is more labored (not visibly, but from listening closely with the stethoscope) and her left lung that was working pretty good a couple weeks ago is now sounding muffled. Her right lung has been pretty much useless the whole time.

She has not responded to any treatment, so all we can do now is offer her supportive care. She has lost weight, but not as much as in between her first two visits. We're trying to get as much food as possible into her and make sure she has more good days than bad days. Hopefully she'll be with us for at least a few more weeks; she hasn't given any indication that she's giving up, despite everything. Dr. Em even said, "For a rat with so much going wrong medically, you sure can't tell by the way she acts."

Donations ear-marked for her care can be donated to the shelter's Little Critter Medical Fund. She sees Dr. Emanuele at Avian & Exotic, since rat care is not WCAC's specialty, and it's the best care we could hope for her. It's not cheap, though, and her tab has run up past $200. Since we've been allowed to keep her as a hospice foster through the shelter, we are certainly planning to pay for her ongoing care. Any little bit helps, though, and the shelter can be reached at 919-212-7387 or animalcontrol@wakegov.com or in person at 820 Beacon Lake Drive in Raleigh.

Tina update

It's been a while since we've posted about Tina.

We've had her since October, and she's all grown up. Her ringworm is gone, her URI is gone (she still sneezes every now and then). She's perfectly content with her blindness and acts like a normal cat (who sometimes loses her toy if it doesn't make any noise).

She's a beautiful, sweet, playful girl who loves to ambush and purrs all the time. She still takes her meds like a champ. She plays with Madeline as much as Madeline will let her.

The SPCA pulled her once her case was resolved. They treated her ringworm and got her on meds for her eyes. Now they say she's ready for spay and adoption... once her eyes get checked again. I've been waiting for word from them since December 14; I checked in December 20 and was told to wait, and checked in again on Tuesday and was told the same thing. It feels like poor Tina has been forgotten. We love having her here, but she is ready for her own home. She's a big, healthy and happy girl who needs her forever family.

No, she can't stay here (unless she's somehow deemed unadoptable). It's rude to ask that of a foster family.