Archived Documents 2nd Quarter 2007

TALES FROM TAILENDS JUNE 2007...

The last few months have been the most difficult we have ever known at Tailends. We have had to say goodbye to six beloved dogs since February, and this has been a very traumatic experience. Meanwhile we have also welcomed six new old dogs, all of which came from really bad situations and have needed a considerable amount of veterinary care and reassurance. In addition we have rehomed a little terrier who came to us from a dog pound as a very pathetic little scrap with all sorts of health issues. Once she had recovered and regained some strength, it was apparent that she was going to need a different type of home to what we could provide here. She was too active and bouncy for our frail old folk. We were very lucky to find a wonderful home for her in Somerset with very experienced and sensible people who are now completely devoted to her. We will continue to keep in touch with our Gracie and provide support whenever it is needed throughout her life.

Holly arrived here on Saturday March 10th and came for a nice walk on the dunes after her long journey. She had been rescued from a dog pound in Staffs having originally been picked up by a dog warden in Wales. She has been very badly neglected in her past and had probably been kept outside. Holly is around thirteen years old, is totally deaf and suffers from Pannus so will need eye treatment for the rest of her life. She now really enjoys her walks and eats everything put in front of her. She loves the beach and does a little hop and skip when she feels the sand beneath her feet. Holly is a sweet little girl who has improved greatly since coming to Tailends. She is slightly senile but is happy and contented. She has recently been spayed and had a dental.

Judy arrived at Tailends on Saturday 7th April from a Rotherham Dog Rescue. She is an elderly Labrador who has come from a grim situation on death row in Huddersfield dog pound. She was seriously overweight and has large calluses on her legs and sore patches on her tail. Her ears were very mucky but this was soon sorted. It would seem that she has been kept outside in kennels during her life and has had little exercise, but she is now very appreciative of some home comforts. It is a joy to see her stretched out relaxed and happy on a nice thick duvet. On Friday May 25th Judy had the tumour on her left elbow removed and her ruptured anterior cruciate ligament was treated with a d'angelis nylon implant. She was kept in the veterinary hospital overnight on a morphine drip and came home on Saturday morning. She is eating well and seems fine. We are optimistic that Judy will eventually be able to enjoy longer walks and play with her ball in the field. Recent tests have revealed that Judy is suffering from Thyroid insufficiency, just like Daisy May. She is now on treatment for this.

Amos arrived at Tailends on Sunday 22nd April 2007 after a long journey from Ireland. He was one of a number of dogs rescued from a house in Ireland where they had been left to starve. He is a small underweight black greyhound-type boy with a lovely character. He has a very large hole in the side of his mouth through to the nasal passage. This caused him much distress with mucus continually blocking his nose and making it sore. Blood tests and a veterinary examination have shown he is in general good health apart from this. We are hoping that Amos can eventually have surgery to close this hole and prevent food continually entering his nose. He deserves the best available care after years of neglect. He has had several teeth removed as their roots were hanging loose in his nasal cavity and some suspicious mouth tissue was sent off for biopsy. We now have to be patient and hope that this dear boy will have some quality time here and be able to look forward to spending happy hours running on the beach and watching the rabbits. Amos is a delightful affectionate boy. We will do everything to give him the best life possible after the suffering he has endured.

Smithers (TAILENDS 26.04.07 – 15.05.07) Dear little Smithers arrived at Tailends on Thursday 26th April. He was rescued from death in a dog pound in Rochdale. Smithers was a tan coloured long-bodied terrier type of dog. He was very elderly and was found wandering the streets by the dog warden in Blackburn. We saw indications that he had brain damage. Poor little Smithers. He was deaf and had cataracts on both eyes though did have some sight. He enjoyed his meals and going for long rambles around the garden followed by deep sleeps in his cosy bed. There was little treatment we could give to this poor boy except to ensure that he was loved and cared for during his final days. Dear Smithers died peacefully on 15th May. He had been here for just 19 days but at least he was surrounded with loving care at the end of his life and did not die unloved and unwanted in a concrete dog pound. How did he come to be wandering the streets in his condition? We will never know how this poor chap came to be homeless in the dog pound. Sleep well little Smithers. We are glad we could give you a few comforts and we are sorry you could not stay longer.

Frodo - This large dark brown/black greyhound arrived at Tailends on Sunday 27th May. He was rescued by Mandy (along with two other dogs) from a shed where they had been living in terrible conditions. One of the other dogs was in such a bad state that he had to be put to sleep on veterinary advice. The third dog is younger and will hopefully find a home in the normal way soon. Frodo is such a gentle old boy and has had such a grim life. He has never lived in a house before and is learning about all the comforts and freedom which will now be his. It is such a joy to watch him looking around and going in and out of the garden. This boy has never been for walks but was shut up day and night in an unheated dirty shed. His coat was in a very poor condition - hardly surprising considering how he has lived. He has now been castrated, which removed the tumour in his left testicle. He has had an urgent dental as did the other dog. Their mouths were in such a disgusting state when they were rescued that many teeth had to be removed. The grey putrefying matter in their mouths smelled foul and needed immediate attention. Frodo is a delightful boy and is so very affectionate in spite of the way humans have treated him. We are very grateful to Mark for transporting Frodo to Tailends in atrocious weather.

Lucas (TAILENDS 03.12.06 – 10.03.07) - This dear old chap arrived at Tailends on Sunday 3rd December 2006. He was a large 13 yr old white and black greyhound with various health problems. He had no teeth, limited eyesight and poor hearing but he was a dear old boy who loved his walks and was very happy to be in a loving home after all he had been through in recent weeks. Our dear friend Mark kindly drove to Worcester to collect him from the kennels where he was being kept. We were asked to take Lucas by a lady who had been involved in his care since he became homeless. Sadly his elderly owner had become unable to cope with looking after a dog. Lucas had been kept in a flat and was never taken out to relieve himself so the situation was very bad for both dog and owner. Eventually the council became involved and Lucas was put into kennels while the flat was sorted out and his future was decided. We were worried as we had been informed that Lucas had slipped on his own urine on the concrete floor of the kennel and sprained his hock just a week previously. He was then put into a crate for his own safety, though it was only big enough for him to stand up and not ideal for him to be contained in for long periods. Following arrival at Tailends we took Lucas for a vet check and blood tests. Sadly it was found that Lucas had very advanced kidney failure. We fed him a special renal support diet and hoped that he would be at Tailends for many months to come. We would, of course, continue to monitor the situation with blood tests every few months. Lucas became breathless on March 10th and I rang the vet and arranged to take him to the hospital for X-rays to find out what was going on in his chest. There were two possibilities - either he had a chest infection which could be dealt with by putting him on a drip and giving him treatment, or something nastier was going on. Alison rang me later to advise that his chest was full of fluid and the heart could not even be seen on the X-ray. She had extracted a sample of the fluid and it was full of Leucocytes which indicated that he had a malignant tumour. There was nothing I could do but let her help our dear old chap leave his diseased body. Lucas was only here for three short months but he was the kindest, most gentle greyhound who was very much loved. Farewell my dear old boy - until we meet again. We are so grateful and privileged that we shared some time together when you needed us.

Alison (Tailends 24.08.06 – 23.03.07) - Alison arrived at Tailends on 24th August 2006. She was a thin frail 13 year old white and blue girl, who has spent her entire life in a very bleak kennel. Blood tests revealed that she probably had inflamatory bowel disease and she was put on a course of steroids, antibiotics and Tramadol. A scan revealed that the lining of her bladder was markedly thickened in an irregular way, indicating the presence of cancerous cells. My vet suggested that we try Piroxicam which is a human drug that has had some success in reducing the thickening of the bladder lining. Alison enjoyed her life here going for walks on the beach and eating well. She was a very different girl to the traumatised dog who arrived here in August. She became confident and very affectionate. She had made good friends with Daisy May, our very nervous little girl, and Bluebell, who was such an old lady but still enjoying herself. All three girls shared a room at night where they slept soundly in the comfort of their donut beds and fleeces. Alison went to the Veterinary Hospital for another scan on February 2nd and we were delighted to find that her bladder was almost back to normal. Our vet was amazed that she was doing so well and we could only hope that her progress would continue.

Our dear Alison left us on Friday 23rd March. Recent blood tests had shown that her kidneys were failing and another scan revealed that the bladder lining was thickening again. Alison died peacefully in her own bed without any distress or pain. She had just seven short months at Tailends though this was better than the seven short weeks which her friend Hazel had. Alison loved the beach and did have some real quality time here until she finally became so ill that she could not stay with us any longer. We miss her so very much. I am so glad that we were able to help this poor old girl who had languished in miserable kennels for so many years. Farewell my sweet Alison until we meet again in a better world.

Dudley (TAILENDS 12.05.06 – 02.04.07) - I received a call on Wednesday 10th May from Rochdale Dog Rescue concerning an elderly dog at the pound who was due to be put to sleep on the Friday morning and there was really nowhere else for him to go. Apparently he had been picked up by the police who then took him to the vet as they thought he had been involved in a road accident. In fact Dudley had CDRM which is a degenerative disease affecting mobility in the back and hind limbs. Dudley was transported to Tailends with the help of five people who shared the 300mile drive between them. Dudley was so very happy to be here. His tail wagged so much it looked as if it would come off. I have never seen a dog’s eyes light up so much as when he went out for a walk. He had a big grin all over his face. He had probably roamed the streets begging chips or snack foods where he could. Poor old chap. Dudley slept on a large thick memory bed in the hall at night. He was so affectionate and loved attention. Dudley was kindly loaned a cart by Jim Colla who very kindly gave up his time to travel down to Devon to help Dudley get mobile. We also took Dudley to an aquatherapy pool but sadly the disease progressed. On 2nd April I saw a change in Dudley. He was not in pain but the look in his eyes told me the time had come to say goodbye. I spent the morning sitting with Dudley and stroking his long coat with a grooming mitt which had been so kindly donated by one of the winners in the weekly TRPD quizzes. Dudley loved this and his eyes closed in pleasure at the feel of the soft glove. He had a breakfast of freshly cooked lamb and some chicken breast which he demolished very quickly. The vet arrived at around 1pm. It was time for our boy to start his last journey. I told him that Tarn, Lucas, Alison and all the departed friends he had made here would be waiting for him to show him the way. I gave him a last cuddle and then let George hold his head as he left so that the last thing he saw was the person he cared for most. When he had gone we wept buckets and are still doing so every time something happens to remind us. It is the little things like laying out the tablets or preparing their individual meals that it hits hardest as there is a space where Dudley’s tablets or food would have been. We love all our dogs equally and do not have favourites but I think it is more painful when a dog has needed as much care as Dudley as they leave such a big hole in your life. Dudley will live on in our hearts forever. We are so glad that we had his company for nearly eleven months when others had said he was not worth saving.

Bluebell (Tailends 18.02.04 - 09.04.07) - Bluebell has been at Tailends since February 2004 when she was taken to her vet in London to be put to sleep as her owner had got a new dog – a Bull Mastiff - who kept attacking her. Thankfully the vet got in touch with Greyhound Rescue and she was then brought to Tailends. Bluebell has always loved her walks and was very soon able to run off lead through the dunes and round the beach. Bluebell, in recent months, could no longer run and play on the dunes and beach as she did during her first months at Tailends. Her arthritis had been stabilised by giving Prednoleucotropin tablets and she managed very well, though the loss of her right eye seriously affected her confidence. She could only manage short walks to the fields where she spent her time munching rabbit droppings and pottering around. Bluebell had gradually become frailer and a little senile. She sometimes forgot that she had eaten her meal and came back into the kitchen looking for it again. I gave her Vivitonin tablets to help the blood supply to her brain and nervous system. She also had daily vitamins, fish oil and glucosamine/chondroitin for her joints. Our lovely blue girl was the sweetest, most affectionate little greyhound you could ever find. She slept very deeply and went off into her bedroom and cuddled up in her bed as soon as she had finished her breakfast. However she was very fussy about her sleeping arrangements and spent some time getting everything in the right position. This did mean that she often got carried away and ended up with all the dog beds and vetbed in a large heap in the corner and her fast asleep on the carpet! Then she did not stir again until it was time for the afternoon walk, and even then you had to go and get her. She was always pleased to get up for a walk especially if the sun was shining and there were rabbits around. Bluebell was extremely gentle and kind to all the other dogs. The little ones were often found snuggled up to her in her bed. Our dear sweet little girl left us on April 9th. She lived at Tailends for 3 years and two months. On Easter Sunday she went out as usual and ate her dinner. There was nothing to indicate that she was so near the end. At around 3am on the Monday morning she started to become agitated. I immediately went to see what was wrong but she seemed to be unaware of her surroundings. I sat with her until dawn and then rang my vet who came out to see her. Sadly as we walked up to her I realised that her breathing had stopped. She had slipped away just before the vet arrived. I am sure she knew nothing after the seizure, which I think must have been a stroke. She is very much missed by everyone and I cannot get used to seeing her empty bed where she should be. We are so glad that we were able to share her final years and give her some joy. I hope there are some rabbits where she has gone as she loved to watch them but would never attempt to harm one.

Barnie Rubble (Tailends 24.03.05 – 23.04.07) - Barnie Rubble (formerly known as Arnie) was brought to Tailends by Mandy on April 24th 2005. He was a thirteen year old white and brindle entire male. Barnie had quite a hard past before he was brought into the care of Northants Greyhound Rescue. He lost a toe on his front left foot at some stage and then instead of treating and resting him, he was raced with the injury. This had resulted in the foot being splayed out at 90degrees to the norm and made it look like a flipper instead of a foot. Barnie also had severe arthritis in his back legs in association with nerve damage. He was a very happy courageous chap and did not let any of this hold him back. He was so happy to be here and bounced around the garden and just loved his walks. He had a very bad heart condition for which he was treated with Vetmedin. The main problem with Barnie was stopping him from overdoing it! He was so fascinated with everything he saw when he was out. He literally laughed in glee at the ducks and geese on the lakes and the seagulls screaming over his head. Then he gazed at the rabbits quietly nibbling the grass in the next field or the cows grazing on the hillside. He stared in disbelief at the sea and listened to the thunderous noise of the waves as he stood on the highest dunes looking down at the bay. Barnie was very fond of digging holes. His bad legs did not seem to hinder this activity. I often found him out in the garden with clouds of sand wafting across the grass as yet another digging operation was in progress. I thought he had collapsed once when I found him lying in the hole he had just dug on top of what we call the “viewing platform” (a raised area where they can stand and look at the rabbits in the field next door). However when he saw me he sprang up and I realised he was just having a rest from his labours. He was such a character. He was a big bouncy clown who loved to act silly and pretend he did not want to go out or have his dinner when he really did. He would lie quietly and shut his eyes and when you thought he was asleep, he would bounce up and charge towards the door asking why you were not ready! Then you quickly put your coat on and got his harness and you found he had gone to lie down and was pretending to be asleep again. Everything had to be a game with Barnie! He was quite amazing when you consider that he was a very old dog. Barnie had always suffered from intestinal problems. We have had all sorts of tests done and tried various drugs, diets etc but still his faeces remained liquid. Eventually we found how to manage this with a very strict diet.

On 23rd April Barnie did not try to get up and was not interested in eating so I had no choice but to ring our vet and ask if we could have a home visit. Alison arrived shortly afterwards and agreed that Barnie had come to the end of his very long life. He would have been sixteen on August 3rd 2007 and had been at Tailends for over two years. He made no complaint as Alison gave him the injection which was to help him leave his worn-out old body. He just closed his eyes and left us forever. Dear Barney you were the clown of Tailends. You were never aggressive to anyone and put up with Charlie moaning at you when you stretched a leg out and touched him in the night. (Charlie always chose to lie right next to Barney though there were plenty of beds in the room.) He was such a happy lad and we miss him so much. Barnie died just a few days after our little Bluebell. These two lovely dogs were always sleeping side by side with their heads on a cushion between them. This gave me the idea for the Tailends logo and now Barney and Bluebell will live on forever representing Tailends to the world. I hope they are now together forever. They are both missed so very much.

Daisy May had surgery on Friday 26th May to investigate and possibly remove the affected adrenal gland causing her Cushing’s disease. After preliminary x-rays, blood tests, scans etc the delicate procedure was successfully carried out by Simon Thompson at the new Charter veterinary hospital at Roundswell. She was then kept in overnight on a morphine drip and came home with Judy on Saturday. Daisy is already showing positive signs of improvement. She no longer drinks excessively and now eats more normally. This surgery was necessary to save her life. Recent tests have shown that the Cushing's is now completely gone but that Daisy has Thyroid insufficiency for which she is now being treated. Recovery will be slow but we must be patient and hope that eventually Daisy May will be restored to good health.

Update 27 June 2007...

The results have come back from Judy's blood test revealing that she is also suffering from Thyroid insufficiency - just like Daisy May. They are both now on treatment and will eventually recover from the lethargic state which this illness causes. It also explains why Judy was so overweight when she arrived from Huddersfield dog pound. I just thought she had been fed but not exercised in her previous life. We will never know how this old girl came to be in a dog pound but think it likely she had been kennelled outside. Daisy and Judy will need blood tests every month to monitor the effects of the treatment.

Holly has a nasty ulcer under her canine tooth and is going for a dental tomorrow. We have been applying special paste to her gums and she has had antibiotics but she now urgently needs treatment and removal of diseased teeth. She is a happy little girl who jumps around in glee during her walks on the beach. We want to make sure she is as comfortable as possible.

Gloria has now recovered from the indignity of going to the vet and being put into a shoreline cage. Thankfully she had her Everton blanket which she was wrapped in following the surgery to remove an adenoma from her eye. (She loves this blanket and insists on being wrapped up in it even on the warmest night. It was very kindly donated by a winner in the TRPD weekly quiz and she immediately claimed it as hers.) It was not a cold day but she became very shivery after the operation. She was so upset by the whole procedure and has vowed never to go there again. (She does not know she goes back for a check tomorrow.) She made sure she kept me awake all night following surgery, just to prove her point. However she forgot all about it when time came for the early morning walk on the beach. Hopefully I will be able to put some photos of her on the site soon - just to show everyone how indignant she was on returning from the vet hospital. I think she has now forgiven me but insists that she wants a private room with a human bed if she ever has to go in again. Gloria has come a long way in the two years since she arrived here after being rescued from extreme deprivation in Spain. She is now 10 kilogrammes heavier than the thin scared little old lady who came here from the quarantine kennel. She has blossomed into the confident, highly intelligent lady who thinks she is definately a "cut above" the other old dogs. She is entitled to be indulged a bit after all she has been through in the past.

A big thank you goes to Linda Slough and her friend, Joyce, who made lots of mouth watering cakes for a coffee morning yesterday in aid of Tailends dogs. We were delighted to receive £150 as a result of their hard work. I am sure everyone had a great time with such treats as Fresh Cream Scones, Meringues, fruit and lemon cakes on offer. A brilliant result and the money will pay for treatment to restore these dogs to good health.

We would also like to thank everyone who has so kindly contributed recently to enable us to pay for some expensive treatments needed for our oldies. We are really grateful that you care about these dogs who have suffered cruelty and neglect as the result of human actions, and feel that they should have the best care in their final months. I can assure you that although they cannot speak our language, their eyes show their gratitude for all that you enable us to do for them.

Update 20 June 2007...

Daisy May went to the vet for tests last week following her surgery to remove the enlarged adrenal gland. The good news is that all signs of Cushings disease have disappeared showing that the surgery was totally successful. However the test did show that her thyroid gland is not functioning properly and this is causing her to be very lethargic and overweight. She is now on tablets to treat the condition though progress will be slow and we do not expect to see any significant results for several weeks. However, in the long term we are hoping that Daisy May will eventually be restored to good health and her quality of life will improve significantly. She is not in any pain but is very lethargic and depressed. Poor Daisy has been through so much but there is now light at the end of the tunnel.

Judy's back leg became infected more than two weeks after she had a nylon implant following cruciate ligament rupture. A swab revealed that the bacteria was one which commonly occurs on the skin and in the gut etc. The infection was treated sucessfully with antibiotics but it was felt that her immune system was not protecting her as it should from such a common form of bacteria. It has been decided to do a blood test tomorrow as our vet is suspicious that she may also have a thyroid insufficiency. This would account for her lethargic state. We had thought that she was just a rather overweight lazy old labrador, who preferred to lie around and sleep most of the time. We also have no idea of her exact age other than the fact that she is an old dog. We are hoping that we get some results which will enable treatment to begin. Hopefully we can slowly increase her exercise as the effects of the cruciate surgery improve her ability to use the leg involved.

Gloria - Our resident Princess has developed an adenoma very close to her left eye. It is rubbing against her eye and causing irritation so needs to be removed quickly. Therefore she is going for surgery tomorrow to remove it and while she is under the anaesthetic her teeth will be cleaned up also. It will be very upsetting for our aristocratic lady to suffer the indignity of staying at the veterinary hospital and going in a shoreline cage. (I have not told her about it yet.) However I will take her favourite Everton Blanket and promise her a treat for her tea so hopefully this should calm her down a bit. Poor Gloria thinks she is not like other dogs, which of course she isn't. We will post bulletins on her progress (not on the palace gates but on this site).

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We would like to give a special thank you to Judy Zatonski for kindly giving Tailends a digital camera. This means we can now take photos of our dogs, particularly new residents, and have them available to email or put on this site without having to wait for films to be developed. We are very grateful to Judy for her kindness to us.

We would also like to thank the family and friends of Alfie Hanford for kindly sending donations for Tailends instead of flowers. He was obviously a very special friend of greyhounds and was held in great esteem by all who knew him. He is sadly missed by his family including our wonderful supporter, Jan McAllan, who works tirelessly to raise money for dogs in need. We appreciate this gift in his memory.

Update 15 June 2007...

The Longlevens Dog Show held on June 3rd was a tremendous success. The weather was beautiful and everyone who went along had a great day out. We would like to thank JAN MCALLEN for all her hard work organising this event. We were delighted to receive a cheque for £500 as a result of the efforts of this dedicated lady and her team. The money will be used immediately to pay for veterinary treatment for our oldies. Many many thanks to everyone who helped make the day such a success.

Follow this link for Jan's Show Report, in MS Word format..

Update 2 June 2007...

Frodo was castrated on June 1st, which removed the testicular tumour. Pre-op bloods were done before surgery and these showed that he is suffering from kidney failure. He was therefore put on a drip throughout the operation. We will now put him on a Renal Support diet and monitor his condition. He is doing very well today and has been for a walk and eaten a good breakfast. He is now sleeping quietly on his bed. One of the amazing things about these abused and neglected dogs is how docile they are with humans despite what they have suffered at their hands. Frodo has never been in a house and yet he has not had any accidents since he arrived and is instinctively spotlessly clean. It is beyond my understanding how people can be cruel to these wonderful peaceful creatures. Frodo has arthritis in his back legs and has very poor eyesight but is such a sweet affectionate boy and is so grateful to be here.

Update 27 May 2007...

Gracie in her new surroundings...

Here's an email we received from Gracie's new folks...

'Just a e-mail to say hi and how well Gracie is doing. She sticks to my side like glue, and I now have her in her car seat harness which works like a dream to stop her jumping out all the time! My son and I went to Charmouth sea front today as it is one of the few beaches that allow dogs to run around and she had a ball with the waves! (As did Robert..!) In and out and investigating everything and everyone. Your description of her joyfully checking everything out that crosses her path was and is very apt. How wonderful to still have that characteristic after so much unhappiness in her little life... And, yes, she certainly sleeps for England when she does, doesn't she?! She also adores the' run -around -the- garden' game with a big shiny plastic football. She is not able to gain any tooth purchase so tears around nosing it all over the place, which REALLY tires her out! (thankfully!). She has had no more tummy troubles, and is back on normal diet. So, there you have it for now...'

Judy - On Friday May 25th Judy had the tumour on her left elbow removed and her ruptured anterior cruciate ligament was treated with a d'angelis nylon implant. She was kept in overnight on a morphine drip and came home on Saturday morning. She is eating well and seems fine. She is not allowed walks for six weeks so we will have to keep a close watch on her diet as she loves her food and came to us very overweight. She is delighted to be back home after her surgery and hospital stay. We now wait for the lab results to find out if the mass was malignant.

Daisy May - had surgery on Friday to investigate and possibly remove the affected adrenal gland causing her Cushings Disease. After preliminary x-rays, blood tests, scans etc the delicate procedure was successfully carried out by Simon Thompson at the new Charter veterinary hospital at Roundswell. She was also kept in overnight on a morphine drip and came home with Judy on Saturday. Daisy is already showing positive signs of improvement. She no longer drinks excessively and eats more normally. This surgery was necessary to save her life. However the treatment for these two girls has been very expensive and the surgical procedures carried out on Friday have exceeded £1,700 so the Tailends account is now empty. However we will continue to ensure that all the Tailends dogs receive the best appropriate treatment. Contributions towards the veterinary care of our dogs are always very gratefully received.

Frodo - This large dark brown/black greyhound arrived at Tailends on Sunday 27th May. He was rescued last week along with two other dogs from a shed where they had been living in terrible conditions. One of the other dogs was in such a bad state that he had to be put to sleep on veterinary advice. The third dog is younger and will hopefully find a home in the normal way soon. Frodo is such a gentle old boy and has had such a grim life. He has never lived in a house before and is learning about all the comforts and freedom which will now be his. It is such a joy to watch him looking around and going in and out of the garden. This boy has never been for walks but was shut up in an unheated dirty shed for the whole day and night. His coat is in a very poor condition - hardly surprising considering how he has lived. He appears to have a tumour in one of his testicles and this will be dealt with by castration hopefully next week. He has had an urgent dental as did the other dog. Their mouths were in such a disgusting state when they were rescued that many teeth had to be removed. The grey putrifying matter in their mouths smelt absolutely foul and needed immediate attention. We will put photos of Frodo on the site as soon as they are available. He really is a delightful boy and is so very affectionate in spite of the way humans have treated him. We are very grateful to Mark for transporting Frodo to Tailends in atrocious weather.

Update 15 May 2007...

Smithers - I am very sad to have to announce the death on May 15th of dear little Smithers. He had been here for just 19 days but at least he was surrounded with loving care at the end of his life and did not die unloved and unwanted in a dog pound. I thought he had dementia because of his erratic behaviour but he was going for little walks and seemed to enjoy his food and slept well. However on Tuesday evening he became very restless and despite being very tired seemed unable to sleep. I was increasingly worried and took him to the veterinary hospital on Wednesday morning. On the journey he started to become very aggressive and I realised he was in acute pain. I had no choice but to ask the vet to put him to sleep. I could not let the poor little chap suffer. The vet thought it likely that Smithers had a brain tumour and after some thought I realised that this was very likely. An old collie (Billy) which we had some years ago also suffered from a brain tumour and the symptoms were very similar. Dear little Smithers must have had a home once. How did he come to be wandering the streets in his condition? We will never know how this poor chap came to be homeless in the dog pound. Sleep well little Smithers. We are glad we could give you a few comforts and we are sorry you could not stay longer.

Judy had to be rushed to the vet on Sunday May 13th when she became lame and was obviously in some pain. (Why do all these things happen at weekends, bank holidays or at 3am?) Fortunately Simon was on duty as he is the expert "bone man". He immediately recognised that Judy had ruptured her cruciate ligament. George felt instantly guilty as he had been playing ball with her the day before. However Simon said that this injury could have been done at any time and not necessarily through any exercise. She is having strong pain killers and we will review the situation in a couple of weeks when Simon will decide what surgery should be undertaken. There are apparently three different option for this problem and we will be advised by him as to what is appropriate bearing in mind that Judy is probably about 13 years old. We had to cancel the surgery to remove a tumour from her hock as this can easily be done at the same time as the repair on the ligament.

Daisy May went to the new hospital at Roundwell on Tuesday as they have the latest scanning equipment. She is suffering from the Adrenal type of Cushings which is quite difficult to manage - unlike the Pituitary type. One of the adrenal glands was seen on the scanner and Simon advised us to put her onto medication for three weeks and then consider surgery to see what the exact situation is and whether to proceed with removal of the adrenal gland. If he finds that the tumour is obviously malignant then he will not go ahead. It is major surgery as many vital organs and blood vessels are very close to this area. However if the tumour is benign it will save her life and she may then have several more years of life with us.

Gracie went off to her new home in Somerset on Sunday. It was very sad for us. We do not rehome our dogs but Gracie was an exception. She recovered so well while here and became very lively, obviously needing a more active home than a refuge for elderly and sick dogs. Gracie has gone to a lovely home where she will live in a large house with a nice garden. Her new friends love her very much and they are absolutely brilliant with her. She is not bothered at all by their two cats and seems to have settled in very well. We will keep in touch with Gracie and fund any treatment which she may need in the future.

Charlie somehow hurt his back on Monday. He has suffered terrible injuries to his spine in the past and is on pain relief to give him a good quality of life. However he must have twisted awkwardly or something, as he collapsed while out on his walk. He was examined by the vet who found it was his spinal injuries giving the pain. He has been put on very strong pain relief and a ban on exercise for the next few days to allow the area to recover.

Amos is the most amazing dog and I am not going to give up on him although we know the future may be bleak. However he is doing so well and is now going on the beach/dunes walk in the morning and thoroughly enjoying himself. He is very intelligent and can open the front door as I found out when I was in the bathroom one evening when I had just let him and Judy out for their last wees of the night. I was very startled to hear the front door open and movement in the hall. It was quite scary! I opened the bathroom door to find Judy going into the bedroom and Amos supervising, having opened the door with his foot. I had shut the front door behind them as it was starting to rain and I wanted to dry them before they settled into their beds. However Amos had different ideas. We have now taken him off the antibiotics and will see how he manages. He may need to have a maintenance dose because of the very deep-seated infection at the end of his nasal passage. I will not give up on this boy while he is happy and I am hoping that we might get a miracle and he can have that operation after all to close the massive hole in the side of his mouth. If he does not deteriorate during the next few months we will discuss the possibility of surgery with Simon. This dog has suffered so much and deserves the chance of happiness. Occasionally we do have miracles - and we really want one very much now for Amos. Please keep him in your thoughts along with the other dogs who are facing surgery or treatment here in the near future.

Sponsorships...

We have decided not to put any very frail dogs onto the sponsor list as it can be traumatic for the sponsor and also excessive work for Judy ( the brilliant lady who runs our sponsor scheme) when a sponsored dog only lives for a very short time. Naturally we never know what will happen with any of our dogs, but if a health condition is known, then we will have to decide whether it is appropriate for them to be on the list.

Update 6 May 2007...

Daisy May - The results of the extensive tests have shown that she does indeed have Cushings Disease. However they were inconclusive as to what type of the disease she has. It could be the more common type caused by a tumour on the Pituitary Gland in the brain but the laboratory indicates that they think it may be the more serious type caused by a tumour on the Adrenal glands. The treatment for the two types is very different so further tests need to be done on Tuesday 8th May to find out which course of treatment she needs. The disease is incurable but can be treated to keep it stable. There is no question that she is in pain but she is very lethargic, reluctant to exercise and is always ravenously hungry and drinks excessively. Without treatment the outlook would be very poor. We will post updates on Daisy May as soon as we have more information. The tests are simply injections and blood tests throughout the day so are not traumatic or painful for her.

Amos - This darling boy is suffering from bone cancer. The biopsy results came through on Thursday and were positive. We are devastated. I think I knew deep down from the first moment I saw Amos that there was something very wrong but I always hoped I was mistaken. Then my vet told me that what she found when she examined his mouth and nasal passages could not possibly be due to teeth or gum decay. The damage was too extensive. The cancer has eaten away the bone in his nose so that there is nothing separating the two nostrils. He must have been in terrible pain when he came as the roots of some of his teeth had grown into the nasal cavity and were totally exposed. These teeth were removed while he was under anaesthetic. I am so devastated. I love Amos very much and cannot bear the thought of losing him. I did so want to get this op done to cover the hole with a thin layer of bone which was the procedure which was going to be done if he was negative. My vet said there is now no question of this. She is happy for him to carry on but if I feel he has had enough or he becomes distressed or if his nose begins to bleed as they said might happen, then I will have to make that dreadful decision to let him go. I would never let him suffer. He is staying on Antirobe as the infection at the back of his nose is going to need to be kept under control if he is going to be comfortable. He is also on Previcox in the morning and Tramodol at night. I try to keep his nostrils clear of gunk by bathing them gently with cotton wool. It only matters to give him the best quality of life for the time he has left. He loves his walks, is eating well and he is much loved. He sleeps well all night. I now know that his time here will be very short and more heartbreak is coming. I wanted so much to give this boy his life back and close the hole in his mouth. We might then have had such fun but it is not to be.

Smithers - Dear little Smithers is doing better than I expected. He is definitely brain damaged but is alert enough to have found his way around despite his poor sight and deafness. He goes in and out of the garden and potters around in the sunshine. He does not head press anymore though he still tends to circle to the left. He knows where the nearest water bowl is to get a cool drink and enjoys his meals. He sleeps very well at night next to my bed. We know that this dear old lad will not have much time left but thankfully he is enjoying some quality time and did not die in the bleakness of a kennel in the dog pound.

Gracie has been offered a home by several people. We feel she is too lively and excitable to live with an elderly frail person. However one lady seems to offer the sort of home where Gracie would have a wonderful life. A home check is being carried out today so fingers crossed that this will work out. It will be very difficult to part with dear little Gracie but she is too lively for a home with elderly and frail dogs and needs a different sort of home where she will be the only beloved dog. We will update news on Gracie's future as soon as it is secured. Whatever happens, we will certainly keep in touch with Gracie for the rest of her life.

Update 1 May 2007...

Gracie came here as a sad little girl with all sorts of problems including an eye ulcer and infected skin. Her health problems have been sorted out and she is feeling much better, but it is now quite obvious that she is not elderly as we at first thought and is probably only about 4 or 5 years old. She is far too lively and feisty for the oldies here and is very excitable. She loves to play and is a sweet girl. Reluctantly I have decided that the only solution is to rehome Gracie if I can find a very special home with no other dogs and no small children and someone in all day. If you hear of a really nice person looking for a dear little lap dog with attitude who likes playing with toys then let me know. This is going to break my heart but I cannot put the other dogs at risk and it is upsetting for them if a lively little girl is jumping about excitedly. I will pay her vet bills for the rest of her life (with consultation) and a home check will be necessary. An active retired person would be ideal. Please ring or email me if you can help. This decision has not been taken lightly and we feel it is the right thing for Gracie. It also means we can give the space to another old dog who would otherwise die. I love Gracie to bits and I will only let her go to someone who will cherish her and keep in touch with us. This is one of the hardest things I have had to do. Gracie does not need to live in an old folks home and would love someone with a sense of fun who could play with her and give her all their love and attention.

Update 28 April 2007...

Amos had his biopsy on Wednesday 25th April. The suspicious-looking tissue from his mouth/nasal area was sent away to the lab for testing. The results from a test for a bone tumour normally take some time so we shall have to wait before thinking of doing anything else. Meanwhile I am making Amos as comfortable as possible. He is enjoying his walks in the dunes twice a day and yesterday he chased two rabbits in the afternoon. He is eating well but is very troubled by the continually blocked nostrils. He spends a lot of time curled up on my bed with his head on the pillow or lying on the sofa The blood tests showed that he had no liver or kidney malfunction and his heart and lung function is good.

Amos had several teeth removed while under anaesthetic and the vets were also able to examine his mouth and nasal cavity in detail. The bony structure normally separating the two nostrils was completely absent so there is just one large cavity. There was severe infection at the top end of the nasal passage. However the appearance of unusual tissue in this area gave cause for concern and the vets are worried that the damage has not been caused simply by teeth and gum decay. They also found that the roots of several incisors had grown into the nasal area causing the teeth to be loose and they were therefore removed. I am hoping that we may have a miracle and the result will be negative. Then we can consider having the hole closed so that Amos can have a good quality of life and be free of the pain and discomfort which this must be causing him. It may be possible for one of the specialist vets at our group practice to slice a thin section of bone and use it to close the hole. However for now we can only continue with the antibiotics to deal with the infection in his nostrils and give him pain relief. Please keep Amos in your thoughts. He is a very special boy and is much loved by everyone who has met him. He is available to sponsor and we will post updates on the site as they are available.

Smithers arrived at Tailends on Thursday 26th April. He was transported from the dog pound in Rochdale by Heather, Mich and our good friend Dave who runs our website so brilliantly for us. We would like to thank everyone involved in bringing Smithers to Devon and also Rochdale Dog Rescue for rescuing him from "death row" and arranging everything so professionally as usual. We could not help these dogs without the the assistance of such wonderful people who are prepared to give up their time and act fast to save the lives of dogs like Smithers. I salute you all for your kindness and compassion.
Smithers is a tan coloured long-bodied terrier type of dog. He is very elderly and was found wandering the streets by the dog warden in Blackburn. He was examined by my vet yesterday and found to have a very serious heart complaint. His teeth are in a very poor condition and he has a tumour near the base of his tail, which is not of immediate concern in view of his other problems. Smithers has been circling to the left and also I have observed him pressing his head into the wall. These are indications that he has brain damage. Poor little Smithers has been so unlucky to have so many problems - just when we are there to help him. He is deaf and has cataracts on both eyes though does have some sight. He has been enjoying his meals and going for long rambles around the garden followed by deep sleeps in his cosy bed. There is little treatment we can give to this poor boy except to ensure that he is loved and cared for during his final days. At least he did not end his life frightened and distressed in a concrete dog pound. In view of Smithers' condition I will not be adding him to the sponsor list. We will take it a day at a time. He would probably not survive an anaesthetic to deal with his teeth and remove the tumour, but he is not in pain and seems bright and cheerful. He may only have a short time here but will be cared for until the time comes for him to leave.

Daisy May has been worrying me recently. She had been examined by the vet but nothing could be identified and I wondered if I was imagining it. She has been drinking excessively but eating normally and has shown a marked increase in weight. The results of a blood test have now showed that she has abnormal liver enzyme production and thyroid irregularities. It is suspected that she may have Cushings disease. Consequently she is going to the vet on Monday for further tests during the day. Hopefully we can then get her onto the appropriate treatment once the results are known. She has seemed very depressed lately but has always been a very nervous girl and the symptoms were very vague.

Gracie has been transformed from a pathetic little scrap into a feisty, naughty little girl. She likes to play and runs around barking at visitors and demanding attention. Her skin looks so much better now and I think she is putting her neglected past firmly behind her. She dives into my bed as soon as I open the door and burrows down under the duvet. However she is very biddable and responds immediately if she gets told off for being too pushy and wanting all the attention. She has her own arm chair and keeps all her toys and balls on the chair under her cosy blanket. She is very much at home at Tailends now after such a short time and is joining Gloria in the "Princess Pushy" Contest.

Update 27 April 2007...

Amos is a really delightful and affectionate black greyhound type lad who has suffered serious neglect in his former home in Ireland. He was finally brought over to the UK and Tailends on 22nd April 2007 having originally been rescued from a house where he had been left to starve for two weeks with other dogs. He arrived with his nostrils blocked by mucus and struggling to breathe easily. This was due to the presence of a very large hole in the side of his mouth which leads directly into the nasal cavity. I had never seen anything like this before and was determined to do everything I could to help Amos enjoy the quality of life which he so deserved. Leaving him in this state was not an option. However we needed to get him examined by a veterinary surgeon to find out if he had any other health problems which might affect our choice of action. Blood tests did not reveal any problems with the function of his vital organs, and his heart and lungs were not indicating any problem either. However our vet had never seen a hole as large as this in the mouth and did not think it had been caused simply by infection and decay from untreated rotten teeth. We had to rule out the possibility of a bone tumour before we could look at future options for Amos. Consequently Amos had a biopsy on 25th April where suspicious-looking tissue was removed from his nasal chambers and sent to be analysed. Some rotten teeth were also removed at the same time and the nostrils were cleaned out to make him as comfortable as possible. Amos came home completely recovered at 4pm, ate some supper and had a good wander around the garden before settling into his cosy donut bed for a good night's sleep. He will go back to see the vet on Monday 30th April for another check. We now have to be patient and wait for the results, hoping that this dear boy will have a good future and be able to look forward to spending happy hours running on the beach and watching the rabbits.

Update 25 April 2007...

BARNIE RUBBLE - OUR RESIDENT CLOWN HAS GONE...

Barnie Rubble has recently become very frail. He was still going for his little walks and eating well but on Sunday night he seemed unable to sleep and I observed a change in him during the night. He looked into my eyes and I knew what he was saying. He did not try to get up and was not interested in eating so I had no choice but to ring our vet and ask if we could have a home visit. Alison arrived shortly afterwards and agreed that Barnie had come to the end of his very long life. He would have been sixteen on August 3rd 2007 and had been at Tailends for over two years. He made no complaint as Alison gave him the injection which was to help him leave his worn-out old body. He just closed his eyes and left us forever.

Dear Barney you were the clown of Tailends. You were never aggressive to anyone and put up with Charlie moaning at you when you stretched a leg out and touched him in the night. (Charlie always chose to lie right next to Barney though there were plenty of beds in the room.) He was such a happy lad and we miss him so much. Charlie has stopped eating as he cannot understand where he has gone. Barnie died just a few days after our little Bluebell. These two lovely dogs were always sleeping side by side with their heads on a cushion between them. This gave me the idea for the Tailends logo and now Barney and Bluebell will live on forever representing Tailends to the world. I hope they are now together forever. They are both missed so very much.

Update 23 April 2007...

Amos Is Here!
Amos - arrived last night after his long journey from Ireland . He is very frail and has a massive hole in his mouth through to the nasal passage. He is such a sweet old man. A massive thank you to Sue and Alan Sellick who helped to get him here from Bristol and to Ann Keightly who brought him over from Ireland. Thank you to Dave Lee and Graham who also offered help and to Lisa at Greyhound Gap.

Update 12 April 2007...

Bluebell - Our dear sweet little girl left us on April 9th. She lived at Tailends for 3 years and two months, and in all that time she was never any problem and was happy and contented. She loved her cosy bed and always ate up all her meals when she came back from her walks. Bluebell came here after being taken to the vet to be put to sleep when her owner bought a large powerful dog who kept attacking her.

When she first came she was able to go off the lead quite quickly and raced around the beach and dunes in delight. Gradually she became less agile and was then content to have a slow ramble around the fields twice a day. She would come up to me for a cuddle and then wander back to her bed and fall asleep. You could not ask for a nicer girl. She was accompanied on her walks last year by little Arfa.

On Easter Sunday she went out as usual and ate her dinner. There was nothing to indicate that she was so near the end. At around 3am on the Monday morning she started to become agitated. I immediately went to see what was wrong but she seemed to be unaware of her surroundings. I sat with her until dawn and then rang my vet who came out to see her. Sadly as we walked up to her I realised that her breathing had stopped. She had slipped away just before the vet arrived. I am sure she knew nothing after the seizure, which I think must have been a stroke. Daisy May is feeling very sad after losing her two friends, Alison and Bluebell so close together. Clegg is doing his best to comfort her.

We are taking an elderly old boy from Ireland next weekend. He is not fit to travel at the moment. We are asking Bluebell's sponsors to perhaps consider continuing their sponsorship by helping this old man, who will be called Amos. I am sure this is what Bluebell would have wanted. She was such a kind girl and was always concerned about the others if they were ill. She is very much missed by everyone and I cannot get used to seeing her empty bed where she should be. We are so glad that we were able to share her final years and give her some joy. I hope there are some rabbits where she has gone as she loved to watch them but would never attempt to harm one.

Update 9 April 2007...

LITTLE & LARGE
Judy and Gracie are two dogs who arrived at Tailends on Saturday 7th April from Rotherham Dog Rescue. A Big Thank you to everyone who was involved in transporting these two girls the 300 miles from Rotherham to Croyde (especially during your Easter break). Thank you also to Dave for putting all these appeals onto the site so quickly. You are all stars!

Judy - is an elderly labrador who has come from a grim situation in Huddersfield dog pound where she was very depressed. She seemed to be very unhappy on arrival and we had difficulty getting her out of the car. However once she was in the garden with the other dogs her tail started to wag and her eyes lit up. She went for a little walk, ate a good supper of fresh chicken and vegetables and then curled up on a comfortable bed to sleep. Every now and again she opens her eyes and looks at me and then falls off to sleep again. She is seriously overweight and has large callouses on her legs and sore patches on her tail. Her ears are very mucky but this should be dealt with quickly. It would seem that she has been kept outside in kennels during her life and has had little exercise, but she is now very appreciative of some home comforts. It is a joy to see her stretched out relaxed and happy on a nice thick duvet.

Gracie - has also come from a dog pound. She is the most pathetic little scrap you cold imagine. She has large bald areas of black smelly skin on her back, the whole of her tummy and her tail. She seems to have cystitis and is very thin. The most urgent problem is her eyes. She seems to have an ulcer in her right eye and as I write she is on her way to the vet with George (Easter Sunday or not!). She is in obvious pain from her eyes and was awake most of the night although she stayed on her chair and did not complain. She is screwing her eyes up and they are very watery. She has chosen one of the arm chairs as her own special place and curls up there in a nice duvet. She is a very sweet little girl who has obviously suffered dreadful neglect in the past. She is now safe and receiving any treatment which she needs.

We will post updates on these two new girls. If anyone would like to sponsor them please let us know as they deserve some special friends after all they have been through.

Update 3 April 2007...

Dudley - I am heartbroken to have to tell everyone that our darling Dudley died yesterday April 2nd 2007 at 1pm. I am too choked to write much right now but will try in a few days. Just to say that he died at home surrounded by those he loved and that he did not suffer. This was the hardest thing but the disease had progressed and he needed my help so I could not fail him.

Tribute to an Unknown Greyhound
Last week Tailends was asked to take an elderly greyhound bitch who had been used for breeding in Ireland. Of course we immediately agreed. We then had a phone call to say that the owner had killed her as he was asked to pay the £30 fee to transport her to England. We found out too late and had no chance to pay this money to save her life. We do not know her name or anything about her but she had a place here and did not deserve to die so brutally after serving humans all her life - especially for the sake of £30. It is shameful how these poor dogs suffer and never get the veterinary attention they need, not even at the end. Most of the dogs racing on British tracks were bred in Ireland. Why does the industry not accept responsibility for what is going on?