Archived Documents 3rd Quarter 2007

Update 30 September 2007...

We received a call last Wednesday concerning an old bitch in Ireland who was going to be destroyed that week as she had failed to produce puppies after being put to stud. We had to move quickly and we will be forever grateful to Mark Panter and Graham Darker who offered to drive to Pembroke on Friday night after work, take the ferry to Rosslare in Ireland and collect this old girl. They returned on the ferry just two hours later and drove to Tailends arriving here at 6.30pm on Saturday 29th September. They then had to drive home to Northamptonshire! What a marathon!

Denise is a sweet brindle girl who has settled in very quickly after initial bewilderment. She has a very smelly mouth and several loose teeth. We will get her checked over by the vet tomorrow and book her in for an urgent dental and subsequent spaying. We would like to give a big thank you to Mark and Graham and also Mary Jane Fox who told us about Denise's plight and arranged for her to be released into our care.

THE WHAM DOG SHOW...

On Sunday 6th September the first WHAM (Woofers, Hounds and Mutts) fun dog show was held, not only to help with raising awareness of responsible dog ownership in Thurrock, but to raise money for two very worthy charities and have fun in the process. One of the charities was Tailends, which I had heard about after helping with organising transport for Dudley via The Labrador Forums.

The original date for the show was in May, but we had to cancel on the day due to appalling weather conditions. This particular Sunday however was the total opposite! The Sun shone from the moment we got there to the last dog going home at 5pm.

With all the marvellous weather came the crowds and we estimate we had over 300 people and their dogs, and as our name suggests, we had nearly every kind of dog there. Everyone was out for a great day and the dogs seemed to be enjoying it too. The fancy dress was my favourite class after the Best Rescue. The costumes were amazing and people had obviously gone to a lot of trouble and effort.

As well as the dog show we had stalls selling various bits and prices to raise money for other rescues and organisations and these seemed to go down very well.

Our thanks have to go out to all the committee of WHAM, Gateway FM for providing the PA system and fabulous entertainers, Paula for lending us the generator and Davy Down Trust for allowing us to hold the event in the park.

With it being such a great success and enabling us to raise £1000 for the two charities we were able to give a cheque to Angela for £500. We hope to raise even more money next year and will be nominating Tailends again as one of next year’s charities on Sunday 14th September 2008.

Natalie Pomroy

Tailends would like to thank Natalie and everyone involved in making the WHAM show such a success and raising such a fantastic sum for the care of the old dogs here at Tailends. We really appreciate all the hard work involved in organising and running such an event especially when the May show had to be cancelled at extremely short notice due to flooding. We would also like to thank Cheryl Nolan who ran the Tailends’ stall so brilliantly. A big woof of thanks from all the Tailends’ hounds to everyone who worked so hard. What a lovely tribute to Dudley who was such a special boy and will always hold a very special place in the hearts of all who knew him. We will be using some of the money raised to pay for treatment for Mollie’s diabetes. The rest will be used for medication needed for the other dogs and perhaps a few bags of tripe sticks as a special treat.

Angela

WHAM Dog Show At Davy Downs...

What a lovely day. The sun was shining, but not too hot for the dogs, loads of dogs of all shapes and sizes to cuddle, and we met some lovely people (even some we had previously seen at the Brentwood show earlier in the year would you believe) – all with the same passion – the welfare of our four legged friends!

We had a smashing day and as I said the sun was shining (unlike the first time we tried to do this event in May when it was blowing a force 9 gale and lashing it down with rain!!!) so much so that we went off and purchased a new all weather marquee tent!!! The marquee was brilliant and has, over the SUMMER (!), been worth its weight in gold but because of the larger much heavier structure we can’t fit the marquee and the two boys (greyhounds) into the car. So the boys went to stay with friends (three more greyhounds and their adoring companions Stella and Gerald) and generally had the time of their lives!!! I have to admit it did make it easier not having to worry about them but we did miss having them with us.

We did a bottle and bear tombola (which we gathered and stored over the months) which seemed to go down pretty well, but next year I think we will just do a bottle tombola and maybe some home made dog treats which may go down better than bears!!! We also had a table designated solely to information about Tailends and details of the sponsor dogs with a small selection of assorted cards and notelets. We did get quite a lot of interest in Tailends and what they did and gave out a fair amount of information which was nice and hopefully Tailends will benefit from a sponsor or two. We arrived quite early in the morning but that was nice because it gave you time to set up at your own pace and of course have a chat with the people we had already met in May. The organiser of the event was brilliant, nothing was too much trouble and everyone helping on the day that we spoke to was really helpful. They obviously have a soft spot for Tailends – quite right too. Davy Downs is a lovely location with lots of dog walkers passing through – and best yet, lovely clean loos!!! and I know that may seem be bit sad, but when you spend the day in the middle of a field there is nothing more important than the loos and the coffee!!! both of which came up trumps!

Needless to say I forgot the camera which is a shame because the stall did look good, we had done a nice big bright TAILENDS banner and also had an ‘A’ board out front showing what Tailends was all about. The commentator for the day came over and asked lots of questions about Tailends and gave us a nice plug encouraging folks to come and have a go. All in all we had a great day, everyone we spoke to was friendly and Sean and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and we made a bit of money too. God (and Stella and Gerald) willing we would love to do it again next year.

Sean and Cheryl

A huge thank you to Cheryl & Sean for all their hard work in organising and running the stall for us. I so agree about the loos and coffee at these events. The WHAM Dog Show was a great success on every level and brilliantly organised. Cheryl and Sean sent us a cheque for £173 which was absolutely fantastic. The money will be used to pay for Mollie to be spayed and for Charlie’s antibiotics needed for a persistent mouth ulcer, which is at last showing signs of improvement after weeks of treatment and lots of brushing.
Angela

Update 14 September 2007...

Mollie is here. She arrived on Tuesday 11th September at 7am after the long trip from Ireland. I had to put her straight into the bath as she was lying on a blanket soaked by her urine on the long journey to Bristol. She had ear mites which I have treated quickly with canaural, and a deformed ear (due to an untreated haematoma) as well as being painfully thin and blind, possibly due to lack of treatment for diabetes by her previous owner. She was on the top tier of cages and our good friend Ronnie had to reach up to get her out and the pool of urine went all over him. Lovely! That is true dedication especially as he drove all the way to Bristol and met the transporter at 3am at a lay-by which he did not know. Tailends will now insist that we oversee all the arrangements for dogs travelling to us and that they come in private cars or rescue vehicles only. The sort of dog who needs to come here (ill, old, abused) should not be expected to travel in anything other than the best available comfort and not in a multiple transporter. A big thank you must go to our hero, Ronnie Callegari for giving up his time and a night's sleep to help Mollie.

Mollie had very low blood sugar - only 2 and quite dangerous. I gave her some biscuits to get it up a bit and we have to reduce the insulin. I did a urine test first thing on Thursday and realised there was no glucose at all present. Our vet did a blood sugar test. Mollie is going on Monday morning for another blood sugar test and I will monitor it over weekend with urine tests. If she is stable on Monday we will go ahead with a glucose curve on Thursday where she will stay all day for tests every 2 hrs to see how she is doing. Then if all is ok we propose to spay her the following week, as a season could seriously affect the diabetes and a chemical spay could be fatal. Her sight can be restored and we are in communication with a specialist ophthalmic vet in Exmouth. He has quoted us £2,000 to operate to remove the cataracts from both eyes. We will be having a special appeal for Mollie to get her sight back. Normally we accept that elderly dogs often lose their sight and adapt very well, but Mollie's condition is different and her sight can possibly be totally restored. Our vet said her sight probably went very suddenly and bearing in mind this dog was wandering as a stray and having to find her own food, it must have been terrifying. I think she deserves a chance.

Mollie is now wearing a badge to say she is diabetic in case of emergency. She is very happy though and loves it here. She is so grateful to be cared for. She is trying out all the dog beds but also likes lying in the sunshine. The other dogs all like her and seem to know she has been through a bad time too. A big thank you to Mary for rescuing Mollie and caring for her in Ireland and also to Ronnie for going to so much trouble to help her.

Ben has had another Cushing's test and needs the dose of treatment adjusted. He will need further testing in two weeks. His kidneys are deteriorating with raised urea levels but are not affecting him too much as yet.

Judy had to be rushed to the vet on Wednesday as her face suddenly swelled up (possibly after a sting) making her look like a bull dog. She was given an injection and piriton and is recovering nicely. Her thyroid insufficiency test was fine and she will not need retesting for six months.

Charlie has a nasty ulcer in his mouth which has not responded to antibiotics or regular tooth brushing. It has affected his appetite which is usually fine. He is now on a different antibiotic but if there is still no improvement he will need to have a biopsy done to find out what is going on.

Dolly had a tracheal endoscopy yesterday to check for tumours as she has still got a persistent choking cough which has not responded to treatment. Happily all was clear but a bronchial wash and mucous smear was done and sent off for lab checks. She is such a happy little girl though blood tests have revealed raised liver enzymes. She has malignant mammary tumours which cannot be removed but we are hoping she will have many more months to enjoy herself on the beach before the disease progresses.

Update 6 September 2007...

Gracie - Our beloved Gracie tragically died last week. Michelle (her new mum) and I are both grief-stricken at her untimely death. The story of her life since coming to Tailends, and a tribute to her from Michelle can be read by following Gracie's link on the Gone But Not Forgotten page. This has been the saddest week ever at Tailends.

Update 4 September 2007...

Daisy May - It is with a very heavy heart that I write to tell everyone of the death on Sunday morning of our beloved Daisy May. She has been ill for some months and was diagnosed with Cushing's Disease in the spring. A scan revealed an enlarged adrenal gland and delicate surgery to remove the gland was successful. However she still continued to give me concern and further tests showed that she had a substantial thyroid insufficiency, which was then treated with appropriate medication. This did not work as well as we had hoped so the dose was repeatedly increased until her thyroid levels started to come up. She still did not seem to be well and last Friday she went to the veterinary hospital for another blood test and x-rays of her chest and abdomen. Her mouth was cleaned up as she seemed to be getting pain from this area. She had some spondulitis in her neck but nothing showed up which could account for what I was observing. Daisy continued to deteriorate after coming home on Saturday. She had a restless night and did not seem to know me when I lay beside her to try to give her some comfort. Eventually she slipped into a deep sleep and never woke again. I am in total shock at her loss. We now believe Daisy had a brain tumour. I have vowed that if I am ever faced with a dog in a similar situation I will get an MRI scan done, as there is no other way to find out if there is a problem with the brain. We are unlikely to be able to cure such a case but at least we can make informed decisions about proceeding with treatment for known conditions. I would never try to prolong the life of a dog who was seriously deteriorating. I tried to do the best I could for Daisy May and I truly thought we were going to restore her to health but it was not to be. We all did everything we could but still we failed her. My dear sweet girl. I am so sorry. I loved you so much and grieve at your loss. You have now left your diseased body and are with us in spirit as we walk your familiar paths and sands. One day we will make sense of all this. Goodbye for now dear Daisy May.

Special Challenge for September ONLY...

1st September until 30th September, a challenge is taking place on the TRPD PCP forum between the Sales Team and the Production Team. The Production Team will be playing to win prizes for Tailends.

Naturally, they hope to win, but even if they don’t, they should be able to win some items for us from another TRPD group – the Singer Circle – if they reach the weekly production targets, which they should easily manage, machines willing! Could you take part and help Tailends?

The Production Team’s store for this challenge can be found here, but only sales made during September will count.

Update 28 August 2007...

Frodo - Our big gentle unassuming boy died peacefully on Saturday 25th August just before 9pm. He became restless earlier in the evening and seemed to be distressed. I gave him some Tramadol and rang the vet, who came out straight away. We are grateful to Joss Hawkins, the duty vet, for coming out so promptly. We knew there was no treatment which could help our dear boy, so I held him in my arms as he slipped away without a murmur. I am heartbroken at losing such a sweet friend who had so little time to enjoy the comforts and love which he had never had. He came to us with so many health problems and because they had not been treated by his previous owner, it was too late for us to save him. We all miss you so much my darling boy, especially your special friends Amos and Daisy May. You deserved better than this. Sleep tight Frodo. We will meet again in a better place where you are now reunited with Seth and Duke. Just three months ago these three dogs were living in miserable conditions. Now they are all dead. May their owner suffer as they did.

Update 26 August 2007...

Frodo had another urine test this week which showed no improvement on the last one. He was therefore taken for an ultrasound scan on Thursday. The result was not good. It showed the presence of a tumour in his left kidney and the right kidney had shrunk and was almost invisible. Alison said that this is due to a neglected infection which was never treated. He has been on antibiotics for seven days and there was a slight improvement in his urea and creatin figures. He is still eating and she said that as he is bright and seems happy he could come home, on Tramadol and synulox for his last days until he deteriorates. This is not what we wanted for our dear boy. The other two dogs who were rescued with Frodo have both now died. It is disgraceful that the previous owner of these three dogs has not been prosecuted over his neglect of these greyhounds.

Daisy went to the vet for tests on Tuesday to discover why she is still so poorly and lethargic. Her thyroid level has actually increased to about 11 from the previous 2.3 so there is some improvement. I am pleased to say that the Cushing's test was still negetive, so the surgery has cured that problem. She will be tested again in one month and meanwhile we will double her dose of thyroxin.

Black Slazenger Caps. Cleggie is modelling one of our trendy new caps which arrived this week. Visit the Gifts page using the link below.

TAILENDS CALENDARS
There will be a limited number of Tailends Calendars 2008. If you would like one please email asap so that we can reserve one for you.

Please checkout our Gifts page, for news of our 2007 Christmas Cards, along with some lovely new items. Just click on the link above - thanks.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS - SEE EVENTS PAGE FOR DETAILS
Northants Greyhound Gala is coming up on Sept 2nd. The WHAM Dog Show is a week later on Sept 9th at Davy Down near Lakeside shopping centre (Nr London.) The sponsored Dog Walk along the Tarka Trail is being held on October 14th - meeting at 10am at Barnstaple railway station.

Update 17 August 2007...

Frodo is very poorly and was taken to the vet on Tuesday for blood and urine tests. His kidneys are seriously deteriorating as the high creatin level showed. He also has blood and casts in his urine indicating a bladder infection. Frodo is now having a course of antibiotics and we are also using tramadol to alleviate pain from his spinal problems. He is responding well and today seemed brighter and went out for a walk and ate some turkey and sardines for his breakfast. Please keep Frodo and Amos in your thoughts and prayers.

Update 8 August 2007...

Poppy - Needed to have all four canine teeth removed duing her dental last Friday (August 3rd). She was a little poorly for a few days but is now recovered. The stitches in her gums are dissolvable so hopefully she wil not need further treatment.

Ben - We are waiting for the results of his latest Cushings' test which was done on Monday.

Dolly - Brilliant news as the chest x-ray was clear. We hope the Mammary tumours will not be too aggressive and Dolly can now enjoy her final months at Tailends.

Update 1 August 2007...

HEALTH UPDATES 31ST JULY 2007
Dolly went to the vet yesterday. Not good news. The huge lump on her neck is not thought to be a problem, but the large mammary lumps are almost certainly malignant and may have spread already. A mammary strip procedure is not an option due to her age and the fact that it is probably too late to stop this spreading. Her teeth are very bad and are probably the cause of the high levels of white cells in her blood. X- rays are needed to see if the cancer has spread to her lungs as she is quite wheezy. Both her eyes have cataracts, one quite large, the other not so bad. She is also deaf. Dolly has had horrible diarrhea since arriving. Alison thinks this could be a result of her rotten teeth and she is now on Metranidazole antibiotic. Alison feels that her teeth are a priority and she has been booked in on Friday. However her chest will be x-rayed first to ensure that there is no tumour present.

Judy, Daisy May and Poppy . Their thyroid test results have come through today. The normal level is between 17-54. Judy is 17, on the lower side of normal. Daisy May is 2.3 which is extremely low. The medication will now be doubled and another test will be done in one month. This certainly explains why Daisy is still so lethargic while Judy is making quite good progress. Poppy is going to have a dental on Friday.

Ben Is going to have a test on Monday 6th August after 10 days on Vetoryl treatment for his Cushing's disease. We are hoping there will be improvement.

Update 29 July 2007...

Dolly arrived at Tailends yesterday (Saturday 28th July). We know very little about her past except that she was saved from destruction in a South Yorkshire dog pound. She is a very old girl with mammory tumours and a large lump on her neck. She was very depressed in the kennels and just wanted to lie in her bed all the time. Now her tail is wagging and she has already been to see the sea. She is booked in for a check at our vet tomorrow when we will find out more about her health issues. She has an upset tummy, but this could be a result of the stressful journey which lasted over 8 hours due to unexpected traffic hold ups. We would like to thank Tracey, Andrea, Gaby and Lynne for giving up their time yesterday to help transport this little old girl to Tailends. We will post more information on her when she has been here a few days.

Update 25 July 2007...

Ben is now much better after three days at the veterinary hospital. He was tested for Cushing's Disease last Thursday and the results came back positive. It is thought to be the pituitary type which is not curable but can be kept under control. (It is caused by a tumour - usually benign - on the pituitary gland in the brain. He is now starting on treatment and we hope this will make our little boy more comfortable.

Frodo is causing some concern. He was examined by Simon, the specialist vet at the new hospital at Roundswell. He diagnosed that Frodo's spinal discs were bulging and creating pressure on the nerve cord, causing pain. He is resting and does not want to exercise at all but is eating well enough. We are giving pain relief and hope that he will soon be feeling better. He loved his walks on the beach and it is so sad that he cannot come with us now. We have been told that after three weeks of limited exercise he may recover enough to get to the beach again.

Judy and Daisy May - our two girls with thyroid insufficiency are off to the vet tomorrow for blood tests to check on their progress on the drug. Judy is doing fine but Daisy is not making the progress we all expected. Hopefully we will find out more this week as to how we can help her further.

Possible New Arrivals...

We have been asked to take two old dogs from a Yorkshire dog pound. It seems they have both been dumped on the streets by their uncaring owners. More details and photos when they arrive.

Update 11 July 2007...

Ben became quite ill at around 10pm last night. He had bad diarrhoea and started to drink large amounts of water. I thought he might have somehow picked up a stomach bug and hoped he would settle down to sleep. However he started to vomit during the night so we took him to the vet. His temperature was normal and a blood test showed that his kidney failure was no worse. The vet who was on duty thought that he had several of the symptoms of Cushing's Disease. (I cannot believe that we might have yet another case of this.) Ben was put on a drip this morning and given antibiotics and an anti sickness drug. However he is quite poorly and is still being sick this evening (July 10th) when I rang earlier to check on him. The other dogs all wonder where he is and even Clegg has been looking for him, even though he moans at him sometimes. Ben is such a mummy's boy and trots behind me everywhere I go. He is in the best hands at the veterinary hospital and we hope he will be feeling better tomorrow and soon be back home.

Daisy has been making a slow recovery but at last she is starting to want to go out for walks to the beach again. Today is the first day for months that she went on two walks.

Judy is making good progress now that she is being treated for thyroid insufficiency. Also her leg is recovering from the implant surgery and her walks are gradually getting longer. She now rushes into the hall after her morning walk to wait for Kelvin, our postman, who usually has a pocket full of biscuits. As soon as she hears him come through the gate she hurls herself down the path to meet him.

Amos - There has been no reoccurrence of the nose bleed of two weeks ago and he is doing very well. He is ready for his walk on the beach first thing in the morning and really enjoys himself. When I let him off lead he rushes off in delight at the freedom to do what he likes. A kind lady in Ireland is doing Reiki healing for him. We take each day as it comes and hope our dear boy will have many more happy days.