Archived Documents 3rd Quarter 2008

Update 30 September 2008...

Visitors to Tailends - I have again been pleased to welcome visitors to Tailends to see the dogs and what we are trying to do here. It was lovely to see Frank and Hazel Brown last week. They have been helping us for years but this was the first time we had met. I would like to give a big thank you to everyone who took food and bedding etc to Frank at the Northants Greyhound Gala so that he could bring it all down to us. Everything is very welcome and being used for the dogs. Boris was in one bed before it even got indoors! He is delighted with it and forbids anyone else to use it.

It was also great to see Alison and Marian whose Midsummer Madness Garden Party raised such a wonderful sum for us. We are so lucky to have such lovely people supporting us and we really appreciate the kindness shown by so many supporters.

We also had a visit from Olga and Pauline from Wales. They help with Lizzie's Barn Sanctuary which is local to them and assisted with the transport of Cindy to Tailends. They were delighted to see her again and take her for a walk on the beach with Wilfred.

Thank you to everyone who has brought things for our dogs or donated to help with the veterinary costs. I cannot name everyone here but please know how appreciative I am. We look forward to seeing Jan from Gloucester next week and David and Jean from London later in the month.

If you would like to visit Tailends please give as much notice as possible and try to come before noon as afternoons get quite busy with so many walks, feeding etc. Walks alone take between 6 and 7 hours daily, and each dog is fed individually so that ears, eyes, teeth and medications can be done at the same time, so we are always busy.

The Tailends Autumn Newsletter should be finished (EEK) and ready to post by the middle of October. If you would like a copy please let me know. It will not be put on the website as it is too bulky. I will also be sending out the latest Sponsor pack and Merchandise sheet with it. I have not included the calendars and Christmas cards as the numbers are limited but if you would like any do let me know in good time. Don't forget we have greeting cards which are much nicer than those you buy in the shops and cheaper too. We have some new pens for stocking fillers and supra fleece hats for those chilly days when your ears turn blue! T shirts and sweat shirts in heather grey and a few in navy blue in all sizes from small to XXXL.

Candlewick Bedspreads - I am very short of these and they are quite scarce now. If you have one in reasonable condition to put over a sofa for the dogs to lie on please let me know. Double or king size please. Thank you.

A Few Updates - Denise is doing very well after her drastic dental though the effects of her spinal arthritis is more obvious and she sometimes opts out of the beach walk in the morning. She cannot run and leap around in the dunes, like she did when she came but she is coming to terms with getting old as we all have to. She loves the sofa and lies upside down with her mouth permanently open in a silly grin.

Boris is so happy to be here he is continually in a state of amazement and looks as if he is constantly laughing at everything around him. I fear his life has been very grim. He is so different to how he was when he came. You would hardly recognise him. His leaking problem is still unresolved and maybe never will be. However I will continue to manage it with nappies and waterproof sheets etc. It does not stop him smiling all the time.

Gloria slowly deteriorates but careful management of her time and use of anti-inflamatories help to maintain her quality of life and prevent excessive suffering from arthritic pain. She prefers to lie in until all the walks are finished and then she gets up for her weetabix and short stroll around the field. She wears her warm coat at night now that the autumnal chill is in the air.

Cindy is doing amazingly well considering her condition. She is determined to make the most of every precious day she has with us. She bounces around the beach each morning and then scans the dunes for rabbit movement on the way home.

Fund Raising - Mary Giles recently did a table top sale to raise funds for Tailends. We am very grateful for her efforts on behalf of our dogs. The money will be spent on food for the dogs here.

This is what Mary wrote:- Well I prayed for good weather for the day of my table top sale but the sun shone so brightly that everyone decided to make the most of the garden and even the beach I believe, as the shoppers were very few on the ground. I made £24.45 with an added £5.00 donation - £29.45 in total. A little disappointing but every little bit helps I am sure!

Thank you Mary. It certainly will!

Update 14 September 2008...

Lily - The Collie - Thank you to everyone who contacted me about Lily. The wonderful news is that she went off to her lovely new home on Thursday and is now absolutely adored by her new friend. She is the most affectionate and good-natured of dogs and yet she would have died in the dog pound if nobody had come forward to offer her a home. Thanks go to Mandy who helped and transported Lily on the last leg of her journey and to Linda who has given her a lovely home. The photo shows her on her way to her new home.

Bill - The Jack Russell - Bill has also gone to an excellent home this week. He will live in a nice house with three acres of garden and someone at home all day to care for him. This is brilliant news for this sad little chap who will now be transformed into a happy boy with his own special person at last.

Denise had a rather drastic dental this week and had five rotten teeth removed including two canines. She is making a good recovery although she now has some rather large holes in her mouth. She also had x-rays to find out what was causing her problems with mobility. There is some flattening of the right hip joint and some spondylosis around the lumbar-sacral junction. She is now having previcox for pain relief and theopylline for lower airway disease.

Boris has been leaking badly this week so I decided to have him scanned to check out what exactly was going on. He has a long-standing prostate problem and a urinary infection. The ultrasonography showed lots of debris in the bladder including red and white blood cells but thankfully no stones or tumours. His prostate has reduced to a third of its original size following castration but it does have some cystic changes within its structure which possibly indicates an infection deep within it. He is now being treated with Baytril antibiotics for two weeks and he will then have another urine test. I am also using cystaid capsules which seemed to help Alison when she had bladder problems. Boris is such a character and behaved impeccably while in the vet hospital. The vet nurses thought he was a lovely boy to look after. The leaking is difficult to manage but with lots of spare covers for the beds and by using towels, disinfectant spray and vigilance I am coping with it. The washing machine is even busier than normal! I am trying to avoid using a nappy at this stage but it may become necessary if there is little improvement in the situation.

Lastly why not checkout the 'Gifts' page as we've added some new bits. You can also download the Tailends Merchandise Catalogue from there for easy reference.

Update 11 September 2008...

Help Needed - Due to unforeseen circumstances Tailends has nobody to run a stall for us on Sunday 14th September at the WHAM show. If anyone can spare the time and lives near enough to the Davey Down location, near Lakeside, please let me know asap if you can help - thanks.

Help Needed - If you live near Birmingham, Perry Barr RGT are holding their annual dog show on Saturday 11th October - it is an indoor event and Ruth has offered Tailends a stand if we can find anyone to run it. It will be at Solihull Riding Club, which is minutes off Junction 4 of the M42. Please let me know if you could help. It would be a great opportunity to raise much needed funds and also to increase awareness of the welfare issues involved with racing greyhounds. Ring 01271 890689 or email.

Very Urgent- I have just been told about an 11 year old collie who is due to be put to sleep in the next few days if no home is available. I simply do not have space to take her here but am endeavouring to find somewhere for her asap. CAN YOU HELP? She is healthy, mobile, eating well and has a lovely face - smiling at you all the time. She is black and white semi longhaired. Please ring me or email asap.

Cindy - I am so pleased with her progress. The vet said the wound has healed better than she thought as it was such a large tumour to remove. The stitches are all out now and Cindy is enjoying her walks to the beach again. She is eating and sleeping well and bouncing around as if she were fit and well. Whatever time she has will be filled with comfort and love. We can only hope she will be with us for months to come.

Boris - He is also doing well. He still loves his food but is not quite so manic about it as he used to be. He even leaves small amounts in his bowl sometimes. He is a very happy lad who is learning the routines and is always ready for a walk. He does still leak and this may be a long-term problem but it is manageable and hopefully will gradually be resolved.

Denise - She went to the vet for a check this week after becoming quite lame on her front right leg. She was found to have arthritis in her right shoulder and in a toe on her right foot so she is now joining the "Previcox Group". I can see a difference already. Her teeth are getting bad again so she is off for another dental next Wednesday. She had 15 teeth out when she came nearly a year ago and her mouth was in a bad state. I have found that however much I try to stop the rot by brushing and using powders etc they still seem to need regular dental treatment when they have suffered years of decay and neglect.

Flower - Tragically this is one little girl who did not make it to Tailends. She was abandoned as a stray and taken to the dog pound by the warden. Sadly she received no treatment or pain relief at the pound although she was obviously ill and her long coat was filthy and matted with foul smelling excrement. I agreed to take her at Tailends but on the morning of her journey she became so ill that she was put to sleep. Sweet dreams little Flower. Your spirit will join the others who have left us, even though your body never reached our care. Your story is so typical of the thousands of old dogs who never receive any kindness from humans until it is too late. Your suffering is over but you deserved better in this life. Thank you to Val for trying to help you and giving you some love and care in your final days.

Bill - is an older Jack Russell who was rescued from the dog pound when his statutory week was up. He had to be the saddest looking, most lost and confused old timer in the pound. He has very limited sight but the vet has given him a clean bill of health. He likes nothing more than having a cuddle. He is happy to go to the park on his lead and sniff around in the long grass. He likes to meet people and friendly dogs. He is good with children. He never grumbles but is just content to potter around and enjoys rides in a car. He knows where the water bowl is and eats all his food. He moves around quite slowly as his sight is so poor but he is clean and goes out into the garden when necessary. Bill is a delight to have around. He is so quiet and placid and wags his stumpy little tail when he sees you. Could anyone give this poor little dog a chance and offer him a home for his remaining years? He would be so grateful and make the best friend you could ever have. Ring Jacquie 0794 6618011

Howard - Mel Shepherd has again kindly sent me some miniatures of a picture, which she has drawn for me of Howard. If anyone would like one please email me asap.

Tailends Calendar 2009 - I have a very limited number of calendars available. Please contact me if you would like one. They are £7 each (inc p&p) and feature Tailends dogs.

Update 29 August 2008...

Cindy had surgery last Wednesday to remove a massive tumour which had grown very rapidly and was seeping fluid. The vet also removed another tumour in the same area. She is doing very well and the stitches will be removed early next week. It is a very long wound and she has been confined to the garden for exercise while it is healing to avoid damage through excessive movement of her hind legs. Cindy is still very cheerful and happy and eating well. I know that there are other tumours and that the cancer will eventually spread, but at present it has not reached her lungs and is not causing her any distress or preventing her from having a good quality of life. Once the stitches are removed I hope she will be able to resume her walks on the beach each morning. I will endeavour to ensure that her remaining months are full of fun, tasty meals and plenty of home comforts. She certainly deserves this time. Thank you to the kind people who have sent donations to help with Cindy's care. She sends everyone a big hug and sloppy kiss. (Anyone who has met her will confirm this.)

Boris is doing very well and is learning the routines of Tailends so that he now knows food is going to appear at regular intervals and he does not have to eat as if every meal was his last. He actually left a little in his bowl this morning. He has been very active over the last two weeks since arriving but is now reverting to the sleepy old man which he really is and taking life in a much more relaxed manner. He still likes his walks but has opted out of the longer beach walk in favour of a more leisurely stroll around the fields with Jack. He likes to sleep in the magnotherapy crate as it provides him with his own private space as he gradually gets used to living in a multi-dog household. His ears are almost perfectly clean now and he does not leak urine much at all as his prostate gradually shrinks and his bladder can return to normal.

Be sure to check out the new photos in the Gallery!

Update 20 august 2008...

Cindy - Terrible news today (August 20th). We had to rush Cindy to the vet early this morning when the very big mammary lump started to bleed and become nasty. The vet had already warned that it was malignant when she arrived a month ago but there was no way of telling how long it would be stable. Now she had two choices. Either put Cindy to sleep today or operate to remove this huge tumour. This would hopefully give her a few months of normal good quality life. She has previously been kept outside and had a poor quality of life but since being here she has been a lively bouncy fun loving affectionate girl. The operation is a risk but her chest was clear on X-ray and her heart and general health is good. She has put on 2kg since being here - just one month. Please keep Cindy in your thoughts and prayers today as our vet, Alison Hume, operates to try to remove as much of this malignant tissue as possible. Cindy has been so well and full of beans that I had no idea that this would happen so quickly.

Update 18 August 2008...

Boris arrived at Tailends on Tuesday August 12th at around 5pm. I am so grateful to all the marvellous people who transported him all the way from Lancashire to Devon. Boris would like to thank Alison, Roz, Sue, Lynne and Ronnie for giving up their precious time and helping him - all at their own expense - not a small thing in these days of such high petrol prices. You are all very special people without whom dogs like Boris would die a sad lonely death in a bleak dog pound. He owes his life to the compassion of so many lovely people including of course those involved with Rochdale Dog Rescue who work tirelessly every week to prevent so many dogs being put to sleep when their week in the pound is up. Boris is a real character and is nothing like the quiet sad fellow who was observed in the pound to be sleeping all day. He loves his food and devoured a whole Nature Diet this morning with some scrambled eggs. Yesterday he went to the vet for a check. His urine was very white and showed that he had a bad urinary infection which is now being treated with antibiotics. He is leaking urine quite badly and this is probably due to his very enlarged prostate gland. He was castrated yesterday and the prostate should now shrink back to normal and hopefully this will improve things for him. The blood profile was fairly clear except for anaemia - which is probably due to poor diet. He has probably spent a lot of his time with an empty tummy and now really appreciates having a nice bowl of tasty food twice a day (or maybe three times). This morning he came to the beach for his first sight of the sea. He managed the walk fine and his legs are quite strong and not showing signs of arthritis. He seems to be quite deaf though his sight is ok. Boris has a buster collar on at the moment as he has got into the habit of continually licking this area so I feel a moon collar would probably not work. I do not like Buster collars but think in this case it is essential. It does not seem to bother him in the least. He is just so pleased to be here. Boris has been wormed and defleaed. He has had a bad case of worms but he should soon be feeling much better. He loves the comfort of the memory beds. I doubt he has had anything so comfy before in his life. Boris will not be put on the sponsor list but donations towards his care are always welcome.

Mollie is still very overweight in spite of her strict diet. There is a possibility that she has a thyroid problem or maybe even Cushings disease, which can be associated with diabetes. Our vet thinks Cushings unlikely as she is so stable and showing no signs of illness or stress. However we will get her checked when she goes for a glucose curve in a month's time and continue to hope that her weight starts to reduce before then. She exercises well and runs around the beach each morning but it is not good for her to be overweight so we need to find the reason.

Arwen had a dental on Wednesday 13th August. She needed two extractions and a good clean but generally her mouth was not too bad. Her canines tend to get mucky quite quickly so I will step up the brushing in this area. Arwen is such a sweet girl but still has this fear of strangers. I know she has had some bad experiences but here she is happy and relaxed and enjoying the comfortable beds after her walks. I hope that she will be able to go off lead soon but am waiting until Croyde gets quieter in September when the camp sites close and the holiday makers return home. Then it will be safer to try some of the newer dogs off lead.

Emma's recent thyroid check showed that the problem is still not totally resolved. I am increasing her dose of Forthyron and will get another check done in a month's time. Emma is a delightful girl. She is so good-natured and loves everyone. She gets quite tired now and does not go on the longer walks every day. A shorter stroll around the fields suits her better now.

Amos Miniatures - Mel Shepherd has again used her great artistic skills to produce a lovely drawing of my dear Amos. She has also sent me some miniatures of the picture for me to sell. If anyone would like one of these very special pictures could they let me know by phone or email. They are mounted and ready to go in a frame approx. 13cms x 9.5cms.

Update 8 August 2008...

Homes Wanted - Three brindle greyhounds will be looking for homes in about 2 weeks. They are aged 12 and 13yrs and two of them are thought to be cat friendly. They are being fostered at present and are no trouble at all and with no real health problems. All three are neutered and house trained. Two are quite lively girls while the boy is a little quieter. Please email me if you want more information on these lovely dogs. They are situated in the Essex area.

Poppy was examined by the vet and found to have arthritis in her hips and a problem with one knee. The cruciate ligament is not ruptured at present and hopefully she will not need treatment as long as she does not overdo it! She is slowing down a lot on her walks but still loves her daily bathe in the Cryyda.

Cindy could not be spayed as she came into season the day of her visit to the vet. Happily the x-rays showed that her lungs were clear. I have decided not to have surgery done in view of her age and the fact that she would need quite a drastic procedure. She is fine and active and enjoying her life here. She gets on with everyone and is eager to please. Cindy is learning all about living indoors with our little community. She is putting on weight and her bones are now covered and not so visible as before. Her coat is clean and soft after her bath and of course she smells a bit fresher! I will of course continue to monitor her condition and make a decision in November as to whether to have her spayed or continue with the injections instead.

Boris - I have agreed to take another old lad following a request from Rochdale Dog Rescue. He is called Boris by the Dog Pound (though I keep referring to him as Bruce for some reason). He is thought to be deaf though not senile. He was picked up as a stray last Monday and is due to be PTS on Tuesday so that is the day when he will be transported to tailends unless of course his owner comes forward. More details on him later. He will not be on the sponsor list as we are going to keep to the present number of dogs available for sponsorship to control the administration involved.

Rochdale Dog Rescue - I would just like to pay tribute to these dedicated people who work tirelessly in every spare moment they have to save the lives of dogs brought into the dog pounds. The conditions in the pounds are far from comfortable and the dogs have just 7 days and then are put to sleep if the owner does not come forward. Most are picked up as strays, thrown out by their owners who do not want them anymore or handed in to the pound - in which case they do not need to be kept for the statutory time. I have a great deal of respect for Rochdale Dog Rescue as they have organised themselves to undertake the massive job of saving these poor creatures and finding places in rescues for them. It is an endless task which is currently made so much more difficult by the irresponsible breeding and subsequent abandonment of staffies and other bull breeds. They perform their life-saving work with great compassion and professionalism.

Sammie is one of the cats which are fed and given shelter at Tailends if needed. He had obviously been abandoned at some stage and I have been caring for him as best I could for the last few years. During that time he has become tame enough to handle and he behaved impeccably on visits to the vet. I decided to fax out his details to vets in the area to try to find a proper home for him. He has a heated cat house here and also food, shelter, flea treatment etc. However he could not come in the main house because of the hounds, some of which could have been a threat to him. Last Saturday, following a visit to the vet for a dental, blood test and a successful home check by Chris Deakon (who generously gave up his time and drove to Tavistock for us), Sammie went off to his new home. He has to be kept in for three weeks which is not easy as he has had his total freedom for several years when staying here. However he is making good progress so hopefully he will now have that warm home and a lap to curl up on this winter which he so deserves.

Gloria - We have had a small miracle with Gloria who is now completely back to normal, apart from the arthritis of course. She is eating well and still insisting in her tablets being given in ice cream. A massive thank you to Suzie Scott who heard that Gloria was ill and instantly started to make some special biscuits which Gloria had always liked. These were the first thing which she ate when I was giving up hope and had offered her everything I could think of - failing to tempt her with all sorts of tasty foods. She then never looked back! Last night she insisted I sit on the floor as she wanted my chair. When the pawing at my leg did not work she started to speak in her special language which has to be obeyed. Of course I gave in to her. As she said - she had been very ill!

Tweenie went off to the vet for her chemical spay injection this week and was weighed and checked over. She had put on weight yet again and is now nearly 6 kg. Her heart problem seems to be stable and she is going for two good walks each day and eating well despite her 17 yrs and being blind and deaf.

Update 25 July 2008...

Dolly - Melanie Shepherd always does a beautiful drawing of each Tailender who has left us. She has also done some miniatures for us to sell. If anyone would like a small drawing of Dolly please let me know and I will send you one.

Judy is now very much back to her normal self. She is still on the medication but seems happy enough despite the dodgy bowel movements. There may be something nasty going on in her intestinal tract but at present it is not causing her any problems. She continues to throw her weight around and tease everyone who will take any notice. She has lost 5kg in weight which will do no harm.

Poppy has become very lame in recent days. She is going to see Simon tomorrow (Friday) to find out exactly what is the cause. (Simon is the referral vet for back/joint problems and head of the small animal department of the Charter vet group.) Poppy still behaves like a naughty puppy but her age is now becoming more apparent. She has some very large masses in different areas but the vet thinks they are benign and not cause for worry.

Cindy was examined by the vet last week. Sadly she has masses in her thyroid and lymph glands as well as the mammary lumps and he is very certain that these are malignant. She is going for a chest x-ray next Monday to find out whether the potential cancer has spread to the lungs. If this is the case then she will obviously not be spayed but will live out the rest of her days with as much love and comfort I can give her. Dear Cindy is a real character and is always full of beans. I understand that she was kept outside which explains her exuberance and love of human company. What a horrible way to treat such an affectionate girl.

Wilfred is so happy here. He sleeps on the sofa all night with his head on a pillow. He loves his walks and leads the way down the footpath each morning. Then he devours a plate full of breakfast and its back to his sofa again. If it is sunny he strolls outside and stretches out on his carpet mat.

Gloria is now back from the hospital where she spent several days on an opiate drip after becoming very ill last week. I was trying (without success) to cope with the idea of saying goodbye to my very special princess. She came home on Saturday night - still very ill. However by Monday morning she started to brighten up and wanted to go for a short stroll to the fields. She is still not eating properly and is not out of the woods yet by any means but is improving every day. I am taking her to see Simon tomorrow with Poppy so that he can examine her back and decide how much pain she is suffering as a result of her arthritis. I hope she starts to eat more normally soon. I have tried everything. She won't look at any meat and will not even look in her dish. She did eat a mouthful of rice pudding but then stopped. She has also eaten a little ice cream and a few pieces of digestive biscuit. Her blood test showed that she has had pancreatitis but another sample was sent off to the external lab for further analysis. I can only hope that my dear Gloria will make a full recovery and be able to continue "helping" me for many months to come.

Update 19 July 2008...

Gloria has been showing signs of pain which had been put down to the sponylitis in her spine. However yesterday I became concerned when she stopped eating and really looked poorly so she was taken to the vet last night. She has been admitted to the hospital with enlarged glands and put on an opiate drip overnight. We await further test results today. I am very worried about my special girl. Please hold her in your thoughts today.

Cindy is a grey brindle rough coated lurcher aged 12 years who arrived here on Wednesday 16th July. She is extremely thin and her coat is in a very poor state. Her owner apparently took her to the kennels in Anglesey and literally threw her out of the car along with a bag of food which was covered in mould. The poor girl was apparently kept outside and not allowed in the house. She was very excited on arrival and jumped around like a puppy. She is very biddable and is now learning to fit in more calmly with the Tailends routines. She loves the walks on the beach and the comforts of a nice soft bed to lie on. She seems to have a urinary problem but is clean in the house. Her tummy also seems to be affected by a possible infection. She will be spayed as soon as she has settled in a bit more and we will get two mammary lumps removed as well if the vet thinks it advisable. She is being checked by the vet and having blood tests today. Poor Cindy has obviously had a miserable life but that will all change now. I would like to thank everyone involved with the rescue of Cindy including Jill Owen in Anglesey and Jeanette at the kennels. Also a big thank you goes to the noble people who gave up their time on Wednesday to transport Cindy to us. Denise spent hours sorting out the logistics of the run and we are very grateful for her help. Also thanks go to Olga, Jenny and especially to Ronnie Callegari for again coming to the rescue of another poor old dog. Ronnie drove all the way from his home in Cornwall to Cardiff to collect her from the last driver and then brought her back to Tailends. It was a very difficult day but we all got there in the end and I am so grateful to everyone. Cindy would thank you all if she could.

Update 14 July 2008...

Wilfred arrived at Tailends from Croft Dog Pound near Cardiff in South Wales on Sunday 13th July. Our thanks go to Wendy and Ronnie for transporting him in their cars. Wilf is a 12 year old black lurcher with a grey face . He was picked up by the dog warden as a stray. He has a bald patch due to a flea allergy and is very underweight. His teeth are also in a poor state so we will book him in for a dental once he has settled in a little more. Wilf is so happy to be here and immediately made friends with all the other dogs here. He has tried out several of the dog beds and the sofa and an arm chair. He went for a nice walk on the beach this morning followed by a breakfast of Nature Diet and scrambled eggs, which he devoured eagerly. He will be taken to the vet for a check this week. I have no idea what Wilfred’s past life was like. He may have had a loving home at some stage in his life but he has certainly been neglected in his recent past. However he is now making the most of his life at Tailends.

Update 12 July 2008...

Tailends is very grateful to Tazza for organising an online raffle recently to raise money for the care of our oldies. We would also like to thank Wendy from the Sight hounds Welfare Trust and everyone who bought tickets or donated prizes. I could hardly believe that the raffle raised the magnificent sum of £342. This was made up to £500 by a donation of £158 from the Sight hounds Welfare Trust. The money is being used to pay veterinary bills for treatment to Emma and Judy. I could not continue helping so many neglected old dogs without the help of such kind people as these. I am very very grateful to all those involved.

Judy had to be rushed to the veterinary hospital yesterday after vomiting clots of blood. She has been suffering from an intestinal disorder for some months and test results showed it could be either a bacterial overgrowth or more something more sinister such as malignant tumours. I am hoping that she will come through this and will have some more time to enjoy herself and continue to aggravate everyone with her noisy toys. This morning the news was that she has had a good night and has had something to eat so I am hopeful she will soon be back home.

Update 11 July 2008...

Emma had the surgery to pin open her larynx last Monday and all is well. She has made an excellent recovery and is now almost back to normal. Blood tests also revealed that Emma has thyroid deficiency and she is therefore now on treatment to keep her stable. She will have a further test in a month's time. Thank you to everyone who contributed to Emma's treatment which totalled over £1,100. We are very grateful for your help.

Mollie had a glucose curve on Tuesday. The results were generally very good, though the last check did drop below acceptable levels so her insulin has been adjusted slightly. She will have another check in a month's time. Mollie is well and happy and enjoying her daily walks on the beach and fields. She has put on rather a lot of weight lately which had me worried, but our vet feels that this is just an indication that her diabetes is becoming stabilised and she is no longer excreting glucose. I have therefore reduced the amount of food which she is having by about a quarter.

Breaking News - I have just agreed to take an elderly male lurcher from a South Wales dog pound and also another old lurcher bitch from Anglesey. Both are apparently in a poor condition and have been neglected by their former owners. More details as soon as they arrive at Tailends.

The Longlevens Dog Show was a great success thanks to that wonderful friend of needy dogs, Jan Mcallan (who organised the event), Mrs Jean Barford who did the judging and lots of other noble folk who gave up their time to help in lots of ways. I am very grateful to everyone who helped raise a magnificent £500 for veterinary care needed by the oldies here. Here is what Jan wrote about the event.

We had a really good day, the weather was quite kind to us except for one moment when the wind took our gazebo and we had to go running after it. We had a lot more greyhounds and lurchers this year, which was great. It is lovely to see them all together and not an angry growl amongst them. I do hope you will find the £500 helpful to you to carry on the wonderful work you do. Best wishes from us all at the Greyhound Rescue Support Group.

	Longlevens Dog Show

Spring 2008 Newsletter - If you would like a copy please contact Tailends with your address. It is too large to put on the website.

Please remember to check out the Events page, as new entries have been added!

Please note: All previous news items, are to be found on the Archive pages.