We have "company" at the Ranch ...

[Cinder & Smoke]

We wuz *dancin* & *prancin* an all reddy ta go, when those dreaded wurds:
"Youze Guys get to WAIT - I'll be rite back" telled us WE weren't going onna grocery trip.
He sed it wuz "too hot" an we're too short ta push da buggy. NUTZ!

Well, he wuz gone WAAY too long ... found out he went to B&T's Howze -
an Dog-Napped our lil Min Pin Buddie - Heidi!
Seems B&T, anna Dawter anna Girl-Friend, are goin to a fambly wedding down south ...
BIG White German Shepherd (Amos) takes care of guardin da howze inna daylight;
Skin-Kid Brudders are "supposed" to bring him in at nite so he doesn't chaze *critters* all nite.
Dad sed WE'd keep Heidi ... nunbuddie seemed to object.

HEY - SMOKE ~ Lookit here ... lil Mutt wiffa Bamdanna inna driveway!
Dummie - that'z HEIDI! *Yipp* & *Yapp*!

Well, she's IN - an makin herself RITE at home!
Dad couldn't *find* her last nite ... SOUND asleep in his 'kliner chair!

Outies? She only came back REEL Late wun tyme (so far). An she came back frum
behind da howze - mitta been sayni "HI" to da horses out back.

Dad set up her beany-bag bed asside the TV, in frunta da klozit ...
took her an HOUR of *skratchin* onnit, but she finally got it da way she likes it,
an we didn't hear a sound outta her all nite!

Rumor hazzit that "we're" all doin Fiur Werks at Newton Falls tanight ...
Oh Joy, Oh Rapture, Oh NUTZ!

At least da Bus Driver parks far enuff away da Bus doesn't *shake* on every *BOOM* ...
an iffin anybuddie doesn't wanna *watch* ... we kan duck behind da seats inna back.
We're decidin iffin we should tell Heidi whut'z up, or jest let it be a s'prize.

There's a "threat" of showers tanite ... Dad's doin a Moon Dance;
an we're doin a RAIN Dance.

More Tails latur!

[Randi]

Aww, another Heidi visit - that will be fun! You all enjoy yourselves at Newton Falls tonight, but stay clear of the fireworks!

Looking forward to more reports!

[cyber-sibes]

Hee hee, enjoy your company!

[Cataholic]

Oh, my! She is back! LOL. This should be entertaining.

[Freedom]

[I]
Outies? She only came back REEL Late wun tyme (so far). An she came back frum
behind da howze - mitta been sayni "HI" to da horses out back.

Oh gee, if I were watching someone else's dog, I have that pupper leashed up tight, the responsibility would worry me too much! (Maybe that's why I don't pupper sit!) Have a nice time wiffa visitor!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Oh gee, if I were watching someone else's dog,
I'd have that pupper leashed up tight,
the responsibility would worry me too much!

We only "accept" reasonably well-behaved and somewhat obedient Mutts for
Sleep-overs at Phred's Place. And for the First Visit, the newcomers are assigned to
a Resident Mutt who escorts by being TIED to the new kid's collar.

Not that that's altogether foolproof ... Cinder and Bowser proved the fallicies of
togetherness on an outie more than once!
But Heidi, the Mini-Mutt, HAS been here before and has been (mostly) cooperative in
staying on the Ranch property. We won't mention the *Froggin* at and IN the pond ...
but the pond IS "ON" the property.

Her *door dart* in the shopping center parking lot was MY fault ---
I climbed out without checking where she was in the Bus. She's *QUICK*!
We've written a Momo covering that, now.

And tonight, they'll ALL be chained together with the Three-Way-Y-Thingie,
AND an attached ropey, before we even leave the Ranch.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Oh JOY!

Yeah, Dad ~ we all hadda Great Tyme - jest *phantastik* (NOT!)

Smokey turned out his lites 45 minutes affore da Show started ---
wun 'test shot' (of about a dozen or so) wuz enuff ta send him to da korner behind da seats.

I lasted till the furst aerial volley inna Show ... enuff fur me! Lites out -
holler when it's ober!

Mini Mutt kept *lookin* around fur where da guns wuz. She DID *watch* a few aerials ...
then kinda curled up tween Dad's leg anna center console, facing aft!

We all stayed *low* till we felt da familiar bumpity-bump of da potholes on our road ...
pulled inna garage to be greated by da Nayburs *shootin off stuff*.
Good GRIEF ... when will it end!??

Did AnyDawg get drug off to *enjoy* da local Fiur Werks?
We weren't alone tanite - lil Beagle watched frum two cars down, anna
kupple lil Lappy-size pups got out an joined da folks in lawn chairs.

Just wunderin how many more daze this 4th of July partee is gonna last?
< deep sigh >

/s/ da FurKids +Plus Wun

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Aw, furkids + wun, I'm wif you!!!

Day 2 for us here and it's 11:15 at night and sounds like a war zone!!!
I'm exhausted and Chester is hiding under the bed. Don't know where the other cats are except Leonardo. He don't hear so good any more so is sleeping through all this.

Since it's only Friday, I fully expect at least one more night of this. Why does the 4th of July last a week?
(they started shooting fireworks off around the 28th June here. Enuff is enuff we say!!! I'm so glad school starts next month!!!)

[Ginger's Mom]

Welcome to the Ranch, Heidi. Gee, you made it just in time to go to the fireworks, what great timing. At least Cinder and Smokey were there to show you there was nothing to be too worried about, and that if you curl up and go to sleep it will be over soon. Hope you enjoy the rest of your week at the ranch.

[4 Dog Mother]

Take dogs to see fireworks? No Way Jose! This crew here are a bunch of crazies. Ever seen a 120 lb black and white horse try to hid under a small computer desk --- or behind a chair? Dakota is very much afraid of firecracker noise! Taggert barks every time one goes off. Sierra and Destiny hide but they head for the bathroom with no windows or try to become of whatever person will allow them to. Poor Jack doesn't care much for those loud noises (and now we know why). Tucker isn't too sure of the noise which leaves Dazzi - I haven't noticed any reaction from her but ....

This was Dominic's first year to see the fireworks and he liked seeing the pretty colors but not so much the noise especially with other people setting off fire crackers close enough to hear.

Yes, we, too, will be glad when the 4th is over - it started last weekend here but hopefully last night was the last of it.

Glad Heidi is getting along so well with the gang. Always nice to have "well-behaved" extras around (did I really say that)? Since I don't remember Heidi and the pictures from the first thread are no longer available , could we get a picture of Heidi? And the duo?

[Cinder & Smoke]

Please ~ NO Scolding or 'I told ya so's' ...

Oh gee, if I were watching someone else's dog,
I'd have that pupper leashed up tight;
the responsibility would worry me too much!

We only "accept" reasonably well-behaved and somewhat obedient Mutts for
Sleep-overs at Phred's Place. And for the First Visit, the newcomers are assigned to
a Resident Mutt who escorts by being TIED to the new kid's collar.

But Heidi, the Mini-Mutt, HAS been here before and has been (mostly) cooperative in
staying on the Ranch property. We won't mention the *Froggin* at and IN the pond ...
but the pond IS "ON" the property.

Words to regret!

Sunday (7/06/2008) should have been the tip-off of things to come ...
Mini-Mutt had been good about staying in the front yard whilst under a sharp eye
and constant reminders of 'Heidi, stay CLOSE!" Sunday afternoon the Hiking Ferrie
beckoned for her attention ... I looked away for a moment and like a shot she was
rounding the back of the pond and headed east ... HEIDI!!!!!
She paused at the front corner of the neighbor's house ... slowly turned and trotted back.
GOOOOOD Girl!!

Monday we started out *tethered* to the Big Mutt - MUCH to Cinder's dismay. Since I
wasn't sure either of them had paused long enough for a pooh, Monday afternoon
I sent them out UNtethered ... and dual Pooh-Stops were soon accomplished.
Cinder trotted back to the porch ... Mini-Mutt turned towards the pond and quickly beat-feet
east to the neighbor's house. HOLLERIN did nothing to slow her down ...
She circled their house and *vanished*!

I threw on enough clothes to not get arrested if I had to get out of the car,
threw the Search Dawgs in the Bus, and we headed east ... to find NOTHING!

We put a couple hundred miles on the Search Bus Monday evening, knocked on doors,
drove the Church Camp, and visited Heidi's House a dozen times.
Pat & Joan hopped in their truck and did road patrols for a few hours.
I *hollered* out the front door every hour, all night.
By noon Tuesday we had a hundred 2-photo Lost Dog fliers printed and were passing
them out to houses, businesses and gas stations, 2 Post Offices, and had the Sheriff and
County Dawg Pound alerted. Wednesday we dropped fliers at three Vets and the Dog Pound.
Heidi's older Skin Brudder came home every night and either drove or walked our block.
We all searched for SEVEN Days ...
On Monday, the WEEK after she vanished, the Horse Guy charged up our drive on his
lawn mowin tractor ... and told me "I think I know where 'that dog' you're looking for is!"
WHERE, Peter?
"Back our driveway, where it turns into the woods. She's hurt ... tried to bite me."
I tossed the Search Dawgs in the Bus and we flew up Peter's drive ... he was sitting
on his tractor *pointing* towards the woods where his lil Muutt was sort of circling ...
And THERE was HEIDI!!

She was shaking, hold up her left rear leg, but the paw was drooping and limp. She was
covered in something semi-white ... I gently called her name ...
She seemed to panic and acted like she'd take off, then thought better of it.
I got close enough to touch her head ... then scooped her up and dashed back to the Bus.
I blurted out a heartfelt Thank You to Peter, who just returned a HUGE GRINN!
I had the Fancy Clinic on the phone before we cleared the driveway --- a fast summary
of what I saw and that she was a Doc Mike's patient got me a "Bring her Right IN!"

I dumped the Mutts at the Ranch and streaked towards the Crago Clinic.
Called Doc Mike on the way; Debbie answered and said she'd call Crago and Fax Heidi's
records over before we got there.
Called her Mom - no answer. Called Skin Brudder Adam ... "I FOUND HER!!
Call your Mom - we're on the way to Crago's - she's pretty sick."

I scooped her up and carried her into an empty waiting room (lunch time).
The Girls took one look and ushered us into an exam room.
I sat on the docs' roller stool and gave her a good look ...

Heidi was in shock - a blank stare was all I got. She lay on the bad leg (her choice),
showing me her back ... where the lil white crawly things bagan to appear from nowhere.
I began gently flicking them off with tissues into a pile, spraying the pile with table disinfectant,
and moving them off with more tissues. UGGH!
I was gaining on the lil crawly things when Doctor Jamie D. came in ...
"What ARE these things??"

"Those are *Maggots* and blood - she's been attacked by flies.
She has a broken paw for sure - we need X-rays to see if her hips are damaged.
I'll start cleaning her up (she'll have to be shaved and bathed) and get the X-rays.
Be back in a while."

Doc D. came back and offered "good news" = "only" her paw was broken and her back
would take a while to heal, but she'd recover with few problems. She'd be staying a night
or two to stabalize things; but she'd already *perked up* just a bit.
I was allowed a quick visit - she had a large Lower Bunk with piles of blankies.
I told myself she recognized me ... but I'm not so sure. She dozed off ... Bye, Kiddo.

I paid off the estimate and hundred or so more.
I called Mom (Tami) for the third or forth time and headed home.

I picked her up a couple days later (Mommy had a last-minute Dawter Crisis).
She appeared with her paw in half-leg cast/bandage, and a Body Wrap covering
the front half of her back where the worst skin damage was.

Better 'save' this ... more in a minute ....

[Daisy and Delilah]

Now there's a scary story, Phred!! Oh my gosh. How awful. Through the whole thing I'm worrying about you with heart trouble on top of everything else I'll read the next part after this but right now, thoughts and prayers going out to Heidi and you and everybody else.

Edit: I just read the Labor Day Gathering thread. Stupid me, I thought this just happened. I guess I scanned too fast.

Believe me Phred, this could have happened to anybody. When pups feel like running, that's what they do. I hope all of you are better now. Heidi is a cute little doggie.

[Cinder & Smoke]

She was going back every few days for a Bandage Change on her back and
eventually her paw wrap.
I had the Vet Call one day because Tami had to go somewhere ...
I handed Heidi off to one of her now MANY Vet Tech Fans in the waiting room and she'd
either *prance off* beside the girl or *Hop UP* and "Ride" back for treatment. As they'd
pass into the treatment areas, I could always hear multiple "Hey, it's Heidi", Heidi's here",
HI Ya, Heidi"! They did their thing, filled her up with threat, and she pranced back
across the waiting room to go home. I was going to keep her overnight if Tami was late.

About 8:00pm I felt her brush past and flop down under the 'puter.
A lil later I moved my foot and stepped on something "squisshie" ... ???
I looked under the desk ---
The "something squisshie" was Heidi's brandy new BODY WRAP - with a Neeked Dawg
laying beside it! OMG! Tami will never believe this!
Heidi had managed to CRAWL OUT of the Vet Wrap bandage - almost like a turtle
'walking out' of it's shell.

I took her home ... yuppers, Tami did NOT believe she "crawled out"!
We tried to *stuff* her back in ... no go.
Tami tied the wound dressing down with surgical tape and gave her a stern
"GO to BED, Right NOW!"
I took he back to the Vets' Place the next morning ... NObody believed she had
"crawled out" of The Wrap. OFF she trotted for a RE-wrap.

Heidi returned a lil while later --- sportin a Monster Wrap from in front of her front arms,
arm holes, and then extending the length of her body.
"She won't get outta THAT One!" said the Tech!
Heidi mumbled something about it fitting a lil *snug*!

She improved to NO wrap on her back and side, and a smaller cast / bandage on
her leg, exposing more of the toes. (BAD Idea!)
She appeared after the body UN-wrap and promptly began *licking* her back. I said we
NEED a Cone, please. She was whisked off and returned with a normally-sized cone.

All was well for the week (other than Heidi terrorizing the House Kats and Big Brudder Amos,
the White Shepherd, with her *bonking* of everyone with her cone).
BIG Trouble developed over the weekend --- she managed to kick her bum paw INSIDE
the cone ... and started a destructive licking & chewing when no one was watching.
By Sunday night she had raw bones exposed and had lick off her paw pads.
Tami called me in hysterics ... I said I'd take her in on Monday, not knowing how
BAD it really was.
Tami called Monday to say she had an appointment after lunch ... and that SHE'd
take her in, "Probably for the last time."
I said I'd be over at 1:00 and I'D take her in.

I didn't really get an argument, and managed to leave with Heidi and withOUT Tami.
I never *looked* at the paw closely --- but it did look gross!

We were seen by Doc B - the Head Guy. Doc D. was off ...
It's a Bad Sign when the Vet takes one look and lets out a >>GASP<
He looked some more, touched it, and said "We're going to have a hard time saving
that foot. We'll TRY; but I'm really not sure it can be saved. She'll for certain loose
the two outer / opposite toes - there's just nothing left of them.
She'll have to stay here for several days --- probably the week.
Who should I call?"

I told him to call her Mom, but not to listen if she said to pull the plug ...
I said this is Paid Up to whatever it takes.

Jumping ahead ... PROGRESS was made all week - HydroTherapy on her back AND
her chewed up foot did wonders. Doc Jamie bagan to tell Tami that Heidi's foot was
actually Looking Better!
Tami visited Heidi twice during the week; and asked if *I* wanted to ride in with her
for a Saturday visit? YEAH!!
Heidi about crawled through the apartment bars when she heard us ...
I asked for a leash ... "What for?" asked Tami.
We're going for a hike out back, sez I.
"We can't take her outside, can we?"
SURE ya can, sez the Tech ... she was out this morning!

... more in a minute ...

[captain]

Goodness me Phred - what action at your ranch ......

[Cinder & Smoke]

We headed for the back door ... Heidi pranced out and PULLED us toward
the grassy patch ... she needed to be there!
She bounced around with her shorty tail *waggin* in a blurr.
Tami said "She hasn't been this happy in a month!"

Back inside, Doc D met with us and for the first time hinted that The Foot
just might be OK! Doc D was coming in HERself to feed, water, walk, and
bandage change Heidi - once again Saturday night, and twice on Sunday.
If all went well, she'd go HOME on Monday.

Tami called on Monday --- come over before 2:00 and I could ride in to
pick her up and hold her on the ride home!

We had to schedule DAILY Clinic visits for Hydrotherapy on her back and
on The Foot; with a bandage change every day.
The Girls started bringing her back with reports from Doc D that The Foot
"REALLY looks GREAT! It's actually growing new flesh!"
I got Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and kept her straight through. Heck,
Monday is so close, I'll just hang onto her for the weekend.

I DID take her "home" for frequent visits with Mom and the Kids.
Monday, I asked Doc about a Road Trip to Findlay and the Dawg Park.
"Sure - just keep it DRY!"
I asked Tami ... "She LIKES other dogs ... Oh, go ahead and take her!"

We were scheduled for Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday ... guess
where she stayed all week?
Doc said to "Have Phunn at the Dog Park tomorrow!"
We went back on Tuesday - "Almost Healed" was the observation.
Her Tech said that Doc said this (Tuesday's) bandage would probably be
the LAST one!!

We're due back at 3:00 pm tomorrow (Thursday) for a check-up.
I'm going to ask for a light-weight "protective wrap" rather than NOTHING;
and Miss Licker IS going to be wearing that ole Hood for a few more days ...
I can't afford to let her make a meal out the New Foot again!

And now "You know the REST of the Tail!"