Comings and Goings

In other news, we note the inevitable changes in the pack over the last two years.

January 2023 started with this adorable puppy, who went to a great home, where he is now called "Snorro", international dog of mystery!

After that brief but rewarding event there was a string of deaths...

2010 - 2023-01-11: Stella had to be put down, with a mouth full of cancer and swollen organs. She was an independent spirit in need of some assistance when we met her, and was really good company.

2013 - 2023-02-08: Roxy died of cancer peacefully here at home. She went in to the vet's the same day Stella had to be put down and was diagnosed, we were giving her meds to fight it. We don't know how old she was (nor Stella), they both came to us full-grown and in crisis, were cured of heartworm and lived with us for many years. We loved them and miss them.

2015 - 2023-02-22: June had to be put down, another mouth full of inoperable cancer, like Stella. She could've gone on for a few months in her drooling, grouchy old age but we decided it was enough suffering. I cannot express how hard this was... miss my running buddy (she's the one on the right, with her sister, Zoila, who is still with us).

2014 - 2023-12-06: Cancer claimed sweet kitty Cali, the most affable of Sugar's kittens.

2009 - 2023-12-09: Three days after Cali, loud, joyful Maggie had to be put down. She hadn't been able to get up on her own for several days, was blind and had lost enthusiasm for everything. We miss her dearly.

2009 - 2023-12-26: Goodbye to our sweet, serious Jack. Some dogs gray gracefully, others sprout silly eyebrows. Love him.

2011 - 2024-04-05: Four months into the new year we lost Daisy. Just a few weeks before we could feel she was slowing down, but she still had her little light and she never stopped letting it shine. One evening in March I remember walking to the kitchen and having her just appear besides me, so joyful to accompany me, and I thought: "Remember this. It's an honor that she's so proud and happy to be with you." So it was.

2014 - 2024-05-30: Another of Sugar's kittens died (how we'll always think of them even though it's been a decade), this time Falafel. Like Cali he had some kind of cancer and had to have one ear removed a year ago, but he gave it a good run afterwards and outlived expectations. He's buried next to Cali, out by the Jeep. Post-op Falafel catching some rays on the roof:

2009 - 2024-06-07: Elewah finally had to be put down, she couldn't get up and had been through a string of bad nights. She was with us 15 years, and was probably 2 years old when we met, so that's a long run for a dog. We miss her, will always miss her.

2009 (Lily), 2016 (Perl) - 2024-06-15: A doubly sad day: both Perl and Lily went to the vet in bad shape and neither came back. Perl always had problems, we used to say she was made of spare parts; her sister, Ruby, is still fine, but Perl's kidneys finally crashed and there was nothing to be done. Lily had long been suffering with some urinary ailment which was finally dianosed as an inoperable tumor in her bladder. Left is young Perl, right is Lily.

2024-06: Somewhere during the month of June, an errant pregnant dog we now call Nell made her appearance and unceremoniously produced 10 pups, out in the shelter we have arranged for the Jeep/Street dogs. Two died early on, leaving eight, four of which found homes around their 8th week. The remainig four are still with us, still looking for good homes.

2010 - 2024-07-24: Monkey had to be put down. I am not strong enough to write down what the last few months have been like, how important Monkey was to us both, I just can't.

2011 - 2024-09-14: Our buddy Steve McQueen died peacefully in the night. He had not been doing well for a few days. He was good looking, not so much with the smarts, kinda skittish but a sweetie and he loved his siblings, two of whom still remain with us after all these years.

2011 - 2024-10-17: Had just "finished" this post last night and then Linda took a turn for the worse, was all of a sudden very weak and listless and just died next to Roni a few minutes ago. She was an amazing, awesome presence who could fill a room with her razzle dazzle. She was 13.

winter solace

The last few months have been undeniably rough, flashes of joy and long stretches of grief. After weeks of medical intervention and hope, the deaths of Ginger and Reggie left me gutted. Still am but life trudges on. 
So many little faces, always plenty to do and something to be happy about. Some mornings while I rake I can hear pelicans diving into the Gulf on one side and distant flamingos from the other.

Dulce showed up in November, young enough to still have a milk tooth. Here is her 1st bath photo. She has since been spayed during one of the many recent vet visits.

Ruby is just about a year old. She's clever, beautiful and has a bit of a temper!
 
















Ruby's adorable sister Perl has an under bite, hip dysplasia, suspect vision and a sunny disposition. Tupo is nearly 2 (!) and likes them both.

We've had a few cold fronts and it's great to get a break from the heat. Not everyone agrees, Elewah does not like the cold.

February started with 3 puppies dumped at our gate, predictably all girls. I'm not happy about it, but it's hard to be quite as sad with puppies around. 
As of then unnamed pup with Dulce.

They were a little thin, mangy and wormy, but overall in decent shape. One fawn colored and two light colored pups.

This is JoJo (Calderwoof) and her 1st bath photo.

This is Rose (Namapoonas) and her 1st bath. I know it has become a tradition but pup 3 looks pretty much just like this. Trust me they all got a bath.

clean and tired

Nico (in the hammock) is at the mercy of her weak immune system and Greta (gazing at the puppies) had ear surgery for what I guess you'd call cauliflower ear. Recovery is gruesome but seems to be going ok. It is always something, but hopefully there are no more medical dramas on the horizon.

 
All 3 have put on weight. Rose, Rocky (Puppington) and JoJo say life is good.

(Almost) everybody loves puppies.
Ruby and Steve watch JoJo chew on Rocky.

more of the same

This summer has been full of loss, even the oriole chicks in the neem tree came to a sad end. Too soon after losing Godzilla, her father George got sick and did not recover. He died in August. 
He had bounced back from heart worm, paralysis and ehrliciosis to enjoy years of morning runs. It was a shock. 
Flashback to George and young Godzilla with Gracie.

He was a huge part of our family for a long time. I learned a lot from George.
George and Godzilla. Loved and missed.

I'll spare you the photos of Monkey's eye cyst (I think she just likes to go to the vet) and Nico's swollen leg (poor thing can't catch a break). There aren't many fun pictures because we don't have a point & click camera at the moment and the Nikon is too cumbersome for most outings. Between the 10-12 bags of kibble a month and a never ending string of vet/medication costs, a new camera is not a priority.

A walk with Zasu is worth taking the Nikon! At 19 years old she doesn't go out as often or as far as she once did, but she is still lively. 
I tell her not to run but she doesn't listen.

Henry has been with us 10 years, Zasu nearly 20.

















Tito is now on medication for his congenital heart defect and is doing well.

Ruby and Perl have been spayed! 
Don't they look cute in their post-op jumpers?

Worked like a charm, no sand in the incisions. 
Perl showing off her couture threads.

All recovered, time to swim.
Ruby waits for her pool to fill.

Sadly Maldi hasn't been around for a few months, but Sugar's 4 kittens are all doing fine. 
Kevin hangs out on the cat bridge (covered to keep the clods from falling off). 

Wake me in September

Awful smells, s l o w internet, and a personal malaise are hallmarks of life during the rainy season. Insects and thunder figure prominently.
Newbies Perl and Ruby are a bright spot

The sterilization clinic in May went well enough.   
Thank you to Fanny from Wilberth tortillaria for making/donating lunch for the surgical team! 
Follow up lasted well after the clinic. Once the dogs spayed at the clinic (including Soliteria!) recovered, we had 5 more dogs spayed in Merida using left over supplies. Thank you Pets & Co!
Since then the town has poisoned strays again, including some that had been sterilized. If that pisses you off, let the mayor know! 
Perl and Tupo safe at home  

In June we had Nico and Coco spayed -and their sisters (thanks to the help of Angel). So relieved to have all the mosquito shack girls sterilized! 
We didn't really believe we could make it happen.
Coco Nut in motion

  

After months with no results from treatments for fungus, we had a biopsy done and it turns out Nico has a problem with her immune system. Poor baby. 
Since we've been treating that she has started to put on weight and regrow her fur and lost nails.
Airborne Nico

June was the first anniversary of the arrival of Junebug and Zoila.
Strong, smart, beautiful and a bit weird. They are a handful!

August is sweet, silly Murci's third anniversary.

We intend to start a CADA website for updates and fund raising that focuses on strays and emergency cases in town.There is obviously overlap, but I think of this blog as a family album. Until then I'll try to be better about mentioning things we do outside of our home (usually with the help of fellow CADA member Jacky).
3 legs and all cute

poor girl got hit by a car but she's on the mend.

We recently were surprised to find out that Linda has bad hips. That means going swimming instead of on walks,but she isn't complaining.
Linda, Perl and Ruby love the water!

Happy, wet Linda Loca

Ruby is a fierce little beauty

Perl is a charmer (and smitten with Archie)

 
Perl and Nico front a group of our finest demolition experts

All done swimming, going home.
Ruby, Perl and Linda 3 cute soggy bottoms