Life Is Not Always Just Smelling the Roses

Hmmmmmm...lost a reader yesterday...guess they didn't approve of Cindy Sue's "present."

I can't apologize.

This is about protecting family and livestock.

Paddy, born March 2012

I just have to get this off my chest.

If any one of my readers had been there the day that Cindy Sue was attacked, they would have felt the fear of loosing a loved one to scavengers. I saw the look in those coyotes eyes as they attempted time after time to get underneath Cindy Sue's coat to kill her. Yes, it went through my mind that they could come after me just as easily...that was terrifying in itself, but I had to do what I could to save my girl. God was watching over us that morning.

If any one of my readers had experienced a calf being ripped out of its mother as she was giving birth, they might understand how devastating coyotes can be on the lively hood of a rancher. And it can happen so quickly, the rancher doesn't even have a chance to pull up his gun to shoot the coyote. This happens all the time.

Life at the Rough String is real...as it is at every ranch and farm in America or anywhere around the world. There is good and there is bad.

I don't like taking life, but I WILL protect my family and property.

I appreciate those who understand the difference between a TV drama and real life.

It's MY Gotcha Day~by Cindy Sue

Guest blogger Cindy Sue:

WoWzer...six years ago today, mom 'n dad drove three hours one way to Battle Mountain Nevada to pick me up from the rescue. They had only seen one photo of me on PetFinder...and they wanted me!!!!

Lil' ME with my silly lil' flop ear!

It was luv at first sight!

Mom 'n me...I was learnin' to be a Rattie Ranch Dog!

On the drive home, I sat in mom's lap all the way...just like I'd been there since birth. I was given up for adoption in Elko Nevada and didn't do well in that crazy place...I was so scared!!!

So, they found a small rescue for me to go to, but I still didn't eat well and lost a lot of weight. The vet said I was healthy...I just needed a home!

I remember on the way home, they had to stop at a store and left me in the car...I ripped open the bag of treats they had bought for me and ate them ALL...I was hungry!!! BOL!!

My first day at home...I was terribly skinny.

We'll, it's been quite an exciting 6 years to say the least. I've survived a few mishaps:

The rattlesnake bite on the nose
The Great Horned Owl attack
The two coyotes that attacked me and wanted to eat me for breakfast
The unknown something that tried to get me and ripped a hole in my front leg

Mom says it's my nose that gets me in trouble...but that's the Rat Terrier in me...I just got to stick my nose in every hole!!!

Well, if you've been reading mom's blog, you know that my middle name seems to be Trouble!

I'm on a mission...probably into trouble...BOL!!!

My mom and dad are my heroes though...and I love them dearly.

We had a GREAT day today!!! After mom dressed me up in a cute lil' hoodie that says "100% Loved by Everyone," I got cake!

Applesauce pancake to be exact!

Then mom said it was time for pressies. Pressies???!! For ME?!?!?!

Mom put my coat on me, and we had to go outside to the tractor.

OK...mom says I gots to give you a WARNING...if you don't like dead animal photos...go away now.





Alrighty then, for those of you who stayed for the excitement...

We go outside to the tractor, and dad shows me my pressie...

One dead coyote!!! YEAH!!!  I got my lip all curled up at the nasty sucker.

I HATE coyotes! They caused me lots of pain, and this is dead coyote number two...revenge for ME! Mom got the first one...and dad got this one just after breakfast!

Look at me barkin' 'n givin' him the stink eye...grrrrrrrrrrr!

Mom even did a video...she said I was a tough lil' Rattie Ranch Dog!

Well, that's about all the excitement there was. The rest of the day was good. I laid by the wood stove and kept warm; except when mom was runnin' the devil machine vacuum...I went outside for that. I hate vacuums too, BOL!!

Thanks for sharing my day...love you all!

Cindy Sue xoxox

PS. If you wanna read about the nasty coyotes attacking me, you can click HERE. That was two years ago.

One for Me!! Guest Blog by Cindy Sue

Hi everyone *waves her paw*...it's been a long time since Mom let me get on this bloggy thingy...but I'm happy to be here today!!!

Here I am wearin' my infamous red coat...I LUV this coat!

I gotta tell ya 'bout my Mom...Mom was my hero 'bout a week ago...I luv my Mom!!!

OH...I'm supposed to give you a WARNING...Mom says to tell ya that if ya don't like pictures of dead animals, to go away now...

*SNORT*...I like pictures of dead animals...specially this one!!!...*SNORT*

BOL!!!

Anyhow...

First, you remember that terrible day when I was attacked by two mean, nasty coyotes? You know it was almost two years ago?? They was tryin' to have me fer breakfast...'n not as a guest.

It was terrible, and it took me a lil' bit of time to get healed up...felt pretty puny fer quite a while.

Those nasty buggers ripped a hole in my belly, chewed on my neck...and chewed on my butt!

 

My red coat, Mom, Bella Jo, Cowboy and Abby all saved me that day. YEAH!!!

I know that Mom's been tryin' to kill coyotes ever since that day. We see LOTS of 'um. She got one in the foot last summer...we still see it occasionally limpin' 'round. Even though we gots lots of acres, there's lots of things to look out for when shootin'...wheel lines, neighbor's horses...our horses.

Well last week, the day that Pierce came to live wiff us, a dang coyote came through our alfalfa field in the middle of the day...bold as brass...'n Mom had a clear shot!

She ran fer the .17 'n snuck out the patio door wiff her slippers on...snuck nice 'n quiet like up to the rail fence in the yard...sighted him in (he didn't even see her)...she let out her breath 'n squeezed the trigger...100 yards out...

BANG!!!   He flipped over a couple of times 'n then never came back up!

Mom got her first coyote...she was so excited!!! YEAH Mom!!!

I was growlin' 'n givin' the nasty dead coyote the "Cindy Sue stink eye"!!

We waited 'til Dad got home to go out 'n pick it up out of the field...Mom wanted to hang it on the fence post as a warnin' to other coyotes to stay away, but decided it'd start stinkin', so Dad took it to the other end of the property.

So, that's my story for today.

Did I say I LUV my Mom?!? I also told her she's got to get some more...at least one for my revenge!

See ya later!

Luvs, licks 'n wags from me...Cindy Sue~

Cindy Sue~The Fashionetta Rattie

~I've never met a woman that I didn't have something in common with.~

~Iris Martin 1885~

I know some of you are wondering how Cindy Sue's doin' since her last update from her coyote attack. Well, I'm happy to report that she's doin' GREAT!!!

A week and a half ago, I was able to get some ridin' in and Cindy Sue was out there runnin' like nothin' ever happened! She's one tough Rattie Gurl~

What looked like this on day two...

looked like this just three weeks later.

And it looks even better now, since it's been another week since I took the above photo!

Her lil' tummy still has some swelling, but it's slowly going away!

She sends you all lots of Rattie kisses and hugs...she loves you all!!!

Cindy Sue got a couple of 'get well' packages in the mail from her Dogster pals, and we had to show off her wonderful treasures...

OK...I admit that she doesn't make the perfect pup model...did you see those looks she kept givin' me?!? LOL...but, she was tryin' her best to cooperate!

Thanks Keeko, Jack, Molly, Twiggy, Bud and the Dogster moms for such sweet gifts...she's stylin' now!!

How Complacent are You?

~Cowgirl Coffee:

If your spoon don't stand up in it,

put in more coffee.~

~Anonymous~

Ah yes...I am enjoyin' my Saturday mornin' coffee!!

My Man is off with the neighbors hauling calves to a feedlot over in Vale OR. He won't be back until late this afternoon. Last year when we helped them, it was a snowstorm...today, it's just freezing fog...they're going carefully.

Sunrise ~ January 19, 2011
Cold and crisp.

These icicles are coming from under a ledge along the rimrock.
They remind me of tears...and a lot of those have been shed recently.

I've been cleaning out my inbox from the last week of email (between the blog, Facebook and friends, it was overflowing!) trying to answer questions about Cindy Sue's attack. Lots of questions were answered personally. But this question might be on a lot of your minds...

Susan asked: "One thing I'm wondering is how the coyotes got so close with your other dogs around. Our dogs run them off. We consider it part of their job. We don't shoot them unless they threaten to cause a problem, which they never have because they don't get close enough to."

Well, the attack was about 1/8 of a mile from the barn (just over our property line to the east in the neighbor's field). I've always called that stretch of his field the "coyote highway;" I see coyotes paralleling that fence line quite often. All four of my dogs go down to that fence line to sniff and mark like dogs do...sometimes they'll see a coyote and take chase (including Cindy Sue who really thinks she's a big dog in a lil' dog body).

I don't like them to chase after the coyotes, because I'm afraid that there is a pack of them waiting up in the sagebrush and rock like an ambush. They haven't earned the nickname "Wiley Coyote" for nothing. And my dogs don't have a mean bone in their body, and I think they would all loose against a coyote. So, I keep an eye on them as I feed the horses. That morning, I called for the dogs to come back up to the barn as I went to get the second wheelbarrow load of hay...and didn't realize that Cindy Sue hadn't come with the rest of the dogs...and that's how she got to be by herself.

I feel guilty as well as stupid for that mistake on my part. Here is what I wrote in my editorial for the February Horsefly:

The View From My Saddle

Complacent: To be content and satisfied with your life and surroundings, even when something which may destroy these conditions is imminent.


   This word has been fixed in my mind for the past five days, and it won’t go away. It all started last Friday when two coyotes got a hold of my little Rat Terrier, Cindy Sue. Living where we do, we hear coyotes daily and see them almost daily; and after five years, I really didn’t think about them too much. I didn’t like the fact that they visit my horse pasture quite often, and they also would look down from the rim rock just yards from the house, but they always had went their way, usually with my cattle dogs on their tails.


   Long story short, I didn’t pay close enough attention to where Cindy Sue was while out feeding that morning; and in a few seconds, she was tore up pretty bad. What saved her was  her winter coat that I make her wear on cold days, and my other dogs making a distraction for her to get away and come to me.


   Imprinted in my mind is the image of that one coyote, so determined to kill it’s prey, Cindy Sue, that it didn’t even realize I was there. I was screaming at it like a mad woman, and it finally stopped just a few feet away from me while Cindy Sue ran under the fence toward me. The coyote and I locked eyes. It looked back at Cindy Sue one last time then back at me; thankfully it thought the screaming mad woman wasn’t worth the risk, and it ran back to where Cindy Sue’s blood had been spilt on the ground.


    After a night at the vet clinic, she came home to recuperate. There’s still a chance of infection and her loosing some skin, but so far so good, and she’s got lots of friends praying for her too.


    Complacent. I’ve been kicking myself in the back end for five days for letting myself become complacent at the expense of someone that relies on me. Is is doing me any good? Well, yes it is. I’m taking an inventory of our lifestyle and looking where I need to be more watchful and diligent for the sake of everyone and everything that is near and dear to me. It’s definitely worth it! 

It was a week ago yesterday since the attack, and Cindy Sue had a check up with the vet. All of her bite wounds are healing fabulously!!! The drain tube was removed from her tummy...YEAH!!!!! She's down to one antibiotic pill twice a day for 7 more days. But, she's got two spots that I have to watch...they could be abscesses in the making.

Her vitals? She's poopin', peein' and eatin' kibble...just like normal!!! She packs her kibble from the utility room to the kitchen or the living room to eat it...one bite at a time! All is well~

Cindy Sue is sitting in my office chair with me as I type...she sends her love to each and every one of you!!!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

Sometimes It's Hard to be Wordless

~I've never had a store-bought dress,

but I'd sure like to.~

~Ruby Dell 1888~

It's Wordless Wednesday, and I just don't have it in me today. I've been working hard on getting the February Horsefly publication done since that's what I was supposed to be doin' last weekend...but the coyotes messed all that up...and no pretty photos to share either...

But, of course, Cindy Sue is still the center of attention 'round here...which she usually is anyway...coyote attack or not!

"Mom, do I have to wear this dang thing?"

Here she's sporting her new Elizabethan collar...yes, that's an old sock with stuffin' in it...but hey, it works, and it's a hell of a lot better than the big plastic lamp shade...and it was quite economical too! Our farm store didn't carry the inflatable kind, and the store clerk gave me the "sock" suggestion...perfect!

For an update...her water intake is good...so very thankful for that. Yesterday, she didn't have much of an appetite though. She wouldn't eat any breakfast...or lunch...but I decided to play a mind game with her, and I got her to eat some dinner. Competition is always fierce when it comes to everyone gettin' treats. So, I lined up Cowboy, Abby, Bella Jo and the Princess for a feeding line. One piece of chicken for Cowboy...two pieces for Cindy Sue. One piece for Abby...two pieces for Cindy Sue...etc on down the line.

We did that for about 5 rounds...and Cindy Sue decided she was full and walked away...but it worked!

This AM, she ate pretty good...but still needs to have her chicken pieces hand fed to her...I hope this doesn't turn into a habit!!

We go into the vet on Friday afternoon for a check-up. There has been nothing coming out of the drain in her tummy, so the vet said on Monday when she saw her that it might come out early.

OK...back to work...and trying to get around to read some blogs too!

Happy Wednesday...Wordless or otherwise~

Quick Update on Cindy Sue

"I just wanted to be with my mommy."

Yep, she was trying to come into the kitchen (where my desk and computer are) , but the dang cone got her stuck. I took it off of her and she followed me to my desk and wanted in my chair with me...just like normal!!!

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions about her issues.

She's eating well, but still wants me to hand feed it to her most of the time. I've used a small syringe to put water in her mouth, and she swallows it...but she mainly likes it when she licks water off my finger...whatever works!! But this mornin' she walked up to Bella Jo's bowl and took a big long drink!! YEAH!!

The cone thing is a real problem though. She can't even hold her head up with it on. It's only on her when I can't watch her (like going out to feed or make dinner). But, I have to go to town today, so I'll be checking out our farm store (Big R) to see if they have an inflatable collar (thanks DarcC for that suggestion). They've got a full pet aisle, so I hope they've got one. If not, I'll order one online. Dreaming suggested an infant T shirt and that might be an option too, but after we clean her wounds, she gets smeared with a Silver Sulfadiazine cream, and I'm afraid the T shirt would stick and maybe irritate. But, options are always worth a try!

I'm getting better at getting her pills down her too...it's a challenge, but it's getting easier.

Oh, the other thing that is really noticeable today is that her eyes are much brighter...I think she's feeling a lil' bit better.

OK...I've got to head for town. Thanks again everyone for all you've done~

Cindy Sue~Surviving the Coyote Attack

~Good friends always look out for each other.~

~Patty Carey 1901~

That quote is exactly what it felt like to me for the past two days.

I can't put into words how grateful we are for all of the prayers, good thoughts, well wishes, and just the outpouring of love and concern for our lil' Cindy Sue. From blogging friends, FaceBook friends, to Cindy Sue's lil' Dogster pals...everyone was there for her (and us). You've truly moved my heart.

And the wonderful thing is that all of your efforts are working!!! She's on the mend...and we're expecting a complete recovery.

So, after one night at the vet clinic, Cindy Sue was released to come home!

Cindy Sue with Dr. Macie when I went to pick her up yesterday.
We spent the next 45 min. learning how to clean her wounds.

She spent the afternoon and evening here on her comfy bed in
front of the woodstove...with a warm rice bag.

WARNING~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~




The following photos are graphic.



Her wounds need to be cleaned twice a day. She's on two types of antibiotics, a pain med, and Metacam (anti-inflammatory).

She's got lots of dried blood and drainage. It's flaking off,
but we can put her in the tub and carefully rinse the
areas that don't have wounds. You also see the drainage
tube from her tummy.

Cindy Sue's worst wounds are at the back end. They (the two coyotes)
tried to take her lil' stubby tail off! She has holes on each side
of the tail and on the upper leg and hip areas.

The hole on her hip is big, but the ones closer
 to her tail were deeper and are very painful.

This other hip side is a very deep one too. Her tummy
is all stitched up with the drainage tube to do it's job.
That will be removed in about two weeks.

Her neck is the least damaged. There are 3 holes on the top and one on the side.
They already look like they are healing closed!

This shoulder took a bad rip (not just a hole).
The Dr wanted to stitch it, but there was already some yucky
lookin' stuff coming out of it, and she didn't want
to trap infection inside by sealing it shut.
Poor Cindy Sue doesn't like when we clean this one :(
You can also see how purple and swollen her tummy is.
The tummy is the area where we hope we don't loose any skin.

Yesterday, she didn't have much of an appetite, and didn't drink any water. I was able to get her to eat some chicken, but I had to hand feed her. She peed three times, but no poop. I can put her coat on her and she'll walk outside with me.

This morning, I made some rice and she ate more chicken and some of the rice...but only if I hand fed her. She still hasn't drank any water, and that's concerning. If she doesn't drink anything, I'll have to take her back in and they may have to do the IV fluids again. Also, she peed and pooped this morning!!! It probably had to hurt...poor lil' Princess~

Right now, she's laying by the woodstove with the cone on her head...yes, she wants to lick...that's a no-no. She won't walk with the cone on...she just lays there in disgust! So, I better go spend some time with her and work at getting her to drink.

Again...I can't thank you all enough for your support.

Cindy Sue sends lots of love 'n kisses~

Update on Cindy Sue's Coyote Attack

First, I want to thank everyone for your kind thoughts, prayers and well wishes for Cindy Sue...so far it's working!

The vet agreed after treating her that if she had not had her winter coat on, the coyotes would have ripped her to pieces...they sure tried.

From the gaping hole of skin on her underside at the flank, they had pulled on her so hard that her skin ripped clear back to her vulva. She had numerous bites, with two of them that were the most serious. One came just a fraction from puncturing her abdominal cavity and the other is almost to the pelvic bone.

She is coming out of the anesthesia...laying on a heat pad with blankets over the top of her (just like she likes it at home). My Man stopped in to see her on his lunch break and said she was still a lil' bit groggy, but was alert enough to be looking at him...she seemed comfortable and was quiet.

Once she's more awake, they will test her legs, and they may take an x-ray to make sure there are no broken bones that they can't see.

Dr. also said she has what looks to be a scratched eye. Once the tears start flowing again, they will access that for any damage. But, Dr. says we are not out of the woods yet. She may loose some skin and she could get secondary infections...we have to take it one step at a time.

She will be staying the night at the vet clinic, but we can pick her up in the AM. The sooner she comes home the better...this house is awfully quiet without her.

"Thank you everyone for helpin' me get better.
Anyone wanna come hunt coyotes wiff my mom???
Mom says she's gonna kick some coyote arse. Woof!"

Coyote Attack

~I've got a gun. I know how to shoot it. 

When the time's right, I'm gonna use it.~

~gtyyup, 2011~

This is not what I wanted to blog about today...or on any other day for that matter.

It started out just like all our other mornings. Get up, drink a cup or two of coffee waiting for it to get light outside to go feed. Cindy Sue sleeps in every morning...My Man and I jokingly say she's in Denio. Denio is a lil' bit of a town on the Oregon/Nevada boarder. It sounds so much like 'denial' that we just say that something's in Denio when they don't want to face up to reality...like Cindy Sue, who waits until the last possible moment to get out of her cozy bed.

We bundle up for the morning air. Cindy Sue always wears her barn coat since she doesn't have enough hair to keep her warm.

The dogs scampered off out through the alfalfa field toward the neighbor's driveway...the usual routine. I head into the barn to get the first load of hay and pushed the wheelbarrow out to Colt 'n Gus then headed back to the barn for another load for Whiskey 'n Toby.

I had just got inside the barn and heard Cindy Sue screaming...literally. I ran out the closest door and see two coyotes and her about an 1/8 of a mile away in the neighbor's field. Bella Jo, Cowboy and Abby are all with me in the barn.

I begin screaming like a mad woman to leave my dog alone; leaped over the rail fence and ducked under the barbed wire fence. I screamed the whole way across the alfalfa field as I ran as fast as I could...which isn't fast enough with rubber winter boots on.

Bella Jo 'n Cowboy were running ahead of me, and I told them to 'get 'um.' I couldn't tell if Cindy Sue was alive or not; the coyotes had her down on the ground. I was preparing for the worst...still screaming...and those coyotes didn't pay any attention to me.

Bella Jo 'n Cowboy finally reached Cindy Sue, and the coyotes backed off of her just enough for her to get up, and then they got her down again. Somehow Bella Jo 'n Cowboy got them away from her again, and Cindy Sue came running toward me...with one of the damn coyotes right on her tail.

I was at the fence line. There were two fences in front of me with the neighbor's driveway between the fences. Cindy Sue made it under the first fence and I thought the coyote was going to get her again (he was that close), but the coyote finally saw me and turned around. I could see blood and looked at Cindy Sue's belly and saw a big gaping hole. I gently grabbed her up and started walking as fast as I could back to the house. I could see blood dripping down my pants and onto my boot.

I called back to Cowboy 'n Bella Jo...both coyotes and my dogs were right there where Cindy Sue had been attacked. I kept calling them to come...Bella Jo did, but Cowboy didn't.

Into the front seat of the truck went Cindy Sue, who was obviously in shock by this time. I got a phone message to My Man to call the vet office and tell them I would be there ASAP. Cowboy finally got to the house and I locked the dogs up in the yard...and drove 75 mph all the way to town.

Cindy Sue was moaning slightly, her eyes were looking glassy, but she was staying quiet. I talked to her the whole way to town telling her that all would be OK and that she needed to be a tough lil' Rattie Ranch Dog. She'd survived the Great Horned owl attack, the rattlesnake attack...and she wasn't gonna let two lousy, stinkin' coyotes get the best of her.

We arrived at the vet office at 8:20, and My Man was there waiting for us. We took her straight into the surgery room, and they took off her coat and had a look. The Dr. said that it looked like they had just ripped the skin on the underside in the flank area and that no organs had been damaged. She had a couple of bite marks on her neck and a whole bunch of bites on her hips. She would have been a lot worse...maybe dead...if she hadn't had her coat on. Poor lil' Cindy Sue was covered in blood, shaking and totally in shock.

The vet will be putting her under anesthesia to get her all cleaned up and stitched up. They may take x-rays if they suspect any internal damage had happened. She will have a tube for drainage and there will be lots of antibiotics and pain meds. They put her on fluids and whether she still needs those fluids overnight will determine if she comes home this evening or tomorrow.

Ironically, yesterday was Cindy Sue's "Gotcha Day." We got her from a rescue down in Nevada in 2007. We pray that she'll live a long life here with us.

Coyotes are not beautiful wild animals...they are nasty wild animals...who love to take easy prey.

It's 11:45 AM right now, and am anxiously waiting for a call from the vet. So, I don't know how she is at this time. Please keep Cindy Sue in your thoughts and prayers. We appreciate it.

I'm a tough Rattie Ranch Dog...I'm gonna make it just fine.