Gone to the Dogs, and Other Animals

Lots of animal news.

Byron got fixed on Friday. Plus he had a little cosmetic surgery. The vet, un-asked, cut off his 2 front nipples! What an improvement! I almost asked if they could do it, but thought it was a little shallow of me. But they did look like half deflated ticks. Rather unattractive.

The reason we even noticed though was the drops of blood on his bed when we got home. Bobbi couldn't believe it and reconfirmed with the vet that that was what happened.

We were quite worried by the blood at first because the overall prognosis for Byron may be rather grim. The vet found an extra blob in his scrotum and thinks it may be some hideous, sexually transmitted disease, that humans can contract through blood. He hopes to have it tested, but Costa Ricans don't do the test for dogs, just cows and horses. So he talked about sending it to the US or getting a black market analysis here. If he does have this crud, it would explain his continued lack of appetite. If so, either he needs to get antibiotics for months and months or be put down.

On the hopeful front, he did eat a half can of dog food last night and another protion today. Even more exciting, Missy brought him stew made from all her leftovers from the past couple of months. She and Jim are leaving tomorrow and she wanted to coax Byron to eat. He did, I think. I plopped the gallon sized zip lock bag down for him and he dug in. When we returned from brunch at Bobbi and Tom's, half the bag was gone and Byron looks quite stuffed. We enjoyed a romp or two to the beach today and he even chased a stick.

While caring for Byron, I noticed a girl in the back yard trying to get my attention. She said she could hear a kitty crying in the bushes. I ran to get vichyssoise to coax it out, but she had grabbed it by the time I returned. She is thrilled, having wished for a cat for a long time. She's not sure how her boyfriend is going to deal with the addition. We introduced ourselves and I learned she is staying next door until June. Her mother owns a dress shop her and is helping for 6 months. I guessed it had to be the one at the Harmony Hotel. She was impressed that I could tell, but just looking at her elegant shift and lovely jewelry made it pretty apparent. It also explains the wonderful, flowing white walls recently installed on their porch, which we can see from our place.

Finally back on a pretty regular schedule with Elvira and Lesley, who are always happy to see me. They are getting more and more playful, hanging up side down from their tails, from my raised arm while playing with each other. Two more injured monkeys came in last week. The one I have seen was just a lump last Saturday. By Friday, he had been stiched up from tip to toes. Only the gaping wound around his neck and jaw line remain open. Big holes and lots of yucky puss. But he is very alert and eating and drinking voraciously. He was nearly killed by another young male, but was interrupted by some people. His eyes are so trusting and sweet.

I haven't seen the other monkey who is at the release station, far from the babies' safe house.
Bobbi shared some animal tales with me that I have to pass on.
One night, her dogs woke her with loud barking. She threw on some nightie and ran out to see what was happening. They had cornered something, so she beat them off the poor critter, to find a little porcupine. Hoping to save its life, she wanted to bring into a safe place. So she ripped off her nightie and carried him to safety. One of her friends thought she was trapesing through the jungle, naked, so she wouldn't get her clothes dirty. But no, she didn't want to be stuck full of needles. Unfortunately the poor little thing did not make it through the night.
Bobbi doesn't mind the smell of skunks, so didn't actively resist a trio moving into her house. But when they started chewing the seal around the oven, she decided it was time to throw them out. They had been living in the oven apparently and were using the broiler as a litter tray, which didn't even smell at all. She turned on the oven, hoping to get them to leave, to no avail. She then grabbed a broom and was sweeping them out. Of course, this was all in the middle of the night. And, of course, she was naked. And, the skunks were not interested in being swept away. So Bobbi had to wait for them to peek their noses out their entryway so she could get them. That took a while, so she lit up and waited. I love that image.
Bobbi and Missy were talking about what pisotes like to eat. They are the local raccoon type mammel that hunts nocturnally. They eat anything, it seems, except capers and lime jello. Bobbi found a mess in one of her clients house's. The pasotes had broken into their refrigerator.
Everything was gone but for the capers and jello, which was on the floor. Huge claw marks raked through the jello, directing the eye to the walls where they had flung the replulsive jiggly stuff.