What's been happening at The Excellent Adventure Sanctuary

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furryfriends (TEAS)

furryfriends (TEAS)

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I am starting this blog to keep everyone updated on what is happening at The Excellent Adventure Sanctuary on a day to day basis.

I have been doing this on the Facebook page for sometime but I am aware that not everyone has Facebook.

Before I start a regular entry, I will just give a brief recap on what has been happening recently.

Sadly, Archie, who had been a Sanctuary resident for almost two years, passed away on Tuesday 10th April. Archie had ongoing dental problems and had dental treatment throughout the whole time he was here, every 7 - 10 days. Life was great for Archie and as long as he had this regular treatment he could have a normal life. He recently had two jaw abscesses and although he recovered really well from the first one, the second abscess was very nasty and aggressive and he didn't bounce back so quickly this time. Over the Easter holiday he started to fail, and I made the heartbreaking decision to let him go on the Tuesday morning as I felt he had no quality of life left and was just fading away.

I recently had two temporary residents. Cornflake travelled here from Exeter, looking a very poorly boy due to dental problems. However, after just 2 1/2 weeks here and treatment from Simon Maddock, he went home fully recovered. Rose also came here from Cardiff. She hadn't been eating for 7 weeks prior to arriving. On the day she travelled she had started to develop a head tilt and bulging eye. She was immediately seen by Simon and to save her eye he added lubrication and stitched it closed. She had a retrobulbar abscess behind it. She was started on anbitiobics and Simon filed her teeth. Just 10 days later she was able to eat fully for herself and came on in leaps and bounds. Her eye has been saved and her dental issues appear to have been cured after just three treatments from Simon. She returned home last Friday.

Brownlow is a permanent resident who has no top incisors. He can eat well but needs his bottom teeth burring every 2 1/2 weeks. As long as he gets this done he lives a completely normal life.

There are other sanctuary residents who can all be found on the website
www.teasnorthampton.co.uk

There will be some big news coming soon regarding Archie's wife Pickle. She has been very sad since losing her special man, but she is due to get a new husband very soon. She is going to be the perfect companion for this little guy, as you will all soon see.

There may be a new temporary resident arriving very soon too.
 
This video shows Rose on the day she started to eat for herself. You will notice her eye is still closed. This was opened about a week later and it had fully recovered. She has been left with a tiny white dot on it, but other than that it is normal.


Click on the picture to view the video
 
It's going to be a busy weekend at the Sanctuary. Tomorrow morning is big clean out time and then on Sunday a new resident will be arriving. He is booked in to see Simon on Monday. Hopefully his dental issues can be resolved quickly.
 
On Friday evening I collected Archie's ashes. Although getting the ashes back makes it all very real, it feels right and comforting to have the special little man back home.

A new temporary resident arrived yesterday. Another one due today. Long appointment with Simon booked for tomorrow evening, as both new little guys are booked in and Brownlow is having his bottom incisors burred too.

Brownlow has no top incisors but can eat well, and doesn't need any syringe feeding. However as the bottom incisors have nothing to wear against, they need burring every 18/19 days.

Pickle is eagerly awaiting her new husband. She is currently in a cage next door to Buddy and Lola and likes to chat to Lola through the bars.
 
The sanctuary has been very busy this past couple of days.

Pickle's new husband, Ben, arrived yesterday, and didn't get off to the best start when he settled himself down immediately in her bed. Pickle wasn't best pleased. She is now happy that they have a bed each and she will eat with him at the food bowl and play with him around the cage but he isn't allowed to join her in her bed! The happy couple will be posing for pics tomorrow. Ben is a very special little guy as he is blind and deaf! I am sure Pickle will be wonderful for him as she is so kind and caring.

Good news and bad news re the new dental guys. Monty's dental issues weren't too bad, and now after just one treatment from Simon he is eating pretty much everything. Unfortunately Jerry's dental issues are much more serious and complex. This is very upsetting as his owners had spent a lot of money on treatments from various vets and no-one had realised just how bad his mouth was, or had filed his teeth properlyl We are hopeful that Jerry's issues can be managed but he is going to need a lot of intense treatment and this could be ongoing for the rest of his life. Jerry, therefore, has become a permanent resident along with his brother Ben. My heart goes out to his owners who have made the very brave decison to hand both boys over so that Jerry can have the best chance possible. Jerry had his teeth burred today under GA as there was such a lot of overgrowth of tooth. He is already able to eat a little for himself now, especially if the food is poked into his mouth. We are feeling much more optimistic this evening. He has a lot of ulceration and infection in his mouth and is currently on Metacam and Zithro-max. I am just so glad we have been able to help this little guy.
 
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Monty is eating more and more for himself so syringe feeding has been greatly reduced. Jerry is so keen to eat and is managing little bits. Hopefully when his mouth is less sore he will be able to eat much better. Both little guys are back at the vets next week for check ups. Had to do an emergency dash to vets yesterday with Mr Sparky Trouble, the bunny, so last night I had two piggies to syringe feed plus one bunny. Mr T is much better today though so all good.

I had been hoping to get pics on of Pickle and Ben, but had to devote my time to all the little guys needing syringe feeding last night. Hopefully I can get them on tonight.
 
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Pickle would like to introduce you to her new husband, Ben. Ben is very special as he is blind and deaf, but he certainly knows how to enjoy himself. He has been getting so excited popcorning around that he keeps falling over!
 
Very busy times here at the sanctuary. Dental piggie no 5 arriving tomorrow, although this number includes Brownlow who doesn't need any syringe feeding.

Monty has been here just a week and he is needing very little syringe feeding and is eating mainly for himself He sees Simon again tomorrow, and I am very hopeful it won't be long before he's heading home.

Gerry is now a permanent Sanctuary resident and although it's likely he is going to need ongoing dental work, and very intensive dental work for a couple of months, he is already making huge steps towards eating for himself. He's a tiny piggie with a huge attitude and he has the same amount of enthusiasm that Kevin had when he arrived here a very poorly piggie.

Phoebe arrived yesterday and will be seeing Simon for the first time tomorrow so hopefully it won't be long before she is on the road to recovery.

Tomorrow evening Patch will arrive. He is currently travelling from Aberdeen and he is booked in to see Simon on Tuesday, so he has time to settle in before his appointment.

These special little guys deserve the very best, and it's the best job in the world being able to play a part in their recovery.
 
Looking after dental piggies isn't easy, but when you get results like this, after just one week, it makes all the hard work so worthwhile.

Here is Monty tucking into his veggies. Monty was unable to eat for himself a week ago.

Click on the pic to view the video

 
Jerry had his teeth filed again last night. They had overgrown quite a lot in just a week. However, his mouth is looking much better on the right side but there is still ulceration on the left. As soon as we got home he was able to eat much better again. It's not going to be a quick fix, and unlikely to ever be cured, but we are very hopeful that given time he will start to eat completely for himself again, but will likely need ongoing dental work.

Patch has his own thread, but I can report that he is bright and happy this morning, so looking good so far.

Phoebe is making huge progress since having her teeth filed on Monday and is eating mainly for herself with just a very small amount of syringe food to top her up.

Monty is going from strength to strength and I am sure that it won't be long before he's the same size as his cagemate Humphrey.
 
Phoebe and Paislee go home tomorrow! Phoebe has gained about 100g since arriving here and having her teeth done by Simon. Hopefully this is the end of her dental issues, but Simon would like to see her again in about 4 - 6 weeks just to make sure everything is still going well. Another great result.

Monty is doing really well, but is still needing a little adjustment to his incisors to get them just right. He now weighs over a kilo and is catching up fast with his friend Humphrey.

Patch is also making progress, and although he had dropped a little weight last night he had put it all back on, and more besides, today. He will see Simon again next week to see if his breathing issue needs further investigation. It's definitely improved since arriving here, but still not quite right.

Jerry continues to need weekly appointments and is likely to for a long time yet. However, his mouth is already looking much better. He still needs a lot of supportive care, but is happy and lively.

Brownlow had his bottom incisors burred today. He needs them doing every 2 1/2 weeks as he has no top incisors for them to wear against.

Blind and deaf Ben has settled in well, and is living happily with Pickle!
 
Had an emergency dash to Simon this morning with Ben (Jerry's friend). He was peeing blood. Simon can't feel any stones so we are hoping it's just cystitis and that septrin and metacam will soon have him sorted. He seems fine in himself.

Phoebe and Paislee have just gone home. It's always great to reunite them with their loving owners.
 
Sorry there hasn't been an update for a while, but it has been absolutely manic here.

Wispa and her friend Galaxy are here from Maidstone. When Wispa arrived she had a head tilt, in addition to her dental problems. She had been prescribed ear drops, but Simon immediately changed her to oral antibiotic. The result was amazing and she shown signs of improvement within a couple of days. She is still eating a little slower than normal, but is making steady progress.

Jerry continues to improve slowly and steadily. His teeth were absolutely dreadful when he arrived but 3/4's of his mouth is much improved, but he is still needing regular dental work and is likely to for the rest of his life. He is bright and lively and life is good for him.

Alfie and China arrived a week ago and have settled in really well, and are eating me out of house and home.

Monty went back to London a few weeks ago and his owners have been in touch to say he is still doing really well and continues to gain weight.

After losing his mate Patch, Sneezy has now got a new friend. His name is Wispa (I currently have two Wispa's here) and he was one of the 285 rescue boys. Wispa had just lost his cagemate Twirl and they were both feeling very sad and lonely. They immediately bonded and have become inseparable, and Sneezy and Wispa will be heading back to Aberdeen in just over two weeks time.
 
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