On Tuesday one of our vets from the Whitefield Animal Hospital, Dr. Nancy Lefavour, came out to do the annual exams and vaccinations on all the dogs and cats. In the large animal world, when a vet comes out to your place it's called a "farm call," but everyone seems to use this term whether you've got a ranch or a farm or are doing a bunch of small animals or a herd of horses. Our small animal vet in Montana, Dr. Brenda Culver, made these annual visits as well, and our clinic in Whitefield is carrying on the practice. We were set up in the dog wing for it, and Alayne would bring in each dog while I would hold them for Nancy.
When she wasn't shuttling dogs, Alayne was taking some photos during a few of the exams. In the one above, Nancy is checking out blind Samantha.
Here is blind and deaf Spencer getting a vaccination:
In this next shot I'm showing Nancy blind and deaf Spinner's eyes ... she has an extremely rare condition called restrictive strabismus, something most vets have never seen before:
It's an eye muscle disease, and at the time we got Spinner, there was only one study in the veterinary literature on it -- of a potential surgical fix for the condition. This was several years ago, and we tracked down one of the specialists who had participated in the study -- a board-certified ophthalmologist and board-certified surgeon in San Diego, one of only two in the world then with the dual certifications. He agreed to try the experimental surgery on Spinner, and I flew her down to San Diego. Unfortunately, it didn't work, and she remains blind and deaf to this day, but she is still one happy girl.
Finally, here are Dexter and Widget outside the doctor's "office":
For a while it looked like they were comparing notes on what the doctor said about their respective conditions ... "Say, what did the doctor say about you?" As we've reported before, Dexter has a serious case of CSH, a progressive ailment otherwise known as Canine Selective Hearingitis, while Widget has something as rare as Spinner's -- BTIDB Syndrome, or Beagle-Trapped-In-Dachshund-Body Syndrome. Sadly, there is no known cure for either problem.
---
Still 2nd place as of Thursday -- but just barely!
Please keep voting for the sanctuary in the Shelter Challenge -- the votes are adding up! And remember, you can vote every day, so consider bookmarking the voting page to make it easy.
You can vote in the Shelter Challenge here.
Please note: Use Rolling Dog Ranch for our name and NH for the state and our listing will come up.
It was thanks to all of your amazing votes that we won the $20,000 Grand Prize in the final Shelter Challenge of 2009, and we came in fourth nationwide in the first Shelter Challenge earlier this year, winning $3,000. So this is serious money and can really make a difference for our disabled animals! Please help us win this round of the contest by voting every day, and by encouraging your family, friends and colleagues to vote every day, too. Thank you!
Being new to Lancaster, I just happened upon your place when I was looking for a dog.
I have my heart set on one of your dogs already.
I LOL when I read your blog! How funny our little guys are! I myself have a neurological problem which makes me wobbly!
Keep up the great work! PS...I VOTED FOR YOU:-)
Posted by: Nancy Towne | March 11, 2014 at 07:23 PM
"canine selective hearingitis" is the "norm" at my house as well.
Happy to hear a great report,and see Spinner, Dexter & Widget!!
Posted by: Doe George | October 17, 2010 at 08:51 PM
I never see anything posted about Blanca.....do you still have her? How is she doing?
Posted by: Shannon | October 16, 2010 at 06:30 PM
Yup, canine selective hearingitis is alive and well at my house too! It's amazing what my dogs choose to listen to and what they choose not to.
It's wonderful to have good, caring vets that will come to your house to take care of the entire crew. I couldn't even imagine if you had to take them yourself...that would be quite the project! Thanks for sharing those great pictures :)
Posted by: Ann | October 16, 2010 at 06:13 AM
HA - I just developed CSLATP syndrome - cant' stop laughing at this post. It takes effect suddenly and gives me much energy! Thank you for the beautiful pictures. Loved seeing the darling and obviously happy animals. Have a great weekend.
Posted by: Angela | October 15, 2010 at 01:19 PM
Unfortunately Selectivehearingitis runs rampant in my house with 4 legged and 2 legged residents. I think it is an epidemic! I understand your pain.........l0l
PS Great posting Steve.
Posted by: Ev | October 15, 2010 at 12:50 PM
I'm so glad you have vets in the new area that will carry on the "Farm Visits" to make sure all these sweeties are healthy! Hmmm, interesting diagnosis on Dexter & Widget! Maybe they can be new case studies for the new vet & then again maybe not!! ha-ha!
Did I miss a post about Widget's eye or is that a wink as was suggested above?
Posted by: Colleen & In Memory of Sweet Kitty Erin | October 15, 2010 at 12:17 PM
Kathleen, how is little Roo?? Do tell, please? Also, good to hear Roo isn't an only child, everyone needs built in friends. Hope all are well.
Posted by: Anne in Florida | October 15, 2010 at 12:15 PM
There's Sam and Spinner (two of my favs!! of course I love em all though!)
How wonderful you've arranged house calls. My girls always get so tense as we arrive at the Vet office.
Have you reduced vaccine frequency in view of emerging data that they may not be needed every year?
Posted by: Lynn (in Louisiana) | October 15, 2010 at 12:07 PM
CONGRATS TO YOU FOR WINNING THE $1000 WEEK 2 CHALLENGE. EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS. AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE BIG PAYOUT & DON'T FORGET TO CLICK ON THE PURPLE BOTTON - IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY BOWLS OF FOOD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY JUST CLICKING. THANKS
Posted by: FELICIA | October 15, 2010 at 10:18 AM
I'm not sure "who" provided the diagnosis for Dexter and Widget, but Widget provided the "wink". Clever as always!
Kathleen, Genie Bee, Emma Sioux, Tui, Blue, Bella, and a thriving Roo - Puppy and Kitty Kisses to All
Posted by: Kathleen Rivard | October 15, 2010 at 10:00 AM
VOTE, VOTE, VOTE, VOTE, VOTE, let your voice be heard by all the deaf dogs at RDR (and the blind ones and the 3 legged ones and the wobbly ones and the cats and the horses and little Margaret too) Please VOTE, VOTE, VOTE, every day.
Posted by: Anne in Florida | October 15, 2010 at 09:15 AM
What's with Ms. Widgets right eye? Did I miss something? I am so glad they make farm calls, what a trip it would be if you had to load them all up and take them to the vet!! (I think the vet offices do it to save THEIR sanity). Imagine the waiting room chaos with ALL the RDR dogs, cats and Margaret milling around with the other patients waiting to be seen. Makes me laugh imagining it.
Posted by: Anne in Florida | October 15, 2010 at 09:13 AM
SO googd to see Widget and Dexter... Where the heck is Margaret???
Posted by: gayle | October 15, 2010 at 09:01 AM
Thank you for your continued entertaining and informative blog about the Ranch. I have this site as one of my start-up pages and enjoy reading it every day. You are such a talented writer and to think you take the time to do such a great job while still having all the animal chores to do as well! You and Alayne are very inspirational.
Posted by: Tracey | October 15, 2010 at 06:53 AM
So glad you found another great vet office! HEY EVERYBODY - we need to vote from home and office - it's too close for comfort VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!!!
Posted by: Sharon | October 14, 2010 at 11:04 PM
Sounds like everybody is healthy! Really enjoyed this Farm post!
Posted by: Shirley * James/Portland, OR | October 14, 2010 at 10:01 PM