Life at the Zoo

We are all doing great right now. Beau still is fighting Valley Fever. He went to the Vet and got a blood test. All the numbers are good. The Valley Fever number (the Tiger count...we think) is the same, which was expected. It may be a long time before he is completely cured but he is doing well.
Roary is doing good, except that it is really hot here in Arizona. She has molted once or twice since the spring. She is in good health. She went to the Vet as well and all her blood counts are good. She spends a lot of time laying around and telling the Zookeeper things, like when to go to bed or when she is hungry.
Schein'nnee is doing great. Her fur has grown out a lot and should be cut again. The Zookeeper is going to get someone to come help with more razors so that it will be done completely. She went to the Vet with Roary and is in great health.
The Zookeeper is going back to school. She has spent a lot of time away and looks forward to being at school and working a set schedule. The pool season is rounding down so she is not home much. But she loves us and makes sure that we get attention.

So, the Zookeeper decided that I needed a haircut. But I have really think hair. So she shaved me, then cut the rest. Didn't she do a great job getting it even? The Shaver got to hot to finish so I got to run around like this for a couple of weeks. Then the Zookeeper tried again, but I didn't want to get hair cut, so I didn't cooperate. Now I look even funnier. I have a wide band of fur around my ribcage. The Zookeeper says that she is going to try again, but I think that I want to give her some trouble. I kind of like the new 'do. We will see...

The New Pharmacy

I have been wroking with the Vet and the Pharmacy to get Beau's medicine. Things are now set up. I am getting a 3 month supply for around $90. Beau will have to be seen by the vet in 6 months and have his blood tested again.

Beau's Valley Fever

I have had a few requests for information on Valley Fever. Basically, it is a fungus that lives in the soil here in the Southwest. When it rains a lot, the fungus will grow and create spores. Then it dries and the spores disperse. Any creature that breaths with lungs can breathe in the spores, which then get into the blood stream. In the bloodstream, in grows and infects the individual with Valley Fever.

Evidently, to diagnosis this, the doctor has to dilute the blood sample to determine how strong the Valley Fever. The more that the blood has to be diluted, the stronger the infection. Beau's number in 1:8, which means that the blood needed to be diluted four times before the fungus was not present. If he was a 1:64, that would be twice as bad. The counting is similar to half-lives of radioactive materials.

A co-worker was telling me that her big dog had Valley Fever. She spent 8 months trying to convince her Vet to test for it. Her dogs number was 1:32. So they are worse off then Beau. I told her about the medicine and how much it cost. She suggested a difference pharmacy that provides the medicine at a much more affordable price...and they deliver...and they sent a toy with the medicine. I am currently working on getting this set up.

So all in all, Beau is doing better. The bump comes and goes, but the valley fever is under control. We are going to keep up the medicine and keep an eye on him. Hopefully, this will be a short time to solve, but I understand that it may be a long time.

Beau

As some of you may know, Beau was diagnosed with Valley Fever in December. This is how it came about. A couple of months ago, Beau had a bump on his cheek, below his eye but on the upper jaw. He also was not walking on one of his legs. I thought that maybe he pulled a muscle and that the bump would go away.

Ha! That's funny!

Then about a month later, Beau had a bump and was limping again. So, I took him to school for a reading therapy day and to show him to his Nana, my mother. She said, "Take him to the Vet."

So to the Vets we go. After a lot of probing and testing, he has Valley Fever and the bump is not related. He got meds for the bump and the apparent pain. The bump went away in a couple of days. He is doing great, but needs to be on medicine forever...

Check out the picture of his bump. This was taken January 1st. The bumps on his right side.

Good news is: After two days of Asprin, the bump is decreasing!

I am Schein'nnee. Eventhough I am the smallest, I get the longest name and NOONE can say it. By the way it is, Shane-ee.

My name is Ahroarah Monster.

But you can call me, Honey Monster.

Still to long? Try Roary.