September 19, 2012 - Mabel, the Rescued Cocker Update

Mabel is doing great, eating like a little piggy, sleeping well with the help of valerian because of back discomfort, and making it through most nights without a pee break. She is still meandering around the deck and house, and sitting on her pillow to observe all the activities around her at TBTB Dog Camp. She is a feisty girl, if a dog gets in her face to try and play around she quickly tells him to piss-off in doglish, baring her teeth and barking loudly. This only happens with the rambunctious ones.

Sweet Mabel

We had a visit with the vet yesterday for acupuncture and it was determined that Mabel does not have enough ‘meat’ on her spine to allow the needles to penetrate without hurting her. The vet recommended acupressure as an alternative. We are ordering a how-to book so we will be able to do the acupressure in the correct spots to help with her back pain. She has a crooked spine in her lumbar region, and probably arthritis – something that comes with age and a lifestyle that was probably less than desirable. She also has a fatty tumor in her right armpit that seems to be growing. If it continues to get bigger we will need to have it removed because of the possible walking hindrance it could cause her.

She is still on her heart meds that cost approximately $75 dollars month. They are new to the market and a generic brand won’t be available for a couple years. Mabel was coughing and wheezing every night before we started her on them, and that has totally gone away and her lungs are clear. They are definitely working. She is also on incontinence pills and glucosamine. Donations are greatly appreciated to help defray the costs of her meds for Cindy and I.

She visited Lisa Ann’s Grooming last week for a “Brazilian.” When she peed some of it was getting on her fur and making an every day bath necessary to eliminate the bad odor. She’s a beautiful little lady and smelling bad is just not part of the equation. With her new bikini clip the problem has been solved. The rest of her coat is growing out nicely to keep her warm this winter. The vet was impressed with how beautiful, thick and lush her fur coat looks.

As far as an adoption goes, I really haven’t tried much to find her a home. She is a special needs girl and Cindy and I both are aware that finding her a place to live out her life other than with us, is unlikely. And we are okay with that. I will be gone for six months this winter and Mabel will live exclusively with Betty Boo, Suzi Q, and foster mom Cindy, unless of course the perfect human falls out of the sky. She’s doing really well and seems happy and content. Upsetting her routine at this age is not a good thing either. She is a dear; a quiet little spirit unless a rowdy dog gets in her face and then look out.

So that’s the news on Ms. Mabel for now. She’s sending hugs and licks to all her fans.

Woof! Woof!

August 25, 2012 - Mabel, the Rescued Cocker Update

Mabel has spent the last three weeks with her other foster parent, Cindy and is now back at TBTB Dog Camp. She is doing so well, amazing really. Our goal was to help get her healthy and strong, and she is there! She no longer has to take pain meds and is happy to just hang out and be cuddled. She loves the other dogs, eats well and is now ready to find her forever home.

Mabel is a Sweetheart

She will do well in a home where someone is with her most of the day. Mabel is content to meander around – she does laps around the house and deck, and then falls asleep in the sun. She eats often and is only taking one heart pill a day, and another pill once a week for incontinence. Her pills are crushed up and placed in a spoonful of baby food that she easily laps up – she loves butternut squash with corn, or chicken with rice. She enjoys walking in the grass at a slow pace as she prefers to smell the roses along the way!

She wears a blanket around her shoulders on cool days, and we think in truth she is a mystic, a spiritual little creature. A worker at Cindy’s house was quite taken by Mabel – he was installing new flooring, down at her level and she insisted on being near him while he worked. With her shawl draped over her shoulders he was convinced she was one of the mystic characters from Dark Crystals. Yes, Mabel is indeed a little Muppet! A thinker and a plodder, with determination and perseverance – in other words, a tough little broad that doesn’t give up! She needs someone that enjoys her pace and is content to spend time with her.

If you are interested, or know of anyone that is looking for a beautiful companion with a huge heart, please let me know. Mabel has been through a lot but has bounced back way more than we ever expected. Come visit her, she would love to see you. If I didn’t already have six dogs, she would definitely spend her senior years at TBTB Dog Camp. She is welcome to come visit TBTB anytime, and Cindy’s house too, as we love her and will remain her forever Godmommies.

Thanks to all of you that helped with her amazing journey back to wellness. She’s sending hugs and licks to all her fans.

Woof! Woof!

July 13, 2012 - Mabel, the Rescued Cocker Update

Yesterday Mabel wasn't eating or drinking much. I fixed her a beef roast (loves prime rib), hamburger, canned dog food, eggs, chicken - you name it, and we tried it. She was just not interested. I ended up having to force-feed her the antibiotics because she wouldn't take food. I was worried so called and upped her recheck appointment to today instead of Monday.

Later in the afternoon she had a massive poop, and when I got home from the theatre last night I offered her a bowl of beef and she chowed it down, is drinking normally and taking liver bite treats again. Yippppeeee!

Yesterday I was worried she had an infection in her mouth, but now think she has been eating so much that it finally came out and she now has room for more. I just changed her recheck appointment back to Monday.

Mabel sends hugs and licks to her fans!

July 3, 2012 - Mabel, the Rescued Cocker Update

Pre-Dental Meal

Mabel’s dental work was performed this morning and she is resting at home now. Below is the report from the vet.

She did much better than was expected, her lungs are clear and she handled the anesthesia with no problem. The teeth that were taken out were the smaller ones, meaning that her large chewing teeth are okay and clean now. She will be on antibiotics for another ten days to clear up the infection. We expect to see a marked improvement in her health over the next few weeks. Fingers crossed that improvements will be seen in the heart area. After being on heart meds for only ten days now she is no longer coughing or gagging – a good sign. Her special heart kibble arrived today and we will continue to supplement her diet with home-cooked foods such as baked chicken with brown rice and peas.

Mabel had seven very rotten teeth that were extracted. One canine in particular was abscessed all the way to the sinuses and when it was pulled a large amount of pus oozed out and her nose bled. The nostril had been blocked from the infection. This poor girl has suffered greatly with her teeth for who knows how long? Thank goodness the problem ones have been removed.

I brought her home to a nice warm bed in the pup tent where she has privacy from the other dogs. Cindy will likely take her this weekend for more quiet time. She is totally out of it right now, still does not want to stand but managed to take a few steps before insisting on sleeping some more. Her mouth will be very sore for a few days so getting her to eat and take her meds will be a challenge. She was injected with a narcotic for pain that will wear off in a few hours and we have additional pain pills to get her through the next couple of days. This was a huge day for little Mabel but in the long run she will be so much healthier. She has dissolvable stitches and will be rechecked again on July 16^th. 

This girl has come a long way from being stuck in a ravine near death. She’s strong and has a will to keep on truckin’. We admire her tenacity and spunk, and know she is now on the mend. Thanks to all of you that helped with her medical expenses. Interesting enough the Universe does line things up as they are supposed to be. We raised exactly the amount of money we needed to cover her medical costs, give or take a few dollars. That is amazing and we can’t thank you enough for your support. We will keep you informed as her journey continues and will get you a picture when she starts feeling better.

Sweet Face

Sending hugs and licks to all of you,

Karen, Cindy and Mabel

Helping one dog at a time. 

Woof! Woof!

June 26, 2012, Mabel, the Rescued Cocker Update

Thanks to all of you that have already donated to the Mabel Fund. We really appreciate your help with her medical costs. Here’s an update of what happened at the Vet Clinic today.

We dropped Mabel off for an EKG and blood work with the intention of having her decayed teeth cleaned and/or removed. A few hours later I received a call that Mabel was not a candidate for going under anesthesia because of her heart condition at the moment. After taking her EKG it was sent to a cardiologist in Anchorage to read and he said she was currently more than high risk. Apparently it’s an electrode problem where the bottom of the heart is not communicating with the top causing her to have irregular heartbeats. He recommended giving her an injection used to regulate the heartbeat and then taking another EKG to see if that would help. I gave the okay to continue with the procedure recommended by the cardiologist. The Homer Vet also wanted to X-Ray her chest

At 3:30 this afternoon I was able to pick her up. The injection worked as it was supposed to - they can regulate her heartbeat which is really good news. An X-Ray showed that Mabel has an extremely large heart – the Vet commented that we already knew that because of course she is so very sweet. Since the injection will last up to six hours, Mabel will now be able to have her teeth worked on without being at high risk. Some of her heart issues might be directly related to the poison in her mouth.

Mabel was sent home with multiple medications: antibiotics to help with the infection in her gums, heart meds, pain meds and also something to clear up a small amount of mucus in her esophagus that might be caused from lying in the ravine water for who knows how long. All in all, her lungs are clear but small because her heart takes up so much room. The heart meds will hopefully help reduce the size and give her more space to breathe.

She arrived home famished and full of energy – she actually jumped out of the car before I could even get out, to do her business. We are cooking her chicken breasts with rice and a few peas mixed in. She gets yogurt, oatmeal and an egg at breakfast for protein. We are closely monitoring her sodium intake. Tonight she finished off her food  (nothing wrong with the appetite!) and then proceeded to make laps around the house. Must have felt the need for exercise since she was in a kennel much of today. As you can see in the photo she is now crashed on her bed snuggled under her very own SnugRug. She seems happy to be back with all the doggies at TBTB Dog Camp.

Mabel’s appointment for her teeth is now scheduled for Friday, July 6^th. All this medical work would not be possible without your help. Thanks again to those that have donated for this lovely little lady. And for you that haven’t done so yet, please consider it.  No donation is too small. I will continue to keep everyone updated on her progress. We are hopeful she will be much healthier and happy once everything is complete. She will then be looking for her forever home.

We Woof You!!  Mabel sends hugs and licks. Her kisses will be much sweeter once her teeth are clean and her breath is fresh!

Woof! Woof! 

Chip 'N to Help Mabel, the Rescued Cocker Spaniel

Mabel was found stuck in a ravine. No one knows how long she laid in the water crying out for help. Finally a lady walking her dog heard what she thought was a baby crying and hiked down into the ravine through thick alders to find Mabel, close to death. She was taken to the Homer Animal Shelter and because of her condition was going to be euthanized if she was not claimed in 3 days. Being Cocker Spaniel lovers, Cindy Nelson and I heard about her and went on a campaign to save her. After waiting more than 5 days, we were finally able to convince the powers that be that we wanted to get her some much needed medical attention, and were finally able to check her out of death row.



She has come such a long way in just two short weeks, and now they think she may only be 8-9 but will know more once they see the actual teeth. Sweet little Mabel will have her much-needed teeth cleaned on Monday morning. The vet thinks her arthritis may be related to her decayed teeth.




Cindy and I are fostering her until she gets healthy enough for adoption. The procedure is going to be pretty expensive, as an EKG is needed because of a prominent heart murmur, plus blood work. We have started a "Mabel Fund" and are asking for donations to help with the cost.

If you can help us please call Homer Vet Clinic at 907-235-8960, me at 235-4819 or Cindy at 235-0556, and donate to sweet Mabel. No donation is too small and will be greatly appreciated. Woof! Woof!