Follow Up on Rabid Fox Attack and Sam’s Cancer

GrayFox photo by Tim Ross

Time has a way of passing faster than one can believe. Last April, a fox trespassed and attacked Connie, her dogs and cats. Johnn shot the fox. Sure enough, after the Game Warden had the animal tested for rabies the results came back positive.

Connie had rabies shots. The dogs and cats were quarantined. Since Connie didn’t have proof that her cats, Oscar and Dexter, received rabies shots; they were quarantined the longest, for six months. Connie locked the cats in her garage with food, water and cozy bedding. She checked on them often; unfortunately, they were outside cats and used to wandering around the property, hunting mice and exploring all the things small felines enjoy exploring.

The garage proved hot, humid and suffocating. The cats complained and complained; meowed, paced and cried to be let out. The hot summer days dragged on and on, but fortunately the cats showed no signs of the dreaded disease. Finally, on a beautiful fall day in October, the imprisoned cats were set free. They dashed out of the garage, free at last.

The dogs fared much better as they did have papers stating when they received rabies shots. Trixie and Molley were confined to the house and not allowed to wander off the property. Connie and Johnn kept a close eye on them. The months dragged on and on. In July, the dogs proved to be rabies free and their quarantine was lifted.

Sam - December 8, 2011 Sam had surgery for ocular-squamous-cell-carcinoma last summer. The vet, Robin Rodgers, removed the mass of diseased cells. She felt there was a good chance the cancer would reappear. Johnn treated the eye with an ointment and returned Sam to the pasture the next day.

Winter came; rumors spread through the local horsey grapevine that one of the horses at Horse Heaven had died; probably Sam. In the meantime, Sam recovered from his surgery. Everyday Johnn examined the eye, looking for signs of the cancer. He found none. The horse made a complete recovery and so far doing well.

Until next time – Happy Trails

Copyright © 2016 Patricia Miran All Rights Reserved

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