December 4, 2009

He’s back! I can’t believe it! He’s actually back! I mean this Tommy dog returned. This morning my foster mommy left home real early with him. She said he was getting his new terr and I thought that meant he was going to his new forever home and that was really good riddance. She was away for a really long time and while she was gone Juliet stole some apples and ate them and when my foster mommy got back home she was not that happy, but Tommy was not with her! And that made me happy because then I got to walk with Juliet and Angelo and we took a really long walk and then went to grandmother’s for lunch and it was fun. Because normally I get to walk with Tommy and his leg is just, you know, sort of blah, and he can’t walk as fast as me.

But then our foster mommy went away again and she returned with this pesky little beagle. So huh, that new terr did not work out and we were talking about it and trying to figure out what happened. I mean just Juliet and me because Angelo got a bath today and he’s not happy and sulking. But why in the world did he have to come back here? I had to push him out of the bed yet again because Juliet took the other one. So my foster mommy brought him a new donut bed she got for the cat who doesn’t care about sleeping in it because she sleeps on top of the armchair. She is one annoying kitty that one. She slaps us beagles around, she walks straight up to our faces and sniffs us, she eats this really yummy food that she does not want to share, she uses kitty litter and we’re not allowed in and she scares us silly. Like now, she meowing and meowing and my foster mommy said that if she does it once again, she’ll be earmuffs. Yessss! And I’ll wear them.

So, please, people! Will someone adopt Tommy? He’s cute, quaint, smart, smiles a lot and will give you kisses. I know you’ll love him to bits and pieces.

Have pity on me!

Zooki (aka Aladdin)

December 1, 2009

Hello Beagle Maryland fans,

This is Tommy Tinker. I would like to give you an update. Well, my doctor, the one who operated my leg and hip, was very happy when he saw me last time. I walked into his office on all my legs and he said that that was very good! He took an x-ray and said things looked very good and told my foster mommy (I really love her very much) to take things easy with me, to go slowly, and that everything should go very well. And do you know what else he said? He said I was a very sweet beagle, that I was very calm when he examined me, that I’m just a very good boy. Yes I am!

My foster mommy calls me Little Mr. Sunshine. I like the sound of that because I like sunshine. Like the other day, when she was raking leaves and the sun was out. Me and Juliet we went out to sleep in the pile of leaves in the sun. That was fun! I Zooki came out and even Angelo sat outside in the sun and closed his eyes for a while. I like Angelo because he now plays with me and he got really angry at Juliet when she tried to join in. Because he and I are small guys and she’s bigger and she just butts in.

Oh, let me tell you. She got into trouble this morning. My foster mommy took Zooki and me out for a walk and then she took Juliet and Angelo and then… she disappeared. She went somewhere and I did not like that and I started barking a bit. But then, Juliet came over and she said, “Hey guys, she’s gone. There’s those treats in her jacket pocket in the closet. I’m getting them.”

Zooki was not to hot about that. “Oooo,” he said. “You’ll get in trouble. You know how that is. You’ll be sitting under the dining room table all morning and mommy will be really mad at you.”

“I don’t care,” she said. “It’s treats. Yummy treats and I want them.”

So she started working on opening the closet door.

“Don’t do it!” Zooki was telling her.

“Can it Zooki! It’s food! I’m going for it,” she answered. She finally opened the door and started jumping to catch the jacket sleeve.

“You’re going to get in trouble!” Zooki was sitting on his new pillow. “She’ll call you devil-dog again. Like when you broke into the candy two days ago and into the recycling bin yesterday. Don’t do it.”

But Juliet was not listening. I just sat there and watched. She pulled the jacket out and took it to her bed and started going through the pockets when… the door opened and our mommy came in!

“Juliet!” we heard from the hallway and Juliet ran under the dining room table. “I can’t believe it! I can’t leave the house for five minutes without having you do something stupid!” She stomped into the dining room, picked up her jacket and put it away.

So now we’re very quiet all of us. Juliet is still hiding under the dining room table.

Well, let me tell you. I don’t do things like that. No, I’m a good boy. I do like playing. Like when Juliet, Angelo and I run around the dining room table and we change directions and Zooki just stands there playing with his squeaky toy and we bump into him and he has no idea what’s going on. Then we all just pile up and Juliet grabs our throats and Angelo grabs legs and I have a great time. But what I love more than anything is to be petted and held.

My foster mommy says that when I get my new terr I can come to an adoption day and meet more people. I can’t wait. I’ll get it this Friday and then I can come. I can’t wait!

November 8, 2009

Hello Readers of Tommy’s story,

This is Angelo here.  I would like to dispel some misconceptions about me and give you an update about that little guy, Tommy.  First of all, Zooki and Tommy write unflattering things about me and they make me sound like a snob.  I’m not.  I’m just a reserved kind of beagle, but if you have food I won’t be reserved at all.  It is true that I don’t play with anybody but Juliet.  However, I would like to note that she’s been here ever since I came to my forever home and I know her best.

I do get along with Tommy and Zooki.  For example, yesterday, my mommy took Zooki and me to Annapolis. And we got along just fine.  I had my blanket on the front seat and Zooki had the whole back seat to himself and he still whined about it and wanted to come up front!  My word! 

Tommy is doing well.  Sometimes my mommy takes him along when she takes me out for the neighborhood walk.  Because, you see, when we do the neighborhood walk, I go very slowly because I hunt for cats.  This way Tommy can follow along and use all four legs!  I can hear my mommy encourage and praise him.  I don’t have much time to look because those cats really get on my nerves.  They sit in the bushes, on fences, under cars.  They’re all over the place!  We have a cat at home, Isis, but she’s feisty and she scares us all because she slaps us on our noses.  She’s no fun.  I like cats that run away from me!

In any case, Tommy can now go on slow walks and he uses all his legs.  But when he’s in a hurry, which he usually is, he hops on three legs and my mommy doesn’t let him. 

He hasn’t started his heartworm treatment yet because the doctors say that his body needs all the energy it has to help his leg and heartworm treatment, they say, takes its toll on the body.  I know all that because I listen when my mommy and daddy talk.  So I know a lot of things.  Tommy will have to go back to the doctor who put his leg back together and have another x-ray and if the bone is healing well, he can go to the other doctor and start his treatment and everything else.  I think he’ll do well.  You know, I was also hit by a car.  But my really bad injuries were all internal.

He likes little stuffed toys and stole the cat’s toy (good Tommy!), the one with the catnip.  So my mommy got a little stuffed toy especially for him, but Juliet stole it and wanted to take the squeaker out.  Then Zooki stole it.  And now Tommy decided he likes cardboard boxes best and he shreds them.  So my mommy brings him cardboard and he makes a mess, but my mommy and daddy say it’s OK.  He also plays with some of the toys in the toy basket.  He takes them all out and takes them to one of the beds and sleeps with them.  He’s sort of a baby like that.

I hope you like my report.  Please keep checking back.  There will be more!

Angelo

October 27, 2009

Hi everyone ! This is Tommy Tinker. I want to tell you all about what has been happening. My foster mommy may write some bad things about me because she says there was a breakthrough these last days and I can assure you there was no breaking or going through and that I was a good boy. But she keeps talking about it and gets all excited (sort of like we do when we know we’ll be getting our food).

So last week I had to stay at the doctor’s because he said a pin had slipped out. Again, I don’t know what he was talking about because I have very short hair, sort of a buzz, and I don’t wear any pins. But good, he’s a doctor, so maybe he knows something I don’t. I had to stay overnight and then they did this surgery on me and now I have this stiff thread and sometimes, when my foster mommy isn’t looking, I pull on it and when she catches me, she puts this annoying plastic lampshade on my head and I really hate it. The doctor said the surgery went well and the pin came out very easily. I did hear the doctor tell my foster mommy that I have to try using my leg because otherwise my knee will be stiff. He said it was many days between when my leg broke and when I had the surgery and that’s not good.

Well, I heard all that. And two days ago when I went out at noon I walked a little on my bad leg to show my foster mommy that I can! But just a little, just a few steps. She clapped her hands and went nuts. Geez. Then I decided that some of the bushes needed watering (you know what I mean) and I stood on my leg and lifted the other one. Yesterday, my foster mommy was very happy because I tried scratching myself with my sick leg. And when we know it’s time to eat, I do this nifty dance number in the kitchen and I showed everyone that I can do it on four legs! Oh, yes. Because the doctor said I will start using it when I decide that I can. So I sort of decided to start using it. Although… I can run very fast on three legs and my ears swish past my face and fly in the back of my head and the wind is in my eyes and I feel very happy. When the sun comes out, I like to lie down in the leaves outside and tan. I’m not a fan of the pale look, like Angelo. Angelo’s pale (or pink when he gets his allergies).

So this Zooki. He’s become bossy. I mean, who does he think he is? My foster mommy got Juliet a new bed and wanted me to sleep in the old one because it’s comfortable for me and my leg. Zooki found out about it and he steals it from me. For example, I’ll be sitting or lying on it and he’ll come by and say something like, “Hey, squirt, what are you up to?” And I’ll say, “Just chillin’.” And he’ll say, “Look, you have crumbs in your bed,” and he’ll start pretending like he’s cleaning the bed and, before I know it, he’s in there with me. And he’s got these thick paws and big head. Then he’ll usually say, “I don’t know, squirt, but I’m sort of tired. If you don’t mind, I’ll snooze a bit.”

Don’t mind?! Of course I mind. But I’m the better dog, I will not get into a fight, so I always go off to another bed. He just elbows me out!

You should see how this works at night! He just slithers up the stairs at top speed and gets in that bed before I can even turn the corner. I mean, my foster mommy has to carry me up and down stairs because I still can’t do those. So she tries running upstairs with me and Zooki’s already in the bed! Sometimes we get there first. But then I have to get up and check where my foster mommy is and as soon as I get out of the bed, guess who’s in it? Yep, Zooki!

In any case. My foster mommy is taking me to another doctor tomorrow. I still have to be treated for heartworm (that’s what they say, I have no idea what this is about) and I will be getting a new terr (I don’t know what that is either, but if it’s new I’ll take it).

I hope to give you more good news later.

Bye bye for now,

Tommy

October 19

Tommy had his follow-up visit today and the news is a mixed bag…. His x-rays show that one of the two pins holding together the bones above his knee has slipped out and is extending into the joint. So little Tommy had to stay at the clinic and, either tomorrow or Wednesday, the pin will be removed to allow him better movement of the joint. The good news is that the bones are nicely aligned and taking out the pin now should not have adverse effects. The bad news is that his fracture is not healing as well as it should, meaning that there should be more reparative tissue by now… The surgeon thinks that the poor nutrition Tommy has had until now contributes to the much slower healing.

There is also a lot of scar tissue build-up and that tends to be stiff, so we will need to take care of that through regular exercise. When Tommy comes back home, we will work on strengthening his joint and his leg muscles. And we will make sure that, in addition to the already top-notch food he gets, he will get additional goodies. Not to mention that he will embark on his heartworm treatment…. This little guy has a full plate of problems. How does he deal with it?

He is a trooper! His tail is a perpetual motion machine. He loves being around his foster parents and has come to enjoy his dog companions who have now accepted him and invite him to play. Tommy tries to join in, but beats a quick retreat when there’s too much rough play. Toys are also a new thing in his life and he appears to enjoy them. Especially that squeaky rubber dragon!

Recently, a competition has begun among Tommy, Zooki (aka Aladdin) and Juliet, for Juliet’s old bed. All three love it and even though Juliet just got a new one, they all want the old one. Tommy has become quite adept at finding the right moment when to take it over and is not intimidated by Zooki who just comes and tries to elbow him out.

Tommy is a true joy. This diminutive beagle has a spark in him and is very endearing. He’s made friends in the neighborhood and has many well-wishers. He graciously accepts all the good words and affection and gives it back tenfold just by looking at people with his huge soulful eyes.

Good luck with the pin removal, Tommy! We can’t wait for you to come back and do your little pre-feeding dance!

Zooki asked for this to be added:

Bah! I can wait. This Tommy dog, he gets soooo much attention. And he hogs that really nice bed and my foster parents are all over him, going “Ooooo, little Tommy, how are you? Is this OK, little Tommy? Good Tommy, good little boy” and this and that and if they could they’d slobber all over him! I mean, really! So where’s my place in all this? I had to sleep in the hallway on the cat’s pillow for a few nights until they figured out I wanted to sleep on the same side of the bed as Tommy, like on my foster mommy’s side! They blocked it off and I was so mad I went to sleep on the cat’s pillow. And they feed him. Yeah! You know, they do. They feed me, too, but I’d like to get more and I don’t. They give it to this Tommy dog. I was here first. I tried to get the other two all worked up over this, but they don’t really care. Angelo’s weird like that. He just sleeps in his donut bed and doesn’t want to talk to us fosters. He’s a snob. Juliet’s OK, she plays with me, but she also started inviting Tommy to play and I sure am not happy about that. So I’m not too upset that he stayed at the clinic. I will get the great bed and will sleep right there on my foster mommy’s side at night and he won’t be there! Good thing he doesn’t wear that weird thing on his head anymore. He made swishy noises with it all night when he moved. And he bumped into door frames (that was pretty funny).

Monday, October 5

Today, Tommy had his follow-up visit and… his cast came off and the staples were taken out! He has to slowly start using his joint so that it heals properly. He’s also very fashionable in his e-collar, which he has to wear because the cast did rub a couple of places on his leg and he wants to lick them to death.

For now, his mobility remains limited. He does not yet want to use his leg and holds it up hopping around on three legs. Very slowly, we are sure that he will begin using it. For the next two weeks, he absolutely has to avoid stairs, long walks, jumping up on furniture and playing. He is due for another visit in another two weeks.

We are learning more about little Tommy Tinker. He is very affectionate and a charmer. And he certainly does not like to be left home alone…. This afternoon, while the three able-bodied resident dogs were walked, he cried and whimpered and we could hear him from across the court. By the time we returned, he had calmed down and hobbled to say hello, his tail wagging ten miles a second. He loves to be around his humans and dog siblings, and spends his days in his bean bag bed right by their feet.

Something tells us that, when his fracture and hip will be in good shape, he will be a little sprite!

We will wait at least another two weeks before “attacking” Tommy’s other problem, namely his heartworm. Certainly his fractured leg and dislocated hip are a priority. In the longer run, we’re also looking at water exercise. Indeed, this little beagle will have to take a stab at water therapy to restore his joint. But before this happens, we’re hoping that all the hair that was shaved will grow back before it gets cold!

Right now, though, Tommy is working on his general culture and education. He’s respectful of the cat, waits in line for his food and just told me he wants to watch Antiques Road Show. So off we go….

September 23

Tommy had his surgery yesterday. It took the orthopedic surgeon over 2 hours to repair all the repairable damage to this little guy. In spite of concerns for his heart under anesthesia, Tommy did very well. His fracture was repaired and pins were inserted, and he is now in a cast that has to be kept clean and dry. His hip joint was reset and he now sports a long stapled suture. He was picked up this morning to return to his foster home. He has to take antibiotics and pain killers every 8 hours and when not supervised, he cuts a dashing figure in his Elizabethan collar. The surgeon and staff told us that Tommy is a real trooper considering the many days of agonizing pain he had lived in. His tail is wagging and he is eating daintily. Taking the medication is more of a problem. The antibiotics are in liquid form and he seems to like that. But the pain killer is a pill and Tommy can detect a pill even if it’s smothered in canned food or peanut butter or cottage cheese or cream cheese… He just spits it out! His foster mom has developed a technique for giving pills to cats and it seems to be working with Tommy now! Thank you kitties!

Tommy’s foster siblings, especially Aladdin aka Zooki, are very intrigued and think he’s getting special treatment. They occupy his crate, take over his blanket, try to gobble up his meds and meticulously check out his cast and bandages. He can’t say he’s not being looked after!

This diminutive fellow is off to a good start on his road to recovery. We will keep you posted about the progress of this very endearing and affectionate beagle boy.

His treatment is expected to be costly.  If you have a few dollars you can contribute to his care, it would be greatly appreciated.

Want to make a donation toward Tommy's care?

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Adoptive Status:  Will be neutered, is UTD on shots and micro-chipped prior to adoption.

Dream Home Minimum Requirements: Just needs love and a human to love him.

Owner Aptitude Level:  Beginner.

Posted:  9/19/09