This past week Sissy has had an almost normal appetite. Her eating has been much more consistent, the speed at which she consumes her food is much closer to her "normal," and she is following the 4-wheeler pretty readily at meal times. Because the scales are located in the barn and she is deep in the habitat, we have not been able to weigh her, but she appears to be putting some of her lost weight back on, and continues to receive Calf Manna.
Misty and Dulary continue to do well, but are still not completely normal. Dulary isn’t showing any interest in 5 pm feed, and although heat can sometimes affect their appetites, it has never been an issue with Dulary since she has been at The Sanctuary—and even on the cooler nights we’ve had, she still does not want her grain or vegetables. We are also finding abnormal stools in Dulary and Misty’s areas, but only every few days; not all the time. Both Girls were weighed this past week, and since their last reading in February, Misty has shed approximately 200 lbs., while Dulary has lost approximately 500 lbs.
The vets continue to come out regularly to check on them. We still are not seeing Sissy eating her hay, Dulary is still taking her dainty little bites, and Misty’s consumption is also down. But their spirits are good—Misty and Dulary have gotten back into a more regular routine of swimming in the pond again, and Sissy’s face has returned to the soft look she always carries.
A few weeks ago we started training Liz in Protected Contact, and she’s already becoming a star student. After only a short time, she’s caught on to targeting, presenting her foot, and she’s doing the very beginnings of the "lean in" behavior. So smart! Lizzie seems to really enjoy her training time (or at the very least, she’s quite engaged by it); as she rumbles and does her "whooshing" sounds during the interactions.
Ronnie and Debbie
Good news: Ronnie’s leg is back in tip-top shape. Within a couple of days, the initial stiffness started to come and go with each step, until eventually it was gone completely. We’re just happy our little "peanut" isn’t having any more trouble with it!