Hi, my name is Adeline and I am a senior lady, about 12 years old. I was picked up as a stray wandering the streets of New York City. Lucky for me the shelter knew to contact Col. Potter so I could get the help I need. I don't have much hair because I have Cushing's disease and it was left untreated. What little hair I have left is grey. My foster Mom tells me that my body produces too much of a hormone called Cortisol. I have to be on medication for the rest of my life, which I hope can be a longer time now that I’m getting some help. But that isn't all; I picked up Kennel Cough out on the streets, so I have to be kept separate from the other resident dogs here until I get better. I've lost the vision in one eye, and I also have a mammary mass, which needs to be removed when I am feeling better. When they do that, I will probably have a dental done, which I need really bad too, because my mouth hurts.

When I was rescued from wandering the streets, my fur was all matted and my toenails were so long that some were in a complete circle and were hitting my paw pads. But my foster mom had that taken care of for me and now at least my skin isn’t being pulled by the mats, and it’s a whole lot easier to walk with those overgrown toenails out of the way. I think I love her! When she pets me for a while then stops, I have to nudge her hand with my head to let her know she should keep on going!

Did you look at the top picture of me when I was first picked up by the shelter, and the bottom one after Foster Mom got me cleaned up and those mats shaved off? If you want to see more, just click on the links to more pictures of me when I first got picked up: http://tinyurl. com/2ahvce And some after a bath and trim: http://tinyurl. com/2xmsv3 Stay tuned to see how I bloom with more love and medical care.

In my foster home I have my own crate to sleep in and a nice soft, warm bed. That is where I usually spend my time because I am tired a lot from the Cushing’s Disease. Once I get through the initial period on the medication, I should have more energy. I walked around in the whole yard today though, and boy - was that fun!

Sounds like I have a lot of problems doesn't it? My foster Mom said I am still sweet and loving in spite of feeling pretty bad. She says I have that special ‘Cairn spirit’.

Foster Mom says I need a couple more Guardian Angels. If you can find it in your heart to donate a little so that I can get the medical care that I need, I would be so grateful. Just click on the Guardian Angel link by my pictures. If I could give you hugs and kisses, I sure would.

This little girl came into rescue about as pregnant as she could be and whelped on 9/21 - just a few days after arriving at her foster home. Fortunately, her foster Mom has had experience helping bring puppies into the world, so she’s in very good hands. Isn’t she adorable? Altgeld is nicknamed Ally by her foster Mom, and has shown herself to be very sweet and loving.

She won’t be available for adoption until her puppies are weaned and she can be spayed and put her breeding days behind her. Stay tuned for more photos of Ally and her puppies. She’s had two little girls so far, and that may be all she was carrying.

This little Mama does need a little bit of extra help because puppies are expensive to raise! Won’t you click on the Guardian Angel link above and let Ally know her puppies will have a good start in life?

Courage, grace, and a heart of gold all describe Miss Amaretto of Texas. Released from a breeding facility, this petite 6-yr-old suffered long-standing, severe ear infections that could have easily been avoided with proper veterinary care and antibiotics. Once in the care of CPCRN, Amaretto was aggressively treated with antibiotics to try to clear the massive infections, but the damage was already done. Since her ears were devastated beyond salvation, a total ear ablation surgery, an excruciatingly painful procedure, was required to clear the massive infections. The chronic infections, subsequent damage and ablation surgery resulted in the total loss of her ability to hear. Her little head was horribly swollen with drain tubes on all sides, and her jaws hurt so badly that eating was nearly impossible. Her ears were left crumpled from the damage of infection.

During her vetting, she recuperated at Camp Lone Star and was later transferred to foster care. In a short time, her intelligence, adaptability and good nature were so apparent. Through all the pain, and all the changes, Amaretto remained sweet in disposition. While very timid and watchful, Amaretto wanted so desperately to be loved and to be close to her people. She integrated extremely well with the resident Cairn in her foster home and even while she was recuperating, she began to show a bit of playfulness and cautious adventure. She was a clever little thing and quickly learned to respond to hand signs of COME, GOOD GIRL and GO OUT. With her intelligence, personality, and some time to regain her strength, Amaretto’s loving foster mom and dad predicted she was “a Texas rose bud ready to bloom!”

And bloom she did! Amaretto made steady progress during her next month in foster care. Her foster family delighted in her accomplishments – learning to accept skritches and belly rubs, loving her walkies – up to 2 a day, delighting in trips to the park to happily approach other dogs and people, discovering the pleasure of her very first toy!

By mid-June there was increasing concern about the excessive tearing in both of her eyes. Attempts to relieve the symptoms with antibiotic ointment and antihistamines (in case allergy played a role) had been unsuccessful. So Amaretto made another trip to the vet. Unfortunately the news wasn’t good. It was discovered that Amaretto’s facial nerve was paralyzed on both sides resulting in her inability to blink her eyes. The facial nerve paralysis was most likely related to the previous severe, chronic ear infections she endured while living in the puppy mill. But the biggest blow came 2 weeks later when the vet received more test results. Amaretto was in liver failure – again her chronic ear infections had probably destroyed her liver too. The vet explained that she was not in pain but very weak and would only get weaker as she rapidly declined in the weeks ahead. Everyone was devastated. She had been doing so well and a wonderful family had applied to adopt her. It was too painful to think that after so many years of suffering and such courage to come back, it was all going to end so soon.

Amaretto’s last 6 weeks were up and down. As amazing as it seems, she had some very good days – days when her strength and energy returned long enough that she could zoom and play and smile her open-mouthed, happy-sappy little smile. Those were the days foster mom and dad hoped for a miracle. But the miracle wasn’t to be. It was August 9th when Miss Amaretto of Texas made her journey to the Rainbow Bridge. She went peacefully, wrapped in the love and caring and comfort of her Colonel Potter family. After 6 long years of suffering, the little Texas rosebud only had a few short months to bloom. But bloom she did, and those months of freedom were the happiest, most wonderful time in her life. Huge thanks go to the many Guardian Angels whose donations made such a difference in Amaretto’s short life. For those of us at Colonel Potter, a rose by any other name is ... Amaretto! To read more about Amaretto’s story, follow go to the Memorial Wall.

Foster Dog Andre' decided he needed more "minerals" in his diet and ingested some rocks. Unfortunately, because of the size and being so large and solid -- they were larger than golf bolls and totally stuck - not moving through his system -- they caused a blockage and Andy got very sick, very quickly. Emergency surgery had to be performed on Andre and was successful. However because it happened during the holidays and this was EMERGENCY SURGERY, his surgery costs were huge due to being in two areas of his body. His very life was in question at one time. We can use some Guardian Angels to help defray the cost of Andre's surgery.

His foster mom sent this message:
I brought the stones home, one of them is huge! We are all amazed that he could even swallow it. I did see the xrays and the rocks weren't going to be moving anywhere. The one in the stomach was just too big to pass through and the one in the small intestine was at a place where it wasn't going to move along to the large intestine and pass out naturally. Had either of these been smaller we would not have had to do the surgery, but that wasn't meant to be. Time was very important and Andy was starting to have some pain along with the dehydration. Needless to say I am watching him anytime he is outside.

Thanks for your support in helping pay for Andre's surgery. We are all glad he survived and is on the road to recovery.

Antoinette is my name, but everyone calls me Toni. Somehow, I got lost from my home and ended up in an animal shelter. My family was called but they did not come to pick me up. However, I am very lucky because now I am a Col. Potter kid. They discovered that I was heartworm positive and I received my first heartworm treatment about two weeks ago. I will have to go back to the vet for my second treatment in two weeks.

I am currently visiting two cute little cairn girls in Texas while I am looking for my forever home. I am the cutest little brown brindle cairn mix that you have ever seen. I have a pretty white blaze on my chest and on my front feet. I am three and a half years old and only weigh twelve pounds. My foster mom is trying to help me gain weight. I am very sad because I have to get lots of rest each day and can not run to chase the squirrels with my cairn buddies. Hopefully in a few weeks I will be well so I can run and chase squirrels too.

My foster mom thinks I am a sweetheart because I am so loving and I love to be a lapdog. Sometimes when she sits down on the sofa in the sunroom, she has three dogs trying to be lapdogs at the same time but I do not mind because I know how to share. I am so good about sleeping in my crate. I am potty trained and had no accidents since I got here. The other cairns and I have been buddies ever since I arrived.

Foster mom here: Toni will make someone a wonderful dog. She looks very much like a little cairn and definitely acts like one. She is one of the sweetest dogs I have ever been around. She is so smart and well behaved.

UPDATE:
With the help of donations from her Guardian Angels, Toni endured the long and difficult heartworm treatment and eventually recovered. Antoinette, now called Rosie, lives in New Jersey where she is being spoiled by her new mommy and fur brother MacDuff. Rosie’s mom says that she is just about the smartest girl ever! Rosie loves all of the doting she receives! She even gets to sleep on the bed with her mom and brother. Everything is turning up roses for this sweet girl!

They are the worst phone calls in Rescue: worse than puppy mills, dog auctions, owners that just don't want their dogs anymore. They are the phone calls that break your heart and challenge your faith. They are the phone calls from a vets office that start with the words "he is in really bad shape."

On Wednesday of this week, Erica from Scottie rescue contacted CP - There was a little dog in a shelter that was originally thought to be a Scottie, but is really a Cairn. Argyle is a three-year-old brindle who has some problems with a back leg, so the shelter did not think they could place him quickly enough to avoid him being PTS. Scottie rescue had been told that a vet had evaluated him and the leg was thought not to be broken, only bruised. So - we started to plan. A Scottie Rescue volunteer was going to take pick him up from the shelter and take him to the vet to get a full evaluation, and then he was going to be transferred to CP.

So the dog was pulled yesterday afternoon and taken to the vet. About 7pm last night Monika calls with the vet on the phone and the first words I hear are: "he is in really bad shape." WHAT?? I thought he had a bad bruise?? NO - Aly, it is much worse! Argyle's pelvis is broken in five places, his femur (where the leg meets the hip) is smashed, his leg is broken and he has an old spinal injury. Tears start rolling down my cheeks - and all I can think is OMG, OMG - this dog has been sitting in a shelter like this for 5 days. Can you imagine the pain this dog endured. So now we have to make a decision. Can we save this dog? My question is: IS THERE HOPE?? - The answer is: Minimal.

Rescue is all about second chances. We don't know at this point if his quality of life has been compromised, but we are going to try. We are going to give Argyle his second chance. So, here is the deal. Argyle will probably lose the leg that is so damaged, and depending on the injury to his spinal cord he may be paralyzed from the waist down; the vet is not even sure if he has control of his body functions. There are huge costs involved, whether we are successful or not. And if we are successful, there will be after care & rehabilitation that could take several months.

So on this day where my faith is shaky at best, and my head says: Where was God?? My heart tells me that God has been with this little guy the whole time. I just had to look. He was with the shelter worker that asked for help from rescue. He was with Erica and the Scottie Rescue Volunteers that believed this dog was worth a second chance. He is with the vet, who against the odds - saw a glimmer of hope, and is willing to take the road less traveled and give him a chance. He was with the decision makers at CP who will once again take a leap of faith without any guarantees, and with the hundreds of people who will pray, light a candle, and send good thoughts for Argyle.

Argyle's surgery is tomorrow, and because of the intensity of the procedure will probably take all afternoon. I will keep you posted. Saturday, January 31st is Argyle day, please say a prayer, send a good wish, and light a candle. Please let him know that he is part of a wonderful family.

I don't know how this journey will end for Argyle, but I do know for sure that no matter what happens he is no longer alone, and he is much loved. I will forward two pictures of this sweet little guy.

UPDATE: I just got off the phone with the vet and Argyle made it though the night. He is in a lot of pain today because of the trauma of the surgery. He is getting pain medication, but the vet does not want to over medicate him and then he tries to move and do more damage.

The left leg (removed) was smashed. I can't believe that any of the bones were not poking through the skin. On the X-ray it didn't look anything like a leg, it looked like a million toothpicks that had fallen out of the box, and when he would try to stand it just hangs there.

His pelvis is in 4 very separate pieces, with two more breaks that you can see, and she will try to repair that once he is more stable. His whole body is swollen and bruised. I have never seen a dog in that much pain before. He would try so hard to stand (which of course gave me a heart attack) or sit and then he would just sigh and lay down a close his eyes for a minute. He scooted himself far enough forward to have his chin on my lap, so I could pet him.

He is very cute (chubby) and very sweet; I really believe he got loose and then got hit by a car. He really likes people and is not head or hand shy like Ainsley was, and he really has a zest for life. He was alert and curious and what a beautiful coat! The Scottie rescue folks (very, very nice people) are checked in on him yesterday after the surgery and the vet's husband came in too.

Today he is drinking, not eating yet, but the vet is confident that his lack of appetite is from all the medication, she said he moving his "good" leg today and felt that was very positive. I took him Vincent's quilt by Barb, and the Moon and Stars blanket by Corinne. I just wanted him to have some thing(s) that were made with love.

Thanks for the prayers, and good thoughts.

UPDATE:
Happily, Argyle recovered from his surgery. Although his leg had to be removed, all of his body organs continued to work and he won the battle to live! His rehabilitation was a success – he learned to walk and run again. He was adopted by a wonderful woman and moved across the country to Virginia where he learned to use a dog door and climb onto his mom’s bed. Argyle went on to enjoy a couple more wonderful years living in freedom with his loving family before eventually dying quietly and peacefully in his sleep.

Asher is one of Col Potter's newest family members. Asher means Lucky, Blessed, and Happy. Why is Asher Lucky? He is now part of Col Potter's loving family. Why is he Blessed? He is blessed because he can now get the medical care he so desperately needs. Why is he Happy? He is happy because he is now wanted and loved, and will never be turned away again.

Let me tell you his story: Asher was picked up as a stray in Alabama by Animal Control and taken to their High Kill shelter. At the shelter, they found that he had a Rabies Tag on his collar. The shelter called the name that the tag was registered to, and was told that he had been adopted out because they didn't want him anymore. They gave the adopter's name to the shelter worker. The new family was called. They told the shelter they didn't want him anymore either.

A rescue angel, saw Asher at the shelter, recognized the breed having had Cairns as a child. She contacted Col Potter, pulled Asher from the shelter for us, and arranged vetting and boarding at her rescue discount rate.

Asher was tested for Heartworm. Sadly, he is Heartworm positive. He somehow survived neuter surgery, even being Heartworm positive. It turns out that the adoptive family knew he was Heartworm positive, and chose not to treat him, but to let him loose, free to go.

Asher will be heading to another rescue angel, who has agreed to nurse him back to health during the dangerous and long treatment and recovery. She has promised to give him the love and nurturing he so rightly deserves.

UPDATE by Asher’s Foster Mom:
Asher was my first foster after Hurricane Katrina. I LOVED that little boy. He was so special. Caring for him through his heartworm treatment, and then finding a way to get him to his special perfect forever home way up in Maine caused me lots of worry. That little Tuxedo boy has a piece of my heart, and always will. As hard as it was to let him go, I knew it was for the best. I still worried about him, and eagerly read updates from his new forever mama’s Anne & Maria. Finally, after seeing a picture of Asher sleeping in a crate TOGETHER with his new cairn sister Katie, my heart was OK. The picture of him sitting on his forever mama's lap in her wheelchair, looking so happy as she petted him, and finally, the picture of Asher sitting on their nephew's lap, happy as can be - then, I was finally O.K. I knew my little Tuxedo boy was finally home, and he was REALLY O.K.

BASIL came to us through an auction at the tender age of 16 weeks. He only weighed 3.75 pounds, very underweight, and you could feel all his little ribs. He also had noticeable congestion, and his breathing was labored most of the time. While we have gotten his weight up to 5+ pounds (still underweight), the congestion persists even after 3 rounds of increasingly stronger medications. Radiographs show the lungs themselves are clear, but seem to be floating in excess fluid in his chest cavity. Lung taps removed a little fluid, but did not relieve his breathing. Further diagnosis is beyond the capabilities of the local veterinary clinic, so he now had been referred to The Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine. Diagnosis alone is expected to range between $500 and $1000 and any treatment possible increases the cost even more. Little Basil eats well and tries his best to play. Bare toes are especially attractive to him so toe protection is required at all times. However, after a little running and barking he is soon laboring to get enough air and becomes content to be cuddled while he recovers.

UPDATE from Basil’s Forever Mom:
It's hard to believe that it has been 1 year since we picked up Basil. Basil turned 2 on July 6th which is the same day that his dad Bob turned 51. They share a birthday and the desire to sit on the couch and "rest their eyes". Basil is doing really well. He has a raptor sound when he's getting crazy and wild but most of the time he is just fine. He handles the heat well and seems to have no breathing problems as a result of it. Actually what Basil has for lungs are good, he's just missing some. His heart has shifted a little to fill the void but it is good and strong. He plays hard and loves everyone. He is also so good natured and loving that we are thinking of getting him certified as a therapy dog. He is so BEAUTIFUL right after he is brushed but doesn't stay that way long at all, with all the chasing and carrying on. We wouldn't have this beautiful boy if it wasn't for the care and sharing of the Colonel Potter Network. If you ever feel that saving a dog with health problems is wrong just think of Basil and all that you've accomplished since he first came into your care. Thank you to the whole team and all the people who contributed to his medical care.

UPDATE 12/06: Berwick has just spent the last 24 hours at the vet undergoing unexpected but necessary treatment. He came to his foster home a few weeks ago with only 5 teeth left in his mouth and itchy ears. His poor, sore gums from extensive dental surgery, his neutering, and one ear had all healed up with the loving care he discovered in his foster home. Unfortunately when he went to the vet this week to see why he was scratching his other ear, it was discovered that he has been in much discomfort. The vet tried to examine his ear, which had been scratched raw, but no luck. Mild sedation was used, but the ear needed deeper work, so full anaesthetic and endoscopy was administered. The deeper the vet went, the more difficult the task became, until he was finally able to remove a nasty plug that had obviously been there for a long time, and which had impaired his hearing. While Berwick was anaesthetized the vet checked his 5 remaining teeth, only to discover that they too were so rotten they also needed extracting. The end result is that Berwick had to undergo an unexpected surgery and remain at the clinic overnight for observation and stabilization due to the length of time he was in surgery, and the need for pain management.

It is stunning to consider how much pain he had been in recently, and still present himself to the family as the happiest, cuddliest foster dog they have had in 2 years.

This was a totally unexpected bill for Colonel Potter and so we are designating Berwick as needing some generous, compassionate Guardian Angels to help him financially, so that we can continue to use our regular funds to bring more needy Cairns into care. Take a look at his photo, and consider making a donation to his Guardian Angel Fund as a Christmas present for someone who would be happier knowing that they had helped alleviate his pain, than receiving another gift they didn't need at all.

UPDATE 11/14: Berwick is making the most of the good life here in BC! He spends his time playing with the male Cairn in our home, lounging on the sofa, or cuddling with the closest human. Berwick is a good natured, quiet, laid back sort of fellow who gets along well with everyone. I believe our 12 yr old son is his favorite buddy though. Berwick lost many of his teeth from a lack of dental care, but having fewer teeth doesn't seem to get in the way of his appetite or ability to tug on toys.

If you are in need of a loving fellow to share a cozy spot on the couch with, then Berwick just may be the Cairn you've been searching for.

Blondie came into rescue from a breeding situation already very pregnant. Unlike Blondie's previous litters, this one will be born in the comfort of a home with plenty of good food and medical care, thanks to Col. Potter. Blondie just turned 3 yrs old and this is her fourth litter that we know of, but it will be the last for this sweet girl. Once Blondie's family is raised, she will get to enjoy being the pampered, Cairn princess she deserves to be.

UPDATE 8/7: Foster Mom has been tracking the puppies' progress, and storing the pictures online so everyone can go take a peek. Follow this link to get to Webshots, then click on the blue 'search my albums' link at the top right of the photo window to see all the pictures:
http://tinyurl.com/29drns

UPDATE 07/29: Saturday the 28th was Blondie's due date and she appeared to be getting ready to whelp. Twenty four hours later and no puppies, her foster Mom took her to the vet's office where she was given a shot to start contractions. After a reasonable wait to see if the puppies would come naturally, a Caesarian section was performed and Blondie delivered 8 puppies!

All are healthy and active and appear to be doing well. The first week is crucial though, and even though they came right home and foster Mom fed them for their first day, we won't take it for granted they'll all survive until a full week has passed. Blondie took over and began nursing her pups the second day, but if this little dog had remained in a commercial breeder's pen, little attention would have been paid to her predicament until it was too late; mother and all 8 puppies would likely have died.

Once again we are asking if you would be kind enough to click on the Guardian Angel link above and help our little Bumstead family with the additional expenses presented by the Caesarian delivery and such a LARGE family.

Welcome Blondie and Dagwood's family by puppy name, gender, weight and color:
Baby Dumpling - female - 5 5/8 oz. - lightest wheaten
Cookie - female - 6 3/4 oz. - wheaten w/ more black on back
Cora - female - 6 3/8 oz. - lightest brindle
Tootsie - female - 6 oz.- black brindle w/ pink nose and lip
Daisy - female - 6 3/4 oz. - dark brindle w/ white on chest
Beazley - male - 6 1/2 oz. - brindle w/ tiny white on chest
Dithers - male - 6 3/4 oz. - wheaten
Radcliffe - male - 6 oz. - brindle w/ large white on chest

Bows is the newest member of the Col. Potter family. Bows is a lovely female wheaten who has a very serious groin hernia which has become serious because of repeated abuse her body took whelping puppies from the time she was a puppy herself. Had she been someone's loved baby, this situation would have been easily corrected when she was spayed at an early age. Right now her bowel and bladder are housed in the hernia which protrudes visibly from her body. The opening or hole of the hernia is the size of a quarter that has effectively trapped her bowel and bladder in the hernia; they cannot be "pushed" back out of the hernia and into place. Also, because of the size of the opening or hole, it will require to be closed using mesh grafting material. The extent of her condition is such that our vet is not comfortable performing the surgery on Bows and she will need to be referred to a specialist. Bows is lucky considering the severity of the hernia that her puppies were not falling into the hernia and being strangled or that her bladder and/or bowel were not strangled by the hernia. Bows would surely have died if she had remained as a breeder.

Update from Bows’ Foster Mom:
Ms. Bows asked me to let everyone know that she has now completed her journey to freedom. She now has a new mommy and fur sister called Ashes. Mama Debbie and Ashes drove all of the way across the state of New Mexico to meet us in Tucson to pick up Bows. Debbie is completely in love with Bows and I think Ashes is happy to have a new fur sister, too.

I want to thank CP for giving me the opportunity to get to know this very special cairn. She had the odds stacked against her when she was rescued with a huge hernia protruding from her little body. If it wasn't for CP and the lovely people who donated their hard earned money to help Bows, she might not have had this opportunity at a new life!

Our new little girl, Brooke is an 11 year old female who was recently surrendered to a shelter. According to the shelter, she has conjunctivitis, fleas, and she had many ticks removed. The shelter chose not to spay her because they felt that, due to her age, they did not have the proper equipment to monitor her during surgery. They did do a heartworm test and she is, at least, heartworm negative.

Once in Col. Potters care, Brooke was taken to the vet where they found she still had more ticks on her even though they did put Frontline on her. When we got into the examining room the first thing they did was to start picking off the ticks. I thought it was disgusting. And she sat there all relaxed and happy. She knew she was in good loving hands. And they picked and they picked and they picked. I could see some of them still wiggling. She is on doxycillin right now to deal with whatever she may have gotten from the ticks, and she will need a series of medicated baths. Her teeth need some work and she has lateral luxating patellas in both hind legs. She is about as close to blind as you can get from untreated dry eye. Her tears were zero in both eyes. I think she can see shadows but that is it. She also has a very bad case of seborrhea and her coat and skin is super oily. In the future she will be spayed, have a dental and some extractions.

Brooke is super sweet. When I picked her up and put her on my lap in the vet’s waiting room she relaxed, snuggled in and then stretched up and pushed her face against mine. She was once loved, that is for sure.

I went to see Brooke today and learned that she had a good night and is loving up on everybody. They gave her a medicated bath yesterday so she is finally tick free.

Brooke is in need of everyone's help with the extraordinary medical bills that Col. Potter will have to be able to restore this little girl back to the shining star that I know she is inside. And, I have a feeling that she is a real rip. She has spunk and, is not an "old" 11 year old but is "just" 11 and waiting to be reborn into a loving forever home, where, thanks to Col. Potter, she can once again perform her Cairn antics, steal someone's heart, and be their spoiled baby.

Update:
Happily, with the help of donations from her Guardian Angels, Brooke recovered from her fleas and ticks and seborrhea. And, despite her blindness and with lots of support from her foster mom, Brooke learned to navigate the house and yard without much difficulty after just 2 ½ weeks. Foster mom found that by clapping and calling her name, Brooke developed the confidence and trust to come running directly to her. It also wasn’t long before Brooke was climbing into foster mom’s lap for a tummy rub, doing the happy dance for minty treats, and using pet stairs to get off and on the sofa. Brooke is now adopted and living happily ever after with her forever family. Following the examples set by Murphy, Clancy, Chloe, and Molly, her 4 fur brothers and sisters, Brooke has finally become the Cairn Princess she was born to be!

Casatta is 9 months old and weighs only 6.75 pounds. She's so small that we originally assumed she was only 4 months old. On closer examination, she looks to be about 9 - 10 months old. Even though she's tiny, she's a feisty little pixie with her little pointed chin and ears, and her dainty little feet.

When we first brought her home, my daughter picked her up to cuddle her and Casatta dove down to wiggle her face under Rachel's elbow. It seemed she thought that if she couldn't see us, we couldn't see her. Over the past week, she has started to come out of her shell and will prance and play and stomp her feet at us. When you come up to her ex-pen, she will pounce her front feet at you with a little growl, ready to play. But she still loves to snuggle. When you pick her up, she will press every cell of her body as close to you as she can, and tuck her little head under your chin, pressing it into your neck. When she is put back in her crate or ex-pen, she will sit and stare at you with big eyes and then raise her little chin to the sky and aroooooo to the moon! Her foster sister, Agatha, loves her and follows her around like Casatta is an angel.

Over the weekend she has been learning about diapers. By Monday night, she'd figured out how to wriggle out of them, so Tuesday night we put a onesie on her over her diaper. She managed to get out of the onesie by morning, but the diaper was still on!

Cassata, the Italian ice cream treat she was named for, is a round slice of ice cream cut from a roll, about 5" in diameter. The outer ring is frozen cream and the inner rings and center are different ice cream flavors: strawberry, chocolate, and pistachio. Our little Casatta is pale cream on the outside, too, and as sweet as the treat she is named for. But we're discovering that what's on the inside isn't the same as what you see on the outside, just like the Cassata ice cream treat.

Here's what's happening on the inside of our little girl, Casatta. She was born without a working anus and so she poops and pees through her vagina. I took her to the University of Missouri vet hospital yesterday to be examined, to see if her plumbing can be rearranged. Right now, they can tell that she doesn't have an opening in the anus, and so her rectum has made a right turn and is dumping her waste into her vagina to get rid of it. They want to operate to reroute her rectum and open up her anus. The vet was very hopeful that they could be successful. They have begun a series of tests to decide if they can help her.

For the next few days they will be running blood tests, taking x-rays, doing contrast imaging to see where her plumbing actually goes, and an EMG to see if she has any nerves/muscles in her anal sphincter. Casatta's tests will be sort of like an elimination rally; if she passes the blood tests, they will do the x-rays. If the x-rays look good, they'll move on to the contrast imaging, and so forth.

After all of her tests are completed, her condition will be measured in stages. Stage 2 is if all tests come back normal and they would just need to reroute the plumbing. Stage 3 is if she has a mega colon. This happens when her colon becomes so impacted with waste that it is very enlarged. When that happens, it damages the colon and it may not work as well in the future, even after surgery. Stage 4 is if there is no nerve/muscular response in the anal sphincter. If there is muscular/nerve response, she can be a continent puppy after surgery. However, if there aren't any nerves or muscles in that area, she may be incontinent after surgery.

The stage she is at will determine if she is a good candidate for surgery. As you can imagine, this surgery is expensive. They have estimated it could cost as much as $2,500.

She's such a tiny little thing. She survived a breeding facility for 9 long months by herself. I know, with our help, she can get through this, too. She needs our prayers and donations now, to give her the chance that she so desperately deserves. Won’t you consider clicking on the Guardian Angel link above and joining us in our efforts to help this special girl?

Here is a link to a video taken of her the other night: http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=pt8jaLxOoaU and a link to the album of pictures we have taken so far: http://picasaweb. google.com/Cairngirls/Casatta/photo# s510656077122568 4882 . Take a look at her sweet face. Turn up the sound on the video. She growls!

We had a very special name we wanted to give to a very special furkid and he has finally arrived - Celebrate!

His story is a sad one - he was picked up as a stray by Jacksonville Animal Control after being hit by a car. Once he arrived at the shelter, he was examined by a vet and determined not to have any broken bones and they stapled his open wound closed and sent him back to the shelter. This is where he sat for eight long days waiting for his owner to claim him and we sat waiting for the hold period to expire so we could get him out of there. Finally, the hold period expired and we were able to get Celebrate out. But, his bad luck wasn't finished yet. He tested positive for heartworm.

Once he was out of the shelter, we had him taken directly to a vet who was waiting for his arrival. Unfortunately, he arrived too late to have xrays done that day to determine the extent of his injuries. So another day went by with just meds to ease his pain. Finally we had a diagnosis on Celebrate. He has a broken femoral head that is the ball around the leg that connects to his hip. Celebrate will need surgery as quickly as possible to repair this.

Now, however, is a time for celebration for Celebrate! Sometimes things happen for a reason. Maybe Celebrate was meant to find his way to Col. Potter so we could help to make this little boy happy and whole again. Celebrate could easily have died from being hit by a car, or would have died on the streets if not treated for heartworm disease. Instead, he was picked up and brought to the shelter where the Cairn Rescue Angels found him and now he will be in Col. Potter’s Guardian Angel program.


UPDATE 10/3/06:
Foster Mom here: Celebrate's leg is healing nicely, he has toe down on the floor and does apply some weight to it. Celebrate has a tough road he must travel still. Before him is a steep hill that he must get over. He is currently taking medication to kill the parasite that lives along side the heartworms and in a few days he will start his heartworm treatment. The shot is a painful deep muscle injection. The heartworms are zapping him of energy and not allowing him to gain much weight. For several weeks Celebrate will be isolated and kept calm while he receives the heartworm treatments. PLEASE keep Celebrate in your thoughts. He is a young Cairn and the isolation, inactivity and injections will be hard on him. Thoughts of encouragement from everyone will get him through this, he'll hear you!

UPDATE 01/8/07:
Celebrate is going HOME! Celebrate has found his forever home and would like to thank everyone that has kept him in their thoughts while he was on the road to recovery. Take it away Celebrate.

Hi everyone, Col Potter found me a forever home; I'm so excited. Foster mom told me about all the people wishing the best for me. She didn't have to tell me I already knew; we dogs have extraordinary senses! I want to thank everyone for their love and kindness.
Thanks everybody, Colonel Potter rules!

Chanel has recently been diagnosed with demodex, a form of mite. She has been taken to the vet twice in the last two days since starting her treatment for demodex. Chanel is currently lethargic, in pain and covered with pustules. She has several ulcerated spots that are draining blood and serum. Chanel has developed a fever and has received subQ fluids for the last two days and baby aspirin has been added for the fever. The Inceptor that she has been receiving has been decreased from two pills to one pill per day. The vet her foster family uses in Pittsburgh and the vet derm in Cleveland have consulted over the phone and are coordinating and adjusting their treatments accordingly. Both vets are of the opinion Chanel is having a reaction to the proteins released by the mites when they die. Given she already has a weakened immune system, she doesn't have much in reserve to fight off this either.

Her foster family is monitoring Chanel very, very closely and her foster Dad, who is a physician, will be giving the subQ fluids at home as needed.

They are also soaking her ulcerated feet in Epsom salts. For other areas, they are soaking 3x3 gauze in the Epsom salt solution and laying it over various parts of her body.

Chanel's greatest risk right now is from superimposed infection from all the open sores on her skin. We are hoping that if we can avoid infection, she may turn the corner in the next few days. Donations are needed to cover her vet bills and home care. Please consider helping this little girl.

UPDATE from Chanel’s Foster Mom who became her Forever Mom:

Since the day we picked Chanel up until a few weeks ago we focused on the fact that Chanel was our foster girl. It is hard to believe that it has now been over a year since she entered our lives and our hearts. She was a terrified little girl when she came to us and she has overcome many obstacles this past year. She almost died when treatment began for her demodex mites and she continues her treatment to this day. There is much uncertainty at this point about whether she will need to be treated for her entire life just to keep the mites in check or whether she can achieve a "normal" level and maintain that without further treatment.

Although we continued to see Chanel as our foster girl, we realized that she has an incredible bond with us and we have an intense bond with her....perhaps because she has been here a year, maybe because we are the first people she has been able to trust....or maybe because we fought with her when she became so ill when the mites began dying off in huge numbers.

Chanel flies through the air running with such joy in our home. She often does a pirouette in the air turning a total 360 degrees. She is mothered by our gentle giant, Fergie the lab, who is so patient even when Chanel pulls on her lips or ears. Chanel acts like a puppy next to Fergie, squirming on her back as she tries to get closer. It is as though Chanel is making up for a puppyhood not lived. Inspite of all of the uncertainty that lies ahead for Chanel, we decided that she deserves a forever home NOW and applied to become her adoptive parents. In honor of that, Chanel now has a very special new collar and leash that is pink and says "LIFE IS GOOD". Our deepest gratitude to CP for allowing us to foster this special little girl and make her a permanent member of our family.

Chloe is my name. Chloe in Gaelic means "play" and more than anything that is my foster mom’s wish for me - to finally be able to run happy and free...to play for the first time without pain. I am 18 months old and foster mom says I am just the sweetest thing. I love everybody: people, kids, dogs, cats, it doesn't matter to me! Everyone is a friend. You know what my favorite thing to do is? I love to sit in a lap and snuggle. That is just the best thing in the whole world. I have excellent house manners, and love to go for walks. I can only walk for a little while and then I get tired and my legs start to hurt. My foster mom said that I am going to have an operation on my legs so that they don't hurt anymore, and I will be able to run, jump and play like all the other kids my age. Well all I can say to that is YIPEE! My operation is on 11/11, so I will have to stay with my foster family until I am all better. I am going to be very brave, and by Christmas I will be all better! So if you have a special place in your heart that needs filling, tell Col. Potter that you need Chloe.

UPDATE 11/22/2002: Dear Guardian Angels and all others who have been watching Chloe's progress and wishing her well. Your prayers and your wonderful thoughts have TRULY been listened to. We so much appreciate your being Chloe's Guardian Angels. Chloe is doing truly fantastic. The Board of CPCRN could not have done this without your financial support, so please take pride that you are making for a happy and healthy continued life for this special little 18-month-old sweetheart. The day prior to her surgery, the Orthopedic Surgeon even had second thoughts as to what the surgical team might run into once they fully evaluated her x-rays and work up history. YES, we were all quite nervous here waiting for the results. IT WAS A GO, and Chloe went in for a long surgery. She literally had no ball sockets left for the leg bone to go into and obviously there was damage done here also. The surgery was a wonderful success, and the surgeon feels that there is no reason why Chloe should not lead a full and active life once rehabilitation and healing have taken place. Chloe spent five days at the Vet's and then into Foster Mom Aly and Foster Dad Kurt's home (Aly is on the Board) for recuperation and rehabilitation. Aly reports that Chloe is WALKING, yes she is WALKING now. She has stopped crying during the night which she did for the first few days, and you can surely tell that her little Cairn terrier "get me out of here and let me run" attitude is taking over -- a great sign to be sure! Chloe probably isn't quite sure why she has to wear her **crown** (foster dad says it's because she is a princess) or why she came home with a French Poodle haircut, but she truly is doing wonderful now, and you all made this possible.

Angels guard the footsteps
Angels hold the hands
Of all God's precious children
All across the lands.
THANK YOU FOR HOLDING CHLOE'S HAND.

UPDATE 12/4/2002: Dear Guardian Angels:
Please take pride in what you all have done for little Chloe. Chloe is WALKING on her own now, without pain because of you all, into a new life of love and warmth. YOU made this walk possible, and we are so greatly appreciative of your warmth and compassion for a wee little one who has so much life to live yet. Please watch our website for updates on Chloe. We will be adding a new link under our Success Stories "Guardian Angel Updates" so that you can continue to watch the success that your special little girl is making. What a wonderful gift you gave Chloe, the ability to have a much-needed surgery and the gift of walking without pain. You all are Angel's, indeed.
Thank you so much.

UPDATE 1/1/2003: CPCRN's first adoption of 2003 took place on New Year's Day. Chloe was adopted and she went to her "forever home." We are so excited about this placement and so appreciative of the help Chloe received from so many loving people. Col. Potter thanks all of Chloe's Guardian Angel's for being there for this special little girl with your love and financial support.

PS. Chloe’s story is truly a special one because she was CPCRN’s first Guardian Angel dog. When Chloe was rescued in 2002, CP was still a young organization and had never taken a dog in with such complex medical problems. But, with a little ingenuity and a lot of dedication and hardwork, the Guardian Angel Program was born and Chloe became its first happy recipient!

Deuce McAllister is a record breaking – and inspirational - running back for the New Orleans Saints. Deuce suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament of his right knee in October, 2005, and returned to the roster for the 2006 season. On September, 2007, during a game against the Tennessee Titans, Deuce tore the ACL in his left knee. Deuce has since undergone surgery to repair both knees. He is a role model to underprivileged kids and has created his “Catch 22 Foundation” to benefit those kids.

So it’s only fitting that we name our new golden Cairn boy "Deuce" He has a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee. Deuce cannot use his right leg, and hops around, holding it up. Now that he has been rescued by Col. Potter, our Deuce will one day be able to run and play in a forever home.

His previous owner surrendered him to a small local rescue which was going to euthanize him because they could not afford the surgery and they felt he wasn't adoptable since he also had marking issues. I’ve only seen the preliminary marking most dogs will do (that includes females!) when they find themselves among new dogs.

A group of dedicated volunteers will move Deuce from Houston, TX to Carthage, MO for his ACL surgery. Deuce is one sweet, sweet boy and full of personality - and look at those eyes! I've discovered he can catch a tossed treat and that he has a water "fetish"; so I have to shut him out of the bathroom when showering or bathing or he will try to get right in the tub! It follows that he loves to catch the water from the garden hose. He is a great snuggler, so he'll get to do that a lot while he's recuperating.

Dice is an 8-year-old male that was released by a breeder. Dice has been diagnosed with steroid induced Cushings Disease. He is being weaned from medication so more testing can be performed. In addition, because of the extensive steroid intake and no exercise Dice has extensive muscle loss in his back legs. He is slowly building up some muscle and on Sunday, he lifted his leg for the first time! This may not seem like a big deal to some, but considering his condition, that one step brought tears to his foster mom's eyes. Dice is one of the sweetest little boys you will ever meet and all he wants is to be loved. Dice is not ready for adoption at this time while is medical issues are being addressed and he has been designated as a Guardian Angel dog.

Colonel Potter designates some dogs with above average medical expenses as Guardian Angel dogs so that Cairn Guardian Angels can be alerted to help in the effort to "nurse" a Cairn back to good health. Calling all Guardian Angels, Dice needs your help, so please click on the Guardian Angel icon and help us prepare Dice for a forever home. Keep checking the website for updates on Dice.

My foster family went away for a vacation and I went to "camp" with my Auntie Karen. My silly foster mom called several times to find out how I was doing and Auntie Karen told her to relax as I was doing great at camp and adjusting well. I had fun investigating Auntie Karen's house all over. She said I was a very smart boy because I learned real quickly where I needed to go to get outside and where my food was kept. I showed her how well I sit for my meals and made her laugh because I get soooo excited to eat that I wiggle while I sit and wait for her to put my food down.

Last time I was there I had to stay in an x-pen because I couldn't be counted on in the "bathroom dept". I still had to wear my belly band but I showed off on how well I go potty outside and then go right back in the house. Auntie Karen said I was way better than her girls who fool around and fool around outside and won't come in when they are called. Well, I *know* I do that really well 'cause I love coming back in for a treat and a "good boy". I enjoyed looking out her windows and cuddling up in her office while she worked. And I made Auntie Karen laugh some more because I love back scratches so much I do a little standing march with my back legs and I love belly rubs so much that I smile and sigh! Don't all dogs? I heard her tell my mom that I was "such a good boy and no trouble at all"!

Hey, just because I have a condition called IBD doesn't mean I'm hard to get along with. It's all under control and even Auntie Karen who's not great in the kitchen had no problem preparing my meal of Wellness Fish and Potato kibble and canned food -- yum yum! I guess this means I'm ready for bigger and better things now that I've gotten good grades at camp. Won't you invite me over? I promise to be a good boy for you too.

Fletcher has come a long way since he came into Col. Potter! He's up to date with all his vaccines, neutered and heartworm free.

UPDATE 04/19: THANK YOU EVERYBODY! Thank you to all who contributed to help CPCRN take care of me until I could be strong, healthy, and *handsome* so I could get myself a wonderful forever family! That day has come and I've moved away from my foster home to a great family that I think I will be able to twist around one of my toenails. My new family thinks I am a gorgeous fellow and loves me already. My happiness would be complete if I could just find the kitty that meows every hour! Here kitty, kitty.

Early June 2005

Our little Frisco now weighs 8 pounds and has so many health problems that seem to be intensifying each day. He is now at N. C. State undergoing many tests and procedures which are costing a great deal, and keeping him going for now. He's being given oxygen which is costing $200-$300 daily not to mention the bloodwork and ultrasounds being taken to decide how to proceed with his many problems. His chest and abdomen are now filling with fluid and his body doesn't seem to be able to provide oxygen to his blood. Frisco is in the best place possible where he is receiving 24 hour care. But he needs everyone's prayers and donations for us to continue to keep him alive and help the vets through the task of deciding how to fix his poor frail body, which houses the true spirit of a scrappy and normally happy little cairn.
We feel surgery is in his future and then hopefully one day soon, he'll return to his foster home to heal while waiting for his "forever home" so he can live the life of a happy puppy as he deserves. Frisco is a 5 month old adorable little guy who steals your heart the minute you meet him. He didn't ask to be born with these health problems which appear to be due to the poor nutrition and neglect of his mother, and the lack of medical care he should have been given when he was born. This little guy wants to live and is fighting hard, so please help him by donating to help pay his medical expenses. We don't want to give up on him and he doesn't want us to.

A Week Later...

Frisco is exhausted tonight after a 2 hour vet visit and again, nothing we heard was good other than "NO, you don't want to put him down, he's not in pain and can live a good life." Dr. W concurs this is a problem Frisco has had from birth and his lack of nutrition and the proper care BEFORE BIRTH is the reason he is this way. At this point North Carolina State University had not added the surgery (when it occurs) charges to our bill, so as of right now without the surgery and any post-op work, we have spent approximately $1,800.00

Monday - June 13, 2005

Good news! The vets at NCSU bumped his case up to the top of their rotation & surgery is planned for Tuesday June 14 at 12:00 noon. The doctors are somewhat concerned of the anesthesia due to his small size and the 3-4 hour surgery ahead for him. The entire left lung will be removed! They will also perform a biopsy on the lung after removal to determine exactly *what* is in there, if it's cancerous or just mucus or scar tissue, etc. They were quite blunt in saying they still aren't certain exactly what it is. The results of the biopsy will be back 2-3 days after his surgery. They estimate recovery at NCSU to be about a week post-surgery.

At this time the estimate for Frisco's surgery and post-op care is being predicted between $3,000.00 to $5,000.00 dollars

Tue Jun 14, 2005 5:17 pm
Subject: FRISCO MADE IT!

Miracles DO happen. They are closing him up now, should be in the operating room another 40 minutes, but they feel the surgery was a success and he's still with us. They told me earlier he had less than a 50% chance of pulling through this....but he DID. Continued prayers for his recovery would be appreciated and keep those donations coming in. Thank you for your support and donations for Frisco's care. Updates will be posted as he progresses.

Due to the trauma to Haviland’s ear canal, she will be having some surgery to correct it. The plan is to salvage Haviland’s left inner ear canal by ablating the inner canal and reattach it with the horizontal middle ear canal. Her ear canal has been completely torn apart from some sort of head trauma. Since the middle ear has not been able to drain, due to its detachment from the inner canal and x-rays indicate the need, the vet also wants to do another procedure which will entail using a curette to clean out this round bone and free it from infection. There are risks involved with this procedure, because the bulla bone is close to the facial nerve and if nicked, it could cause partial paralysis to the face. The veterinarian Haviland will be going to has done several of these procedures with great success, so we are hopeful that the results will be positive.

Ivy came to us last week from an older couple who were dealing with disabilities. They were going to go into an assisted care facility. The week Ivy was going to come into rescue, her family was evacuated due to the fires in southern California, so she had to wait another week.

When we first got her, we fell in love quickly, but right away we knew something was not right. She was having urinating accidents and needed to go very frequently (like 4 or 5 times an hour). Every time she would go, she would really be straining and she was in obvious pain. She saw the vet and it was confirmed that she had an infection and a very large bladder stone. The size of the stone takes up about 90% of our poor girl's bladder, so she will be undergoing surgery soon to get rid of the stone. Despite all this, she still loves to play, run, and is so affectionate. After her surgery, she will be the sweetest pet for some lucky family.

Please consider clicking on the Guardian Angel link above and joining us in our efforts to help this special girl.

Jett landed safely in Col. Potter's loving arms after spending her first 4 years in a breeding facility. Jett's story is very disturbing and upsetting. When she arrived, it was obvious she was missing her right eye. An untreated injury and subsequent infection resulted in the loss of that eye. She has extensive scarring on the right side of her face and nose. The injury was deep because the scarring extends down to the muscle layer that controls the movement of her lip and eye, so that when she blinks, her lip pulls up on that side. We will never know how she sustained these injuries, but the lack of care after it happened is truly disheartening.

Further, during her spay and eye surgery, a mammary tumor was discovered which was removed and sent for biopsy to the University of Pennsylvania and just came back today. The tumor was a malignant mammary Adenocarcinoma. We're hopeful the entire tumor was excised. Because of her age and the small size of the mass, Jett's prognosis is good. At this point, no further treatment is recommended although we will keep a careful watch on Jett while she is in our care. Jett spent several weeks at 'camp' before she could come to us to foster. Many thanks to Patty B. and her family for their love and care of Jett during that time.

Despite all that she has endured in her young life, Jett is a sweet and loving girl with beautiful wheaten, gray, and black brindle coloring. She gets along well with the resident Cairns and has a favorite stuffed toy (a squirrel, of course! ) that she loves to carry around while she's exploring the house. Jett is a quiet little girl but can bark if she feels it's necessary. She willingly approaches foster Mom or foster Dad for treats and loves her meals. She has added a pound or two to her small frame and now weighs 13 pounds.

Jett sleeps peacefully in her crate at night, which she keeps clean and dry. Jett still has much to learn, such as how to go up and down stairs and that a human's touch can be comforting and full of love. We will be working on her potty training outdoors but Jett does consistently use potty pads in the house.

Jett has had her teeth cleaned and is up to date on all her vaccinations. She is heartworm negative so is now on a monthly preventative. Jett is not yet fully recovered and available for adoption but we wanted you to meet this precious soul.

Her condition has required substantially more help than most of the pups that come under Col. Potter’s wing. Won’t you consider becoming a Guardian Angel for little Jett?

Jordan was rescued from a breeding facility, where he had spent his life without medical care, human affection, warmth or good food. He came into Col Potter with Sarcoptic Mange suffering severe hair loss on his face and body. He was underweight, and filthy. Although this boy was in terrible shape, all he wanted was some human caresses. He wags his tail whenever anyone passes his cage, wanting attention.

His face suffered the most damage from the mange. He still says it is pretty itchy, as he continues to shake his head and try to rub his face on anything he can reach. However, with treatment it is much improved, and hair is slowly beginning to grow. The skin on his face will more than likely always be black/dark colored - as these areas are pretty scared. What is encouraging is that his hair coat is coming back in even over the scaring.

His ears also suffered damage; the tips are dark colored from the scaring and do not have much hair. His hearing does not seem to be impaired. He responds to his name "Jordan" being called, and especially to the sound of kibble being poured in the bowl.

Jordan thinks grass is really cool and he has made up his own game of acting like he is chewing on your hands or arms but never touches all the while he is wiggling and wagging his tail and it is so cute to see him try and play. He also gives very affectionate kisses. Regardless of all he has been through, his Cairn spirit shines through. He is going to make someone a wonderful companion.

Colonel Potter designates some dogs with above average medical expenses as Guardian Angel dogs so that Cairn Guardian Angels can be alerted to help in the effort to "nurse" a Cairn back to good health. Calling all Guardian Angels, Jordan needs your help, so please click on the Guardian Angel icon and help us prepare Jordan for a forever home. Keep checking the website for updates on Jordan.

UPDATE 10/05: Jordan has made a lot of progress in the past few months. He can wait his turn for his treats and can do a straight sit to show he'd like his share. He weighs 22 pounds, but looks bigger because his hair has grown out and his coat is looking quite full. It's a beautiful red color, thick and full to the touch. He can manage one or two stairs at a time, but doesn't climb more than 2 in a row. He also has a strong prey drive, so his forever home needs to have a fenced yard to keep him safe and he probably wouldn't get along well with cats. He is just beginning to discover toys and has been seen playing a little bit of gentle tug of war with his foster brother.

Jordan absolutely loves puppies and is very good with young dogs. There have been 2 puppies in his foster home this summer. One was 8 weeks and one was 5 months old. With both puppies, at their first meeting he gently rolled them over on their backs and let them know that he was in charge, and then he let them get up to play. They have played together all summer, with the puppies jumping and climbing on Jordan. We have never had a problem with them listening to him since then.

We had five 8 week old puppies visit us in August and Jordan could hardly his contain his excitement. He waded into them with joy and abandon, tail wagging and feet dancing; with a great big smile on his happy face. As they began to throw themselves at his large head and body, he laid down and let them climb all over him, wiggling, wagging, and chewing on him happily. I'm not sure who had more fun, Jordan or the puppies. Because of Jordan's experiences in the breeding facility, he is wary around adult male dogs. He is comfortable with adult females and young dogs of either gender, but he would not do well in a home with another adult male dog. He does not have to be the alpha in his forever home--his foster sister is the alpha in our home and he is very supportive, helping her with the younger dogs. However, he could be a great alpha for a home with younger dogs. Because he is social, he would be happier in a home with other dogs. Jordan is still uncomfortable being picked up, so he doesn't get up on the furniture, but is happy to lie beside your chair or the couch and enjoy your loves and cuddles from there. He doesn't move at a very fast pace, being rather careful and thoughtful, but he will trot across the yard or strain eagerly at his leash and wag his tail if he sees a rabbit running by. Jordan is a quiet dog, happy to be out of the breeding facility and looking for a new life in his forever home.

UPDATE 07/05: Jordan has decided he's the protector of the yard. The neighborhood hoodlums were setting off firecrackers last evening. He's very patriotic! Every time he hears one he jumps up and then jumps in circles (like if you spun a carousel horse). Then he runs off to find the noises and bark, bark, bark. Luckily, barking from Jordan isn't hard to listen to; it's low and raspy. And he looks so happy! Now here's Jordan to tell his part of the story.

It's Jordan here again. Those firecrackers are really exciting. I know I can catch them, if I can just find them! They make me feel happy inside. How often do we have the 4th of July?

Guess what my foster mom has! A raspberry patch. Every morning when I go out to do my business, I wander over to the raspberry patch to pick raspberries. They are very tasty and it's good for me to add fruit to my diet. Yum, yum! Besides, I'm just the right height to walk into the patch, look up, and find all of the berries under the low hanging branches. My foster mom loves her raspberry patch because she likes to eat raspberries, just like I do, but she loves me more. She says there will be more raspberries next year. She'll wait until then. Maybe next year when she picks raspberries, she'll think about me, happy in my forever home. Does anybody need some help with the yard work? can pick raspberries!

UPDATE 06/24: Hey, everybody! This is Jordan, and I'm ready to find my forever family. I really enjoy being out in my yard. I run after the ball when my foster mom throws it, and I love to listen to the birds. I perk right up when I hear the birds calling in the morning. I found a cicada on the porch this morning. Boy, was that interesting!

When my mom calls me, I come running to her with a big smile on my face. I just love my foster family. I just love everybody. It's not hard to please me. I love to eat, and I love to lie on the floor, chewing on the toys. When I'm playing with my toys, if my foster mom calls my name, I look up at her and cock my head to the side, just like Cairns are supposed to. I look right at her and I'm not afraid at all. Mom says I look the cutest when I do that.

I love to cuddle, too. I could cuddle and give loves all day long. If one of my foster family is sitting down, I'll always come up and lean against them for loves. I can tell they need my soft head on their leg or knee.

I always pay attention when my mom talks to me. Sometimes I don't want to do what she says, but I always listen to her! If I listen really hard, she'll give me treats and I love treats. I even do tricks for her. I can jump up like a circus puppy. It's hard because my legs are just getting strong, now, but I always try to jump up for my treat.

I like to play with my foster brother and sister, too. Sometimes they're kind of noisy and I'm kind of a quiet boy. If they're running or wrestling too close to me, I kind of crouch down. But I like having them around. When I play with them, we're very quiet. We wrestle, but I don't bark or growl, like they do. I just like to roll around with them, and play. I like toys, too, all kinds of toys. I chew on them, or squeak them.

I'm working on growing a mustache. Mom says it's very dashing. They clipped my coat before I came to my foster family, but it's starting to grow back. Now I have a soft, short coat all over. But I'll have a nice new coat, soon.

Well folks, if you want a good, sweet, quiet dog to be your forever dog, here I am! I'm quiet and calm, so I won't make much fuss. I hardly ever bark and even when I do, it's a low, raspy bark, so it's not loud. I get along with other dogs, and because I'm so calm, the children I have met aren't afraid of me, either. I'm a friendly chap that needs a forever home. I'm looking for you. Are you looking for me?

UPDATE 06/13: Did we tell you Jordan has big brown eyes and a very cute smile? When he looks at you with those big eyes and gives you a grin, you know he's happy to be here. When he's especially happy, he does a little dance with his back legs, first one foot and then the other, and wags his tail.

The other day he saw a bunny running through the yard. His ears and tail went up and he ran after it until it escaped through the chainlink fence. Ever curious, he spent the rest of the time running up and down the fence line looking eagerly for his lost prey in the next yard. He will stand listening intently with his ears up whenever a noise attracts his attention.

He's also discovered how fun a good squeaky toy can be and has one he takes to bed with him. He always sleeps through the night, but he can be heard squeaking his toy before he goes to sleep.

Jordan takes a little time to wake up in the morning. When we go out to go potty, he will stand and look at the birds and watch the yard for several minutes before he's ready to go do his business on the lawn. Afterwards, he's ready for a good breakfast and then some playtime before he naps in his crate for the morning.

He is a sensitive dog who takes gentle correction well. Harsh words spoken around him upset him, but he responds well to kind, yet firm, guidance. From his former years, he will still cower if approached suddenly or with loud noises, but a kind voice reassures him quickly. He isn't afraid of people and seems to generally trust them. It's the loud and sudden noises that frighten him.

Jordan is friendly, enjoys the company of other dogs, and isn't timid with them. In playing with a puppy, he rolls over on his back and bats his feet back and forth until the puppy comes over and climbs on him to wrestle. He is very gentle when playing with the puppy, too.

A thoughtful little dog, he thinks about a problem before he acts. However, once he decides on something, he is single minded about doing it, not aggressively so, just steadily moving forward regardless of the obstacles. This is why a firm hand is needed to help guide him.

Jordan is a sweet, amiable dog. He hasn't had a lot of exposure to children, but the few we have met he has approached easily. His first greeting to anyone will sometimes be with his mouth open to lick you with his large tongue. He is learning that not all people want to be licked, though and so he needs to close his mouth and put his head down to be petted. Petting and loving are his favorite things!

UPDATE 06/06: Jordan is the sweetest boy you'll ever meet. He's a red brindle who is up to date on his shots and is heartworm negative. He's been neutered, weighs 21 pounds and will be five years old in August. Jordan had a bad case of mange, but his coat is growing back quickly. You might be able to see some evidence of his mange from the thin hair that's growing back on his face.

This little dog is easy going and slow paced with a low, raspy bark. He hardly ever barks, except at the resident cockatiel and the neighbor's dogs. (The cockatiel barks back, though!) Otherwise he's very quiet. He loves to give kisses and is very gentle. He loves people and asks for loves and scritches whenever someone is in reach. His favorite thing is to lie on his back and let us brush his tummy and paws and anywhere else we can reach!

Jordan eats well and he and his foster sister shares everything; toys, food dishes, crates, and potty time! He's happy to go in his crate when it's time to go to bed, and chews happily on toys to amuse himself at other times. He's also been seen stretched out on the rug in the family room for an afternoon snooze. Going for walks is fun for Jordan, as long as his foster sister is in front of him to show him the way. We don't go very far, though, because he wears out quickly. But he walks well on a leash.

Jordan's housetraining is going well, too. He goes potty outside with encouragement and keeps his crate dry at night. There are still some accidents, but he can stay dry if he is taken out frequently.

Loud noises and fast movements startled Jordan. This little boy needs a quiet home that already has another dog. He follows his foster sister's cues for everything and learns quickly from her. He follows her happily and seems to really enjoy the companionship. Lots of love is required for all of the cuddling and loving you'll get from this sweet and loving boy.

12/29/2002: Keely is my name. I am in a safe harbor now, but I have been in rough seas for a long time. Here is my story:
I am between the age of 8 and 12 yrs old. It is hard for the vet to tell any closer because life has been so hard on me. Doc looked at my teeth and told foster Mom they are in great shape, but my body isn't doing so good right now. While I was in the shelter they did surgery on me to remove a large cyst on my shoulder. I have a crooked scar, but I'm going to comb my hair so it doesn't show! I came into rescue with severe pancreatitus. All I wanted to do was sleep. I didn't really care to eat, just drink a lot of water and I couldn't control my urine. I was too sick to get up or to tell my foster mom I had to go potty. Dr. Greenwald, my vet, found out right away what was wrong with me and I was in the hospital for five days. Foster Mom and Doc discussed me being touch and go, but I'm not sure what that means. Doc says my body temperature was already down several degrees. They fixed me up with a nice warmer for my little body and I couldn't have anything to eat so that my pancreas could rest and the inflammation and infection would go away. So I slept and drank for five days. Then I started to feel better! I started to get hungry and Doc said that was a good sign. The problem is that I don't have any health insurance and my hospital visit was $200.00. I have to eat a special diet to make things easier on my pancreas. It is Science Diet K/D and costs $32.00 for a 24-day supply. This really tastes good and it makes me feel better! I will need this special diet forever. Doc says I have reoccurring pancreatitus. This means that I could have flare ups in the future, so I have to be watched to make sure I eat right and get plenty of fresh, clean water. I have to finish a round of antibiotics, but I only need those if my pancreas is flared up. Now that I am feeling better and not "touch and go" Doc says we have to work on some of my other conditions. I am heartworm positive and in a couple of weeks, I will be strong enough for the treatment to kill those nasty things. But that is expensive also. Then I need to have x-rays taken of my pelvis, hips and legs. I have trouble getting around; sometimes I get my feet tangled up and fall down. My little legs look funny and they hurt sometimes. I don't really like you to touch them. As if all that isn't enough, I am deaf! Yep, can't hear a thing. One of my ears is a little lazy because I had a big sore in it that caused it to fold over. Foster Mom says it does not detract from my beauty! In order for Doc to take x-rays of my legs and to treat the heartworm, it is going to be over $400.00. Do you think that you could become a Guardian Angel or a Grandparent for me? They took me in when I had no place else to go and they are treating me great! My foster mom says I am a good investment cause I have lots of love to give! I really enjoy being snuggled and I love to have my hair brushed. I do not like other dogs, but don't mind the cats! I am not food aggressive with people, but I will get very upset if you are eating and another dog comes around. I have very big teeth and I'm not afraid to show them! I like to chew up old socks and absolutely love to eat paper. I snuck some tissue paper Christmas morning and things were very colorful in the end! Life has been hard on me so far, but my future is sure looking brighter with the love, care and kindness of these people that were once strangers. Now they are my family and you can be a part of my family also. You can become my Guardian Angel or my Foster Grandparent and know that you are one of the reasons I will be healthy and happy in a new forever home!

UPDATE 1/28/2003:
Dear Friends,
It is with a heavy heart and streaming tears that I must tell you that Colonel Potter lost a little soul today. Keely was put to rest today after all possible options had been exhausted. This is a bit of her history.
Keely came to us from Indianapolis. She was a stray in a shelter when a wonderful lady adopted her. The lady was already in the adoption process with Westie Rescue for a Scottie. She contacted CPCRN and we took little Keely. Thank you Lori for giving Keely the chance to know love and care.
When Keely came into my arms, she was suffering with severe pancreatitus. She was very sick and we weren't sure we could restore her health. True to her Cairn nature, she fought back and was soon on her feet and feeling better.
Unfortunately, she had something painful in her head and heart that prevented her from being able to relax and absorb the love and care we were surrounding her with. On five separate occasions she bit me. The first bite occurred when I attempted to take something away from her. The subsequent bites were unprovoked, unexpected, and unpredictable. One bite occurred after she had initiated attention from me and I was loving her and holding her in my lap.
Keely's back legs were not quite right and we were holding out hope that she was in pain from some condition that was making her turn on me. However, in pain or not, she was alpha rolled several times. While on her back she would continue to thrash about and strain to bite me. It was as if someone flipped a switch and she was a different dog. She loved to lay in my arms while I brushed her. She would sleep on my lap for hours and I would pray that she would be in loving arms of her forever home very soon.
This was not meant to be. This morning she went to the vet to have a complete physical exam to see if we could find something to explain her behavior. They sedated her in order to take x-rays and check her teeth and the rest of her little body. Please let there be something wrong.
Her little body had suffered before. Her hip had been dislocated and the femoral head had been removed. It was impossible to guess her age because of the wear and tear on her body. Untreated ear infections had caused her right ear to fold over. Her vision was diminished and she was completely deaf. She was very isolated in her little world: she was fighting her demons alone.
Keely turned on her Doctor today. She had to be carried from the room by her scruff: gnashing her teeth and growling, whipping her head and straining to bite. I then found out that when she was hospitalized for pancreatitus she had bit the Vet Tech 2 times.
I left her with the vet for evaluation and tests. Dr. Greenwald just called and gave me the bad news that there is nothing physically wrong with her that could explain or justify the viciousness she has displayed.
His educated opinion is that she is dangerous and no amount of behavior modification or love would reduce these episodes. After speaking with Danielle, the impossible decision was made to give her release from this life: to let her stop fighting and know peace. No longer will she have to fear being touched: fear being loved and cradled in the arms of love.

Keely,
I wish I had known you before you had given up on humans. I wish with all my heart that my arms could have protected you from the pain and suffering that has ravaged your soul.
Run free Keely, your time is now. Shake off the shackles of a worn body and spirit. You are forever loved and held in my heart.
A bright light will shine from Heaven tonight and forever; the light of love that was dimmed by this life. Shine on and know the light of our love, my Keely.
~Lynell

Lane is a lovely 6 - 8-yr-old Cairn mix who was picked up animal control. She weighs 18 lbs, has been spayed and is in good health since her recent bladder surgery. Lane has been a very "laid back" girl in her foster home but wag her tail much more now than when she first arrived. Her foster family has to be aware of the level of their voices as Lane scares easily from loud sounds, voices, and household appliances such as vacuums, food processors, or the can opener, otherwise she has settled in to her foster home very nicely. Lane does a little "happy dance" with her front feet (bouncing back and forth on them) just forcing a smile when she is trying to get your attention. Lane is very loving and loves to tag along; she's good in a car and loves to go for walks. She may be a mixed breed, but she's pure in her intentions to make someone very happy and be by your side. She's personable and gets along great with other dogs, cats especially, and children. You just can't be with her and not adore her as her foster family does.

UPDATE 02/03: Lane has gone full circle from being a sick and sad mature girl, to one who is healthy and the epitome of happiness. She's very well mannered, socialized so well she loves dogs, cats, children and everyone she meets. Lane appreciates a tummy rub now that those stones are gone and just dances with pleasure when she gets excited. She has gone from dancing on her front legs to sitting up and "paddling" with her front paws, still amazing us at her happy attitude and youthful actions after being so sad for so long.

She is completely housebroken (uses a doggie door), sleeps quietly each night on her gifted bed, and is very gentle and affectionate. Lane loves to ride, go for walks, and sit by your side, truly appreciating even the smallest affection you show her and returning it three fold. She is wonderful and will be a great companion for someone who needs love and a constant reminder of "what true happiness is". She shows much enthusiasm for life and has a strong need to please making a wonderful addition to any home.

UPDATE 02/22: Lane is an adorable girl who has obviously been an outdoor dog most of her life, loving to be outside to the point we have to bring her in during storms. She comes in when invited, but shortly heads back through the doggie door to sit under our tree beside the deck. She's housebroken, very calm and gentle with our other dogs, people, and children and loves to have personal affection, nudging your hand when she thinks it's possible to get your attention. Lane adores my cat, and is the guest of honor when we go about feeding her daily. She dances and bounces all the way there and loves having my cat rub against her. Lane has good manners, does a few little dances when excited and loves to sleep on her dog bed at night. She's a great companion and loves to please, hoping for an active home, with someone who will shower her with affection. All it takes to make her day is to receive respect, affection, and acknowledgment that she is special - which goes without saying.

UPDATE 04/06: Lane is the essence of loyalty and devotion. She is one of those dogs who would "walk through fire" with you and enjoy it because you are there. She's very loving and will nudge you to continue her petting if she feels she been dismissed too soon. Lane is healthy and perceptive, and very obedient to verbal commands. She is housebroken, adores going for rides and being the "co-pilot", and just waits for you to sit so she can be asked to join you. She does a happy dance before feeding and loves to have her tummy rubbed now, plus she has become a bit vocal -- not annoying but cute. Once Lane learns to trust and love you, she will do anything to make you happy. She's somewhat of a "couch potato" but can be motivated to play right along with the other dogs. She loves attention, companionship, and every person she has ever met. She is ready to share her love with some lucky person who needs a good friend and someone to share their time and love with.

For many rescued Cairns, the yellow brick road that leads to their forever home is not an easy one. Some struggle with health problems and others face trust issues. The road for CPCRN newcomer Lena in VA was even more difficult because she was fighting not only for her own future, but also for the lives of her five as-yet unborn pups. Lena traveled 1,350 miles from Carthage, MO to Portsmouth, VA via Little Rock, AR. When Lena arrived at her foster home in Portsmouth, it was estimated that she was at Day 45 of a typically 63-day pregnancy. Although Lena was trembling and weak, it was hoped that her difficulties were due to her pregnancy and her long trip to her foster home. However, it soon became evident that something was wrong.

Lena was finding it almost impossible to urinate, and on what was only Day 48 of the pregnancy, it also looked as if Lena was going to have her puppies within the week. She was taken to the vet who discovered that Lena had a large bladder stone that was shutting down her system. Her calcium levels were also dangerously low. He determined that it was unlikely Lena would be able to deliver the puppies. The only option was to do surgery immediately.

Within hours, the vet’s entire team was involved in effort to save Lena and her five puppies. After a C-section delivery, Lena was spayed and her bladder stone was removed. Since all of Lena’s lower front teeth were missing and her back teeth were green, the vet decided to scrape her remaining teeth while she was till sedated. But her teeth were in such bad condition that one after another, they just fell out of Lena’s mouth. She lost a total of 6 additional teeth, including an abscessed molar that must have caused Lena incredible pain when eating.

Lena and her five pups were given the thumbs-up to go home, but there were concerns about her firstborn son. Although all the preemies were about half the size of full-term Cairn puppies, weighing only about 2.5 to 3 ounces each, little Leif was even smaller than his tiny siblings. After three days of bravely struggling to survive, Leif, whose name means “Dearly Loved,” crossed the Rainbow Bridge despite the efforts of his heartbroken foster parents.

Meanwhile, Lena and her remaining son and three daughters continue to improve daily under the loving care they are receiving. Lena is a model mom despite everything she has been through. Although still noticeably weak, Lena is able to feed all four puppies on her own. She is taking calcium supplements and is being nourished with soft foods; she is beginning to regain her strength now that she does not have to struggle to chew food. Lena is enjoying her newfound life of comfort and showers her adoptive parents with grateful affection. For an 8 year old dog, this journey has not been an easy one, but Lena continues bravely on, after leading her four puppies toward a happy life in a forever home.

Marsha, aka Fluffernutter Puppy, is doing well here in her foster home. Marsha is one of the happiest Cairns ever! She is a high-energy girl who loves to play fetch, even if the toys are much bigger than her. She encourages the others to zoom through the yard, with sheer joy radiating from her face. A typical Cairn puppy, she will steal dropped socks, jump in the magazine basket and dig, and get into the smallest places. She does need constant attention, making us laugh all the time. She is working hard to learn to potty outside and does keep her crate dry, even over night. She sleeps quietly through the night, until the time she sees you approaching her crate to let her out. Then the wagging starts and kisses are freely given as she starts her day. She loves the resident dogs, and knows how to play with each of them, respecting their likes and dislikes. She loves all people, giving kisses freely, and snuggling up for a short nap.

Marsha is also learning that her crate during the day is a good place for a nap. She will bark her discontent to let you know she'd much rather be playing, but settles down after a few minutes.

McCoy was pulled from a shelter, after being found wandering the streets of Fort Worth, Texas. He was released to rescue because of "yeasty ears".

McCoy is handsome fellow, and looks like a distinguished Scottish gentleman and I guess he is. Both ears look fine on the outside, but the interior looks like a cauliflower gone wild, both ear canals completely swollen shut, trapping dirt, debris and infection to the interior, toward the ear drum. Who knows what is growing there?

This is horribly, constantly painful, and McCoy has likely lived with this problem for years, perhaps life-long. Possible causes include food allergy, perhaps corn, which has now been removed from his diet. McCoy still has hearing in both ears, but should this condition continue. He will have constant, severe pain and possibly permanent hearing loss.

Under the care of Col. Potter, McCoy has been treated with antibiotics and anti-fungal ointments and now Prednisone, a steroid, has been added, to reduce the extreme hypertrophy (swelling and overgrowth of tissue) within the ear canals. While the swelling has lessened slightly in the last couple weeks, his regimen of Prednisone will continue for at least another few weeks before swelling is reduced sufficiently within the ear canals. McCoy can then have a surgical procedure to scope and clean out his ears and end his long time suffering. The procedure may also include incisions in his ear drums to drain infection behind the ear drums; but this can't be known till he is in surgery and anesthetized, since the ear canal cannot be visualized. There is presently no way for a scope to be inserted, and McCoy screams in pain, when the ears are manipulated. Nonetheless, the visible interior portion of the ears has lost the black, nasty appearance, so gains have been made; but there is still a road to travel.

In spite of the daily treatments and meds, McCoy has remained sweet natured and increasingly interactive. He seems to know we are trying to help.

His ears need to be cleaned out, as soon as we can get the swelling reduced down to where it is possible. Col. Potter has made such a difference in McCoy's life. He has made large steps on his road toward health and healing. Thank you for helping him make those steps.

Please meet the newest member of the Colonel Potter family - Miracle. We were contacted by a local rescue group in Kansas that there was a Cairn in the local shelter that had been attacked by two Pit Bulls and surrendered by the owner. We only had sketchy details and weren't able to get back in touch with the local rescue group. After some investigation and several phone calls, we found the Cairn in question.

This poor boy had been at the shelter with no medical care as the shelter can't afford such amenities. The shelter vet had been in and said that if a rescue group didn't pull him immediately and get him medical attention that he would need to be put down due to his injuries.

We immediately made arrangements to get him pulled and taken directly to a vet who was standing by to examine him and give us a report. Initial exam had to be done while he was put under in order to be able to fully evaluate his injuries without causing him any further pain. First report received was that he has a 3" diameter hole on the front of his left front leg and 1" hole on the back of his left front leg that at some point, probably intersect and that his wounds were all covered by maggots from being left untreated and dirty. The vet asked did we want them to continue on, or just stop now and PTS. They hadn't even had a chance to examine too much else of him or do any internal examination because of the dirt, filth and maggots on him.

Col. Potter will give this boy every chance to make a full recovery, get to a foster home and eventually to a forever home that will love and care for him like he should have been.

Colonel Potter designates some dogs with above average medical expenses as Guardian Angel dogs so that Cairn Guardian Angels can be alerted to help in the effort to "nurse" a Cairn back to good health. Calling all Guardian Angels, Miracle needs your help, so please click on the Guardian Angel icon and help us prepare Miracle for a forever home. Keep checking the website for updates on Miracle.

Introducing Moresca! Moresca is an 8-year-old "pretty-plus" wheaten/strawberry blond female. She is a bit full-figured, weighing in at about 23 pounds. (Well, who wouldn't have matronly contours after birthing puppies constantly since age 11 months?) However, at present Moresca is enthusiastically participating in a "Health Spa" routine to attain her ideal weight, to ease her enlarged heart, and to strengthen leg muscles unused by years of 24/7 crating.

Moresca has an extremely pleasing personality and does not get into mischief. It is amazing how quickly she has adapted to normal family life. She instantly accepted and enjoys walking on a leash and is making great progress with potty training. Moresca even already understands when her Foster Mommie tells her to go into her crate at bedtime. SMART GIRL!

Moresca is respectful of her Foster sisters and peacefully coexists with them. However, she does occasionally emit a low grumbly sound if they crowd her when there is excitement in the house. Yet any dogs (or people) she meets on walks are always greeted with a wagging tail.

Moresca is primarily a people lover. She likes to keep an eye on her Foster Mommie at all times and follow her all over. So Moresca will sleep quiet through the night (except she does make a gentle low snoring sound) if her crate is someplace near her people. Her favorite activity is sitting on the sofa with Foster Mommie and having her ears scratched and her tummy rubbed while she drifts off into a nap. Moresca takes a lot of pleasure from tossing toys in the air and shaking them and gathering them into her crate. She particularly likes to steal socks and play tug-o-war with them when you try to re-claim them. Moresca also seems to enjoy sitting on a footstool in front of a window and watching for her Foster Mommie to come home from work. Sometimes she will warn her Foster Mommie by barking if she sees anything outside the window that she feels is "interesting." She does not bark to excess and she is paying attention when her Foster Mommie says "NO BARK"!

Moresca is currently up to date on all her immunizations and she is heartworm negative. Moresca has NOT yet been spayed because of her weight and enlarged heart. Her surgery has been postponed for a few weeks so that Moresca can be observed and stabilized. At present Moresca does not require any medications. She does have arthritis in her left hip but she is doing well with exercise.

Moresca is a real LOVE and so very willing to please she just seems to have more than the usual amount of Cairn charisma.

Newman is a 5 year old, wheaten male who was surrendered to Colonel Potter by his owner last week. He comes from a family with young children and he apparently was abused. Newman can barely stand and can only take a few steps and those steps are pretty wobbly. He has spent most of his short life in this condition. We went to the vet today and it was confirmed that he has serious neurological problems which will require that he see a neurologist. We know this will be expensive involving X-Rays, and/or possibly a CAT Scan to see if we can even help him.

Newman has been with me for a week today, and even with the problems that he has, you couldn't find a sweeter, little boy. That tail wags and he does that Cairn head tilt when you come home and greet him. He keeps his area clean and dry and never a complaint.

This little boy deserves a chance. Please consider becoming a "Newman" Guardian Angel so that we can try to help him become a NewMan.

O'Donnegal (aka "Danny Boy") is being fostered in Kansas. Before he is available for adoption, he will need to undergo surgery for a ruptured cranial cruciate in his left leg. This is equivalent to a "meniscus" in a human. Similar injuries in people would be those suffered by football players. It is a sheath between the cartilage of the knee joint. When it ruptures, as in the case of Danny, it requires surgical repair. The surgical procedure consists of replacing the rupture cruciate with a prosthetic ligament. The medical costs are extensive and include preop x-rays, prep, hospitalization, surgery, and post-op therapy and pain control. With surgery and proper care, Danny will make a full recovery and will require no limitations. Terriers in general and cairns in particular are susceptible to these injuries. Danny was more prone to this injury due to his being overweight. Danny is responding to weight reduction diet and has lost 4 lbs. in less than a month.

This is Pratt, he is estimated to be 6-8 years of age. He has a massive yeast infection, dry eye, hookworms and a minimal heart murmur. On the plus side he is heartworm negative, friendly and very tolerant of the care his problems require. He is currently being treated for the yeast and dry eye.

When first arriving in his foster home, he had terrible mats. The terrible mats in what hair he has left have been removed and some of the dead hair in the bald spots has been stripped. When we gave him his first medicated bath, he tolerated the first lathering and massage fairly well, but he began to moan during the rinse. The moaning and crying increased as the length of the bath increased until at the end of the half-hour he was really howling, but at no time did he show any aggression. After Pratt was dried off, spots that were oozing serum