Your Weekly Twitter Recap!

Merlin is back with us. He's really irritated & stinks like alcohol. The cardiologist is still analyzing the data. 12:55:50, 2012-02-28
Merlin went to the cardiologist today. He was diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Of course I was hoping… http://t.co/ipSgT7H8 15:29:51, 2012-02-28
Agh! Trying to cut our 12.5 mg Lasix in half is just reducing them to powder! Both manually & with pill splitter. Any suggestions? 17:59:14, 2012-02-28
Very impressed w @HEB_Austin Pharmacy! They were great about Merlin's pills, helped me sign up for discount card & were very friendly! ^_^ 20:25:37, 2012-02-28
I need to find out which @halopets dry food has the least amount of sodium. Can't find the info anywhere. Does anyone know the answer? 22:11:01, 2012-02-28
Please sign. I did! RT @nAd_wA: I really hope you can sign it, Please help the animals in Thailand! http://t.co/Bhtynlpv 23:28:19, 2012-02-28
What is the best dog ear cleaning solution? Spunky has frequent problems, esp w allergies. Prefer natural, no meds that can be preventative. 09:58:08, 2012-02-29
Not yet but read 1/3 cider to 2/3 water. Thanks! RT @aimeeroo: We have been told to use apple cider vinegar. Have you tried that? 10:02:47, 2012-02-29
Good to know! RT @aimeeroo: They also said to do it in the a.m. so the ear dries out before sleeping. Moisture is the #1 problem for ears. 10:21:41, 2012-02-29
Can anyone recommend a good NON-plastic slow feed bowl? Spunky & Snarf eat too fast. Have you found 1 design works better than others? 12:09:53, 2012-02-29
From World Wildlife Fund: Happy Leap Day! Read about eleven leaping lemur facts: http://t.co/50w7gglO http://t.co/d5dJjUJN 12:22:34, 2012-02-29
#MD RT @Ellie_Mel: Trying to find a home for Dino a male 1 yr old black lab. Here is the link to the shelter. http://t.co/s1yuOjH0 15:56:05, 2012-02-29
Have great lives! RT @wildlifeworks: Creating a better #life for rescued #moon #bears: http://t.co/tAkrdwhE via @onegreenplanet #Awareness 14:04:44, 2012-03-01
I LOVE bison! Got to see them in #Yellowstone. Just amazing! RT @NWF: 6 Amazing Facts You Never Knew About Bison http://t.co/QXkS2WEG 14:39:34, 2012-03-01
RT @PigeonFriend: One of the many beautiful birds for adoption at @AdoptKings @MickaCoo http://t.co/jkoGrb9e http://t.co/jERq3luI 16:17:57, 2012-03-01
Neat! RT @mpickens: Children’s book focuses on Pickens’ efforts to save mustangs http://t.co/iZgNhEb9 16:19:09, 2012-03-01
Please read & sign. If Amazon, as the largest online retailer in the world, permanently bans the sale of cetacean… http://t.co/JyNXGXJ9 00:07:14, 2012-03-02
What a neat photo! A young male elephant seal was tagged for research. The tag looks like a cherry! http://t.co/2Facvkzp 13:27:33, 2012-03-02
#Austin #TX – This handsome pit bull man wandered into our yard. Super friendly! Will get scanned for chip soon. http://t.co/CIw1rYPG 15:27:44, 2012-03-02
For those who think we're making it up when we say "Animals just come to our door for help", I give you Exhibit,… http://t.co/JjYJ0P97 15:33:23, 2012-03-02
#Utah – Stop coyotes from being needlessly killed! From Best Friends Animal Society: Utahns: let your voice be… http://t.co/vancfvvB 18:58:21, 2012-03-02
Need advice. Have someone interested in the kittens, want to come to our house. How do we make sure it's safe? Wish could meet elsewhere… 19:33:08, 2012-03-02
Our own Nikki Jeske is attempting to raise money to go to SXSW Interactive. Her focus, as always, will be to… http://t.co/91bS9qzu 00:47:00, 2012-03-03
#Austin #TX – This handsome pit bull boy was found & taken to Austin Animal Center. Collar but no tags, microchip… http://t.co/03JpTc8b 11:58:58, 2012-03-03
#Austin #TX – You may have heard about Austin Pets Alive! wanting to take over the entirety of the TLAC space… http://t.co/FhUApKPz 11:22:33, 2012-03-04
Aww, what a beautiful story! So glad people care enough to save Dragon the pig! What a great joining of events to… http://t.co/zVsTsBqR 18:22:11, 2012-03-04
This week's Shelter Sketch is Freida! http://t.co/TGoY2RMX http://t.co/N8BBnTOC 19:46:45, 2012-03-04

Filed under: Twitter Digest on March 5th, 2012 | No Comments »

Your Weekly Twitter Recap!

Merlin our cat with a heart condition just collapsed and had a seizure. #pawcircle please. I'm scared to death. Our boy… 23:28:51, 2012-02-20
At emergency clinic. He's in back getting his vitals checked. I feel so stupid. This clinic was 20 mins away. Had to be a closer one. 00:09:57, 2012-02-21
His vitals are good 00:21:46, 2012-02-21
His vitals are good for now. They want to keep him overnight to watch him. Run some blood tests. I hate to leave him. My heart won't slow… 00:23:39, 2012-02-21
We're waiting on his bloodwork. Should get in 20-30 minutes. Then they'll keep him & we'll get him at 6 am. Have to go home for other kids. 00:32:37, 2012-02-21
He's up & looking normal. They know about his heart condition. If bloodwork is normal, will start on antibiotics in case protozoa is cause. 00:34:33, 2012-02-21
Merlin's bloodwork all looked normal. So kidneys & calcium & such are normal. He's had his heart medication & now will have antibiotics. 01:02:35, 2012-02-21
Off to pick up Merlin soon. He did well overnight & had no more seizures. Next to our vet for more tests. #pawcircle please still for him. 05:55:06, 2012-02-21
Picked Merlin up. No problems overnight. Vet says don't have to see our vet today if we watch but we are taking him anyway. #pawcircle 06:49:32, 2012-02-21
Left Merlin at our vet for the day mostly so we don't have to worry as much. Will pick up tonight. Vet says needs echocardiogram now… 09:29:13, 2012-02-21
#Austin #TX – These kittens need a foster or adopter NOW! We have spread ourselves too thin because we cannot get… http://t.co/bDMzrdWW 10:47:37, 2012-02-21
Merlin is home now. He had no problems at the vet. They did an FIV/FelV test on him which was negative. She said… http://t.co/z8cpj86p 19:13:11, 2012-02-21
I hate watching & waiting. Every single normal thing he does freaks me out. He's irritated about being in a cage. One weird noise & I panic. 20:08:54, 2012-02-21
#Austin #TX – These dogs at Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter are in danger because they like to be only… http://t.co/0zHjRSJJ 12:49:07, 2012-02-22
Looks like a great group! Very dedicated! RT @LstChanceRanch: Please promote our animal rescue ranch! http://t.co/Y9u6Z0Dg 18:55:20, 2012-02-22
Merlin enjoying a rest atop his favorite cat tree. That's our sweet boy. #pawcircle for his continued recovery…. http://t.co/kziOAqdX 13:04:48, 2012-02-23
Love this! RT @protecttheorang: This picture embodies everything that is beautiful about the Orangutan: http://t.co/ng0yP1r4 13:06:37, 2012-02-23
SICK! What can we do to help? RT @Pitbull1970: RT @mischiefmuttntx: "Kill All Pit Bulls" – #Memphis, #TN http://t.co/lofKm4IK 13:43:11, 2012-02-23
A nice laugh as you head off to bed. How to Identify a Meth Lab… hehe. http://t.co/vvOSmNgy 22:12:38, 2012-02-23
We have set up a ChipIn to help pay for Merlin's echocardiogram next Tuesday. Any amount you can spare is greatly… http://t.co/s4bhjkpM 13:30:26, 2012-02-24
A HUGE thank you to our first donor for Merlin's echocardiogram, @SnotfaceCritter. If you don't follow, you should! Always entertaining! 13:53:26, 2012-02-24
A special thank you to my sister @wpickens for donating to her nephew's echocardiogram! What a good aunt she is! 15:19:06, 2012-02-24
RT @NCAnimalShelter: SAVE THIS #CAT IN #TEXAS #TX – RT, RT, RT!!! http://t.co/mvjBS8Jj 16:01:20, 2012-02-24
A humorous look at a not so funny situation: Before You Dump Your "Old Dog" at the Shelter… http://t.co/SAQwPjIh 17:36:24, 2012-02-24
If any businesses out there want to advertise on ILRA now is the time! To raise $ for Merlin we're offering a discount! http://t.co/ioDEsfij 17:48:11, 2012-02-24
Another big thank you to Cain D. for his generous donation to Merlin's echocardiogram. You guys are great! http://t.co/ioDEsfij 18:34:53, 2012-02-24
Have to leave Merlin for a couple hours for a wedding reception. Nervous even though he's been fine since seizure. #pawcircle he's safe. 18:44:39, 2012-02-24
#Austin #TX – Come meet our beautiful foster Toni & others at the Mutt Match at Austin Animal Center from 11 – 3… http://t.co/qE19sck5 11:03:48, 2012-02-25
We're a third of the way to Merlin's echocardiogram. Please donate if you can. His appt is on Tues. http://t.co/ioDEsfij Thanks! #pawcircle 16:25:27, 2012-02-25
I signed. Won't you? RT @animal_lubber: http://t.co/4XhpA9Wx Urgently need 20,500 more sigs by 13th March. Thank you. 16:29:34, 2012-02-25
TONI GOT ADOPTED! Our wonderfully perfect Austin Animal Center foster found her forever home today! With a lovely… http://t.co/8dmY2mrj 16:33:57, 2012-02-25
A big thank you to @leslie42363 @GuatemalaGrande & Rhonda Pickens for donating towards Merlin's echocardiogram! http://t.co/ioDEsfij 12:12:54, 2012-02-26
Thanks for sharing about Merlin! @hemmingwayscat @spike_cat @ThisOneWildLife @PartyAnimalsATX @danapixie @SnotfaceCritter @informedferret in reply to hemmingwayscat 12:35:01, 2012-02-26
We've reached 50% of our goal to get Merlin his echocardiogram. We need the other half by this Tuesday. Please… http://t.co/2b2QQl74 12:43:00, 2012-02-26
Thank you to Jennifer Kelly & Patty White for their donations for Merlin! We're getting there! http://t.co/ioDEsfij 14:33:14, 2012-02-26
This week's Shelter Sketch is Willy the Shih Tzu! http://t.co/YPGYgk9q http://t.co/mVs9EpEC 21:21:53, 2012-02-26

Filed under: Twitter Digest on February 27th, 2012 | No Comments »

A Plea for Merlin

Hi everyone. This is strange for me because we have never asked for money for our own kids before. It has always been for fosters and even then only when we really needed the help. We have shared many ChipIns for other people’s personal pets but we have always tried to just muddle through on our own when it came to us. But this time, we really need your help.

As some of you may know, on Monday night, around midnight, Merlin had a seizure. It was one of the scariest things of my life and even as I was going through the motions of finding & calling the emergency vet and driving us there, it was like I was in a daze. I was shaking the entire time, even making signing for his care at the clinic difficult. My heart beat didn’t slow down for nearly 24 hours. Seriously.

Merlin had to have blood work done and had to stay at the clinic overnight to be monitored. That bill came to $368. When we picked him up in the morning, we took him to our regular vet. She watched him for us that day for free, because she is wonderful, but we still had the exam fee and she also did an FIV/FelV combo test on him. That bill came to $80. So we spent a total of $448 in less than 24 hours. We had to and we don’t regret it. Merlin is one of our children and we will do everything we can for him. But that was money we barely had.

Our vet recommended that we take him to a cardiologist to get an echocardiogram on him as the next step to diagnosing what may have caused his seizure. There are so many potential causes for seizures that it’s crazy. Our vet feels that, due to his history, the echo is the next best step instead of just blindly guessing and doing expensive titers. The echo should give our vet an idea of where to start looking. Besides, Merlin has needed an echocardiogram since last year.

A Little Backstory

Back in May of last year, right after our move, Merlin went into a terrible downward spiral. He was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Merlin wasn’t even 3 years old yet and was at death’s door. Our vet gave us medication to help his heart and to get the huge amount of fluid off his chest but we were basically told to take him home and give him comfort as he died. He could have a heart attack at any moment. We took him home and kept him next to us for days. Every time he had a panic attack because he couldn’t breathe due to the fluid on his chest, we cried and told him he could go if it hurt too bad. Every night before we went to sleep, we told him we loved him and said our goodbyes. Every time we woke up during the night to check on him our chests were tight as we strained to see if he was still breathing. And every time he was. And every day he grew stronger. And ate more. And got irritated with us being so concerned over him. And slowly, slowly, we weaned him off of the high dose of the Lasix (fluid medication). When we first brought him home, he was on SIX a day! Now, for several months, he has been maintained on only 1 Lasix a day as well as his 1/4 of Amlodipine (heart medication).

Until this seizure, our boy was back to being his usual self and you couldn’t even tell he had a problem. He eats & plays & causes mischief. Our vet was amazed at how good he looked when we took him in the other day and couldn’t stop saying it. Merlin fought hard & we fought hard and we are not giving up! If this is what Merlin needs, then he will get it! But we need your help. We are tapped out and this is not something that can wait. I have an appointment scheduled for him next week on Tuesday, Feb. 28th.

We Need Your Help!

So we have 5 days to raise $450. Please help us if you can. We will be eternally grateful. We put a lot into the animal welfare world and now we need to ask for a little back. But I swear to you that we will give it back again 10 fold. Animals are our lives. And this boy is our baby. Please help us find out what is wrong with him so we can make his life as good as it can possibly be! Thank you!

You can also check out the ChipIn page.

Everyone who donates will get a thank you from us on this post, on our Facebook (2170 fans) and on our twitter (18,500 followers). If you want us to link to your twitter account, be sure to give it to us in the notes of your donation. If you have a business that you’d like to promote on ILRA, NOW is the time to do it! We are offering 3 months of advertising, normally $255 for only $200 if you mention that you’re doing it for Merlin. And I’ll throw in a shout out on FB & twitter as well because we will be so appreciative! Is there anything else you want me to do for you in exchange for helping Merlin? Just ask and we’ll see what we can do. We have to do this for our boy. So please, please, help him. Thank you.

Thank you to these wonderful donors:

Stephanie Minck of SnotfaceCritter.com
Winnie Pickens
Kayla Spencer
Cain Demumbra
Stefan Schindler
Leslie Olyott
Rhonda Pickens
Jennifer Kelly
Patty White
Emily Jeske
Will Shoucair
Lost And Found Dog Rescue Adoption Center
Mackenzie Case

Filed under: Animals in Need, Donations, Personal Stories on February 24th, 2012 | 3 Comments »