Double your pleasure???

Well, more news on the dog front.  As I posted earlier, we were blessed to find Mollie B at the cemetery a few weeks ago.  Yesterday, my cousin called and said there was another dog in the cemetery and that she looked like Mollie B.  Oh, goodness.  Had someone abandoned two dogs and we just didn't see the other one?

After discussion, we determined we couldn't have missed the dog inside the cemetery -- but she could have been outside the cemetery and we didn't see her. Now, he tells me, this new dog is in very bad shape.  We can take a chance on her living, or he'll have his uncle put her down. But he can't get her to get in his vehicle, so we offer to come with some food and Mollie B to entice her to get in the truck.

We arrived at the cemetery and were heartbroken at this dog's condition.  She was skin and bones. Literally. Mollie B was in much, much better shape than this little girl. When we let Mollie B out of the truck, she bounded over to the new dog and they certainly appeared to know one another.  And, other than the new dog being in bad shape, they certainly do look alike. After a bit of food and some coaxing, we got the new girl in the truck along with Mollie B and headed home.  Since Mollie B is named for my paternal great-grandmother, we decide to name the new girl after my maternal great-grandmother -- Arrie Beth.

This morning, Arrie Beth seemed better. She jumped around a little as we greeted her and she ate and drank fairly well.  When we returned from church, she ran up with Mollie B and seemed in good spirits. We went upstairs to have a bit of lunch with the intention of taking the dogs for a walk after we finished eating.

But . . . something was dreadfully wrong with Arrie Beth when we went downstairs. And it had been only 20 or 25 minutes since we went upstairs. She limped a few inches and, upon close inspection, one of her back paws and lower leg were quite swollen. Then it hit us -- she had been bitten by a snake. We can't think of anything else that would make her swell that much in that short of time. I called my cousin to ask what to do. He said there's nothing to do. Most dogs survive snake bites, but the healing process takes a week or so. But this dog is already compromised health-wise. Still, nothing to do. We're quite worried. It will suck if her short, miserable life ends this way. Unlike Mollie, this little girl already has some scars -- about three inches of her tail are gone and one of her toes is missing. So, we'd really like for her to survive this round of bad luck and live out her days happily chasing armadillos!

Here's to Arrie Beth's survival and subsequent thriving -- we want her to get as fat and happy as Mollie B.

Arrie at top of photo, Mollie at bottom

Poor thing -- rib bones showing.

And the tail . . .

Mollie certainly looks fit next to Arrie.