Agreeing with everyone else. I'd get to the vet ASAP. I'll be thinking of you and hoping for the best.

I don't know if it's possible to talk to someone at the rescue, but that's what I would really want to do, to convey my willingness to do the best thing for that particular dog. I could imagine an arrangement involving a large, roofed pen alongside the house, which the dog could access by a doggy door. Or maybe something else, but this isn't a generic situation, and some flexibility and creativity on the parts of both rescue and adopter could ensure the dog has a good, safe situation.

Not to mention hawks, owls, and coyotes, depending on the area.

It sounds wonderful. I hope you get it!

Based on the concerns about canine dilated cardiomyopathy being linked to certain dog foods, we've been using Purina Pro Plan. Our dogs like it, and our vet says it's a good food. I'm not sure how the cost would work out for you, since only one of ours is over fifty pounds, but it's not particularly expensive. Information on DCM: Original information from 2019, with brands of concern https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1025466 Nature article from this summer, suggesting peas and perhaps other legumes may be the main problem ingredients (gross oversimplification based on my skimming) https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-94464-2 FDA update from this year https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/questions-answers-fdas-work-potential-causes-non-hereditary-dcm-dogs

😧☹️ I'm sorry. That would be very hard to see. Mamu is lucky you and your dd were the humans he encountered.

That's tough. I don't know, but it still might be worth calling at least one of the licensed rehabilitators. We went through this with a little bat this summer, and it was a matter of talking to one person, who referred me to another, who had a trainee working under her supervision... So the person who ended up taking the bat was not someone I could have found on my own. I'm not sure if she was licensed or not, but she was working with a legitimate group. It can get complicated finding the right person. If rehab doesn't pan out, I don't know. I agree that Mamu wouldn't do well on her own with a permanently injured leg. Could you consult a vet about the leg? Are there vets around who would look at her? I know so much of this depends on where you are. 😟 We found "our" toad easy to care for, fwiw, pretty much as you're doing. In the absence of other options, that might be the best possible outcome for Mamu. I don't know how to manage winter, though.

Is there a wildlife rehabilitator or rescue group around? Here, one needs to do some research to find them, but google and local vets would be good starting points. Local wildlife parks, good-quality (not necessarily big) zoos, animal shelters also might have contacts. Maybe even animal control? I appreciate how hard you're trying to help Mamu.

Hope her partner's test is negative too, and they can feel a bit safer. I'm sorry you can't get to her. That's got to be a scary feeling. Separate rooms and masks are good, though, and hooray for her negative test.

I don't know if this might be helpful or not. We've had some tiny toad experience, years ago, and relied heavily on home-grown bugs. If you have a compost pile, you can probably dig around gently in the lower levels and the soil at the base and find any number of small earthworms and other bugs... pill bugs, black soldier fly larvae, earwigs, and so on. Even establishing a compost pile for the purpose might produce fairly quick results, if you think the toad might be with you for a few weeks. It's not a neat or tidy way to get toad food, but I hoped it provided some nutritional variety. We used crickets as well, and mealworms, and so on from the pet store. Eta I just remembered that when our toadlet was very tiny I just brought in little scoops of compost, which were swarming with tiny bugs. Toad found them very successfully all on her(?) own, so I didn't have to worry about picking up individual bugs, just scooping up a bit of compost.

Poor Toadie and poor dd. Hope he continues to recuperate well.

Lots of hugs. It sounds like your mom really needs your help. It's so good that you could do all this for her; especially getting your name down as an authorized contact will help as time goes on. I hope you and she get good news soon. Maintaining a high quality of life for several years would be wonderful. Whatever happens, know that your support is truly valuable to her.

She is just lovely. I'm so glad you had a wonderful weekend.

I'm so sorry. I hope the clinic is helpful to you, as quickly as possible. Surely there's going to be a ton of research on long Covid over the next months. Maybe it will turn up something useful.

Those look fantastic. Your boy sounds talented!

Stumbled on this kinda-related thread this morning. The one with the train is amazing. Now I want to make miniature niches in my house.

43.hospitals.with.full.ICUs.turned.him.away.

Yeah. Lots and lots of mice. And the odd rat. It was deeply, truly filthy.

You know what this made me think about: the old house I fixed up had been home to a large family in years past, but it was very small: like, one real bedroom. I would have loved to know how they used the spaces. Maybe a plan of the house, with "girls' room," "boys' room," "kitchen," "attic bedroom", etc. Photos would be wonderful. A plan of the yard, with information about significant plants ("Maiden's Blush" apple, grafted from Granddad's; oak tree planted 2021). The pickle jar sounds good.

Found in old walls: comic books, buttons, coins, barrettes, small toys like toy soldiers and cars. Assembling a time capsule would be fun. A mask would be an obviously timely item, with perhaps a newspaper: not that people often have the physical ones lying around any more, but they'd give a sense of today's issues. Coins are always good. Whatever little things your kids think represent the era best from their point of view. Are friendship bracelets popular still? Lists of favorite movies, tv shows, books, music? Sounds like a fun project!

What a lucky kitty! I'm so glad she can stay with you.

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I'm so sorry, the whole experience sounds harrowing. Hope you'll be home soon and able to rest, and your mom more comfortable. Gentle hugs to both of you.

Holding them in my thoughts.