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Hopes Fall posted:So my cat has been peeing in the living room, and exhibiting strange behavior like hiding under the bed. He's 8 years old and has never done anything like that before. I took him to the vet yesterday and had urinalysis done. Apparently he's developed crystals. I've had him and the other cat locked in the spare room with food, water, litter box etc. I just let him out and he went and peed on the same drat spot, even though I've already cleaned it with Nature's Miracle. HALP. The food is for life. The inappropriate urination is because he associates peeing with pain so he tried to find a place to do it that didn't hurt. Clean again with Nature's Miracle, try to find a way to make that place less attractive to pee. My cat had urinary crystals and lived another 8 years eating the food.
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Dec 19, 2015 03:19
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kitten posted:The food is for life. The inappropriate urination is because he associates peeing with pain so he tried to find a place to do it that didn't hurt. Clean again with Nature's Miracle, try to find a way to make that place less attractive to pee. My cat had urinary crystals and lived another 8 years eating the food. Little bastard is lucky I love him. Other than the vet is there anywhere to buy this stuff? It's kinda pricey for my budget. I guess I'll borrow a carpet shampooer and really clean that corner. He's also been hitting the wicker chest we keep all the games in. Other than tossing it, there's no way to make him not want to pee there anymore, right? My fiancée is on team 'let's leave it until he's better, so he doesn't find somewhere else inappropriate to pee' and I'm on team 'let's get rid of this piss-smelling thing so he doesn't keep gravitating towards it'. Thoughts?
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Dec 19, 2015 03:42
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My 5 year old husky/chow just got out of the yard got in a fight with a stray cat. The people who put food out for the strays are taking care of the cat. Do I need to worry about my dog? Just check her for any injuries that are obvious? She only got one slight scratch on her eyebrow that I can see. Tore a pad on her front paw too I think but it didn't seem to bad. Hdip fucked around with this message at 05:29 on Dec 19, 2015 |
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Dec 19, 2015 04:06
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Goddamn that's a cool looking cat.
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Dec 19, 2015 14:37
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EXTREME INSERTION posted:Try to see if the behavior decreases after he is neutered A follow up on this issue: after neutering, he is more calm than before, no longer screams that frequently, but is still pissing on furniture, although less than before. At least his piss seems to have changed its smell, is a lot more subtle now. Anyways, I found a home to him (I was only fostering him, I already have 3 other cats), Im a bit afraid he will piss everywhere and scream all day and then they will return him to me in one week.
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Dec 19, 2015 15:02
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Anyone have a preferred place to get dog collars? Ours are getting old and frayed so I want to pick up a couple of new ones.
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Dec 20, 2015 23:00
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Almost all of mine are from Collarmania. They're custom so they take a little while to get made but nothing has help up as well as their crypton material for my farm dog. The laminated cotton works pretty well too for muddy dogs.    He has a nice leather collar from Ella's Lead and a simple rolled leather collar with a name plate from Quillan Leather too because  my handsome dogman needs to look his best while he eats sheep poo poo The tags are mostly from Fetching Tags because they're the only ones I can find that hold up well to farm life.
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Dec 21, 2015 00:36
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I took my 16-y-o cat in for her annual check up today, and asked to run blood work as well because I'm a worry wart and she is old. I got a call later to discuss her blood work and it sounds like everything was fine except for one thing. I missed what the lady said the particular measurement was for, but it is related to kidneys and "normal" level is up to 2.1, my kitty's was at 2.2 - so it was caught early and we are going to tackle this with a prescription food, monthly sub-Q fluids, and 6-month-ly blood work to check in on things. After I hung up I realized that I didn't catch the actual diagnosis. I am googling a little bit and see phrases like CKD, stage 2/3/4 kidney disease, etc. but those sound a bit more doom-and-gloom than the impression I got with mine. Does anyone with a little more vet-med knowledge know what my cat's diagnosis sounds like? Obviously I need to ask my vet for sure, but they are closed until Monday and I'd like to do some internet reading. I'm just looking for some key words to search with.
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Jan 3, 2016 03:55
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it's probably the creatinine. that's one of the kidney values. it can be elevated due to dehydration or kidney disease most commonly. did they do a urinalysis as well?
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Jan 3, 2016 04:31
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That could be it, I will read up on creatinine. No urinalysis, probably because I had no symptoms to report when we came in so nothing was suspect. I will ask if they think they need to do that when I go in with her on Monday for her first sub-Q session. Poor little old lady. I really hope that this all was just a fluke, like slightly dehydrated because we had house guests this weekend and she did a lot of hiding, and she's actually totally fine. I've had this old girl since I was 12. 
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Jan 3, 2016 04:40
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Depending on the lab that processed tbe blood, it could also be SDMA, which is being touted as the new early alert value for kidney failure. Either way, catching a kidney value when it's just barely higher than normal is a pretty decent prognosis. All kidney disease is progressive, but the earlier you catch it, the more controllable it is. With proper care, you're hopefully not looking at much of a decrease in lifespan. And good on you for doing the blood work - It doesn't make you a worry wart, it makes you a responsible pet owner. Old pets should get annual/biannual blood work for just this reason. Slugworth fucked around with this message at 04:51 on Jan 3, 2016 |
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Jan 3, 2016 04:47
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Thanks, I appreciate that. 
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Jan 3, 2016 05:06
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Slugworth posted:Depending on the lab that processed tbe blood, it could also be SDMA, which is being touted as the new early alert value for kidney failure. the reference range for SDMA goes up to 14. IDEXX is the only place that runs it. 2.1 is the top end of the reference range for most labs for creatinine in cats. This always has to be taken in light of the urine specific gravity...a creatinine of 1.9 in a cat with a USG of 1.014 is going to raise some flags for me even though it's still technically in the reference range, whereas a creatinine of 2.2 in a cat with a USG of 1.060 isn't going to worry me for his kidneys, though he certainly needs some fluids if they are to stay healthy! Sekhmet fucked around with this message at 05:20 on Jan 3, 2016 |
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Jan 3, 2016 05:15
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Sekhmet posted:the reference range for SDMA goes up to 14. IDEXX is the only place that runs it. 2.1 is the top end of the reference range for most labs for creatinine in cats. This always has to be taken in light of the urine specific gravity...a creatinine of 1.9 in a cat with a USG of 1.014 is going to raise some flags for me even though it's still technically in the reference range, whereas a creatinine of 2.2 in a cat with a USG of 1.060 isn't going to worry me for his kidneys, though he certainly needs some fluids if they are to stay healthy!
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Jan 3, 2016 06:10
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drat Bananas posted:That could be it, I will read up on creatinine. No urinalysis, probably because I had no symptoms to report when we came in so nothing was suspect. I will ask if they think they need to do that when I go in with her on Monday for her first sub-Q session. The above post by Sekhmet underlines the importance of a urinalysis even with no underlying urinary symptoms. Definitely ask for a UA when you go back because that information can point to whether or not the slightly elevated creatinine is due to dehydration or real chronic kidney disease. Also, if chronic kidney disease is present, then animals will be predisposed to UTIs so it's a good thing to check on a regular basis (although sending out a culture would be the true gold standard for that).
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Jan 3, 2016 19:54
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Is there a bug thread? I have some questions about bait and stuff. For art rather than extermination.
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Jan 8, 2016 05:39
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You might have luck over in Critter Quest
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Jan 9, 2016 04:45
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I'm looking after a litter of foster kittens and their incredibly loud, sexually focused mother at the moment (how the gently caress can people live with the noise a cat on heat makes). Unfortunately, right at the point where I was almost able to take them and their mother in to be desexed, one shows up with a flaky bald patch on her face. Almost certainly ringworm. I told the shelter that if it's confirmed as ringworm at the vet appointment tomorrow then I will need to give them back because of the risk of spreading to my other pets, but the shelter is pretty much forcing me to hold onto the kittens because 'the damage is already done' re: spore dispersal and they don't want ringwormy kittens back. So I don't have a choice but to keep holding onto them until the ringworm is gone. I understand why the shelter doesn't want them back but you know, I'm pretty loving lukewarm about the whole walking contagion aspect given I've got an incredibly longhaired Shetland Sheepdog as well as two cats of my own, and I want to scream just thinking about trying to manage ringworm with the sheltie let alone the cats. So my question is, what are the best preventative measures to take to limit the chances of ringworm spreading? The kittens and Mama have always been in their own bedroom (wood floors), and were rarely let outside the room to mingle with other pets. They're on total lockdown now. My plan was to use medical disinfectant and natures miracle on all the floor surfaces, not let my pets touch any toys or blankets they've used, and to pretty much burn everything in that bedroom to the ground once I can finally pass them back to the shelter. What have I missed? Tamarillo fucked around with this message at 07:07 on Jan 15, 2016 |
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Jan 15, 2016 07:05
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Alright, so I don't use fabric softner because I'm allergic to life but a houseguest was. I used some Kleenex to wipe the residue (most likely less than a teaspoon if that) out of the tray and forgetting I had a whippet mix put them in the wastebasket on top of the washer. Dog got into them and tore them up and left them on the floor - I don't think she could have possibly gotten very much (and she's usually meticulous about not eating non-food items, won't even eat muffin wrappers which most dogs will). It doesn't look like she ate any of the Kleenex but she probably got some of that crap on her tongue. From what I can tell on the internet the threat seems to be mouth or stomach ulcers. It's a Saturday so it would be pretty expensive to run her into the emergency vet but I'd also kind of rather not chance it if there's a real threat of her getting sick. Gut feeling says I should just keep an eye on her mouth to make sure, and there's no poisoning info on the fabric softner container itself - Is this prudent or is it better to just bite it and take her in anyway?
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Jan 16, 2016 23:10
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Tamarillo posted:I'm looking after a litter of foster kittens and their incredibly loud, sexually focused mother at the moment (how the gently caress can people live with the noise a cat on heat makes). Unfortunately, right at the point where I was almost able to take them and their mother in to be desexed, one shows up with a flaky bald patch on her face. Almost certainly ringworm. I told the shelter that if it's confirmed as ringworm at the vet appointment tomorrow then I will need to give them back because of the risk of spreading to my other pets, but the shelter is pretty much forcing me to hold onto the kittens because 'the damage is already done' re: spore dispersal and they don't want ringwormy kittens back. So I don't have a choice but to keep holding onto them until the ringworm is gone. This is a drag about the ringworm. I had a cat that had it, and I got it myself. Luckily, not in my hair. The stuff takes forever to get rid of. I think keeping any cats that have it segregated is a good idea. If the other cats don't have it yet, that's a plus. The vet will probably have more information about fixing it, but if I were you I would definitely not touch these cats without plastic/latex gloves on. The measures you take are, basically, washing all fabrics in hot water and drying them in a hot dryer or outside in the sun, wiping down all hard surfaces with a disinfectant, frequently, and lots of vacuuming of carpets (like, daily). Not just in the room they're in, everywhere. As far as that room goes, "Burn everything to the ground" kind of covers it. I'm not sure Nature's Miracle would do anything at all. If you have a steamer, that would probably work on the wood floor, depending on what kind of sealant is on it. Don't forget the walls. I don't know that it's all that contagious, but obviously the shelter doesn't want to risk it. As I said, I had one cat that got it, but my other cat and dog did not. They interacted with the cat, but apparently not as much as I did. Fortunately it's not life threatening or anything, just super annoying. Good luck.
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Jan 17, 2016 11:13
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Rhymes With Clue posted:This is a drag about the ringworm. I had a cat that had it, and I got it myself. Luckily, not in my hair. The stuff takes forever to get rid of. I think keeping any cats that have it segregated is a good idea. If the other cats don't have it yet, that's a plus. The vet will probably have more information about fixing it, but if I were you I would definitely not touch these cats without plastic/latex gloves on. Thanks for this. We've got a massive pack of latex gloves and some medical-grade disinfectant from my engineer brother in law. Kittens are getting pills daily now and, poor little bastards, almost no human interaction. The vet took an incredibly dim view of me being forced to keep the kittens and said I should stand my ground and insist that the kittens are taken back because the shelter does actually have an isolation area. At the moment I am just trying to arrange another fosterer who is better equipped to handle these plaguebeasts. I'm going to go disinfect the hell out of the general area around the door again. I'm super dark about this because I'm about to go back to school full time and don't have the disposable income anymore to easily handle heaps of vet appointments if my own animals catch ringworm because this stupid shelter won't take their drat kittens back.
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Jan 18, 2016 06:24
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One of our kittens had ringworm and the vet gave us a topical treatment. I did not do any extra cleaning or disinfecting and I didn't isolate the infected cat. None of our other pets caught it and we did not catch it. It really was not a big deal.
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Jan 19, 2016 07:41
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e: nevermind!
Scholtz fucked around with this message at 20:13 on Jan 21, 2016 |
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Jan 21, 2016 00:42
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So I just accepted a job in Sweden--I currently live in Montreal. Does anybody have experience with transatlantic pet moves? We have two dogs in the 30-35 lb. range and a cat. I'm really not fond of the idea of shipping them in cargo, so I'm curious if anybody's done this or similar and might have some pointers.
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Jan 22, 2016 17:30
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What are some key #brands that #pets interact with?
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Jan 22, 2016 21:16
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GimpInBlack posted:So I just accepted a job in Sweden--I currently live in Montreal. Does anybody have experience with transatlantic pet moves? We have two dogs in the 30-35 lb. range and a cat. I'm really not fond of the idea of shipping them in cargo, so I'm curious if anybody's done this or similar and might have some pointers. I don't have experience, but maybe contact the airline you're going to use, and see if they'll allow you to buy seats for their carriers? Seems like they might be small enough to fit a hard-shell carrying crate into a seat. Also maybe ask your vet if they have any recommendations.
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Jan 22, 2016 22:54
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My cat's best friend of 13 years died a few months ago, and ever since then she's started screaming at me everytime I get home from work. It's getting to be less and less though, she's getting used to being alone during the day and she gets a lot of love on mornings and evenings. To get to the heart of the matter: a friend of mine asked me to cat-sit her two cats for some ten days or so. On the one hand, it would be great if my cat had some company, on the other hand - I'm worried that she will get used to other cats being around, and get even sadder when it's time for them to leave. I don't want to put her through separation anxiety again. Is a valid concern, or am I just projecting? Would her having company for ten days outweigh the potential cons?
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Jan 25, 2016 21:43
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It's a bad idea for a different reason. Cat sitting isn't like dog sitting. Cats are territorial and don't much like change. You'll just end up with 3 very stressed out cats in your apartment for 10 days that you'd need to keep separated for at least the long anyway. If you're cat sitting for her go over to her place to feed them and scoop the box.
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Jan 25, 2016 22:03
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Kerfuffle posted:It's a bad idea for a different reason. Cat sitting isn't like dog sitting. Cats are territorial and don't much like change. You'll just end up with 3 very stressed out cats in your apartment for 10 days that you'd need to keep separated for at least the long anyway. If you're cat sitting for her go over to her place to feed them and scoop the box. I'll take your advice. Thanks!
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Jan 25, 2016 22:16
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Do they make hypoallergenic cats, aside from those hairless ones?
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Jan 26, 2016 00:41
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Is there a less expensive and also reputable place to purchase Trifexis than my vet? It's not TOO much, but for instance, it's several dollars cheaper at the Petsmart vet (however, I don't take my dog there so they can't sell it to me). If I could save $30 extra a year, I'll totally take it.
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Jan 26, 2016 02:33
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 Has anyone ever seen a dogs eye go like this and is it something to be concerned about?
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Jan 27, 2016 00:03
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If I'm allgeric to dogs but want a dog are my options basically to buy a very specific type of dog that doesn't trigger it or to medicate myself basically forever? Or can I brute-force my immune system into not turning me into a collection of rashes and weepy eyes by getting a dog anyway and 'getting used' to being around one?
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Jan 28, 2016 11:53
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Pierson posted:If I'm allgeric to dogs but want a dog are my options basically to buy a very specific type of dog that doesn't trigger it or to medicate myself basically forever? Or can I brute-force my immune system into not turning me into a collection of rashes and weepy eyes by getting a dog anyway and 'getting used' to being around one? Depends on "how" you're allergic to the dog/what parts of it. Some people who are allergic to dogs are okay with non-shedding dogs like poodles etc, because it's specifically the hair and bits they react to. Some people are allergic to stuff in their saliva etc so even a "hypoallergenic" dog is no good. I know some people allergic to cats (some of my relatives, for one) can just stay on allergy medication all the time they're around cats and can be fine, but it's not really a solution for having one as a pet. I'm pretty sure you can't just get used to being around a dog if you're allergic to it, short of gradual exposure as a babby, but who knows? I'm not a dog scientist. Rub your nose on a poodle and see how you react.
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Jan 28, 2016 12:37
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I'm less allergic to my chihuahua now than I was when she first came to live with me. I think I remember getting less allergic to a kitten I had as a child too. Basically, in my experience you can become less allergic, but never not allergic full stop. I'm congested 365 days a year. I only really take medication on bad days.
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Jan 28, 2016 13:43
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My dogs are half a pound of generic gummy worms... I didn't see anything about grapes, xylitol, or chocolate on the ingredients. Are they gonna be OK?
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Jan 29, 2016 06:41
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Wasabi the J posted:My dogs are half a pound of generic gummy worms... I didn't see anything about grapes, xylitol, or chocolate on the ingredients. If your dog is half a pound of gummy worms, you may have to have a party to get the dog all eaten. I would feel guilty about eating half a pound of gummy dog on my own. In actuality: there may be a lot of pooping, and your dogs may be zipping around high on sugar for a bit, but no lasting side effects unless they're really really tiny dogs. Source: dogs always got into my Easter lollies when I was little 
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Jan 29, 2016 06:53
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GimpInBlack posted:So I just accepted a job in Sweden--I currently live in Montreal. Does anybody have experience with transatlantic pet moves? We have two dogs in the 30-35 lb. range and a cat. I'm really not fond of the idea of shipping them in cargo, so I'm curious if anybody's done this or similar and might have some pointers. I moved my GSD from Germany to the US and I know Fluffy Bunnies has done a ton of moving with her dogs. We flew KLM and it was a pretty good experience. Most important thing is to call the airline company you're using and talk to them about it. Many have restrictions on when you can fly with pets in the cargo hold because it's not climate controlled and some airports don't fly pets. Some airlines also have additional requirements beyond the IATA requirements for flying pets at all. Don't try and book your tickets online either - call the airline itself. It's really stressful and a pain in the rear end but honestly in retrospect it wasn't a big deal and my dog coped just fine.
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Jan 29, 2016 18:25
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Triangulum posted:I moved my GSD from Germany to the US and I know Fluffy Bunnies has done a ton of moving with her dogs. We flew KLM and it was a pretty good experience. Most important thing is to call the airline company you're using and talk to them about it. Many have restrictions on when you can fly with pets in the cargo hold because it's not climate controlled and some airports don't fly pets. Some airlines also have additional requirements beyond the IATA requirements for flying pets at all. Don't try and book your tickets online either - call the airline itself. Thanks. After looking into it some more, we found a pet relocation specialist here in Montreal that has something like 40 years experience handling this sort of thing, so the dogs will be flying as live-animal cargo while we take the cat with us on the plane. It's more expensive, but we have a good relocation budget from the new jobs and it's one less thing we have to stress over since they take care of all the paperwork and everything. Glad to hear KLM is a good experience, as that's who they work with. Thanks! Feeling a lot less stressed about it now.
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Jan 29, 2016 19:02
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CROWS EVERYWHERE posted:If your dog is half a pound of gummy worms, you may have to have a party to get the dog all eaten. I would feel guilty about eating half a pound of gummy dog on my own. Update: lots of pee (they RARELY have accidents) and lots of clear sticky vomit this morning, but all's well so far. Thanks!
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Jan 30, 2016 05:49
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