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a life less
Jul 12, 2009

We are healthy only to the extent that our ideas are humane.

RazorBunny posted:

When we adopted our greyhound they warned us against allowing strenuous exercise (i.e. running) right after eating, but said that leashed walks were fine. I know my sister's Aussie eats right before the evening walk most nights because the combination of food and walking encourages her to poop, and that both her vet and the breeder approved of this - but likewise warned against letting her run for an hour or so after a meal.

So unless you're jogging her hard or turning her loose and letting her run, I doubt there's any danger in feeding her before a walk.

We turn my dog loose and let her run (there's an awesome off-leash park at the end of my street). So, it sounds like it'd probably just be best to feed her the bulk of the meal once she returns home. Thanks RazorBunny!

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Fluffy Bunnies
Jan 10, 2009

a life less posted:

We turn my dog loose and let her run (there's an awesome off-leash park at the end of my street). So, it sounds like it'd probably just be best to feed her the bulk of the meal once she returns home. Thanks RazorBunny!

After she's cooled down when she gets home, too. You don't want her sucking in all that air while she's pant-eating. So says my vet over here, anyway.

Pilot to Gunner
Aug 21, 2009

That's what you get, you get fork stabbed.
Anyone have any ideas on how to feed an elderly indoor cat without my two dogs eating all her food?

My cat is 18 and can't jump up on her counter anymore to get to a food bowl out of the dogs' reach. My house has an open layout so there are no separate rooms, so a door with a cat cut out is not an option. She can't go up or down stairs. She can't be fed just once or twice a day then the bowl taken up because she eats very little at a time but eats frequently. My dogs are sneaky and desperate to eat her kitty food.


I was thinking about building a wooden box with a cutout for her to walk in and out of but it's possible my smaller dog could also weasel in there. So far that is my best option but if anyone has a better idea, please let me know.

Ceridwen
Dec 11, 2004
Of course... If the Jell-O gets moldy, the whole thing should be set aflame.

Build the wooden box and get a cat door that requires a magnet to open (cat wears magnet on collar). It's not the cheapest but it would be highly effective.

Something like this.

Kerfuffle
Aug 16, 2007

The sky calls to us~

Pilot to Gunner posted:

Anyone have any ideas on how to feed an elderly indoor cat without my two dogs eating all her food?

My cat is 18 and can't jump up on her counter anymore to get to a food bowl out of the dogs' reach. My house has an open layout so there are no separate rooms, so a door with a cat cut out is not an option. She can't go up or down stairs. She can't be fed just once or twice a day then the bowl taken up because she eats very little at a time but eats frequently. My dogs are sneaky and desperate to eat her kitty food.


I was thinking about building a wooden box with a cutout for her to walk in and out of but it's possible my smaller dog could also weasel in there. So far that is my best option but if anyone has a better idea, please let me know.

Could she climb up a multistory cat tree? You could feed her on that if you have one.

Fire In The Disco
Oct 4, 2007
I cannot change the gender of my unborn child and shouldn't waste my time or energy pretending he won't exist

Pilot to Gunner posted:

Anyone have any ideas on how to feed an elderly indoor cat without my two dogs eating all her food?

My cat is 18 and can't jump up on her counter anymore to get to a food bowl out of the dogs' reach. My house has an open layout so there are no separate rooms, so a door with a cat cut out is not an option. She can't go up or down stairs. She can't be fed just once or twice a day then the bowl taken up because she eats very little at a time but eats frequently. My dogs are sneaky and desperate to eat her kitty food.


I was thinking about building a wooden box with a cutout for her to walk in and out of but it's possible my smaller dog could also weasel in there. So far that is my best option but if anyone has a better idea, please let me know.

Are the dogs crate trained? You could crate them while the cat is eating. Cat's going to need to have scheduled feedings and not free feed for this solution.

Carebear
Apr 16, 2003

If you stay here too long, you'll end up frying your brain. Yes, you will. No, you will...not. Yesno you will won't.
If you find a banded bird outside, how would you go about finding the owner?

Edit: Specifically a white dove.

I think it may be a release dove, so there's probably not much chance at all here.

Carebear fucked around with this message at 00:09 on Mar 22, 2010

Rodent Mortician
Mar 17, 2009

SQUEAK.

Carebear posted:

If you find a banded bird outside, how would you go about finding the owner?

Edit: Specifically a white dove.

I think it may be a release dove, so there's probably not much chance at all here.

The letters on the band will tell you where it's registered.

http://www.pigeon.org/lostbirdinfo.htm

However, since I became the shelter's de facto pigeon loon, I've learned that a lot of pigeon fanciers (upon receiving a "found bird" call) will come, pick up the bird, take it home, and break it's neck for sucking at homing.

Amberlyn
Jan 5, 2010

Pilot to Gunner posted:

Anyone have any ideas on how to feed an elderly indoor cat without my two dogs eating all her food?

My cat is 18 and can't jump up on her counter anymore to get to a food bowl out of the dogs' reach. My house has an open layout so there are no separate rooms, so a door with a cat cut out is not an option. She can't go up or down stairs. She can't be fed just once or twice a day then the bowl taken up because she eats very little at a time but eats frequently. My dogs are sneaky and desperate to eat her kitty food.


I was thinking about building a wooden box with a cutout for her to walk in and out of but it's possible my smaller dog could also weasel in there. So far that is my best option but if anyone has a better idea, please let me know.

To solve this problem, my daughter gates a closet, and puts the cats' food in there. The cats easily jump the gate, but the dogs can't. Obviously this would require your cat being able to scale the gate.

w8wtf
Apr 20, 2007

you wouldn't feed your sister or brother or father to another animal (but who knows, maybe you would?)

Fatty Patty posted:

My hedgehog is quilling and doesn't seem more grumpy than usual about it. I recently switched him from a water bottle to a water dish, which he seems to prefer. Now though, he's hardly drinking any water at all. I keep both the bottle and the dish accessible to him just in case he doesn't want the dish, but he hasn't been using the bottle at all and when I check his dish he's barely had any water. He's been eating fine, dry food and mealworms as usual. What can I do to get more water in his diet, and is this a legitimate concern or would he drink water if he was thirsty?

ps, I've thought about adding fruits/veggies to his diet to help with water intake, but he won't eat anything I've given him so that's a no-go.

Hedgehogs should always have a bowl rather than a bottle, as their spines don't bend in the way necessary to use a bottle, and bottles have been known to break hedgehog teeth, which don't grow back like a rodent tooth would, so you can just get rid of the bottle. His difficulty in using it may explain the apparent difference in usage between bottle and bowl, as more may have been getting on him than in him.

How is his weight? The best way to get an early warning of a health problem is with a daily weighing. Relatively cheap kitchen scales with accuracy to 1 gram are available, and combined with a daily log of weights can let you know as soon as possible when something is wrong.

Signs of dehydration include sunken eyes and reduced activity levels. There's also the skin test: pinch the skin on the back of your hand, and it should snap back instantly if you're properly hydrated. This will work on a hedgehog as well; just pinch a bit of the back (quill-covered) skin and if it doesn't snap back, the hedgehog needs to see a vet.

In addition, when we suspect problems, we count out the kibbles we feed and then again the next day when we swap it out, to find out how much the hedgehog is eating and detect any changes.

Hedgehogs hide illness extremely well, so I urge you to check his weight regularly if you aren't already, and if you suspect something may be wrong to take him to the vet ASAP.

Carebear
Apr 16, 2003

If you stay here too long, you'll end up frying your brain. Yes, you will. No, you will...not. Yesno you will won't.

Rodent Mortician posted:

However, since I became the shelter's de facto pigeon loon, I've learned that a lot of pigeon fanciers (upon receiving a "found bird" call) will come, pick up the bird, take it home, and break it's neck for sucking at homing.

The birds wings are clipped, so maybe it wasn't a release pigeon.

And also, the bird is a total sweetheart so I couldn't imagine anyone doing that, regardless of the fact its a pigeon. :(

Eclipse12
Feb 20, 2008

My three-year-old cat loves peanuts, especially the ones that fall of a freshly opened Payday candy bar. Are peanuts dangerous for cats to eat, or are there unhealthy effects if they eat too many?

KilGrey
Mar 13, 2005

You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? Just put your lips together and blow...

Eclipse12 posted:

My three-year-old cat loves peanuts, especially the ones that fall of a freshly opened Payday candy bar. Are peanuts dangerous for cats to eat, or are there unhealthy effects if they eat too many?

Peanuts are fine. Macadamia nuts are where you need to worry. Make sure they chew them though, or perhaps snap it in half, they are the perfect size to lodge in their airway if they try to inhale them like a piggy. I would only give him one, maybe two though.

Eclipse12
Feb 20, 2008

KilGrey posted:

Peanuts are fine. Macadamia nuts are where you need to worry. Make sure they chew them though, or perhaps snap it in half, they are the perfect size to lodge in their airway if they try to inhale them like a piggy. I would only give him one, maybe two though.

Thanks for the quick answer!

RazorBunny
May 23, 2007

Sometimes I feel like this.

I don't know about cats, but peanuts give dogs really stinky farts, so you may well reap what you sow.

Invalid Octopus
Jun 30, 2008

When is dinner?
I am very likely traveling cross-country via plane (California-Ohio) for college come Fall. I would like to bring my betta with me. What is the best course of action? Ship him or bring him with me on the plane? Is this totally impractical?

Bob Shadycharacter
Dec 19, 2005
Sigh. My dog has lately developed this habit of being really supicious that we're about to grab him for some reason. Like, if he's having a nice rest on the couch and we decide it's time to take him out, we go grab the leash and suddenly "NO I DON'T WANT TO GO OUT YOU CAN'T MAKE MEEE!" and he runs away and won't come near us.

I swear we've never grabbed him to hit him or anything. He's never been hit at all or yelled at even. He just decides at random times that he doesn't want anyone to make him do something. It's like he's paranoid.

Any advice on this? Mostly I try to just ignore him when he gets in that mood but sometimes I know he really has to go out and he's not the type to ask if he needs to, he'll have an accident. Plus it's just plain annoying when all you wanted to do was pet him.

Skizzles
Feb 21, 2009

Live, Laugh, Love,
Poop in a box.
HELP. My friend just got a chocolate lab puppy, but... I fear she's going down the wrong path for training and such. Let me just copy/paste what she told me.

My friend posted:

Well, we watched [The Dog Whisperer] pretty religiously when we had our last dog. We got one from a shelter and ended up having to take it back. He was really pack-oriented and thought he was alpha. It was horrible. Positive reinforcement didn't matter to him, he just didn't give a poo poo if we were happy with him or not. He would snap and try to mount people and the only thing that worked was alpha rolling. Eventually he figured out he could still snap at people when they alpha rolled him and he started biting, and if you tried to pull away from him and get away he would follow and jump on you and bite you. I think we might have had more luck with him if I weren't afraid of him but after he bit me the first time there was just no way I would be alone with him.

The puppy is really smart though. We got her yesterday evening and she has already figured out "come here" and "come on", is learning her name, "go potty", she plays chase, she's trying to figure out her chew toys and she eats and sleeps good. Unfortunately she eats every 4 hours so I'm awake. Ugh. lol.

She already recognizes people as alpha so I'm going to try to keep it that way. I make her follow us everywhere and now when someone holds her she licks their chin, which I understood meant she was asking for attention from the alpha?

Hopefully I won't have to watch anymore doggy shows with this one. I really don't want to go through that kind of crap again.

I've been reading this site a lot: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/

Ultimately I think what Cesar teaches is just one technique that can work for some really messed up dogs. Some of it worked for us, unfortunately a lot of it didn't, but I think a lot of that was that the dog didn't care if he pleased us or not. Praise literally had no effect on him. The only thing that got his attention was treats and he wouldn't do anything for them, he'd just try to knock you over and take them. :(

I suggested watching It's Me or the Dog to her. Frankly I want to yell at her "WELL NO WONDER your other dog was so hosed up." Though, she's an online friend so I've never personally witnessed her with the dog, so it may have just been an incredibly difficult dog.

And isn't it the general consensus around here that dogbreedinfo.com is a poo poo-terrible source? I've never been there until now, but I see they STRONGLY recommend Cesar Milan's show.

Anyway, what I'd like from you guys is some other reliable sources for me to pass on to her. I have GSD/lab mix that is very well-behaved, but we got him when I was 14 so I haven't done any dog training in years (with the exception of teaching my mom's pug to sit...a command he soon forgot). She's a great person overall, so I was kinda surprised to discover what a big Cesar Milan follower she was. Help me steer her down a better path, PI.

Kerfuffle
Aug 16, 2007

The sky calls to us~

Bob Shadycharacter posted:

Sigh. My dog has lately developed this habit of being really supicious that we're about to grab him for some reason. Like, if he's having a nice rest on the couch and we decide it's time to take him out, we go grab the leash and suddenly "NO I DON'T WANT TO GO OUT YOU CAN'T MAKE MEEE!" and he runs away and won't come near us.

I swear we've never grabbed him to hit him or anything. He's never been hit at all or yelled at even. He just decides at random times that he doesn't want anyone to make him do something. It's like he's paranoid.

Any advice on this? Mostly I try to just ignore him when he gets in that mood but sometimes I know he really has to go out and he's not the type to ask if he needs to, he'll have an accident. Plus it's just plain annoying when all you wanted to do was pet him.
Call me crazy but it sounds like he wants to play with you.

Meow Cadet
May 2, 2007


friendship is magic
in a pony paradise
don't you judge me

Invalid Octopus posted:

I am very likely traveling cross-country via plane (California-Ohio) for college come Fall. I would like to bring my betta with me. What is the best course of action? Ship him or bring him with me on the plane? Is this totally impractical?

I've never looked into bringing a fish onto a plane, but shipping him is certainly an option. I'd talk to your local fish store (not a bigbox store, but a real fish store) and ask them about what courtiers they use. People mail fish all the time to petstores, and to customers, it's not that strange to mail a fish to yourself. There is always a risk though.

It might be easier and cheaper to package the fish up as if for mail, and then bring it on the plane as carry on luggage.

I'd hit up some fish only forums for other ideas

Bob Shadycharacter
Dec 19, 2005

Kerfuffle posted:

Call me crazy but it sounds like he wants to play with you.

Heh. Well, he does like playing 'chase me' so probably.

It's not a huge problem or anything, but I posted to ask because my roommate just emailed me this morning and said she reached over to pet him while they were both sitting on the couch and he dodged her hand so violently that he fell off the couch and hit the coffee table on the way down.

Of course, that could happen pretty much anytime because he is retarded and uncoordinated.

WolfensteinBag
Aug 7, 2003

So it was all your work?

Skizzles posted:

HELP. My friend just got a chocolate lab puppy, but... I fear she's going down the wrong path for training and such. Let me just copy/paste what she told me.


I suggested watching It's Me or the Dog to her. Frankly I want to yell at her "WELL NO WONDER your other dog was so hosed up." Though, she's an online friend so I've never personally witnessed her with the dog, so it may have just been an incredibly difficult dog.

And isn't it the general consensus around here that dogbreedinfo.com is a poo poo-terrible source? I've never been there until now, but I see they STRONGLY recommend Cesar Milan's show.

Anyway, what I'd like from you guys is some other reliable sources for me to pass on to her. I have GSD/lab mix that is very well-behaved, but we got him when I was 14 so I haven't done any dog training in years (with the exception of teaching my mom's pug to sit...a command he soon forgot). She's a great person overall, so I was kinda surprised to discover what a big Cesar Milan follower she was. Help me steer her down a better path, PI.

Good call with It's Me or the Dog! If she's watched one show, she's likely to see another as a good resource. Also suggest books by Karen Pryor, the woman that actually invented clicker training. If I were you, I'd also link her to the PI puppy thread. ;) I'd try to push NILF on her, too, and let her know that you don't want to boss the dog around, it's not what the puppy's looking for, you need to teach it things and remain calm in tough situations. Frankly, though, if she got all nervous with that other dog when it bit her, she's probably going to have a hard time doing that. I'd also suggest going to puppy classes that focus on positive training (not ones that require correction collars or anything like that).

MockTurtle
Mar 9, 2006
Once I was a real Turtle.

Invalid Octopus posted:

I am very likely traveling cross-country via plane (California-Ohio) for college come Fall. I would like to bring my betta with me. What is the best course of action? Ship him or bring him with me on the plane? Is this totally impractical?

I might be missing something, but they don't even let you take snow globes on planes because of the water in them, how are you supposed to take a fish without liquid? Trying to hide him in a package just makes you seem more suspicious which isn't going to turn out well with how paranoid people are.

I'm thinking shipping would be the best option if you have to take him, but I don't know what the chances are that the little fella might die on the way. It seems like it would be pretty delicate. Maybe let him stay home with your family and get a college fish as well if you want.

paisleyfox
Feb 23, 2009

My dog thinks he's a pretty lady.


Tiamat posted:

I actually don't know that they want a dog they can cuddle with, although one of them who visited recently certainly enjoyed the cuddling and attention she got from my dog (a golden). As for the rain...they live in Texas, so a rain-hating dog is probably not the biggest issue for them.

HA! Are you serious? I'm in Dallas and we get a lot of rain (or at least what I think is a lot compared to Los Angeles, where I used to live), and this year has been particularly wet. My dog is a Shiba and he's the biggest wuss. Hates cold winds, even. We're supposed to get a nasty storm tonight with hail, and it snowed last weekend. :wtf:

Also, while Koji isn't as picky as some other Sheebs I know, we couldn't get to his poop spot this morning because of a large lawn mower and 3 leaf blower guys. Needless to say he didn't poop. A lot of Shibas won't even poop in their back yards, which requires people with yards to give their dogs daily walks (which shouldn't be that big of a deal, but you'd be amazed at how people would balk at such an idea.)

Koji is also DEFINITELY not a cuddler. I know some of my friend's Sheebs are, but he most certainly is not. He'll be near you, touch you even, but don't try to hug or cuddle. He will rue the day.

Tiamat posted:

Believe me, I've told them that these dogs are hard to train and live with, and they continue to insist that it's the only type of dog they want (FWIW, they're not 100% sure they want a dog, only sure that they want a "wolfy" dog if they do get one). So I'm trying to find other dog breeds that look a similar way but are easier to deal with ::shrug::.


Great! Thank you for the suggestion. I'll mention it to them.

Okay, where in this great Lone Star State do they live? I'm a volunteer with the Shiba Inu Rescue of Texas as well as know contacts of some fantastic breeders (one in the Dallas area), though honestly right now, I wouldn't recommend them to get one of these dogs. Looks are great and all, and I love mine and all of our friends Shibas and Spitz dogs, but drat if they aren't work. It's like working with a toddler with the Terrible Twos (and that's not counting when they are the biggest jerkfaces before they reach 2).

We've got three meetup groups spread out in the state if they want to talk to actual owners who will do their best to "talk them out of it", and they can always contact either me or the rescue. (iloveshibas.com/rescue or thepaisleyfox at gmail dottacom)

Honestly, going into looks only, I would recommend a Pom or Schipperke type of dog. And if they're around the Metroplex, seriously have the browse the Ft. Worth animal shelter. SO many "foxy" or "wolfy" looking dogs (literally hundreds of dogs to choose from) that need homes which might just fit their lifestyles better than getting one of these shitfaced wonders (that I love so very much...)

And if you doubt them being able to handle a Shiba, I don't want to hear them try to handle an Akita. Same 'tude in a body 4 or 5x as large.

EDIT: I spell gud

paisleyfox fucked around with this message at 23:08 on Mar 24, 2010

Tiamat
Jul 25, 2008

yer a wizard, harry

paisleyfox posted:

words about Shibas and Texas

These friends live in College Station, and claim they only get rain four days or so out of the year. They may be wrong; they only moved there last summer.

I will happily pass on contact information - from what I know of my friends, a difficult dog like a Shiba Inu is not what they can handle, and maybe they'll listen to someone with direct experience rather than someone OBVIOUSLY ignorant like myself. :bang:

KilGrey
Mar 13, 2005

You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? Just put your lips together and blow...

Tiamat posted:

These friends live in College Station, and claim they only get rain four days or so out of the year. They may be wrong; they only moved there last summer.

I will happily pass on contact information - from what I know of my friends, a difficult dog like a Shiba Inu is not what they can handle, and maybe they'll listen to someone with direct experience rather than someone OBVIOUSLY ignorant like myself. :bang:

They really need to stop trying to get a dog based on looks and instead look at their lifestyle and what would fit it. Make a list of what they want in a dog, what their lifestyle can handle and then go looking for breeds. Not all dogs are created equal, it's a very common trap people fall into when picking out a dog. A dog is not a dog is not a dog. They are going to end up miserable and the dog is going to end up rehomed or miserable as well. :( Did you show them the link I gave you?

Transmogrifier
Dec 10, 2004


Systems at max!

Lipstick Apathy

Tiamat posted:

These friends live in College Station, and claim they only get rain four days or so out of the year. They may be wrong; they only moved there last summer.

I will happily pass on contact information - from what I know of my friends, a difficult dog like a Shiba Inu is not what they can handle, and maybe they'll listen to someone with direct experience rather than someone OBVIOUSLY ignorant like myself. :bang:

I'm pretty sure they're wrong. I don't live in College Station but I've been living in Waco, which is yeah, about a hundred miles away or so, for several years and it does rain a lot in comparison to where I used to live (also southern California, oddly enough). The weather's been especially crazy this year.

paisleyfox: I was actually looking at the Shiba Inu Rescue homepage yesterday as I'm moving to Austin this summer, and I'd like a dog when I get down there. Pretty crazy to see someone posting here who's associated with them. Would you mind if I keep your email for contact purposes if I decide to go through with it?

6-Ethyl Bearcat
Apr 27, 2008

Go out

Skizzles posted:

HELP. My friend just got a chocolate lab puppy, but... I fear she's going down the wrong path for training and such. Let me just copy/paste what she told me.


I suggested watching It's Me or the Dog to her. Frankly I want to yell at her "WELL NO WONDER your other dog was so hosed up." Though, she's an online friend so I've never personally witnessed her with the dog, so it may have just been an incredibly difficult dog.


I would probably also make sure she knows that many dogs won't see praise as a huge motivator. It sounds like their praise-based positive reinforcement wasn't working, but it could have responded better to food rewards, or play rewards, or a bunch of other stuff. They'll need to find what works best for their current puppy.

Dr Patricia McConnell has a great blog where she discusses training, she wrote some really great posts on play rewards recently: The Other End of the Leash. If your friend is up for buying a book, I would suggest The Puppy Primer which covers socialisation, positive reinforcement, basic tricks, etc.

Zapf Dingbat
Jan 9, 2001


A friend of mine went to the animal shelter and adopted an adult male Boxer. Unfortunately he didn't know that they can be dog-aggressive, especially towards same sex dogs. Well his housemate has a Husky, and they keep getting into it. From what I hear it's mostly started by the Boxer.

He's learned his lesson and from now on he'll research a little more beforehand. But for now he has to deal with the problem or give the dog back to the shelter. Any suggestions on dealing with this behavior?

paisleyfox
Feb 23, 2009

My dog thinks he's a pretty lady.


Transmogrifier posted:

I'm pretty sure they're wrong. I don't live in College Station but I've been living in Waco, which is yeah, about a hundred miles away or so, for several years and it does rain a lot in comparison to where I used to live (also southern California, oddly enough). The weather's been especially crazy this year.

paisleyfox: I was actually looking at the Shiba Inu Rescue homepage yesterday as I'm moving to Austin this summer, and I'd like a dog when I get down there. Pretty crazy to see someone posting here who's associated with them. Would you mind if I keep your email for contact purposes if I decide to go through with it?

Yeah, sure! Bryan, the head of our rescue who pays for almost everything outside of donations, is in Austin and he's one of the nicest guys. That's where our rescue is based, actually, but we've got volunteers scattered throughout the state. I'd be more than happy to answer questions or invite people to meet-ups.

Transmogrifier
Dec 10, 2004


Systems at max!

Lipstick Apathy

paisleyfox posted:

Yeah, sure! Bryan, the head of our rescue who pays for almost everything outside of donations, is in Austin and he's one of the nicest guys. That's where our rescue is based, actually, but we've got volunteers scattered throughout the state. I'd be more than happy to answer questions or invite people to meet-ups.

Yeah. :) I was actually browsing pet finder for Shiba Inus (after doing some research and talking to a good friend who also fosters dogs up in Canada about a good breed for me) when I found the rescue on there. Thanks so much. You may find am email from me (or a PM if you have platinum) in the upcoming months or even sometime soon to discuss how the process works and if it really would be a good breed for me.

Fatty Patty
Nov 30, 2007

How many cups of sugar does it take to get to the moon?

w8wtf posted:

Hedgehogs should always have a bowl rather than a bottle, as their spines don't bend in the way necessary to use a bottle, and bottles have been known to break hedgehog teeth, which don't grow back like a rodent tooth would, so you can just get rid of the bottle. His difficulty in using it may explain the apparent difference in usage between bottle and bowl, as more may have been getting on him than in him.

How is his weight? The best way to get an early warning of a health problem is with a daily weighing. Relatively cheap kitchen scales with accuracy to 1 gram are available, and combined with a daily log of weights can let you know as soon as possible when something is wrong.

Signs of dehydration include sunken eyes and reduced activity levels. There's also the skin test: pinch the skin on the back of your hand, and it should snap back instantly if you're properly hydrated. This will work on a hedgehog as well; just pinch a bit of the back (quill-covered) skin and if it doesn't snap back, the hedgehog needs to see a vet.

In addition, when we suspect problems, we count out the kibbles we feed and then again the next day when we swap it out, to find out how much the hedgehog is eating and detect any changes.

Hedgehogs hide illness extremely well, so I urge you to check his weight regularly if you aren't already, and if you suspect something may be wrong to take him to the vet ASAP.

thanks for the very detailed post.

he's eating pretty well, I guess I was just concerned about his water intake because he'd lose a inch or so of water in the bottle and not nearly as much in his crock (relatively the same diameter). Maybe you're right though that he's getting less on him and that this is just his regular water intake.

Are there any foods specifically which he shouldn't be eating? I like to see what he likes as far as treats and what he doesn't. I gave him a bit of cooked potato the other day and he LOVED it, but I'm not sure if it was very good for him or not. He also really really likes bread.

Fatty Patty fucked around with this message at 23:23 on Mar 25, 2010

lemonlime
May 1, 2008

My dog Zoe became paralyzed in her hind legs last Sunday due to disk disease. I had her in to the vet first thing Monday morning, who shot her up with a muscle relaxer and morphine, then shipped us right off to the neurologist. Currently, she is taking prednisone, tramadol, diazepam and phenoxybenzamine. She is also on several weeks of round-the-clock bed rest in the hope that she will recover enough to live pain free. So far, she's showing improvement.

I was wondering what the best and healthiest way to handle her urinary incontinence would be. I have been expressing her bladder every 6 to 8 hours, but while she makes a big puddle every time, she's still leaking a fair amount into her bedding. (She's having no problems at all with her bowels, other than needing me to keep her from toppling over mid-squat.)

My solution to this so far has been to place a towel over the thick comforter that she's using as a bed, changing it every time I take her out. However, the urine seeps through to the comforter, which is considerably harder to launder than towels so I can't do it every day. I'm considering picking up some puppy pads to place between the towel and the comforter. There's also the option of putting diapers on her.

Which of the two choices - diapers or pads - would be less likely to lead to skin problems for her, like rash or burns? Any other suggestions?


Oh, here's the prisoner:

Click here for the full 1600x1200 image.

I woke her up taking the picture and she was all :what:, lol.

lemonlime fucked around with this message at 07:52 on Mar 26, 2010

Crooked Booty
Apr 2, 2009
arrr

lemonlime posted:

Which of the two choices - diapers or pads - would be less likely to lead to skin problems for her, like rash or burns? Any other suggestions?
I like puppy pads better if she's really not moving around. With pads it's easier to see if they're wet, so she may spend less time in contact with urine. I also imagine diapers can be uncomfortable (not to mention humiliating). :)

You could also look into getting some waterless shampoo. You can spray some on a rag and wipe her down -- it's not as good as a bath, but it definitely helps. We use this brand where I work.

I hope she starts feeling better soon! It sounds like she's very lucky to have you.

Amberlyn
Jan 5, 2010

lemonlime posted:

My dog Zoe became paralyzed in her hind legs last Sunday due to disk disease. I had her in to the vet first thing Monday morning, who shot her up with a muscle relaxer and morphine, then shipped us right off to the neurologist. Currently, she is taking prednisone, tramadol, diazepam and phenoxybenzamine. She is also on several weeks of round-the-clock bed rest in the hope that she will recover enough to live pain free. So far, she's showing improvement.

I was wondering what the best and healthiest way to handle her urinary incontinence would be. I have been expressing her bladder every 6 to 8 hours, but while she makes a big puddle every time, she's still leaking a fair amount into her bedding. (She's having no problems at all with her bowels, other than needing me to keep her from toppling over mid-squat.)

My solution to this so far has been to place a towel over the thick comforter that she's using as a bed, changing it every time I take her out. However, the urine seeps through to the comforter, which is considerably harder to launder than towels so I can't do it every day. I'm considering picking up some puppy pads to place between the towel and the comforter. There's also the option of putting diapers on her.

Which of the two choices - diapers or pads - would be less likely to lead to skin problems for her, like rash or burns? Any other suggestions?


Theoretically, both will contribute to the potential problem of skin issues if you don't change out the diaper or the towel often enough. (I'm not suggesting you won't.) If you do decide on a diaper, you'll need more than one, obviously. My roommate has a pug with incontinence issues (he's older than dirt) and she has half a dozen diapers and is washing them all the time. And that's in SPITE of her putting pads in them to help soak up the pee (depends, sanitary napkins, whatever's on sale.) But the pads are a good idea because the diapers rediculously thin, no way are they thick enough to catch anything but the smallest dribble, so your dog would STILL be soaking through to the towel regardless.

I admire you for going to such effort for your dog. A lot of people would just euth. You're a good person.

Hopes Fall
Sep 10, 2006
HOLY BOOBS, BATMAN!

lemonlime posted:

My dog Zoe became paralyzed in her hind legs last Sunday due to disk disease. I had her in to the vet first thing Monday morning, who shot her up with a muscle relaxer and morphine, then shipped us right off to the neurologist. Currently, she is taking prednisone, tramadol, diazepam and phenoxybenzamine. She is also on several weeks of round-the-clock bed rest in the hope that she will recover enough to live pain free. So far, she's showing improvement.

I was wondering what the best and healthiest way to handle her urinary incontinence would be. I have been expressing her bladder every 6 to 8 hours, but while she makes a big puddle every time, she's still leaking a fair amount into her bedding. (She's having no problems at all with her bowels, other than needing me to keep her from toppling over mid-squat.)

My solution to this so far has been to place a towel over the thick comforter that she's using as a bed, changing it every time I take her out. However, the urine seeps through to the comforter, which is considerably harder to launder than towels so I can't do it every day. I'm considering picking up some puppy pads to place between the towel and the comforter. There's also the option of putting diapers on her.

Which of the two choices - diapers or pads - would be less likely to lead to skin problems for her, like rash or burns? Any other suggestions?

Both of my mini-Dachshunds have been through this - I blame my mom buying from a BYB. Lucie was first, and my moron of a vet gave us steroids and told us to wait a month to see if the swelling would go down. By the time we saw a neurologist she has permanent damage, and a 90% chance of dying during surgery. We operated anyway. and now she can sort of wobble around. Charlie we knew what was going on and he's made a full recovery. My family is a bunch of lazy bums who find it easier to express her than help her recover, so she still needs/gets expressed. When I'm home I just walk her until she gets it on her own - it takes a while but she is capable. I try to express her after every walk just to be certain she won't get a UTI.

Anyway, we basically did what you're doing, changing out towels in the crate 2x a day. I know Lucie is a substantially smaller dog, but we express(ed) her every 3-4 hours; the less there is in her bladder, the less she can leak. She did have some urine-scalding for a time, but with attention to clean, dry bedding, and loyal application of her creams and medicine she stopped having UTIs and skin problems fairly early on.

My little pirate wishes your prisoner luck!

alucinor
May 21, 2003



Taco Defender

Amberlyn posted:

Theoretically, both will contribute to the potential problem of skin issues if you don't change out the diaper or the towel often enough. (I'm not suggesting you won't.)

lemonlime, get some fleece blankets to use as the top layer (over towels or pee-pads, whatever you decide). Guinea pig owners set up their cage bedding like this because the urine doesn't get absorbed by the fleece, it just passes right through and the fleece stays much more dry than the towels. Having the top layer stay dry like this will help a lot.

Amberlyn posted:

I admire you for going to such effort for your dog. A lot of people would just euth. You're a good person.

Echoing this.

w8wtf
Apr 20, 2007

you wouldn't feed your sister or brother or father to another animal (but who knows, maybe you would?)

Fatty Patty posted:

thanks for the very detailed post.

he's eating pretty well, I guess I was just concerned about his water intake because he'd lose a inch or so of water in the bottle and not nearly as much in his crock (relatively the same diameter). Maybe you're right though that he's getting less on him and that this is just his regular water intake.

Are there any foods specifically which he shouldn't be eating? I like to see what he likes as far as treats and what he doesn't. I gave him a bit of cooked potato the other day and he LOVED it, but I'm not sure if it was very good for him or not. He also really really likes bread.

Things not to feed include grapes, raisins, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds. Basically any foods that may get stuck in teeth or in the mouth (Vitakraft hedgehog food was notorious for including peanuts which were a giant choking hazard).

Dairy can cause stomach upset and diarrhea.

Citrus is considered too acidic and can cause digestive issues.

A really good treat that we haven't found a hedgehog to not like is watermelon, which also helps hydrate them. Of course, even with a personal-size watermelon, you need to like it too or a lot gets wasted.

Our basic diet consists of a blend of high-quality dry cat foods as the main meal, which is supplemented with mealworms (5 per day, less if the hedgehog is getting heavy), and organic Gerber baby foods. Tastes vary with the hedgehogs, but we've had good success with sweet potatoes, banana, peas, and green beans. Fresh treats have included very finely diced apple, ripe banana, and watermelon.

Because hedgehogs all have very distinct, individual personalities, finding what one particular hedgehog will eat can take some time, so don't be too concerned that he won't eat something in particular. Also, be prepared after a new food is introduced for your hedgehog to change color (e.g., orange with sweet potatoes) due to anointing. We try to schedule new foods around planned baths :)

lemonlime
May 1, 2008

Many People posted:

Good advice...

Thank you for all the suggestions! This afternoon I picked up some pee pads and some skin cleanser to use every time I take Zoe outside to potty and change out her bedding. I want to ask my vet if I should express her more frequently, and I will when she comes back from a four day weekend on Monday. She's all set up now so we'll see how well this new arrangement protects her skin.

I already had a fleece blanket, though I hadn't thought to use it in her crate, so while I was grabbing the other supplies I picked up a second blanket with which to alternate the first. Now it's laying on top of the pee pads. I didn't know about its good qualities, so thanks for letting me know.

She would have been royally pissed if I'd tried to stick her in diapers, so I'm relieved that pads are the better solution for an immobile dog. She'd have lain there for hours refusing to move, staring balefully at me and every so often heaving an angstful sigh. If she gets to walking around before her control comes back I'll probably have to think about them again.

Also, don't be so quick to praise me for sparing her, please; if she gets worse, or if she ends up languishing for several months instead of improving, I will euthanize her though it would cause me extreme pain to do so. I've already had that conversation with my vet and various family members. Until her condition reaches that point, however, I'll do my best to care for her in a way that is worthy of her dignity.


Hopes Fall posted:

My little pirate wishes your prisoner luck!


:3: She's adorable and I hope that my mutt recovers as well as she has.

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Carebear
Apr 16, 2003

If you stay here too long, you'll end up frying your brain. Yes, you will. No, you will...not. Yesno you will won't.
My cat keeps knocking water glasses over that are on my boyfriend's desk. He refuses to not leave them there, and gets mad at me every single time. :rolleyes: So apparently NOT leaving glasses by his desk isn't an option because he's a stubborn rear end in a top hat. Does anyone have any ideas of some sort of container that could hold a glass and she couldn't knock over?

Oh, and I've tried the cat water fountain thing so she has fresh water, but this does nothing to help.

Carebear fucked around with this message at 19:28 on Mar 27, 2010

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