|
I have a question about ducklings. A couple days ago I was at a Rural King with some coworkers and one of them bought a couple ducklings (I did not catch the breed). She didn't get anything else, she just thought they were cute. She was not aware that in our state you legally have to buy at least two ducklings, and when she was told it was because they get lonely she did a big old "  Lonely? Ducks?"I know I'm being really silly here, and she's from a different office anyways, but this is just for piece of mind: How difficult is it to take care of two ducklings that haven't had their feathers started growing in yet? Yes, I know I might be misconstruing what she said, maybe she DOES have everything she needs and is an accomplished Duck Owner, but again, piece of mind. ....I am being ridiculous. Edit: I was not, one of them died because she was not paying attention. FOUR DAYS. Takezio fucked around with this message at 09:04 on Jan 28, 2018 |
#
?
Jan 26, 2018 22:05
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 23, 2024 18:12 |
|
|
Jaded Burnout posted:I mean, I'm not opposed. Rats are a pain when it comes to cagecleaning, but they're wonderful otherwise. I've had rats even more snuggly than cats, they eat your leftover food scraps, and they take up very little room. Just give them out-of-cage time when you're home, and you're golden. They're hysterical and very intelligent.
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2018 04:09
|
|
|
Hopes Fall posted:Rats are a pain when it comes to cagecleaning, but they're wonderful otherwise. I've had rats even more snuggly than cats, they eat your leftover food scraps, and they take up very little room. Just give them out-of-cage time when you're home, and you're golden. They're hysterical and very intelligent. Things are in motion  What makes them particularly bad for the cage cleaning?
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2018 14:24
|
|
|
Jaded Burnout posted:Things are in motion They're just messy. If you're lucky and pay attention, they may choose a potty-corner, which makes things easier. But they throw their poop out of the sides of the cage, male rats are extra stinky, and they grease up their bedding. We had a big I'm ferret nation with on those cement-mixing pans in the bottom, and lots of fleece hammocks and cubes for cuddling/chewing. There is(was?) an excellent rat megathread here on the forums, and we relied heavily on http://www.goosemoose.com when we first started out.
|
|
#
?
Feb 1, 2018 15:09
|
|
|
Rats are delightful. The boys are smellier but super cuddly. They like to wee on everything, boys especially. Also if you have a mouse problem, rats will lure in mice by squeaking in a friendly manner then kill/eat them through the cage bars.
|
|
#
?
Feb 3, 2018 02:30
|
|
|
CROWS EVERYWHERE posted:Also if you have a mouse problem, rats will lure in mice by squeaking in a friendly manner then kill/eat them through the cage bars. Whoa.
|
|
#
?
Feb 3, 2018 08:15
|
|
|
Anyone know what this is or if I should be concerned? Dog is not in any pain or discomfort as far as we can tell The eye on the right   
|
|
#
?
Feb 17, 2018 20:17
|
|
|
It looks like a corneal ulcer possibly. It's always recommended for eye stuff to bring in your pet to the vet to get it checked out sooner than later. Eyes are super delicate and can get hosed up beyond repair pretty easily.
|
|
#
?
Feb 17, 2018 21:12
|
|
|
Why don't dogs lose their fur/nails during chemo like humans do? Is it because their keratin-based cells don't reproduce as fast as ours and as such aren't as affected or is it something else?
|
|
#
?
Feb 28, 2018 21:54
|
|
|
Kate Lockwell posted:Why don't dogs lose their fur/nails during chemo like humans do? Is it because their keratin-based cells don't reproduce as fast as ours and as such aren't as affected or is it something else? Very interesting question! Is there a particular example you’re thinking of? Do you know what chemotherapy in particular they were receiving?
|
|
#
?
Mar 1, 2018 05:10
|
|
|
Kate Lockwell posted:Why don't dogs lose their fur/nails during chemo like humans do? Is it because their keratin-based cells don't reproduce as fast as ours and as such aren't as affected or is it something else?
|
|
#
?
Mar 1, 2018 20:35
|
|
|
So I found a baby bat on my job, animal control says they’ll need to put it down and check for rabies. I know it’s a long shot, but I wanna save the little guy, if I can. He’s a Mexican Free Tailed Bat, and I’m in Austin, if that matters. I know it’ll probably come to nothing, and he’ll probably have to die, but I wanna at least try
|
|
#
?
Apr 8, 2018 11:20
|
|
|
TaurusTorus posted:So I found a baby bat on my job, animal control says they’ll need to put it down and check for rabies. I know it’s a long shot, but I wanna save the little guy, if I can. He’s a Mexican Free Tailed Bat, and I’m in Austin, if that matters. All I know about those is they fly fast. Good luck
|
|
#
?
Apr 8, 2018 16:04
|
|
|
TaurusTorus posted:So I found a baby bat on my job, animal control says they’ll need to put it down and check for rabies. I know it’s a long shot, but I wanna save the little guy, if I can. He’s a Mexican Free Tailed Bat, and I’m in Austin, if that matters. https://www.dshs.texas.gov/idcu/disease/rabies/cases/statistics/ Look at these charts for Travis County and notice that about 1 in 4 bats tested here has rabies. You understand that rabies is basically 100% fatal to both bats and humans? Crooked Booty fucked around with this message at 16:51 on Apr 8, 2018 |
|
#
?
Apr 8, 2018 16:08
|
|
|
Crooked Booty posted:You’re a loving idiot. Are you from somewhere else where rabies is rare or something? Do you think this is animal control’s policy because they’re big meanies that hate bats? Okay, I was just asking, I know the rabies problem, the bat is already with animal control, chill.
|
|
#
?
Apr 8, 2018 21:26
|
|
|
Crooked Booty posted:You’re a loving idiot. What a fantastic way to keep people from asking questions here 
|
|
#
?
Apr 9, 2018 07:15
|
|
|
Any other owners here recently had a dog (small or otherwise) with a cruciate ligament tear? My 5 year old silky cross busted it on Thursday, I took her to the vet and booked in surgery this coming Thursday. Just wondering what we're in for recovery wise. My childhood dog had the exact same issue so I'm not as worried as I could be, but I'm still worried. Pic related (that's my leg, not another particularly hairy dog on the left) 
|
|
#
?
Apr 20, 2018 13:30
|
|
|
TaurusTorus posted:Okay, I was just asking, I know the rabies problem, the bat is already with animal control, chill. Hey Austin buddy check out https://austinbatrefuge.org/found-a-bat/ there are a few phone numbers to all if you ever find another bat FWIW I was always taught that if you find a bat, especially during the day it's probably a very sick animal.
|
|
#
?
Apr 21, 2018 20:19
|
|
|
shits.ridic posted:Hey Austin buddy Yeah, I found them too late, but now I know. Also I work night shift, so I think it just got lost. I got a letter from the city that the bat was rabies free, so there's that.
|
|
#
?
Apr 22, 2018 04:33
|
|
|
Invert thread is dead, so I'm curious, what's the species of spider/arachnid I keep seeing that covers themselves with sand? I think they're pretty cute but are they difficult to care for? I've only taken care of millipedes and other non-predatory bugs as far as inverts go.
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2018 16:22
|
|
|
One of our dogs recently got diagnosed with kidney disease  She's a 13 year old mini Aussie and, other than the kidneys, is in pretty good health. According to the vet, it's in the early stages, and we can add another 1-2 years to her life if we treat it. The vet gave us a prescription for some food designed for kidney disease, but we, of course, have been doing some of our own research. The food that was recommended is a Hill's (not surprised since it seems to be in every vet's office) dry kibble, and from what we've found, wet, fresh food looks to be the best option? My fiancee is willing to do, pretty much, anything to further Sydney's life for as long as possible (within reason). She's had this dog since she was a tiny ball of fluff. One food that seems to up a lot is the Dr Harvey's "miracle" dog food. Has anyone had experience with it or any other foods that are good for an older dog with kidney disease? Should we be spending $75 on ~30-45 days of a mixture + fresh protein & oil to mix it with, or will the dry kibble be fine?
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2018 03:36
|
|
|
The dry kibble is fine. In cats with renal disease, wet food is preferred because cats are basically idiots and don't drink enough. Dogs will regulate hydration properly. It's not faulty logic or anything though, you definitely want the dog to be well hydrated. Hills is well regarded, but if you're concerned about it, just make sure to compare the nutritional label on whatever food you're using to Hills or Royal Canin's kidney diets to make sure it falls roughly in line with what veterinary nutritionists suggest.
|
|
#
?
Jun 8, 2018 19:35
|
|
|
Edit: Problem resolved, my aunt sent me some money to take her matted cats to a professional groomer.
Judas Horse fucked around with this message at 15:12 on Jun 16, 2018 |
|
#
?
Jun 16, 2018 02:44
|
|
|
So I just got back from two weeks abroad and my dogs were at the kennel they always go to for that time. They normally don't stay longer than four daysn and today I noticed they hasn't touched their food (dry kibble, same brand their entire lives, and I bring it to the kennel). Yesterday I thought I may have filled it more than normal but today it's apparent they haven't been eating. They've consumed water normally and I just went and got them wet food which they went nuts on. I'm going to see if they return to normal tomorrow but if not I'll be going to the vet. In the interim are there any specifics I should look out for to determine if this is something more serious?
|
|
#
?
Jun 16, 2018 02:59
|
|
|
its all nice on rice posted:One of our dogs recently got diagnosed with kidney disease That food looks real dumb. The vet has recommended the prescription diet because it is the best food to prolong your dog's life. Prescription diets are made with very specific and strict nutrient profiles that can't be replicated by a regular home made diet. Which is why vets stock and recommend them. Basically when your kidneys aren't working properly they cant filter toxic metabolites out of the blood properly. The build up of these toxic metabolites makes the animal sick (nausea, oral and intestinal ulcers, damage to red blood cells). The major culprits are urea and phosphorus (there is also electrolyte fuckedupness going on but we'll keep it simple). Urea is a breakdown product of protein and protein is also high in phosphorus. So presciption renal diets are severely protein limited, just providing enough highly digestible protein for metabolism and to maintain muscle mass and no more. So the amount of urea and phosphorus the kidneys have to process is kept as low as possible. It is higher in carbs and fat to provide energy to make up for the low protein, limited in salt, limited in calcium (because the kidneys get bad at filtering that out too), higher in potassium (because unlike the other things, the kidneys get bad at keeping enough inside the body). Plus other trickery like appetite stimulants, phosphate binders and nutrients to reduce oxidative stress. Prescription renal diets are clinically proven (with actual clinical trials published in peer reviewed journals) to slow progression of disease, prolong life and reduce symptoms of kidney disease. Your other option is "miracle food" where you buy their woo woo grain and vegetable mix, add less meat and more water than you would for a healthy dog, then everything else works itself out through the magic of ~whole foods and super nutrition~  Good luck doing all the things above with a home made diet, based around a food that doesn't even provide a information on nutrient content.Did you notice that the website also says "Dr Harvey's products are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease" If you don't like Hills, Royal Canin also make a prescription renal diet. If you really want a home made diet, balanceIT will provide you a renal diet recipe made by a veterinary nutritionist that is complete, balanced and appropriate.
|
|
#
?
Jun 19, 2018 12:37
|
|
|
Well gently caress, I'm moving to Europe and I'd like to take my dog with me. Problem is he is just over the weight limits (he is exactly 17lbs/8kg) but can probably fit under the seats. I havent tried getting him into an airline approved carrier yet. I'm scared of putting him in cargo. What do I do 
|
|
#
?
Jun 20, 2018 06:22
|
|
|
Since we're sort of on the topic of prescription food, has anyone ever transitioned their cat off urinary prescription food? I've heard it may be possible since some cats grow out of urine crystal issues? True/false or should I just stop worrying and keep him on his piss food?
|
|
#
?
Jul 6, 2018 23:04
|
|
|
Background: Friend A is lucky enough to have the most beautiful, all-white, 3 year old purebred Husky. He is a Very Good Boy. My friend's living situation got messed up and he felt he had to sign a lease immediately, so he signed on with someone he knew, but who explicitly doesn't want dogs. I don't know why he didn't just try a craigslist random, or try to get a small studio....yeah. Friend B is now long-term fostering the dog for about 6 months. Friend A has visited the dog twice now, once at his new home and once at B's workplace, which is the college we all attend. Both times, the dog was in extreme emotional distress afterwards. He kept barking to go outside to look for A (which is extremely atypical, he usually doesn't make a peep), he moped around, stared at the door, etc. Question: Would it be in the dog's best interest for A to visit him less? Or to keep up with frequent visits? The dog does have some separation anxiety to begin with My own $0.02: Friend A should just move in with Friend B, but they only recently met (I was the one who introduced them and facilitated this), and Friend B is a single mother to a 7 year old girl, so that's a consideration
|
|
#
?
Jul 11, 2018 05:46
|
|
|
We have a young dog (1-2 years old), and our upstairs has an open "balcony" type area that overlooks the living room. My dad thinks the dog is going to fall down (he claims that he almost did today) and now has started baricading everything, including the stairs leading upstairs, which is going to cause me to trip at night and break my face. How likely is it that a dog will fall off a thing like this, honestly? I always assumed dogs are naturally aware of heights. A fall like that probably would kill or severely injure him. What do you guys think? We'll put some net around it to block it off soon enough, but do you guys think this is even likely to happen?
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2018 02:23
|
|
|
Without being able to see the area in question, it's hard to give a firm answer. But as long as the dog never has a reason to go charging towards the balcony, I don't think it's realistically likely they'd fall off. If they do charge around though then they absolutely can just blow through and fall off, because dogs, like small children, do not plan ahead or think about how things might go wrong.
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2018 02:59
|
|
|
Hi. I'm in a bit of a lovely situation. Right now I live with my girlfriend of two and a half years in an apartment. I have an old 17 year old black and white cat Missy that is blind, has kidney disease, and is arthritic. She's on anxiety/arthritis meds, and on pepcid to prevent her from vomiting twice a day. She's got a pretty lovely quality of life since we had to put down my other cat (he was her best friend). Now all she does is eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom. She likes to be played with but she doesn't like to lay on laps and gets frustrated after a little while. She requires meds twice a day, and meows loudly in the morning (we have no door or wall for the bedrooms in the apartment, it's all open concept BS). Yesterday I found two stray kittens at work in the middle of a parking lot. They were incredibly small, and didnt even move when I went up to them. I guess they were either just too cold to care if they were killed, or overly trusting. I was able to pet them and they didnt even move. I waited around for 45 minutes to see if their mom would come back, but I figured it was either dead or the kittens were just dumped there. I emptied out my work bag and put them in there with some paper towels for warmth, and zipped up the bag just enough so they wouldn't escape. I took them to an emergency vet clinic that couldnt take them. I took them to another vet that checked them out and gave them an exam, a flea and tick treatment, and bloodwork. One of them was fussy and didnt give blood. The other one was negative for FIV. The problem is that my girlfriend doesn't want three cats, and told me that we either have to put Missy down, and keep the kittens, or find the kittens a home, because she doesn't want to have to raise and train two kittens alongside taking care of Missy. She hates how Missy smells up the apartment with her poo poo (had to take off the flap on the covered kitty litter because otherwise she wont go in it). We almost had to put Missy down twice already. Once when she was pissing everywhere, and then the other time when she threw up everywhere. I just feel bad putting Missy down. I dont want to do it just to keep the new kittens, that would make me feel so guilty. I know intellectually that Missy is old as gently caress, has a lovely quality of life, and all we are doing right now with the medication is making her comfortable, and I know we'll probably have to put her down in the next year anyway... but I think I would feel so guilty if I did it just to keep the kittens. They're 3 weeks old according to the vet, but already know how to clean themselves and also know to poop in the kitty litter. We're keeping them in the bathroom because we have to isolate them from Missy, and my girlfriend hates that too. I'm just so torn and I dont know what to do. I cant take care of them on my own without my girl, and I love her. I dont know if she's "the one" or not, but poo poo would suck for a long time if we broke up because of this. Any advice? Should I feel guilty if I decide on putting down Missy?
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2018 01:32
|
|
|
You said yourself that Missy's quality of life isn't great. It's up to you if it's not-great enough to consider euthanasia, but in general I'm a proponent of not torturing pets by forcing them to stay alive past the point when they're able to enjoy their lives.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2018 02:04
|
|
|
We made the decision to put my dog down before a vacation. She was old and on meds, etc. but the timing was partly just for our convenience. I made sure the week leading up to it was full of as many of her favorite things as she was still able to enjoy so that helped a bit with my feelings of guilt.
|
|
#
?
Sep 4, 2018 02:29
|
|
|
Thanks guys. I'm still torn on the issue, but I'm thinking about bringing Missy to the vet for at least a checkup.
|
|
#
?
Sep 5, 2018 00:30
|
|
|
When we got one of our cats fixed a few days ago, we also got him microchipped. The information I got with it tells me to register on HomeAgain and says registering with them is free, but their site isn't letting me register without paying. Is there something I'm missing here? I tried to look up more information and found a lot of negative reviews for HomeAgain, which makes me wonder if there's some better alternative to use instead.
|
|
#
?
Sep 30, 2018 22:44
|
|
|
Roland Jones posted:When we got one of our cats fixed a few days ago, we also got him microchipped. The information I got with it tells me to register on HomeAgain and says registering with them is free, but their site isn't letting me register without paying. Is there something I'm missing here? I tried to look up more information and found a lot of negative reviews for HomeAgain, which makes me wonder if there's some better alternative to use instead. Use foundanimals.org, free and easy. Just be sure to note your change of registry on any personal paperwork so you dont get confused later if you need to update or use it.
|
|
#
?
Oct 1, 2018 15:15
|
|
|
Would CBD oil be hard on kidneys or liver? Got an 18 year old dog who is falling apart, just trying to see if it might help his arthritis and stuff.
|
|
#
?
Oct 13, 2018 06:38
|
|
|
Charles posted:Would CBD oil be hard on kidneys or liver? Got an 18 year old dog who is falling apart, just trying to see if it might help his arthritis and stuff. Ymmv but my dad's cat is around 12 and was having issues with mobility and Cbd oil APPEARS to have helped her.
|
|
#
?
Oct 16, 2018 02:16
|
|
|
Anyone have any experiences with meniscus surgery on dogs and the recovery etc? My dog (~25 pounds Lhasa Apso/Bichon mix) has torn his meniscus in one of his legs. I've got an appointment to meet the surgeon to have him/her look over my dog and fill me in on what it'll entail etc and set up a surgery date. Vet I met today thinks it'll cost $2500 - 3k, is this about normal? Regardless I'll be getting it done because he's got a lot of years left in him and I'm in a place where I can afford it. Was more wondering what the recovery/follow up is going to be and if anyone' has experience/tips with it.
|
|
#
?
Dec 4, 2018 03:39
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 23, 2024 18:12 |
|
|
Does anyone know how to humanely euthanize a fish? Backstory: We were given a beta from our local pet store who was unable to be sold because he had a tumor on his head. We always knew our time with Frankenstein would be limited, but the tumor has grown and we can tell he is in rough shape. We don't want him to be in pain but we also don't want to cause trauma. All ideas are welcome.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2019 21:49
|
|