|
the posted:Hey, everyone. I just wanted to write an update on my cat. I just kept a close eye on her, and I didn't take her to the vet. She seemed to get better after that week, but then this week she took a turn for the worse, hiding again and not really eating. My live-in girlfriend (her primary owner) decided that we should take her to the emergency vet. It ended up being the right choice. She has some sort of growth around her stomach. The veterinary hospital says it could be an abscess, it could be cancer, it could be a foreign object, but they won't know at this point. She's staying at the veterinary hospital for the next few days while they attempt to figure out what's wrong with her. It's possible that they will have to operate, and we had to sign an order to resuscitate in case her heart stops. My girlfriend is really shaken up by this, and I can't help but feel responsible for not taking immediate action after her behavior a few weeks ago. I really hope she ends up being okay. Why didn't you take her to the vet initially? If nothing else it's significantly cheaper than going to the emergency vet and the earlier stuff is caught the better. Even if nothing could have been done at least the animal isn't in pain and suffering. Not eating and hiding is a sure sign the cat is ill and something is wrong. Can they do the surgery? It sounds pretty bad. I hope all is well and I'll be sending my best wishes to you guys and your kitty.
|
#
?
Sep 19, 2009 22:49
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 30, 2024 14:13 |
|
|
KilGrey posted:Why didn't you take her to the vet initially? If nothing else it's significantly cheaper than going to the emergency vet and the earlier stuff is caught the better. Even if nothing could have been done at least the animal isn't in pain and suffering. Not eating and hiding is a sure sign the cat is ill and something is wrong. Can they do the surgery? It sounds pretty bad. I hope all is well and I'll be sending my best wishes to you guys and your kitty. I didn't want to overreact, I was indecisive, and I thought that maybe I was seeing problems where there weren't any. It's really not looking good. They've found fluid in her lungs due to the cancer, and it's looking like surgery and chemotherapy are the only options for this 2 year old cat. I keep telling myself that I shouldn't blame myself, because it just as easily could have been nothing, and hindsight is 20/20, but.. drat it  .
|
|
#
?
Sep 20, 2009 00:19
|
|
|
the posted:I didn't want to overreact, I was indecisive, and I thought that maybe I was seeing problems where there weren't any. You're in a really tough situation, and I completely sympathize-- we had to put down my mom's dear cat, who was 13 and had been with my parents since she was 8 weeks old, last year. She was literally my mom's lifeline when all of us kids moved out of the house. The only consolation I can offer you is that you now know what to do if a similar situation arises again. You know that it's better to overreact than to wait when you notice your pet acting in a manner that's different from his normal behavior. I'm so sorry you have had to learn it this way. 
|
|
#
?
Sep 20, 2009 02:23
|
|
|
It's been only 20 days since we last gave my dog Frontline, and she already has fleas. Is it safe to give her another dose now?
|
|
#
?
Sep 20, 2009 07:56
|
|
|
a life less posted:At what age are you able to ascertain a dog's ability to hear? Dalmatian person checking in. In Dals, and I can't imagine it being any different for other breeds, they're as deaf as they will bear. A good way to check is, when the puppy's sleeping on it's side, yell or clap near it. If it's sleeping on it's only good ear, you have a problem. If it's enough of an issue, BAER testing is relatively cheap and a good idea. And even if you end up with a unilateral dog, hearing in one ear only, don't worry. You can still have a great dog. I've met several who are great companions, just as long as you make sure to work around that deaf ear. If it's fully deaf, euthanasia is the option for dal puppies but it's probably different with other breeds. Also, if you have a unilateral dog, spaying and neutering is a necessity, as you don't want them breeding. Period. You can also look into the family history of your puppy. See how many deaf/unilateral puppies Momma general produces. If she hasn't thrown any and has a good, clean family history, you can consider yourself in the clear. Also check Dad's line, of course. If this is a big worry, you should also grill the breeder over whether they've BAER tested the puppies before buying one. NO ONE should EVER buy a dalmatian puppy without the results of the BAER test, which should show how brutally important it is. However, it's probably very different for Aussies, but here's the viewpoint from someone with a breed that deals with this issue every drat litter. Effexxor fucked around with this message at 08:28 on Sep 20, 2009 |
|
#
?
Sep 20, 2009 08:23
|
|
|
FLV, 6-8 months maximum survival time.
|
|
#
?
Sep 20, 2009 16:58
|
|
|
My male dog was neutered at the appropriate age. He's now seven years old. If he doesn't have testicles, why does he still get a dog boner when we have guests over?  You'd think that neutering would not allow that happen. And it only happen when we have new guests visiting. Can someone explain how that's possible?
|
|
#
?
Sep 20, 2009 21:09
|
|
|
Quick crate question. We adopted another puppy (8 month old Shiba) and set up his crate and everything. Our other puppy keeps going in there to smell and lay down and stuff, she's spending more time in there than she typically does in her own crate. Is this something I should discourage in attempt to define it specifically as his?
|
|
#
?
Sep 20, 2009 23:41
|
|
|
angrykid posted:My male dog was neutered at the appropriate age. He's now seven years old. If he doesn't have testicles, why does he still get a dog boner when we have guests over? He's just really excited. Basically, neutering cuts down on a lot of the hormones that make him a.) want to gently caress and b.) want to be the biggest baddest boy out there. And it makes it so that he cant produce sperm of course. It doesn't effect all of his natural behaviors. When he gets a doggie boner, it's just him being super excited about whatever's going on, in your case, new visitors and it's nothing sexual. It could be worse, some dogs pee out of sheer joy. Hope that answers something. Effexxor fucked around with this message at 23:55 on Sep 20, 2009 |
|
#
?
Sep 20, 2009 23:47
|
|
|
Lilah is being the biggest douche on the planet right now. Her house training has been going really well, but we recently hit a snag, that snag being the forecast calls for rain non-stop until next Monday. She has decided that she is too pristine and fabulous to step in filthy rain water. Oh, she'll stand on the porch and drink it from puddles. But walking in it is BENEATH her. I kept an close eye on her after a failed attempt at making her go potty last night, and almost immediately after coming inside she squatted and began to poop. I stopped her before anything came out and took her immediately outside and placed her on the grass. She runs back to the porch. Very occasionally she will venture through the grass and onto the parking lot, where she will sometimes pee, but then she runs right back to me. Ever since then she has been back and forth between her crate and outside, time after time after time after loving time, and she will not poo poo. Pee occasionally, but she WON'T poo poo. She sits out there and shivers and stares at me. She has never gone this long without pooping, and the MINUTE her paws touch my carpet, I know she will poo poo. But I refuse to let that happen. I'm so frustrated. What do I do?
|
|
#
?
Sep 21, 2009 02:16
|
|
|
yawnie posted:What do I do? Put on a raincoat, grab the leash and walk her briskly until she shits. If you wait for her to do it on her own, she's not going to do it. Also, you said she wanders from the grass to the parking lot, is this an enclosed area at least? If not she shouldn't be outside without a leash on if the area isn't fenced in. My dog turns into a pretty princess when it rains to and it sucks. She'll stand there and stare at me like I'm somehow responsible for it raining. I have to walk her briskly and not stop to let her gently caress around until she finally squats and craps. When she does finally poop I praise the gently caress out of her and we jog back home and inside as fast as we can so hopefully she gets the hint that making GBS threads gets you a treat and both of us out of the rain.
|
|
#
?
Sep 21, 2009 02:28
|
|
|
KilGrey posted:Put on a raincoat, grab the leash and walk her briskly until she shits. If you wait for her to do it on her own, she's not going to do it. She HATES walks. Shes gets skittish and antsy and freaks out about the leash. I've been working hard on that and trying to make it fun, give her treats, and doing things with the leash when we're at home and comfortable, but it's slow progress. So in the meantime I just play inside for a while before we go out, or run in the grass with her when the weather is nice to get her exercise & make the bowels start moving. However, she finally crapped. I made the ~BF~ come out with me for good luck, and it seemed to do the trick. He gets to take her out from now on 
|
|
#
?
Sep 21, 2009 03:06
|
|
|
If you had two cats, one with FeLV, and the other without, would you euthanize the FeLV cat in order to save the other from being infected? What if the FeLV cat had no more than a year to live with chemotherapy treatments?
|
|
#
?
Sep 21, 2009 19:24
|
|
|
the posted:If you had two cats, one with FeLV, and the other without, would you euthanize the FeLV cat in order to save the other from being infected? What if the FeLV cat had no more than a year to live with chemotherapy treatments? I'd euth, especially if the FeLV cat doesn't stand a chance of living much longer anyway.
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 01:20
|
|
|
My parents expressed some interest in getting a dog, and I'm just doing some research right now. We had a beagle a long time ago, and while we liked her a lot, it was annoying walking her due to her being a blood hound and wanting to go crazy. She also dug holes constantly. Every time the beagle would go outside she would do absolutely crazy and run off, sniffing, going crazy; this is something we don't want. We'd love a dog that you can walk easily, as it would mainly be for my 65 year old father to go on short 1-2 mile walks with. Our backyard is not fenced, but it's relatively big. We were thinking something not toy, but relatively small to medium size, because we don't want a dog to jump on/knock my frail mother down. A beagle would be the perfect size, but we just don't want a blood hound. Corgis are amazing, but I read they require a lot more maintenance than some other dogs. Any suggestions for a good elderly-friendly dog? I will be helping out at first, but not forever.
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 02:25
|
|
|
Rent posted:My parents expressed some interest in getting a dog, and I'm just doing some research right now. To be honest, a specific breed doesn't matter as much as just getting an older dog. Rescues and the pounds around your area probably have an easy going, older dog who's already learned how to behave and would just like a place to sleep, some food and someone to scratch them behind the ears. If you get a dog who's calmer like that, size shouldn't be as much of a problem. A calm greyhound may actually be a good idea, as they're already calmer that he average dog, are perfectly sized for putting their heads in your lap and tend to be very easy to walk and handle. They're also pretty easy, like cats that are dog shaped and a little bit more extroverted. Plus, they're very clean and easy to take care of, and are very fun to take to the dog park. And greyhound owners tend to have a lot of doggie playdates and have a good sense of comraderie, so your parents would also have access to a whole new social group.
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 02:45
|
|
|
Thanks. We definitely planned to get an older dog who is easy going. A puppy would be a disaster  I did some research on greyhounds and they seem pretty cool, actually. My mom always wanted something that wouldn't shed as much, and apparently greyhounds are pretty good about that. Also said they are not a big-time activity dog who will jump in your lap, so that's great
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 02:52
|
|
|
Actually, they can be a pain when they shed. Since they're desert dogs, they have a fine double layer. In the fall and spring, our greyhound always sheds her underlayer, but it doesn't shed that much around the house if you just take a rubber brush and scrub the extra hair off. And they are definitely not dogs that will jump into your lap, that would be uncouth of them. Instead, they will shove their head into your lap and wait patiently till you finally break down and pet them. Another reason why more older people should have them. They're just so polite. They're also very soft and silky, and it's like having a moving piece of art around the house. I did photography in high school and I had an instant A as long as I took a picture of her. One other thing, greyhounds are generally not that used to being in a house. It'll need a crate, which it'll probably sleep and hide from the world in, and it'll be on a very strict pee and poop schedule, left over from the racetrack. Also, greyhounds have notoriously bad teeth, so that'll be a consideration. Also, are your parents retired and will they be home alot? Former racers have been around other greyhounds 24/7 and to be without any other dogs can be a big shock to their system. Then again, most greyhound rescuers are outstanding at reading their dogs and will be able to find a dog with a personality best suited to what your parents need and want.
Effexxor fucked around with this message at 03:22 on Sep 22, 2009 |
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 03:17
|
|
|
Where is a good place online to get bully sticks? A lot of places sell them it seems, but I don;t want to end up with a stick thats covered in chemicals because it was shipped in from china. Im looking for a 12 inch braided stick if that matters.
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 13:20
|
|
|
bestbullysticks.com I think.
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 14:04
|
|
|
I'm feeding a friend's llamas while he vacations. Today I casually grabbed an apple from a tree and tossed it in the pen as I was changing the water and whatnot. The llama appeared to me to be perilously close to choking on the apple. It kept throwing its head back as though it were going to try to swallow it whole, then giving up and trying to chew it a little. I threw it in with the chickens after llama dropped it for the 3rd or 4th time, just because I don't know a thing about llamas and their dietary habits but I really wouldn't think an apple would be harmful. Am I overreacting or would a llama try to eat something it shouldn't be eating for some weird reason?
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 22:00
|
|
|
My parents' dog has a flea problem. I recommend trying Frontline, but my mother couldn't find that, and bought Sergeant's Gold treatment instead. I looked it up online, and I'm seeing some pretty negative reactions, suggesting that it is actually dangerous for dogs. Should I be worried? She hasn't used it yet, so I could tell her not to if it would be risky.
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 22:41
|
|
|
NotInventedHere posted:My parents' dog has a flea problem. I recommend trying Frontline, but my mother couldn't find that, and bought Sergeant's Gold treatment instead. I looked it up online, and I'm seeing some pretty negative reactions, suggesting that it is actually dangerous for dogs. Should I be worried? She hasn't used it yet, so I could tell her not to if it would be risky. Did she try a vet's office? Because that's where she'll find Frontline. You can't just buy it at any store.....Any topical flea treatment that you can just buy off a store shelf isn't going to work & could possibly harm your pet.
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 23:14
|
|
|
Pierre Skink posted:I'm feeding a friend's llamas while he vacations. Today I casually grabbed an apple from a tree and tossed it in the pen as I was changing the water and whatnot. I don't know much about llamas, but a whole apple seems way too big for a llama to eat. A slice maybe. Aren't they grass eaters? Didn't your friend tell you what to feed them? All animals will try to eat things that are bad for them, humans included.
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 23:17
|
|
|
Pierre Skink posted:Am I overreacting or would a llama try to eat something it shouldn't be eating for some weird reason? A llama once ate my kite when I was a kid.
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 23:42
|
|
|
NotInventedHere posted:My parents' dog has a flea problem. I recommend trying Frontline, but my mother couldn't find that, and bought Sergeant's Gold treatment instead. I looked it up online, and I'm seeing some pretty negative reactions, suggesting that it is actually dangerous for dogs. Should I be worried? She hasn't used it yet, so I could tell her not to if it would be risky. GoreJess posted:Did she try a vet's office? Because that's where she'll find Frontline. You can't just buy it at any store.....Any topical flea treatment that you can just buy off a store shelf isn't going to work & could possibly harm your pet. You can buy both Frontline and Advantage at Petco and other random pet stores, occasionally I'll find it at the grocery store but that's rarer. I'd recommend finding it at Petco or Petsmart before going to the vet because it's usually cheaper, but if the only option is the vet or something like Sergents or Hartz, go to the vet for it. I would never use Sergents and Hartz on my animals, there are to many stories of animals dying and getting really sick from using it. http://www.hartzvictims.org/ KilGrey fucked around with this message at 01:26 on Sep 23, 2009 |
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 01:22
|
|
|
KilGrey posted:You can buy both Frontline and Advantage at Petco and other random pet stores, occasionally I'll find it at the grocery store but that's rarer. I'd recommend finding it at Petco or Petsmart before going to the vet because it's usually cheaper, but if the only option is the vet or something like Sergents or Hartz, go to the vet for it. I would never use Sergents and Hartz on my animals, there are to many stories of animals dying and getting really sick from using it. Really?? Maybe it's where we live, but I've never seen it just out on a shelf even at Petco or Petsmart. At Petsmart you have to get it from their vet, Banfield. You don't need a prescription, like with heartworm meds, but I've never seen it at a store that didn't have a vet on staff.
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 02:12
|
|
|
They have it at some lovely pet stores here, it's like $50 for 3 although last time I went in they only had year supplies.
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 02:17
|
|
|
Thanks for the answers. I talked to her about it, and she decided to go to the pet store and vet's office to look for Frontline. I'm relieved that she decided not to try that Sergeant's Gold treatment.
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 02:23
|
|
|
Spermy Smurf posted:bestbullysticks.com I think. I like these guys too. I'm on a mailing list and they send out coupon codes occasionally for free shipping or a percentage off. I've only got the regular six inch bully sticks, but they seem reasonably priced, and they always ship really fast. I've order from them a few times (I usually get the 100 count) and have been happy.
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 02:31
|
|
|
GoreJess posted:Really?? Maybe it's where we live, but I've never seen it just out on a shelf even at Petco or Petsmart. At Petsmart you have to get it from their vet, Banfield. You don't need a prescription, like with heartworm meds, but I've never seen it at a store that didn't have a vet on staff. Yeah I buy it at Petco, it's cheaper than my vet by a bit. I think I get 3 or 4 for $35. I know you can buy it on the Petco Website too. I guess different stores carry different things? Maybe my store is bigger than yours? As far as Petsmart, I don't go there often, maybe they make you go to Banfield so they can charge you more and try to convince you to take your pet there for vet care. I've been meaning to check out 1-800-PetMeds to see if it was any cheaper there. Does anyone have experience with them when it comes to meds? Are things really cheaper? KilGrey fucked around with this message at 07:24 on Sep 23, 2009 |
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 07:21
|
|
|
Something I've been wondering for a while, but I've been cleaning my white work aprons today and it's reminded me to ask somebody. My cat loves bleach, she goes crazy rubs, bites, paws, rolls over when she can smell it on your fingers. Once we caught her trying to drink it out of the sink (we stopped her quick and she was fine, not even a bit off). She loves it more than catnip or anything else we have bought her. Is this a typical cat reaction? If it is what is it about bleach? Or is my cat just nuts?
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 11:53
|
|
|
KilGrey posted:
While I personally haven't had any experience with them, I've heard that they're so cheap because they often sell expired meds. I personally wouldn't risk it.
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 16:33
|
|
|
I'm interested in knowing what breed(s) my dog is- are those blood tests they sell at Petsmart any good?
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 19:40
|
|
|
KilGrey posted:Yeah I buy it at Petco, it's cheaper than my vet by a bit. I think I get 3 or 4 for $35. I know you can buy it on the Petco Website too. I guess different stores carry different things? Maybe my store is bigger than yours? As far as Petsmart, I don't go there often, maybe they make you go to Banfield so they can charge you more and try to convince you to take your pet there for vet care. I use Dr.Foster and Smith for Heartguard and Comfortis, they are usually cheaper than the vet or Petco; and there are usually 5 dollar off/free shipping coupons at retailmenot.com. I have always had really great luck for them; as for 1800PetMeds sell expired meds; I highly doubt they would still be in business if that was the case.
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 20:20
|
|
|
My dad's dog back home tore some ligaments in his er, wrist?, and needs to keep "inactive" for the next 6 weeks. But he is also a ~10 month old golden retriever puppy aka fireball of energy locked up in his kennel and only let out on leash for potty breaks. Any ideas to keep him from EXPLODING with energy? He must be so frustrated and my dad tells me he can tell he's feeling better and wants nothing more than to play. I feel bad. What can we do for him? Anything?
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 22:02
|
|
|
DenialTwist posted:as for 1800PetMeds sell expired meds; I highly doubt they would still be in business if that was the case. It's an incredibly persistent rumor then, because I've heard it from basically every pet community I've been a part of.
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 22:36
|
|
|
Has anyone had any experience with canine CCL injuries? My poor pup is in need of surgery it seems and I'm unsure how to proceed with surgery...costs seem to be anywhere from 1800 to 3500 dollars, not to mention he will probably need the other leg addressed eventually
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 23:25
|
|
|
How do I give my cat these goddamn pills? She can eat around the food in Pill pockets, and we just had to basically force parts of them into her mouth for the past ten minutes, which slowly dissolved in her mouth as we forced it closed, and now she's walking around with this HUGE saliva drool trail. I have to do this every day for the next two weeks.
|
|
#
?
Sep 24, 2009 01:15
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 30, 2024 14:13 |
|
|
the posted:How do I give my cat these goddamn pills? She can eat around the food in Pill pockets, and we just had to basically force parts of them into her mouth for the past ten minutes, which slowly dissolved in her mouth as we forced it closed, and now she's walking around with this HUGE saliva drool trail. I have to do this every day for the next two weeks. We used to put the pill at the very back of the cat's mouth and then stroke the underside of the throat until the cat swallowed. The stroking will cue the swallowing reaction. I haven't had a cat in years, so there might be a nicer method that I haven't heard about.
|
|
#
?
Sep 24, 2009 01:37
|
|
