82 replies to this topic

[SportsGuy]

McNulty...he's beautiful

[McNulty]

This is a better one.

[Icterus galbula]

Fifey got fat.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Ellie as a pup... Ellie always gets water in her beard and hates pics... Ellie freshly groomed...

[McNulty]

Those dogs are cool, and I can sympathize with the water getting everywhere.

[SportsGuy]

This is a better one.

Just awesome

[MKlein76]

[Mackus]

Anyone ever do professional dog training for their dogs?

 

We are considering it for our new puppy.  He's picking up on a lot of stuff we're working on teaching him, but we're not gonna be able to keep up the amount of time we've taken off or worked from home over the first week plus we've had him for long, so I'm worried he won't get enough work on the things we're trying to teach him.

 

We were strongly recommended a place by our vet.  It's basically a dog daycare 3 days a week but that also includes an individual 1-hour training session each day.  But it's very expensive.  Even if I back out the cost of the daycare aspect from the total package, it ends up being like $80/hr for each session.  3 days a week for 4 weeks.  And then we would continue training him when he's at home to reinforce what he's learning.

 

I think we feel that it'd be worth the cost if it's effective and he ends up really well trained.  So mostly what I'm asking is if anyone has done training and if that's enough time for lessons to stick and be long-lasting.

[Mackus]

This is Bodie, btw.

 

[NewMarketSean]

I think today is the last day for our 16 year old cat. Came home yesterday and his rear legs were paralyzed and cold. Couldn't make it to the litter box to poop or pee and did it in his cat bed. Been having some trouble with him recently, a few trips to the vet, they did some tests that showed he had several issues related to spine, lungs, kidney and an enlarged heart. He seemed fine the last few weeks after our scare before leaving for Vancouver. Called the vet to see what they recommended and they said to take him to an emergency vet but that it sounded like he didn't have long to go. We figured it would be best if he passed with us at home overnight, so we kept him home and slept with him one last time. But he's stubborn and hanging on. Still seems with it mentally, doesn't seem to be in any pain. We had some pain meds left over from his recent vet visits and we gave him some so he was calm overnight. We're calling the vet as soon as they open to see when they can fit us in.

 

Read up on the causes and it sounds like he has saddle thrombus, a blood clot related to either his lung issues or enlarged heart. Cuts off blood flow to his rear legs. Treatment is very involved and clots can always reoccur, so it only prolongs something that is inevitable.  Sounds like this is it. So obviously I've been a mess all night.

 

We got him when we were 24, just kids starting out with a new house and just having been married. He's been us the whole ride. He's going to be severely missed.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Im sorry Sean. Never easy. You will have some peace knowing his quality of life was diminishing...but still going to leave a void. 16 years a long time.

Should also be happy you gave him a good life.

[Mackus]

Sorry, Sean.

[NewMarketSean]

Thanks guys.

 

We let him go. I've been rather lucky with losing loved ones so this one hurt a ton. But as hard as it was once it was done I instantly felt relief.

 

Still gonna take some time to get over it but actually going through with it is the hardest part.

[NewMarketSean]

We got two kittens the other day. Already obsessed with them.

[Chris B]

Funny this thread popped up.

We’re picking up our puppy today.

[SportsGuy]

Funny this thread popped up.

We’re picking up our puppy today.

What are you getting?

[Chris B]

What are you getting?

Mini goldendoodle.

Got her yesterday (today is my wife’s birthday) so perfect “present”.

Got through night 1 with no big issues too!

[BSLChrisStoner]

Have two 17 year old cats. Got them together the day before Thanksgiving in '05. 

 

One cat - Rosie - has always been food motivated. Never missed a meal.  Sweet, always at the door to greet you. 

She has chronic kidney disease like many old cats get. 

 

At 17, there's no surprise that there isn't much time left.  

After not eating for about a day and a half, took her to the vet yesterday, where she stayed overnight. 

My thought with the cats has always been if they're in pain, I don't want to keep them alive. That just seems cruel. 

The vet is telling us she doesn't think Rosie is in pain, just highly uncomfortable. 

So after an IV drip overnight (and some more tests today); I think they'll send her home to us, but they've already mentioned us doing a home IV drip. 

 

While happy she can come home; part of me wonders if this is cruel.  Is this for her, or for us? 

Ultimately we did the overnight and the IV to try and help her, vs. putting her down, because it seemed to us that she hadn't completely given up on living... and I thought if she wanted to fight, I'd try and help. 

 

IDK, sorry for rambling. Just want to do right by her, but not sure exactly what right is. 

[Mackus]

How do you find a vein on a cat at home? 

 

Sorry, Chris.  Tough choices to make, I think the care that you're taking to try and make the right choice is as good as you can do.  Hope whatever you decide on feels right.

[You Play to Win the Game]

I think any living being wants to remain alive deep in their soul. I think you’ll know, unequivocally, when it is the right time, in consultation with your vet.

I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this. It’s truly heart breaking. Ellie is my 11 year old Scottish Terrier. She became diabetic several months ago and is insulin dependent. And now she is blind. She’s struggling, and it’s just awful to experience it. I try to view it as an honor for me to care for her and make these last days as good as possible for her. It’s painful. It’s emotional. But she deserves that strength from me.

Hope it’s just a bad stretch of a couple days and little Rosie can rebound a bit. Sorry again Chris.