All About Our Pets(Pics, Advice, Etc)

[Doctor-S]

I never grow tired of any animal pictures ... because animals are amazing.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[WildZoo]

The babies have been very photogenic this weekend

 

[that redhead]

Not allowed on the bed but my husband is outside so...

 

[sheltermed]

Can anyone recommend a nice brand of sweater/winter jacket for my 40-lb, naked pit bull?

 

[JaynaAli]

Can anyone recommend a nice brand of sweater/winter jacket for my 40-lb, naked pit bull?

I like RuffWear brand dog supplies. My internship was in a place with several months of fairly regular snow and it was a very popular brand. I have had coworkers who had either the Quinzee jacket or Powder Hound coat for a lab who went snow-hiking or the climate changer for a jack russell. Well made, good insulators. They're fairly expensive but worth it in my opinion. I personally have a Weatherbeeta dog blanket (the company makes blankets for horses mainly) that I have had for a couple years after buying on sale, but if I weren't in the south now I'd go with RuffWear from now on. I have the dog seatbelt that Ruffwear makes and love it. I also have a dog bed from them, but the quality isn't what I was looking for for the retail price (luckily I got it half off because they give vets 50% discounts)...the quality on everything else though has been good for me.
http://www.ruffwear.com/Products/dog_coats

Edit: my internship practice also sends home the Ruffwear Web Master harnesses to post-op TPLO dogs and other dogs with lamenesses/are post-op that need help walking. They found that compliance with helping the pet walk was better with the harnesses an owner could leave on than with the slings they sent home before.

 

[cowgirla]

I like RuffWear brand dog supplies. My internship was in a place with several months of fairly regular snow and it was a very popular brand. I have had coworkers who had either the Quinzee jacket or Powder Hound coat for a lab who went snow-hiking or the climate changer for a jack russell. Well made, good insulators. They're fairly expensive but worth it in my opinion. I personally have a Weatherbeeta dog blanket (the company makes blankets for horses mainly) that I have had for a couple years after buying on sale, but if I weren't in the south now I'd go with RuffWear from now on. I have the dog seatbelt that Ruffwear makes and love it. I also have a dog bed from them, but the quality isn't what I was looking for for the retail price (luckily I got it half off because they give vets 50% discounts)...the quality on everything else though has been good for me.
http://www.ruffwear.com/Products/dog_coats

Never used the coats, but second the vote for Ruffwear. I've got the hiking boots, the life vests and various other odds and ends.

 

[Caiter92]

I've started letting my rabbit freerange over night, so that she's only penned when I'm gone now.

She's learned to use the stairs I have on my bed for the cats. The past few days I've woken up to a bunny in my face in the middle of the night. Adorable, but scares the crap out of me every time

 

[PrincessButterCup]

I've started letting my rabbit freerange over night, so that she's only penned when I'm gone now.

She's learned to use the stairs I have on my bed for the cats. The past few days I've woken up to a bunny in my face in the middle of the night. Adorable, but scares the crap out of me every time

Haha! That's awesome.

 

[WildZoo]

Found out my old lady kitty has kidney disease only stage 2, but still. I don't want her to keep getting older, dammit.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Found out my old lady kitty has kidney disease only stage 2, but still. I don't want her to keep getting older, dammit.

Poor kitteh - best of luck in managing it. Luckily those things tend to progress super slowly. I know the feeling though - when my doggo got her lymphoma diagnosis I was suddenly hit with the realization that yeah....13.5 years old is old for a dog.

However, this dog is a tank. She just finished Week 12 of the CHOP protocol and I swear to God, best decision I ever made. I was initially hestitant given her age, but damn she is like a puppy again. I mean, my wallet is hurting no doubt (emergency removal of a ruptured and bleeding tennis-ball-sized hepatocellular carcinoma - clean margins though - early this year which ran me $2500, initial staging after they discovered lymphoma was >$1000, current chemo total about $3,000 with 1/3 of the way to go) but the way I see it is....I could have either bought a new/used car to replace my beater, or I could give my dog another 1-2 years of a happy life. I'm glad I chose the latter.

However, goes to say that I seriously encourage EVERYONE to have an emergency fund for their pets. I had about $6,000 in the bank for such an occurrence and I'm not sure how I would have been able to pay without it without going begging to my folks or borrowing it from hubs.


Chemo sucks

BUT I GET TREATS!!!!!

 

[WildZoo]

WTF, she is precious and I am SO glad she is doing well

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

I've started letting my rabbit freerange over night, so that she's only penned when I'm gone now.

She's learned to use the stairs I have on my bed for the cats. The past few days I've woken up to a bunny in my face in the middle of the night. Adorable, but scares the crap out of me every time

We have found that an appropriate punishment for our bunny when he is naughty is for his dad to make a reverse Oreo out of him with pillows.

(yes that is doggo in the background evidently very interested in something outside)

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

The three of them are the laziest bunch. I need to put em to work.

 

[Caiter92]

Found out my old lady kitty has kidney disease only stage 2, but still. I don't want her to keep getting older, dammit.

Sorry dubs it sucks when they get old.

Last year one of my old ladies kidney values went to crap really fast (like actually doubled), and then a few months later when her CRF was well managed she just stopped eating randomly and her u/s showed thickened intestines we didn't bother to do biopsies to see if it was lymphoma or IBD because she wasn't a good candidate for chemo if it was, and a year later she is still doing great on k/d, fluids, and a nice little cocktail of drugs to manage symptoms

I hope your old lady has lots of good time left with management

 

[Caiter92]

We have found that an appropriate punishment for our bunny when he is naughty is for his dad to make a reverse Oreo out of him with pillows.

(yes that is doggo in the background evidently very interested in something outside)

he looks so pleased

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

he looks so pleased

He is a daddy's boy - constantly snuggling with and trying to groom him. When he left to go to a festival for a week, Creature (his name is Butler, but we either call him Creature, Black Phillip, or Mr. Golden Son) spent the entire time pouting and refusing to come on the couch. He was actually a rescue from a pet store hoarding situation and was very standoffish at first, but has become the most disgusting cuddlebun with his "Daddy."

When he is naughty, I threaten to make him into boots and stew.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

*creature jumps on table and knocks something off*

WTF: Control your son!
WW: He's your son too!
WTF: Not when he's like this he's not!
WW: He doesn't mean it!
WTF: BOOTS AND STEW!!!!

 

[Skimble]

Found out my old lady kitty has kidney disease only stage 2, but still. I don't want her to keep getting older, dammit.

My first cat lived to be 20 and she was diagnosed with early stage kidney disease at 16. I did fluids at home a few times a week and changed her diet, and I think that really helped. The doctors said it also helped that we caught it early. Hopefully your old lady is able to hang on for many more years too! I was super scared when she was first diagnosed also. Why can't our fur babies live forever?

 

[WildZoo]

My first cat lived to be 20 and she was diagnosed with early stage kidney disease at 16. I did fluids at home a few times a week and changed her diet, and I think that really helped. The doctors said it also helped that we caught it early. Hopefully your old lady is able to hang on for many more years too! I was super scared when she was first diagnosed also. Why can't our fur babies live forever?

She's only 12 and a half though, and it looks like she's had some signs of it for a year (in looking at her lab work retrospectively). My mom also reminded me that when she was at the vet for constipation a while back, they did rads and noted that one of her kidneys was small, and that was...I don't know, at least 3 years ago. That's what worries me I guess is I call her old lady kitty but really for a cat she's not super old.

 

[LyraGardenia]

Sorry WZ. I really should get some bloodwork done on my 12-year-old lady. She's been miraculously healthy thus far (knock on wood) and hasn't needed any, but I'd like to make sure there's nothing going on.

 

[dyachei]

*creature jumps on table and knocks something off*

WTF: Control your son!
WW: He's your son too!
WTF: Not when he's like this he's not!
WW: He doesn't mean it!
WTF: BOOTS AND STEW!!!!

this might be very similar to conversations with my husband about our cats...

 

[orca2011]

Worried about my Mowgli pig. Noticed that he has a right sided nasal swelling and seems to be intermittently more congested. doesn't seem painful and it's on the side that he's always had intermittent clear nasal discharge from (suspected chronic rhinitis).

Hoping its tooth related vs something bad. he is like 6 years old so it could be. bad thing is that our exotics vet can be kinda hands off and doesn't frequently do bw/imaging and I'm potentially interested in a CT. checking with our exotics vet back at Penn to see if she could potentially fit him in when I'm home for thanksgiving if we don't think it's teeth or if I want the CT.

 

[PrincessButterCup]

She's only 12 and a half though, and it looks like she's had some signs of it for a year (in looking at her lab work retrospectively). My mom also reminded me that when she was at the vet for constipation a while back, they did rads and noted that one of her kidneys was small, and that was...I don't know, at least 3 years ago. That's what worries me I guess is I call her old lady kitty but really for a cat she's not super old.

My 10 year old girl had this same diagnosis in April. she's had dental issues (she has two molars and a handful of tiny teeth left and that's it), but no other major health problems. We were curious about her thyroid but it ended up being her kidneys instead. :/

Hopefully adjusting her diet now will help your lady have many more years with you! That's what I'm hoping for my girl.

 

[WildZoo]

My 10 year old girl had this same diagnosis in April. she's had dental issues (she has two molars and a handful of tiny teeth left and that's it), but no other major health problems. We were curious about her thyroid but it ended up being her kidneys instead. :/

Hopefully adjusting her diet now will help your lady have many more years with you! That's what I'm hoping for my girl.

Yeah, for now they recommended switching to or doing mixed feeding with a wet food that is phosphorus restricted but not too protein restricted (since she's not proteinuric). Since I just bought a new bag of her dry food (which is less phosphorus restricted but a tad more protein restricted) I'm going to do mixed feeding until she uses that bag up and then switch entirely to the wet food. The nutrition aspect is so interesting, nutritionist here said that for early stage kidney disease they don't typically recommend the renal diets because there's not too much evidence that they slow progression at that stage and older kitties actually need a good bit of protein to maintain their lean muscle mass.

 

[Doctor-S]

Meow!!! Howl!!!

A few years ago, I devoted a lot of extra attention to cat nutrition because I wanted to wean my 2-year-old cat away from dry kibble and place her on a mainly wet food diet. Like many rescue cats, my cat had been "free-fed" dry kibble for at least a year by her foster parents before I adopted her. So, she was addicted to dry kibble, and loudly meowed for dry kibble at all times of the day and night. Loudly!

I finally weaned my cat off of the addictive dry kibble. It took a long time - about 12 months. Of course, the 12 months were filled with daily and nightly episodes of frantic meowing, piercing howling, and plaintive crying for dry kibble. Whenever I didn't provide the kibble, my cat carried on and meowed even louder. At times, I put ear plugs in my ears to sleep at night!

Now (12 months later), my cat receives 1 tablespoon of dry kibble in the morning, and that's all. The rest of the time, she receives nutritious wet meals in the morning and in the evening. I also mix 3 tablespoons of water into her wet food meals. She is contented, healthy and well-fed ... and I no longer need ear plugs.

In case anyone is interested, here are links to some useful cat nutrition materials (including a Cat Food Composition Chart) prepared by Lisa Pierson, DVM:

Cat Info:
http://www.catinfo.org/docs/Feeding Your Cat - 4 pages 11-13.pdf

Cat Food Composition Chart:
http://www.catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf

Thank you.

 

[mmmdreamerz]

Meow!!! Howl!!!

A few years ago, I devoted a lot of extra attention to cat nutrition because I wanted to wean my 2-year-old cat away from dry kibble and place her on a mainly wet food diet. Like many rescue cats, my cat had been "free-fed" dry kibble for at least a year by her foster parents before I adopted her. So, she was addicted to dry kibble, and loudly meowed for dry kibble at all times of the day and night. Loudly!

I finally weaned my cat off of the addictive dry kibble. It took a long time - about 12 months. Of course, the 12 months were filled with daily and nightly episodes of frantic meowing, piercing howling, and plaintive crying for dry kibble. Whenever I didn't provide the kibble, my cat carried on and meowed even louder. At times, I put ear plugs in my ears to sleep at night!

Now (12 months later), my cat receives 1 tablespoon of dry kibble in the morning, and that's all. The rest of the time, she receives nutritious wet meals in the morning and in the evening. I also mix 3 tablespoons of water into her wet food meals. She is contented, healthy and well-fed ... and I no longer need ear plugs.

In case anyone is interested, here are links to some useful cat nutrition materials (including a Cat Food Composition Chart) prepared by Lisa Pierson, DVM:

Cat Info:
http://www.catinfo.org/docs/Feeding Your Cat - 4 pages 11-13.pdf

Cat Food Composition Chart:
http://www.catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf

Thank you.

When I adopted my little feline study buddy, I was hardcore devoted to getting her on canned food. She was an adult shelter cat that had eaten Meow Mix her whole life (*cringe*). It was a slow process but what really changed her mind was Fortiflora. I started sprinkling it on her food when she needed an antibiotic and suddenly the canned food was her favorite thing ever (side note: I love the smell of fortiflora lol).

 

[KCgophervet]

Just wasn't to chime in and say there's nothing inherently better about wet food vs dry food, it all depends on the ingredients. The biggest bonus for dry is that it might help scrape crap off their teeth if they chew it. Biggest bonus for wet is increased water consumption theoretically.

Sent from my VS876 using SDN mobile

 

[WildZoo]

Just wasn't to chime in and say there's nothing inherently better about wet food vs dry food, it all depends on the ingredients. The biggest bonus for dry is that it might help scrape crap off their teeth if they chew it. Biggest bonus for wet is increased water consumption theoretically.

Sent from my VS876 using SDN mobile

Yeah that's why they suggested the specific wet food for my kitty, for the water consumption aspect (though to be honest I think she's got that covered...she loves her water fountain) and because that happened to be the one with the most phosphorus restriction without too much protein restriction.

I don't buy into the whole "addictive" dry food thing. The addiction is more likely to free feeding than to the type of food itself.

Oh, and the other bonus for dry food is it is a lot cheaper than wet food of the same quality

 

[WildZoo]

And I raise my eyebrow at a lot of statements on that catinfo.org website

 

[EngrSC]

My PU cat is OBSESSED with kibble. He's on predominantly canned and I add a generous amount of water to keep him peeing but every night he knows he gets a few kibbles and he literally stalks me around the house meowing his head off until he gets it. It's out of control. My name is EngrSC and I am an enabler

 

[Doctor-S]

My PU cat is OBSESSED with kibble. He's on predominantly canned and I add a generous amount of water to keep him peeing but every night he knows he gets a few kibbles and he literally stalks me around the house meowing his head off until he gets it. It's out of control. My name is EngrSC and I am an enabler

I can relate to your comments and smiled when I read them.

I often throw a few bits of kibble around the hardwood floors in my home to provide my (indoor only) cat with extra physical activity and mental exercise. She races after the kibble and gobbles it up - as fast as a streak of lightning! Then, she often takes a cat nap.

 

[Jess Monster]

My bunnies enjoyed a fall afternoon on the patio while visiting my parents.

 

[hazelmoo]

That awkward moment when your corgi wakes you up 3 times in the middle of the night for vomiting and diarrhea (poor baby), and you decide you'll clean the vomit up in the morning....

And when you wake up it has magically disappeared. I don't know weather to be grossed out and super happy I don't have to clean it

 

[KCgophervet]

Been a roller coaster of emotions this weekend, but I had to share that my poor Belle (the pup in my avatar) lost her battle with osteosarcoma on Saturday, while I was in the plane on the way home. It sounds like she had a really good last week, she even went hunting with my dad last weekend (3-legged and all). She was too young (only 7 1/2) and I wish I'd gotten to see her one last time, but I know she had a good life.

 

[Gwenevre]

Been a roller coaster of emotions this weekend, but I had to share that my poor Belle (the pup in my avatar) lost her battle with osteosarcoma on Saturday, while I was in the plane on the way home. It sounds like she had a really good last week, she even went hunting with my dad last weekend (3-legged and all). She was too young (only 7 1/2) and I wish I'd gotten to see her one last time, but I know she had a good life.

 

[lhmhtd]

Been a roller coaster of emotions this weekend, but I had to share that my poor Belle (the pup in my avatar) lost her battle with osteosarcoma on Saturday, while I was in the plane on the way home. It sounds like she had a really good last week, she even went hunting with my dad last weekend (3-legged and all). She was too young (only 7 1/2) and I wish I'd gotten to see her one last time, but I know she had a good life.

Sorry k cough

 

[Caiter92]

Been a roller coaster of emotions this weekend, but I had to share that my poor Belle (the pup in my avatar) lost her battle with osteosarcoma on Saturday, while I was in the plane on the way home. It sounds like she had a really good last week, she even went hunting with my dad last weekend (3-legged and all). She was too young (only 7 1/2) and I wish I'd gotten to see her one last time, but I know she had a good life.

Sorry, kcough it's so hard when it's before their time.

 

[orca2011]

My male guinea pig had his skull rads done today. Apparently his teeth look more messed up than they do on oral exam, but the mass isn't super noticeable, which I'm taking as a good sign. Due to location, exotics vet from school is wondering if his NL duct is clogged or something, so I'm thinking I might CT at home school when I'm home from break. Only major concern for me is the cost since my alumni discount isn't as good as when you're a student. We have CT here but I really don't think my exotics vet would try to investigate it much beyond that.

 

[sheltermed]

My male guinea pig had his skull rads done today. Apparently his teeth look more messed up than they do on oral exam, but the mass isn't super noticeable, which I'm taking as a good sign. Due to location, exotics vet from school is wondering if his NL duct is clogged or something, so I'm thinking I might CT at home school when I'm home from break. Only major concern for me is the cost since my alumni discount isn't as good as when you're a student. We have CT here but I really don't think my exotics vet would try to investigate it much beyond that.

That actually sounds really cool, as in, if you have pictures of the rads I'd be interested in checking them out!

Sorry he isn't feeling well, though

Sent from my SM-G935V using SDN mobile

 

[orca2011]

That actually sounds really cool, as in, if you have pictures of the rads I'd be interested in checking them out!

Sorry he isn't feeling well, though

Sent from my SM-G935V using SDN mobile

Quality isn't great as I just took a picture on my phone (couldn't get them to download so I could email them to myself). Also, we typically take obliques too, so I'm not sure why I didn't get them...

 

[sheltermed]

Quality isn't great as I just took a picture on my phone (couldn't get them to download so I could email them to myself). Also, we typically take obliques too, so I'm not sure why I didn't get them...

How is he feeling? What are his clinical signs?

Sent from my SM-G935V using SDN mobile

 

[orca2011]

How is he feeling? What are his clinical signs?

Sent from my SM-G935V using SDN mobile

As far as I tell, he's feeling okay. Appetite might be slightly off, but he's interested in food and I frequently see him eating. Poops are normal. Never drops his food from what I can see. (they're basically on strictly hay and their veggies at this point...rarely get pellets). Just noticed the swelling and that one day he seemed more congested than normal.

He's historically been a more sneezy pig since I adopted him and he's always had intermittent, clear nasal discharge form his right nostril (which also happens to be the side this swelling is on). Never improved with abx and he was housed on pine bedding before I adopted him, so we've essentially been going with chronic rhinitis secondary to possibly pine oil exposure. His weight is down, but he's always been one to loose in the summer months and in the past year he seems to have decided he'd rather hang around 850 gram vs his 920 when I first adopted him, so I wasn't particularly alarmed about that.

 

[Ilovemycat89980]

Guys! I have a vet school interview 14hours away and I'm driving there. Should I take my cat or board him? I want to be with him, but don't want him stressing out

 

[PrincessButterCup]

Guys! I have a vet school interview 14hours away and I'm driving there. Should I take my cat or board him? I want to be with him, but don't want him stressing out

Can you have someone come to your house and feed him/spend time with him while you're gone?

 

[TrashPanda]

Guys! I have a vet school interview 14hours away and I'm driving there. Should I take my cat or board him? I want to be with him, but don't want him stressing out

Have you taken him for long car rides before? Even for cats that are good on trips, 14 hours is a looooong time. Especially since you'll probably be going there and back in just a few days.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

Guys! I have a vet school interview 14hours away and I'm driving there. Should I take my cat or board him? I want to be with him, but don't want him stressing out

I don't really see any reason to take him...I get he's probably a source of comfort for you, but 28 hours of driving is a lot. It's not like you're moving.

Besides, the last thing you need is for your cat to stress the heck out while you're stressing the heck out. I'd find someone to watch him.

 

[alohacat319]

I know I am 1000% bias, but I seriously think I have the cutest kitten on earth. She makes me so happy, and I'm so lucky she found me.

 

[PrincessButterCup]

View attachment 210749View attachment 210750View attachment 210751

I know I am 1000% bias, but I seriously think I have the cutest kitten on earth. She makes me so happy, and I'm so lucky she found me.

She looks so happy in every one of those pictures!

 

[Caiter92]

Grumble. The bun has decided my giant dog bed I have for the cats is for peeing on. She's never peed anywhere else but her boxes until a few weeks ago when I saw her pee on it. I washed it, and then a week ago it happened again. That time I washed it and then also soaked the carpet around it with Natures Miracle just in case there was something about that area and it wasn't the bed, (plus was already putting the NM laundry boost in when I washed it) and put it away for a week.

I literally just put it out again, and she hopped up onto it and did it again! And then flopped out on it.

I think she's marking it? I'm going to try washing it one more time but if she does it again I'll probably have to trash it.

It's really old and was my dogs that the cats commandeered, but I wish she'd stop doing it.

 

[PrincessButterCup]

Grumble. The bun has decided my giant dog bed I have for the cats is for peeing on. She's never peed anywhere else but her boxes until a few weeks ago when I saw her pee on it. I washed it, and then a week ago it happened again. That time I washed it and then also soaked the carpet around it with Natures Miracle just in case there was something about that area and it wasn't the bed, (plus was already putting the NM laundry boost in when I washed it) and put it away for a week.

I literally just put it out again, and she hopped up onto it and did it again! And then flopped out on it.

I think she's marking it? I'm going to try washing it one more time but if she does it again I'll probably have to trash it.

It's really old and was my dogs that the cats commandeered, but I wish she'd stop doing it.

Try putting a litter pan in that spot and moving the bed somewhere else?