Pets in med school?

[czanetti]

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Is having pets in med school a good idea ?if yes what kind? Anyone like to share there experiences?

 

[sddoc]

All of my friends had pets in med school... and loved it. We also had spouses to help care for them. I had a German Shepherd and a Lab mix. My other friend had a doberman and a pit/lab mix. Another friend had a maltese and a crazy cat. Another had a fish... after he killed that he bought a cat. 😱

 

[czanetti]

should have specified, I don't have a spouse that will be living with me so considering the time constraint of going to med school and not having the spouse luxery is it still doable?

 

[trustwomen]

should have specified, I don't have a spouse that will be living with me so considering the time constraint of going to med school and not having the spouse luxery is it still doable?

Cats are low-maintenance. Just don't get one that's too affectionate or it will get lonely - get a semi-affectionate one instead.

 

[the alchemist]

i had 2 cats b4 i came 2 med school and they're still w/ me and have each other during the day if i'm not at home (they sleep mostly during the day anyways). i have quite a few classmates w/ pets (dogs, cats, fish, ferrets). some have sig others (dogs, ferrets) and the ppl i know who r single mostly have cats or fish, though i bet a couple have dogs as well. its doable but don't 4get 2 consider the financial costs in terms of ur student budget cuz it can get up there w/ apt pet rent, food, litter, trips 2 the vets 4 vacs or emergencies, etc.

 

[Entgegen]

I remember one of the MSII's that took us to lunch on interview day told us he had a dog. He also said that he does pretty much all of his studying at the library, so he kinda' felt bad that he's never around with it at his apartment. Get a snake. Or a tarantula. They only need to be fed once every couple weeks, the food isn't expensive, really low maintenance, and I can't imagine they'd get lonely.

 

[Lyrian]

I live alone and have a cat. She's 'talkative', so she makes for great company. The only problem is that she likes to sleep on my book when I am trying to study. 🙂

I have a friend who has a dog and lives alone. She lives close to school and goes home on her lunch break to walk the dog. It works, and she is happy with that setup.

 

[babyruth]

I had a dog going into med school and it was a pain and expensive to find a place that took dogs. She is very well potty trained and we taught her not to bark, but still it is easier to find an apartment that takes cats. I know a lot of peeople that have dogs, and that is how they exercise and take a break from studying--by walking the dog. It also depnds on which school you go to and if you decide to live close to campus or not. I would not recommend getting a pet that needs to go outside if you go to a school situated in a metropolis area and you decide to live close to campus. In terms of work and maintenance, it depends on if you are up to it or not. I personally think the work is worth what you get out of it: companionship etc. I would not recommend getting a puppy your first semester of school because it is like having a newborn baby and you have to be home a lot to train it.

 

[PlasticMan]

I'm an MS1; I got a puppy(pitbull) after my first exam. I never go to lecture( I stream all the videos), and I only go to labs. I also have 3 other people I live with who help take care of the puppy. Raising a puppy is alot of work; in the beginning they pretty much need someone there almost all the time. If you're going to be in class all day, don't get one. I'm up in my room studying all day, so every couple hours I go downstairs and play with him for awhile. For me, it works, and I love my new best friend.

As a side note, if you are going to get a dog, seriously consider a pitbull. They have a bad rap, but as an owner I can tell you they can make great dogs! He's very loving, loyal and learns things really quickly. Plus, they're pretty quiet naturally.

 

[czanetti]

I will be going to TCOM I'm probably going to get a house as close to campus as possible. I love dogs but I'm not sure if TCOM has streaming lecture vids or even recordings but that would be amazing. I'm leaning towards a cat now just becuase low maintenance.

 

[PlasticMan]

It's probably a good idea to give yourself time to get settled into school first before getting any pet. I can't stand cats 👎 They're so independent, gross, constantly lick themselves all over and create tons of dandruff; not to mention I'm highly allergic. Maybe I will train my pitt to eat them.

 

[Quakkilla]

You definitely have to get you feet wet before getting a pet, unless you are a cat person. Cats are easy. I am an M2 and have a black lab and she was a little over a year when i started. You can't beat a lab but they require A LOT of attention when they are puppies. I love my dog and it is nice to have one, but if I didn't have one starting out I don't know if I would get one. You have to remember you will be moving around your 3rd and 4th year and everything is dictated by the dog. I have to drive 11 hrs home because of the, other wise you drive your friends crazy. It is worth it to me, but it is a huge responsibilty adn with all the other stresses it may not be worth it. Little info on labs, you have to spend time with them everyday training and playing the first year. If you do that you wil have a great dog in the end, mine is awesome!!! Not that I am biased in any way😉

 

[DrLtoBe]

Yes I think pets in medical school are a WONDERFUL way to destress and have some fun! I came here to Nevada from PA with my 2 parrots. Within the first month I was here I apoted my little doggie Einstein! By January I had adopted my second little dog Winston. Most recently I just got a new little girl pomeranian! Luckily all 3 together only weigh about 20 pounds but they are the greatest! They give me a reason to relax when I am going crazy and of course the unconditional love is nice too! 😛

 

[It'sElectric]

I'm leaning towards a cat now just becuase low maintenance.

Gross.

 

[peppy]

I am a dog person by nature, but I chose to get cats instead because they're easier to leave alone for long periods of time.
I went with two adult cats because adults don't need as much supervision as a kitten does, plus you can tell what kind of personality an adult cat has more easily. I agree that you may want to consider what kind of personality you want the cat to have. Some cats are aloof but others crave human attention as much as dogs do. I think it's nice if you can find two cats at the shelter who are already "buddies", so they can keep each other entertained while you're busy.
Pets are a little bit of a hassle at times (lugging around the big bags of food and litter, cleaning up the hair and such, thinking about what to do when I'm gone for a long weekend), but cats are definitely not too hard for a med student to handle. They definitely help me de-stress when I'm studying and liven things up. 🙂

 

[pineapple]

Yes I think pets in medical school are a WONDERFUL way to destress and have some fun! I came here to Nevada from PA with my 2 parrots. Within the first month I was here I apoted my little doggie Einstein! By January I had adopted my second little dog Winston. Most recently I just got a new little girl pomeranian! Luckily all 3 together only weigh about 20 pounds but they are the greatest! They give me a reason to relax when I am going crazy and of course the unconditional love is nice too! 😛

Do you take care of them all yourself?

I want a dog SO BADLY. I can't even say how much. Lately I've been so stressed out and I just look a videos of puppies on YouTube...very relaxing. My mom has a dog and I love it (she got it as my replacement when I went to college).

If there's any way to do it while living on my own, I'll get a toy poodle from the breeder my mom got hers from. In 3 years it hasn't gotten sick once yet.

It's my dream. Get into medical school and have my own dog.

I just don't see how I'll do it with the long hours

 

[Jamers]

Gross.

Cats rock. My roomate right now is allergic but we will be parting ways next semester; very differnt personalities (I never sleep, he does, I never go to class, he does, I have lots of sex, he never does...I mean...). After the move I plan on getting a cat to keep me company; they basically take care of themselves and are furry! You can't beat that combo.

 

[pineapple]

Cats rock. My roomate right now is allergic but we will be parting ways next semester; very differnt personalities (I never sleep, he does, I never go to class, he does, I have lots of sex, he never does...I mean...). After the move I plan on getting a cat to keep me company; they basically take care of themselves and are furry! You can't beat that combo.

But they walk in their litter box and then jump on your bed. And if you have children and cats the risks of asthma and allergies are too high. With how long cats live, I'd still have mine around when I start a family in my 30s or whenever. I don't want to get a pet I'd have to abandon.

Hypoallergenic dog is that I want...poodle or maybe a maltese.

 

[Jamers]

But they walk in their litter box and then jump on your bed. And if you have children and cats the risks of asthma and allergies are too high. With how long cats live, I'd still have mine around when I start a family in my 30s or whenever. I don't want to get a pet I'd have to abandon.

Hypoallergenic dog is that I want...poodle or maybe a maltese.

Oh boo, dogs live long too! Cats are cute and they don't have to go outside every 2.5 seconds or bark at every odd sound. I never had to tell a cat to be quiet. haha, I think if we continue, this will turn into a dog vs. cats thread. Cats purr, the end.

 

[pineapple]

Oh boo, dogs live long too! Cats are cute and they don't have to go outside every 2.5 seconds or bark at every odd sound. I never had to tell a cat to be quiet. haha, I think if we continue, this will turn into a dog vs. cats thread. Cats purr, the end.

No seriously, I really don't want a cat. I just want to know if I could keep a dog in med school. What the logistics involved are.

Right now I have 2 parakeets (one has gone blind and might die ) and one hedgehog. Oh and a saltwater fish tank. All easy to care for but not great for companionship.

Growing up with my best friend she had 3 filthy cats in her house and I became violently allergic and had chronic bronchitis 9 months out of the year. If I get scratched it puffs up like crazy. I got allergy shots and I don't know if I am allergic anymore, but I will not risk putting future children through that misery. Absolutely not. I will also not buy an animal and abandon it when I start a family. So no cats.

I want a cuddly, playful, loyal dog that is happy to see me when I get home. So if I get a chance to spend some time hiking or anything else outdoors, I can take him with me...it makes trips so much more fun.

 

[Jamers]

No seriously, I really don't want a cat. I just want to know if I could keep a dog in med school. What the logistics involved are.

Right now I have 2 parakeets (one has gone blind and might die ) and one hedgehog. Oh and a saltwater fish tank. All easy to care for but not great for companionship.

Growing up with my best friend she had 3 filthy cats in her house and I became violently allergic. If I get scratched it puffs up like crazy. Cats are an absolute no.

I want a cuddly, playful, loyal dog that is happy to see me when I get home. So if I get a chance to spend some time hiking or anything else outdoors, I can take him with me...it makes trips so much more fun.

You are the first person I have ever heard of that has a hedgehog. That would be a bad combo, I can see the cat eating it.

 

[pineapple]

You are the first person I have ever heard of that has a hedgehog. That would be a bad combo, I can see the cat eating it.

I'm lucky my mom's dog is scared of it when I bring it home.

Oh and here's Harry the Hedgehog.

 

[Jamers]

I'm lucky my mom's dog is scared of it when I bring it home.

Oh and here's Harry the Hedgehog.

It could go like this I guess:


[YOUTUBE]http://youtube.com/watch?v=WzF5uDak0Kg[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Quakkilla]

This is what Mollie does while I study... she makes you feel guilty real fast!

 

[pineapple]

It could go like this I guess:


[YOUTUBE]http://youtube.com/watch?v=WzF5uDak0Kg[/YOUTUBE]

Nice!

Haha, hedgie's not even rolling into a ball. No cats can scare him!

 

[pineapple]

The best dog in the world[/B][/B]

Great dog.

Do you keep him in med school? What are your arrangements?

Here's my mom's, I want to get one from the same breeder. I took this photo on a trip to upstate NY this fall and really like it.

 

[PlasticMan]

Pineapple, I REALLY wanted a dog as well b/c I'd be moving away from my family,etc. and wanted a buddy to keep me company. WAIT until you get settled into a study routine before considering getting one. If you're gonna be going to class everyday, I'd recommend against it. When you first get the puppy, you have to feed him/her TID(3x/day for you pre-meds 😉) for the first few months. If you settled into studying and realize you're gonna be home almost all the time, then go for it. I never go to lecture, so having a puppy around is fine. If you want an extremely loving, loyal, quiet dog, a small or medium sized APBT(american pitbull terrier) is a great choice. Mine is not small by any means (he may reach 100lbs.), but he hardly ever barks. Pitbulls are surprisingly quiet and well behaved, contrary to media hype. I previously posted pics of him here --> http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=341072

 

[Jamers]

Pineapple, I REALLY wanted a dog as well b/c I'd be moving away from my family,etc. and wanted a buddy to keep me company. WAIT until you get settled into a study routine before considering getting one. If you're gonna be going to class everyday, I'd recommend against it. When you first get the puppy, you have to feed him/her TID(3x/day for you pre-meds 😉) for the first few months. If you settled into studying and realize you're gonna be home almost all the time, then go for it. I never go to lecture, so having a puppy around is fine. If you want an extremely loving, loyal, quiet dog, a small or medium sized APBT(american pitbull terrier) is a great choice. Mine is not small by any means (he may reach 100lbs.), but he hardly ever barks. Pitbulls are surprisingly quiet and well behaved, contrary to media hype. I previously posted pics of him here --> http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=341072

See, dogs = TID, Cats = PRN, fish = oh, **** I forgot to change the water in five months...


hahaha, sorry.

 

[pineapple]

Pineapple, I REALLY wanted a dog as well b/c I'd be moving away from my family,etc. and wanted a buddy to keep me company. WAIT until you get settled into a study routine before considering getting one. If you're gonna be going to class everyday, I'd recommend against it. When you first get the puppy, you have to feed him/her TID(3x/day for you pre-meds 😉) for the first few months. If you settled into studying and realize you're gonna be home almost all the time, then go for it. I never go to lecture, so having a puppy around is fine. If you want an extremely loving, loyal, quiet dog, a small or medium sized APBT(american pitbull terrier) is a great choice. Mine is not small by any means (he may reach 100lbs.), but he hardly ever barks. Pitbulls are surprisingly quiet and well behaved, contrary to media hype. I previously posted pics of him here --> http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=341072

Thanks for the info, that sounds wise. I'm thinking that maybe I'll wait until winter break. Then I'll have at least one month while it's really young to focus on it and I'll be into a study groove.

A pitbull isn't for me though...

1. I got chased down by one and made it into my grandparents' front door before it got me.

2. One of my friends got bit in the face by one. She was just walking past a pickup truck in a parking lot with one in it and it snapped out and got her.

3. My roommates dog was killed by a pitbull. It was horrible. They were just playing in their front yard and someone was walking a pitbull on a flexileash. The pit ran for the dog and bit it's neck out. Blood poured all over my friend's 12 year old brother while he watched his dog get massacred. It died soon after.

4. They're illegal to buy in NJ and illegal to own in a lot of towns. I don't want to rule out places to live because of my dog, and I don't want to break the law.

5. Also, I want a non-sheeder and a "hypo-allergenic" dog.

Thank you so much for the suggestions though! I'm sure your dog is great, I've just had bad experiences 🙁 I've worked with people who have them and they all love their dogs. I hear they're very protective of women and children, at that they're kind of bred for that in dangerous neighborhoods.

Edit: I just looked at pictures of your dog and he's a cutie!

 

[pineapple]

See, dogs = TID, Cats = PRN, fish = oh, **** I forgot to change the water in five months...


hahaha, sorry.

I'm lucky I live on the beach basically, so I can just go scoop out a few gallons of water when I need to change my fish water. Though I haven't done that in a month...poor fish.

 

[Jamers]

Anyone have a snake? I figured those would be relatively easy to take care of; only eat once a week and all that. I guess they wouldn't be something you could cuddle with unless you are an odd bug.

 

[pineapple]

Anyone have a snake? I figured those would be relatively easy to take care of; only eat once a week and all that. I guess they wouldn't be something you could cuddle with unless you are an odd bug.

My boyfriend would kill me, he's scared of them. I think they're cool. I had two box turtles since high school but they recently died over the winter.

I've given up on any animal that needs live food. It's a hassle to go out and buy live food all the time, especially if it's bugs that you have to keep in your house...

 

[Jamers]

My boyfriend would kill me, he's scared of them. I think they're cool. I had two box turtles since high school but they recently died over the winter.

I've given up on any animal that needs live food. It's a hassle to go out and buy live food all the time, especially if it's bugs that you have to keep in your house...

come on, you know you want to accidently release a box of 500 crickets into you living room.

 

[pineapple]

come on, you know you want to accidently release a box of 500 crickets into you living room.

Hrm. Sounds like the sequel to Snakes on a Plane.

Crickets in a Living Room.

"Get these mother ****ing crickets out of my mother ****ing livingroom!"

We had a ladybug infestation in our attic one year. Disgusting. Ladybugs are cute, not where there are a hundred dead ones crunching under your shoes. *skeeved out*

 

[Jamers]

Hrm. Sounds like the sequel to Snakes on a Plane.

Crickets in a Living Room.

"Get these mother ****ing crickets out of my mother ****ing livingroom!"

We had a ladybug infestation in our attic one year. Disgusting. Ladybugs are cute, not where there are a hundred dead ones crunching under your shoes. *skeeved out*

I've always wondered how well that type of prank would go over. See you buy one of those 500ct boxes of crickets and then wrap them up and give them to someone saying it is what they always wanted. Eager, they rip the box open and....

 

[PlasticMan]

Thanks for the info, that sounds wise. I'm thinking that maybe I'll wait until winter break. Then I'll have at least one month while it's really young to focus on it and I'll be into a study groove.

A pitbull isn't for me though...

1. I got chased down by one and made it into my grandparents' front door before it got me.

2. One of my friends got bit in the face by one. She was just walking past a pickup truck in a parking lot with one in it and it snapped out and got her.

3. My roommates dog was killed by a pitbull. It was horrible. They were just playing in their front yard and someone was walking a pitbull on a flexileash. The pit ran for the dog and bit it's neck out. Blood poured all over my friend's 12 year old brother while he watched his dog get massacred. It died soon after.

4. They're illegal to buy in NJ and illegal to own in a lot of towns. I don't want to rule out places to live because of my dog, and I don't want to break the law.

5. Also, I want a non-sheeder and a "hypo-allergenic" dog.

Thank you so much for the suggestions though! I'm sure your dog is great, I've just had bad experiences 🙁 I've worked with people who have them and they all love their dogs. I hear they're very protective of women and children, at that they're kind of bred for that in dangerous neighborhoods.

Edit: I just looked at pictures of your dog and he's a cutie!

Are you sure these were true American Pitbull Terriers? There are over 25 types of dog that are commonly mistaken for a "pitbull" type of dog illustrated by this site - http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

Pitbulls get a bad rap. If you look into the history of their breeding, they were never breed for human aggression, only for dog aggression. As for your friend's dog being attacked by one, that is the one thing you have to watch for with them; they may naturally be aggressive towards small animals / other dogs, which is why it is important to socialize them around other dogs at a young age. Good luck with whatever dog you choose. Try not to use hitting to discipline them; dogs learn by example. Instead, use verbal punishment; I flip mine over and hold his neck and yell at him (without hurting him of course).

 

[PlasticMan]

Thanks for the info, that sounds wise. I'm thinking that maybe I'll wait until winter break. Then I'll have at least one month while it's really young to focus on it and I'll be into a study groove.

A pitbull isn't for me though...

1. I got chased down by one and made it into my grandparents' front door before it got me.

2. One of my friends got bit in the face by one. She was just walking past a pickup truck in a parking lot with one in it and it snapped out and got her.

3. My roommates dog was killed by a pitbull. It was horrible. They were just playing in their front yard and someone was walking a pitbull on a flexileash. The pit ran for the dog and bit it's neck out. Blood poured all over my friend's 12 year old brother while he watched his dog get massacred. It died soon after.

4. They're illegal to buy in NJ and illegal to own in a lot of towns. I don't want to rule out places to live because of my dog, and I don't want to break the law.

5. Also, I want a non-sheeder and a "hypo-allergenic" dog.

Thank you so much for the suggestions though! I'm sure your dog is great, I've just had bad experiences 🙁 I've worked with people who have them and they all love their dogs. I hear they're very protective of women and children, at that they're kind of bred for that in dangerous neighborhoods.

Edit: I just looked at pictures of your dog and he's a cutie!

Are you sure they're illegal in jersey? I'm from jersey, and I never heard anything about this. I know they were trying to pass a bill, but did it pass? Like I would notify anyone that I had a dog in my house 🙄 I have my pitbull now and didn't even know I was suppossed to notify anybody! LOL.

 

[pineapple]

Are you sure these were true American Pitbull Terriers? There are over 25 types of dog that are commonly mistaken for a "pitbull" type of dog illustrated by this site - http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html

Pitbulls get a bad rap. If you look into the history of their breeding, they were never breed for human aggression, only for dog aggression. As for your friend's dog being attacked by one, that is the one thing you have to watch for with them; they may naturally be aggressive towards small animals / other dogs, which is why it is important to socialize them around other dogs at a young age. Good luck with whatever dog you choose. Try not to use hitting to discipline them; dogs learn by example. Instead, use verbal punishment; I flip mine over and hold his neck and yell at him (without hurting him of course).

I would never ever ever hit an animal.

Yeah, they're illegal to sell/buy in NJ. I used to sell dogs for work. Unless the law has changed in the last 2 years.

 

[snowkhat]

Yeah, for a first pet try a cat or something a low maintenance.

I am nuts, however, and am going into school with three cats and two dogs (and a husband!).

Kitties (aka destroyers of all that is upholstered).

Husband and Puppies

 

[PlasticMan]

I would never ever ever hit an animal.

Yeah, they're illegal to sell/buy in NJ. I used to sell dogs for work. Unless the law has changed in the last 2 years.

I didn't know this. If you search online, you can find a bunch of breeders offering pitts in NJ.

 

[pineapple]

I didn't know this. If you search online, you can find a bunch of breeders offering pitts in NJ.

You're right, they must have changed the law in the past year. It was there before to stop the people from throwing pits into abandoned buildings and letting them breed to fight. Every county has pit bull fighting. When I was working at the pet store if we even told the name of a pit breeder to a customer the store could be shut down, it was really serious. People would come in and pretend to be customers and ask, to make sure. But the guy who worked with me had 2 pit bulls (one of whom bit his girlfriend in the leg and he kept it...idiot).

 

[DD214_DOC]

My wife and I had a great dane before moving for school. I had already grown attached to him and trained him pretty well. When we were looking, only one apartment would allow such a large animal and they were fully occupied, and houses were out of the question at the time. We ended up giving him away.

Eventually we got into the previously-full apartment complex a few weeks after getting rid of the dog. We came with a cat, and after two months of school got a beautiful blue great dane. I learned very quickly that the puppy stage is not a good stage to go through while in school. Had we gotten an older dane then it probably would have worked out, but we ended up having to part with the pup. Unfortunately my wife's work wouldn't give her puppy maternity leave.

Having said that, unless you can get an older pup (say 6 months or so) I would just get a cat. Cats are just kind of, "there". When I feel like spending time with an animal, I track him down and pet him. When I need to focus and study, I forget he's around; very rarely will he come whining for attention.

Eventually I want to get another great dane (or two) because they are awesome dogs, but the time needs to be right. Until then, I'm stuck with a cat.

 

[mitawa]

I thought about bringing my ultra spoiled pomeranian, then I thought with all the stress I'd be under he probably wouldn't get the attention he craves and he'd end up taking it out on me, like so.....
http://youtube.com/watch?v=tFlyx0hzQVw&mode=related&search=

So he's with family right now, and they call me every week to tell me what a terror he is! 😀