RANT HERE thread

Veterinary Science Graduate Programs from U. of I.
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I'm not a big Halloween person and I haven't dressed up in at least 6 years. The VM2s are having a party and invited all the VM1s. I wasn't planning on going but the guy I'm hanging out with for lack of a better term wants to go and really wants me to go. So I came up with a costume and put actual effort into it. Today when I told one of my classmates my costume she spent a solid 5 minutes mocking it. This girl is always mean to me and I don't get it. I've never done anything to her. Now I'm really bummed and I'm over the party.
 
My chest hurts.... I guess 5 weeks of non-stop coughing will do that. Going for chest x-ray tomorrow, hopefully it shows something and if not, hopefully the antibiotics that I got today help.
 
My headaches seem to be getting out of control again. Getting 1-2 migranes a month, now, and daily headaches. I am taking at least 2 excedrins a day to keep it under control, sometimes more if I can't get them to go away. I have a prescription migrane medicine, but I only take it if it gets really bad. I've already been to a neurologist once, but I think I need to go back. I can't keep popping this many aspirin.
 
hedgiehog said:
I'm not a big Halloween person and I haven't dressed up in at least 6 years. The VM2s are having a party and invited all the VM1s. I wasn't planning on going but the guy I'm hanging out with for lack of a better term wants to go and really wants me to go. So I came up with a costume and put actual effort into it. Today when I told one of my classmates my costume she spent a solid 5 minutes mocking it. This girl is always mean to me and I don't get it. I've never done anything to her. Now I'm really bummed and I'm over the party.
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Don't know how to reply to this privately but in my opinion the costume must be great and the guy great too. Jealousy
 
twelvetigers said:
Hedgie, tell is about the costume. I bet it's cool and that girl is just being a see you next Tuesday because she gets a kick out of bringing people down.
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It's pretty dorky but I was planning on going as a feral cat. I cut the tip off the right ear on a pair of cat ears and I made a little sign that says caution will bolt. Most of my classmates know I have a shelter background and have an eartipped cat so they think it's a cute idea. I mean it might not be the best but it's more original than her costume. I'm just tired of her being a jerk to me.
 
hedgiehog said:
It's pretty dorky but I was planning on going as a feral cat. I cut the tip off the right ear on a pair of cat ears and I made a little sign that says caution will bolt. Most of my classmates know I have a shelter background and have an eartipped cat so they think it's a cute idea. I mean it might not be the best but it's more original than her costume. I'm just tired of her being a jerk to me.
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Um that is adorable. Screw her.
 
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hedgiehog said:
It's pretty dorky but I was planning on going as a feral cat. I cut the tip off the right ear on a pair of cat ears and I made a little sign that says caution will bolt. Most of my classmates know I have a shelter background and have an eartipped cat so they think it's a cute idea. I mean it might not be the best but it's more original than her costume. I'm just tired of her being a jerk to me.
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she made fun of that?? thats so creative and clever!!
 
hedgiehog said:
It's pretty dorky but I was planning on going as a feral cat. I cut the tip off the right ear on a pair of cat ears and I made a little sign that says caution will bolt. Most of my classmates know I have a shelter background and have an eartipped cat so they think it's a cute idea. I mean it might not be the best but it's more original than her costume. I'm just tired of her being a jerk to me.
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For our vet school parties people tend to go as parasites or diseased organs so I think that would fit right in as "appropriate vet student costume." Go hang out with your boy!

(Side note, around here we tip the left ear... I wonder if that is a regional thing?)
 
bunnity said:
For our vet school parties people tend to go as parasites or diseased organs so I think that would fit right in as "appropriate vet student costume." Go hang out with your boy!

(Side note, around here we tip the left ear... I wonder if that is a regional thing?)
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Here males are left and girls are right is what I was taught. My male is from PA and he's left ear tipped.

Thanks for the encouragement guys. It's been a rough few days and it's hard not to let her get to me.
 
hedgiehog said:
It's pretty dorky but I was planning on going as a feral cat. I cut the tip off the right ear on a pair of cat ears and I made a little sign that says caution will bolt. Most of my classmates know I have a shelter background and have an eartipped cat so they think it's a cute idea. I mean it might not be the best but it's more original than her costume. I'm just tired of her being a jerk to me.
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That costume is adorable and your classmate is a serious b*tch. You should get drunk at the party and "accidentally" spill a drink on her, or get a friend to do it so it won't seems obvious.
 
hedgiehog said:
It's pretty dorky but I was planning on going as a feral cat. I cut the tip off the right ear on a pair of cat ears and I made a little sign that says caution will bolt. Most of my classmates know I have a shelter background and have an eartipped cat so they think it's a cute idea. I mean it might not be the best but it's more original than her costume. I'm just tired of her being a jerk to me.
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Someone in the class of 2014 went as 'Beaver Fever' (Giardia) one year - dressed up like a beaver with a fever.

I think it sounds like a great costume, and reiterate the 'see you next Tuesday' accusation. Some people just have to be snotbags. Who knows.
 
hedgiehog said:
It's pretty dorky but I was planning on going as a feral cat. I cut the tip off the right ear on a pair of cat ears and I made a little sign that says caution will bolt. Most of my classmates know I have a shelter background and have an eartipped cat so they think it's a cute idea. I mean it might not be the best but it's more original than her costume. I'm just tired of her being a jerk to me.
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Don't let one crappy person stop you from enjoying yourself. I mean, if you can do a silly costume on Oct 31st what is the point. Sounds like you put a lot of thought into it. Props to you! Go and have a good time. That is the best response you can make.
 
Just found a mouse in our house...

Not super grossed out since we had them in college, but it's frustrating, since we have a ton of pets and pet food everywhere. Did give me an a reason to say to the roomies that we need to be cleaner though. Feel like I've been doing more of the cleaning/dishes/trash than I should be lately.
 
Sigh, SO FRUSTRATED with the job hunting. Still zero shortlists/interviews so.... yeah, not going well. Also, just discovered that the CD drive and one of the USB ports aren't working on my laptop, which I just got back from having it's hard drive replaced. They were both definitely working before, wondering what the hell the repair company did, especially considering how much I paid for them to do it!
 
So, just discovered that Davis changed their admissions criteria when looking at GPAs from "required science GPA" to "overall science GPA"... pretty much took the wind out of my sails and now I'm really doubting myself. I think it is a little weird that they changed the admissions criteria part way into the application cycle. I imagine that some people may have chosen not to apply there if this was the case originally. Gotta keep thinking positive...
 
Rave: I'm finally getting me teeth straightened (again) with Invisalign.... and I'm totally going to wear my retainers this time

Rant: I'm paying A LOT of money for it
 
Dear roommate:

I am NOT your mother (thank goodness!!!) and thus I will not be cleaning up after you (in case you haven't figured this out in the last year). I expect you to wash your dishes, and i particularly expect that when you invite people over for dinner and use every pot we have, that you will wash those dishes so that I too can use them to eat. Get to work! I have much more going on in my life than you do and i make time to keep things in order, and my schedule is just as exhausting this week as yours is.

-Hungry, Annoyed, and Stubborn
 
jmo1012 said:
Dear roommate:

I am NOT your mother (thank goodness!!!) and thus I will not be cleaning up after you (in case you haven't figured this out in the last year). I expect you to wash your dishes, and i particularly expect that when you invite people over for dinner and use every pot we have, that you will wash those dishes so that I too can use them to eat. Get to work! I have much more going on in my life than you do and i make time to keep things in order, and my schedule is just as exhausting this week as yours is.

-Hungry, Annoyed, and Stubborn
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Wow...this sounds like my life. I definitely feel you and I know how annoying this can be.
 
So. My husband and I adopted a dog on Sunday. It's the first dog either of us have had as an adult. She's a young adult pittie mix, and really great. Sweet, calm, nice to the kitties. But she is not housebroken at all, and not at all crate trained. She has had multiple accidents in the house. We didn't have the chance to slowly introduce her to the crate because of the kitties, and she's in it all night and for 8-9 hours during the day and screams like she's being murdered. She also soils the crate every night and every day (our water bill is going to be outrageous). We looked into a dog walker for midday during the week, and it'll cost us $240/month 😱. I love her, but it's so much work and so overwhelming and I'm sooooo tired and stressed. I think my husband is on the verge of saying we take her back for these reasons and others, and I see his points but I'm emotionally attached. And she deserves a loving home. 🙁 Plus we'll look like total @ssholes if we take her back. It's just all so much and the stress is eating away at me.
 
jjohnston said:
So. My husband and I adopted a dog on Sunday. It's the first dog either of us have had as an adult. She's a young adult pittie mix, and really great. Sweet, calm, nice to the kitties. But she is not housebroken at all, and not at all crate trained. She has had multiple accidents in the house. We didn't have the chance to slowly introduce her to the crate because of the kitties, and she's in it all night and for 8-9 hours during the day and screams like she's being murdered. She also soils the crate every night and every day (our water bill is going to be outrageous). We looked into a dog walker for midday during the week, and it'll cost us $240/month 😱. I love her, but it's so much work and so overwhelming and I'm sooooo tired and stressed. I think my husband is on the verge of saying we take her back for these reasons and others, and I see his points but I'm emotionally attached. And she deserves a loving home. 🙁 Plus we'll look like total @ssholes if we take her back. It's just all so much and the stress is eating away at me.
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Do you live near the school? I'd be willing to walk her during lunch if you do.

And crate training is a challenge. My dog was semi trained when I adopted him, but I just started feeding him in there every day and he loves it now. He doesn't go in it randomly, but when I come home he sprints in his crate to tell me it's dinner time. He also would get any sort of special treats in there (Greenies, etc) to make it extra special. Also, youtube Kikopup. She has some excellent clicker training videos and one is specifically for crate training. It might help speed up the process. I'd also clicker+treat any time she potties outside to help speed that up too.

She really is a sweet girl, so I hope you guys can hang in there!
 
I seem to have lost my ring...

It isn't super expensive or fancy or anything, but it has sentimental value and it makes me sad. 🙁

Hoping I just left it somewhere.
 
orca2011 said:
Do you live near the school? I'd be willing to walk her during lunch if you do.

And crate training is a challenge. My dog was semi trained when I adopted him, but I just started feeding him in there every day and he loves it now. He doesn't go in it randomly, but when I come home he sprints in his crate to tell me it's dinner time. He also would get any sort of special treats in there (Greenies, etc) to make it extra special. Also, youtube Kikopup. She has some excellent clicker training videos and one is specifically for crate training. It might help speed up the process. I'd also clicker+treat any time she potties outside to help speed that up too.

She really is a sweet girl, so I hope you guys can hang in there!
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Thank you so much for the kind offer, but no, I live in the burbs. I think my husband's biggest issue is the economics of dog ownership. It's expensive, we have 5 cats already, and we definitely do not have a surplus of money. Oh yeah, and his stupid hotel closes for THREE WEEKS over the holidays... which means he doesn't get paid :-/
 
jjohnston said:
So. My husband and I adopted a dog on Sunday. It's the first dog either of us have had as an adult. She's a young adult pittie mix, and really great. Sweet, calm, nice to the kitties. But she is not housebroken at all, and not at all crate trained. She has had multiple accidents in the house. We didn't have the chance to slowly introduce her to the crate because of the kitties, and she's in it all night and for 8-9 hours during the day and screams like she's being murdered. She also soils the crate every night and every day (our water bill is going to be outrageous). We looked into a dog walker for midday during the week, and it'll cost us $240/month 😱. I love her, but it's so much work and so overwhelming and I'm sooooo tired and stressed. I think my husband is on the verge of saying we take her back for these reasons and others, and I see his points but I'm emotionally attached. And she deserves a loving home. 🙁 Plus we'll look like total @ssholes if we take her back. It's just all so much and the stress is eating away at me.
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Congrats on the dog! Sounds like she probably just needs time to adjust to your house and yes being thrown into a crate right away without really understanding its purpose - she probably will soil it. You adopted her from the shelter right?

Is there a reason why she is crated at night? It is a lot for a dog to be crated 8-9 hours a day and then at night as well. Is there any way you can leave her out at night? Maybe babygate her in a bathroom or x-pen her in a corner of your room, so that she can be near you. Pit Bulls are very social breeds and really just want to be near you. She is probably feeling very alone. The problem with your situation right now is that she is not going to become housebroken if she is not gotten onto a regular schedule and taken out multiple times a day to learn where she is supposed to go to the bathroom. Could you perhaps hire a college student or high school senior to walk her midday for a reduced price? Perhaps ask local rescues for references?

If you would like information for a pit bull email list I can PM it to you - it is really great and then members can help come up with other ideas to help you train her, so you can keep her!
 
devyn said:
Congrats on the dog! Sounds like she probably just needs time to adjust to your house and yes being thrown into a crate right away without really understanding its purpose - she probably will soil it. You adopted her from the shelter right?

Is there a reason why she is crated at night? It is a lot for a dog to be crated 8-9 hours a day and then at night as well. Is there any way you can leave her out at night? Maybe babygate her in a bathroom or x-pen her in a corner of your room, so that she can be near you. Pit Bulls are very social breeds and really just want to be near you. She is probably feeling very alone. The problem with your situation right now is that she is not going to become housebroken if she is not gotten onto a regular schedule and taken out multiple times a day to learn where she is supposed to go to the bathroom. Could you perhaps hire a college student or high school senior to walk her midday for a reduced price? Perhaps ask local rescues for references?

If you would like information for a pit bull email list I can PM it to you - it is really great and then members can help come up with other ideas to help you train her, so you can keep her!
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Yeah, we adopted her from the local SPCA. The reason she's crated at night is because I have 5 kitties, and it's going to be awhile before I can trust her with them unsupervised. She's been great with them so far, but I just don't know her well enough and she could easily kill a kitty. But yes, the fact that she's crated so much is another reason my husband is leaning toward taking her back, especially since we can't really afford a dog walker. And yeah, I realized that's something we should've realized and thought about before adopting her.

Ugh, this is all making me feel like I'm a terrible doggy mom. I guess my intentions were good, but my home is not well suited for a dog right now.
 
I need some opinions. There's a young pit mix down the street from me that the people got as a puppy over the summer. It's pretty much been living outside, but has shelter and is obviously getting fed since he's a good weight. I noticed a week or so ago that he had a few bald patches on his back, but they looked super square so I thought maybe he had something going on and had a few shaved patches. Today I drove by and noticed that he was super pink under his chin/on his chest and couldn't tell if it was blood or not. So I got out of my car to look. The dog is super mangy. He's got bald patches all over and is scratching himself until he's bleeding. His skin is getting all thick and crusty and gross. He seems really sweet but pretty nervous.

I don't know if I should call animal control or not. Likelihood is he'd just end up being put down at the humane society if they confiscated him. Also a little nervous to call because one of the neighbor's saw me get out of my car and call the dog over and my car is really identifiable. So, thoughts? Should I call animal control and risk him getting put down? Right now he's probably better off at his current home than dead, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to say that for long.
 
Well, update on my own pittie mix. When my husband got home, she was on the couch. She bent and destroyed the metal crate to the point that she could escape and it's now useless (doesn't latch). She then used the house as her toilet. Thank GOD all the cats are fine, but her training demands are more than we have time for right now.

I'm getting drunk tonight.
 
wildcatj said:
I need some opinions. There's a young pit mix down the street from me that the people got as a puppy over the summer. It's pretty much been living outside, but has shelter and is obviously getting fed since he's a good weight. I noticed a week or so ago that he had a few bald patches on his back, but they looked super square so I thought maybe he had something going on and had a few shaved patches. Today I drove by and noticed that he was super pink under his chin/on his chest and couldn't tell if it was blood or not. So I got out of my car to look. The dog is super mangy. He's got bald patches all over and is scratching himself until he's bleeding. His skin is getting all thick and crusty and gross. He seems really sweet but pretty nervous.

I don't know if I should call animal control or not. Likelihood is he'd just end up being put down at the humane society if they confiscated him. Also a little nervous to call because one of the neighbor's saw me get out of my car and call the dog over and my car is really identifiable. So, thoughts? Should I call animal control and risk him getting put down? Right now he's probably better off at his current home than dead, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to say that for long.
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Are they reasonable enough people that you could respectfully suggest taking him to a vet? Maybe they are just clueless. Tell them that you just noticed and recognized the symptoms of mange, and let them know that you don't want to see the dog in pain or have it spread to other people/pets if that's really what it is. Maybe even let them know that pits are especially susceptible to mange due to their crummy immune systems. I think that people tend to be more receptive to criticism if you show knowledge on the subject as well as respect. Just an idea. Good luck!
 
Well, update on my own pittie mix. When my husband got home, she was on the couch. She bent and destroyed the metal crate to the point that she could escape and it's now useless (doesn't latch). She then used the house as her toilet. Thank GOD all the cats are fine, but her training demands are more than we have time for right now.

I'm getting drunk tonight.
 
jjohnston said:
Well, update on my own pittie mix. When my husband got home, she was on the couch. She bent and destroyed the metal crate to the point that she could escape and it's now useless (doesn't latch). She then used the house as her toilet. Thank GOD all the cats are fine, but her training demands are more than we have time for right now.

I'm getting drunk tonight.
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can you use a small room as her "crate" and work on separation anxiety training? Dogs are a lot of work, especially with behavior problems
 
Jjohnston - With every new foster I go through this "oh my god what have I done" phase, I think it is a really normal thing and usually resolves as we both adjust. I know it can seem unbearable to have the dog in your home for even a minute longer but, because the shelter system here is really, really overcrowded and returned animals are always at higher risk for euthanasia, I want to encourage you to reach out to some of the awesome resources around here. Dr. Siracusa and Dr. Wilhelmy both are behaviorists at the vet school and are super nice, super approachable and are very willing to talk to vet students and staff. They can go over management, training, and medication with you. If you adopted from any of the major shelters in Philadephia, they all have excellent behavior support and are very used to this type of adjustment period. If you need more specific resources or advice from an individual trainer let me know, I know a lot of these people/groups personally having volunteered at all 3 of the shelters and taken the elective behavior rotation. Hang in there 🙂

For the mangy dog - if you're comfortable talking in person with your neighbors and maybe giving them the business card of an affordable vet, that is probably the best solution. If you're not (and I get that, I have a lot of neighbors I'm not comfortable talking to about that kind of thing), is there a humane law enforcement in your area that could do an at-home check? Most HLE groups really want to keep the animal in the home and will start with education and helping with access to vet care, and would only take away the animal if there is true cruelty or willful neglect going on.
 
This thread is making me anxious...we're getting a 8 wk old puppy next week (from a rescue for the record, not a breeder). I'm having mini panics about it due to the time, work and destruction potential. But...we're doing it to socialize our poorly dog socialized/ fearful/dog aggressive current dog (also from a shelter, got him as an adult). We're afraid if we wait much longer, he's just going to be too far along in his only dog life for us ever to get another one, and there are so many dogs/puppies that need a good home. There just never seems to be a "good time" to do this, so we're taking the plunge now. Anyways, jjohnson I'm afraid your posts are my future life. My sympathies.
 
wildcatj said:
I need some opinions. There's a young pit mix down the street from me that the people got as a puppy over the summer. It's pretty much been living outside, but has shelter and is obviously getting fed since he's a good weight. I noticed a week or so ago that he had a few bald patches on his back, but they looked super square so I thought maybe he had something going on and had a few shaved patches. Today I drove by and noticed that he was super pink under his chin/on his chest and couldn't tell if it was blood or not. So I got out of my car to look. The dog is super mangy. He's got bald patches all over and is scratching himself until he's bleeding. His skin is getting all thick and crusty and gross. He seems really sweet but pretty nervous.

I don't know if I should call animal control or not. Likelihood is he'd just end up being put down at the humane society if they confiscated him. Also a little nervous to call because one of the neighbor's saw me get out of my car and call the dog over and my car is really identifiable. So, thoughts? Should I call animal control and risk him getting put down? Right now he's probably better off at his current home than dead, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to say that for long.
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I wouldn't call because you don't know the whole story. They may have already sought vet care and are treating the dog. I would politely mention that you noticed their dog had the symptoms of mange and maybe recommend a good vet.
 
Jjohnston - sorry, I thought of one more thing. I have seen vet residents' dogs being boarded at VHUP quite a lot; I think there is some kind of deal for you guys on boarding. Maybe check into boarding or even bringing your dog to work while you get some crate training on board?
 
We can't lock her in a room, because it's a rental property and she would almost certainly destroy the door to get out. She has severe anxiety when alone. I'm honestly amazed at the damage to the metal crate.

Also, she's from the Delco SPCA, which is a no kill facility with an extensive foster network. She won't be euthanized.
 
If you know, absolutely, that you are not in a place to take care of a dog that needs special care, you have my personal permission to take her somewhere safe (in this case, the shelter you got her) and move on. Learn from it, maybe feel bad about it, but man, if it's too much, it's too much. Trying to keep her out of guilt isn't the answer here.
 
Lissarae06 said:
Our interns/residents have designated runs in our wards to keep their animals if they need to. Could you do anything like that?
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I'm not sure, because I don't actually work in the vet hospital. I'm in the lab animal department, which is totally separate.

Thank you, TT. I feel absolutely awful, and it's heart wrenching, but even if I found somewhere to take her tomorrow for the day, she still needs the kind of training that we can't provide with our work schedules. Besides, it doesn't matter because my husband thinks it's too much for us and it has to be a mutual decision to keep her. The destroyed crate and uncertain safety of our cats was the last straw for him.
 
CanHardlyWait said:
This thread is making me anxious...we're getting a 8 wk old puppy next week (from a rescue for the record, not a breeder). I'm having mini panics about it due to the time, work and destruction potential. But...we're doing it to socialize our poorly dog socialized/ fearful/dog aggressive current dog (also from a shelter, got him as an adult). We're afraid if we wait much longer, he's just going to be too far along in his only dog life for us ever to get another one, and there are so many dogs/puppies that need a good home. There just never seems to be a "good time" to do this, so we're taking the plunge now. Anyways, jjohnson I'm afraid your posts are my future life. My sympathies.
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I think with a puppy, as long as you have time to train him/her, you'll be fine. A puppy won't come with severe crate and separation anxiety. Also, a puppy won't be able to destroy a metal crate!

Good luck with your new addition, I'm sure it'll be great.
 
jj, I hate to be devil's advocate here, but it sounds like it's just too much for you guys to handle at this point in your life. Is it really worth you and your husband's sanity? :\ I'm sure she's a wonderful dog, and sure, new dogs deserve a chance, but it doesn't sound like there's a workable (or affordable!) option for you right now. I think we in vet med want to do our utmost to save everything, but you are not at all a failure or a terrible person if you take her back.
 
jjohnston said:
I'm not sure, because I don't actually work in the vet hospital. I'm in the lab animal department, which is totally separate.

Thank you, TT. I feel absolutely awful, and it's heart wrenching, but even if I found somewhere to take her tomorrow for the day, she still needs the kind of training that we can't provide with our work schedules. Besides, it doesn't matter because my husband thinks it's too much for us and it has to be a mutual decision to keep her. The destroyed crate and uncertain safety of our cats was the last straw for him.
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JJ this is nothing to feel bad about. You guys tried your hardest - your needs and the dogs needs just aren't matched at this time - the dog sounds like she needs someone home more and its ok to admit you can't provide everything a certain animal needs. Its hard to admit that, but it doesn't make you a terrible person.

I am going through a bit of this at the moment - I adopted an ex racing greyhound 2 weeks ago. It has been an absolute rollercoaster - I like you was concerned about my cat, she's destroyed so many things, gets into the bin, isn't housebroken, etc etc. Its been a trying time and I'm glad I've done it while deferred at vet school. Couldn't imagine doing this while doing school full time!

On a different note, is there any chance you could tie her up to something instead of crating her? It sounds terrible but on a relatively long leash maybe she will feel better about not being crated, and your cats should still be able to get away in an emergency.
 
injured my shoulder and now I'm out for the rest of the fall season… I'm really sad.. 🙁🙁
I know this gives me more time to focus on school, but I've never missed a tournament before.. and I feel like I've let my team down...this is gonna suck.
 
When I was moving to BR for school, I had been going to bring my sister’s dog with me. That is, until my (first) roommate seemed really unsure about having a second dog in the house. So, fine, the dog stays with my parents.

Then my second roommate is looking at dogs on petfinder, and the two of them bond over looking at dogs. Second roommate is now fostering a dog from the shelter and most likely going to adopt her. Said dog also growls at me every time I go downstairs. So apparently the no more dogs rule applies only to me.

Now, first roommate has been showing me pictures of her surgery dog and dogs from the shelter, so when I get home I go to show her a picture of the kitten I really wanted to bring home that a clinician had brought to our class. “Kitten?” she asks as soon as I tell her that. So apparently I’m not allowed to get a pet—and I’m the only one in the apartment who isn’t. 😡
 
jjohnston said:
I think with a puppy, as long as you have time to train him/her, you'll be fine. A puppy won't come with severe crate and separation anxiety. Also, a puppy won't be able to destroy a metal crate!

Good luck with your new addition, I'm sure it'll be great.
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Thanks-fingers crossed!

I want to second the sentiments on here about returning your new dog if she isn't a good fit for you. I do adoptions for a rescue and we have trial periods post adoptions for just this reason. Not every dog works with every household or lifestyle. It is better to be honest about that and give you both (you and the dog) a chance at something that will work better.
Just a thought-have you considered adopting a old dog? There unfortunately are always a few 8+ years dogs in shelters who need a new home for a variety of reasons, and many people are hesitant to adopt them. Old dogs need less activity, are often content to sleep/lay on the couch all day and may be pretty used to cats (depending on the home they came from). They do come with the likelihood of greater needs for medical bills sooner, and sooner eventual death but as a vet you are better prepared than most to handle both.
 
My uncle sent me a rather large check at the beginning of the school year to help with my living expenses, and I sent a thank you card in return. Apparently he never got it. A family friend told my mom that he's been grumbling about how ungrateful I am. He's very prone to anger and grudge holding when he feels he's been personally slighted. Now I need to make a very awkward phone call to try and smooth things over without implicating the family friend, and I have absolutely no idea what to say. 🙁
 
BlackDog17 said:
My uncle sent me a rather large check at the beginning of the school year to help with my living expenses, and I sent a thank you card in return. Apparently he never got it. A family friend told my mom that he's been grumbling about how ungrateful I am. He's very prone to anger and grudge holding when he feels he's been personally slighted. Now I need to make a very awkward phone call to try and smooth things over without implicating the family friend, and I have absolutely no idea what to say. 🙁
Click to expand...

Blame it on the mail here. It takes almost a month for me to get stuff that was sent from the US and I've sent things back that weren't received. I also still have half a bird cage that was sent to me after the full bird cage that I ordered..not sure what happened to the other half but no one seems to want it and I don't know what to do with it!
 
jjohnston said:
I'm not sure, because I don't actually work in the vet hospital. I'm in the lab animal department, which is totally separate.

Thank you, TT. I feel absolutely awful, and it's heart wrenching, but even if I found somewhere to take her tomorrow for the day, she still needs the kind of training that we can't provide with our work schedules. Besides, it doesn't matter because my husband thinks it's too much for us and it has to be a mutual decision to keep her. The destroyed crate and uncertain safety of our cats was the last straw for him.
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I'm sorry if I added any guilt to you... as someone who has worked in the shelter system I know that pet support resources are not always easy to locate in this city so I try to point them out where I can, but I hope my post didn't make you feel worse (def wasn't intended to!). I have had fosters for one reason or another totally not-work-out (one had sep anxiety and barked constantly for hours if I left the room/house... sep anxiety sucks), and I agree that your kitties have to come first. Glad to hear she is from Delco SPCA, that definitely makes things easier.
 
TooLove said:
Blame it on the mail here. It takes almost a month for me to get stuff that was sent from the US and I've sent things back that weren't received. I also still have half a bird cage that was sent to me after the full bird cage that I ordered..not sure what happened to the other half but no one seems to want it and I don't know what to do with it!
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think that's what happened. Canadian Post is notoriously awful. I just hope he understands.

Maybe you can sell the half cage on eBay? There may be some other poor bird owner out there who only got the opposite half!
 
JJ, I also want to point out that now the shelter has an even better idea of what the best living situation would be for her. Since, it's very unlikely she is going to get euthanized at this shelter, now they have more information for the next potential adopter. And, the pup got out of the shelter for a few days, which is always a plus! o now they'll know that she is 1) pretty much awesome with cats, and 2) has separation anxiety (which usually doesn't present itself until out of the shelter environment). The match has to be a good fit for both you and the dog. If not, you'll end up resenting the furniture being destroyed, and the extra expense you need to spend for a dog walker. Definitely not a shameful thing to do to bring her back with more information that will allow her to succeed in her next home.
 
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