Doggies and Kitties and "Pet" Peeves

[kis123]

Agonize would be the tip of my iceburg.

Even after making the decision I still haven't acted on it because of all the "what if" questions floating around in my head. So I endure the damage and hope for the best, but I know deep down inside that eventually I will have to do it and believe that the surgery will prevail.

I even debated with myself to even bring the issue to this thread because I knew someone would be out there to judge me on it. People can't help themselves sometimes but I know where my heart is on the matter and won't be belittled for my decisions. At the end of the day it was better to take him and offer him life as opposed to a shelter where I can almost guarantee he'd be euthanized or returned after adoption because of behavioral issues. I think I did the right thing and although we're not exactly bonded buddies I feel he deserves life over death.

When I eventually get the procedure done I'll let you know (in private) how things went for him. I've owned enough declawed cats to know that they can live happy lives without front claws. Buttons previous owner declawed him on all four paws then still gave him away. I never did understand why someone would do that to him, but my daughter picked him to live with us for that exact reason because she was horribly afraid of cats back then. I ended up with him 16 years and they were pretty darned good ones.

 

[tickledorange]

I have a dog who is fine except every once in a while, like as little as once or twice a month, he will sit and stare and cry at me like he is in pain for no reason. I checked his outside, and he has no cuts and his bones don't seem to bother him. He is only 3 and weighs 15 lbs.

 

[desdemona]

I have a dog who is fine except every once in a while, like as little as once or twice a month, he will sit and stare and cry at me like he is in pain for no reason. I checked his outside, and he has no cuts and his bones don't seem to bother him. He is only 3 and weighs 15 lbs.

Have you discussed this with your vet? There are a few things that come to mind. Gas pain and anal gland pain come to mind. So do partial complex seizures. It's definitely worth asking your veterinarian about this. He/she may need to examine your little dog and run some tests to do some basic rule outs. But you are your pet's best advocate! The fact that you notice something and are concerned is great and shows how much you are in tune with your pet!!

 

[Ticklemeslow]

We currently have 4 cats (Butters, Chappelle, Baby and Marcel, our dog is named Rocky Doodle and is a cheweenie and he's about 15 lbs. We used to have 5 cats, but when b/f's daughter moved out she took her cat named Misty with her, and we also had a shep/lab mix, Shayna, that was the BEST DOG ever, but lost her to cancer and I can't believe that on this coming Monday the 14th it will be 3 years since we had to put her to sleep.: I would love to adopt another dog, but right now having no job means having no money to take on another animal right now, but the time will come.

Butters is 9 yrs old, is grey/white tabby and male and adopted from a shelter. Chappelle is going to be 9, all black also male and was part of a litter of 6 that my friend's husband found with their mother under a building around where he works, and this actually started off her doing cat rescue. Baby is 6 yrs old, a long haired calico female who was found in the wheel well of my car. Marcel was actually my b/f's daughter's friend, and the friend couldn't keep him etc., so we ended up with him and it turned out to be a big mistake. All the male cats fight at least 50 percent of the time and sometimes spray on things to show dominance, so that is not fun. Rocky Doodle the dog was I guess a rescue, he used to live across the street from us, but was constantly running around the neighborhood and his owners didn't seem to care, so my b/f's younger daughter and her friend would play with him and one day they brought him home for me to see and that was it. I brought him inside to see Shayna and he never left. I credit Rocky with bringing my Shayna back to life. She was 8 and bored and Rocky gave her someone to play with and hang with.

And those are our animals for now.

 

[voided9]

Chappelle is going to be 9, all black also male and was part of a litter of 6 that my friend's husband found with their mother under a building around where he works, and this actually started off her doing cat rescue.

Named after Dave Chappelle by any chance? =P

 

[desdemona]

We currently have 4 cats (Butters, Chappelle, Baby and Marcel, our dog is named Rocky Doodle and is a cheweenie and he's about 15 lbs. We used to have 5 cats, but when b/f's daughter moved out she took her cat named Misty with her, and we also had a shep/lab mix, Shayna, that was the BEST DOG ever, but lost her to cancer and I can't believe that on this coming Monday the 14th it will be 3 years since we had to put her to sleep.: I would love to adopt another dog, but right now having no job means having no money to take on another animal right now, but the time will come.

Butters is 9 yrs old, is grey/white tabby and male and adopted from a shelter. Chappelle is going to be 9, all black also male and was part of a litter of 6 that my friend's husband found with their mother under a building around where he works, and this actually started off her doing cat rescue. Baby is 6 yrs old, a long haired calico female who was found in the wheel well of my car. Marcel was actually my b/f's daughter's friend, and the friend couldn't keep him etc., so we ended up with him and it turned out to be a big mistake. All the male cats fight at least 50 percent of the time and sometimes spray on things to show dominance, so that is not fun. Rocky Doodle the dog was I guess a rescue, he used to live across the street from us, but was constantly running around the neighborhood and his owners didn't seem to care, so my b/f's younger daughter and her friend would play with him and one day they brought him home for me to see and that was it. I brought him inside to see Shayna and he never left. I credit Rocky with bringing my Shayna back to life. She was 8 and bored and Rocky gave her someone to play with and hang with.

And those are our animals for now.

Wow, that's quite a crew you've got!! I think the most animals I've had at one time were 6: 3 dogs, 3 cats (hey, no favoritism!). Even 5 seems like a lot to me right now lol. Well done!

 

[Bugman]

In 1997 I moved back to Kansas to live with my late brother who was fighting a brain tumor. One of his cats was Otis, who looked like a Persian with his long fur. He was the meanest, most anti-social cat I've ever known, and no one seemed to understand why. One look made it clear to me. His coat was matted from head to tail, and he had fecal matter around his rectum.

I called a vet, explained the problem and we took him in the next day. Getting him in the car was not fun but it had to be done. Otis had to be sedated so he could be cleaned up. When we brought him home we had a nice blanket and space heater set up in the living room so he could stay warm until his coat grew back. The transformation was amazing. A cat who did not want to be touched became the most loving cat I've seen. If you were sitting up he loved to crawl up on your chest and rest his head on your shoulder while he was petted and stroked.

 

[desdemona]

In 1997 I moved back to Kansas to live with my late brother who was fighting a brain tumor. One of his cats was Otis, who looked like a Persian with his long fur. He was the meanest, most anti-social cat I've ever known, and no one seemed to understand why. One look made it clear to me. His coat was matted from head to tail, and he had fecal matter around his rectum.

I called a vet, explained the problem and we took him in the next day. Getting him in the car was not fun but it had to be done. Otis had to be sedated so he could be cleaned up. When we brought him home we had a nice blanket and space heater set up in the living room so he could stay warm until his coat grew back. The transformation was amazing. A cat who did not want to be touched became the most loving cat I've seen. If you were sitting up he loved to crawl up on your chest and rest his head on your shoulder while he was petted and stroked.

These are my favorite kind of "transformation" stories. All most animals need is a little love, kindness, and understanding to turn them around. Best kind of love = unconditional 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Bug!!

 

[desdemona]

As we approach mid-summer (and July 4th) - I thought I'd share some seasonal thoughts:

#1 Traveling with your pet

Summer brings all kinds of excitement - but one of the biggest challenges revolves around planning for vacation and your furry friend. If you find the idea of boarding your pet or having a pet sitter take care of your pets isn't your cup of tea, you may consider the idea of bringing your pet with you on vacation. Here are some tips to make the trip smoother.

1) Buy an appropriate carrier. Whether you are traveling by air or by car, your pet should have a carrier for protection and security. If you are flying, check with the airline to see what requirements are for traveling with your pet in the cabin (certain breeds of dogs and cats - particularly the flat faced/smush nosed varieties like English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs, Bostons, Persians - are not allowed to travel in cargo).

2) Bring along all documents that may be necessary - health certificates and vaccine certificates are routinely recommended along with acclimitization statements for air travel. Your veterinarian can help get these ready to go for you and your pet.

3) Bring enough of your pet's food with you. There are no guarantees you can find it at the grocery or pet store in your vacation spot. Consider bottled water as well - some cats and dogs have sensitive stomachs and do not tolerate any changes in their usual routines.

4) Pack enough of your pets medication - consider having some extra on hand for frequently recurring conditions like skin or ear infections. Also think about anti-nausea medicine for your pet - many animals will get car sick or have some form of motion sickness when traveling over long distances.

5) Sedation - ask your veterinarian if a sedative or tranquilizer is right for your pet. Otherwise consider some herbal or natural remedies like Rescue Remedy by Bach's Flower Remedies.

6) Research your destination. Some geographical regions carry a higher risk for different diseases. Let your veterinarian know if you plan to travel so he/she can help you and your pet with the appropriate protection - be it parasite prevention or infections.

By taking the above steps, you can prepare to have a wonderful time and enjoy spending your vacation with your furry friend.

 

[C.A.B.]

Solid advice, Dez. Well done.

 

[Tortuga]

Okay so I have a question or well topic that I was just curious on everyone's opinion, and Des professional outlook on it. It's as sensitive as declawing a cat. I work with dogs for doggie day care and boarding etc...and lately we've had a lot of new puppies come on around 6-7 months old. Many Dobermans and Great Danes, and these poor pups had their little ears cropped. For Des, my question is: Is this really done for a fashion statement or is it something that is done for a medical issue? We have this older Doberman, who the poor thing we might have to find a new home for because his owner has been in the hospital for 2 weeks, and the day he was suppose to go home the owner had another heart attack. Sweet as can be, his ears look like someone cut them with dull scissors, the scar tissue along the edges of his ears look awful. And then we had two "rejects" they called them pure bred Dobermans, one was albino the most prettiest dog I have ever seen, and she still had her floppy ears, and the other Doberman (her sister) still had her tail. So I guess my full question is What's the purpose of cropping the tails and ears?

 

[Bugman]

Okay so I have a question or well topic that I was just curious on everyone's opinion, and Des professional outlook on it. It's as sensitive as declawing a cat. I work with dogs for doggie day care and boarding etc...and lately we've had a lot of new puppies come on around 6-7 months old. Many Dobermans and Great Danes, and these poor pups had their little ears cropped. For Des, my question is: Is this really done for a fashion statement or is it something that is done for a medical issue? We have this older Doberman, who the poor thing we might have to find a new home for because his owner has been in the hospital for 2 weeks, and the day he was suppose to go home the owner had another heart attack. Sweet as can be, his ears look like someone cut them with dull scissors, the scar tissue along the edges of his ears look awful. And then we had two "rejects" they called them pure bred Dobermans, one was albino the most prettiest dog I have ever seen, and she still had her floppy ears, and the other Doberman (her sister) still had her tail. So I guess my full question is What's the purpose of cropping the tails and ears?

Unless something has changed, if you plan on showing a Doberman at AKC (American Kennel Club) sanctioned shows, cropped ears and docked tails are part of the 'breed standard', in other words the way people expect them to look. As I understand it, the practice is banned in Canada.

I'm a layman so I'll let Des handle the other part of your question, but I can't see why it would be done for any other reason.

 

[desdemona]

Okay so I have a question or well topic that I was just curious on everyone's opinion, and Des professional outlook on it. It's as sensitive as declawing a cat. I work with dogs for doggie day care and boarding etc...and lately we've had a lot of new puppies come on around 6-7 months old. Many Dobermans and Great Danes, and these poor pups had their little ears cropped. For Des, my question is: Is this really done for a fashion statement or is it something that is done for a medical issue? We have this older Doberman, who the poor thing we might have to find a new home for because his owner has been in the hospital for 2 weeks, and the day he was suppose to go home the owner had another heart attack. Sweet as can be, his ears look like someone cut them with dull scissors, the scar tissue along the edges of his ears look awful. And then we had two "rejects" they called them pure bred Dobermans, one was albino the most prettiest dog I have ever seen, and she still had her floppy ears, and the other Doberman (her sister) still had her tail. So I guess my full question is What's the purpose of cropping the tails and ears?

These are sensitive subjects. And the answer is - the American Kennel Club (AKC) dictates breed standards as Bugman stated. The AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) opposes both ear cropping and tail docking when done solely for cosmetic reasons and they encourage the elimination of ear cropping and tail docking from breed standards. So is their a medical reason for performing these surgeries? The answer is sort of. Dogs can have ear surgeries they do not involve cropping the entire pinna or part of the pinna (the ear flap). These are usually done for dogs with chronic ear infections or to allow an owner to be able to deliver ear medications successfully when the ear canal has become to swollen or closed with scar tissue. This is NOT done in puppies. As far as tail docking, we do this procedure on puppies less than 5 days old. We also remove dewclaws at the same time. I compare these procedures to circumcision - we numb the area with a local anesthetic and use surgical instruments to perform the cut quickly and cleanly. We aren't taught any of these procedures in vet school. One day, the AKC will make their breed standards less stringent and this won't be an issue. Meanwhile, I see tons of butchered ears and tails done not only by veterinarians - but breeders! This is not a part of the profession that benefits animals and I hope we won't see it continued in the future.

 

[kopfhorer]

Des has actually met this pain in the butt...This is Gypsophelia, or just Gypsy. She goes where I go. She looks sweet as can be but she is a royal pain. I have never had a cat that has been as much an attention ***** as she is. She'll follow you everywhere, to the bathroom, to the kitchen, sometimes to the bedroom during "stuff". She HATES being alone and insists on sleeping between me and the Manfriend.

and she's kinda stupid, she stayed in my Kinex carousel for over 20 minutes.

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A former ladyfriend had an otherwise adorable kitty who would meow nonstop and scratch at the closed bedroom door during "stuff!"!

@desdemona - right on! I hate seeing animals get mutilated needlessly.

 

[Tortuga]

Okay Dr. Des
Here's a good one because I need a little proof since my boss doesn't believe me. So you know I work at a Dog Daycare/Boarding Facility; sometimes we have owners that give there dogs the Bordatella Vaccine the day of their boarding stay drop off. And we still have dogs that leave the facility and get diagnosed with Kennel Cough later. I suggested being more strict (instead of so money hungry) and request the Vaccine be given, if the shot is due, 7 days before their boarding stay or daycare day; and not at the last minute. So my question is, am I correct in insisting the vaccine be given within 7 days prior to coming to the facility so the vaccine is in the dogs system? or does it matter, and it's okay if a dog gets the shot the day of?

 

[desdemona]

Okay Dr. Des
Here's a good one because I need a little proof since my boss doesn't believe me. So you know I work at a Dog Daycare/Boarding Facility; sometimes we have owners that give there dogs the Bordatella Vaccine the day of their boarding stay drop off. And we still have dogs that leave the facility and get diagnosed with Kennel Cough later. I suggested being more strict (instead of so money hungry) and request the Vaccine be given, if the shot is due, 7 days before their boarding stay or daycare day; and not at the last minute. So my question is, am I correct in insisting the vaccine be given within 7 days prior to coming to the facility so the vaccine is in the dogs system? or does it matter, and it's okay if a dog gets the shot the day of?

Great question and it happens all the time. I tell my clients they should plan to get the vaccine if there is ANY possibility they will boarding their dogs in the future and to allow at least 7 days notice for getting vaccinated in here to insure good immunity. Some kennels I know are actually requiring that dogs be vaccinated after 6 months for Bordetella/kennel cough. Some dogs will break with the disease for a variety of reasons - the vaccine doesn't cover all strains or the immune system may not have been working properly. Remember also, no vaccine is 100% effective (even rabies is only required to be 80% - scary!). So vaccination requirements are always getting scrutinized and reviewed. I think it would be safer policy for your boss to insist they be current on the bordetella vaccine - and NOT receive it less than 7 days prior to their boarding. I know kennels who require proof of negative fecal samples and all dogs/cats must be on flea/tick prevention, too - so it varies a LOT! Good question 🙂