Pets are good therapy
Comments
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If you liked that one, there is a really good dog book called Merle's Door....it had a little bit of history of dogs and the early territories and things like that which I found interesting, but it was just a great dog story. And of course Marley and Me.....I liked the book, but not the movie so much. The bad thing about dog books is that you always know they are going to die in the end. I need to read that one about the library cat, Dewey. One Good Dog was a good one....I sent that one to my niece since she likes pit bulls.
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i couldn't do those, at all.. ever. have to change the tv when the adverts for the humane society comes on. what a mush i am with furbabies!!
Marybe, how are you after the neulasta? thinking of you....thank you so much for your kindness the other night, it helps knowing you;re there... 3jays
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Both my cats are layin on the linoleum in front of fans. Neither one of them is asking to go out, smart critters. Everytime I fill my glass with ice water Sophie is right there sipping, I'm with you 3 jays mom, I cannot watch those commercials either.
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Not much going on here....dogs stretch out in front of the vents to get cooled off it's so hot here right now.
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Hi Marybe, they certainly know where to find the coolest spots, today it is in the mid 60's and they are enjoying that. Sophie went out for about an hour and is now napping. On the super hot days she never even asked to go outdoors, just spread out by the fan, Emma choose a spot on the linoleum under the clawfoot tub to relax and stay cool. Up to the upper 70's on Wed. It has been a nice few weeks here in WNY.
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Hi Nancy, welcome to the thread. It is always great when someone new finds us. I have two cats, Emma and Sophie who saw me through my treatments, they instictively knew this was something different and shared my naps with me, Emma at the top of my head, Sophie in the crook of my knees. Like you they share my bed and are spoiled rotten, they essentially own me. We all get into our positions at bedtime and I stay in the same position all night. Buddy sounds like Sophie and George, getting into the carrier is a real challenge because she knows what is coming next. She is not a huge fan of the vet, Emma is a big girl and exceedingly mellow, I had to have my granddaughter help me put the flea medicine on Sophie, I held her and Mica squeezed the tube, you'd think we were giving her a shot not a squirt! Again, welcome from fellow women whose pets own us. Karen
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Dear Nancy, I was so tickled to see your hand feed remark, Emma wakes me between 4 and 5 for breakfast each a.m.. She starts by placing a paw gently on my cheek, then increases the level of pressure, in a pinch she will stick her nails out (that gets her an ignore for 10 minutes). Everyone says I should lock her out of the room so I can sleep in, but where would they sleep and I like to fall asleep with them. I am such a pushover when it comes to my babies. Good to meet a fellow pushover! Karen ps. took me quite awhile to write this post, just came back from lunch with friends and I obviously smell like bar b q , Sophie had to get her fill of sniffing my hands.
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One more pushover here. My tabby was great support during my treatment and when my husband died. He most definitely gets to sleep with me--and if he ever wants or needs hand feeding, I'm happy to oblige.
Welcome Nancy.
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Hi Marybe,
I never read your reply until today or I would have replied back! I have trouble navigating this site as you can tell. I'm glad you have George and he has you. I adopted 2 shelter kitties last month. They are 4 months old and into mischief! I still remember and miss Archie everyday but it's helping to have these little girls here.
Animals really help us to heal easier (if you love animals of course!) It's been 6 months since the mastectomy, DIEP and loss of Archie. It's been a long road but I'm doing much better. Pets are wonderful healers. I hope you are feeling and doing well. I just clicked on Pets Are Good Therapy and found you had replied to me but somehow I never saw this before. I wonder what else I've missed on here!!!
Kim
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I've noticed many of us have shelter kitties, rescue kitties and abandoned cats who adopt us. I think that speaks to how we feel about so many things as well as our devotion to our pets. We are all pushovers too, what a great group to belong to! Karen
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This is what my bed looks like at night IF I am really tired and fall asleep without putting the two larger ones downstairs (can't trust Brattie not to get up and pee during the night on the rugs and Hope chews things up). Normally just Harley sleeps with me. Before I got Harley, the cat slept with me, and that was when my eyes were swelling up and the doctor told me I am not saying get rid of the cat, just don't stay in a closed room with him. I think it is funny that no matter how small they are, they still put out a pretty loud snore. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZRegarding the sharing food.....how can I not when I have four pairs of eyes boring into me with each bite I put into my mouth And it is so funny even the cat comes when I say Treat Time. I will be giving the dogs a treat...it's the one time they are patient and don't grab and wait for me to say their name, and sure enough George comes sauntering across the counter and sits there and waits for his.
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My "Babies" that have given me so much are a lot bigger than most of your Beloved ones - they run between 900 and 1,300 lbs. They're horses - Appaloosas to be specific. Horses have been a huge part of my life for all of it. There is Doe (yes he is a he) who is a huge few spot gelding that I've had for 11 yrs. Momma Gu (Rague, who was Kicks dam) that Hubby's had for 9 yrs and Jelly Bean who is G-daughter's gelding. Well actually now Momma is mine and Doe is Hubby's as we traded after Kicks died. Winters are long and hard here in western SD so winter before last (was going through A/C surgery, Taxol and rads) I didn't hardly see them at all as Hubby and Son took care of them but on the few somewhat decent days I'd put on my bibs and down jacket and go out to see them. This last winter Hubby still did most of the care but they were always there for me.
Now for the really neat thing that happened. A year before I was DX'd I had been given a really nice mare Nationally rated . She came with a lot of 'baggage' which I knew. i don't know if anyone knows what 'Mexican Rodeos' are but they are not anything like what you normally seen in the States - though they are in some areas of the States (you can google and find lots of ifo on them). Well, Nelli had been used in the them in the PNW as a 'tripping horse' and their version of a bucking horse before K. got her out of a killer pen (as in headed to slaughter).. I was there when she was unloaded and saw her total fear/hate towards anything so called 'human' . In 2006 she went on to be the leading Appaloosa USFD DSHB mare in the country. Well long story shorter - I was offered her a year before DX and I took her. Planned on keeping her on pasture for a year and then starting working her myself. Well along came IBC and I decided to tell the people whose pasture she was on to go ahead and sell her/find her a home - so I thought she was gone. No she wasn't. H. came by the house a few days before Memorial Day to tell me that they had sold the ranch and either I had to come get Nelli because they still had her there or they did have someone who would take her if I couldn'tr. So she is now with our other 3 and I am so happy. There really are good people in the world
Can't forget the smaller 4 legged family. Very shortly after I was DX'd Hubby's little Baby died of cancer. He hunted all over the internet for what he wanted and nothing turned up or worked out. The day before surgery I stopped at the local Humane Society - don't know why - I basically never do that - and there was a young B&T Coonhound female. Next day as soon as I was in my room after surgery I sent him and Son off and when he came back the first thing he said was I've got my Hound (LOL). She had to stay there til spayed.
Have a Pembroke Corgi that Hubby found in a snow bank out on the Rez (Pine Ridge). I have a Holland Lop that when he's out terrorizes the dogs..
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Kicks, Enjoyed hearing about your pets. My friend in NO has an Appalosa, named Elija. She used to keep him in a barn across the park and then she bought a farm in northern LA and lost it after Katrina when her business went down the tubes and she could not keep a place in town as well as the farm....plus could not get workmen since they were all busy with work in the city. So she sold her one horse and gave Elija to a neighbor to keep, but she still paid for his food and some of his keep and would go see him. She said he is doing fine and he is now with a lot of other horses and sort of is the guy in charge and seems to love it there. Our last addition, Hope, has a lot of Corgi in her....we found a corgi rescue that was willing to take her, but ended up keeping her which is sometimes a good thing, sometimes bad. She gets along great with our smallest dog and they are constantly playing, sometimes scrapping, together since they both are high energy and the other dog prefers eating and sleeping. What is a Holland Lop?....from the name I am guessing a breed of rabbit?...a big rabbit.
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Horses were my first love (although I was a cross-country competitor). The one thing I dislike about France, is that they eat horses! Breaks my heart. Thanks Kicks for saving one from that horrible fate. I gave up all red meat 20 years ago. All my companion animals have been rescues or unwanted--except by me. Right now, I only have my trusty orange tabby, Fromage. Yup, we're all pushovers for sure. Good company.
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Marybe - yes - Funday is a bunny. He thinks he's a BIG rabbit but in fact he's a little bunny. Holland lops are the smallest of the Lop breeds - not much bigger than a big Guinea pig. but long hang down ears. (He's also a 'rescue - about 5 years ago someone left him at the barn in his cage and he sat there for days - several of us fed/watered him and finally i decided to bring him home where he has been since.)
Maya - you can't totally hate France if you name your cat 'Cheese'. As a small child, I lived in France in the early - mid 50's so yes I've seen and know what the 'Golden Horsehead' is.
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Kicks, when my daughter was young she had a lop eared rabbit named Felicity. She had such a unique personality, would walk on a leash and rub her face against my daughter's in a show of affection. Up to that time I had never been exposed to rabbits and did not know that they could have such individual personalities. If her water was not fresh, she just tipped it over to let us know. Karen
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Hi, I love my dog. He is right next to me at this minute. His name is Harry but he looks like it should be hairy! He is a rescue and is 4 years old now. We are adding a puppy in two weeks. My SIL requested that we get a puppy so we would be able to train him from the start. I had a rescue that bit every man he could get to and had to give him back. WOW, THAT WAS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT. Didn't ,mean the caps but they would apply! That dog, Scruffy, loved me totally and liked all women but he had been in a puppy mill until he was 6 months or so and was harmed there. He is now with a single woman who doesn't have much company and is very happy and so is his new lady.
Our GD is 10 months old now and SIL suggested a poodle, standard and since I wanted to add a dog again as well as see our Granddaughter I complied. I would have likely gotten another rescue but my SIL is one of the persons that was bitten by Scruffy. I am sure it will all work out just fine. I feel a bit guilty though not getting a rescue.
Myh puppy is a red colored male who is six weeks old now. I have seen him once so far. I will go back to be with him again before he comes home.
I loved reading all the dog stories here.
Ginger -
Congratulations to you for getting a new puppy, and welcome to the group. I have not had a dog in 6 years, just my 2 cat furbabies, the smell of puppy breath is just so divine. It was good of you for taking in the dog from the puppy mill, just so glad you were able to find a win-win home for him. Karen
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I am not up for long....had to go to the bathroom and then of course Harley got up with me so I took him for one of our midnight strolls. It is foggy out tonight and was rather eerie looking out. I am really worried about this little place that has popped up on his upper lip....it's sort of a bulbous pink looking thing and I first noticed it on Sat. and thought he had scraped his lip, but I think it is more than that and to me it looks larger than it did when I first saw it. I tired to put some kenalog in orabase on it (what humans use for canker sores and it really heals fast), but he would have none of that. So tomorrow first thing I have to call the vet and hopefully we can get in right away. My other Silky had oral cancer so of course this is the lst thing I am thinking....when I mentioned it to 3jays she was saying how Yorkies are always prone to tooth problems and oral cancer and of course I had already thought this having gone through it with Sydney. Silkies are part Yorkie and I was very fortunate with Sydney in that he did not lose any teeth at all until maybe the last few years and then he had to have two extracted and then that tumor came up the last year of his life. When the vet removed it she thought she had gotten it all and at his age we did not want to subject him to a bunch of tests to see if it had spread and she said it might come back.....well, it did in just a month in the same place. His was on the inside of his mouth, but Harley's is right out there on his little lip. Hopefully, I am just thinking the worst because of the three dogs, this one is m "my baby". I took Syd to a vet who specialized in cancer and because he was 17 yrs old she and I both agreed not to take any heroic measures to prolong his life, but Harley is only 4 yrs old....still knowing what I do about chemo, I know I would not want to put the poor little guy through that. So please keep Harley in your thoughts and hope that this is just a case of me thinking the worst. .
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Marybe, just got up with Emma and had to check the boards, will say a prayer for Harley right now, let us know what the vet says. Karen
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I said a prayer for you and Harley Marybe. It scares me too when I notice anything unusual on my furkids. Let us know how it goes.
My Maine Coon cat had this huge swelling thing on his lip and a course of some medicine cleared it but the vet said it might return. It hasn't yet and he is about 13 now.
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I saw this thread and couldn't resist. I love, love, love animals - never met one I didn't like. I, at one time, had 2 dogs and 8 cats! That was some years back and now I only have one cat. If it weren't for him, I probably wouldn'd get out of bed. He is a character and I love him to pieces. He had hyperthyroidism and I chose the iodine treatment - meantime, $3,000 later and after a year it seems the iodine must not have killed all the thyroid because his thyroid count is up again so he is back on meds - he just loves me stuffing pills down his throat - its a race to see who gets the pill in and who throws it back out!
Marybe - I think your Silkie is just adorable!
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Why thank you....that is why he gets away with being such a bad little guy, he has a face you can't resisit. We have an appt at the vet at 10:15 and I certainly hope I am worrying abouth nothing....don't think I could take another dog developing oral cancer. Being a dental hygienist it actually makes me feel guilty for not discovering it sooner.
Sounds like getting the pills into the cat is a game with him. I was never a cat lover, but really love George and am so glad someone talked me into getting him.....he is really smart and it may be my imagination, but I think he actually takes orders from me like Get in your box George.....out of the way, George (he insists on getting right in front of the computer screen). Or maybe he just decides to move on his own, but I like to think he is minding me. Well, gotta get ready to go.....I will let you know what the vet says.
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Kicks: I said the one thing I dislike about France is that horse is eaten. I LOVE everything else about France, including the wonderful French people, of which I am one. I have dual citizenship.
My cat is an orange tabby, the colour of cheddar cheese.
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kimccraw, loved your description of giving your cat his medication, I just roll my eyes when the vet says Sophie needs medication. I swear she knows when I am coming with THE PILL. I have pushed back many a spit out pill, tryed hiding it in soft cat food but she just spits it out at the end of eatting the food. Your story made me laugh. Karen ps Marybe, waiting to hear from you
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The vet thinks he just scraped the skin off or caught his lip and ripped a hole in it or abraded it somehow, but she is quite sure it is not a tumor....however whatever he did has gotten infected so I am to give him an antibiotic twice a day for the next 10 days.....they are capsules so it is going to be a little tough to hide those in food. No problem getting the Xanax down him....with that it's only a half a pill and I put it in a tiny glob of cat food which I know is not good for him, but he loves. Yes, I have a dog on an anti-anxiety med. For awhile he would have these horrible trembling fits and nothing would calm him down and they would go on for hours....we tried something else lst, zoloft maybe....but he's been on this one for maybe 6 months and it works. I think the trembling upset me more than it did the dog, but I was afraid he was going to start having seizures. They also trimmed his toenails and drew blood so I could get more heartworm medicine. I think that is a racket....he's been taking the heartworm preventative so why would he have heartworm?...I think it is just a way to get $35. Also, I find what they tell you depends on the vet....this one, who is the one I like because she seems more compassionate than the senior vet, told me he has a chipped cuspid, but it's not causing any problems and that his teeth look good and don't need to be cleaned. The other vet told me last year that he needed to have his teeth cleaned and I put it off because it was $300......so where did the tartar go if he did indeed need to have his teeth cleaned? Anyway, I am very happy that they do not feel it is a tumor.
Maya, I remember when I was in Switzerland commenting on what nice meat they had in the window of this one butcher shop.....you know how beautifully they display everything over there, be it an umbrella shop, stationary store, butcher shop, whatever.....well, it just looked like really nice red meat and they kept telling me Pfeder (sp?) and I had to look it up in the dictionary to find out that was horse meat!
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I love my kitties, but I need help with them. Since trying to toilet train them. Yes toilet train. The Guy keeps peeing on the floor. He did it before too sometimes. Genius Girl was fine with the toilet. (She probably would have learned to use toilet paper ) I am not sure I can deal with the daily clean up the mess and get enzyme cleaner then wash the rags deal. I can smell cat pee even when no one else can. But I love my boy. And he loves me. He calls me "Mama"
Is there any help during treatment? I live in an apt in the city.
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Harley after a hard day at the vet's . I went into the LR and he had just sort of buried himself under a pillow.Bedo, are you talking about a real toilet, not a litter box? I have seen pics of cats on the toilet, but thought they were few and far between...actually I think I have heard of a rabbit using a toilet also. Maybe he is a typical male and doesn't have a very good aim!
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Marybe, so glad it is just an infected abrasion, I agree with you on different diagnosises from different vets, I changed vets because of just that problem, the old vet kept finding things wrong with Emma and Sophie. The tarter buildup was one she diagnosed that my new vet sees no such problem, vet bills are high enough without madeup problems. Maya, did not know it was legal to use horsemeat anywhere, that is shocking to me. Karen
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Marybe, I'm so glad to hear that it isn't anything serious.
Kicks, I loved your horse stories. I had IBC, my diagnosis was 1-10-08.
Funny story about Bella: We took Bella with us our son & dil house. They have 2 huge cats, both bigger than Bella; their names are Bo & Daisy. Since she is a wiener dog she has to smell everything. She kept sniffing until she found the cats in their bedroom. The way she whelped you would have thought attached her, no, just scared her. Bo came out at one point & his face looked like WT.... have you brought in my house.
Two weeks later we went back to visit. She was still sniffing but stayed clear of the bedroom. Finally Daisy comes out, they would just get so close & then Daisy would slowly creap away as if to say if I walk slowly you can't see me. Daisy decided to give it another go & they got within a foot of her then Bella went behind the couch. It was so funny.
One more. A couple of nights ago a neighbor's puppy came down to visit. She's a puppy but still bigger than Bella. So they get close enought to smell each other & Bella started whelping like the dog was attacking her. No, she's just scared again. She is just a little 'fraidy cat!
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