Pets are good therapy

Gingerbrew · February 2012

I hope all my pets go to heaven and I sure hope they get to see me there too!

When my mom was dying I was talking to her lightly about the possibilities to come and said the name of our beautiful Collie who had passed 50 years before. My mom had a strong reaction even picking up her head a little as if to look. It was her last reaction before she passed. I like to think she was there waiting for my mom.

macatacmv · February 2012

Ginger, I had a similar experience with my mother. The last coherent words she spoke to me was when my dog of 13 years passed. She was struggling with many issues, but dementia being the most noticeable as she lost the ability to put words together. I told her Velvet had gone, she struggled for a minute and came out with "condolences". Then a few minutes later she said "that is so sad". Of course I was crying this whole time. She lasted for another few months but never was coherent again. She would say lots of stuff, but never understandable. I bet she was giving me lots of advice or else a good talking too. I miss them both.

Wren44 · February 2012

On Friday I had to put my 14yo beloved cat to sleep because her pain medication was no longer working well. She had a tumor on her leg that could only be treated by amputation, and we had experienced that with a dog and knew how horrible it would be for her. We just finished burying her next to our cat who died in May. We were best buddies. She was always on my lap and slept with me. I was hoping she would get me thru treatment, but I guess memories will have to do. DH and I agreed not to own any more cats, but we foster for a shelter and can have kitties here while they wait for adoption.

Also learned Friday that the second try for good margins found a whole new tumor, invisible on the mammogram. So I'm now scheduled for UMX, trying to decide whether to make it BMX. Friday was just not a good day.

kiley56 · February 2012

Oh Wren, so sorry for the loss of your beloved animals. So nice your able to foster kitties. They are such a delite to watch and play with. Sorry, you have new tumor to deal with as well, you are in my prayers. Hugs, Kiley

kmccraw423 · February 2012

Wren ... so sorry about your beloved cats. Also sorry that you have more health issues to deal with. My prayers are also with you. Friday, indeed, was a $hitty day.

Anonymous · February 2012

Wren, I am sorry Friday was such a crappy day for you. I would be willing to be that even though you got bad news about your tumor, you are more upset about the loss of your beloved cat....they do have a way of getting under our skin and become such a big part of our lives. I still miss my old dog Sydney and George, the cat I just lost last Aug.....and this is in spite of having three dogs who are alive and well. Don't be surprised if maybe one of the kittens you foster turns out to be a keeper. So far as having the UMX vs double.....that is an individual choice and also depends on the type of cancer.....lobular, definitely do the double. Mine was not and I just had the left side done, but 22 years later, I wish they were both gone. I would go to some of the threads related to this and see what others have to say. Marybe

3jaysmom · February 2012

wren, I am so sorry you lost your beloved furbaby; and then the rest is just a kick to the groin!!!!

i DID the bmx, and have never regrettedit. as a matter of fact, when they did the pathology , they told me the " good " one would've turned bad eventually!!!

but, everyone has to weigh and measure their own feelings.. i fought my dr. who only wanted to do a "uni" bc was in my family, so at about 20 (40 yrs ago) i decided is one went, they both would. I do find it easier to acheive "symmetry " flat........3jays

Wren44 · February 2012

I don't have a family history, but don't really have any direct family. My mother died when I was 4. Her only sibling was a half brother. Her mother raised me. So far my daughter is OK. She's a little scientist and pointed out that I don't have well relatives, I just don't have relatives. I'm still waiting for the MRI results, which will hopefully clarify my options.

And you're right. Losing the furbaby was far worse than the BC news.

kmccraw423 · February 2012

I'm taking Oliver (my cat) into the vet to have his thyroid checked. A couple of years ago I spent a fortune having iodine treatment for him (they inject iodine into his thyroid and keep him in the hospital until he is no longer radioactive. They had to give him a big dose (his thyroid count was 40 which should have been 4 and his pills no longer worked). Just last year his thyroid count was up to 7 so we put him back on thyroid medication. His vet at the time said sometimes the iodine misses a small portion of the thyroid (really! For the money it cost there should have been a guarantee!). The lump in his throat keeps getting bigger so its time to biopsy it and do another thyroid test (the test alone is almost $100!). He's my baby and definitely worth it. I just think veterinary medicine has gotten as out of hand as human medicine. Anyway, keep you fingers crossed.

kiley56 · February 2012

I'm keeping fingers and toes crossed kmccraw. Agree vet medicine is over the top ! I've been working with a rescue group and I don't know how they do it ! Not one vet in this area give them a break for all the hard work they do for these animals ! Kiley

karen333 · February 2012

Will keep you and Oliver in my prayers, it is sinful how much they charge. We do have one vet out here who donates her time to the shelter, so there are still good people left here and there. Karen

3jaysmom · February 2012

you and oliver are in my prayers, kmm craw: thryoid stuff is hard to get, believe me, i know!!!!vets are out of this world.. im afraid my babies are due soon for their shots.. we have to take a little out of every payck they;re so much, now.. there are organizations here that give us a discount, here.. thank God for the vets that donate their time!!!....3jays

kmccraw423 · February 2012

Thank you for all your prayers and good wishes. It must have worked! They went to take a needle biopsy of the lump in his throat and after draining it the lump went flat - he thinks its a cyst. They will send it out for cytology. They took blood for a "senior bloodwork." That, alone, was $ 126.00! They also took urine. WE will know in a few days what is going on - otherwise, the vet said he looked great.

Oliver was NOT happy with being prodded and poked! He was doing a little growling in the vet's office. I know I will pay for this - he's already ignoring me!

karen333 · February 2012

Oh Kathleen, what wonderful news, we do get a price to pay from our furbabies after a trip to the vet.. I know I do with my cats! Total ignoring until they figure we have been paid back enough. Karen

Wren44 · February 2012

Love the way cats are so hard to get in the cage going to the vet. Once there, poked & proded, they want to get in the cage to go home.

karen333 · February 2012

Wren, as soon as I get the carrying cage out, they both scatter to different rooms, must find and then they make it impossible to get one in,all legs and claws flailing. That one goes to the vet, pitiful meows from the back seat. Then go back home and repeat with my second baby, who has again left for parts unknown. Karen

macatacmv · February 2012

Glad Oliver's lump went down!

I took my baby (lab/boxer cross) to the vet for her annual checkup last week. She now weighs 62 lbs last year at this time she weighed 25lbs. Ya don't want to know what it cost after all the shots, tests, heartworm pills, flea and tick medicine. She gets better care than I do.

So after my rad appt today I stopped at a pet store to get new toys for her, but what is she playing with outside? The old plastic milk jug that I use to fill the birdfeeders. go figure!

kmccraw423 · February 2012

Except at the Dollar Store, I stopped buying toys for the cat ... a paper bag, a cardboard box, crumpled paper - he prefers all to actual toys. The more money you spend on the toy, the more he ignores it!

Anonymous · February 2012

Hi everyone - love all the stories and pictures. My Blossom is the one helping me through this most becausee she is going through a timeof it too. She was diagnosed w enlarged heart and CHF. Almost lost her a few months ago but have been treating her w natural supplements and she starting eating again after being force fed for weeks. Seems almost all I am taking benefits her. Plus we both need the snuggle time. Here she is on porch table, a pic from my 'Pet Skunks for Sale' blog.

Anonymous · February 2012

And here is Lacey the Princess, plus we have a Newfoundland Danny Boy.

macatacmv · February 2012

Essa, not one but two skunks? How interesting!

3jaysmom · March 2012

Essa: they're so cute!!did you have them "unscented" we had one when my youngest was young.. he's on the rainbow bridge now.. then came the ferret, gone to another younger kid, when my son lost interested.. he's now over 30; and has 3 ferrets.. go figure!!!3jays

Anonymous · March 2012

Essa, Do you litter box train them? What is the average life span. Not that I am considering a skunk (the three dogs are enough for us), but I am curious.

CherylinOhio · March 2012

This is a great thread, just found it. I have 6 cats and they are all my babies. I rescued all but one. I also just bought a horse this weekend and have forgotten all about bc as I have been busy getting his stall ready and buying him a blanket and brushes etc. Animals are wonderful to have around!! They cuddle and purr and it is so soothing.....If I figure out how to post pics I will post some of my kitties. Everyone has such cute pets on here!!

Anonymous · March 2012

I just finished watching a program on Animal Planet called Last Chance Highway where they featured this woman who lived down south who goes to shelters where dogs are about to be euthanized just because they had the misfortune of being born and were unwanted or someone got tired of them. She picks out about 30, takes them to places to be fostered and after they get them used to being around people and other pets, they put their pics on PetFinder and try to get a home for them. Normally they go North since supposedly they don't have as many strays and unwanted litters being born up here, but I sort of question that since it seems to me OH has its share of dogs needing homes....but then again this is actually classified as Midwest so maybe they don't have the problem up in the real North. Anyway, two dogs found homes in this episode in Ct....one an older dog and one a pup. Oh there was a whole moving van full of dogs they transported, but the story was mainly about these two that found homes. When the van would pull up the future owners would line up and they were supposed to give the name of the dog they were getting and then it would show them when the dog came out to meet them and there were just tears streaming down the faces of these people who were so happy to meet their new pet. And the tears were streaming down mine also. I wish I had the money to do something like that as animals have always had a way of tugging at my heart strings and I would just love to save them all. I think this may be an Animal Planet weekend.

Hope to see some pics of your cats, ckgray. Put the pics in photobucket lst and you will find it much easier to do.

Stanzie · March 2012

Wren - I'm so very sorry for your loss. Yes our pets mean the world to us and fill a place that no other creature can.

I'm so glad Oliver is all right

Essa - adore the pictures of you skunks!!!! When I was little I begged and begged my Mom for a pet skunk. Saw an ad in the back of a comic book, really. The pictures are amazing, I'd love to know more too! Are they as soft as they look? Do they make noises? Do the leash walk? So wonderful!!!

macatacmv · March 2012

Marybe, I live in MA and got my puppy through pet finders. They bought her to the CT/MA border and we went and picked her up on new year's day of 2011. She came from Arkansas. We met the SUV in a park and ride lot off the highway. There were lots of crates in the back of the SUV filled with all kinds of dogs. They were going further north and all of them had homes. It was a very happy day. So that show is real and it happens all the time. Two or three of my friends got their dogs that way too, that is how I found out about it.

kmccraw423 · March 2012

Gosh, just when you think people can't sink any lower you hear about these wonderful people saving animals. Animals also pull at my heartstrings. They are so wondeful and loving - better than any human I've met. I would save them all too if I could. My big fantasy is winning the lottery and setting up a huge sanctuary.

mikita5 · March 2012

Hello ladies,

Just seeing this thread!

I have 2 shih-tzu's.... My dil and son had two and tried to convince us we needed one.. At the time, we had a peek a poo (Shadow) who started having medical problems. We gave in and took a pup from dil's dog's litter. We fell in love immediately. Our Shadow didn't take to her very well, but she learned to tolerate her being here. We soon had to have our Shadow put to sleep. She had an enlarged heart that was pressing on organs and it was making her gag more and more. We kept Shadow about one month after she got really bad. The vet said we could increase her meds and it might buy her another day, another week, another month...she didn't know. So, we tried doubling the meds and it seemed to help for about a week and a half. One day, hubby called me at work and told me it was "time", She tried to get up from her bed and couldn't walk. I left work, came home, held her and cried for what we were about to loose. We got to the vets and hubby cried like a baby, telling her that she just didn't know how much he loved her. The vet hated to do it because we were crying like babies. We brought her home. Hubby dug her a grave and I carried her up in her little plastic crate I bought, putting her favorite toy and her pillow in with her. When I got to the top of the yard, Shadow was still warm. I told hubby I couldn't put her in that hole with her still being warm so I brought her back down inside, brushed her hair and made her pretty. The new pup walked around her, then layed down in the floor and didn't move. We finally put her to rest. One of the hardest things I've ever had to do!

The pup wouldn't play or eat. She was mourning for Shadow. We felt we needed to get her a companion so dil's dog had another litter and we went to get Kylee for companion to Isabella...

That's my story.. Izzy is 2 yrs old and Kylee is 1. They are sisters, same mom and dad but from different litters. They are a handful!

Anonymous · March 2012

It is amazing how pets know what is going on, isn't it? I can't say any of our dogs mourn for the cat now that he is gone, but when George was sick, Harley, the smallest of the dogs and the one who always made his life miserable, actually was sleeping beside him one day. I could not believe it....the two arch ememies, there on the same little bed under the desk. I still miss that cat, but think with the 3 dogs we have more than enough.

Today one of my friends was here and she was running out to her car to get something and without thinking about the dogs opened the front door.......Zoom, off went Harley with Hope not far behind. I yelled at my friend, keep an eye on them and I will get the car keys and go after them. The only way you can catch them is to open the car door and tell them we are going Bye and then they will jump in and I bring them back home. You would think after awhile they would catch on to that one, but so far they have not and it is the easiest way to round them up. The other dog is so timid that he would never go far even if he got loose.

Pets are good therapy

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