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criscodisco posted:Also, I had a thread here for a while about cats, and asked this once, but I never really got an answer: My cat Timmy understands that cat food spontaneously generates from the kitchen when the kitchen door is closed. We've had to have that door closed for a few weeks now because of construction and EVERY TIME WE GO TO THE DOOR he plasters himself all over us to get in because that is how cat food happens.
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Jun 2, 2012 12:26
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criscodisco posted:Also, I had a thread here for a while about cats, and asked this once, but I never really got an answer: My cat wouldn't know the first thing about hunting and acquiring food, so I assume he just thinks I generate numnums or something.
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Jun 2, 2012 15:28
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criscodisco posted:Also, I had a thread here for a while about cats, and asked this once, but I never really got an answer: We keep our cat food on the bottom shelf of a closet in the kitchen. Whenever we take the bag out to fill his bowl, he has to go inside the closet and walk around the shelf space where the food is from. Whenever he finds a spider he just bats it around and sniffs it, he never eats it. I'm willing to bet that he would be afraid of mice. Definitely no hunter instinct in my cat (and he was born in a barn to a wild mother). I have a question about said cat. I have had him for nearly his entire life, minus the few months he spent as a kitten on a farm. He is 14 years old. I have had rats, fish, and I still have a gecko that I've had for many years. My cat is best friends with the gecko. We have the glass aquarium on the floor so that my cat can sit and watch him. He spends several hours a day sitting right next to the aquarium. Whenever I feed the gecko my cat gets super excited and vocal and parks his butt right next to the aquarium so he can see the gecko eat. I think my kitty needs a friend. My reservations about this are that he is 14 and has been an only-kitty his whole life, and he is male. He is very healthy for a 14 year old cat, I expect he will be around for many more years. I love animals so much and I really want to have more in my life. Have any of you had an older only-kitty and got another pet? How did your cat adapt? I've researched and seen both positives and negatives, but it seems like cats adapt pretty quickly to new situations. There's a cat that's been at the local shelter for over half a year who I am in love with, he's a 7 year old boy. I'm worried about combining two male stranger cats. My cat is pretty docile and this other cat is pretty tame, but I've read a lot of bad things about having two male cats. Not to mention the shelter cat is diabetic so he would require a special diet and insulin, but he's so awesome and I would definitely be willing and able to provide the special care. Nobody wants this poor cat because he's obese and needs insulin, but he's got such a great personality... I want him, but I want my cat to be happy too. TL;DR I have a 14 year old male cat and I want more cats (specifically a 7 y.o. male diabetic one). How well do only-cats adapt to new family members?
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Jun 3, 2012 06:18
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Update on the cat litter box odor thing. After clearing out and vaccuming the whole basement it appears the litter box odor is urine soaked into the carpet from months of these guys not going into the basement. I had them move the litter box into a bathroom where there is no carpet for the odor to soak into but now the cat still uses the corner where the litterbox used to be. I assume this is because of the urine odor soaked into the carpet making it seem like a big litter box (is that how that works). Provided I get the carpet professionally cleaned to get rid of any cat smell would that deter them from pooping on the carpet or should I go about this in a different way?
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Jun 3, 2012 16:20
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Black Noise posted:Update on the cat litter box odor thing. After clearing out and vaccuming the whole basement it appears the litter box odor is urine soaked into the carpet from months of these guys not going into the basement. Nature's Miracle is your best friend. It's an enzymatic cleaner that will actually break down the urine and help to remove the scent even to a cat's sensitive nose. I recommend buying one of the large jugs, liberally soaking the area, and letting it dry with a fan. Also, do what you can to block the cat off from the area. Often putting something large on top of that spot (after you have cleaned it) can deter them. You may also want to try some Cat Attract litter additive to make the litterbox more appealing than the old pee spot.
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Jun 3, 2012 17:11
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Roydrowsy posted:So I have a dog. Her name is Wendy. She is 4 years old and an essential part of our family. She is a corgi/jack russel mix (if that matters). To update, we weighed our options. We don't have the time and the money to pay for special trainers and things like that, and we really wanted to do what was best for everybody. As much as we love our dog, we don't want her to have to live in a constant state of anxiety. We contacted the shelter we got her from. They are actually an amazing place, a no kill shelter that we've kept a close relationship with since we got both of our dogs. They said they would be willing to take her back and find her a more appropriate home. So, while it totally breaks our hearts to do so, we're taking Wendy back. But, thank you for your input and help, we appeciate it.
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Jun 5, 2012 00:07
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 Connie (shown here during her Charlie Sheen phase) needs ointment in her eye for a minor infection. Is there any trick to doing this? She squinches her eye closed and squirms, so I've been pretty unsuccessful so far.
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Jun 7, 2012 20:11
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Wroughtirony posted:Connie (shown here during her Charlie Sheen phase) needs ointment in her eye for a minor infection. Is there any trick to doing this? She squinches her eye closed and squirms, so I've been pretty unsuccessful so far.
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Jun 7, 2012 22:30
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Would you say the majority of dogs get on with cats as long as they're raised with them? My dog passed away this week and while I'm not ready to do anything yet, I do eventually want to have another dog in my life. The problem is I have two cats. They were raised from kittens with my previous dog and I don't know how they or a new dog would get on. They did love my dog though It's just I've read about dogs who have predatory instincts to hunt small animals and wouldn't want to put them in danger.
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Jun 8, 2012 00:27
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TwoDogs1Cup posted:Would you say the majority of dogs get on with cats as long as they're raised with them? My dog passed away this week and while I'm not ready to do anything yet, I do eventually want to have another dog in my life. The problem is I have two cats. They were raised from kittens with my previous dog and I don't know how they or a new dog would get on. They did love my dog though I got both of my dogs as adults after some of the cats (I've added other cats since as well) and they do fine with them. If you go through a rescue, often the dogs are fostered in homes with cats if they are cat friendly, so when you go looking, you can let the rescue know that you need a dog that is cat friendly. Some breeds of dogs seem to have higher prey drives than others too, but a lot is really dependent on the individual dogs personality.
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Jun 8, 2012 00:54
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I'm not sure if this is a can of worms or not, but... How much are you guys willing to give to a not-really-close friend with a pet at an emergency vet? This would be a dumb question in BFC, but PI are animal lovers like me, so... My boyfriend and I make pretty darn good money for our rent/bills situation. There's a girl he used to date in high school but is still friends with, and we've all hung out twice since I moved in with him, but she is flakey in returning our calls to hang out again. A few minutes ago, he gets a call from this girl who is on her way to the emergency vet with her cat that my boyfriend has "met" before. It's lethargic and she's crying and worrying that it's not going to make it through the weekend. The e-vet charges a $78 consultation, plus whatever tests/treatment. My boyfriend was put on the spot in the phonecall and agreed that he could help out a little bit at least, on the promise that she'd pay him back (with her own ER visit and her boyfriend's jailtime this past month, I'm not sure she'd be able to keep that promise). After he hung up, my boyfriend asked me what sort of limit he should set before we meet them at the vet. I told my boyfriend about my dad's cat who had a nice $1300 bill for hepatic lipidosis last month and he was completely shocked. I really have no idea what is reasonable to help... we're blessed to make good money, and I feel really bad for her poor cat, but she's not very close to us and I know he just dropped several grand on an engagement ring for me. I'm thinking a reasonable amount would be the office visit plus either bloodwork or euthanasia. Past that is her judgement and other friends to call... I feel like a jerk but I know I shouldn't. It just sucks because of her ER/jail thing (the jail part was total bullshit, the cops were idiots) - she very well may have had a responsible emergency fund before that happened. 
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Jun 9, 2012 03:37
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I would not give more than I was willing to lose. While it is nice to think people will pay you back, that's less than a guarantee. If your bf goes in with the idea that it's a gift until proved otherwise, that will keep it in perspective. Does she not qualify for care credit?
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Jun 9, 2012 04:15
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That's a tough call. On the internet I would say he should refuse to pay anything until they at least get an estimate from the vet of what tests they want and how much they would cost. But in real life, I would probably just wince and hand over my credit card, especially if it was an animal that had ever sat in my lap. Whatever he decides, he should probably go into it with the expectation that he will never see that money again.
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Jun 9, 2012 04:16
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Enelrahc posted:I would not give more than I was willing to lose. While it is nice to think people will pay you back, that's less than a guarantee. If your bf goes in with the idea that it's a gift until proved otherwise, that will keep it in perspective. Does she not qualify for care credit? Apparently they don't offer any sort of payment plans, so that's why she called us. The illness is now, the treatment must be now, so the payment must be now, I guess - I don't think she'd be able to apply for and receive CareCredit on a Friday night. I'm a little confused that we haven't heard anything. He texted her to call him before they commit to anything, and she agreed. He said he could spot her the $78 plus another $400 if necessary and I'm wincing. But at the same time I know that doesn't go far at an E-vet. Rotten situation all around.
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Jun 9, 2012 04:33
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drat Bananas posted:Apparently they don't offer any sort of payment plans, so that's why she called us. The illness is now, the treatment must be now, so the payment must be now, I guess - I don't think she'd be able to apply for and receive CareCredit on a Friday night. I'd be very surprised if an emergency clinic didn't take Care Credit. No emergency clinic offers credit to people because people don't pay and they'd go out of business, but Care Credit is offered by an outside institution and is open 24/7. She can apply online or over the phone.
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Jun 9, 2012 04:58
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Sorry if I missed posts addressing this elsewhere. I mostly just lurk PI, as I currently only have a couple rats myself despite being a bit of a behaviorism nerd. Anyway, in the past month, several acquaintances of mine have gone mini/micro/teacup-pig crazy. As in constantly talking about how much they want one, passing around breeder links (not just that drat oatmeal video), etc-- nobody's actually acquired a pig yet. One girl definitely has the means and impulsivity to make it happen, though, which makes me nervous-- she lives in a shared house in an overdeveloped suburb. Am I correct in assuming that buying a supposedly ultra-small pig to be a housepet is a loving terrible idea for a pet? I figure breeding an animal that naturally ranges from "pretty big" to "goddamn huge" down to lap size is almost surely going to bring a panoply of genetic catastrophes along with it and there's probably a good chance that not all the pigs will stay remotely piglet sized at all. Back when I was young enough for 4H, I knew people who had socialized pot-belly pigs as companion animals, but these were good sized pigs owned by people with serious land and livestock resources. I think pigs are neat and it's a shame they don't stay piglets forever, but... they don't stay piglets forever. While I'm usually handy with google, I'm having a hard time finding solid links explaining why pet pigs, even supposedly tiny pigs, are a terrible idea, much less ones from a source that's likely to be believed.
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Jun 9, 2012 05:20
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Sailor posted:Sorry if I missed posts addressing this elsewhere. I mostly just lurk PI, as I currently only have a couple rats myself despite being a bit of a behaviorism nerd. Care for pigs also sucks and often requires expensive yearly trips to a vet to be anesthetized for hoof and dental care.
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Jun 9, 2012 05:33
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Not to be crude, but...I'm also guessing that pigshit still smells like pigshit, even coming from a cute pet with a good diet.
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Jun 9, 2012 12:21
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Enelrahc posted:I'd be very surprised if an emergency clinic didn't take Care Credit. No emergency clinic offers credit to people because people don't pay and they'd go out of business, but Care Credit is offered by an outside institution and is open 24/7. She can apply online or over the phone. I'm not sure, I got all of the info secondhand. It all worked out well though, it sounds like it was just a urinary issue (blockage or something) they caught super early, so they gave kitty a steroid shot and he was able to pee. Bill was only $170ish and the girl said her friend can pay us back Monday. Yay!
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Jun 9, 2012 13:09
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Cat will need to see the regular vet to solve the root cause of the blockage or he'll just end up at the e-vet again. I know you don't have any control over that, but be aware.
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Jun 9, 2012 13:22
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Our dog is chewing at her foot and I think she may have torn one of the pads. Before we go out and buy a set of dog boots is there anything homemade we can use to wrap the foot with that won't drive her nuts?
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Jun 9, 2012 19:54
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prom candy posted:Our dog is chewing at her foot and I think she may have torn one of the pads. Before we go out and buy a set of dog boots is there anything homemade we can use to wrap the foot with that won't drive her nuts? You can wrap it with an ordinary bandage, but I'd say an e-collar is your best bet for keeping her from gnawing any coverings on it to death.
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Jun 9, 2012 20:22
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Have you already determined why she is chewing? This is important to figure out before wrapping it. For example, sealing in an infection could make it worse, or not removing a foreign object (a thorn, foxtail, etc) means the problem won't resolve. If the foot-chewing is related to allergies, those have to be addressed or the self-mutilation will happen again on the other feet or whenever the bandage is removed, since bandaging won't fix the allergies. This likely warrants a vet visit.
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Jun 9, 2012 21:49
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I think she had a paper towel stuck to her foot and tried to chew it off (I came home and it was stuck there) and then just kept going at it. We're using a sock for now and she seems to just be ignoring it. We've looked closely at the foot and there's nothing really to see.
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Jun 10, 2012 03:46
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Enelrahc posted:Care for pigs also sucks and often requires expensive yearly trips to a vet to be anesthetized for hoof and dental care. And it's sort of a pain to find a vet who has aptitude and willingness to treat them, as well. Most farm animal vets don't really like to bother with farm animal species that are pets (especially pigs!), and most small animal practitioners have no idea what to do with a pig.
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Jun 10, 2012 04:18
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I saw 3 "teacup" piglets last month on my externship. They were wasting away with one of the myriad piglet diarrheal diseases, and they still squealed unbelievably loudly. The only animal I have heard match that in a clinic is a macaw, and I have no desire to work on them either. I can't imagine letting one in my house. They weren't even that cute.
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Jun 10, 2012 04:44
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Chaco posted:This likely warrants a vet visit. Took her to the vet this morning (yay 24 hour vet fees) and got her some pain meds and antibiotics. The vet thinks she scraped her foot pad while running and then licked it until it got infected. Probably if we had just socked her up and kept the area clean it wouldn't have happened but oh well. Another week where poor Stella can't run
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Jun 10, 2012 16:42
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Sometime during this upcoming winter my fiancee and I are going to get a new place and this seems like a great opportunity to get a dog, as well. Since both would be in the planning stages I figure I should look to people who know their dogs for a couple of things I'm wondering about. I have always, always had my heart set on a doberman. They are my absolute dream dog. I've had experience with other people's dobies and they always charm the absolute gently caress out of me. However, I have never owned my own dog before and my dude has never really had any experience with training a dog. I'm not sure if a dobie is a good first-timer dog but the breed is really the only kind of dog I'd want at this point. I'm definitely doing all the research I can and don't intend to stop, going to reputable breeders in person to see how they raise their pups, all that stuff, so I don't intend to go in blind. All the same, I'm a bit concerned that my heart being set on one particular dog breed might blind me to maybe getting in over my head. Does anyone who's had some serious first hand experience as a doberman owner have any advice for someone looking into a doberman as a first-ever dog?
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Jun 10, 2012 22:13
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A dobe might do you well, if you're careful in your search. The breed has some major health issues (disc issues being one of the more horrifying) and can be awfully energetic. Look for a quality breeder, become familiar with their lines, determine what you WANT out of the dog. Just a companion? Or something more? Look for one of the more mellow, easygoing pups in a litter, and communicate very clearly what your needs and wants are to the breeder so they can help you make the right decision. They can be kind of "hot" with dogs and strangers, but nothing a dedicated owner shouldn't be able to handle with some help. Know that the breed was bred to work, so if you don't give the dog sufficient work to do, they'll make their own work, and it's rarely something human-approved. Start reading up on positive training (Don't Shoot the Dog, The Power of Positive Dog Training, etc). Dobes can be surprisingly soft dogs, and you'll need a calm, kind, steady hand to manage one.
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Jun 10, 2012 22:34
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Thank you, that was very helpful  The softness of the dobie was one of the things that drew me to the breed, as was their intelligence and desire for things to do, so I'd definitely be keeping those traits and others in mind. I've also heard they're good with smaller animals if raised with them and can even be just as protective of them as the people in their house, could you confirm or deny that? I have two cats so that part of the breed profile, if accurate, is another major selling point for me.
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Jun 10, 2012 23:17
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A question about adopting a 2nd cat- we currently have a 4 year old Persian male. We're looking into getting a second cat so he isn't lonely while my wife and I are at work. Is it typically best to adopt two males, or is it okay to have 1 male + 1 female? Both cats would be neutered/spayed, obviously.
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Jun 11, 2012 03:13
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Okay so here's a little pet question. My buddy has a fairly large dog (~85 lbs) and bought a good size pack of pet armor (for like fleas and ticks and what not), unfortunately for him his dog is allergic to it. The poor dog lost a patch of fur in the application spot and now has to take pills to achieve the same thing. Long story short he's gifted the pack to me, but I have a much smaller dog (~10-15 lbs). On the pack it says to only use it on dogs in the 50-90 lb range, but is that just based on the amount in the applicator? So could I just use like a fourth of the stuff and be okay? I mean I can totally go buy the small size stuff but it just seems a waste... EDIT: If the dosing really needs to be more accurate I have all the tools available to get doses to the correct microliter proportions Gavin Galt fucked around with this message at 04:16 on Jun 11, 2012 |
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Jun 11, 2012 03:55
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My sister's 10 year old dog is starting to lose some of his coordination and strength thanks to arthritis and the beginnings of wobblers and we are concerned about him going down the 3 steps off of the deck. Does anyone know of a site with good plans for a pet ramp? I have woodworking tools so that's not a problem.
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Jun 11, 2012 04:43
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melon cat posted:A question about adopting a 2nd cat- we currently have a 4 year old Persian male. We're looking into getting a second cat so he isn't lonely while my wife and I are at work. Is it typically best to adopt two males, or is it okay to have 1 male + 1 female? Both cats would be neutered/spayed, obviously. In an ideal world the new cat would be the opposite gender, younger, and smaller in size. There are a lot of resources out there on how to introduce two cats to each other. This is the best one that I've found (I'm currently in the process of introducing my 14 year old male to a 3 year old female). It's a time consuming process and you need to have the appropriate space and resources before getting a second cat. http://aspcabehavior.org/articles/26/Introducing-Your-Cat-to-a-New-Cat.aspx However, if you fall in love with a cat that isn't a smaller two year old female, it's not like you should pass them up. Take your time finding a cat that you really love, one that you feel a good connection with, and if they just happen to fit the ideal criteria, all the better. Good luck
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Jun 11, 2012 05:29
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I just came across a very small kitten that made his way into an overturned garbage can by my house. He ran off before I could get too close to him. I didn't see any other cats around at the time, so I don't know if his mother ran off before I saw her or if he was by himself. A couple questions: Should I try to find the little guy and bring him to an adoption agency? He looked really small and I'm a bit worried if he's ok out there. Or should I just forget the whole thing and let him on his way? There's a ton of stray/outdoor cats in my area, so this might not be anything that out of the ordinary. I just feel so bad, he was such a tiny little thing out there by himself. e: I left some dry cat food on my back porch and he came back to eat it. However, he bolted as soon as I started to walk towards him. Big Mouth Billy Basshole fucked around with this message at 22:59 on Jun 11, 2012 |
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Jun 11, 2012 22:48
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Thanks for the pig info, particularly the links-- you guys rock! The macaw comparison had me going  . I like some offbeat pets myself (well, rats and reptiles), but I really don't get trying to slot other animals into the niche of cats and dogs when there's already plenty of variety in cats and dogs.
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Jun 12, 2012 00:04
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I know we're not supposed to ask vet questions here but my dog just stepped in a hole and either tore a tendon or sprained his foot, he refuses to put weight on it and it feels loose right behind his foot compared to his other. We have some seriously bad storms blowing through north Alabama at the moment and I cant drive anywhere and walking 40 miles to the nearest E-vet in 50+ MPH winds isnt really possible. What can I do to alleviate his pain til its safe for me to drive? Hes just lying down right now and refuses to put weight on it,as well crying when I touch it. Edit: 50 LB German shepherd with no other health conditions. Taking no medications. Edit:2- Cant even call the E-vet,no cell service,satellite is the only thing that can get out right now. Tim Jong-un fucked around with this message at 02:35 on Jun 12, 2012 |
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Jun 12, 2012 02:31
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God I fucking love Diablo 3 gold, it even paid for this shitty title
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Tim the Enchanter posted:I know we're not supposed to ask vet questions here but my dog just stepped in a hole and either tore a tendon or sprained his foot, he refuses to put weight on it and it feels loose right behind his foot compared to his other. We have some seriously bad storms blowing through north Alabama at the moment and I cant drive anywhere and walking 40 miles to the nearest E-vet in 50+ MPH winds isnt really possible. What can I do to alleviate his pain til its safe for me to drive? Hes just lying down right now and refuses to put weight on it,as well crying when I touch it. Don't give him any OTC medications - any OTC medications you give him can be a real problem once you get to the vet. Keep him quiet, don't allow him to go up and down stairs/jump up and down from couch/jump into car/etc. You can try ice packing it if he'll let you. Take him to the vet when it's safe to drive.
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Jun 12, 2012 02:41
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Yeah I know Tylenol can kill and Advil can cause ulcers so wasnt planning on giving anything,but am gonna try the ice pack until I can take him to the the e-Vet, storms knocking down a lot of trees so Im not even sure when that will be possible.
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Jun 12, 2012 02:44
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Noticed his foot was swelling a little rapidly so I went out and checked the hole he stepped in,sure enough a big fat Diamondback was curled up in it,killed the snake,threw chainsaw and dog in truck and took off to E-Vet with hazard lights running because of zero visibility rain. Got there and they took him in and checked him,came out and told me it was a severe bite and there was a good chance he wouldnt make it even though he looked fine right now. Told them to do whatever it took to save him, she told me they were going to do an "Aggressive treatment" ,she wouldnt tell me what this implied but came back out an hour later telling me I needed to pay a 700 dollar deposit and the total cost would run 3000 dollars and he might not survive, they also didnt have any anti venom and they had lost a dog yesterday to a rattlesnake bite [Why the hell would you tell me this]. I told her it was fine,she goes back in and comes back out 20 minutes later telling me I need to drive my dog to another E-Vet in Birmingham which is over an hour away because they have anti venom, I ask them if hes fine to travel and she told me yes,they haven't even started any kind of treatment on him yet[He has now been at this vet 2 hours,is the only patient]. I go ahead and load him back up and start driving to Birmingham in blinding rain when on a whim I call an old vets office I used to go to and miraculously someone is in,she tells me to bring the dog in and she'll have a look. We get there and she tells me its not bad at all,just a little skin decay and it will look bad for awhile, she gives him a steroid and 2 other shots and offers to keep him the rest of the night or let him come home to rest,they had anti venom but she said in 30 years shes only used it twice on severe cases. So ive gotta bring him back in the morning,probably get another couple of shots,now hes sleeping on the bed and looks fine except for a swollen paw. And the old vet only cost 200 dollars for today and tomorrows treatments. Sorry that was long winded but tonight was a freaking nightmare and needed to vent. TLDR-Is a rattlesnake bite,vet nightmare.
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Jun 12, 2012 07:25
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