Congratulations on your new lucky bamboo plant. It looks like the yellow stalk has a green shoot on it. Is the stalk getting soft or rotting where it is yellow? It usually means that the stalk is dying when it turns yellow. If it starts to get soft or rot, you will need to cut it off. You may be able to leave the part of that stalk that is green and healthy and see if it is strong enough to form a shoot for you. Otherwise, throw that stalk out. You can attempt to root the healthy green shoot by dipping it in a rooting solution. You can also just put it in water to see if it forms roots. (This is if you have to cut off the yellow portion of the stalk.) The jelly stuff is a polymere gel that is reconstitued with water. The bamboos grow nicely in this base that holds water for the plant. You will have to add water to this gel as the water evaporates and as the plant takes moisture in from the gel. If the gel becomes discolored from algae growth or minerals from the water, you can remove it and plant your lucky bamboo in soil or just use water and pebbles. The leaves and shoots of the plants grow and continue to get taller. The stalks will stay the same where they are cut. Lucky bamboo like water. Be careful about using water that has chemicals in it. You may need to let the water sit overnight to allow the chemicals to escape. Do keep your plant watered to the level of the pebbles since you want to keep the gel moist.

It's true, many vets won't release any information at all without specific written permission from the owner. This could cause delays in treatment. The worry is that things written in the record, such as "discussed importance of heartworm prevention, owner refused" could be the cause of a vet being sued. In our litigious society, it is not an unfounded concern. People will sue over anything these days, including releasing medical records without permission. I had never seen this service before, so thank you cvindyxeus. It looks very helpful, and could save your pet's life in an emergency.

Cindyx, I also stated that from our conversation I gathered he was aware of the dangers of chocolate. If I hadn't gleaned that, I would have asked if he had ever heard about dogs and chocolate before. It would then have opened up the conversation for a little enlightenment. And I think you're right.. people can be touchy and therefore go on the defensive. That's why I believe education and constructive critism goes a long way when served with a smile. After all, the tone of a post will set the response. Then the thing about people thinking a dog is a dog... *hehe* I remember as a teenager my mom saying I talked to her like a dog. My mumbled response was I never talked to the dog like that. :) Where do these "isms" come from anyways? joepyeweed... I only work about 30 hours, 5 days a week. It FEELS full time. However when my golden was a pup, I was a stay at home mom. So I do wonder if my luck, at least when concerning my dog, is because of the time I had, or because of the breed. I just think goldens are the greatest family pet. This one is our second, and they are almost like twins in every way. The first one died in 1994, a year later we got this one. My DH and I have been married 30 years and almost our whole married life has been shared with a golden. You asked why some would consider me "substandard". Yes, as someone said, it was mostly tongue in cheek, but I like to amuse myself at my own expense. I have a wacky sense of humor and am not offended easily, and have personally never been offended here. My philosophy is different strokes for different folks. But, sometimes I cringe for other people knowing that their feelings will be hurt. The purpose of this forum is to help, not to hurt. And most don't mean to hurt or alienate, but sometimes people aren't careful of their words.. and some just don't care. It's easy when you sit here under the mask of the internet to say things you wouldn't say to someone in person. I think people that are interested in the welfare of the animals, meaning all the folks that post here, are loving, caring people. So, you sort of expect kindly worded posts, even in times of disagreement. lillie1441... yeah, in all honesty, your post on raising the house temps for pets was one of the ones that made me cringe for the OP'er. But, you did follow it up with a sorry (twice) and to explain how it amused you. I'm often amused here as well, but I hope I'm careful in my wording. Now, the OP'er never made another response on the thread. Sometimes it's hard to come here as a newbie and feel like a dork. The only reason I chose you as "an example" *hehe* is because you didn't appear to be offended that someone else had pointed it out. So I think everyone can take your lead and if they might have offended when they don't mean to, an apology is nice. :) And thank you, yes I am blessed with exceptional pets. (How could they not be, considering their exceptional owner.. um,...

This original post is old I know, but it has received some recent activity, I am sure Kevin who started this thread is long gone, and hopefully with a healthy plant, but I would look here if I had a sick LB, with the new activity. If I ran this website, I would have a disclaimer legally written up attached, there is so much incorrect information. Thankfully, most of it was written some time ago, and I will not be hauled out and publicly tarred and feathered. Sometimes you gotta speak up! First of all, Sans (above) is very knowledgeable, and gives good clear suggestions as to where to start when figuring out why a plant is sick. Listen to only her, in this post please. not that she is the only one with good tips, but you are just receiving so many well intentioned but totally lethal suggestions. I am sort of surprised. I am going to hurt some feelings and be attacked by others, both of which I hate. I just have to speak up, because this plant is not very unhealthy, and you have kept it in quite nice shape for a long time. Most LB's are tossed within a the first year, I would bet. Please.......Do not increase light to improve the yellowing of leaves. you will have yellow burnt leaves. The number one reason for yellowing leaves on most plant types is over watering. If you feel strongly you are not overwatering, trust that and look for the second reason most likely reason, TOO MUCH light. Can it be the summer sun has made the plant feel like it moved from Anchorage to the Sahara I would need more water if I was suddenly thrown into a desert, are you changing culture from winter needs to summer needsl .Does the room get Southern exposure Get it further from the window if it does. You say you have had this plant a couple of years Honestly, that is a long time for most to keep this plant looking so nice. Your Draceana is by far healthier than the 30 or more that I see every day at work, I have the only Lucky bamboo in the building that is happy. You have done well for two years. Of all the advice you can get, no one is better equipped to diagnose what adjustments will help your plant than you. Please listen to your own instincts, reread you original post. You had two guesses, and they are the best guesses to start with. I could tell you to change water on a schedule, , how to fert, but I don't know if you are already doing that or not. If I were to give specific advice, I would ask you google yellow dry leaves on Lucky bamboo, Lucky bamboo care, Native habitat for LB and so on. You don't have to become a plant nerd, but a little bit of this really helps. Pick some sights that are really reputable, no advice from sights with adds all over them, and no forums, if you are not sure you can spot good tips over bad ones. Just good research. Flower shops are not where I would start, and yet the best article I found for you is from a flower shop. After that, come back here. It is fun to learn what others did, There are so many posters here that are golden in being helpful and accurate with their suggestions. And some, not so much. Here is part of a page with very good advice below, with link The solution for too much sun is changing out the water and not fertilizing for a couple of months. Move the plant into a bright area without direct sunlight. Too much sun can cause yellowish leaves and splitting, which can be fixed with trimming them off at an angle. and the link: http://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/?s=lucky+bamboo You may have to copy and paste, Link would not insert. I looked at a lot of pages for you, just poke around. My best advice to you is trust your own instincts a bit more, I think you have a greener thumb than you realize.