For fun: pet question
11 years ago
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Sad pet question: do pets need a wake?
Comments (19)Oh, KitchenDetective, I am so sorry to hear what you are going through. I had to have my rottie girl euthanized in January after a long bout with cancer. I was devastated even though I had plenty of time to prepare.. and it's only very recently that my other dog has settled into the loss. I wanted to share my experiences because like you, my other dog is a lab and a rescue. I think those two things affect how a pet will respond-- labs are so incredibly social and sensitive to their "pack". My situation was compounded a bit by the fact that Beau, my lab, is very old and deaf. I had no idea how much Grace had assisted him in interacting with his world. They both always greeted me at the door-- but without Grace, Beau doesn't know when I arrive. He doesn't know when I call him for dinner or to go out. While in the old days he used to follow me around the house and be bonded to me, when I adopted Grace, they were much more bonded to each other. The good news is that now, 6 months later, he has become more focused and sensitive to my movements again and we are learning to work together despite the fact that he is deaf. Some of the things I did to help us both get past the grieving was to change some of our routines. Beau was my first dog and we were very well bonded but when Grace came into the picture the two of them were attached at the hip-- not that I was on the outside or unbonded but they definitely had thier own bond. I have spent a lot of time bonding with him again but in new ways (partially because he is now 16-17 yo). He won't go near where they used to sleep (they slept side by side) so I have taken that as a sign that he needed to change things up. I feed him at different times now and in a different spot.. our play is different.. and we walk, relax and bond differently and, of course, more frequently. I didnt share Grace's ashes with Beau-- it was clear to him that she was sick and he knew when she was gone. I don't know if it would have helped.. others in my life have been urging me to adopt another dog or a cat but I just don't have the heart for that right now. Beau is very old for a lab and I know my next loss will be even harder for me to handle. I question myself sometimes..because I DO think he'd do much better with another animal in the house. I don't know if that is an option for you, but it is something to consider. All I can say to you is to read your dog.. and to do what feels right for you, your family and him. My heartfelt hugs to you. I know this is a very hard time for you. I know nothing will make it better for you but I hope you find comfort in knowing there are others who understand your pain....See Moretraveling with pets question
Comments (6)You really need to practice this a lot. No there isn't anything that will stop the throwing up as it's related to anxiety and not upset stomach. I've tried everything under the sun for one of mine, even vet prescribed sedatives and ginger snaps and nothing worked. Practicing the short rides and feeding your dog in the car may or may not work. One thing I highly suggest is that about 10-15 minutes into the ride, stop and let the dog out to poop. Yes, even if he just went before you left. This will buy you about another hour. Hopefully during that hour, if it is interstate driving and smooth with no stopping and go-ing then hopefully the dog will fall asleep. Depending on how far you are going, bring a big supply of water, paper towels or wipes for cleanup. While the soft blanket may look comfortable, you may come to discover your dog prefers a cozy, confined kennel during times of anxiety. And of course also for safety reasons. Mine does better in a somewhat confined space and tends to settle down and sleep sooner as long as we're on the interstate....See MoreFun with pets
Comments (31)I know because I've left food on the counter, cooling or resting or thawing. We've left the table with food on the plates for an hour or so. He doesn't even jump on the sofa or chairs though he would be welcome to. Nary a cat hair. He came that way, lol. Paco adopted us as a scraggly stray already equipped with manners, though we had to litter box train him. The vet guesstimated him to be between 1-2 years old when he came up to Robert in the driveway. Oh, he plays at night, alright. I hear him racing all over the house, and we'll find all of his toys in highly unusual places.....in the closets, on the stairs, on the bed right next to my face ("play with me, mama"). Yep, he's busy rearranging his babies at night. I swear, he has never expressed any interest whatsoever in the counters or tables. Now, the window sills are a different story. :-)...See MorePet-related flooring question
Comments (25)Opinions vary on the "gawdawful" vinyl wood planks - obviously some people don't like it or at least don't like the brands and installs they have seen. We have it, we love it - very easy to clean, wears like iron and it actually looks quite real. Yes, we can tell it's not real wood but real wood in addition to not being a good choice for your home also would have cost us 10x more, since I was able to install the vinyl plank myself. It was so inexpensive that some day we could replace it with real hardwood if we get the budget and want to. Around here if you expected anyone to deduct off the price of a home because you didn't like the type of flooring you'd be laughed off the lot. I hate carpet far far more than our vinyl plank floors but we didn't get a price cut because our home was carpeted when we bought it. We just ripped it out and put in the vinyl. But any future buyer who doesn't like it doesn't even have to bother pulling it out and disposing of it, It would be easy to carpet over or lay another floor directly over, so resale is not an issue. It is quite waterproof when installed with tight joints, the vinyl planks squish up against eachother and form a tight seam. We've spilled puddles of water in the kitchen and had stray ice cubes escape the dispenser to melt off in corner and be found later - no damage. To ensure waterproofing in your case, you can apply an adhesive or clear silicone to the edges of the planks as they are installed. I am sorry your kitty is stressed with the situation and I am glad to hear that you are committed to her despite the issues. Since you're certain it is behavioral (and hopefully that means you are feeding exclusively wet food to avoid idiopathic urinary tract disease which is associated with dry foods) Is there any way you can separate the cats in your home? You can also provide retreats - there are cat flaps activated by each cat's microchip number which can be used in interior doors to selectively exclude cats for example from scaredy-cat's litter and/or food area, strategically placed cat towers, getaway routes etc. Litter boxes in every room - that may sound unappealing but they can be disguised inside furniture, and better that there is a litter box in the room than the cat using the floor as the litter box! Also another medication to consider is amitriptyline - usually more effective for cats than prozac, and can be formulated in a transdermal ear cream dispensed in a felt tip pen from Wedgewood Pet Pharmacy, since many cats won't eat these pills in a pill pocket etc and pilling a cat daily doesn't exactly help with the stress situation!...See More- 11 years ago
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