Pets - General

[kannon]

Originally Posted by femmedyke

Sachita I'm thinking about you during this very difficult time. I know folks sometimes say how lucky our beloved pets are to have us, but really, we're so very lucky to have them in our lives.

When Piscean and I merged our little lives together we came out with some kind of Brady Bunch. I had three cats, she had three cats and a pup and as luck or fate or I don't know bleeding hearts would have it, together we rescued four more pets. Three more cats and another dog.

Our pups are both rescued wheaten mixes, Fossil came with Piscean and is a darling and stubborn Wheaten Lhasa mix. Atticus is a wheaten poodle mix who is c-r-a-z-y but so very loving and sweet.

Our cats are all amazing, you would never even imagine how well (and clean) our household runs with eight cats. It is formerly nine, we just lost our beautiful 15 year old Petunia from cancer. We miss her very much; our sweet little tomboy girl, with her big red bell.

Caring for our brood is a part-time job but I love it and wouldn't have it any other way. We're also lucky that we both work for specialty and referral hospitals so we get a very large break on vet bills, medications, care.. etc. I think, of course this is the only way we could have this many pets. Five years ago I am not sure I would have considered chemotherapy for any of our pets, but with the access to the medical care chemotherapy gave Piscean and I two more beautiful, good months with Petunia. I'd do it in a heartbeat again.

Last night in the ER at work we had our very first 'overheated' dog. The owners have been leaving their 14 year old lab outside because she had been urinating in the house. Well, yesterday it was 96 degrees out and Brandy literally fried. She presented with a 105 temp (likely had been 107 before she came) and had to be euthanized. It was hard to feel sorry for the owners (the adults) but very, very sad for the 10 year old young man who kind of understood what had happened and was losing his best friend.

...So a very random and all over the place (typical for me) post, but thought I would share.

I'm blessed cause all 3 of my dogs have good health. Maggie is 11, Miguel is 6 and Tyler is 3. Still, it cost a pretty penny for routine health care. Worth every penny though.

Maggie goes outside whenever she wants. I have a doggie door. She gets overheated when she stays out too long hunting. It was 105 today. She doesn't know when give it up. I've had to spray her with water a couple of times to get her temp down. I worry about her when I'm at work.