The Pet Info Thread

[nutzbuster 7]

We have 2 outdoor cats that we saved from a semi feral situation. I say semi because I think they were the result of someones house cats that got loose and had kittens outside in the bushes. They were evil psycho cats at first but are now very tame with us.Anyway, they are male and about 4 months old now. How old before we should nip their fuzzy little nuts (or should we at all?) I'm thinking definitely do it but have heard good and bad.Plus, if we do have them neutered, what are the chances that they'd contract an infection healing, being outdoors cats?

[Balloon guy 158]

So it's okay to cut off the cats nuts, but the claws are a no no?Sounds like a woman came up with these rules

[loogie 115]

Speedziebooboo,Any thoughts on the American Kennel Club?

[speedz99 145]

I'd like the dog to live 18-20 years.So, if I buy her the best possible foods, what else can I do to facilitate this outcome?

Give her plenty of exercise. Don't let her get fat. Take her to the vet every year for a physical and vaccines. Once she turns 8 take her every 6 months and have them run annual bloodwork to make sure everything still looks good (yes, this costs money, but it's all about early detection...things go downhill very quickly with older dogs). If she gets sick, don't hesitate to at least call your vet to see if they think you should bring her in. Also, know that she will not live 18-20 years. If she does, it'll mean that for the last 3-4 years of her life she's been in absolute misery while you've been hanging on to the quivering lump that used to be your dog. A dog like that is very lucky to live 12-14 healthy years and 1-3 slightly sick but still happy years.

We have 2 outdoor cats that we saved from a semi feral situation. I say semi because I think they were the result of someones house cats that got loose and had kittens outside in the bushes. They were evil psycho cats at first but are now very tame with us.Anyway, they are male and about 4 months old now. How old before we should nip their fuzzy little nuts (or should we at all?) I'm thinking definitely do it but have heard good and bad.

Get them done at 5-6 months. You definitely, definitely should have them neutered. If someone has given you a good reason not to, please share it with me, because I've never heard one.

Plus, if we do have them neutered, what are the chances that they'd contract an infection healing, being outdoors cats?

You'll have to keep them indoors for a few days, but they'll be fine after that. Cats heal remarkably well after surgery.

Speedziebooboo,Any thoughts on the American Kennel Club?

Uh...not really. What kind of thoughts are you looking for?

[loogie 115]

Uh...not really. What kind of thoughts are you looking for?

Just the general opinion of the organization from someone who likes and is involved with animals but isn't bat shit crazy. I'm working on ad campaigns for school.

[hank213 1,823]

Just the general opinion of the organization from someone who likes and is involved with animals but isn't bat shit crazy. I'm working on ad campaigns for school.

The AKC: Because who doesn't enjoy watching a dog take a shit on tv?

[speedz99 145]

Just the general opinion of the organization from someone who likes and is involved with animals but isn't bat shit crazy. I'm working on ad campaigns for school.

Oh, I guess I don't know much about them. I don't even have a clue if they do anything other then making dog breeds "official" and running dog shows for the bat shit crazies you don't want to ask about the AKC. The only thing I've heard people complain about is the fact that they don't care much about health or behavior when certifying dogs...so you can get an "AKC" puppy whose parents are aggressive and have every genetic fuckup in the book.I don't know, it's just not my thing, so I don't have much of an opinion.

[loogie 115]

Oh, I guess I don't know much about them. I don't even have a clue if they do anything other then making dog breeds "official" and running dog shows for the bat shit crazies you don't want to ask about the AKC. The only thing I've heard people complain about is the fact that they don't care much about health or behavior when certifying dogs...so you can get an "AKC" puppy whose parents are aggressive and have every genetic fuckup in the book.I don't know, it's just not my thing, so I don't have much of an opinion.

Gotcha.Yeah, it's tough coming up with analogies for what the AKC does other than ethnic cleansing.

[El Guapo 8]

Gotcha.Yeah, it's tough coming up with analogies for what the AKC does other than ethnic cleansing.

AKC, ensuring the best (traits) for generations to come.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

Give her plenty of exercise. Don't let her get fat. Take her to the vet every year for a physical and vaccines. Once she turns 8 take her every 6 months and have them run annual bloodwork to make sure everything still looks good (yes, this costs money, but it's all about early detection...things go downhill very quickly with older dogs). If she gets sick, don't hesitate to at least call your vet to see if they think you should bring her in. Also, know that she will not live 18-20 years. If she does, it'll mean that for the last 3-4 years of her life she's been in absolute misery while you've been hanging on to the quivering lump that used to be your dog. A dog like that is very lucky to live 12-14 healthy years and 1-3 slightly sick but still happy years.

What if he starts the HGH injections early and often ( Or in this case, I guess it would be DGH). I 've heard it's the fountain of youth..

[speedz99 145]

What if he starts the HGH injections early and often ( Or in this case, I guess it would be DGH). I 've heard it's the fountain of youth..

Well it certainly couldn't hurt*.*It might hurt.

[DrawingDeadInDM 0]

side note: I have another Golden - she's almost 2 now. So far, no sign of allergy problems. She's a sweetie.

She's cute.. but she's not as cute as Farrah(my old lady named her). She's an Akita-Boxer mix. 10 weeks old. She's tough.

[Mercury69 3]

She's cute.. but she's not as cute as Farrah(my old lady named her). She's an Akita-Boxer mix. 10 weeks old. She's tough.

I see you gave that bitch a black eye.

[Balloon guy 158]

By 'dog' do you mean 'cat'? Or was this just an excuse to get me to thank you for the thread idea? Because I'm not going to do that, or even acknowledge that it was your idea.Something hurts...do you usually feed him dry food? Try adding water until it's soft and mooshy, or just pick up some wet food. If he's able to take that down without a problem you'll know it's an oral issue (more likely to be dental than some kind of mass). If he still won't eat it's most likely something with his stomach, and you could try giving him some pepto. Either way, if it doesn't get better within a day or two you should really bring him in. If he hasn't been drinking water either for the past 3 days you should actually bring him in as soon as possible.No fee, but put in a good word for me with God.

So took him to vet, pay to put him under, xrays on mouth, vet sends a tube to the stomach, no obstructions, no bad teeth..no idea.Giving him antinflamatories in case it's a sore jaw...$600I guess I now know why you are becoming a vet.

[Nimue1995 1]

Groomers have absolutely no idea to do with my animals, given their unusual hair situation. So I guess I could take them in just to get their nails cut, but, I don't.

PetSmart has nail trimming only service. So far my daughter's dachschund has suffered no ill effects at their hands although they have had some occasions where they've suffered ill effects at her teeth (she hates anybody touching her feet).

[speedz99 145]

So took him to vet, pay to put him under, xrays on mouth, vet sends a tube to the stomach, no obstructions, no bad teeth..no idea.Giving him antinflamatories in case it's a sore jaw...

Weird. But I take it (since you brought him in) he'll still just eat the soft food and is acting painful? Was the vet able to localize the pain or even re-create it? I'm not asking because I have any big ideas, now I'm just curious.

$600I guess I now know why you are becoming a vet.

From what I understand, you make a lot more filling rubber with air, and you didn't pay $200k to learn how to do it. You've got me beat hands down in the capitalism game. Besides, he doesn't take home nearly that much after sending me a considerable finder's fee.

[Balloon guy 158]

Weird. But I take it (since you brought him in) he'll still just eat the soft food and is acting painful? Was the vet able to localize the pain or even re-create it? I'm not asking because I have any big ideas, now I'm just curious.

While under he said he felt a clicking in the jaw and thought maybe my dog had injured the jaw, so we are keeping him on soft food for 2 weeks etc. to observe. He is still rough housing with my daughter's pit mix mutt and they get pretty physical without any seemingly painful issues while playing. In other words it appears he is getting better, but I'll wait the 2 weeks to start him on the dry food again.I've been adding tiny amounts of ground glass into his food to make him tougher and other than the bleeding he seems fine.

From what I understand, you make a lot more filling rubber with air, and you didn't pay $200k to learn how to do it. You've got me beat hands down in the capitalism game.

good point, although rubber and latex are slightly different, and helium is the prefered filling material, but latex engineers are sexier so I got that going for me.

Besides, he doesn't take home nearly that much after sending me a considerable finder's fee.

If this was only true I would have gotten the extra work done to see if he is clairvoyant

[nutzbuster 7]

These boys boys's days are number.gg Fuzzy nads.

[speedz99 145]

I've been adding tiny amounts of ground glass into his food to make him tougher and other than the bleeding he seems fine.

If you wanted a dog to bleed from its rear end you could've just gotten a bitch.

These boys boys's days are number.gg Fuzzy nads.

I recently made a joke regarding feeling bad about neutering cats to a woman who works at an animal shelter. After enduring a ten minute lecture, I made a mental note that crazy cat ladies do not have well developed senses of humor.

[SlapStick 0]

Not health wise but thoughts on this if any?My friend and his girlfriend have two dogs. One big happy chases stuff etc. Other one is small, they found her homeless and only in the last 6 months has finally come out of her shell, pretty needy and follows my friend wherever he goes, when he goes into a shop and I wait with them outside, she almost goes beserk trying to find him, big dog is curious but fine. I babysat them for two weeks, she is pretty needy and sensitive.friend just broke up with girl. He refers to them as his kids and is almost vonteegoesque about his love for them. They spend the day together while the two humans are at work. He wants to take the big one but wont because he thinks it will be bad for them, the small one will be bad enough without him, she doesn't go as crazy for the girlfriend when shes gone as she does for him and he thinks its better for the big one to have company. He basically did all their walking and the ex does not look after them as good as he would. He popped into the house twice while she was gone and there was no water for them both times. No way in hell will she let him take both. Think it would be so bad to seperate them?Im a bit drunk but hopefully I got my main question across, he wont take the big one, his favourite because he thinks it will hurt him. I think it'll be fine but he makes good points.

[speedz99 145]

He can always take the big one and then adopt another one to keep it company. Or he could just keep it as an only pet...it sounds like it'd be much better off with him as an owner, unless it's really attached to the little one aside from just enjoying having a buddy. But the little one is fucked if the big one is taken away. Who technically owns the dogs? He should probably mention to the ex that dogs need water to live.

[SlapStick 0]

They got both of them together. She doesnt want the relationship to end so any concession from her is a god send as shes acting pretty mean out of desperation. Yea ,the big one would just survive but the little one would be affected.Her ears were definitely injured while learning about a dogs need for water.

[speedz99 145]

They got both of them together.

I'm guessing that the paperwork was done under one of their names...usually that's the way it goes unless it's a married couple. I don't know...I don't really have a good answer for you. These situations suck. Both dogs would eventually be fine if they were split up, it would just take some work.

[Balloon guy 158]

If you wanted a dog to bleed from its rear end you could've just gotten a bitch.

You win

[Southern Buddhist 1]

I've got a question for you, Speedz. We feed our cats Science Diet Sensitive Stomach dry food. They seem to make a hobby out of puking nevertheless, about a couple of pukes a week each. Is there a different, better food we could give them, or are they doing it for hairballs, or is something wrong? They both (ages 14 and 9) seem to be in good health, have silky fur, good teeth and breath (for a cat), normal litter habits, etc.