Annual checkup for my pets today

[Samurai_Writer]

Just wanted to give the news for all the rest of the dog and cat lovers here. My 5 year old cocker spaniel and almost 15 year old cat had their annual physicals today. Here's the results:

Magic, cocker spaniel -- 38.5 pounds, stocky, but not overweight. Heartworm free (had heartworms when I adopted him a year ago, went through treatment). He's in great health now!

Nightmare, senior cat -- 6 pounds, hyperthyroidism keeps her weight down. She's becoming a bit arthritic, so she got some pain meds this time. No vaccines, because of her age and health. She's doing good,though, the doctor is amazed she's doing so well, after going through hyperthyroidism that wasn't diagnosed for a while, and an emergency surgery a few months ago.

Smoke, Nightmare's son -- he's going next weekend for his annual. Can't deal with transporting all three at the same time if I can help it.

[mr_hat]

1. You're a good animal companion. Bless your heart.

[Samurai_Writer]

3. thanks...

Nightmare showed up on my doorstep 14 years ago, 7 months old or so and pregnant. She had her litter, and I kept Smoke, gave the other four away to friends. She got fixed, and has been an indoor cat ever since. Smoke has never been outdoors (except the patio, with me being out with them). I have spent a lot of money on Nightmare this past year with her health problems, but it is worth it.

My dog is such a sweety, and so well-behaved. He was picked up as a stray and taken to the SPCA, but he was obviously someone's pet previously. He's a lot of fun, too, and keeps this 'old woman' of 44 active. I live alone, and he's been a great companion.

Smoke is 13 years old and in great health -- still tears around the house like he's a kitten. He and Magic get along well, so when Nightmare passes, Smoke will have a companion still.

Peace,
Bella

[candy]

5. I have nothing but admiration for you----taking in these wonderful

animals and giving them a good home.

It's your love that made them a little family of "happy campers"

[chookie]

2. HURRAH!

That sounds like GREAT news -- especially considering that both of these guys had been in tight scrapes before. Boy -- they are lucky to have a best friend like you.

And it sounds like you have a good vet with good judgement, who knows when to take action, and when to let things be (not subjecting Kitty the Elder to vaccinations).

My "cat daughter" Pazuzu lived to be almost 21 years old -- imagine, had she survived 2 more months we could have gone out drinking together. She was in great health until the end, apart from some arthritis in her lumbar vertebrae. She was also a slim cat all her life, quite youthful looking and acting -- people always thought she was a juvenile, particularly because even at the age of 19 she would jump on peoples shoulders and hang like a mink stole.

I have to take my rescue Pom Rasta Mon in for his vacs and an exam -- he had emergency surgery for a terrible bladder stone back in May, and has recovered well. But I have a ferret who is showing signs of adrenal malfunction, so it looks like surgery is in her near future.

So happy for you, and your furry pals, that all is so well.

Give them both a big hug from me.

[Samurai_Writer]

4. Wow! 21?!?

That's great... she lived a long and active life, it sounds like. You sound like you are as attached to your animals as I am to mine. I could not imagine living alone without a pet. They bring so much fun and happiness and affection into one's life!

[chookie]

6. She was a rescue too

I had just moved to Chicago to go to school there, and was in my new apt 3 days when I heard a TERRIBLE wailing outside (I was 3 stories up). I immediately responded, and ran down the stairs to find the source of this 65 decible howling.

It came from a kitten the size of a large bug, who fit on the palm of my hand (and I have small hands) -- where she came from and how she got into the alley behind my apartment, I don't know, but she was so young she should not have been away from her mama...

Thus started one of the great love stories of the 20th century.

Pazuzu was my child -- as smart as a child. She may not have been able to speak human language, but she was a great communicator and we had a fascinating and rich wonderful life together. I'll mourn losing her until I die myself.

Life isn't perfect -- but then again, I had Pazuzu for almost 21 years, and that makes up for most everything else....

[chookie]

7. A "PS" cautionary tale

Back in 1989, when I had moved to FL, I took in another stray cat.

Pazuzu, in a few weeks, was lethargic and lost weight. I took her to a vet. He said, straight out, that I had been foolish to take in a stray, and that Pazuzu was obviously stricken with feline leukemia, and should be put down immediately. I had a gut feeling (along with skepticism towards "authority figures" and refused.

I took her to another vet. He actually bothered to thoroughly examine her, and x-rays showed that she had been attacked by the new cat, and had an absess from a wound, which was easily treated.

The irony -- the vet who wanted to put her down died long before Pazuzu did. Yeah, Pazuzu could have pissed on his grave if she had been so inclined, but she was too decent and ladylike to consider such things.

I always advise people -- "Caveat Veterinariantorum!" My good sense has saved the lives of pets of friends who were similarly advised to euthanize their "hopeless" animals -- most notably an Australian shepherd who was "diagnosed" with a genetic defect causing convulsions, when it was really seriously ill with encephalitis. My friend asked me to come with her to the vet, and I argued with him, until he agreed to supply intravenous antibiotics that we would administer to this dear doggie ourselves (we hung the drip from our ceiling fan) -- and he went from prostration and high fever and blindness and paralysis to being cured within a week. It was a humbling learning experience for this vet, who freely acknowledged that he had made a serious mistake. So there!

But it sounds like you have a very good, sensible, empathetic and learned vet -- hold onto him/her!

[Samurai_Writer]

8. My vet is awesome....

She has two elderly cats herself, 15 and 17. When Nightmare first started losing weight, she ran every test under the sun to determine the cause, immediately put her on antibiotics in case of infection. Since she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and put on meds, she has been fine. When she had to have emergency surgery a few months ago, the doctor was almost as upset as I was, it was doubtful she would make it. But she healed and recovered very quickly, thank goodness.

I agree, the vet makes all the difference in the world!