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Pwnzor
| | Posted on Monday, July 18, 2016 - 04:34 pm: | 
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Thanks for sharing those stories of encouragement.
I've just had Max out in the yard for his second poop of the day, and he made it up and down the hill with no real issue. His hind legs are a bit shaky, but his waste functions are normal. We're going to watch him tonight, keep him off the stairs and see how he looks in the morning.
If at any point he can't get himself up, it will be time. |
Akbuell
| | Posted on Monday, July 18, 2016 - 04:39 pm: |
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I feel your discomfort and distress.
Abby was a rescue Dobie. One day,
she couldn't get up the 3 steps to the deck from the yard. The moment passed.
A few days later, it happened again. I also noticed she no longer got on the sofa, and didn't lay on her side to sleep; she slept on her belly like a puppy.
Went to the vet, she was suffering congestive heart failure. I knew what had to be done, but did not want to deny her one more good day than she deserved. After a week or so, I made the appointment.
On the day, I got home from work, and the day was gorgeous. Abby was at the front door, yelling at walkers on the sidewalk to let them know this was her house. Acting normal, better than she had been in some time.
Oh man, what to do. Should I keep the appointment or not . . . I decided not to wait. Put her leash on and we walked about the yard a bit. She turned when something caught her attention, lost her balance and fell over, and couldn't get up.
It was time. I kept the appointment. She had a good day. |
Sifo
| | Posted on Friday, July 22, 2016 - 03:41 pm: |
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More sad. My brother's dog, Ruger, has gotten to the point where he vet has recommended he be put down. He almost got put down some years back after a mishap with a tree. He suddenly decided to recover from that one. Now he's just gotten old and worn to the point of not being able to get up and walk anymore. |
Fresnobuell
| | Posted on Friday, July 22, 2016 - 04:31 pm: |
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AS a dog lover, I get broken up even hearing everyone recount their experiences.
Just remember, all dogs goto heaven when it comes time.
Dogs ARE man's best friend.
And as more general note (and I'm probably preaching to choir in here,) please rescue a dog when you feel the need to add to your household. There's no better feeling than saving a life for both the owner and pet. |
Azxb9r
| | Posted on Friday, July 22, 2016 - 04:33 pm: |
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The problem with dogs is they just dont live long enough. Sorry to hear about your loss. |
Hughlysses
| | Posted on Friday, July 22, 2016 - 05:01 pm: |
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On a related note, EBR rider Shelina Moreda posted to FB about her dog "Rampage" the last couple of days. Apparently he's 16 and took a drastic turn for the worse recently, convincing everyone he was on his last legs.
She took him to the vet yesterday fearing the worst, her vet took one look and said "Oh, we have a case of Vestibular." He put him on meds and he's already doing better.
How cool is that? |
Airbozo
| | Posted on Friday, July 22, 2016 - 06:13 pm: |
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I agree with Azxb9r.
Used to have 3 dogs and a cat. All of them went one after the other in 4 years. Just got a cat last year and looking for another dog now. Took a very long time before we were ready.
Now I can't say the same about my Blue and Gold Macaw Oscar. He's only 27 and will most likely outlive both of us. Problem is, no one wants him when we go so we have to try and setup some sort of fund to take care of him... |
Zac4mac
| | Posted on Friday, July 22, 2016 - 09:14 pm: |
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Get a parrot while you're young.
They usually outlive their owners. sucks to be a parrot.
Ha! wrote this , then saw airbozo's above. |
86129squids
| | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2016 - 02:23 am: |
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"Get a parrot while you're young.
They usually outlive their owners. Sucks to be a parrot."
I always advise my friends that fish and parrots, specifically cockatiels, are the best pets.
Fish are generally furniture. Cockatiels, well kept for, can be for 2 days or so, with good feed and water.
Some fish, actually several, react to you as a person... always as you're feeding them. If you care to raise some larger cichlids and such, angelfish, they get to know you. AMHIK.
I have always loved birds. As pets, a hand-raised, female cockatiel is the best. Raise one, then one more, both female. Males can be taught to talk, but it's hard to keep them tame- and I decided that I'd not tolerate any worse bite from a bird than from a cockatiel. Or a screech, or, the poop. They had a bird show here years ago, I attended. Found an old couple with great birds in Madisonville; they would hand-raise each bird, and "deliver" it to you once it was weaned. My two birds were great company... never trimmed their flight feathers, which helps control them. Lost them to a change in girlfriends and lost protocol regarding containment of the birds.
Now I have an epileptic One-eyed Jack HaHa, who protects the property with everything he's got. 10# $hit, 5# sack, and WILL bite you. Then, my second Basenji, D'Ogee. The George Clooney of Basenji8s, so handsome. A Trindle, so rare. Silent, but deadly, Basenji's generally don't bark.
Both dogs are rescues. We are blessed. Trying to woo the hummingbirds and outside critters. |
86129squids
| | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2016 - 02:30 am: |
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Actually, at this posting- "Gary", my green severum, should have passed quarantine at Aquarium in Knoxville... he's a green severum, as big/bigger than my hand, too big for a 55 gallon fresh tank, so I put him with the best in the biz. Should transition to a 110 or 140 tank soon.
I get store credit!!!  |
Sifo
| | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2016 - 07:16 am: |
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I had a clown knife that had grown to over a foot in length. That fish was very aware of what was going on outside the tank. Not just feeding time, but it was very obvious at feeding time. He met his end the day before he got moved to his new tank. I was in the process of moving, and had a new bigger tank set up in the new place to get the water stabilized. I had moved pretty much everything but my bed and his fish tank. That night I heard him slap against the lid of the tank, but just went back to sleep. I got up in the morning to find the tank empty! WTF!!! He had actually jumped out and flipped to the other side of the room and was under the curtain of the sliding door. I pretty much wound down the fish thing after that.
Funny thing, but as I write this, I'm in a house with little but a bed and a lawn chair. Much like that fateful day for my clown knife. Time to hit the road for the new place! |
86129squids
| | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2016 - 12:28 pm: |
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OK, crème de la weird: I just got off the phone with Aquarium to see how Gary was doing... "he" laid eggs! 
Obviously, we mis-named "him"... good to know the fish is well! Now, without another severum in the tank, why would the fish lay eggs? I guess that just like birds, they can lay unfertilized eggs... otherwise, one of my angelfish did something craaazy... |
Hootowl
| | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2016 - 01:23 pm: |
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Buddy gets a pedicure.
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Hootowl
| | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2016 - 01:30 pm: |
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Yeah, fish lay unfertilized eggs. The male does his business over the pile. |
Pwnzor
| | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2016 - 02:32 pm: |
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Max seems to be doing better, and is getting over his withdrawals from being able to perch at the top of the stairs. He's able to move around fairly well, though he is still just as mentally vacant.
He eats, drinks, walks and poops. I'm so glad he's still around.
Thanks again to everybody who has shown support in this trying time. |
Hootowl
| | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2016 - 03:36 pm: |
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Good to hear Matt |
86129squids
| | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2016 - 03:47 pm: |
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"... though he is still just as mentally vacant."
Ummm, my GF says the same thing about me!
Good to hear of Max's recovery- just be diligent about preparing your family and yourself for when it's time to play "Simon Says". The day WILL come for Max, and all of us.
Just sayin'. Still, I know full well how you feel, friend. Hope to see you soon. |
86129squids
| | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2016 - 05:48 pm: |
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Hoot- I knew that, but forgot. When I was a kid I wanted to be a scientist, but, I have always sucked at math. Awesome with language, but I'm competent up to spreadsheets and real math- even algebra flummoxes me. Oh well.
Tom- Dang that must have been a great fish! I had a black knife fish up until recently, got behind on water quality, lost the fish. At least now I can rebuild back to a "community" tank, get some more fun fishies to look at and enjoy.
Got to thinking about "Gary"- s(he) went straight to a 55 gallon tank by herself, no one else, and in the best water, and in relative darkness. She got comfortable, and pooted out her eggs. So, I know I did the right thing by "Gary"... next day off, I can go pick out my trade fishies! And, she'll probably reside in a MUCH bigger tank, maybe for the rest of her days.
Tom- good luck to you and Mary on the transition! Maybe you can get back into the hobby, if you watch CL for the right deal. Heck, I picked up my 55gal at Habitat Re-Store, with cabinet, covers, lights, chemicals, for about $200- then I bought a Magnum canister filter and an undergravel water filter with powerhead... I can use the Magnum to clean the tank with the gravel vacuum attachment to boot, then change the media/filter, all is well. Even use the accumulated fish spooge afterward for our plants!
Good stuff. |
Pwnzor
| | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2016 - 07:03 pm: |
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It took me years to shake the fish habit.
At one point during my early 20's I had an upstairs apartment with 24 fish tanks around all four sides of the living room (and a rental clause that said NO WATER FILLED FURNITURE, LOL). Two were 180 gallon and I even had a 240 gallon tank. Most were 40-55 gallon size, with a few 10-15 gallon holding tanks for quarantine purposes.
I had a pair of Jack Dempseys that bred and had a shit ton of fry, most of which they ate. One of the offspring survived in the same tank with mom and dad, but the fighting ensued and I had to separate them. Dad had his own 20 gallon tank with caves and rocks he could throw around. At night, he would jump out of his tank into a neighboring tank, kill all the fish, and then jump back into his own. I ended up having to put a screen cover on him with metal clamps to keep it in place.
I've done everything from low to high pH fresh water, brackish, salt and reef tanks... probably spent at least $100,000 over the years of my addiction.
I got into the practice of rescuing oversize fish from people's tanks that bought the animal when it was tiny and grew it to beyond manageable size. A 3 foot plecostomus comes to mind, a lot of red pacu, and I had a Monodactylus sebae that was so tall, it's pelvic fin would dig trails in the gravel while it's dorsal was sticking out of the water in a 55 gallon tank.
I don't have the time for it any more, but I really enjoyed it while I did. |
86129squids
| | Posted on Sunday, July 24, 2016 - 12:32 pm: |
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Man, that must've been a WELL built building, carrying that much weight! I'd love to bump up to a bigger tank, but I'd not do that unless I could reinforce my flooring joists... I'm fine with 55. If I could learn the routines and keep up with them, I'd love a tank of discus fish... but I'm working the semi-lazy method for my one tank. And, trying not to blow too much moolah.
That Dempsey story was funny! |
Hughlysses
| | Posted on Sunday, July 24, 2016 - 04:52 pm: |
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We're on site. Great weather today but a LONG drive. Stopped by Mill Springs, NC and picked up the t-shirts at Yetees Design; they look great. We unloaded and I made one circuit of 226/226a. I only saw gravel in one corner so that's great.
Time for the first frosty craft beer of vacation! |
Slaughter
| | Posted on Sunday, July 24, 2016 - 06:53 pm: |
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We are fortunate that we have a vet in town who does "house calls"
We had to put down a couple furry friends in the past 2 decades. It's expected that you cry when your little (or big) friend passes on. If not, you're heartless.
quote:If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.
-Will Rogers
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Airbozo
| | Posted on Monday, July 25, 2016 - 02:59 pm: |
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Word of advice: DO NOT GET A LARGE BIRD! Or even a smart small bird.
Something like 70% of all birds are either given up to a shelter, abandoned or set free to fend for themselves (they usually die).
Parrots and Macaws are not pets like dogs or cats. They are closer to members of the family that bond with one (or hopefully like our case 2 people) and will behave like humans when separated from "their flock" with grief and depression. Many never recover and die horrible deaths. Our Macaw has gone through the same period of sadness and mourning that we did when our dogs and cats have died. He even wandered around the house for months calling to them (one of the saddest things I have witnessed).
Bird refuges are full and only take on new ones if there is no other solution and turn away many birds every year. This is because the owners had no clue what they were getting themselves into and could not deal with a mature bird or understand why they start biting the new little people in their house (jealousy). If you do insist on getting a macaw or parrot, then understand it is a lifetime commitment. They act like kids, but don't leave the house when they turn 18.
...stepping off the soapbox...
That rant over, our macaw, Oscar has been a blessing and curse. He is a perpetual 2 year old with a beak strong enough to crush fingers and who's screams would rival a KORN concert (I would prefer to stand in front of the speaker at a concert rather than hear him let loose). He shows emotion, blushes when embarrassed or excited and calls out to us when he is lonely. His vocabulary exceeds 250 words and phrases and he used his language to ask for food (hot food for oscar!), juice (nectar) and tells us when he wants to go outside, come inside and when he wants to sleep (wanna hangout or night night). Just Saturday he was mocking one of my friends as she started laughing at something on TV which caused a full snowball effect of her laughing more and him teasing her (she had no clue he was teasing her). Oscar even knows the sound of my motorcycles and will start yelling my name long before anyone else knows I am coming.
The good part is he actually likes to be away from us and spend time outside in his aviary. Some of the neighbors are not happy about his screams, but he has gotten way better since he has passed puberty. He still has some issues twice a year though.
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Hootowl
| | Posted on Monday, July 25, 2016 - 03:34 pm: |
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That's really cool. I'd like to have a bird, but I wouldn't be able to handle the noise. I need my beauty rest. The dog is bad enough. |
86129squids
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 - 01:33 am: |
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Check out David Brin, "Uplift Wars". Makes you think about other species and sentience.
When I attended that bird show, I'd see someone with a big, beautiful parrot on his/her shoulder.., then SQHAAKKK!!!!!
I decided then that (a) don't want to lose a finger, or nose, or ear... (b) don't want to lose my hearing either. A hand-raised female cockatiel, ideally a pair, works well.
"pets" are a LOT more than that. My two dogs enrich mine and my sweetie's lives, and we in turn do our best to reciprocate. I bring home prime meat scraps that my customers throw away for treats, and... happy dawgies!! They protect the property, especially from the postman... all's well.
My fish seem content too, at this writing. |
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