The Pet thread
- Thread starter The Predaking
- Start date
I'm doing mostly okay. It's both horrible, and yet stupidly covenant luck that this happened at the beginning of my vacation. On one hand that's a really REALLY crappy way to start a vacation.
On the other hand, it means I can mourn and not worry about work, because holy hell I was not going Friday, and I have no idea if I would have felt like it Sunday either.
We had two cats. Rally who is the one that sadly passed away and Shade, a big Siamese who was mostly confound to my room downstairs (which is a basement den, so decent sized) We had a pet gate at the top of the stairs to separate them because Rally would hiss and moan if Shade got near her for the longest time. It seemed she was finally calming down, but I wanted to take trying to get rid of the gate slowly. Well, that happened a lot faster than I would have liked.
Shade being here takes a bit of the edge off. It's nice still having a concerned fluff ball coming up to you for pets, but the house really does feel a bit emptier. I used to come home from work and Rally would run up knowing it meant she got a soft treat. Gonna have to get used to that not being a thing.
What gets me the most is just how fast it all went down. She seemed fine that Thursday morning. The only thing she ever let us see was that she'd stick her rear leg out straight when she sat down, which looked weird and prompted us to get her checked out in the first place. I wasn't there for the vet visits, but was told they basically thought/hoped she just strained something, and some medicine would help her heal. After it did nothing, my roommate planned another check up that Thursday.
The day started normal. I was even making tuna for lunch and she came up and sat there, eager for some. But I couldn't give her any because she had a vet visit and she tended to stress poop in her carrier, so we were trying to avoid that.
She went and I basically got a call from my roommate saying we might have to say goodbye to her soon. I could hear her meow over the phone. Came to find out it was likely a cancer and she probably didn't have much time. We could pay like 800 bucks or so to figure out what kind of cancer it was and try to treat it, but it'd only grant us at best a few months more time. At worst a few weeks. We decided it wasn't worth putting Rally through that pain, and though it bleeping killed us. We scheduled stuff for Sunday for her last day. But she didn't get that. I guess the stress of the vet visit pushed her past any facade she was putting up. It got worse and worse the moment she was home. She couldn't and wouldn't eat. Not even some tuna I saved for her. She was throwing up bile. She just kinda laid around in some of her favorite spots making little mews if you came close.
We ended up doing an anime stream that night just to let our watchers know it was the last time they might get to see Rally. Also to basically distract ourselves.
She was in the hallway last time I saw her alive. I petted her a bit and went down stairs closing the gate. She meowed at me as I left. As if she knew it was the last time we'd see each other. Then I got up around 6am for the bathroom and found out from my roommate that she was gone. We pulled her out from under his bed, and she wasn't moving.
I've never seen my roommate cry before.
He took her to go get burial stuff done. I'm not sure still if we really got her cremated or not. I know he was thinking about it. I haven't really felt like bringing it up with him just yet. It's been a week now and I still feel a bit numb. I've just played a few videogames to take my mind off it, and catch up with anime. Any writing I planned to do this week was shot. I don't have it in me.
I definitely think my writing it out helps me personally, so I thank you for letting me ramble a bit like this. She will be missed dearly, and I'm not looking forward to answering my co-workers at work how my 'vacation' went...
On the other hand, it means I can mourn and not worry about work, because holy hell I was not going Friday, and I have no idea if I would have felt like it Sunday either.
We had two cats. Rally who is the one that sadly passed away and Shade, a big Siamese who was mostly confound to my room downstairs (which is a basement den, so decent sized) We had a pet gate at the top of the stairs to separate them because Rally would hiss and moan if Shade got near her for the longest time. It seemed she was finally calming down, but I wanted to take trying to get rid of the gate slowly. Well, that happened a lot faster than I would have liked.
Shade being here takes a bit of the edge off. It's nice still having a concerned fluff ball coming up to you for pets, but the house really does feel a bit emptier. I used to come home from work and Rally would run up knowing it meant she got a soft treat. Gonna have to get used to that not being a thing.
What gets me the most is just how fast it all went down. She seemed fine that Thursday morning. The only thing she ever let us see was that she'd stick her rear leg out straight when she sat down, which looked weird and prompted us to get her checked out in the first place. I wasn't there for the vet visits, but was told they basically thought/hoped she just strained something, and some medicine would help her heal. After it did nothing, my roommate planned another check up that Thursday.
The day started normal. I was even making tuna for lunch and she came up and sat there, eager for some. But I couldn't give her any because she had a vet visit and she tended to stress poop in her carrier, so we were trying to avoid that.
She went and I basically got a call from my roommate saying we might have to say goodbye to her soon. I could hear her meow over the phone. Came to find out it was likely a cancer and she probably didn't have much time. We could pay like 800 bucks or so to figure out what kind of cancer it was and try to treat it, but it'd only grant us at best a few months more time. At worst a few weeks. We decided it wasn't worth putting Rally through that pain, and though it bleeping killed us. We scheduled stuff for Sunday for her last day. But she didn't get that. I guess the stress of the vet visit pushed her past any facade she was putting up. It got worse and worse the moment she was home. She couldn't and wouldn't eat. Not even some tuna I saved for her. She was throwing up bile. She just kinda laid around in some of her favorite spots making little mews if you came close.
We ended up doing an anime stream that night just to let our watchers know it was the last time they might get to see Rally. Also to basically distract ourselves.
She was in the hallway last time I saw her alive. I petted her a bit and went down stairs closing the gate. She meowed at me as I left. As if she knew it was the last time we'd see each other. Then I got up around 6am for the bathroom and found out from my roommate that she was gone. We pulled her out from under his bed, and she wasn't moving.
I've never seen my roommate cry before.
He took her to go get burial stuff done. I'm not sure still if we really got her cremated or not. I know he was thinking about it. I haven't really felt like bringing it up with him just yet. It's been a week now and I still feel a bit numb. I've just played a few videogames to take my mind off it, and catch up with anime. Any writing I planned to do this week was shot. I don't have it in me.
I definitely think my writing it out helps me personally, so I thank you for letting me ramble a bit like this. She will be missed dearly, and I'm not looking forward to answering my co-workers at work how my 'vacation' went...
That's awful, I'm so, so sorry.
I can say, happening quickly vs. slowly is just a different kind of awful.
We have had doggos who had long, happy lives who just succumbed to old age (or some other age-related thing). It was awful to watch them go. And then there was our Woodstock. 'Woody" was a ham. He loved giving face kisses (called 'bleps'). He seemed like he was perfectly healthy. And then one day, we loaded him and his sister Rose into our CRV to go see my Nana, who had been moved to hospice care. We stopped at the Vince Lombardi rest stop in New Jersey to gas up, walk dogs, and use the facilities. But when I opened the back of the vehicle, Woody was unresponsive. He was warm to the touch, even though the cabin of the CRV was fine on the way. it might have been a few degrees warmer where he was, but not this much warmer. I screamed in panic to my wife on her way to the restroom. A police office in plain clothes heard me, and offered to escort me to the nearest emergency vet. A few ran red lights later, they have our boy at the clinic and stabilize him. He had been somewhere over 108 degrees (since that was the highest their thermometer went). They couldn't get him to regain consciousness, but recommended an animal hospital with more resources to assist not too far away. We got there, got him checked in, and ride that was the last time I held him. The doc seemed to think it was some kind of traumatic brain injury, based on the symptoms. We tried a few last-ditch attempts at plasma infusions, but they didn't help. The worst part was that we still had to continue on to see my Nana. We had to leave him in New Jersey. It still kills me that we weren't with him at the end, and that was 6 years ago.
I can say, happening quickly vs. slowly is just a different kind of awful.
We have had doggos who had long, happy lives who just succumbed to old age (or some other age-related thing). It was awful to watch them go. And then there was our Woodstock. 'Woody" was a ham. He loved giving face kisses (called 'bleps'). He seemed like he was perfectly healthy. And then one day, we loaded him and his sister Rose into our CRV to go see my Nana, who had been moved to hospice care. We stopped at the Vince Lombardi rest stop in New Jersey to gas up, walk dogs, and use the facilities. But when I opened the back of the vehicle, Woody was unresponsive. He was warm to the touch, even though the cabin of the CRV was fine on the way. it might have been a few degrees warmer where he was, but not this much warmer. I screamed in panic to my wife on her way to the restroom. A police office in plain clothes heard me, and offered to escort me to the nearest emergency vet. A few ran red lights later, they have our boy at the clinic and stabilize him. He had been somewhere over 108 degrees (since that was the highest their thermometer went). They couldn't get him to regain consciousness, but recommended an animal hospital with more resources to assist not too far away. We got there, got him checked in, and ride that was the last time I held him. The doc seemed to think it was some kind of traumatic brain injury, based on the symptoms. We tried a few last-ditch attempts at plasma infusions, but they didn't help. The worst part was that we still had to continue on to see my Nana. We had to leave him in New Jersey. It still kills me that we weren't with him at the end, and that was 6 years ago.
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Thankfully it's not all doom and gloom. Let's go for a more positive post today.
While it obviously really sucks about what happened, I'm glad my other cat is around. She's doing her best to be a lovable fluff ball.
With her being allowed access to the entire house now, she's found her new favorite spot. I've found her curled up here for the past four nights.
She's in my room right now, being adorable. And loud. She's a very loud cat when she wants something.
While it obviously really sucks about what happened, I'm glad my other cat is around. She's doing her best to be a lovable fluff ball.
With her being allowed access to the entire house now, she's found her new favorite spot. I've found her curled up here for the past four nights.
She's in my room right now, being adorable. And loud. She's a very loud cat when she wants something.
We are a big pet family. Mostly because my wife loves to foster dogs and cats.
We adopted our first two before we had kids but since then the rest are fosters that came and then stayed. Our first one of those was Sebastian or Sebbie. He came to us 12 years ago as a puppy with his brother and sister who were both adopted. Sebbie stayed. since then we've picked up two more dogs and a cat all starting as Fosters.
I still think of Sebbie as a young dog because he came as a puppy. (The others were older when we got them.) He's been in fine health until this week. Saturday night he threw up some of his diner and didn't finish the rest. That was the first sign anything at all was wrong. He hasn't eaten since though we've tried different things. He drinks and pees but locks his jaw shut and won't eat.
Took him to the vet yesterday for tests and just got a message. It looks like hes having major kidney problems. and things don't look good.
We could try to give him IVs but the vet seems to think it would just be giving him a little more time. And we don't have a a lot of money to throw at this even if it would help.
It's been years since we've lost one of the dogs and Sebbies always been one of my favorites. I don't know where I'm going with this I am just sitting here crying and needed to get it out.
blaaah.
-ZacWilliam, I love having pets and my wife really needs them, but this part makes it so damn hard.
We adopted our first two before we had kids but since then the rest are fosters that came and then stayed. Our first one of those was Sebastian or Sebbie. He came to us 12 years ago as a puppy with his brother and sister who were both adopted. Sebbie stayed. since then we've picked up two more dogs and a cat all starting as Fosters.
I still think of Sebbie as a young dog because he came as a puppy. (The others were older when we got them.) He's been in fine health until this week. Saturday night he threw up some of his diner and didn't finish the rest. That was the first sign anything at all was wrong. He hasn't eaten since though we've tried different things. He drinks and pees but locks his jaw shut and won't eat.
Took him to the vet yesterday for tests and just got a message. It looks like hes having major kidney problems. and things don't look good.
We could try to give him IVs but the vet seems to think it would just be giving him a little more time. And we don't have a a lot of money to throw at this even if it would help.
It's been years since we've lost one of the dogs and Sebbies always been one of my favorites. I don't know where I'm going with this I am just sitting here crying and needed to get it out.
blaaah.
-ZacWilliam, I love having pets and my wife really needs them, but this part makes it so damn hard.
I am so so sorry. I do not wish these situations on anyone. They suck.
They really really suck.
They really really suck.
Sebbie passed away over night last night. Peacefully in the old chair he likes to sit in.
-ZacWilliam, he stayed for my birthday yesterday and then went.
-ZacWilliam, he stayed for my birthday yesterday and then went.
My wife and kids want to get a "Grass Puppy", aka a little calf.
Otherwise known as a "DIY barbeque set"...
Yeah, there are certain types that remain small, but I told them that we have too many Chickens now to have enough yard for a grass puppy.
I guess I should update everyone.
Last week, one of our two rabbits, the older one, Mister Bunny, passed away in the night. We told the kids that we gave him away to another family on a farm. That leaves us with only the evil bunny, Midnight as far as rabbits goes.
Chichken wise, we still have 7 in our original coop. Out of the original 9, we took 2 down to the In-laws property and setup in a coup with the second generation of chickens. However, the rooster of that lot and the rest of the flock were pecking one of them way too much, so we had to separate them. Then we tried to reintroduce her to the original group but they didn't accept her back either. So now she is free ranged around the back yard until we get a section fenced off for them to use as a large run.
We took the first batch of Generation 3 down to the in-laws farm into a second coup/chicken run. That batch was 15 wyandottes to go along with the 8 or so wyandottes from Generation 2.
The rest of Generation 3 is now out of the warming pens in the garage as of yesterday. We turned an old chicken run into a makeshift run/coop and have a mixture of silkies, easter eggers, wyandottes, and others in it. I don't know how many chickens we have in my backyard right now, but I would be shocked if there isn't at least 30.
The last batch of Generation 3 is in the incubator now, and should be hatched within the next two weeks.
I think my wife is trying to make her own Chicken army.
I guess I should update everyone.
Last week, one of our two rabbits, the older one, Mister Bunny, passed away in the night. We told the kids that we gave him away to another family on a farm. That leaves us with only the evil bunny, Midnight as far as rabbits goes.
Chichken wise, we still have 7 in our original coop. Out of the original 9, we took 2 down to the In-laws property and setup in a coup with the second generation of chickens. However, the rooster of that lot and the rest of the flock were pecking one of them way too much, so we had to separate them. Then we tried to reintroduce her to the original group but they didn't accept her back either. So now she is free ranged around the back yard until we get a section fenced off for them to use as a large run.
We took the first batch of Generation 3 down to the in-laws farm into a second coup/chicken run. That batch was 15 wyandottes to go along with the 8 or so wyandottes from Generation 2.
The rest of Generation 3 is now out of the warming pens in the garage as of yesterday. We turned an old chicken run into a makeshift run/coop and have a mixture of silkies, easter eggers, wyandottes, and others in it. I don't know how many chickens we have in my backyard right now, but I would be shocked if there isn't at least 30.
The last batch of Generation 3 is in the incubator now, and should be hatched within the next two weeks.
I think my wife is trying to make her own Chicken army.
i'm living with my mom now since my grandpa died (i may be 28 years old but i wasn't working because i was taking care of my grandpa) and look at this fuckin cat
i pet her and she started purring immediately and then she started rubbing against me
we are friends now
i pet her and she started purring immediately and then she started rubbing against me
we are friends now
*nods* Makes sense to me!
Chicken Army update:
Currently we have around 45-50 chickens at my MIL's house in two large runs. Generation 3 is all hatched and the last batch of them are in the backyard along with some Silkies due to their small size. Unfortunately, they had some issues this weekend and we lost two of them to some sort of buttworms. We are treating the entire batch and have moved their run. All but one of them might pull through, that last one is a bit iffy at this point. I need to create the new pens and runs for them to try to spread them out more.
Currently we have around 45-50 chickens at my MIL's house in two large runs. Generation 3 is all hatched and the last batch of them are in the backyard along with some Silkies due to their small size. Unfortunately, they had some issues this weekend and we lost two of them to some sort of buttworms. We are treating the entire batch and have moved their run. All but one of them might pull through, that last one is a bit iffy at this point. I need to create the new pens and runs for them to try to spread them out more.
Sadly we lost another one Monday night. It was always small for its age and was one that needed my wife's help to hatch. We called it Itty Bitty, and sadly after a few sick days it finally passed away.
My wife is a bit torn up about losing another chicken. We were talking with the kids about moving last night, and I told them that if we did, then we couldn't have the large garden or chickens. And my wife said that she might be okay with that, as she doesn't think that she will try for more generations of chickens after this crop.
My wife is a bit torn up about losing another chicken. We were talking with the kids about moving last night, and I told them that if we did, then we couldn't have the large garden or chickens. And my wife said that she might be okay with that, as she doesn't think that she will try for more generations of chickens after this crop.
Update on the Cat front.
My middle child has been asking for a new kitten for her birthday. I kept saying no. However, my wife wanted to get it for her. I kept saying no, so we went to the local humane society and got a black and white tux kitten this past weekend. We have named it Ash after the pokemon character.
My middle child has been asking for a new kitten for her birthday. I kept saying no. However, my wife wanted to get it for her. I kept saying no, so we went to the local humane society and got a black and white tux kitten this past weekend. We have named it Ash after the pokemon character.
Pictures will follow soon.