Let's Talk about Pets

[skinsmarydu]

2 minutes ago, d0ublestr0ker0ll said:

I almost quit this past weekend.  Had my bag, hat on, and dogs ready to go.  I don't know what stopped me.  Some employees came to my aid after my outburst.

What happened??

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

4 minutes ago, skinsmarydu said:

What happened??

 

Fall Break boarding reached 52 animals while we were open, and I was facing a quadruple shift.  I like my quadruple, but they disregard boarding.  "Let's board as many animals as possible."  All the animals I know and love were in the worst possible kennel situation (too small, not a good spot for their psyche).  All of my friends (the animals) were so stressed out...and the boarders kept pouring in.  I lost it when my 14 year old dog-friend came in and I had to put him in the dog dryer with his young hyper buddy.  There were no cages or runs left.  The 14 year old was getting stepped-on by his brother.  I had it.

 

Then people started to help.

[skinsmarydu]

Sorry, buddy...I kind of know how that feels...sometimes management would look at me like I had 18 heads if I voiced concern like, "This isn't a good place for Dingo, he's stressing out cuz he's got Spud across from him who never stops barking" or something.  (Like the comfort and care of the dogs isn't supposed to be our #1 concern, there are cameras that the clients can watch online, for cryin' out loud.)   

I don't envy having to deal with the hospital part, of course they have no idea about the boarders.  Hang in there, go bang on the drum all day, feel better. 

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

1 minute ago, skinsmarydu said:

Sorry, buddy...I kind of know how that feels...sometimes management would look at me like I had 18 heads if I voiced concern like, "This isn't a good place for Dingo, he's stressing out cuz he's got Spud across from him who never stops barking" or something.  (Like the comfort and care of the dogs isn't supposed to be our #1 concern, there are cameras that the clients can watch online, for cryin' out loud.)   

I don't envy having to deal with the hospital part, of course they have no idea about the boarders.  Hang in there, go bang on the drum all day, feel better. 

 

Hm.  Good idea.  I haven't focused on drums in god knows.  I could stop for 50 years, get on a drum kit, and kill it.  Told my co worker that and she cried..."same with dogs".

 

Ayeeee.

[BleedBNG]

 

 

[skinsmarydu]

I've had ****atiels, they're so smart.  

 

Simon would bang his head to Yngwie.  

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

I have 24, and they are mostly loud, big, undisciplined dogs.  Man oh man.

 

Least I can break time with the game.

[China]

Zeke just came in a gave a meow, the tone of which I instantly recognized as "come see what I've got."  So he led me outside where he showed me a mouse he'd caught.  It was still alive so he poked at it a couple times to make it move and be more exciting.  Then he played with it a bit and I got to witness to coup de grace as he ate it.

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

Had no idea they had the cahones to stand their ground (branch) like this. Have only seen them flying by.  This has me paranoid.

 

 

Edited November 2, 2021 by d0ublestr0ker0ll

[Riggo-toni]

I think my Dane is considering joining a convent...

 

Maybe I can bribe her to stay if I buy a bigger sofa.

 

[China]

So I work part time as a dog walker.  This is Katya, a beautiful Malamute that I walk.  Today when we went out she noticed (before I did) a dead squirrel at the side of the road that had been recently hit by a car.  She grabbed it and wouldn't relinquish her prize.  

 

 

I eventually persuaded her to trade it in for a bowl of kibble.  Thankfully, because there's no way I would have let her back in the house with that.  Unfortunately, she had already consumed the head before we made the trade.

 

Seeing as what my cats do, this didn't faze me much, other than it was on a larger scale, and I didn't want my client with a dead squirrel in their house.

[skinsmarydu]

Well, Vicki does have diabetes.  Doc thinks we caught it early, but she's gonna hate me on Monday.  She'll have to get her first insulin dose at the office and stay for 12 hours, then they teach me how to inject her at home. 

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

On 11/4/2021 at 8:05 AM, skinsmarydu said:

Well, Vicki does have diabetes.  Doc thinks we caught it early, but she's gonna hate me on Monday.  She'll have to get her first insulin dose at the office and stay for 12 hours, then they teach me how to inject her at home. 

 

Sorry to hear that 😞.

 

Sub q injections are easy peasy, and the vast majority of the time, the animals get used to them.  Sometimes they don't even flinch the first time.  Pinch the skin between the shoulder blades, stick the needle in the skin (only), bam.

[skinsmarydu]

10 minutes ago, d0ublestr0ker0ll said:

 

Sorry to hear that 😞.

 

Sub q injections are easy peasy, and the vast majority of the time, the animals get used to them.  Sometimes they don't even flinch the first time.  Pinch the skin between the shoulder blades, stick the needle in the skin (only), bam.

I had to give Guinness fluids (bag hanging) twice a day for a month before he passed, I've done it...how long is the needle gonna be? 

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

1 hour ago, skinsmarydu said:

I had to give Guinness fluids (bag hanging) twice a day for a month before he passed, I've done it...how long is the needle gonna be? 

 

It's literally the smallest, thinnest needle we use, by far.  Around 1/3 inch long.

[Captain Wiggles]

Too cold for doggy. 🥶

 

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

It's starting to look like boarding has gotten busier in general.  26 animals this weekend.  Some random ass weekend in November.  Next weekend will likely be the same.  Our move to the new hospital has been moved to January, and it's on the corner of the most popular intersection in south Tulsa.  Kind of concerned, as our yard is going to be much smaller and the traffic is loud.  This is a kennel of treating dogs exactly like they need...to the point of spoiling them.  It gets exhausting trying to do that with 20 or more animals every single week.

 

The "quality" and maintenance level of the group of boarders matters tremendously.  I could have 15 and it feels like 30...or have 30 that feels like 15.  This group of 26 feels like 20.  Easier than your average 26.

 

At this new hosp...we are all worried that dynamic will get pushed in the direction of groups feeling more challenging than the number itself.  20 feels like 10 here, but it feels like 30 there.

 

Sigh.  Neil wrote it best: "he knows that changes aren't permanent, but change is."

Edited November 8, 2021 by d0ublestr0ker0ll

[skinsmarydu]

So cute. 

 

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

Last weekend 33, this weekend 34...Thanksgiving already 53 booked.  I'm not scheduled that day, or Wed/Fri, but feel like I should work TG afternoon/night.  Ugh.  Should I step up and do it, or nah?  I have always worked holidays, so this is a surprise. but there are some serious noobs on that shift.

 

I'm leaning towards NO, because it'll go mostly unappreciated...and nobody asked me to do it.  I just fear a disaster via dogs not being locked in properly...or work not being done/done correctly.  Not my problem, as it stands...

[skinsmarydu]

19 minutes ago, d0ublestr0ker0ll said:

Last weekend 33, this weekend 34...Thanksgiving already 53 booked.  I'm not scheduled that day, or Wed/Fri, but feel like I should work TG afternoon/night.  Ugh.  Should I step up and do it, or nah?  I have always worked holidays, so this is a surprise. but there are some serious noobs on that shift.

 

I'm leaning towards NO, because it'll go mostly unappreciated...and nobody asked me to do it.  I just fear a disaster via dogs not being locked in properly...or work not being done/done correctly.  Not my problem, as it stands...

Aww, c'mon...you know you're gonna do it because you actually ****in' care.  And we love you for that.

I've gotta take Vicki in for her first checkup post insulin on Monday.  They're gonna keep her all day.  Injections have gone well so far.  A couple of mornings, she didn't really want to comply, but I think she's getting used to feeling better (does that make sense?) and is more willing to take the injections.  She's still peeing outside of the box (they couldn't get her urine last time, so they're doing it Monday), but she goes in a specific place that I have completely COVERED in pee pads with plastic under that). 

You know what I fear.  I'm gonna lose her.  Can you ask one of your docs about it? 

[d0ublestr0ker0ll]

10 minutes ago, skinsmarydu said:

Aww, c'mon...you know you're gonna do it because you actually ****in' care.  And we love you for that.

I've gotta take Vicki in for her first checkup post insulin on Monday.  They're gonna keep her all day.  Injections have gone well so far.  A couple of mornings, she didn't really want to comply, but I think she's getting used to feeling better (does that make sense?) and is more willing to take the injections.  She's still peeing outside of the box (they couldn't get her urine last time, so they're doing it Monday), but she goes in a specific place that I have completely COVERED in pee pads with plastic under that). 

You know what I fear.  I'm gonna lose her.  Can you ask one of your docs about it? 

 

I will.  May have to wait til Mon evening...Sunday is their "no doctoring day", outside of a doctor on call only for immediate emergencies.  They rarely come in.  I think you're good.  Diabetics typically pee alot...the outside of the litter box thing has usually been a UTI issue from what I've seen, but not always.  Cats with UTIs or bladder issues always survive here...if that ends up being an issue.  Urinary catheters, almost all-blood coming out...next week it's cleared up.  Stone surgeries are always successful too.

 

I totally get it.  My baby chi had a rare stomach ailment once, and I was a teary mess.  Couple days later, back to normal.

 

Keep positive.  Vets follow protocol and will do what the book tells em.

[skinsmarydu]

1 minute ago, d0ublestr0ker0ll said:

 

I will.  May have to wait til Mon evening...Sunday is their "no doctoring day", outside of a doctor on call only for immediate emergencies.  They rarely come in.  I think you're good.  Diabetics typically pee alot...the outside of the litter box thing has usually been a UTI issue from what I've seen, but not always.  Cats with UTIs or bladder issues always survive here...if that ends up being an issue.  Urinary catheters, almost all-blood coming out...next week it's cleared up.  Stone surgeries are always successful too.

 

I totally get it.  My baby chi had a rare stomach ailment once, and I was a teary mess.  Couple days later, back to normal.

 

Keep positive.  Vets follow protocol and will do what the book tells em.

No blood.  I think bringing Ms. Kitty in from outside last winter totally stressed her out.  (I follow Jackson Galaxy, I swear when I do what he says, it usually works in behavioral issues, but not this time.) 

Thanks for your help...she's seeing a different doc at the same place Monday...they know me so well there, so I'll be able to talk with the techs about how they're going to handle everything, and I'll let you know if they tell me anything other than what you have. 

 

TIME STAND STILL.

 

 

[Riggo-toni]

My wife said this looks like a prom picture.

Me and my girl at the park yesterday.

[gbear]

Right now, J and I are fostering a dog for animal control which we started doing after COVID slowed everything down .  Francis is a beautiful well mannered dog.  For example, took him to mother in laws house who has to go very slow down stairs.  Francis just waited a step behind for her to get down the stairs, never pushing to get by.  He does well with kids and other dogs, but chases our cat. He also has a funny looking prance of a gait when walking.

 

We think he will be with us for a long time (meaning months to years) barring a good surprise.  He is around 11 years old and somewhere around 55lbs.  So while his temperament would be good for an older owner, most older owners can't risk needing to lift him at some point in the future.  Younger owners mostly don't want a dog they cant have for years. So we get to keep this lovable teddy bear looking pooch until somebody with good sense and tastes gives him a forever home.

Edited November 22, 2021 by gbear

[skinsmarydu]

Just got Vicki back home...she howls something awful while traveling.   Doc said everything is good with the insulin dosage & that unless her weight or behavior changes, I don't have to bring her back for 6 months. 

Whew.