Pet Crises With Positive Outcomes

So glad Charlie made it! Years ago, my sister's dog had an accident when he was just a puppy that resulted in him losing one of his front legs. That dog lived a very long, happy life and didn't even know his leg was missing. My sister is an adventurer and hiker, and that dog went everywhere they went. I'd say that is a positive outcome!

As for me, I've had many pets and no positive outcomes. I did keep one medically-challenged cat alive for five years, though, and she was the love of my life (seriously, no joke)... when she died a piece of me died. I've been looking for another like her for two years now with no luck. I'll keep trying.

Thank you Patricia. I'm very sorry to hear about your cat. I hope you do find a new great companion. Charlie, like Abbie's Hannah, gets into things a little too much. This past July Fourth we got home from a fireworks show and let the dogs out. When they came back in, Charlie wasn't with the others. We searched for over two hours in a panic. I was beginning to conclude a nearby owl might have grabbed him. Then we heard a quick muffled yelp from a nearby canal. I shined a flashlight along the bank and saw Charlie holding onto the side with weeds in his mouth. He had hung on there against the swift current for over two hours. He's not afraid of fireworks, so I have no idea how he ended up in the canal.

Wishing you the best for a new great pet!

I have a little pug and my sisters cat stuck a claw in his eye. It was a close call.We kept antibiotics in it til it could heal up. Eventually it healed pretty good and then he contracted an infection flaring up both eyes. The infection created a melting ulcer and I had about 5 different meds to give him round the clock for about 10 days. Another close call. The doc said this would be an on going problem with him. So again just recently we went thru another bout that just cleared up days ago. OMG I am exhausted from all the nursing and broke from the RX & doc expenses. A painful event for this little dog. I pray that he never has to go thru this again.......:) will see

Thanks for sharing L. Glad your pug is better. Charlie also had a corneal ulcer this year. Vet sewed his eyelid shut for a couple of weeks, and with daily meds got better.

My daughter,at age 12, decided she needed to rescue a handicapped netherlands dwarf rabbit. He weighed one pound, had only bottom teeth that had grown up his face...he couldn't chew, but he was adorable. He has gotten into a fight with a full sized rabbit and was blinded as well.
After two weeks, she lost interest in him since he was nocturnal and was asleep all day and in hiding.
I took him to the vet and they told me he'd live about 3 months...his back teeth would ultimately lock in place from lack of use.
We decided that having the little guy would be a good lesson for the kids in lovng a pet and losing him.

We cut back his bottom teeth with a nail clippers and I ground up carrots and alfalfa daily that he could just swallow and not need to chew.
He lived for 7 years and 2 months....2 years past the life expectancy for his breed.

Great story Marlene.

When I was 5 for my birthday than my dad gave me a kitten that I was dying for. We had a field cocker that had always been the center of attention and perfectly behaved with 5 young kids named Sandy. He'd even let me ride him. Anyway, we come home from picking up the kitten at the farm where it was born. Sandy, was sitting there apparently unimpressed and my dad told me to put the kitten down believing Sandy wouldn't hurt it. Well Sandy wasn't ready to accept competition and without a sound crunched the kittens head and tore off it's ear.

As a parent today I can feel for my poor dad. Total bedlam of course; 5 screaming kids, and enraged 120 lb dog and a cat stuck under the couch badly hurt. Oh, and a very angry with him mom. Anyhow, dad managed to find the ear and the cat, wake up the vet, and make Mitzi all better but Sandy was a mess. He'd never had everyone in the family mad at him and was crushed. But he'd always follow the kitten around and we'd scold him for stalking. The kitten realizing it was protected would flaunt around the house snubbing Sandy.

Finally one day I was playing with the kitten and went into the house leaving it in the yard were Sandy was too to get water I think. From the kitchen I hear the sound of snarling dogs (it was common in those days for stray dogs to wander everywhere) and feared the worse. I went out in the yard to see a pair of stray dogs battling Sandy to get to the kitten who was still where I'd left her totally unconcerned for her safety. Sandy had decided that he was responsible for the cat and was protecting her. Finally bloody but happy in victory Sandy laid down by the cat, who started to give him a bath and lick his wounds. You could actually see Sandy's heart melt in his eyes.

After that the two of them we're inseparable; sleep together, he'd let the cat crawl all over him, ride him on hikes, even would share the ham bones my mom gave him. They both lived to ripe old age. But my dad always said that was the start of me turning his hair grey (I'd eventually make his hair fall out apparently as he went bald).

Here a pic of Sandy on a mission with my little brother.
-- mary ellen anderson

Cool story Mary Ellen. We usually have a litter of puppies about once a year, and I always tell people who already have a dog and are getting a new puppy to let them meet on neutral territory such as a park before going home together. Jealous first reactions can be harsh and take awhile to overcome.

We got our latest dog from a dog rescue. Unfortunately he came with with all sorts of things - including giardia. Had to take him to the emergency pet hospital where he spent a few days, mostly in isolation because they didn't know what all he had. It was touch and go whether he would survive or not, but eventually he pulled through (along with the massive vet bill). he is as healthy as anything now - but who know for how long - he will eat anything he finds - so we have to remember to leave the chocolate out of dogs reach. - among with any other food that is on the counter.

I'm certainly glad you posted that Steven. I didn't know dogs were vulnerable to giardia. Mine are frequently with me along rivers and streams in the mountains. I will have to break them from drinking that water. Glad your dog pulled through. Thank you for the info.

My sister adopted this cat a few years ago. It had one eye when she picked it out. I think they said it had to be removed because of an infection. It is a friendly, happy cat now. Having one eye doesn't seem to bother it at all. (yes, the cat's name is Willie)

Greg, I think most of the time dogs will be okay. Ours had a host of other things that made him more vulnerable. It's going to be difficult to stop a dog from drinking.

Thanks John.
Steven - I still will make sure to have fresh water out when camping near streams so that they're less likely to drink from the stream.

I don't think cats and dogs are "self-aware" (the test is if they recognize themselves in a mirror)

I also think that because of this they have no self-pity. They don't feel sorry for themselves, they just deal with the situation they are in at the moment and adapt.

John, I think dogs are much more aware than most people realize. I've bred shih tzu for years. My parents bred dachsunds when I was a kid. Shih tzu come in a variety of colors, which can vary significantly in a single litter of puppies. In my experience, the mother dog always shows preference and most attachment to the puppy with her colors. Hence she must be 'aware' of her colors. I do think they recognize themselves in the mirror. If there was a mirror that reflected scent rather than appearance, I know they'd recognize that. And I know that they feel sorry for themselves when they are stuck on the patio for breaking a house rule.