Crazy animal lady thread - sperg about your pets here

[Agent Abe Caprine]

I found out my dog loves getting cleaned up after rolling around outside. As long as you tell her she's going to the spa. I call her visits to the groomer spa days, so that might be why she loves bathing if it's being done in a "spa". The "spa" is just a small bathroom with a shower where she gets wiped off with wet rags.

 

[Sonalee Rashitwar]

I have a beautifully marked, crotchety old white/grey tabby cross cat. I got her from a local project to bring cats and dogs from a Native American reservation to the city for adoptions. She had a litter, but then no one wanted mom.

Been with me for 10 of her 11 years. She gives the best side-eye, and manages to make me feel judged whenever I waste time on my laptop.

Now she has a thyroid abnormality, so I have to decide between daily pills, which she fights with every fiber of her being, or treatment with radioactive iodine, which would mean being in a pet hospital for five days.

 

[Accept Only Substitutes]

I have a beautifully marked, crotchety old white/grey tabby cross cat. I got her from a local project to bring cats and dogs from a Native American reservation to the city for adoptions. She had a litter, but then no one wanted mom.

Been with me for 10 of her 11 years. She gives the best side-eye, and manages to make me feel judged whenever I waste time on my laptop.

Now she has a thyroid abnormality, so I have to decide between daily pills, which she fights with every fiber of her being, or treatment with radioactive iodine, which would mean being in a pet hospital for five days.

If you can afford it I'd opt for the radioactive iodine. Less stress long term. She could live another eight years and that's a long time to fight her for a daily pill.

 

[Sonalee Rashitwar]

If you can afford it I'd opt for the radioactive iodine. Less stress long term. She could live another eight years and that's a long time to fight her for a daily pill.

Leaning towards that, but that also means no visiting, no touching, no nothing for her for that long other than food (because kitty itself becomes radioactive). I feel like she’d also hate that.

 

[Imp]

Is there an option to have her meds formulated as a transdermal paste? My 11 YO siamese mix has heart disease and we apply benaziprine and atenolol to her inner ear daily. It's not as effective as a pill but we cannot get a pill in her so there's that. She is much improved since medicating her this way. However it now appears from the amount of pee she makes that her kidneys are failing.

 

[Sonalee Rashitwar]

Is there an option to have her meds formulated as a transdermal paste? My 11 YO siamese mix has heart disease and we apply benaziprine and atenolol to her inner ear daily. It's not as effective as a pill but we cannot get a pill in her so there's that. She is much improved since medicating her this way. However it now appears from the amount of pee she makes that her kidneys are failing.

Poor girl! No, thyroid meds can’t go in a paste, and I also have other pets, so I would have to really closely monitor her if I was going to give meds in food or dermally (rest of the pack might try to eat it or groom paste off of her).

 

[Accept Only Substitutes]

I've talked about my cat with arthritis and a bunch of other things. I wanted to give an update on him.

When I brought my kitten in last Wednesday to get the big snip I talked to her about getting his gabapentin compounded into a transdermal product.

She called me a few hours later to tell me that I'd have to use a ton of it at a time and one tube would cost about $75 a WEEK. There's also not a lot of data she's familiar with about the absorption of gabapentin transdermally. She mentioned another drug that's recently been approved by the FDA for feline arthritis, Silensia (I think that's the spelling).

It's a monoclonal antibody once a month injection. It's supposed to be given at the vets office, but he's gotten so spicy that I told her there's no way he'll let himself be injected once, let alone monthly. The owner of the clinic read over the guidelines in the box and didn't see anything saying that only a vet can give it to the cat. He's had diabetes so I'm familiar with under the skin injections, so they sent me home with a vial.

I gave it to him Thursday night, it was super easy. He didn't even twitch.

The internet doesn't have a lot of owner reviews on it yet, but what I did find says it works quickly, if it works at all.

Boo's arthritis is in his back hips. He's always been sensitive on his back near the base of his tail because he's a cat, they're all sensitive there. But for the last I don't know how long he's been extra sensitive there. Literally twitching kind of sensitive, sometimes acting like he wants to bite. So I try to remember to avoid touching him there.

Today I accidentally rubbed all the way down his back and he didn’t flinch at all! I rubbed him some more there and all he did was blep a bit! No sign of irritation at all, no matter where I touched him.

He also ran briefly twice this morning and I can't remember the last time I've seen him do anything other than walking.

I'm hoping I'm not seeing things I want to see and that he's actually feeling better. If this is indeed working it'll be worth the $65 a month.

 

[vanilla_pepsi_head]

I've talked about my cat with arthritis and a bunch of other things. I wanted to give an update on him.

When I brought my kitten in last Wednesday to get the big snip I talked to her about getting his gabapentin compounded into a transdermal product.

She called me a few hours later to tell me that I'd have to use a ton of it at a time and one tube would cost about $75 a WEEK. There's also not a lot of data she's familiar with about the absorption of gabapentin transdermally. She mentioned another drug that's recently been approved by the FDA for feline arthritis, Silensia (I think that's the spelling).

My cat has arthritis also. She's basically crippled. I put an ottoman next to my bed so she can get up there in 2 small jumps, but she hesitates a few times before she leaps and only just barely makes it. Other than that though she doesn't really run, jump, or play, she can't land on her feet after falling, her walk is more of a slow waddle, and she is very slow and deliberate with how she lays down or gets up. She basically won't move her hips or back legs unless absolutely necessary. She just hurts.

I give her a supplement with glucosamine, chondroitin, and hyaluronic acid but I'm unsure if it helps her. She's got a prescription for gabapentin as well but I don't typically give it to her because she gets so high that she can't chew her food or focus her eyes and has no idea what the fuck is even happening. May I ask why giving it transdermally is necessary? Can you only get gabapentin in tablet form where you're at? Where I am it doesn't come in tablets, only capsules, and the inside is just powder and not the little microbeads. It doesn't have a nasty taste or anything so she eats it up no problem if I mix the contents of a capsule with salmon or another pate-style food she likes. The -mab drug probably works a hell of a lot better though anyway.

So my cat gave me quite the scare last week, she suddenly couldn't walk or stand up and could only try to move (not very effectively) by dragging herself across the floor. She didn't fall or anything obvious that might cause it. Cat people know this could mean a stroke, blood clot, permanent paralysis, or something else very nasty. She didn't pee on herself, could move her tail, and had a good appetite, which was good, but I got her checked out anyway in case. I was so so afraid it would be something that would result in having to put her down. Nope! Thankfully, it was something really stupid: She slipped a disc rolling over wrong. Yes, seriously. All I had to do was help her stretch her legs and tail out periodically until the inflammation went down enough to stop pressing on the nerve. She was fine in a couple of days. I can't say shit because the worst I ever threw my back out was just from getting off the couch wrong, but I didn't know it happened to cats. They walk on 4 legs and don't have all their weight compressing their spine the way our bipedal asses do, I thought it was mostly a human thing. Oh well, I'm just happy she is okay now.

 

[Cats]

My cat had Monkey Facial Features even as a small child.

 

[Accept Only Substitutes]

May I ask why giving it transdermally is necessary?

He hates taking meds. It takes two people, one to restrain him, one to squirt the meds in his mouth and hope he holds still long enough. I don't want to do that to him twice a day forever.

He was running through the living room yesterday and even let me pick him up without getting cranky. He's been cuddling with me more too, instead of laying in the cat bed next to the sunny window. The new meds are helping him. I'm so happy.

 

[Thomas Eugene Paris]

Special needs cats are kind of my thing.

Spoiler: The backstory

All of our past cats have had feline leukemia virus, which is a retrovirus that causes immunodeficiency and other serious health problems, including lymphoma. Most cats with FeLV have a shortened lifespan, although some of them can live almost as long as an uninfected cat. Unfortunately, we had a run of really bad luck in 2023 and wound up losing 4 cats to the disease in 8 months. Our last sweet fella died in November. For the first time in almost a decade, we had a catless house. There were no FeLV+ cats available for adoption within a reasonable distance of where we live, so we decided to branch out and consider other "unadoptable" cats.

Once we decided we would be open to other kinds of special needs cats, it didn't take us long to find two adult male former ferals at a local rescue. They were in the same foster home and got along well with each other and with other cats. They weren't necessarily bonded and didn't need to be adopted together, but something just told us they were meant to stay together. Their adoption listing indicated that they would need an experienced owner with a quiet home, because of how afraid they are of new situations. Both of them had been waiting in foster for nearly 3 years!

It's been just about a month since they moved in, and they have absolutely blown us away with their adaptability and sweetness! We are adjusting to the idea of having healthy cats, and they are quickly figuring out that they run the show. Both of them will allow themselves to be petted now, although they aren't quite brave enough to snuggle with us yet.

Allow me to introduce

Jasper
and

Igor

It has been a delight to see them grow more comfortable with us, and we already love them so much!

 

[Stan]

I wanted to put up some pics of my dog thriving in the snow. If only I could bottle his conditional anorexia, physical power, and cold resistance, that would be a pretty good go pill for winter hiking.

I also think the way he holds his little front paws up towards his face when he wants to be petted is very very cute.

 

[TractorGirl]

I wanted to put up some pics of my dog thriving in the snow. If only I could bottle his conditional anorexia, physical power, and cold resistance, that would be a pretty good go pill for winter hiking.

I also think the way he holds his little front paws up towards his face when he wants to be petted is very very cute.

I want to cuddle your big floofy doggo and use him as a snuggle pillow

 

[Android raptor]

As some of you know my rosehair tarantula, Hashtag, passed earlier this month from an illness. I'm still coping since she was my first T and still pretty young so it was a very difficult loss. That's the worst part of keeping invertebrates, they're so delicate and when something goes wrong there's not much that can be done.

Everyone else seems ok and I fed the snakes last night so they're hopefully happy.

 

[glioblastoma multiforme]

It's a monoclonal antibody once a month injection. It's supposed to be given at the vets office, but he's gotten so spicy that I told her there's no way he'll let himself be injected once, let alone monthly. The owner of the clinic read over the guidelines in the box and didn't see anything saying that only a vet can give it to the cat. He's had diabetes so I'm familiar with under the skin injections, so they sent me home with a vial.

My elderly lady also refuses to cooperate at the vet, or take pills. She was on loxicom but it stopped working so well and difficulty getting her to vets every 3 months for checkups meant they moved her to Solensia. We do it at home, it would be £95 per month if we did it at the vets, at home its half that. It really helps.

Only problem is she's skinny these days so doesn't really have a scruff of her neck, I feel so cruel injecting her. I fucked it up the time before last, managed to get the needle through one side of the pinched skin and out the other side. I didn't know how much, if any, I'd got into her bu it was definitely a low dose cos she was very moody towards the end of the 4 weeks. This time i just plunged it vertically and she squiggled and meowed so much, but she's loads better mood wise and movement wise.

Its difficult to learn how to properly do something that you only do every 4 weeks. But I'm glad its not more, if it was frequent she'd just avoid us entirely.

I'm really worried what I'll do if she gets more problems as she gets older. Her bloods are very good for a 15 year old cat, which is a relief cos noncompliant patients with health problems doesn't sound fun.

She's bad at the bottom of the spine too, she flinches if you touch it and you can tell by her walking, but its much better with the Solensia, I hope it works for your little guy.

She also has YuMove every day, its glucosamine and chondritin like @vanilla_pepsi_head mentoned.

@Thomas Eugene Paris so glad your boys are settling in so well! They are gorgeous and very lucky to have found such a loving home.

 

[Accept Only Substitutes]

She's bad at the bottom of the spine too, she flinches if you touch it and you can tell by her walking, but its much better with the Solensia, I hope it works for your little guy.

It is working. I caught him pouncing on and playing with a hair tie the other day. I haven't seen him spontaneously playing in ages, at least not with as much gusto. Today he jumped on the dresser while I was brushing my hair, he knows if he does that then I will brush him. He's mostly just interested in rubbing the side of his face on the brush. He's been less enthusiastic about doing that recently, sometimes because his gums hurt, but today he was wound up!

He's also spending a lot more time in the room with me, instead of spending the whole day in the sunbeam coming through the window in my husband's office. That makes me happy, but it also makes me sad because that means he was probably experiencing pain when snuggling with me. I didn't mean to hurt him, which I think he knows, but it still breaks my heart.

I'm sorry to hear your girl has lost so much weight. He lost quite a bit too, we basically put food under his nose several times a day. He's back up a couple pounds because of that, but it's hard to remember to do it. It's so hard watching them get old.

 

[Apustajan apustaja]

Do any one of you cat ladies have a good tip on neutralizing the smell of male cat urine? He is destined to father a litter sometime this spring, so we have to keep him intact untill then. He is the one on the box.

 

[Imp]

His pee will stink for about a month after ball removal too. I can't think of a hormonal pee stench reducer, sorry.

 

[Agent Abe Caprine]

Changed my monster's food. She was eating Inukshuk, a really good food her breeder recommended. Unfortunately, it was way too good. Made her poop runn and her farts deadly. Also made her agitated when she needed to go. Went to my go to, Diamond Naturals. Last corso ate that and she lived to 13.

Now she's much happier. She's still a zoomie loving crackhead. I have no idea where she gets all this energy. Would love to know.

Started giving her warm water before bed. No real reason aside from wanting to pamper my baby hellhound. She wanted my hot chocolate last week and I compromised by heating some water up for her. Now we both have a hot drink before bed. Probably shouldn't compromise with a cane corso, but she is so damn cute.

My hermit crabs got their heater upgraded. Was going to hold off until I changed their tank, but the old setup stopped working. One crab tried escaping with the probe of the thermostat. Had to coax him off by handfeeding him a peanut.

 

[glioblastoma multiforme]

He lost quite a bit too, we basically put food under his nose several times a day. He's back up a couple pounds because of that,

I'm so glad the Solensia is already having such a marked effect. And yes I felt guilty too when I started treating her arthritis, cos cats don't really show pain, I knew she'f suffered a long time. But there is nothing we can do, its not like we purposely left them in pain.

I will try putting food under her nose to get her weight up a bit. Its not dangerously low and I got bloods done when I first noticed the loss, so know its not caused by anything sinister. She does seem to eat fine but is much pickier now and what she'll eat changes on a daily basis, I just have to keep a decent range in so there's a chance she'll eat something.

Do any one of you cat ladies have a good tip on neutralizing the smell of male cat urine?

There are enzymatic sprays that work pretty well. We also have something called Dr Beckmann Pet stain and odour remover which comes with a brush so is easy to use on carpets, cos our little guy is a piss terrorist despite having been neutered as soon as possible.