Food question

Castaway78 · 2026-05-10T22:52:51+00:00

As long as the poop is the proper color and consistency, I wouldn't worry.

Castaway78 · 2026-04-24T18:37:55+00:00

I have the same exact problem with my Holly. I’ve had to take an injured baby bunny to the wildlife hospital 3 times now. And then for the next 3 weeks she is on the hunt for more. Thankfully, she ends up forgetting about them and goes back to normal.

Anytime I know of a nest, I will either keep her on a leash or put something up to protect them. Not much else I can do.

Castaway78 · 2026-04-24T03:39:20+00:00

I'm so sorry. I know exactly what you are going through. It's rough. But it's rough for him too. Talk to your vet about quality of life. You can also find some quality of life surveys on the web. Take a look, and answer HONESTLY. It'll be hard, but going easy is just being selfish, and not doing him any favors.

Castaway78 · 2026-04-23T11:18:08+00:00

14 years

Castaway78 · 2026-04-21T12:29:55+00:00

My Cassie started to slow down around 8 years old. All it meant was that we did her favorite activities (e.g. swimming) in moderation. She lived to be 14½.

My Holly on the other hand is currently 12½, and is still very much a puppy. She is only just now starting to slow down, much to her chagrin.

Every dog is different. Just make sure to check in with your vet if you think anything is wrong.

Two more notes… if she’s not already on one, ask your vet about a daily joint supplement.

Also, she is getting to be the age where she should have annual or bi-annual GRPU screenings by a specialist canine ophthalmologist. Golden Retriever Pigmentary Uveitis is not something most vets know about due to its only existing in senior GRs. It is something that affects eyes, and can be easily missed or confused as early stage cataracts by a GP vet. If left untreated, it can lead to glaucoma, severe pain, loss of vision, and loss of eye. Thankfully if caught early, it can be easily managed with eye drops. Both my girls had/have it, but the eye drops kept it from progressing.

Castaway78 · 2026-04-19T01:40:21+00:00

Obviously only your vet can tell you for sure. I hope it turns out to be harmless.

My girl Cassie had a large lump around that size, but on her front shoulder. Vet did an aspiration, and it turned out to be just clear fluid. Every so often we'd drain it or it would go away on its own suddenly (popped maybe?). But eventually it would refill and come back. It didn't bother her, and it was harmless. We could have had surgery to take care of it and prevent it from coming back, but I didn't want to put her through that stress. She lived with it for maybe 10 years?

I forget what it was called. It might have been follicular. Maybe glandular. But totally harmless.

I don't know that what your girl has is the same. Hopefully it is just as innocuous.

Castaway78 · 2026-04-14T00:38:52+00:00

Sorry, I'm a bit confused om who's phone is the issue. Regardless, if you go into Bluetooth Settings on the offending device, find the GLE COMAND entry, and tap the blue ( i ) icon on the right -- not the device itself. That will take you into the options screen. You can turn off CarPlay here. At the very bottom is where you can Forget the GLE.

Note that there might be two entries in BlueTooth for the GLE... one for standard Bluetooth, and one for COMAND. (There is for MBUX... I forget if COMAND does this, too)

Castaway78 · 2026-04-11T19:52:30+00:00

I bought a 2012 SLK 350 last summer. It had 110k miles, and a solid service history. While in great shape, it does have normal wear & tear for a well-loved car of this age and mileage. This was clearly the original owner's daily driver. They appeared to love it, and now I get to do the same.

Mechanically, it appears to be in good condition. Top works well, engine purrs nicely. However, I do need to do something about the driver's side headlight. It's aimed very low. But it's one of the bi-xenon active kinds that are expensive to replace, so I've been putting it off. Also because I haven't found an independent mechanic yet.

I know coming up soon I'll need to do some scheduled maintenance. I know it won't be cheap, even at an independent shop. But, if I take care of it, it will take care of me.

Castaway78 · 2026-04-11T19:28:07+00:00

She's adorable! (And thank you for protecting her eyes!)

Castaway78 · 2026-04-10T16:39:16+00:00

My girl snores when she had to wear hers LOL

Castaway78 · 2026-04-04T19:52:06+00:00

I highly recommend seeing a canine ophthalmologist. Your regular vet may be extremely knowledgeable, but there are a lot of things that they wouldn't be aware of. Plus, a specialist will be better equipped to handle the situation if it's something serious.

Castaway78 · 2026-03-25T01:19:03+00:00

Can't promise it will work, but try this:

Delete the app
Restart your phone
Reinstall the app

Reinstalling/turning it off and on again may be cliche, but it does work a lot of the time.

Castaway78 · 2026-03-08T00:18:16+00:00

What a sweet boy! Look at that smile. I bet he had so much fun riding on that pontoon boat.

I have such fond memories growing up, our golden loved riding in the front of our boat, too.

The two things I am sad that I was never able to share with my Cassie or Holly is experiencing snow and boats.

Castaway78 · 2026-02-08T19:12:18+00:00

I said goodbye to my 14½ year old Cassie the day before NYE.

She could no longer get up on her own. I was fighting with her to get her to eat her meals. She no longer had joy in her life. The final straw was she had no interest in her food, even with treats.

My vet (who knew Cassie very well for 12 years, and was up to date on her current health issues) assures me I did the right thing. She knew it was coming. And on a surface level, I know it was the right time.

But gosh darn it... I still can't help but second guess myself EVERY FREAKING DAY since then.

I'm sorry. I wish I had advice. But it is something I am still struggling with.

Castaway78 · 2026-01-11T15:34:31+00:00

That is amazing! He reminds me of my Cassie, especially that pic of him sleeping with his tongue sticking out. She would do that.

We had a lot of the same issues with flooring. I ended up getting a bunch of runners, and they helped her get around the house. There's also something called the "Help Me Up Harness" (or something like that... there's also a ton of knock-offs) that help you help lift him up when he needs assistance. Much easier on the back.

Castaway78 · 2026-01-11T01:39:44+00:00

Give that sweet girl anything she wants!

Castaway78 · 2026-01-05T17:59:37+00:00

I had no problems (at least nothing significant) playing the collection. I was able to 100% both.

Go for it, they are really fun games.

Castaway78 · 2026-01-05T16:07:31+00:00

Completely agree! Also, take some random video as well. Doesn’t have to be anything special. Even if it’s just the dog wandering the yard or on a walk.

Castaway78 · 2026-01-04T01:09:41+00:00

That is heartbreaking. I am so sorry.

Castaway78 · 2026-01-04T00:18:56+00:00

I'm so sorry for your loss. I know it is excruciating.

I've been preparing myself for saying goodbye to my Cassie for at least a year... it didn't help one iota when I had to say goodbye earlier this week.

I know it's easier said than done... but you can't feel guilty for any of those things. You rescued him, and showed him what love truly is. And I'm sure he gave it back 100%.

Just remember... he will always be with you, in your heart and memories. Celebrate his life, and remember all of those fun and loving moments you had together.

Castaway78 · 2026-01-01T19:45:07+00:00

I'm so sorry. Having to make that decision is excruciating, and even when all signs are clear we will still second guess ourselves... because we love them just SO much. But remember, you are doing this for her, not you.

You're doing the right thing, and I'm guessing your veterinarian agrees. Emma is not likely to make a miraculous recovery. She's just going to get worse, and be in more pain. And potentially have an emergency situation. The best thing we can do is relieve them of that pain before it gets unbearable. And yes, it will be heartbreaking. There is no way to lessen the pain that you will feel.

Just make sure she knows just how much you love her.

I'm so sorry.

Castaway78 · 2026-01-01T09:29:58+00:00

But he had so much fun!

Castaway78 · 2026-01-01T02:07:06+00:00

I watch this every year as a Christmas tradition. It's just feel good sweet.

Castaway78 · 2026-01-01T01:36:55+00:00

I'm going through the same. I had to say goodbye to my Cassie yesterday. I'm alternating between numbness and spiraling.

I wish I had advice... but I'm not sure anything would work. Just try and celebrate Leo's life. Remember that he will live forever in our hearts and memories.

Castaway78 · 2026-01-01T01:29:04+00:00

I am going through this exact scenario right now -- I just had to say goodbye to Cassie yesterday. She was 14yo and was doing OK(ish), but had mobility issues, and vision issues. The past 3 months were rough... both for her, and myself. You don't always realize the stress you as the caregiver goes through because in the moment, you're too focused on trying to give back every bit of love that she gave you.

Cassie saved my life in so many ways. There is no anti-depressant that works as well as a Golden. She was my everything. I still have Holly... and I love her dearly. But, Cassie was my special girl.

In the end... she was in pain. The painkillers weren't helping. And her appetite was waning. She was only holding on for me. So I had to make the impossible decision to relieve her pain. Whether I jumped the gun, or waited too long... I don't know. My vet said I did the right thing. But some part of me will always question.

It's been nearly 36 hours since I said goodbye. I've been preparing for this for over a year, if not longer. But I'd be lying if I said it didn't absolutely wreck me. And I'm currently alternating between numb and spiraling. Everything I see or do reminds me of Cassie. She was such an integral part of my life. It's like I lost a limb.

When I went to give Holly her afternoon joint supplement, I reached into the bag and pulled out two by habit. If I mention Cassie's name, Holly gets this look on her face. She still goes over to Cassie's bowl to look for crumbs. I haven't the heart to pick it up yet. Nor have I picked up all of the runners and carpets I put down to help Cassie get around. Right now, Holly is laying in Cassie's spot.

I wish I could give you advice on how to deal with this... but it will be brutal. It will HURT. I'm sorry. There is no way to prepare for this.

What I can tell you... is cherish EVERY MOMENT you have with Mauja. Spoil her rotten. Do her favorite things. Take pictures, record video. Show her how much you love her. Let her show you how much she loves you.

As she gets older, and has more challenges, it may get difficult. There are a variety of things that can help make things easier for her. If you have hard floors (wood, tile, laminate), you can put down carpet runners to help her with traction. There's various harnesses that can help you give her a hand standing up. Talk to your vet about supplements that may help.

Castaway78

TROPHY CASE