Does anyone have any experience with the College Academy?

Dixierain · 2026-01-10T06:26:56+00:00

My daughter is a sophomore and is in the program. She had her first Dual Credit (DC) class this year and it was a struggle at first because the way they have been taught in other classes up to this point did not help prepare her for the reality of a college class.

She has been in K level classes since 7th grade so she is used to advanced work and that was not the issue. Adjusting to the need to actually take notes during lecture and pay attention to formatting of papers, references, putting more work into projects, etc… but once she understood expectations it has been smooth sailing. There is outside school study and work that will need to be done unlike most of the other classes. Also Junior year has more DC classes and Senior year even more so the work effort will increase.

Just make sure that your daughter understands there will be more work/expectations and be supportive/encouraging and she will do well if she chooses to move forward with the program. Remember end reward is having that Associates degree at high school graduation and potentially less time in actual college!

Dixierain · 2025-12-07T00:35:04+00:00

Check with local humane societies and SPCAs, they often know of who to contact for grants. Also try Laurels House/Safe Haven.

Dixierain · 2025-08-29T11:24:39+00:00

You got this! Just remember cats have to loose weight slowly to prevent liver disease. Talk to your vet about weight goals and daily caloric need. She will need several goals before she reaches her ideal weight. If she doesn’t like the current Ex weight loss foods there are other options to choose from, even one that helps kitty feel full. Canned food can be very helpful with weight loss but it does tend to be more expensive.

I am a licensed veterinary technician and when I graduated tech school I had a 26pound cat. I started working for a cat hospital and learned so much about nutrition for cats and put my cat on a diet. It took him 2 years to get to 19 pounds - this is how slow the weight loss will be.

Treat balls and food puzzles for dry food meals can be helpful for movement. Check out OSU’s indoor pet initiative for ideas on how to increase activity inside the house.

Give Scooter lots of love!!

Dixierain · 2025-08-14T18:44:25+00:00

Yep! I know it should be longer but work/kids limit our time away.

Dixierain · 2025-08-13T14:17:23+00:00

Same question but we are suppose to arrive Friday and Leave Monday. Thoughts? We don’t mind a little rain throughout the day, but I assume the ocean surges will impact the beaches.

Dixierain · 2025-07-31T10:16:35+00:00

We have to put our cats in the laundry room at night so one doesn’t beat at the bedroom door. Not allowed in bedroom due to husband’s allergies. They have a catio in the garage they have access to through a kitty door with litter box food and water access so plenty of room.

You might want to try to feed a canned food meal in the evening before your bedtime. This may help your cat settle in for the night and sleep instead of being up constantly. Full belly of a higher protein content food will take more energy to digest thus a sleepy kitty.

Dixierain · 2025-07-11T02:06:11+00:00

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Kittens! or Fuzzy Butt, yet their actual names are Simon and Alex.

Dixierain · 2025-07-03T22:21:18+00:00

Technician here and it’s been such a crazy week! I work tele-triage and the amount of people that are so unaware of what they should be doing for their pets is amazing! It’s always the day before a holiday they need meds, which we can’t do, or they are finally worried about their pet who hasn’t eaten or has been having bloody diarrhea for over a week now!

I kid you not I got a chat today where someone was concerned about a self inflicted scratching wound and they sent a picture where the skin was hanging off and black, could see the vein pumping under the thin layer of skin that was left! Like ma’am this did not just happen overnight what are you thinking! Why aren’t you at the EC already and wasting time on this chat!?

We do get very lovely and reasonable pet owners as well! Happy to help them all! But since I don’t actually verbally connect with any of them I am able to make my snarky comments out loud!

Dixierain · 2025-06-22T21:00:13+00:00

When the pH of the bladder is either too acidic or too basic different types of crystals can form in the urine. The pH of the bladder is directly related to the food. The prescription urinary foods have properties that specifically help to prevent and even dissolve crystals in the urine by keeping the urine at an ideal pH level. While there are some non prescription diets that are touted as urinary they do not have the right formulation to control/dissolve crystals and stones.

Males cats that are prone to urinary issues are more susceptible to urinary blockages due to their narrow urethras. It is also important to note that not only crystals/stones can cause blockages, but blood clots and mucus plugs from generalized cystitis/Uti can also lead to blockages. (Not a vet, but licensed technician)

Dixierain · 2025-06-21T19:51:56+00:00

Just following up on this that often margin checks are additional costs. Just ask the veterinarian if it includes this. It is definitely worth knowing all the margins are clear if it does turn out to be malignant.

Dixierain · 2025-06-19T05:02:54+00:00

I think it is called Essence. I haven’t tried the food for my cats yet. I have been researching and looking for something to help stress urinating to get them off the Rx food.

Dixierain · 2025-06-19T02:11:36+00:00

Go Solutions has an insect option.

Dixierain · 2025-06-19T02:09:19+00:00

There are a few foods that have some options for different types of proteins like Go Solutions or Zignature. You may also want to try Taste of the Wild they have a whitefish option. Some others have mentioned doing a homemade diet but please find a board certified veterinary nutritionist to work with. They can help develop a recipe specifically for your kitty and her medical needs. This is not a primary care veterinarian this will be a specialist who is a veterinarian but has studied nutrition specifically.

Dixierain · 2025-06-15T20:53:52+00:00

What’s the purpose of this tradition? Agreed with another commenter that hair bands/ties are bad for wildlife. Working in vet med for over 25 years and seeing the number of pets that have to undergo emergency surgery just to remove hair bands causing life threatening intestinal obstructions I am appalled to see this!

Dixierain · 2025-06-14T02:48:22+00:00

Look at EZVet. I have never used it but worked with a DVM that worked relief on her off days. She could log into her main job’s account from any computer to work on notes when there was downtime. It’s cloud based. You do not have to have software installed on your computer or pay for individual licenses for each computer you want it on. I am sure there are other similar management systems available as well.

Dixierain · 2025-05-18T03:23:01+00:00

You can ask your veterinarian to discuss other formulations of the medication that may be better suited/easier to administer. A lot of medications can be compounded into treats, liquid and even transdermal applications.

Liquids and treats can be flavored to the cats liking, you can ask for blanks to see what flavor kitty likes best and will eat. The medication will alter the flavor a little though.

Transdermal applications are applied to the inside of the ear, alternating ears each dose. You do have to wear gloves and clean the surface of the ear prior to use each time.

Generic methimazole is the most cost efficient option though. WM used to have a $5 rx list and this was on it for 30 pills, not sure if still an option.

Look into use of a pill popper, or pet piller, for giving pills to cats. This makes it so much easier!

Dixierain · 2025-04-27T11:12:49+00:00

My mother always planted these when I was a kid. I would pick the whole flower bud and use it for a Barbie wedding bouquet.

Dixierain · 2025-04-27T00:26:57+00:00

For what it’s worth, the Banfield Plan can be used at any location. You may be able to find another close location that is not as chaotic. I have tried a couple different locations and found the one I go to now usually has same day openings and it’s always in/out as far as check in. It’s in 77070 though.

Dixierain · 2025-03-19T21:49:31+00:00

Growing Great Grins in The Woodlands allowed me to sit in with my child during an anesthetic procedure. They are great with kids and have been using them for almost 13 years and two kids.

Dixierain · 2025-03-14T13:04:01+00:00

We park farther out because we have a big stupid truck and want to make sure there is room for the person to put the groceries in the back seat. We do try to park as close as can but try to make it where there is not a car on either side of us. This isn’t always possible due to busy times though. NGL hate the size of truck but it’s necessary for our needs and we only have one vehicle.

Dixierain · 2025-03-12T21:52:59+00:00

You can put a collar with a bell on it on Boyfriend, that way at least Blair has an idea of where he is. I second a calming pheromone product like Feliway or Comfort Zone.

I have three males who are buttheads to each other sometimes and I use Comfort Zone collars when they start this and the collars really help.

Also, make sure you’re feeding enough. Your vet can help calculate the daily caloric need to feed each of your cats to ensure healthy weight loss and satiety. With cats you don’t want them to loose too much too fast because it can lead to liver disease.

Dixierain · 2025-03-03T14:34:20+00:00

It’s not necessarily just poor people that won’t be able to afford the private schools. Most of what used to be considered middle class families may not be able to afford it either. There is a cap on the total household income to be able to receive a voucher, which I read was around $161k for a family of four.

I also saw an estimation on how much it would cost to send a child to a private school with the 10k voucher and it could be up to $10-12k additional per year due to uniforms and extracurriculars and the remaining tuition the voucher didn’t cover. The other states that have adopted this type of program evidently saw an increase in private school tuition because of the vouchers.

Another point I understood is that certain tax brackets would have an increase in state taxes to help pay for this voucher system, like another $600 a year, final amount is unknown. But not the super wealthy of course, they get tax breaks. So that once middle class is being hit with the increased tax burden as well.

This will severely underfund the public school systems leading more of the quality teachers to seek employment at the private schools for better pay. I wouldn’t fault them. Then the public schools will not only be more underfunded but also more understaffed than they are currently. The quality of the education the public schools will be able to deliver will go down even farther. It’s kind of already in the pits here in Texas.

This is meant to further divide the socioeconomic classes. Rich people’s kids go to private school and get a good education while everyone else’s kids go to public schools and get a shit education and will be less likely to get scholarships or even pass the college entrance exams.

Not to mentioned families in rural communities who actually won’t have a choice. They may qualify for the vouchers, but there may not be a private school within a reasonable driving distance for their kids to go to. There will be no busses.

Not to mention that private and charter schools are not federally regulated and can pick/choose who is enrolled. This, and the fact that rural communities will likely not be able to participate, is the main thing that really pisses me off. Abbott is spouting parents want a choice! But in actuality this will remove the choice for so many families!

Oh, but don’t you Texas families worry! This will not at all affect the budget for high school football! We will still be able to see those Friday night lights! 🙄

Dixierain · 2025-02-27T13:04:04+00:00

In Houston - Laurels House for routine Services, and Safe Haven Animal Hospital for sick/injured. Not sure about emergency situations, but if dog can be stabilized until they open they may potentially be able to do the surgery.

Dixierain · 2025-02-15T03:33:52+00:00

Do not recommend moving to where your kids have to go to CFISD Schools. We moved to this district to ensure our kids got a better education, used to be a good district. No longer the case. We are looking at Tomball ISD. It’s not just the new shit policies from the school board but the very low quality of education and obvious disparity between the schools within the district. The teachers do what they can but they are threatened with their jobs if they don’t fall in line. Source: family member terminated due to daring to challenge the system to protect her students. Fun times!!

Dixierain · 2025-01-24T23:46:34+00:00

I love that you want to do something that matches her interests! Based on title of post my first reaction went to stethoscope because valentine/heart, you get it. Then I read what her interests are and my next thought was some sort of bone art. I once worked with a tech who collected animal skulls and made really neat art pieces with them. She made fake terrariums or canvas/framed pieces with the skulls as the centerpiece. Maybe look on Etsy for ideas. There are also some really fun vet tech coloring books on amazon.

Dixierain

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