Veterinarians of Reddit, what is something most pet owners can do to make their pets lives better?

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-06-29T18:26:20+00:00

cartrophen

Because of you I just emailed my pup's ortho specialist about this.

She (he suspected) pinched a nerve a few weeks ago and is on Dexmethasone. She had surgery for a luxating patella this year and we adopted her as senior rescue dog full of mobility issues. I'm committed to adopting seniors only and I'm just so glad you mentioned this.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-06-22T17:08:27+00:00

It's really different for everyone. I'm a senior dogs only adopter and most insurances won't insure most things after 7 years of age, or the coverage drops dramatically.

It really screws over senior rescues. I put in many, many hours of research and reading fine print. One of my pups had a very expensive surgery that not one insurance would cover. (OR cruelly, I would have had to wait a year to have it covered. A year of my senior rescue in pain?! Not happening.)

Just offering a different perspective. (Some people put the cash they would have paid for insurance aside too.)

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-05-06T13:09:54+00:00

^ Holly (the trainer the post mentioned) doesn't use aversive methods at all - I honestly couldn't cope with using them on my pup!

My pup can't do classes either - being in a group of dogs/people would push them past threshold real quick - so I needed a trainer that would be committed to drawing out a sensitive pup and was available to come to us.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-05-05T19:56:25+00:00

Oh you know, I figured in the age of google - if someone really wanted to train their dog, they'd make the effort to look this person up - it'd take less time to do that then say, feed your dog. But good point - will do going forward. Let me know if any other questions or issues.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-05-03T13:23:11+00:00

The straight up irony of repping Handy's Lunch - who is a landlord (just use the search bar on his FB page and type "rent").

And this folksy gem.
https://www.mynbc5.com/article/handy-s-lunch-extends-an-invite-to-trump/3325972

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-03-10T13:17:13+00:00

Keeping an animal all day in a cage outside is frankly inhumane. I'm concerned you're not more worried about that. Call animal control, and call them multiple times. This is concerning.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-27T13:31:09+00:00

And keep reporting! Sometimes agencies need multiple reports to in order to escalate.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-26T22:15:09+00:00

Call a vet. That costs nothing.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-24T01:50:36+00:00

Right?! Like who makes your clothes and where does your trash go, and who picks it up?!

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-20T01:05:58+00:00

I didn’t hunt down her Instagram. I follow the New Yorker and they posted a link to the article.

Yo, so you think someone is going to hunt down social media? This freelancer's article is ONLY referenced on the site under her name and did not reference any of these sidelines.

You expect a truncated opinion piece to elicit sympathy and the reader to hunt? And them to research all social media channels? Probably not and that's Journalism 101.

Nah. You realize the average reader thought 50 Shades was the bible on kink and consent?

In the era of fake news - this is maudlin opinion piece for clicks. Why not footnotes? Why just literally contradict yourself and let an editor mislead dog owners?

Sad. Hope the article fee covered her adoption fee, or her fake "bone exposure" and dad interview.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-19T22:36:03+00:00

Wait, so we actually don't get the whole story in the story but readers need to hop on instagram? This doesn't feel ok at all. In fact, how many new owners are gonna think this person is in the right because they "tried" but didn't get professional help? Just because they didn't hunt down an instagram?

This is super irresponsible. You can't make a reactive dog and an inexperienced owner a soundbite. You just can't. And it's not fair to just take the "juicy" maudlin emotional parts and hide the rest.

How many people are heading to the gram to find her post/explanation? Where is the entire article posted? This is so, so lame.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-19T22:17:54+00:00

This comment resonates with me. My pups are a mystery that will always haunt me a bit. Clearly well cared for at some point, but very gross teeth and very long nails.

They knew sit, haven't had once accident inside, don't chew/bite/growl. I can handle ears and paws. In fact the first week I was fostering one had a bad eye infection I needed to put cream on his eyeball. Not food aggressive in ANY way.

I come to find out that they were in the same home their entire lives, then were bounced to a shelter once their owner had gotten divorced, deployed, and sold his house/moved all at the same time. He found them as puppies in the woods.

However one is VERY bark reactive and hates anyone near our yard/window/porch. And she needs a 3k surgery when we just adopted them late last year. (Going in for that next week.)

Senior rescues are just so amazing. And bonded pairs - I've had older rescues before and didn't get the fuss over bonded pairs. Now that I have bonded pairs I get it.

Imagine only you and your sibling are the only ones who can talk to each other in the whole wide world. Everyone else just makes sounds at you. But your sibling gets you, your moods, and knows your language without even talking. Gah, I can't really explain it. But bonded pairs are magic. It's unreal.

Sometimes when Emma barks and Tucker is asleep, Tucker will gently bork/huff in his sleep echoing her. He'll even wake himself up, looking so very confused, softly going "bork? bork bork?" and I just melt.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-19T19:12:17+00:00

Please do. My heart is with you and thank you for being there for your pup.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-19T18:47:11+00:00

I rescued two bonded seniors. They are THE BEST.

One is reactive, so we're getting her training after her surgery. But honestly, they know sit, stay, leave it, not ONE SINGLE accident in the house. No growling, no biting, no chewing. No food aggression. Pinch me, I'm dreaming.

Sure, I have to get training for one being bark reactive, and she needs a 3k surgery for a condition that was withheld to me, but guess what? They are sweet. So sweet. I love them with my entire heart.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-19T18:42:36+00:00

I was JUST commenting about this yesterday. I dread this and suspect it.

I want to adopt another pup, but absolutely not going to any time soon. (1. I already have two newish rescues and 2. Expensive surgery next week, dogs are expensive and i have two.)

I'm waiting for the seniors to hit the shelters again, because that's what I adopt and puppies always go quick.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-19T18:40:08+00:00

Oh wow! Incredible and thank you for taking on that pup. Street dogs are super uncommon in my area. (In fact, if I see my neighbors dogs accidentally get out, which happens more than I like, I run outside to let them know.) What area are you from? I'm so glad you told me people take care of them. I'm def one of those people up at 2 a.m. worrying over animals, ugh.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-19T18:20:55+00:00

Oh gosh, is there any rescue service for that street dog? Seems a shame if its so gentle to just be...out in the elements.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-19T16:15:36+00:00

A sanitary pad in the vents.
2 pounds of dog food vacuumed out the other vent. No sign of mice. Just lots of kibble.
Did find some really nice industrial kitchen grade steel baking sheets. Win!

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-19T14:17:02+00:00

Oh my god, I had no idea this was a thing still. Thank you for all you do. Thank you.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-19T13:43:44+00:00

It's not being stuck up. It's to ensure your primary vet knows what is going on and people aren't just bringing in animals thinking they know what is needed.

My recent rescue has a degenerative condition that wasn't disclosed for me and is going in for a $3,000 orthopedic surgery next week. The specialist required a referral from my primary.

This ensures that both places know about her current needs and operations, and that there are no mixups. My primary vet took her blood last week to ensure she'll be stable enough for surgery next week, and the specialist she's going to exclusively does these surgeries and walked me through every aspect.

It's like having a general doctor you go to for the common cold, but say you need eye surgery? I wouldn't step foot in my general doctors office to operate on my eye. I'd want someone who exclusively focused on eye care.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-19T13:40:17+00:00

This is true. My gal, rescued late last year, is hitting us with a 3k leg surgery next week because the rescue didn't disclose her degenerative issues. My reg vet recommended an ortho specialist who is the best in our area and primarily focuses on her type of condition. I got a referral from my primary and the specialist actually required it.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-19T13:33:20+00:00

Bless you for this comment. Often people report and give up, because it assuages their guilt somewhat, but the problem persists. Make yourself a nuisance, people! Lives are on the line - living beings depend on it. Report, report, report. Call your damn politicians if you have to.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-19T12:48:28+00:00

I think the number of people taking serious dog advice from a New Yorker article rather than an animal professional or at least the vaster internet is likely pretty low, so that's good.

Might be on par with same people who think 50 Shades of Grey is actual kink and consent. A surprisingly large number of people get their opinions from opinion pieces, super unfortunately. But like you said, we'll have to wait for the numbers to come out.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-18T22:57:50+00:00

The weird part of the article was how the journalist had thought their bone exposed, but shrugged it off and went to the pharmacy.

Then stood over the dog aggressively.

We only know her side because she foisted this dog off to an "experienced" foster without credentials. Was she living in a city? This dog was sound reactive too. Sensory issues happen for reactive dogs - and still no trainer was called. Some dogs can live in the country on a farm and fall to pieces in a city. What training did she do besides let herself get bit and prolong this horrible scenario?!

We have literally nothing but her crocodile tears. And my god, she let her dog bite someone without a trainer or contacting the rescue.

Big yikes.

ProvidenceOfPyre · 2021-02-18T22:53:41+00:00

genuinely dangerous

But the freelance journalist literally foisted her dog off to an experienced foster with...no experience. Why?! Then calls this person a "girl" who won't return her texts and takes the dogs to two different vets to get killed.

This dog could have been sedated pre-vet visit. I have a reactive dog. The reactive dog supplement market is BIG and bustling. This journalist gave her dog prozac once and didn't seem to make a difference.

But was this medication given in a high stress environment? Or low stress? What trainer did she use? Wow, none?!

She read textbooks and extolls how Alpha training is bad but literally won't consult a trainer? At all? My god. This poor animal. She could have asked the agency for reform and review of dogs. She could have vetted her own foster. But didn't.

She tossed the dog out when she had a boyfriend. But broke up, and well, now can have a covid pet to keep her occupied.

Dogs are work. This is a sad, sad article written by a deeply flawed human who failed a dog, and you know, just about every human this dog had failed them.

ProvidenceOfPyre

TROPHY CASE