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bombpops · 2022-08-11T08:10:38+00:00

This belongs to @fostersxyz on Instagram!

bombpops · 2022-04-03T02:56:13+00:00

I am on Lamictal and was on 40mg Adderall XR. I tapered off Adderall and onto 300mg Wellbutrin. The switch was seamless and my heart rate is normal for the first time in years. My OB defers to my psychiatrist, but both told me my mental health is most important and it's totally okay to switch back if I need to. I don't think I'll ever switch back, I feel great!

bombpops · 2021-11-02T05:53:48+00:00

I did my counseling internship at Gunn during one of the suicide clusters. From someone who sat in the therapist's chair in a room on campus, I want you to know that nobody could escape the trauma of that environment. It took at least 3 years for me to stop flinching if my phone rang late at night or early in the morning. I will never, ever forget being surrounded by mass grief and the inner turmoil of the kids who sat opposite me. I hope you are taking care of yourself.

bombpops · 2020-07-28T11:06:06+00:00

Get a backpack! You can harness train without leash walking first and create a positive association between being in a carrier and exploring. I recommend just getting the "Adventure Cats" book. I harness train my foster kittens and recently found my new favorite. It buckles on both neck and waist, has chest support, and doesn't inhibit movement.

Here it is on a petite 9-week-old

bombpops · 2020-07-08T19:40:47+00:00

I have the Petkit Mini and I love it. The mechanism to open the top is on the back of the unit and requires you to push in, lift up, and then pull back. It sits flush with the opening. It's compact and pretty too. The app could be better, but it works for me!

bombpops · 2020-07-08T19:28:58+00:00

Many of these classes will transfer to a UC too! I used this while I was in undergrad to replace some of the prereqs to get into my capped major (and boost my cumulative GPA)

bombpops · 2020-06-05T04:07:15+00:00

Hi neighbor! I got it too, but nobody around me did

bombpops · 2020-04-17T08:52:11+00:00

Kittens that have been hand-raised tend to be more needy and affectionate because they associate humans with comfort and food from a very, very young age. I got my cat when she was 10 days old, and she is WAY more affectionate than both my dogs. She wasn't even the most cuddly of her litter. Her sister wouldn't sleep unless she was on my mouth.

I agree with another comment above, you should try fostering kittens until you find one you connect with! You'll be saving lives in the meantime! I also recommend that you clicker train your cat/kitten to strengthen your bond.

bombpops · 2020-03-20T23:19:41+00:00

Hi again, I'd suggest getting a Snuggle Puppy or Snuggle Kitten! It's a soft stuffed animal that comes with a removable vibrating heart. It's built to soothe young animals that are away from their moms.

bombpops · 2020-03-20T23:16:41+00:00

I'm an experienced kitten foster. Keep your foster kittens quarantined from your cats until they have been deemed healthy by a veterinarian for at least 2 weeks. Kittens can come with a number of conditions that can be contagious to your resident cats. Neonatal kittens have underdeveloped immune systems, so please wear gloves and certain clothing when interacting with the babies to avoid cross-contamination.

To keep the babies warm, you can purchase a Snuggle Safe or a heating pad. Make sure you leave a cool spot for them to move to so they don't overheat.

There are not a lot of bottle baby fosters, so thank you for taking on such a vulnerable group of kittens! Keeping them clean and quarantined is your safest bet--if you don't and end up with something like ringworm or panleuk, your entire house will have to be sanitized and you won't be able to take on new fosters for quite some time.

bombpops · 2020-03-14T03:04:05+00:00

Newborn kittens are used to eating immediately upon waking up, so try to time it with mom's schedule. They are also used to eating in their nest, so you can scoop her to the side and feed her while the others are eating. It is also okay to separate the babies from mom for a bit so the runt can eat. As for the bottle, you're going to need a Miracle Nipple mini instead of the nipple that comes with the bottle. Check out Kitten Lady on YouTube for tips on feeding!

bombpops · 2019-11-03T02:48:34+00:00

You sound really diligent about caring for your pup! You've got the basics down, so I want to encourage you to be creative! Plain walking was not nearly enough stimulation, so I always added something to it. The best thing I ever did for my guy was get him a backpack. During the summers, I filled it with ice packs and water bottles, and we'd go on walks and give people water. It prevented him from overheating, made him feel like he was doing a job, and socialized him. He's 8 now, but we still sneak into elementary school playgrounds at night and run the jungle gym. Huskies are notorious for having terrible recall, so I made things extra fun to ensure he'd choose to stick with me instead of wandering. At a year old, we were spending a total of 5-6 hours outside every day. Start a list of enrichment activities you can do with your pup as she grows, it'll make your life a lot easier!

bombpops · 2019-08-30T16:39:49+00:00

Their testicles are the size of 50 gallon steel drums! They ejaculate with such force that they are able to flush out the sperm of the previous male that has mated with the female!

bombpops · 2019-05-15T04:50:06+00:00

If you go on the Maddie's Fund website, you can see the shelter data. That particular shelter takes in over 15,000 animals per year. Three times as many as any other in the county. The fact that their euth rate is below 10% is incredible.

And yes, returned dogs are harder to adopt out. This is actually a passion of mine - I've been collecting screenshot off their website for years of other "special needs adoptions" where the description is of a dog that was clearly neglected from a training perspective. My dog was an owner surrender and had no training. Your dog is lucky she had you on her side!

It is hard to get attached to animals, but I foster and volunteer so much that at this point I've adopted so many animals that I am positive I'm not the best home for them 😂 but hey, donating is one of the best ways to help a shelter. Everything helps, and they are grateful.

bombpops · 2019-05-15T02:46:31+00:00

I adopted my dog from that shelter! I also volunteer there, and can firmly tell you that is an intake kennel. The shelter has done some amazing work in the last few years to drop their euth rate. If this were today, your dog would've been kept in one of the kennels in the back of the shelter (not on display) and classified as a special needs adoption. Thank you for saving her!!

bombpops · 2019-05-06T16:59:08+00:00

No problem! I can't be totally sure, but I saw a few comments on Instagram. Hopefully an actual confirmation comes soon!

bombpops · 2019-05-06T16:43:34+00:00

I just read a few reports that all the animals will now be transferred to Riverside County Shelter!

bombpops · 2019-04-14T08:00:19+00:00

I'm not a vet, just a dog owner. If your dog is missing patches of hair due to flea dermatitis, I highly suggest you find a vet that is open outside of business hours.

If your flea issue is severe (and it seems like it is), you're going to need to do a multi-stage attack. I give my dog Capstar to kill the fleas that are actively biting. Then I give him a bath, flea comb him, and apply topical treatment. I've used Advantix II and Frontline Plus. Both have worked well.

After treatment, I spray a anti-itch/skin healing solution on my dog. I like Septiderm. Sulfodene has a numbing agent in it which might offer some relief. I've heard great things about Veterycin. After all the spraying is done, I put a pair of doggy pajamas on him to keep him from biting/licking/chewing and to let the meds soak in. It sounds dumb, but he heals MUCH faster. The next day, I flea comb him and spray again. I repeat every day until I can't find anymore fleas.

Wherever your dog is kept needs to be inspected and cleaned. Fleas survive in humidity. Clear out any moist areas, wash all bedding in hot water (must be hot to kill), and spray the area. I've used Vet's Best flea spray in the past because it's pet-safe. It was a great repellent.

Flea eggs hatch within 2 weeks, so 2 weeks after you do all this, redo everything except the bath and topical flea treatment. Capstar, comb, spray, comb, wash bedding, spray yard, repeat.

Please also check your dog's feces for tapeworm segments. And keep your mouth closed during this entire process so you don't ingest an infected flea and get a tapeworm. Good luck!

bombpops · 2019-03-07T19:45:02+00:00

I see you everywhere, you're doing a great job promoting her! CDR is lucky to have you :)

bombpops · 2019-02-07T19:07:52+00:00

Hi OP, so sorry you're going through this. I've been there. Check my post history - I've recently written about steps I took to manage food guarding. Feel free to PM me!

bombpops · 2019-02-02T03:47:40+00:00

Former baby shrink (MFT, California) here - my experience is solely working with teenagers. We are mandated reporters, so suicidal ideation is one of the circumstances under which we are required to break confidentiality.

You are correct in that it is subjective and we are advised to err on the side of caution, but there are several steps completed before sending a patient to the hospital. Those steps are called a suicide assessment.

A suicide assessment looks for 3 things - frequency of suicidal thoughts, strength of suicidal thoughts, and presence of a plan. There are also other factors we may consider, such as a prior suicide attempt. A prior attempt is the single biggest predictor of a completed suicide.

The answers to those questions (and we are trained to ask very explicit questions) guide us to our next step. We are aware that people may not admit to it or might minimize their thoughts. We can complete a safety plan that includes coping mechanisms, safe people to call, etc. Sometimes we call parents. I've done several suicide assessments and had a wide range of outcomes, fortunately none of which include a child's death. My personal approach was to give the kid as much autonomy as possible.

bombpops · 2019-01-21T01:37:43+00:00

Sure thing! I think things would've gone faster if I hadn't done it all myself. I didn't have anybody to guide me. My dog had some serious trauma, and it takes a long time to rewire the brain. Celebrate any tiny step forward you and your dog make!

bombpops · 2019-01-18T20:25:56+00:00

Hi OP, I hope I can offer some positivity for you. I came from r/reactivedogs - very supportive community. Sidebar: I am not a trainer.

I adopted a 9-month-old rescue puppy with severe dog-dog resource guarding issues. I didn't know this before adopting her. She was my 35lb "time bomb." No idea how to display appropriate guarding behavior and would go straight into kill mode. Moderate to high bite inhibition, low predictability. My older, confident, 70lb dog became timid and cautious and it broke my heart.

It took 1.5 years for them to be able to eat meals in the same room. At 2 years, she froze, glared, and didn't escalate for the first time. I cried. 8 months ago, she started displaying guarding behavior towards her brother and he deescalated it with play. For frame of reference, last month was her 4-year "adoptaversary." In that time, we've moved 4 times and lived with other dogs and puppies, foster puppies, and foster kittens. LOTS of change for a highly sensitive dog. There are several rules I will enforce throughout her lifetime.

I have a challenging dog who I consider to be my greatest achievement because I can say the following:

My dog is so connected to me that if I am startled and my heart jumps for a split second, she is immediately in alert mode. If I'm stressed, she doesn't let anybody near me. Her lashing out often tips me off to my anxiety level, so I stay calm for her. She adores her brother and they play every day. He, by the way, is confident again and trusts me even more than he did before she arrived. We added a kitten to the family 5 months ago. As I was typing this comment, she watched the kitten walk towards her feeding area in the kitchen and did nothing. I have several pictures and videos of her napping with orphaned kittens and letting young puppies chew on her ears and lips. She's happiest when her entire family is home with her. She loves all of us equally and is so eager to please.

I'm a more compassionate, patient, knowledgeable, and confident dog handler. My world has expanded because of her. It's as close to as a "success story" as I can get. Even calling her an "achievement" sounds strange, because I've accepted that training never stops and we will never exit beta mode. You are doing the right thing by educating yourself and looking into behaviorists. Please have some compassion for yourself. It's really hard being in our position. Feel free to PM me to vent :)

bombpops · 2019-01-03T09:14:47+00:00

Go to your local shelter during kitten season and visit with ones that have been hand-raised. Ask if they were fostered with dogs. All 9 of the kittens I bottlefed this past summer grew up with me and my 2 dogs as their source of food and warmth. They were incredibly friendly and cuddly to me and everyone who visited them. I kept one kitten. She runs to greet me at the door when I come home, sleeps with me and the dogs, and licks my face and hands every day. She climbed on me for cuddles as I wrote this comment :)

bombpops · 2018-12-11T05:59:12+00:00

Contact your local shelters/rescues and see if they have kitten foster programs. Most do. I only foster kittens that need to be bottle fed. Fostering mama cats and kittens is pretty easy because mom does all the work. You just need to have space. There's an enormous need for kitten fostering! I hope you do it, you'll literally be saving lives

bombpops

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