Post a picture of your pet!

Buttercup wrote:

puppy pictures

Cuteness meter = broken. Is it a blue heeler?

Her name is Elphaba, or Ellie for those who are our parents. And yes she is a blue heeler. Thankfully she only heels V-0.

Here's our Mickey:
IMAGE(http://www.jewelrybykelley.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=6914&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=cc361233344f1ced8e1580c2d57b7214)

Poor Mickey is going through a hard time this week having a case of anorexia and liver issues. He's tubby in this photo showing off his 14lb belly. We're having to force feed him by syringe 4 times a day right now as he's dropped to only 8lbs.

Yellek wrote:

Here's our Mickey:
IMAGE(http://www.jewelrybykelley.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=6914&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=cc361233344f1ced8e1580c2d57b7214)

Poor Mickey is going through a hard time this week having a case of anorexia and liver issues. He's tubby in this photo showing off his 14lb belly. We're having to force feed him by syringe 4 times a day right now as he's dropped to only 8lbs.

Sorry to hear about Mickey. I hope he gets better soon. Has he had a dental exam? Our Big Darryl (the one in my avatar) dropped from 18lbs to 11lbs and hid under the covers, being unsociable, for about 2 months. Took him in, and they found a big red sore inside his mouth. Turned out he had/has Bartonella (cat scratch fever) and possibly stomatitis. It was torture for him to eat, but he's so well-mannered that he never once complained.

We put him (and the rest of the cats) on syringes of Zithromax for about a month, got his teeth cleaned, and got him on Prednisone (a steroid), and he plumped back up, but he'll have to be on the steroid and an antibiotic probably for the rest of his life. The vet wants $2000 to remove all his teeth, which he says MAY help. In our experience, once you remove a cat's teeth, they go downhill very quickly, and the antibiotics/steroids seem to be helping for now. He hates taking the pills, so now he runs and hides from me whenever he sees me, which is completely heartbreaking.

Good luck with Mickey.

My first thought was something dental, but no, Mickey's teeth/mouth are just fine. About a month ago they started him on meds for hyperthyroid based on a high level on a blood test. We (us and the vet) think that it made him feel ill enough to not want to eat. With 5 cats this went unnoticed for long enough to cause enough weight loss to compromise the liver. Now the biggest thing is to get enough food into him and make sure his GI tract starts functioning again properly. The hyperthyroid issue is on hold until we get his digestive system working again. He's taking the food ok mostly, and he's getting an ultrasound and liver culture tomorrow so hopefully by this weekend we'll know more. Meanwhile, he's getting spoiled like crazy so that he won't hold a grudge for the feedings, fluids & shots we're giving to him.

Mickey's in the hospital today. An ultrasound revealed that his nothing is moving through his GI tract. So he's there on an IV drip as they try to get it going again.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

Mickey's in the hospital today. An ultrasound revealed that his nothing is moving through his GI tract. So he's there on an IV drip as they try to get it going again.

Good Luck, bud.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

Mickey's in the hospital today. An ultrasound revealed that his nothing is moving through his GI tract. So he's there on an IV drip as they try to get it going again.

Damn. Best of luck, guys.

IMAGE(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/2720766043_7b1cfbaf8c.jpg?v=0)

My 8 year old pomeranian, Yoda

Quintin_Stone wrote:

Mickey's in the hospital today. An ultrasound revealed that his nothing is moving through his GI tract. So he's there on an IV drip as they try to get it going again.

As someone who recently lost I beloved pet, I'm pulling for you.

Rat Boy wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:

Mickey's in the hospital today. An ultrasound revealed that his nothing is moving through his GI tract. So he's there on an IV drip as they try to get it going again.

As someone who recently lost I beloved pet, I'm pulling for you.

I hope Mickey is OK... our cat Shu Shu is going through a tough time as well. She has cancer on her belly and it's kind of a bummer. Theoretically it is operable but for the cost of the surgery we could easily save 5 other cats from the shelter... so for now we keep her well loved and comfy.

On a happier note we did get a nice doggy from a rescue in April who we have dubbed Penny:

IMAGE(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3191/2620376829_9ef09c4457.jpg?v=0)

We brought Mickey home last night with an IV drip. He had a rough night and had been deteriorating. This morning, under the vet's advice, we had him put to sleep. As miserable as he was, we managed to get one last purr from him before the end. We're just devastated. He was the sweetest, friendliest cat, even (especially) to strangers.

Sorry to hear about your loss Q_S. It was good to have that purr though. I remember that from our last cat as well.

I'm sorry for your loss, Quintin. I know how rough it can be.

To get back on the thread topic, here are some of my favorite pics of Mickey.

Mickey as a kitten with his sister Daisy:
IMAGE(http://www.jewelrybykelley.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1002&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=cc361233344f1ced8e1580c2d57b7214)

Mickey teaching Luna how to destroy things properly:
IMAGE(http://www.jewelrybykelley.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=6906&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=cc361233344f1ced8e1580c2d57b7214)

Mickey in one of his favorite places:
IMAGE(http://www.jewelrybykelley.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=1065&g2_serialNumber=2&g2_GALLERYSID=cc361233344f1ced8e1580c2d57b7214)

My condolences Quintin. That sounds very painful. I've never really had an emotional pet(I've had lizards, mice) and I always worry about how devastating it would be to lose them.

Of course all of that will change next week as my girlfriend is bringing her dog to live with us. I'm allergic to dogs but we've got a 2 story house and the doggie will only have the first floor which is all hardwood. Plus we're going to get some air filters. Here is the doggie, her name is Poppy.
IMAGE(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee317/elliottx/Poppy.jpg)

Quintin_Stone wrote:

We brought Mickey home last night with an IV drip. He had a rough night and had been deteriorating. This morning, under the vet's advice, we had him put to sleep. As miserable as he was, we managed to get one last purr from him before the end. We're just devastated. He was the sweetest, friendliest cat, even (especially) to strangers.

I'm truly sad for you guys. I can only imagine how hard that must be.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

We brought Mickey home last night with an IV drip. He had a rough night and had been deteriorating. This morning, under the vet's advice, we had him put to sleep. As miserable as he was, we managed to get one last purr from him before the end. We're just devastated. He was the sweetest, friendliest cat, even (especially) to strangers.

You are an honorable opponent, Quintin. I respect your loss and will stay my blade while you mourn.

I'm sorry about your loss.

Q_S and Yellek, I'm so sorry about Mickey. It's never easy, no matter how many times you go through it.

Sad Biggie is sad and sorry for your loss.

IMAGE(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b296/Bonus_Eruptus/our%20cats/sad_biggie.jpg)

QS, Yellek; I've been down that painful road myself recently and the only thing that provides me with the slightest shred of comfort is that my dog isn't suffering anymore. He wasn't doing too well in the end as it sounds like your cat was and hopefully they've both found some peace. Doesn't make the loss easy for we the owners, though.

I just want to reiterate what others have said, Yellek and Q-Stone, I'm sorry for your loss. I know how tough it is to lose a pet that's been part of the family for so long.

And, since I didn't notice this thread until now... This is our cat, Squeak, conked out in the guest bedroom:

IMAGE(http://gallery.racoonfink.com/d/19154-1/DSCN2988.JPG) IMAGE(http://gallery.racoonfink.com/d/19157-1/DSCN2990.JPG)

Squeak has already beaten the odds for a long time. A long time ago, she was diagnosed with either cancer or irritable bowel syndrome. The vet was going to prescribe the same thing either way (prednisone [sic]) and she took very well to the treatment. Later, she got hyper thyroid, and had surgery to remove one of the lobes. The thyroid levels eventually worked their way back up, and the only real treatment choice was radioactive iodine treatment. Despite the fact that she was 19 years old, we went ahead and did it anyways, and she's taken to the treatment pretty well.

Being an old bitty, she doesn't move around as much as she used to -- she's slowed down a lot, but she's still a very loving kitty who shows no sign of stopping.

My 4 month old hermann tortoise, Sheldon or The Don

IMAGE(http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/3721/s1030615dc8.th.jpg)

IMAGE(http://img365.imageshack.us/img365/4812/s1030618oy4.th.jpg)

He/she (Difficult to impossible to tell untill they are about 3 years old) was disturbed from his/her cabbage gourging for these photos, he/she was not ammused.

What's the life expectancy on a tortoise?

Trophy Husband wrote:

What's the life expectancy on a tortoise?

Upwards of 150 years.

Quintin, I'm sorry to hear about your cat. We had to put down our last two, and it was hard. But it was good to see them free of the pain at the end.

Elliott - Get a Portie! We are all allergic to dogs and have no troubles with ours. Single coat dogs rock!

Some tortoises can live up to 200 years but the hermman species lives from 30-40 years on adverage with the proper care. Reptiles arn't cheap to support, i paid around about £200 for sheldon and the extras in a starter set kind of deal but i think its worth it =].

My dog, Dimitri, in our TV room. Chillin' and watching Back to the Future.

IMAGE(http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f182/sfailey/Dimitri/IMG_0138.jpg)

Our dog Fruit Tree died last summer while my wife & son were away visiting family. He (my son Charlie) still talks about her sometimes (he turned 3 in September), but he has come to terms with it really well. So, I surprised him with a new cat, Tulip. He loves her, and she's extremely feisty--no matter what toddler savagery her perpetrates on her, she's immediately chasing him around the house & jumping on his face from strategic ambush positions.
IMAGE(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d133/Salvaje1/IMG_0575.jpg)

That's Teeny's "Batman dropping the Joker into the acid POV" shot.

Teeny is not so tiny anymore.
IMAGE(http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/160/img0582jq7.jpg)
IMAGE(http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/5549/img1049uy4.jpg)