Pet thread?

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by sara1998

I really need some honest opinions.

After telling a few people about Max, I've had some mixed opinions come my way. Now I'm just a little confused. If he dosn't adapt well to being blind, meaning, getting snappy or mean towards people and the puppy, would you put him down? I've had so many people tell me that if his quality of life is less then what he was used to, then it's time to put him down. While I agree to a point, at the same time, I wouldn't put Sara down if she went blind. If he adapts to being blind, and he's just as happy as he was before, I can't see any reason to put him down. My heart hurts. I can't quit worrying about this. Please share your honest opinions, regardless of what they are. I trust you all here!

I have put down more than one beloved animal and no matter what anyone says, it is your decision and it just outright sucks to have to make it. I found that the major turing point is quality of life. Within that standard, I realized animals depend on us for everything and they do not have the capacity to rationalize extreme fear, pain, and/or suffering. Consequently, I think when they are in a perpetual state of anxiety or terror because of the pain or other sympton, it is time to put them down because they cannot understand enough how to cope. The timing of that decision, however, in the lynchpin.

Good Luck and my thoughts are with ya!

As an aside, I will never forget I found out I had to put my Maggie (the Moo Cow) down on the Friday before the third Atlanta SYW concert. In fact, I picked up gldstwmn with Maggie in the car about 20 minutes after I was told she was terminal and would suffer greatly. I took her with Goldie back to her house, lied to her other father about her, and tried to have a good weekend. On Monday, I put her down. It was awful, but the right thing. The worst was having to leave the vet's office afterward. I just walked out without paying because the THOUGHT of having to sit there for 20 minutes while the morons prepared the bill was horrifying.

[HomerMcvie]

Maria, like I said earlier, my cat is becoming blind, and she's become FAR more social. I, of course, don't know if that's a result of the blindness or not. But I've never seen her act as happy as she is now.
My friend and his wife run a rescue farm, and they have blind dogs. I think the dogs just have to learn a new routine in life.

[BTFLCHLD]

Originally Posted by sara1998

I can't see any reason to put him down.

This is how I would feel. He can still love you without eyes. If they are causing him pain, and the vet recommends removal...I would do so. There will be discomfort with that removal but providing Max is healthy overall, he should heal and adapt fairly quickly. The pup is naturally all over Max, so monitoring and/or sequesturing until Max is healed/adjusting would IMO be considered mandatory. Try to rest easy Sara...you are doing the best you can...I am praying everything will work out as you/Max wish.

[Nixxxed]

Originally Posted by ragandbone

So funny! Lovebirds are darling.
I just noticed that your avatar bird winks—love that!

Wow - thanks! You're the only person who has ever understood that Zorro is WINKING at you. Most people have instead thought he was blinking. Big difference!

[michelle2677]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I have put down more than one beloved animal and no matter what anyone says, it is your decision and it just outright sucks to have to make it. I found that the major turing point is quality of life. Within that standard, I realized animals depend on us for everything and they do not have the capacity to rationalize extreme fear, pain, and/or suffering. Consequently, I think when they are in a perpetual state of anxiety or terror because of the pain or other sympton, it is time to put them down because they cannot understand enough how to cope. The timing of that decision, however, in the lynchpin.

Good Luck and my thoughts are with ya!
.

I completely agree with everything that was said here

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Maria, like I said earlier, my cat is becoming blind, and she's become FAR more social. I, of course, don't know if that's a result of the blindness or not. But I've never seen her act as happy as she is now.
My friend and his wife run a rescue farm, and they have blind dogs. I think the dogs just have to learn a new routine in life.

I agree. Sometimes I think dogs (or cats) realized they are forced to be more social. Murray was abused before I got him, so he would NEVER go up to anyone before Max came along. . When I DID get him(max), he was getting all the attention and Murray knew he was going to have to step up if he wanted loving (from strangers, not from me). So I think when animals are put in tough situations, they are more resilient than we give them credit for.

Maria, i dont' know if you've made a decision yet, but I'd say, if he is able to manage and still have a good quality of life-then give him a chance. It may take a bit to see how he is going to be able to cope. But if he is just not able to, then I think other options may be best for him. Best of luck to max and your family. My thoughts are with you

[skcin]

All 3, in one place. Kind of rare. Note the 98 Degrees birthday card that my brother sent to my husband :



Closeup of One Eyed Willie:


Closeup of the diva, Mrs. Bouvier:

[estranged4life]

Originally Posted by sara1998

I really need some honest opinions.

After telling a few people about Max, I've had some mixed opinions come my way. Now I'm just a little confused. If he dosn't adapt well to being blind, meaning, getting snappy or mean towards people and the puppy, would you put him down? I've had so many people tell me that if his quality of life is less then what he was used to, then it's time to put him down. While I agree to a point, at the same time, I wouldn't put Sara down if she went blind. If he adapts to being blind, and he's just as happy as he was before, I can't see any reason to put him down. My heart hurts. I can't quit worrying about this. Please share your honest opinions, regardless of what they are. I trust you all here!

I had a vet give us the opinion that we should put our orange tabby Gilligan down when he fractured bones in his spine and that he may never recover his ability to walk. He said that if he is in pain/distress that it would be better to have him put down. I begged to differ (He wasnt in pain - Just confused to why his hind legs werent working) and decided to give Gilligan time to see if he would recover before thinking of anything too rational. Another vet said "cats that suffer fractures in their spine can recover in 6-8 weeks if proper care is shown", so I was going with this option...I cant deal with any deaths as I once did.

At first Gilligan would not move, he just layed in the floor with a sad look like he didnt know what was wrong. I fed him by hand and used a diaper to help him with his accidents. Eventually he started to show so signs of slow recovery, he went from laying on the floor to pulling his back legs behind him as he walked to the feeding dishes and to use the litterbox (I put him in the litterbox since he could not pull his back legs over the edge of the box).

Slowly but surely he started to move his legs somewhat, and circulatiuon started to come back to his back legs. He started to move his backlegs as he dragged himself across the floor until one day he just stood up on his backlegs and walked a few steps before falling over.

He progressed more an more with each day until he finally started to walk almost as normally (Minus a slight wobble since his tail was still recovering, and he needed his tail to stabilize his balance). He has made a recovery that otherwise may not have happened had we had to have him put down when he was first diagnosed.



In all honesty, I would give Max time to re-adjust to his blindness before doing anything. Animals are very akeen to adaptation and he may well adapt to his blindness. I'm like you, but since we have no children I see our animals as our small children, and I would never put down a real child of mine if they developed some disability - so why would I do it to a animal?

[strandinthewind]

To lighten it up - here are two videos I took last weekend on Wynee da Pooh's six puppies - Miss Holiday Laine is also featured!

[strandinthewind]

And another!



Here is Ms. B's three day old pooplet!

[estranged4life]

Now to really lighten the mood...I present to you...

PAINTED CATS!!!!

[estranged4life]

[strandinthewind]

^^^^

LMAO - who could get a cat to sit still long enough for that

[sara1998]

Originally Posted by michelle2677

Maria, i dont' know if you've made a decision yet, but I'd say, if he is able to manage and still have a good quality of life-then give him a chance. It may take a bit to see how he is going to be able to cope. But if he is just not able to, then I think other options may be best for him. Best of luck to max and your family. My thoughts are with you

He's getting real snappy with Sara. It's not getting better either.
If he "gets" her, I'll have no choice. I can't let him bite her, because if that starts, and he gets away with it, he'll think it's ok to do anytime. She dosn't annoy him, he's just being pissy.

[michelle2677]

Originally Posted by sara1998

He's getting real snappy with Sara. It's not getting better either.
If he "gets" her, I'll have no choice. I can't let him bite her, because if that starts, and he gets away with it, he'll think it's ok to do anytime. She dosn't annoy him, he's just being pissy.

I'm sorry to hear that maybe once he gets used to the situation, it will get better. It must be hard for him-things are so different and he doesn't know why I'm thinking about him

[estranged4life]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

^^^^

LMAO - who could get a cat to sit still long enough for that

people who pay between $15,000 to $60,000 to have their cats painted (With non-harmful ingredients & solutions)

Here's the book those pictures originated from: