Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[tandykins]

My girlfriend is a GP and she often says ' I should have been a vet, at least animals don't talk back ' . Hehe.

I actually intended to study veterinary science for this exact reason but there weren't any universities within commuting distance and I opted to study behavioural science instead. I get on better with animals than I do with humans. XD

 

[Fancychooklady]

REALLY? I used this stuff once in my coop because I had nothing else and I felt -SO GUILTY- because I thought that it was surely not good for my hens.  If it's possible to use this, I will save -so much money-.  It currently takes me one whole $18 spray bottle of Avitrol to spray down all of my coops.

EDIT: XD I replied to the wrong comment.

Really ! I keep a can in each of the pens .

 

[Fancychooklady]

I actually intended to study veterinary science for this exact reason but there weren't any universities within commuting distance and I opted to study behavioural science instead.  I get on better with animals than I do with humans. XD

Hehe, many of my best friends have 4 legs.

 

[tandykins]

Hehe, many of my best friends have 4 legs.

My Facebook cover photo is a beautiful, peaceful looking mossy image with the words, "People are ****." on it. My opinion of humans as a species isn't often very high. At least I can count on animals not to be absolutely terrible to each other for no reason at all.

On bad days when people make me cross I can be found in my backyard huggling a protesting chicken. XD

SO glad to hear about that spray - my husband will be thrilled.

 

[satay]

So sorry to hear of your diagnosis. Our pug Bruno was diagnosed last year with mastocytoma and we made the decision not to treat him.  Even the next round of tests after the diagnosis was far more than we could afford.  Our vet had assured us that it was unlikely that it was going to progress quickly and some research told me that his life was unlikely to be significantly shortened by the cancer.  Even so, our vet pressured us to treat his cancer, implying that if we weren't prepared to spend tens of thousands of dollars on treating his cancer, we shouldn't have taken on the responsibility of a dog in the first place.  (Bruno had his tumours removed over a year ago and so far hasn't shown a single symptom).

It wasn't the first time he'd done it.  3 years ago I lost a cat to rat poison (she was indoor and ate a mouse which had eaten it) and he spent about a day trying to convince me to consider incredibly expensive blood transfusions to save her life.  When he could not find a cat of the same blood type as River, he suggested I find a stray with the same blood type.  When I asked how that would help, he stated that River needed close to a full blood transfusion to survive and the stray would be sacrificed to save her life.  Even if I could have afforded it, I wouldn't have gone that route.  It flies in the face of my animal welfare philosophies.

I appreciated my vet's do-anything attitude when it came to animals, but he had a really crappy attitude toward people who were experiencing some of the most stressful experiences of their life. There is a heavy focus on bedside manner for people doctors and we often let that go completely by the wayside with animal doctors.  It's unfortunate.

I agree with you on the bed side manner for sure. That's what has upset me the most that he would think i am being cruel or whatever you want to call it by not following his advice straight away. If he actually went through my file at the vets he would see that i only do what i think is best for them regardless of the cost. Eg my first dog bear we had for over 14 years. He got really bad hips in the end and i decided enough was enough and asked he be put to sleep. I had to argue that treating him any longer was not in his best interest they gave in and put him to sleep. I have never and would never make any animal suffer but i also refuse to put one to sleep that is still eating well and happy to be here.

 

[locknest4]

Satay sorry to hear the news about Zeus. With regards to the vets attitude, do what u think is best for Zeus and your family. If Zeus is comfortable and not suffering there is definately no need to put him to sleep!

A good friend of mine has still got her very old dog with cancer and she has her on medication. The dog is still happy and much loved as well as comfortable.

In contrast some one else i kno kept her very old, blind and deaf dog alive with no quality of life. The dog couldn't walk, see or hear and had no bladder control. She used to tremble and wee if anyone touched her. The vet encouraged this as he was getting more money.

I think some vets may need an ethics course as well as a whole bedside manner transfusion!

 

[Meeka3]

Why can't people just tell the truth? I recently bought 5 silver lace wing wyandottes, they were 12 wks old and fully feathered and all different markings (only one pure markings) when I got them, and I didn't mind because I don't breed and I can tell them apart, and they make a beautiful addition to my rainbow family of chooks. One of them in particular fascinated me so I looked up all the wyandottes and found she has half silver pencilled in her, so I sent an email to the lady I bought them from and she said she thought the man she got the breeding stock from let his chooks mix and didn't bother to tell her. She thinks her barnies have been mixed with a bantam because its now coming out in her babies. I feel so sorry for this lady because she's just starting to breed, and not everyone who bought her chicks at 6 wks will be as tolerant as me, especially if they want to breed. I'll include a photo of Galaxy (granddaughter named her) to show you, I think she is beautiful.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Why can't people just tell the truth? I recently bought 5 silver lace wing wyandottes, they were 12 wks old and fully feathered and all different markings (only one pure markings) when I got them, and I didn't mind because I don't breed and I can tell them apart, and they make a beautiful addition to my rainbow family of chooks. One of them in particular fascinated me so I looked up all the wyandottes and found she has half silver pencilled in her, so I sent an email to the lady I bought them from and she said she thought the man she got the breeding stock from let his chooks mix and didn't bother to tell her. She thinks her barnies have been mixed with a bantam because its now coming out in her babies. I feel so sorry for this lady because she's just starting to breed, and not everyone who bought her chicks at 6 wks will be as tolerant as me, especially if they want to breed. I'll include a photo of Galaxy (granddaughter named her) to show you, I think she is beautiful.

She is very beautiful.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Saw this and thought of you Kym .

Also made me think of all the beautiful dogs that have shared their days with us, I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[RodneyRooster]

Well that was a long 3 pages! I think u took up one whole one of them AB lol.

Have replied to some via ovation as usual but will just add a little here as general.

Its very hard when you dont know whats wrong with a dog to decide on the best action. My beloved boy whom i had most of my life and was the longest friend/family to be with me died last year. They couldnt tell me what was wrong i was spending lots and bringing him in for numerous things but they couldnt say for sure.

The vet had great people skills tho so that was one huge less thing to deal with. The only thing i was 'unhappy' for lack of a better word with is that she never did suggest the option of putting him down. Because of this i kept thinking about it but thought it would be wrong to voice it or do as the vet hadnt already and they would give us all our options so possibly he wasnt at that stage yet. Anyway got to the point where all they could do was give him pain meds.. when i finally told them i wanted to put him down she said she thought it was a wise decision. (Wish u had of said that before i went through all the internal struggles!)

We rang wednesday to book him in for sat (as i asked and she said it wasnt an immediately necessary thing) then wednesday night he passed. No complaining or anything he just went. I still believe he was just waiting for me to come to terms with having to lose him.

Tough stuff but as everyone else here has said, ull know when the times right, if hes not in a great deal of pain and seems happy then trust that x

Uh oh my lack of sexually active females is taking its toll. Fighting yesterday and today and now my girls are getting poor saddle feathers :-(