Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[lightm]

Awwww.
That happened with my parents over the cats. My Dad said basically it was the cats or him. As a kid I was terrified what that might mean. My mother didn't really respond, but in a half-hearted way looked for rehoming opportunities for some of them.
One day a couple came to look at one of the black cats, and the woman said to the guy: "I wanted one with more white on it".
My Dad was overheard in the front yard saying: "You don't need to take her - I think she looks very elegant just the way she is" and then he snatched the cat back out of their arms and stomped into the house with her.
Yup. Game over at that point. All the cats stayed and that black cat could on occasion be found snuck on to his lap while my Dad had a nap in his chair.
He went to his grave claiming he hated the cats but he wept buckets whenever one died and over the years many other cats managed to become Dad lap cats.
Poor Dad - he was such a softy really!


Bittersweet memory tax: Maggie. I think Dad would have appreciated Maggie. I miss them both.
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Lovely memory that brings me tears.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I have found that other than the odd accident or getting some illness, it the getting elderly part that is the most costly.

Having said that my poor kitty Missy had gastritis during Covid and I had to take her to an emergency clinic - cost me $1700 for X-ray, blood work and on the end I was furious and told the vet please give her fluids and and anti-emetic (stop her vomiting) also some antibiotics - I was sure she had gastritis. But the vet was bent on proving she ate something and it was stuck in her. Nope I was right.

They received a scathing online account of my dealings with them.

That is what makes me so mad, that vet should have had n the begin given her fluids and meds sent her home for 24hrs to see if she improved. But no, they have to do all the fancy dancy crap upfront immediately - this pays for their fancy equipment I guess.

Ok rant over

Tax
Thirsty Thursday
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Thinking devil's advocate here, as I know your medical background so I trust your instincts with an animal you know well! -- Did anybody suspect she swallowed a tiny battery? That would account for the imaging right away. They probably need to cover their butts like people doctors do, maybe they are getting pressure from their insurance. I once was waiting at the vet's next to a guy who actually saw his little lap dog eat a hearing aid battery or maybe the actual hearing aid. He had just put it on the table edge while he was replacing them or something. It was going to be doubly expensive, to get it out of the dog and to replace it.

Tax: I was looking at this again, it makes me chuckle. Hey, maybe that's Diane-Ida? I don't remember. Maybe she's learning too well and taking after T-Rex!

 

[BeastBaby]

Thinking devil's advocate here, as I know your medical background so I trust your instincts with an animal you know well! -- Did anybody suspect she swallowed a tiny battery? That would account for the imaging right away. They probably need to cover their butts like people doctors do, maybe they are getting pressure from their insurance. I once was waiting at the vet's next to a guy who actually saw his little lap dog eat a hearing aid battery or maybe the actual hearing aid. He had just put it on the table edge while he was replacing them or something. It was going to be doubly expensive, to get it out of the dog and to replace it.

Tax: I was looking at this again, it makes me chuckle. Hey, maybe that's Diana? I don't remember. Maybe she's learning too well and taking after T-Rex!.
View attachment 3714065

I worked for a vet while in college and they are very used to having three tiers of care.

In the first, most expensive tier, it functions like a regular human doctor: money is “not an issue”, we will rule out any of the major possibilities with ample diagnostics, and subsequent care, including hospitalization, will be doled out as needed

Second tier is “Well, this is going to get pricey fast… mustn’t rack up a huge bill for a pet that likely has nothing more than pancreatitis. Here is a bolus of SQ fluids, antiemetics, and prescription canned food that should last until they’re feeling better. Come on back for those X-rays if it doesn’t clear up in two days”.

Third tier is hoping the owner stays in the clinic long enough to get some advice; they have begrudgingly agreed to pay for only the exam fee and if you’re lucky a single injection (better pick the one right med, doc!). A tech then sneaks in the room to give advice on feeding pet boiled rice. Also not uncommon for owners to see a high bill and attempt to forfeit the pet right there and then. Or inquire about euthanasia.

A well oiled vet clinic should be prepared to offer any of those levels of care because pet ownership/mentality is not one size fits all.

Tax:
“Hello, friend?” Quincy attempted to groom Perry’s beard, who was completely startled and hopped back.

I thought I would have trouble telling them apart from afar, but realized they have completely different tail sets. Easy peasy! Quincy’s is leghornesque.

 

[BeastBaby]

I didn’t get a thirst Thursday photo, but did catch these Dino feet. Color has not been adjusted! So cool. I wonder what her egg color will be.
Who else has chooks with colorful feet? What color eggs do they lay?

 

[Ponypoor]

Thinking devil's advocate here, as I know your medical background so I trust your instincts with an animal you know well! -- Did anybody suspect she swallowed a tiny battery? That would account for the imaging right away. They probably need to cover their butts like people doctors do, maybe they are getting pressure from their insurance. I once was waiting at the vet's next to a guy who actually saw his little lap dog eat a hearing aid battery or maybe the actual hearing aid. He had just put it on the table edge while he was replacing them or something. It was going to be doubly expensive, to get it out of the dog and to replace it.

Tax: I was looking at this again, it makes me chuckle. Hey, maybe that's Diana? I don't remember. Maybe she's learning too well and taking after T-Rex!.
View attachment 3714065

Love that photo

Missy only eats squirrels and cat food

But she does drink the water in the ornamental pond and that is likely what happened - she developed gastritis which accounted for her vomiting and becoming dehydrated, she has regular poops until she got dehydrated.

If they vet had given her some fluids and an anti emetic she would have been better by that evening. And a dose of antibiotics would have also helped.

The vet was fixated on her eating a toy, I don’t have any toys here - as I said she plays with squirrels then eats them

Now I have some Pepcid that I keep on hand, 5mg (half a tablet of 10mg) if she starts any vomiting she gets that twice a day.

 

[RoyalChick]

View attachment 3714079I didn’t get a thirst Thursday photo, but did catch these Dino feet. Color has not been adjusted! So cool. I wonder what her egg color will be.
Who else has chooks with colorful feet? What color eggs do they lay?

Ooooh! Green legs.
Babs has green legs - but more muted. Eli also had green legs that were brighter than Babs' legs but not that green!
Blue eggs from both.

 

[Ponypoor]

That is a fake egg. Glynda is the only hen laying.

 

[Ponypoor]

Awwww.
That happened with my parents over the cats. My Dad said basically it was the cats or him. As a kid I was terrified what that might mean. My mother didn't really respond, but in a half-hearted way looked for rehoming opportunities for some of them.
One day a couple came to look at one of the black cats, and the woman said to the guy: "I wanted one with more white on it".
My Dad was overheard in the front yard saying: "You don't need to take her - I think she looks very elegant just the way she is" and then he snatched the cat back out of their arms and stomped into the house with her.
Yup. Game over at that point. All the cats stayed and that black cat could on occasion be found snuck on to his lap while my Dad had a nap in his chair.
He went to his grave claiming he hated the cats but he wept buckets whenever one died and over the years many other cats managed to become Dad lap cats.
Poor Dad - he was such a softy really!


Bittersweet memory tax: Maggie. I think Dad would have appreciated Maggie. I miss them both.
View attachment 3713915

Awww hello Maggie you are missed but not forgotten

 

[Ponypoor]

Your dad and my dad sound so similar. No one was afraid of when that argument happened. If you hear dad tell it, he hates cats and believes both dogs and cats belong outdoors. We all know he is bluffing. Sis learned from mom when we got Gracie, she told no one about CeeCee just brought her home one night after work and snuck her and all the supplies in her room. Dad found out 48 hours later and had another fit. For someone who does not like inside animals, and no more cats or dogs. It was dad who started suggesting we keep Keeper. It was dad who kept bringing both Trixie and Keeper back inside when mom decided they could be moved out when he was around 7 weeks old. Jack has dad wrapped around his paw. He wants 2nd dinner or breakfast, go sit on his lap and meow, dad thinks no one has fed him and opens up a new can of food. 10 at night he starts following him around just staring at him, Jack is ready for bed, and he cannot sleep until dad goes to bed so he can curl up between his feet. Dad also sometimes says I have too many chickens and it would not hurt to get rid of a few hens. That is promptly followed up with "No one touches Squirrel, Blueberry or Bubba". There are actually several more of the flock he claims are his but he does not know the names of. He is also bad about broodies, almost as bad as grandma. If he finds a broody hen before me instead of telling me, or trying to help break her up, he marks eggs and tries to hide her more depending on the hen yet I have to many? This does go for the spring or summer months though, thankfully he agrees winter chicks are not the best.
She was not supposed to stay, not be inside and never on the furniture. Gracie was 6 months old here.
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tax
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Yup

It’s a guy thing I guess my dad was the same. You should have seen when I bought home my first pony. Hahaha boy did the sparks fly.

Next night who was the first to go see Penny? Dad.

He used to say Newton was his son, he was surrounded by all these women (horses included - all those mares!),

I wish he could see all these hens and pullets I am not sure what he would say, but I am sure he would give me an earful

Tax
Mr P shouting it to the world

 

[featherhead007]

Thinking devil's advocate here, as I know your medical background so I trust your instincts with an animal you know well! -- Did anybody suspect she swallowed a tiny battery? That would account for the imaging right away. They probably need to cover their butts like people doctors do, maybe they are getting pressure from their insurance. I once was waiting at the vet's next to a guy who actually saw his little lap dog eat a hearing aid battery or maybe the actual hearing aid. He had just put it on the table edge while he was replacing them or something. It was going to be doubly expensive, to get it out of the dog and to replace it.

Tax: I was looking at this again, it makes me chuckle. Hey, maybe that's Diana? I don't remember. Maybe she's learning too well and taking after T-Rex!.
View attachment 3714065

Quite possibly, in time the hearing aid will present itself, just follow the dog.