I keep having dreams about adopting dogs. It doesn't help that my room mate keeps showing me pictures of cute dogs at the local shelter the vet school works with! I'm fairly certain I'm going to "foster" this summer with the intention to adopt. I want to make sure the dog is a good fit for me and my lifestyle and that it gets along with my family in NJ (They have a dog and two cats). I figure fostering will not only give a dog a chance at life outside the shelter, but it may end up with a home as well. Seems like a win-win! I also have a new room mate moving in who is very excited about this, and willing to help let the dog out if I cannot be home due to work or a late class. Generally, I am home for lunch and done with class around 3 or 5 each day. The only time I may have issues is during fourth year (I'm a first year) when we do our emergency rotations. That only lasts for 2 weeks though and if a friend cannot help, I could hire a dog walker from the undergrad program to come once or twice a day. I'm still a bit nervous about emergency funds, but I am looking into pet insurance. All other routine shots, checkups, and heartworm/flea/tick stuff I can get for free or very cheap through the school. The school also offers very affordable feeding programs. But it is all still a consideration that weighs heavily on my mind.
I also found out last week that my cat of 15 years most likely has a very aggressive form of lung cancer, and we re not sure how long she has left. I'm going home Spring break to see her and I have been pretty bummed about the news. She is doing very well so far, but her toe is giving her issues (Cancer in the lungs of cats can often metastasize to the toes). If we can manage pain and keep infection out of the toe, she may have a shot at a few more happy months. Her chest radiographs don't look too bad, and the people at the school have been amazingly helpful. I've been able to get radiologists to look at her x-rays and advice from oncologists. While the news is very, very sad, I have been amazed by how helpful everyone has been. There is still a small chance the toe and spot in the chest are unrelated, so we are crossing our fingers.
While I would miss her tremendously, it helps to remember the wonderful years we had and to look forward to other pets that will need me in the future. I'm also happy that she is doing well so I can visit her.
I would love to see pictures of animals you have adopted over the years! I'm currently in a class about small animal behavior problems, and some of the things she talks about make me nervous to bring home a new animal! I would love to hear stories about your experiences bringing home a new pet. If I adopted a dog, it would be my first larger pet in my own place. Currently I just have a crested gecko.
I also found out last week that my cat of 15 years most likely has a very aggressive form of lung cancer, and we re not sure how long she has left. I'm going home Spring break to see her and I have been pretty bummed about the news. She is doing very well so far, but her toe is giving her issues (Cancer in the lungs of cats can often metastasize to the toes). If we can manage pain and keep infection out of the toe, she may have a shot at a few more happy months. Her chest radiographs don't look too bad, and the people at the school have been amazingly helpful. I've been able to get radiologists to look at her x-rays and advice from oncologists. While the news is very, very sad, I have been amazed by how helpful everyone has been. There is still a small chance the toe and spot in the chest are unrelated, so we are crossing our fingers.
While I would miss her tremendously, it helps to remember the wonderful years we had and to look forward to other pets that will need me in the future. I'm also happy that she is doing well so I can visit her.
I would love to see pictures of animals you have adopted over the years! I'm currently in a class about small animal behavior problems, and some of the things she talks about make me nervous to bring home a new animal! I would love to hear stories about your experiences bringing home a new pet. If I adopted a dog, it would be my first larger pet in my own place. Currently I just have a crested gecko.
