Spin-off: Do you have a "special-needs" pet?

[disykat]

This has been a fun thread to read because we also have a rescue dog with issues. We are the "emotional support humans" to our terrier. She is doing very well on Prozac. We've had her almost three years and she still won't play in the backyard. The first year she'd only walk the perimeter. Now she'll sniff around, but if you try throwing her a toy she looks at it like - what? She still doesn't play and gets upset and frightened if other dogs or people try to get her to. She loves to go places with us, but we have to be sure she always wears her harness and leash because if she sees someone who scares her she can jump right out of her collar and RUN for her life.

 

[momz]

I'm so glad that we are not alone! Still trying to find the right vet for our dog.

 

[klmall]

I think every one but 2 of our 12 cats or so has had a 'special need'. The sweetest one was the huge, loving Maine Coon cat we adopted from friends who at 7 years had a serious heart murmur previously not diagnosed. Our substitute vet at that time said to put her down since she wouldn't live very long. Needless to say we kept her healthy for 8 more years until she started to show signs of a clot and had some trouble walking.

One other cat also chewed herself constantly but didn't have allergies etc. We spent over a $1000 dollars and nothing helped until a vet suggested a small dose of Prozac (I think it was) maybe once a week. That really kept it under control and she died a normal death at 18 years.

A different cat with all black, slightly greasy fur and a white face started acting oddly and nasty. The vet had us try some simple things but eventually determined she had a genetic condition found in some black cats that was a result of inbreeding. We did have to put her down since neither she or we were comfortable with her behavior.

There were other cats with various problems but I tink I have let myself forget them except as our beloved "fur babies".

 

[PollyannaMom]

We are the "emotional support humans" to our terrier.

 

[prprincess]

Our dog that passed away two years ago, Chewie, had all types of issues. Kidney stones, Cushing's Disease, a heart murmur, and he was hypothyroid. It took about a year for him to finally be diagnosed for the Cushings and Hypothyroid, so that was an ordeal. We had him since he was about 6 months old, and he'd been on daily meds (2) for most of his life, as well as having to eat a special diet for his stones. Finally, his heart gave in and he died at the age of 10.

We're still learning about dog we just adopted a month ago, Poe (see profile pic). He's been to the vet twice and has peed and expressed his anal glands both times, so the doc says he has a bit of anxiety and recommended training...he's done it at home in certain situations, as well. He's also bowlegged. While minor issues compared to those that Chewie had, let's hope that nothing else comes up!

 

[Magpie]

I have a one-eyed cat! In June I came home and found her on my porch, bleeding from the mouth and her eye was all cloudy. I took her to the vet and they think she was either hit by a car or fell out of a tree, maybe. Her jaw and upper palate were broken, along with the little bones in her nose.. then her cloudy eye ruptured and had to be removed. I've had her 12 years and she's always been my most affectionate cat, but she's even more so now. She is always on me. She can only eat soft food and her mouth doesn't close all the way, so she drools a lot too. And she gets stuffy easily and sneezes a lot, she'll sneeze 15 times in a row.. not kidding! Her name is Pretty.. I call her my Pretty Pirate kitty!

View attachment 206100

Have you ever read the Saphie comics?

http://www.webtoons.com/en/slice-of-life/saphie-one-eyed-cat/list?title_no=670

She's another one-eyed cat, based on the author's real cat!

 

[OrangeBirdGirl]

My cocker spaniel, Lucy, has cushings and we are well into the thousands on all of the different meds and tests. She's due for her quarterly in a couple of weeks - another $400. We have had issues trying to keep her cortisol levels in a good range. She has shifted into Addisons and then drops back to cushings. It's so draining - both emotional and monetarily.

I hope all goes well with Lucy. With my pup it was amazing once we figured out what was causing her lethargy and weak muscles because she was like a new pup after a little bit on her medication. My dog would not take the standard pill so I had to do the medicine in a liquid format. I found a pharmacy in Phoenix, Road Runner, which would add in either beef or bacon flavor so we'd put it onto her food each morning and she'd gobble it up. I also found that place to be the most reasonable. They'd ship overnight or 2nd day anyplace in the country.