Let’s see your pets cause they are the best companion you can have!!!!!

[Wheelin98TJ]

Frankie, he's a mutt.

Jack Russel / Shih Tzu mix. He's a Jack Shit.

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[DocMike]

Nice photo.....I shih-tzu not!

Frankie, he's a mutt.

Jack Russel / Shih Tzu mix. He's a Jack Shit.

 

[irish_love]

Our 11 month old, 60lbs, Standard Australian Shepherd. Flag

Gone, but not forgotten, Our Toy Australian Shepherd, Monty, and our Mini Australian Shepherd, Tana.

 

[A 2]

Frankie, he's a mutt.

Jack Russel / Shih Tzu mix. He's a Jack Shit.

Almost as good as a bull terrier- shih tzu mix.

 

[Narpet]

Camping with our Poods. They like riding in the JT way more than they do camping in our tiny camper. But we love 'em. Teddy is in the front and Cookie is asleep in the back.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yawnie's issues started to fit a pattern I was familiar with - and then he started pulling chunks of fur off his back next to his tail. That can mean arthritis, but he seemed to not be in any pain, and he jumps up on things with ease.
So I made a list of observations and symptoms, most paralleled Punkin from years ago, but looking up the list of symptoms I found my thinking possibly correct.
hyperthyroidism
So I called vet offices - all full, no appointments and even "walk-in slots" were filled. One suggested their sister business. I called them and they actually had a spot open up. So Yawnie and I took a little ride to the vet yesterday.
I described my experience with Punkin, my observations with Yawnie, and what I was suspecting. They didn't disagree and suggested a battery of blood tests - especially since he's not had any such testing done in a long time. That way one set of tests might find any comorbidities as well.
Got the call this morning. The vet started out with "you were right, it's his thyroid". His levels are way up. I believe she said his max should be about 4.7, his was over 9. Kidney indications as well but that often runs along with hyperthyroidism so treat that and then recheck later to see if the other is settled.
Starting this evening, he's on 2 pills, one every 12 hours.
Got back from the vet and it was like he understood the reason for the visit and was even more attached to me than usual.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Good on you Papa for taking good care of your pooch!

My 14 year old toy poodle, Joey just had to have his teeth removed. I've always had big dogs and never knew toy breeds don't have the bite strength to gnaw bones nor crunch kibble that would clean their teeth. He had very serious dental problems. When they got in there they found he'd already lost 14 teeth over the years and they had to remove all the rest!!

It kills me that I never knew he was likely in pain. He never gave any sign, ate everything though slowly...I just figured "he's old". He's a week removed from the surgery and has had pain and antibiotic meds around the clock. He's like a new dog! Real pep in his step, his breath is clean, it's as though he appreciates that the soreness is gone. Gotta take care of these fuzzy friends. "Dogs are better than people and it ain't even close". Make that "animals are better..."

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yawnie's issues started to fit a pattern I was familiar with - and then he started pulling chunks of fur off his back next to his tail. That can mean arthritis, but he seemed to not be in any pain, and he jumps up on things with ease.
So I made a list of observations and symptoms, most paralleled Punkin from years ago, but looking up the list of symptoms I found my thinking possibly correct.
hyperthyroidism
So I called vet offices - all full, no appointments and even "walk-in slots" were filled. One suggested their sister business. I called them and they actually had a spot open up. So Yawnie and I took a little ride to the vet yesterday.
I described my experience with Punkin, my observations with Yawnie, and what I was suspecting. They didn't disagree and suggested a battery of blood tests - especially since he's not had any such testing done in a long time. That way one set of tests might find any comorbidities as well.
Got the call this morning. The vet started out with "you were right, it's his thyroid". His levels are way up. I believe she said his max should be about 4.7, his was over 9. Kidney indications as well but that often runs along with hyperthyroidism so treat that and then recheck later to see if the other is settled.
Starting this evening, he's on 2 pills, one every 12 hours.
Got back from the vet and it was like he understood the reason for the visit and was even more attached to me than usual.

UPDATE -
Yawnie has been on his meds for going on 3 weeks now. He's no longer loosing weight and my wife and I have both caught him actually trying to eat some of the dry food from the feeder - but I'm afraid I've spoiled him a bit. He sees me getting up or hears the refrigerator door and he's right there winding around my legs begging for expensive wet food.
His behavior has changed back a bit to what it used to be - a bit less hyper, lays around more (like a typical cat) and actually once again will sit on my lap for a while. At his worst, he was restless, wandering, couldn't get comfortable, hyper at times.
My wife ordered some stuff that came in a flat box only about 3" high or so and she tossed it on the floor, she was going to pick it up later that evening and recycle it. That was over a week ago. It's still there because Yawnie has adopted it as one of his beds and will spend a couple hours in it in the evenings. A very different cat.
He's no longer pulling out chunks of fur from his back near his tail.
He's got a long ways to go, and there's no fixing being old, but at least his aging should be more natural and not so uncomfortable.
It will be interesting to see how his check-up goes next week as far as his weight and blood tests. It supposedly takes 2 weeks to "several weeks" for this drug to work (depending on the web site you read) but I think it's actually helping at this point. We've stopped the weight loss - hopefully reversed it, stopped the hair pulling, and he's settled down more, taking real cat naps that last longer.
At his peak he was 14 pounds. The vet visit this time around he was 6.7 pounds.

 

[Mac]

My Springer Spaniels

 

[Alans17]

Our new puppy. Don’t really know what she is. Our daughter named her Hazel.

 

[Lasdar]

My incredible color changing dog, today she's mostly black, and its not dirt. That's her truck, she can find it anywhere and loves sitting anywhere on or in it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Our new puppy. Don’t really know what she is. Our daughter named her Hazel.

LOL - a kisser! Love it.

 

[A 2]

Omg I miss my Beau! He’s handsome.

Both of our previous boxers only lived to be about 8. High energy up until the last days. They gave us a lot of love in a very short time.

 

[BlueScapegoat]

 

[drewcnit]

My boy Max

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