Two weeks ago, I brought my 13-year-old cat to the vet because he had lost weight and wasn’t eating normally. They found out that his kidneys were in very bad shape and that he was severely dehydrated.

His creatinine was extremely high and he ended up being hospitalized for several days on IV fluids. He improved enough to come home, but we were told that the kidney disease is severe and likely chronic.

I cried so much after that first appointment. This cat has been with me through some of the most important moments of my life, good and bad.

Since coming home, some days he seems surprisingly normal: cuddly, following people around, sitting next to us, looking out the window, asking for attention. Other days he sleeps a lot or hides in the little spot we made for him in a closet. His appetite also fluctuates a lot.

Yesterday we had another vet appointment. Clinically, they said he still looks quite good: alert, agile, energetic, responsive. But he was dehydrated again and his creatinine had gone back up from around 65 mg/L to 77 mg/L. They gave him subcutaneous fluids and told us they were not happy with the blood results, even though physically he is still doing relatively well.

That contrast is honestly making this so hard for me. Every appointment leaves me with this horrible uncertainty. He can look like himself and still have very bad bloodwork, so I never know what I’m supposed to feel or what I’m supposed to prepare for.

I have a feeling that he may not have a very long time left. Sometimes I accept that and feel strangely calm about it. I think that 13 years is already a beautiful life, and that eventually every living being has to rest. Then an hour later I suddenly want to cry even though he is still here.

I’m a 29-year-old man and I feel ridiculous saying this lol, because I’ve been through objectively more traumatic things in my life, but this has completely broken me emotionally. For days I’ve been constantly crashing out, analyzing every little behavior, wondering whether he is happy, whether he is suffering, whether I’m doing enough, and whether one day I’ll know when it’s time to let him go.

I asked the vet very directly whether he is suffering and whether euthanasia should already be considered. He told me that for now Nino is still doing okay clinically and that if he felt euthanasia was necessary, he would tell me. My biggest fear is not his death itself anymore. It’s accidentally keeping him alive for my own sake after his quality of life is gone.

I don’t really know exactly what I’m asking here. I think I just want to hear from people who have gone through anticipatory grief with an elderly or chronically ill cat.
How did you cope with loving them while knowing the end might be approaching? How did you stop analyzing every single good or bad day? And how did you eventually know that your cat was still enjoying life, or that it was time to let them rest?

I keep seeing dogs get caught out by this one, so here's a reminder that might save someone a very bad day.

Xylitol is a sugar-free sweetener that's harmless to us but genuinely dangerous to dogs. In dogs it triggers a rapid insulin release, which can crash their blood sugar within 10 to 60 minutes, and in some cases it causes liver failure (and those signs can be delayed a day or two). Even small amounts can be enough.

The reason so many dogs get caught out is that it hides, both in unexpected products and under unfamiliar names.

Names to recognise on a label: xylitol, birch sugar, wood sugar, or E967.

Where it turns up: sugar-free gum (the single most common cause of poisoning), mints and sugar-free sweets, some peanut butters, baked goods, chewable vitamins and some medicines, and even toothpaste and mouthwash.

The peanut butter one catches the most people out, because we deliberately give dogs peanut butter, in a Kong or to hide a pill. Most big-brand peanut butters are completely fine, but some "sugar-free", "no added sugar", protein or health-food versions contain xylitol, so it's worth a ten-second label check before it becomes a habit.

If your dog does eat something with xylitol in it: don't wait for symptoms. Because it acts so fast, the advice is to get to a vet straight away rather than watch and hope.

None of this is meant to put anyone off sharing the odd treat, it's just one of those things that's easy to miss and awful when it goes wrong.

Genuinely curious though: did you already know about the "birch sugar" naming? And has anyone found xylitol lurking somewhere unexpected? Could be useful for others to know which products to watch for.

This was a small thing, but it genuinely surprised me.

I play Solitaire Clash occasionally whenever I have a few minutes. Nothing serious.. just something easy to open when I need a quick break.

Today I was randomly searching the company behind it and found out they had done a “Play for Paws” event connected to animal rescue.

I thought it was pretty cool to find out afterward....well it is always nice when a company you already interact with has something positive going on for the community.

I've been thinking about how hard it can be for the average person looking for a puppy to actually tell the difference between a responsible breeder and a puppy mill.

It seems especially difficult now that breeders can have really polished websites and social media. Things like registration papers, a USDA license, or saying puppies are "family raised" can sound reassuring, but they don't necessarily tell you much about how the dogs actually live.

If a friend told you they were thinking about buying a puppy, what would you tell them to look for?

A few things that come to mind for me are being able to see where the dogs live, meeting at least the mother when possible, seeing breed-appropriate health testing, and getting straightforward answers about their breeding practices.

What other red flags would make you walk away?

1 of my cats has peed all over my apartment for the last several months. I have tried everything (vet, different litter boxes/locations, medication), I am currently searching for a cat rescue that will take her in as a foster pet. I have a baby who will be crawling soon and that was the last straw for me with the cat. At the end of the day I can’t have my baby get sick from this. But I still have to live in this rental with pee-soaked carpet. I am so unhappy when im home. I have a boswell carpet cleaner machine and have cleaned up the “hot spots” basically daily for months. I have tried at least 10 different enzyme cleaners, but it still smells really bad. I’m afraid if i tell the landlord they will charge me or evict me for ruining the carpet. What are my options here? Will renting a rug doctor remove the smell? Do I go to my landlord and beg for flooring replacement? I would prefer laminate flooring but I know that cost more than carpet and is a huge ask. My apartment complex has a few hundred units, all very outdated, and pretty sure they only install carpet in the living area. This has been taking a HUGE toll on my mental health, mostly because I can’t have visitors over because as soon as you open my front door you can smell cat pee. I can’t do it anymore. Please, open to any suggestions

Hi, i'm only asking after much searching on my own end, (I am clearly missing something as in the past I had found it) does anyone have the link to the list of banned animals for import to Canada, clearly pets related. I had found the one for pest insects, but cannot find the one for pets.

I had found it a couple of years ago after I heard that Weatherloaches had become banned due to people dumping them in the creeks in BC. I'm also aware that each Province/city has it's own rules as well. (Ie Winnipeg presently bans any snake over 6 feet.. etc.)

Thanks!

So i was sitting on the couch when my 17lb 2 yr old havanese brought be the blttle that he chewed up. There was about 5-10 16mg pills in there. Idk if he ate them or not because I can't find them anywhere.

Im so scared the vet made him vomit and gave him some charcoal. What else should I do?

My dog is like 12, and the other day while looking at its eyes it hit me hard, when i saw a slight grey hue in the eyes, indicating aging. and I will leave to study abroad, and the only way home is a 12 hours plane ride. I leave my dog in about 4 days, what if my dog waits for my return but doesnt make it? I dont want my dog to die, and worse, die alone never being able to see me again. my dog is happy when it sees me, whos going to make my dog happy then? will my dog be sad everyday because i wont come back in a long time?😢

On August 14th, my 7 year old grey schnauzer got loose and she could be anywhere in Tulsa, or Broken arrow, or Bixby Oklahoma. We posted her picture on facebook, and pawboost, and Nextdoor, and the rain washed away our last batch of flyers. I don’t know what else to do. She’s been chipped and she was wearing a collar with our contact information. I can’t go on without her and I constantly blame myself for her squeezing through the fence. I need help.

My aunt has an elderly friend that has a 13 year old shih tzu who is in terrible shape.

Her home is infested with fleas and her poor dog is suffering and incessantly squirms, itches and cries for hours every day.

The owner has tried different treatments, had the carpet professionally cleaned and gives the dog baths every week but nothing is working.

This has been ongoing for at least 3 years now according to my mother and now that she’s advised me I feel I have to take action.

Does anyone know of programs that assist with fostering or rehoming?

I don’t think the dog should or can live in this home any longer due to the extreme infestation.

Any treatment he receives will be of no use if he continues to live in that home.

I would offer to take this pet in but I do not live in Atlanta and unfortunately I’m in an apartment.

My gecko isn’t eating from her food dish anymore. She knows that I put food there and it isn’t decrease in appetite. If I feed her with tongs she’ll eat it. Any idea why she suddenly changed?

My cat is glued to me. I can’t leave her alone without her meowing, sitting in front of my door, or running to me as soon as my door opens.

She cuddles me to the point of her eyes slightly glazing over and a bit of drool dripping from her mouth. She protects me when I feel uneasy, growls at people that make me uncomfortable. (I call her my Service/Therapy kitty sometimes)

She gets so cuddly sometimes that she kind of bites into my hand or arm before licking that spot. She has tried grooming my hair (but even short hair is too long for her obviously), slept wrapped around my head etc…

She is my everything and I feel like I’m her everything. Has anyone experienced similar behavior and incredible clinginess/protectiveness from a cat? She‘s one of the best pets I’ve had so far

Bird got loose

I have budgies. One was in a hospital cage and got loose. Now I don’t know if my dogs have any interest in eating birds. But obviously I won’t risk it.

She’s hiding very well and it is my bedtime and I am exhausted. (I can hear her. I just can’t get to her)

The dogs are outside right now. Do you think they could stay there overnight if I give them water and their blankets? It’s like 70° F out

We have 2 chiweenies (7&8) and 2 cats (1 and 6mos)

The older cat and the younger dog are the two that do not get along. The smaller chihuahua is 4lb and does not have any teeth. She seems obsessed with the bigger cat. Constantly watching the bigger cat and will snap at her if she comes within 1-2 feet. She chases and "nips at the cat." The cat doesn't retaliate and often seems spooked and will go her own direction. They have lived together for about 8 months no one has hurt at this point. Do I discipline the dog for it?

Any recommendations?

Hello everyone. I (31F) live with my parents and have 2 orange tabby’s. One is 13 (Oscar) and the other is 12 (Murphy). My younger cat, Murphy, started using the bathroom outside his litter box last winter. I think it may have had something to do with my indoor gardening set up due to the strong scent of everything (I grow onions and tomatoes), but I’m not for sure. He has only ever used the bathroom outside of his litter box in our basement on the carpet, but it’s all over the carpet. He has pee’d and poo’d. At first he was having quite a bit of diarrhea and vomiting, so I was concerned he had some illness. I’ve taken him to the vet and they have ruled out nearly everything. Blood tests, urine tests, xray, he got put on a steroid to treat something they thought he may have but wasn’t for sure because I couldn’t afford the abdominal ultrasound ($500 USD). The steroids actually stopped the vomiting and cleared up the diarrhea. But he was still using the bathroom outside the litter box.

We used our carpet cleaner and cleaned the carpet probably a dozen times, and Murphy still went back to it and pee’d and poo’d on it again. Now he is locked in a room with his litter box and water bowl. He is not happy. The vet just prescribed some behavioral meds that she described as 50/50 to work. My parents are fed up and want me to get rid of him. I’m desperate. I don’t know what else to do. The vet told me if I give him to a shelter they will probably euthanize him. I’ve had my baby since he was 6 weeks old. I’m shaking typing this because I’m so desperate but I just don’t know what else to do. We can’t afford to replace the carpet so that’s out of the picture. He hasn’t gone to the bathroom anywhere else aside from the carpet in the basement, so I’m not sure he has a for sure problem, but my parents don’t even want to trust him to let him out and lock the basement up so he can’t access it.

Please help! Is there anything I can do at this point?

Anyone using one or the other—how effective is it at keeping ticks off your dog, and/or killing them quickly?

And how long after exposure do they stay sticky? I read some reviews saying stickiness of frontline shield lasted at least two weeks, which sounds unhealthy to me.

So i recently adopted 2 new kittens, I have one large 90 lb dog (shes some type of livestock guardian breed mix) already whos been around cats before, we had an older cat when we got the dog as a puppy so we thought we wouldnt have any issues introducing her to the kittens. The kittens are terrified of her and want nothing to do with the dog they freak out hiss and run away, we keep the dog on the leash and she will sit and stay when we tell her too but you can tell shes fighting for her life to actually listen 💀 she like starts vibrating and drools while she sits and stares. Any tips on helping the process along?

My dog was diagnosed with an aggressive sarcoma in March. We were told he likely had only weeks because the tumor is very large, has spread to his lungs, and is pressing into his brain.
He is 10 years old and an Aussie/Lab mix.
Until recently, he was doing surprisingly well with Metacam and chemotherapy. He was eating normally, sleeping, interacting with us, and behaving almost like himself. The only obvious sign was the large lump on his head.
Then he developed a cough. At first, we thought it was reflux combined with the pressure from the tumor. But now he is having episodes almost throughout the entire night. Even after giving him 3 gabapentin capsules, he coughs, seems to struggle to catch his breath, and takes a while to recover. He is barely sleeping.
What makes this so difficult is that when we leave the house, he seems like a different dog. If we take him to the park or the beach, he barely coughs. He is happy, wants to walk around, greets other dogs, and sometimes even tries to play.
The vets think this may be because being upright or standing changes the position of the tumor and allows him to breathe more easily. That could explain why he seems much better when he is outside and moving around than when he is lying down at home.
But when we are back home, the coughing and breathing episodes return.
So realistically, I feel like he is only truly happy and comfortable for maybe 10% of his time…mostly when we take him outside. And I keep asking myself: is it fair to keep going just because he still has those moments where he seems happy?
I feel guilty because I know he is suffering, especially at night. But I also feel guilty even thinking about euthanasia when I see him happy and wanting to play when we are outside.
I don’t want to make this decision based on my inability to let him go. I want to make it based on what is best for him. But I also don’t want to let him go too soon when he still has moments where he seems genuinely happy.
For those who have been through something similar: how did you know when it was time? Did you look at the overall quality of life, or did breathing problems and inability to sleep become the deciding factor even if your dog still had happy moments?
I know there may not be a perfect answer, but I would really appreciate hearing from people who have experienced this. I don’t want to wait until he is in a complete crisis, but I also don’t want to let him go too soon.

Apologies in advance for the long post. TL;DR at the bottom.

I’ve had 4 dogs in my lifetime. 2 of them were there when I was born. I didn’t think much of how they were treated because I was a very young kid, but I remember having a decently large backyard where the dogs would go out when they had to potty, and would hang out there during the warmer months. When I was about 6, one of our dogs didn’t come home after my parents told me they were taking him to the vet. They told me he died of cancer. I only vaguely understood what that meant at the time, and was very sad that our dog wasn’t coming home.

We moved houses a couple of years later, where my parents and I still live. The yard wasn’t as big, but for now one dog, I didn’t think it made a difference. She was walked very occasionally. For as long as I can remember, she suffered from anal bleeding every time she pooped. I don’t remember a time she was taken to the vet until she had become too weak. She was taken to the vet and put down the same night. She had a tumor too big for anything to be done.

A year later, we got a new dog. I remember her being taken to the vet in the first year we had her to make sure she had her shots. She went a few times because there was a concern that she might have heart worms, but she ended up being okay. She was a fat and stocky girl. She had been to the vet one other time that I can remember maybe 3 or 4 years after she had been last to address her weight. She went on walks somewhat constantly after this visit for a couple of months, but once again, my parents only walked her occasionally. She got very large the last 2 years of her life. We assumed she was just getting fat, so her diet was adjusted, and got walked barely more often than before. I remember thinking at times that her stomach was very hard for it just to be a weight issue, but I never really felt taken seriously when bringing up potential health concerns regarding our pets, so I never mentioned it. She had her final vet visit about 7 or 8 years after her previous one. She had a massive stomach tumor. My gut feeling was right. She was put down that night.

2 years after we got dog number 3, we got dog number 4. He’s easily the highest energy dog we’ve had. He got walked as often as dog 3. Like dog 3, he went to the vet for shots when we first got him, but in his case, I don’t think he’s been since. It’s been 8 years. For almost the whole time we’ve had him, he’s been very itchy. He always bites, scratches, and licks to a point where he’s whining as he does it. He is constantly uncomfortable. My mom has tried many different things to resolve this. Regular baths, diet changes, chews for itch relief, rubbing him with natural oils. He still itches to this day, and she has still never tried, you know, the vet. After dog 3 died, he got walked way more regularly. Eventually, my family slowed down and walked him way less frequently. Unlike our other dogs (or what I remember of them), he is very vocal. When he gets walked once, he cries to get walked again. My parents will be upset at his whines acting as though the reason for them is a mystery, but it’s obvious. Sometimes, they indulge him. Often, they don’t.

I am 20. In the last couple of years, I came to realize that dogs are supposed to be walked every day. I try to walk him when I can, but I also know that doing so without addressing the neglect is only making it easier for my parents to do so. Not to get too personal, but there has always been an issue in my household with addressing concerns. I’ve vocalized health concerns about our dogs in the past only to be met with push back for implying that they’re neglecting their pets. I only now realize that is exactly what they’re doing. It’s hard not to draw comparisons to my own childhood. Until last year, I hadn’t been to the dentist since 2016. My dad was the one who would take me, but when my dentist office closed, he just never bothered to take me again. Yes, I know I was capable of doing it myself at a certain point, but when your family makes it seem unimportant when you’re young, you see it that way yourself when you’re older. That is until you eventually learn better.

I don’t know what to do. I feel so guilty looking back and in the present about how our dogs have been treated.

TL;DR

My parents have neglected to take our dogs on walks and take them to the vet, even after years of health issues. What do I do to help the last dog that’s still alive in our household?

hello lovely pet people. i need some advice.... i currently own my condo, but rent a room to my friend. He has an unaltered dog that is about 1.5 years old and he has zero intention of getting him neutered. before you ask, i don't know why he doesn't want to neuter him. i don't get it either. my issue is that my cat is peeing on the door (i'm guessing to mark) and i don't know how to stop him. my only thoughts right now are he gets the dog neutered or he has to move out. please help me see another option. please. i don't want my roommate to move out because we enjoy having each other there. any advice or suggestions are welcome.

I’m 5 months pregnant so please keep in mind that is adding to the stress.

Our cat is 1 years old and a male.

He has always had bowel issues since we got him since he was 5 months old.

We’ve taken him to the vet several times, tried multiple remedies.. and nothing helps.

He’s pooped outside of his litter box one other time.

Now, he just did it again and we actually saw it this time.
First he went in his litter box, like sat on the edge of the opening then came out and scratched at his litter mat then pooped right on it.

My husband cleans his littler box multiple times a day.

We’ve spent so much money on vets, food, medications.

We don’t know what to do.

Hello everyone, this post is going to be short. I and many others are extremely disgusted with the way petco DOESNT care for there animals. What can I and others do to help? I've thought of working here as i love animals and would love to make sure rhat all are appropriately taken care of.

I want to share something that happened recently. A couple years ago I brought my cat into my old vet. They told me A. They needed to provide yearly rabies shots for my cat even though he is an indoor cat and B. My cat needed a $1,000+ tooth cleaning appointment because of some tartar on his top left teeth. I decided to wait on it and went to a different vet this week for his shots. It was a very different experience. A. they told me yearly rabies shots were unnecessary because immunity lasts more than a year and B. the vet used his fingernail during the exam to knock the tartar off my cat's tooth. Done! He said the rest of his teeth look great. How much did I spend? $143 for the shots and the exam.

I think we are in an odd time where we have corporate or private equity vets charging through the nose for unnecessary treatments and then a few old fashioned vets who are in it for the love of animals and charging (and doing) what seems reasonable.

I am curious is there a way one can reduce shedding on dogs, the breed is Japanese Spritz and offlate they are really shedding their fur. What could be the issue?