Animals for CP - long and off topic

Hi friends. I am up in a blind panic right now waiting for some high dose meds to kick in & decided to read a few new posts. While looking through, I noticed one in particular where one of our family is getting a new pet (a puppy)! I just had to share what getting my animals has done for me because Christmas should be a happy time and I'm sick of concentrating on pain (for myself right now.....can't help it, but sick of it...sure you understand)

So hubby and I had this very serious rule about NO HOUSE PETS after we moved into our bigger home about 10 years ago...we had outside dogs (three over time and loved them to death). Two have since passed away, but we still have our silly and quite bladder issued "Grace" the rescued chocolate lab. She's wonderful but big and definitely an outside dog.

A year or so ago...maybe longer, I was here at home, alone during most days, with my daughter at school and hubby working or somewhere away from the overall negative home and my negative personal attitude with my constant pain and complaining. I just woke up with a thought that I wanted a dog....for me in my house...something to love and that would love me...something still small enough to get into my lap and I didn't even care what kind. I won't bore you with all of the details, but I found this breeder living literally one road over and called him. Then I found his wife had had a stroke & he was willing to give away an old pomeranian breed dog to me. I did not know anything about them & didn't care, so I called hubby and literally cried and begged for this dog....sight unseen. He ungraciously agreed, but he ageed we coul try it.

We were able to pick her up that day and she was the scrawniness, ugliest, most miserable animal I had ever seen, but I wanted her. He told me he had just cleaned her, but she had NO hair, had gouges out of her back and smelled like she had been living in a sewer her whole live.....home she came. His only comment was that when she did her business in the house, just let it dry for a day or two then vacuum it up (does the word insane start to come to mind here?)

Maggie already had her name and I loved it....off for a real bath and then a trip to the vet. She clung to me like nothing I had ever seen...like I was her savior. The vet said she was too old and too sick and probably wouldn't make it long, but he treated the terrible parasites and the heart worms. She was completely sick for a long time, but got to only drinking water from a dropper within a full week. I cried again and found a new vet....the old one had given her 50 times the dose of doxycycline for the heart worms...it was killing her almost instantly.

The new vet gave us a little hope. I can't say why but I needed this little loving thing to live. Maggie is the most beautiful and most healthy dog now (despite lingering heart conditions due to the heart worms she had for so long). She is so scarred of a grabber (most of us cp'ers have them for help picking things up) and she has some arthritis, but otherwise she is the most loving, trusting, worshiping, appreciative, happy animal I have ever had the blessing to meet..let alone get to have as my own. She has gained two full lbs of healthy weight because she eats regular meals now. I found out she had been kept in a cage her whole life for breeding purposes only and that she is so scarred of the grabbers because she had to be caught with catch poles at breeding time. The vet said they had literally almost killed her with breeding. She can't be fixed, but she wears a cute outfit Onzie with a diaper if she comes into heat.

I gave all of this background for a good reason. I had given up on my life. I needed her more than she needed me. But, you would never know it by the love this amazing animal has brought into our home. She goes outside on a leash to do her business with no problem, she eats twice a day from a crystal dish and has a crystal water goblet. Everybody who sees her wants to know her because she is pure love.

When I came in from the hospital this last time, Maggie was so happy to see me that we had to literally beg her to go get her leash so daddy could take her out...she was ready to burst....then she barked insanely until my mother put her on my bed. She layed her head against my chest to make sure I was ok and then got in her bed (on my bed to say she was where she belonged). Within 60 seconds she was behind my back gently warming the painful areas and when they were warm, she moved to my front so I could just pet her. She has not left me since except to let daddy take her out.

This is love my friends. Pure, honest love from one creature to another. She saved my life more than I ever saved hers. It's a mental thing, a physical thing, and a love like I have never known with a living creature. It doesn't matter that she has "Maggie breath" because her teeth are all loose and stink". She's my Maggie and I love her with all of my heart. Even my mother loves her (who is always against inside animals). Mother loves her because she has seen the changes Maggie has made in me. I know she is old and damaged in some ways, but she is perfect to me in every way and my truest blessing (outside of my human family and God). We have even added a new "Gidget" Yorkie to our home because of the love and Gidget adds the excitement for my Daughter....you see...Grace, Maggie, and Gidget make us come outside of ourselves and quit concentrating on ourselves all the time. Each is unique, with their own set if challenges and each is special in a way that can never be duplicated.

If you are lonely and have the time and means to share your live with an animal, please consider the old ones, the young ones, the broken and abused ones. You never know what giving to someone or something else really gives to you in return. We gave been given the full family that we so desperately needed and these animal are work, but the kind you do out of love and you get back so much more than you will ever know.

Merry Christmas my friends.

(Not trying to overlook kitties.....hubby is allergic)

A pet can be wonderful therapy assuming it is the right kind of pet for you meaning that you are able to give the animal the care and attention it needs. I have 3 pets. A mutt, a lab and a cat. The mutt is a low energy dog and is quite content spending the majority of the day just laying around. The lab is high energy and needs lots of exercise. Fortunately we have a decent sized fenced in yard and a 7 year old kid which provides him with that easily. The rest of the time he just wants to be with you. The cat is like most cats and requires very little care. Just keep his bowls filled and the litter box clean. He is an American short hair "tabby" and gets along well with both dogs and is also very loving and sociable with all of us. All 3 of them know when anyone is sick or having a bad day and they take turns giving extra love and attention.

My two "boys" (7 year old lab mix & 3 year old chiweenie/jack russell) are the love of my life. When I'm having a bad pain flare up or I'm sick, the boys watch over me like a hawk & cuddle with me under the blankies which makes me feel better just from their presence. Sometimes my "little boy" looks at me with his puppy dog eyes and I swear there are little hearts in his eyes, full of unconditional love. I'm convinced that our pets come into our lives for very specific reasons, and provide us with love and comfort when we are at our lowest. They don't care if we have morning breath or haven't combed our hair. They love us for just as we are.

Hi RM,

Thanks for sharing! What a wonderful story. I too, firmly believe that animals can be the best companions. They don't judge you, they just have pure unconditional love, and an uncanny ability to sense our emotions and comfort us in times of need. I know that I would not have gotten this far in life, and especially the last few years, without my animals.

I grew up with many animals, so I suppose it is no wonder that I am in veterinary school, fighting not only to maintain the health of our pets & livestock, but also to preserve those human-animal bonds which I, and so many others, hold so dear. Right now I have two dogs of my own, a 4 yr golden retriever, and a 5 yr old bernese mountain dog (who I just adopted this summer). My parents also have 2 dogs, both goldens, ages 9 & 10. I also have a 6 yr old corn snake, and a 14 yr old cat, although the cat stays at my parents' house when I am away at school. With 4 big dogs at the moment, it is a very busy house, but I wouldn't change a thing. My golden in particular is my best friend in the world. He is like my other half. He watches out for me, and he can read me better than anyone. He really is pure love.

As RM said, there are many wonderful animals out there in shelters looking for homes. But I would strongly encourage anyone looking to get a pet to act responsibly and know what is involved first. As wonderful as animals are, they are a lot of work, and they rely 100% on us for their survival. Way too many animals end up abandoned on the streets or in shelters because their owners thought that they were "cute," and didn't realize what owning a pet entailed.

Skeye

I'm so happy that others have had the same experiences as I have with their pets.  I have to admit that I have been too selfish at some times in my life to give what a pet needed and was not prepared.....at these times, I didn't need and didn't have one to care for.  It is for that reason that I completely agree with Skeye.

I LOVE the home my pets have given my family.  I have to admit, however, that we had had one animal in between that wasn't a good match.  She was passed off as a white pom, but ended up being a mutt.  That would have really been no problem, but she was sick, very sick, from day one.  She ended up dying within 6 months.  That was a lot of vet bills (all new puppies are) and a lot of heartache, along with a lot of work that was never really realized.  If you are not CERTAIN that you are ready to make the commitment, then please don't get an animal.

Lastly, for those who are economically challenged or who simply prefer to keep some of the spending money we have, I have found that a great number of agencies will pay for all or at least some of the "fixing" you should so very seriously consider with your animals.  Of course, Maggie can no longer be fixed because she cannot live through the procedure, but our Gidget and our Grace are fixed.  We only have femaled dogs and we keep Grace on an invisible fencing system to keep her and the public safe.  She is not mean at all, but actually quite nervous because of being apparently kicked so much as a little puppy.  She was a kennel dog from a rescue that was just so sad looking and I wanted to give her a good home.  She was, and still is a handfull, so people considering large dogs.....beware....they eat EVERYTHING from toys, to lawnmowers, to the tires off of a car....lol 

Our Gidget never goes outside unless it is for a brief walk, but she looks like a Grace treat, so not too much of that.  That's why she is trained for puppy pads and does a pretty great job of it (but you must consider floor covering and what that will require for a clean an fresh home and pet) and Maggie does her doggie business on a leash outside.  All of them (except Grace) are cleaned with baby wipes every day and it does take quite a bit of work to keep the dog hair up (especially since it is so hard to a person helping with housework).

I'm glad Skeye mentioned these things earlier because I know she has seen what an unloved animal can be like....mistreated and left alone for days.  Please make sure you have the time, money for food/toys/clothes even if they need it (my Yorkie does for body heat issues), and the energy to take in one of these loves....they are a wonderful reward, but again....a lot of work!

Love you guys!

In some areas they also offer up rescued pets under a program called, Senior for Seniors, where they place a senior pet with a senior person, my dad got his cat this way and it's a good program and I think it saved my dad as well, as he'd just had his kitty died and he was so very depressed. It can be a burden for pet care but it's so worth it.
There is pet insurance out there it is expensive as well, but it might be of help. We have low cost vaccinations in our area which we take our cats to yearly and that does help. Once a year the shelter do have 1/2 off adoptions and the price of spay and netured is included with getting your pet. Some vets offer discounts for cash customers.
To me the most important things is to give your pet "LOVE" and time and if you can't do that then don't get a pet. I made a deal with my hubby, 3 years before he retires we'll go around to the local AKC dog shows and get his name on a list for a yorkie (we did the homework already and know what this breed is like) and once he retires, he'll have the time to put into the work of this dog and the "Love" and for him I think it's a win win situation, but for now he just doesn't have the time to devote himeself to an animal so I take the most care of our kitties for everything including playtime.
Loved your story retiredmom, Thanks.

If it wasn't for my cats, and ball python Mez, and my wife.. .. .. I'd long had given up and ended my misery. Can you believe that I am only 32, I got hurt in 2007 fought pain until june before signing up for my disability. My pets can tell when Mom and Dad are having good/bad days. My wife has neck problems, and she loves to get Mez out and let her massage her neck.

Anything that can take our minds off of pain is well worth looking into. I know I love waking up and having my cats to tell me they are hungry, even though I know the bowl isn't even empty.

It's the little things in life that matter