Animal Questions

[skinst]

Something to consider in regards to human vs animal medications..

 

Read the packages.

 

My cat has been sick once in the time I've had her. I took her to the vet and had a look at the medication he gave me, and saw that it was the same chemical used in an anti-biotic that I, a human, have used before. The dosage was just different.

 

I realise that this does not apply to all medicines given out, however I think it's important to remember that vets and such are out to make money as well as heal. They're a business in of itself. Of course they're not going to say "oh, you can substitute this medicine for this" because then they'll loose money. Only a true vet would reccomend something that goes beyond their own practise.

 

I will stress that this doesn't always apply to vets, but I just wanted to put this out there as food for thought.

[Panorama]

My cat has been sick once in the time I've had her. I took her to the vet and had a look at the medication he gave me, and saw that it was the same chemical used in an anti-biotic that I, a human, have used before. The dosage was just different.

Actually, this is very common. Most drugs given to animals are in some degree or form used for people as well. I only know of one truly ANIMAL pharmacy in kentucky (Rood and Riddle). Most pharmacies have animal patients as well. I once filled an order for "Pumpkin" (is that a hippa violation lol?) and the pharmacy I worked at found out that one of the tigers at the zoo will take any medication as long as it's "Tootie-fruitie" flavored!! An infection is an infection, regardless of the patient. Manufacturers can make a lot more money off a drug if it can be used for both people and animals. Something that most people don't think about when they pick up their meds lol!

[Nine]

They aren't going to do that, so why does everyone keep saying that.

Maybe because the specific reason why going to the vet is not an option has not been revealed, and could be anything from not enough money, to not believing in medicine, to being lazy, to lack of knowledge, to being unsure if it's even a big enough problem, or even the belief that animals are not worth it.

 

In any case, if there is a chance that someone may reach through and help someone reconsider their actions (or lack of action), it's worth it. Even if it's a slim chance, the kitten and any possible future pets deserve it. Maybe someone completely unrelated could even come along and read the posts urging to take it to the vet, and reconsider their own actions. If the accumulation of concerned posters can save the life of ONE animal then it's worth it in my eyes.

 

As it stands, I believe animals deserve the best possible chance at living a healthy, happy life, so I still encourage the professional care of a vet over other options. But that's just me =o

[7Deadly$ins]

No, the best advice, bar going to the vet, is to give the kitten to someone who WILL care about it.

[Kiran]

Well, my mom wouldn't take him to the vet because she thought he didn't have a chance either way, and... and... I think she was right. *cries* I miss my kitten. We have never taken our cats to the vet, maybe because they're basically barn cats that have been tamed. If they were house cats, then we might have taken them to the vet, but with our cats I can see it easily costing over a thousand dollars a year, and then they would still die from coyotes and cars. Our oldest cat, Snowflake, has never had a vaccination as far as I know, we've had her for years. Either she just hasn't gotten any diseases, or she's still alive because she's experienced and quick thinking. If we had more cats that we had taken to a vet, then we might have rushed the poor little guy to the vet as soon as we saw he was sick, but it was all so sudden. *cries*

 

[Dragonessdown]

Well, my mom wouldn't take him to the vet because she thought he didn't have a chance either way, and... and... I think she was right. *cries* I miss my kitten. We have never taken our cats to the vet, maybe because they're basically barn cats that have been tamed. If they were house cats, then we might have taken them to the vet, but with our cats I can see it easily costing over a thousand dollars a year, and then they would still die from coyotes and cars. Our oldest cat, Snowflake, has never had a vaccination as far as I know, we've had her for years. Either she just hasn't gotten any diseases, or she's still alive because she's experienced and quick thinking. If we had more cats that we had taken to a vet, then we might have rushed the poor little guy to the vet as soon as we saw he was sick, but it was all so sudden. *cries*

Im so sorry... We dont do vets eather, im "the vet" at our house

[Silence2]

An infection is an infection, regardless of the patient. Manufacturers can make a lot more money off a drug if it can be used for both people and animals. Something that most people don't think about when they pick up their meds lol!

It can depend on the medication though. Enrofloxacin is not to be used in humans due to side effects, but it is a common antibiotic for dogs and cats with serious infections.

 

It is true many medications can be used in humans and animals, with dosage differences of course. Amoxi/clav, diphenhydramine, prednisone.... I've used them and used them in animals.

 

I don't recommend people deciding what medications to use on their own without consulting a veterinarian. If someone sees "blood" in their pet's urine, they think infection. This is not always true. It could be inflammation from an idiopathic cause, a stone, cancer, or not even blood. So, when people call and say there is an infection, I don't want to just give a prescription.

 

So, I always recommend going to a veterinarian, but then I am biased.

[JaziandCo]

Well, my mom wouldn't take him to the vet because she thought he didn't have a chance either way, and... and... I think she was right. *cries* I miss my kitten. We have never taken our cats to the vet, maybe because they're basically barn cats that have been tamed. If they were house cats, then we might have taken them to the vet, but with our cats I can see it easily costing over a thousand dollars a year, and then they would still die from coyotes and cars. Our oldest cat, Snowflake, has never had a vaccination as far as I know, we've had her for years. Either she just hasn't gotten any diseases, or she's still alive because she's experienced and quick thinking. If we had more cats that we had taken to a vet, then we might have rushed the poor little guy to the vet as soon as we saw he was sick, but it was all so sudden. *cries*

If you live in the states, it's not legal to keep cats without a rabies vaccination. In some states, it's considered neglect to refuse to take your animal to the vet when in need of care.

 

Perhaps this will show your parents that when a cat is obviously ill, a medical professional is needed. I just hope whatever the kitten had doesn't spread to the rest of your cats, or you'll have quite a few repeats. Something tells me you didn't quarantine him either =S

[dr.bieber229]

No offense, but I made this thread not for people to fight, but to enjoy. If the owner states her/his parents or anyone wont take an animal to a vet. Then you can say "I'd prefer you take it to a vet" And then list other things he/she can do. Don't say you must take it to a vet. They might actually want to take them to a vet. And yes, check if its illegal to not have a specific shot or vaccination. If you live in the US Most states do require rabies vaccinations. If you can't afford the vaccination or vet care, I recommend trying to put up fliers saying " I need money to give a little kitten vet care, without the money, the little one will die" And put your phone number and/or your address. And a picture of the kitty. Then people will see that this kitten is little and they will give you the money for the vet care. Or you could try babysitting.

Edited January 3, 2012 by dr.bieber229

[Kestra15]

Not all human meds are safe for animals, that is why proper research is necessary with multiple trusted sources.

You mean, like what vets do? Cuts out all the hard work and reduces the error factor if you talk to someone who has spent years studying, then practising and continue to study the work at hand.

 

What I believe the last two pages of people are trying to say is that advising them to research themselves is potentially disastrous, no matter how "well" someone researches something. A layperson with little/no understanding of a subject can still, after many days of "research" and "cross-referencing," make a massive mistake. Doctors and nurses do it often, and that's *with* the benefit of years of research, learning and practise - what chance does Jim-Bob of Everywhereville have?

[amerylis]

If you can't afford the vaccination or vet care, I recommend trying to put up fliers saying " I need money to give a little kitten vet care, without the money, the little one will die"  And put your phone number and/or your address. And a picture of the kitty. Then people will see that this kitten is little and they will give you the money for the vet care. Or you could try babysitting.

Just as an aside the flyer idea will probably not work well as it is posting your address randomly around town and in all honesty folk probably wont give you money. The best way wif you needed to raise money is to have a barn sale or cake bake or similar.

 

 

With regards to vet meds a lot of human medication can be prescribed to animals, different animals can tolerate different human meds, just because your horse can tolerate medixation X does not mean your cat can. In the UK you can fill prescriptions for animal prescriptions at the human pharmacy so it is obviously a safe thing to do (with proper reasearch)

[Eruru]

Cats that aren't vaccinated can spread not only rabies, but also feline leukemia among cats, which is contagious and since the vaccine isn't 100% effective, exposure of a vaccinated cat owned by a responsible cat owner to an infected cat can cause the vaccinated cat to get the disease. It's terribly irresponsible not to vaccinate your cats not only for their health, but for the health of others. To be honest, the way you treat your cats sounds awfully close to criminal neglect, and if I were you I would alert your parents to this. You can be prosecuted for failing to properly vaccinate and for failing to provide treatment for an obviously ill animal.

 

If you can't afford to keep cats, which includes vaccinating them and dealing with medical issues, you shouldn't own them at all.

[Cori]

If you can't afford to keep cats, which includes vaccinating them and dealing with medical issues, you shouldn't own them at all.

I couldn't agree more. This applies to any pet, really. There are a lot of cases of people getting 'seasonal' pets, like bunnies and chicks during the Easter time, only to wind up not wanting to bather with actually taking care of them. And barn cats are great animals and can make great pets, but unless you give them the treatment and care they need, they'll die. Just because your cats aren't 'housecats' doesn't mean that treating them isn't your responsibility. They're still vulnerable to all of the ailments an average housecat can get--and more.

 

 

Okay, now I have a question about animals: I know that exotic birds are illegal to own as pets in many locations. Does this apply to owls, too? Or are there certain species of owls that people can legally own?

[grimace]

I couldn't agree more. This applies to any pet, really. There are a lot of cases of people getting 'seasonal' pets, like bunnies and chicks during the Easter time, only to wind up not wanting to bather with actually taking care of them. And barn cats are great animals and can make great pets, but unless you give them the treatment and care they need, they'll die. Just because your cats aren't 'housecats' doesn't mean that treating them isn't your responsibility. They're still vulnerable to all of the ailments an average housecat can get--and more.

 

 

Okay, now I have a question about animals: I know that exotic birds are illegal to own as pets in many locations. Does this apply to owls, too? Or are there certain species of owls that people can legally own?

Exotic birds are legal in most places.

 

Owls can be kept, but you need a falconry license to do it.

[AllieCat]

Today, after waiting a while to see if she was molting, my mom lifted our fiddler crab's favorite rock to find her dead.... I was very sad when I saw this and I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out why she died. My mom said that there were some white spots on the remains. Could this be a disease? Should I worry about the other fish in the tank?

 

Tried googling this but had no help, so anything would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Obscure_Trash]

~Merged~

[AllieCat]

Did not know this existed. 0.o Thanks sock!

If anyone could help with my Crabby mystery, it would be very much appreciated!

Edited January 4, 2012 by AllieCat

[Nine]

I have no experience with crabs-- but if they molt anything like tarantulas do-- it may be possible that she had trouble during the molt and died or suffocated. I know that raising humidity levels for tarantulas, snakes, lizards helps them get through their shed easier, but again; crabs may have very different ways of molting =o

 

White spot is a disease that freshwater fish sometimes get and it's pretty serious, but I'm not positive if crabs could also be affected by it or have a different form of the disease. That could also be why she passed, though more symptoms are usually noticeable before that stage (at least in fish).

Seriously though, it could just be some discoloration and nothing to worry about. Just keep an eye on your fish and watch to see if they get a white spot or two and start acting funny!

 

Sorry I can't offer more precise advice, haha =p Crabs =/= tarantulas or fish, but maybe it'll offer some similar clues!

[HollyTheColliegirl]

Hey guys, concerned pet owner here. Sorry for the novel you're about to read. I just recently started bonding with the animal and it would break my heart to lose him after just unlocking his affections for me.

 

I have an indoor/outside cat, around 9 years old, with a history of pancreatitis. He was born as a barn cat, but we adopted him and another as kittens. The cat had an attack of pancreatitis a couple years ago and we took him to the ER vet. They got it cleared up and he was fine for quite a while, until a few months ago. He had been a chubby boy (not obese, just had a little fattiness) In the summer, he started losing weight and was around 9 pounds when we had him in for his check up in June. He started killing things and leaving them around the yard, just being a little monster. We got him a jingly collar so the creatures could have a head start, and that seemed to clear up his sudden killing spree. But he still was gradually losing weight, until one point, when he would sit in a box in our kitchen and just sleep. He was hardly getting up to eat, and so we brought the food to him. I gave him little tidbits of deli meat turkey to get him interested again. He started being more energetic and had his appetite back, so we figured he was alright for the moment. But still, he kept losing weight. Recently, we decided that at 7.6 pounds, we needed to do everything we could to fatten him up. We have always had dry food down (I believe its PurinaOne) and have increased the amount of canned food he gets. He's started scarfing it down, as well as the occasional turkey I give. His appetite in general has just increased so much. The cat has been so restless, meowing to go out, scratching to get back in, meowing to get out of the basement, meowing when we eat dinner...etc. Its just nonstop, except when he's eating. But his weight remains the same. Today, we took him to a reliable vet we've used since we got him and just got back about an hour ago. The vet checked everything, his eyes, lungs, heart, stomach, etc. He couldn't find anything wrong with the cat except for the weight loss. The vet took bloodwork to check his pancreatitis and to check for possible thyroid issues. But if the bloodwork turns up with nothing, we may have to consider looking for cancer.

 

My question is, does this sound like thyroid, cancer, or something else? The cat is very active now and he seems to be enjoying life. He doesn't look like he's in any pain. I've done my research and it looks like cat cancer is less common than dog cancer. With pancreatitis, usually the appetite is decreased, not increased.

I'm just wondering if anyone out there has an idea at what this could be? And how we could treat/cure it?

Edited January 5, 2012 by HollyTheColliegirl

[Sundew]

Sounds like hyperthyroidism to me, but I'm not expert. The vet is the most reliable. I don't think it's cancer though--haven't heard of any cases of cancer with symptoms like your cat's. However, hyperthyroidism shares symptoms with many other diseases.

[Marrionetta]

So I have this fantastic goldfish named Ginger. She's simply the best fish ever. She was given to me by a student that won her from a carnival game and I kept her in a rice container with no agitation or filtration for a month in really hard water - and yet she persisted.

 

Now Ginger lives in a 10 gallon cycling tank with an airstone, filter, substrate, plants, and a Buddha statue for personal enrichment. She seems happy and healthy and active, but I never did figure out how much food to give her.

 

I know carp are opportunistic feeders and will eat themselves stupid if given the chance and this can lead to digestive and swimbladder problems, as well as water quality issues due to partially digested food rotting in the water. Ginger is about two inches long and of the single tail type. I've been giving her 1 - 2 flakes directly every day with my finger and she seems okay - am I not feeding her enough? It doesn't seem like she's growing very much and I'm worried this is a result of malnutrition.

 

Please advise.

[Fizzix]

One or two flakes once (or rarely twice) a day is fine. Also try a shelled pea once in a while. :3

[626lavaheart]

depends on the size of the flakes... but I say a small pinch of food will suffice.

 

(and if your really worried about him not eating all his food I would say get a bottom feeding fish.)

 

edit: 'd

Edited January 5, 2012 by 626lavaheart

[Nine]

A pinch is what I used as well, since the flakes were tiny. You can watch her during feeding and if a minute or two passes and there's still a portion of flakes at the top, then it's probably too much.

 

That's awesome that she eats from hand, too.

Edited January 5, 2012 by Nine

[sir_horsey_XIX]

I have an indoor/outside cat, around 9 years old[...]I'm just wondering if anyone out there has an idea at what this could be? And how we could treat/cure it?

The vet probably checked for it already, but are you sure he doesn't have intestinal parasites, such as tapeworms? I know a tapeworm will live in the intestines and eat a lot of the food its host eats before it can be absorbed into the host's body, thus leaving it (potentially) malnourished despite eating loads of food.