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Discussion Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: CharmedPhoenix on March 07, 2012, 10:15:32 pm

Title: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: CharmedPhoenix on March 07, 2012, 10:15:32 pm
Are all your dogs and cats fixed? 

I just took my kitties in to a county run, mobile clinic advertised at the library.  Due to my current circumstances I qualified for a grant which made it much more affordable than I expected.  It was just in the nick of time too as my one male had just come of age as my female went into heat, just days before their appointment.  Whew!  He got to her well enough she stopped being in heat.  I know she was a couple days pregnant, but the doctors said she wasn't.  :bs: (I've had vets tell me that before and they were wrong each time.)   :cat: :cat: :cat:

What gets me this time is that they marked their beautiful, pristine white bellies with a green dot tattoo without my consent.   :angry7:  I understand why they do it, but you should ask the owner before you permanently mark their animal, not after.  When I found my boys, stray-born under my home, they were losing their belly fur due to bird mites.  (Mom was a good hunter of mourning doves.)  I was so delighted to see them grow back all their fur and have unmarred white bellies.  Now they have an ugly green dot in the middle, where the female incision would be.  (The female has one next to her stitches too.)  I hate green and would have refused this mark.  My house cats stay in 24/7/365 and do not need this.  Why do vets think they can make decisions about our four-footed children?!  If a pediatrician did this sort of thing the parents would be outraged and the doctor would be in danger of losing his license.

The lessons here:
Get your dogs  :dog: and cats  :cat: neutered.
Watch for programs in your area and/or ask about grants.
When you take them in for neutering ask questions.  ???  You should know and have say so over everything they are going to do to your four-footed children.
Keep your animals contained or leashed.  It's safer for them and your neighbors.
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: handllucas on March 08, 2012, 04:40:30 pm
I have always spayed and nuetered my pets. I do not want to be responsible for creating more pets that I can take care of.
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: SherylsShado on March 08, 2012, 05:08:30 pm
My pets are fixed.  Another great place to check to discount pet services (spaying, neutering, micro-chipping, vaccinations, etc.) is your local humane society.  Ours recently started adding these services and they keep adding to them, last year they were also offering discounted prices on things like nail trims on certain dates when people came in and showed their ebt card.  They're doing everything they can to help people with pets!! :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: cbrown25 on March 08, 2012, 11:53:03 pm
None of my cats are fixed, but there so old they don't even go into heat anymore so Idon have anything to worry a
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: ladavia89 on March 09, 2012, 02:47:01 am
My dog is spayed but I worked at animal hospital at the time so it was highly discounted. I miss that employee discount every time I have to take her to the vet
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: maxinmotion on March 09, 2012, 03:26:32 am
We have two dogs that have to be spayed but the oldest dog will go first and soon. We also, well my daughter has a pop-belly-pig. Do they have to have shots? This pig is great fun and funny. Sometimes she sleeps in the house. People always asks what do she eat? They act surprised when I say pig food. Back in the day the pigs were fed table scraps and corn but they also had pig food then.
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: SherylsShado on March 09, 2012, 05:57:29 am
We have two dogs that have to be spayed but the oldest dog will go first and soon. We also, well my daughter has a pop-belly-pig. Do they have to have shots? This pig is great fun and funny. Sometimes she sleeps in the house. People always asks what do she eat? They act surprised when I say pig food. Back in the day the pigs were fed table scraps and corn but they also had pig food then.

 :)  I had a friend a few years back that had a pitbull...and a vietnamese pot-bellied pig.  He'd been giving me alot of advice about pitbulls (I had just gotten a puppy and wanted "the best" for her and he'd had his for a few years).  I never had a clue that he had a pet pig until one day he asked me to "pet-sit" the pig, he was taking the dog on vacation.  He thought it was so funny that I was so "surprised".  I honestly thought he was joking the entire week about having a pet pig because he didn't seem like a pet pig 'kind-of-guy'.   
    He had one though...she was alot bigger than I had assumed, and you're right..."fun & funny".  She was really cute.   She  had her own room decorated all in pink, she had a little custom-made hanger that held all her boas, she had her own floor-level mirror, and her name was "Diva".   
    Pigs aren't a popular pet in my area, I know a couple of people that either had to move or give their pet pigs up because their neighbors complained.  (It wasn't that the pigs weren't being taken care of...it was because some people just aren't happy unless they are complaining about something.)
    The guy never said anything about shots, you should ask your veterinarian or whoever you got the pig from.
   
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: jwallbank on March 09, 2012, 08:26:53 am
I always spay or neuter my Pets. I have mostly had strays except a few that I picked up at a shelter, so I normally get them in to have all their shots and spay or neuter them, not knowing their age or situation. I have had only one from a pup and Two from kittens. I feel it is better off they be fixed because there are too many strays I see on the streets. Some people don't seem to care and just let them loose.
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: meguk on March 09, 2012, 10:12:19 am
My kitty is fixed!  Has been since we got him, since he was an SPCA special, and that was one of the conditions of adoption.
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: dymondzncurlz810 on March 09, 2012, 11:54:39 am
All my dogs are fixed. My opinion is if you can't afford to spay/neuter you shouldn't have the animal. Finding affordable or cheaper care is always a plus. But pets are expensive and come with A LOT of responsibilities!
 http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/adoption-pet-care/caring-for-your-pet/spaying-neutering.html

 "one cat and her offspring can produce up to 420,000 kittens in a mere six years."

Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: Boise40 on March 09, 2012, 12:26:02 pm
I have a male dachshund who I have scheduled to get him fix in a few weeks. He is now a year and 1 month old. I was told to get him fix when he was 6 months old but, I couldn't afford to do so at the time. I hate to get him fix because I like to see him have puppies 1st. Its just one those stupid rules that I gotta follow while living here in my apartment. Its not like I'm gonna take him outside and let him mate with all the female dogs in my neighborhood. Anyways, I'm getting him fix by going through Second Chance Companions and it will cost me only $40. Normally, I think it costs about $150 to get a male dog fix.
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: LAkathi on March 09, 2012, 12:49:31 pm
I have three dogs two girls and one boy.  And yes they are all fixed, it is just part of the package of being a good animal owner.  One of my female dogs was tatooed with a good size green"s" when she was spayed.  But so what, she doesn't care, so why should I?
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: littlejefe on March 09, 2012, 03:28:43 pm
My pets are fixed. I have 2 dogs a bacion and a boxer  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: luv4lighthouses on March 09, 2012, 04:41:11 pm
My cat was adopted and was "fixed" when I got her. I thought at first that I was doing the wrong thing by getting a cat but she is he most lovable companion. She is also so great with my grandkids. Never scratches no matter how they carry her.
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: froggylover227 on March 09, 2012, 09:38:51 pm
I have one cat, a 3-year old male. He is strictly an indoor cat, and the only time he has ever been outside is when I take him somewhere (like the vet) in his carrier. We initially wanted to get him fixed, but we never got around to it. Sometimes people tell me to get him fixed now. But I'm worried that fixing him will change his personality, or I've heard too that fixing cats can sometimes make them lethargic and overweight. He never marks his territory either, which is reassuring since most people have told me male cats will. I love him the way he is, and don't want to take any chances at making him love me any less. Like I said before, he is indoor-only, and he won't be able to re-populate even if he wanted to!!
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: kittenkagome on March 09, 2012, 09:55:10 pm
I have a kitty and he is fixed. My parents were not going to do it at first, but they figured it might help him roam less (He is a garage/outdoor cat. His sleeping place is a heated garage). It worked. I think I have heard of vets marking the animals that they operate on, but I think its pretty rare. Most of the time if you have your vet do it they will just put it in their records whether or not the animal has been fixed, and that eliminates the question. If you have any more animals that need to be spayed or neutered, just ask about their policies (like Im sure you will) and ask for paperwork proof instead of the mark, that way you can give it to your vet and eliminate any confusion about the subject. Beyond that point, getting your animal fixed is always a good idea (unless some medical problem prohibits it). It cracks down on the unwanted pet population, and , oddly enough, eliminates some cancers. Mostly because certain parts are not there anymore. Its just less that can go wrong.  :cat: :dog:
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: vmcutshall on March 09, 2012, 10:08:10 pm
My dog has never been spayed , but we do not let her out when she is in heet. I don't want puppies either. I always keep my pets with the same vet that I trust.
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: vicogden on March 10, 2012, 06:27:35 am
I'm not currently an owner because I travel a lot.  But all my previous pets have been spayed or neutered.  I'm in line with Bob Barker: get all your pets fixed!  I'm in Thailand right now and there are so many dogs running around looking for food it's not funny.  In fact, it's crazy!  Obviously everyone won't follow these guidelines, but if a few of us do, it'll be better for the pet community as a whole.
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: batmobile on March 10, 2012, 06:47:59 am
Are all your dogs and cats fixed? 

I just took my kitties in to a county run, mobile clinic advertised at the library.  Due to my current circumstances I qualified for a grant which made it much more affordable than I expected.  It was just in the nick of time too as my one male had just come of age as my female went into heat, just days before their appointment.  Whew!  He got to her well enough she stopped being in heat.  I know she was a couple days pregnant, but the doctors said she wasn't.  :bs: (I've had vets tell me that before and they were wrong each time.)   :cat: :cat: :cat:

What gets me this time is that they marked their beautiful, pristine white bellies with a green dot tattoo without my consent.   :angry7:  I understand why they do it, but you should ask the owner before you permanently mark their animal, not after.  When I found my boys, stray-born under my home, they were losing their belly fur due to bird mites.  (Mom was a good hunter of mourning doves.)  I was so delighted to see them grow back all their fur and have unmarred white bellies.  Now they have an ugly green dot in the middle, where the female incision would be.  (The female has one next to her stitches too.)  I hate green and would have refused this mark.  My house cats stay in 24/7/365 and do not need this.  Why do vets think they can make decisions about our four-footed children?!  If a pediatrician did this sort of thing the parents would be outraged and the doctor would be in danger of losing his license.

The lessons here:
Get your dogs  :dog: and cats  :cat: neutered.
Watch for programs in your area and/or ask about grants.
When you take them in for neutering ask questions.  ???  You should know and have say so over everything they are going to do to your four-footed children.
Keep your animals contained or leashed.  It's safer for them and your neighbors.
yeah my dog ace is not fixed, :binkybaby: but i think he may wanna keep his nuts now lol.
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: CharmedPhoenix on March 14, 2012, 03:59:45 am
I have a kitty and he is fixed. My parents were not going to do it at first, but they figured it might help him roam less (He is a garage/outdoor cat. His sleeping place is a heated garage). It worked. I think I have heard of vets marking the animals that they operate on, but I think its pretty rare. Most of the time if you have your vet do it they will just put it in their records whether or not the animal has been fixed, and that eliminates the question. If you have any more animals that need to be spayed or neutered, just ask about their policies (like Im sure you will) and ask for paperwork proof instead of the mark, that way you can give it to your vet and eliminate any confusion about the subject. Beyond that point, getting your animal fixed is always a good idea (unless some medical problem prohibits it). It cracks down on the unwanted pet population, and , oddly enough, eliminates some cancers. Mostly because certain parts are not there anymore. Its just less that can go wrong.  :cat: :dog:

I had never heard of marking before and silly me I thought they would get the owner's consent before doing such a thing.  Their thinking was to identify the fixed animals in case they got out and picked up so they wouldn't have to endure exploratory surgery to see if they were fixed.  (Yes, even the boys, incase their testicles hadn't descended.)  That's a great idea if you're dealing with outdoor cats or ferrels, but mine stay in 24/7/365.  I live in a rural county and this was a mobile clinic out of Santa Fe.  The nearest holistic vets are about an hour away and very expensive.  This clinic was a blessing.  I just wish vets would regard the owners wishes more.  They're worse than people doctors.  Pets are all the kids I'm going to have and I choose to raise them in as natural a way as I can.
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: dwggs on March 14, 2012, 04:13:56 am
Yes all my pets are spayed and neutered ... 3 cats and 1 dog.

I have always been a responsible pet owner and have done this as soon as possible.
No unexpected puppies or kittens for me.
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: ssmsurvey on March 14, 2012, 09:34:22 am
I can understand your concern over the 'tattoo', however, having worked as a Vet Tech for years, I applaude them for doing it. Unfortunately, not everyone treats their pets as family and in these hard times many pets are given away or abandoned. I know from experience that it can be difficult to find a spay scar on a female cat so the tattoo is a great idea. With the males, even though the fur on their *bleep* grows back, a good Dr or Tech should be able to notice they are empty. So the tattoo on them doesn't seem as necessary.
Sometimes it is just more effecient to 'mark' all the animals instead of asking, especially in a clinic situation where they spay and neuter as if on an assembly line. Hopefully, their fur while grow back and you will hardly see it.
Be thankful they are okay. Some of those clinics do a horrible job and some cats don't make it.
Good on you for getting them fixed!
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: ramona6904 on March 14, 2012, 09:47:04 am
A lot of communities have vets that volunteer their time to do low cost spay and neuter surgeries, or they do it free if you qualify.  Check with your local Humane Society or aa local shelter group.  Where I live, the humane society has reduced price spay and neuter certificates for their animals, but will  alsogive them out to the public upon request. :)
Title: Re: Dog and Cat Owners
Post by: dymondzncurlz810 on March 14, 2012, 10:50:11 am
I can understand your concern over the 'tattoo', however, having worked as a Vet Tech for years, I applaude them for doing it. Unfortunately, not everyone treats their pets as family and in these hard times many pets are given away or abandoned. I know from experience that it can be difficult to find a spay scar on a female cat so the tattoo is a great idea. With the males, even though the fur on their *bleep* grows back, a good Dr or Tech should be able to notice they are empty. So the tattoo on them doesn't seem as necessary.
Sometimes it is just more effecient to 'mark' all the animals instead of asking, especially in a clinic situation where they spay and neuter as if on an assembly line. Hopefully, their fur while grow back and you will hardly see it.
Be thankful they are okay. Some of those clinics do a horrible job and some cats don't make it.
Good on you for getting them fixed!

Well said  :thumbsup: I've also seen these green marks on lost dogs and it is great. There was a family that lost their dog a county away from us and we found it and when they put up the LOST ad there was no questioning that the dog we found was theirs. They didn't need a picture, just a short sweet description along with "Lilly has a green tattoo on her belly". We called, they got the dog back asap. Very convenient.