How Important Are Pets To Your Health?

[Mary Kay]

A friend lost a beloved pet recently, I know how that feels.
I was wondering with all our assorted illnesses what role to pets play in the healing/coping of your life?

My dog is under my feet all the time. I have to climb over her to get out of bed or out of a chair. She is always ready for a walk or to play, but she seems to know when I feel down. She sits and stares at me until I pet her. For some reason that makes ME feel better.
At 11pm she gets agitated until I get up to let her out, instead of going out she sits by my kitchen chair..It's time for my shot. She watches me do my insulin, as soon as I am done, she walks away.

My cats are of little help, but they do keep me busy! These are the first cats I have ever had that don't want to sit on you..but they do follow me and the dog around the house.

My dog is an 80 pound German Shepard, she is so gentle with mom. She will sit by her but never bumps her when she walks or tries to get mom to throw her squeaky duck like she does with us. Once in a while I will find all her toys around mom's chair..like the dog thinks mom needs them.
She loves to rough house with the G'sons and the cats!
How do your animals heal you?

 

[Walrus]

Well... my 11 year old Akita, Shogun, is my kindred spirit. He aches in just about all of his bones, and I know that when I'm hurting, so is he. He's almost always by my side when I'm at home (which is most of the time). No matter what time I wake up, he's lying at the foot of my bed. I know to be careful not to step on him when I get up. He is the one that I know I will get unconditional love from, no matter my mood or how badly I've acted. I can still walk him because his pace is no faster than mine.

My 6 month old Bull Mastiff/Catahoula Leopard mix, Boudin, is my comic relief. Whether it just be by being silly and prancing around with a toy in his mouth, bouncing off the furniture, or out-smarting the kids for the treat hiding behind their backs, he keeps me smiling.

 

[Mary Kay]

My son had an Akita he left with us when he moved to an apt. His name was Kiki. He was massive!! A Japanese purebred he was 160 lbs the last time he was weighed.
A very confused woman once asked me what he was..I said a cross between a cow and a chow, she drove off happy.

When Kiki decided to leave the yard, he would just put his head down and push the fence over..it was field fencing. He loved cats and washed them with his tongue until they were soaked. He tried that with the chickens too but they really, really hated it and played dead, just like a possum.

Kiki was Mike's dog, he loved to mow grass with Mike walking just ahead of the mower for as long as it took! They were buddies. While Mike had open heart, that dog refused to leave his side once Mike got home.

This is Ki, with Mom in the background and her little Boston Terrier, Doodlebug

 

[Jules22871]

I had my wreck almost 5 years ago and have had major problems and lots of surgeries since then. My sons bought my dog Buddy, a Cardigan Welsh Corgi/Border collie mix for me for mother's day 3 years ago from our local shelter. He has only known me in the shape I'm in now. He is fiercely protective of me. No matter what time of nigth he will follow me to the bathroom and then back to the couch. He will not allow any strange people near me. He won't growl or bark at them, just get in between me and them. He even does this with our Pastor,lol One time I got up to answer the door since it was just a few days since the hubby had a total knee replacement done. Scotty came in and started to wave at the hubby and I guess Buddy thought he was going to hit me and he ran poor Scotty out of the house,lol

No matter where I'd had a surgery at, he would guard that spot. He wouldn't get on it, but would be right next to it as if he was keeping that place safe. When I had to be in a hospital bed for a few months (that looked just great in my living room) he was upset because he couldn't get up there with me. I sleep on our couch, only place I can get semi comfortable and he sleeps right at my feet. He always makes me smile and he is always by my side. He is so attached to me that the vet has told us that if I'm going to be in the hospital for more than 2-3 days, we need to get him so doggie valium since he has such severe separation when it comes to me.

I think pets are a huge plus in any recovery and in being just happy in general. At least in my house it's that way.

 

[Walrus]

My son had an Akita he left with us when he moved to an apt. His name was Kiki. He was massive!! A Japanese purebred he was 160 lbs the last time he was weighed.
A very confused woman once asked me what he was..I said a cross between a cow and a chow, she drove off happy.

When Kiki decided to leave the yard, he would just put his head down and push the fence over..it was field fencing. He loved cats and washed them with his tongue until they were soaked. He tried that with the chickens too but they really, really hated it and played dead, just like a possum.

Kiki was Mike's dog, he loved to mow grass with Mike walking just ahead of the mower for as long as it took! They were buddies. While Mike had open heart, that dog refused to leave his side once Mike got home.

This is Ki, with Mom in the background and her little Boston Terrier, Doddlebug

Beautiful dog. They are an extremely loyal breed. I take it he's not around anymore? I dread the day Shogun passes away. It will be like losing a best friend and child all at once. His vet says he's the oldest Akita she's ever seen.

Here are a couple of pictures of him with my daughter Sarah:

 

[jen28f]

My pets are the second most important thing to me besides my family. I have 2 boston terriers (mother and daughter). They are named Zoe and Moxie. I always tell people my anti depressant is Zomox. Zomox makes me feel better than any other medication I take! (My painkillers do run a close second!)

 

[Ann]

Animals are my life. I have 14 goats 2 donkeys and 4 cats and 1 flying squirrel and 2 ferrets and now I'm raising 6 baby possums.
They call me the "Ellie May of the neighborhood or Doctor Doolittle.
My babies are there for me no matter what. They love me no matter what.
That is why I say life is poop and paper towels..lol

 

[Jules22871]

Animals are my life. I have 14 goats 2 donkeys and 4 cats and 1 flying squirrel and 2 ferrets and now I'm raising 6 baby possums.
They call me the "Ellie May of the neighborhood or Doctor Doolittle.
My babies are there for me no matter what. They love me no matter what.
That is why I say life is poop and paper towels..lol

You sound like my daughter. I tease her and tell her she is a future cat lady,lol I love animals and would have more if I could. We have 2 dogs and 2 cats and since I rent right now we are pushing our luck with the ones we have. Once we move though, look out. I will have a small farm myself!

 

[deliza]

Well... my 11 year old Akita, Shogun, is my kindred spirit. He aches in just about all of his bones, and I know that when I'm hurting, so is he. He's almost always by my side when I'm at home (which is most of the time). No matter what time I wake up, he's lying at the foot of my bed. I know to be careful not to step on him when I get up. He is the one that I know I will get unconditional love from, no matter my mood or how badly I've acted. I can still walk him because his pace is no faster than mine.

My 6 month old Bull Mastiff/Catahoula Leopard mix, Boudin, is my comic relief. Whether it just be by being silly and prancing around with a toy in his mouth, bouncing off the furniture, or out-smarting the kids for the treat hiding behind their backs, he keeps me smiling.

I love Catahoulas!! I had never laid eyes on one, or even heard of one, until I did volunteer work finding peoples lost pets after Katrina, but then a friend of mine ran a rescue on a blind and deaf Catahoula, and she was the most fabulous dog...... well, lets just say I now have a soft spot for them

 

[deliza]

My pets are the second most important thing to me besides my family. I have 2 boston terriers (mother and daughter). They are named Zoe and Moxie. I always tell people my anti depressant is Zomox. Zomox makes me feel better than any other medication I take! (My painkillers do run a close second!)

I have a dog named Moxie, too

 

[Mary Kay]

We lost Kiki when he was 9 years old from heart failure. The Dr. had treated him for other things and said Ki's heart was too big (not heart worms) My son got him from a man who's Akita pair had just had pups..so not puppy mill. Just bad luck. I told my husband of course his heart was too big, he loved everyone and every other animal..that wasn't another male dog. He taught my grandson to wallk by walking slowly around the house with G'son holding his tail.
Walrus, your Akita is beautiful!
Jen, my mom's Boston had one white side to her face, her mom was a champion dog, but the owner all but gave Doodle to mom because of the "Flaw" in a show dog. Didn't slow her down a bit..mom should have named her tigger! She and mom were together for 13 years.

 

[deliza]

Okay, if this works, here is my current pack. This is actually the smallest pack I've had in the last 15 years.

Bayou

Moxie

Isabella (otherwise known as Satan's Spawn )

 

[Cori]

My dogs keep me sane. Even when I'm at my lowest, they always manage to cheer me up.

I have a boxer that really belongs to my son, that he dropped off on me about 6 yrs ago to take care of for just a little while *chuckles, you know how that goes. Then my hubby bought me shih tzu for my birthday..she is like another child to me. She got out the fence once when she was still a pup and wandered away somehow *she was very tiny so she went under the fence. I thought my world collapsed and I cried like a baby until my hubby couldn't stand it anymore. He went out to hunt her down for the fourth time that day. Next thing I know the phone is ringing, and he asked me how much I'd give him for that dog..told him a million dollars and he brought her back home. Now I get anxiety every time I can't find her, she loves to hide under the bed.

Boxer's name is Bo and shih tzu is named Zoey.

Bo is getting old now, going on 12 yrs old. Zoey is 2... I can't imagine life without either of them.

 

[Mary Kay]

Deliza! I love pictures! Your dogs are so cute! How did you get them to pose like that? Sheba just turns around. The cats ignore me. I only get pictures when they are asleep. It's on my profile.
Maybe that's good, your cats eyes are scary! LOL There is a pet eye correction, it takes the devil out. (of just the eyes..sorry.)

Cori, does Zoey annoy Bo? Or are they buds?

Ann, haven't you ever heard of cat ladies..not zoo ladies? LOL That a mixed group for sure. I hope you and Jules meet..you could open a petting zoo!

 

[Cori]

MaryKay: Bo is jealous of Zoey but protective of her if that makes sense. She is certainly the boss and when she says back off, that food is mine, he just wimpers away. Pretty funny actually..she weighs 10lbs and he weighed in at 80lbs last time he went to the vet.

 

[Kamanjah]

Blue-eyed cats get that red-eye with flash....I have 3 blue-eyed boys. Plus a masked girl with green eyes and SO's 2 kitties just joined the zoo this week, an all black boy and an orange/tan & white girl who is a talker, both with yellow eyes. Plus I have Toni - a German Shepherd/Queensland Heeler Mix & Fred - an older than dirt Springer Spaniel who is deaf and only has one marble left. I'm his security blanket. Significant pecking order shifting going on, but the new kitties seem to have figured out that the dogs are actually their friends.

I'd be even more bonkers if I didn't have my critters to talk to! They seldom argue with me - and then only about food. Just sitting down and petting one (or several) critters can significantly calm me down if I'm upset. I know Fred can't hear me, but I talk to him all the time anyway, guess it just makes me feel better!

__________________

 

[deliza]

Its simple MaryKay, mine are all just too lazy to move

 

[Mary Kay]

The wonderful thing about animals is that they sense us in all of our moods and conditions. It always amazed me that Sheba and the cats who will chase each other all over the house, never play around mom. They are gentle with her, even Scotty the cat who loves to bite toes! that's a real eye opener if you happen to be asleep with a foot hanging over the bed!8-o

 

[deliza]

Our pack order is all messed up..... Bayou is pretends to be alpha, only because his is slightly less high strung than Moxie, and I think they both know the cat is really the one in charge, but neither want to admit it. Our pack order used to be very well established, we had 3 male dogs and one fiesty old girl to keep them all in line, as well as 3 other cats to keep Isabella on her toes, but last year, in the six months between late spring and Labor day, we lost 5 of our group. It was the worst run of luck in the history of mankind I think, but it left me seriously shell shocked and I have been reluctant to take in any new rescues. Here is a little look at my lost ones:

Sadie: She was a greyhound sheperd mix, and had epilepsy her entire life. She was 17 when she passed, and heathy and active right up to the last hours. We had had her since she was a puppy.

Sampson: Talk about down to one marble, I think Sampson started out that way He had brain damage, so he was a little loopy, and also had severe epilepsy, but he was the sweetest dog ever. I always wondered if he was really just brilliant enough to convince everyone he had a screw loose, because he could get into more trouble than any dog I've ever had! Don't know how old he was, but we had him for 10 years, and he was estimated to be 4 or 5 when we found him. He only lived another 6 weeks after Sadie dies... it seemed he couln't live without her.

Sophie: Soph was diagnosed with autoimmune hymolitic anemia shortly after we took he in. She had 18 good months after that, until the drugs she had to take to control it cause an aortic clot. She was only a few years old, and I still cry when I think about her.

Mama Cat: Thusly named for the condition we found her in We don't know how old she was either, but we had had her for 17 years. This tough old girl had, and recovered from 3 strokes in her old age. Her kidneys finally gave out in the end.

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of Oscra, my other kitty. He was pretty feral when we took him in, and even though he got used to us, he ran from cameras (and other people, and cats, and dogs, and noises ) He was only 13, but developed lymphoma.

 

[deliza]

The wonderful thing about animals is that they sense us in all of our moods and conditions. It always amazed me that Sheba and the cats who will chase each other all over the house, never play around mom. They are gentle with her, even Scotty the cat who loves to bite toes! that's a real eye opener if you happen to be asleep with a foot hanging over the bed!8-o

I have a book shelf about a foot below the cieling in my bedroom. Isabella has been known to get up there, then dive bomb ontop of you in you sleep. Talk about a rude awakening at 2:00 am.

And that sensing conditions can backfire if you put a little evil genius behind it. My mother is morbidly afraid of snakes..... so therefore when she dog sits, Moxie usually manages to scroung one up for her in the yard to drop on her feet He has never done this to anyone else