No, we don't sell that here.

Welcome to my blog, here you will find the day to day struggles of working in a local pet store (flanked on either side by the two biggest pet chains in the country), interesting/helpful pet related posts, and anything else I decide to throw at you. (DO NOT ASK ME TO DIAGNOSE YOUR SICK ANIMAL. I WORK IN A PET STORE SELLING GERBILS FOR THE LOVE OF DOG GO TO A REAL VET I CAN'T HELP YOU I'M SORRY.)

[weavemama]

PLEASE BE CAREFUL FOR ANYONE WHO USES “BLUEBUFFALO” FOR THEIR DOGS!!

[itsalburton]

@k9kesi

[indirispeaks]

And cats.  Blue Buffalo killed @sidneystrange ‘s cat.

[sidneystrange]

THIS THIS THIS!!

I’ve been telling everyone I know for YEARS not to buy Blue Buffalo.

This is the short story:

A few years ago I took my sick cat, Ankh, to the vet. The vet and vet tech asked what I fed her. I told them Blue Buffalo. They looked like I had just told them I fed her razor blades and cyanide. They diagnosed her with pancreatitis and said that nearly all of the cats they’d been seeing lately with pancreatitis were being fed Blue Buffalo.  They gave her medicine and sent her home.  Two days later she had a seizure and died right in my arms. 

The day after she died Hannibal started displaying the same symptoms she had so I panicked hard and took him to the vet.  Got the same meds and the same diagnosis.  Luckily Hannibal survived.

I wish Ankh had survived. She was only ten and the best cat I’ve ever had. Literally the best and five years later I still cry when I think about her.

FUCK BLUE BUFFALO.

[k9kesi]

I don’t know the full story behind the tweets above, but a Google search shows there HAVE been several recalls regarding this brand, especially in 2016. I would absolutely avoid as it is not worth the risk.

[taigas-den]

@ladycyon

[espikvlt]

Good god thank you so much for sharing this because I’ve lately been considering switching to this brand cus it’s supposed to be so much better than all the others but good god what the hell.

[daxondax]

I worked in a vet for a little while and I shit you not, when a dog came in with constant diarrhea they were always eating Blue Buffalo. We changed the food and the dog got better every time. Blue Buffalo is garbage food and never feed it to your pets.

[the-lowz-of-highz]

I’ve never heard of this brand but I love my dog with all of my heart and I’d be broken if I ever accidently fed her this and got her sick (people give me different dog food to try all the time). I’d hate for anyone else to lose their pet also.

[angelbabyspice]

um?? what the fuck? holy FUCK my boyfriend and I were just about to start feeding our cat blue buffalo omg

[thetinytabby]

If you find yourself suddenly needing a TON of money for an emergency vet bill, it can be very stressful! Luckily, there are some things you can do to help your situation. Apply for Care Credit Financial Resources by US State YouCaring Fundraising National organizations that provide financial assistance to pet owners in need Via The Humane Society Website http://www.bigheartsfund.org/ (Heart disease)

http://www.browndogfoundation.org/ (Medications)

http://caninecancerawareness.org/

http://www.catsincrisis.org/

http://www.dccfund.org/  The Dog & Cat Cancer fund

http://www.all-creatures.org/gcm/help-cf.html

http://www.imom.org/

http://www.joshualouis.org/

http://www.themagicbulletfund.org/ (cancer specific)

http://themosbyfoundation.org/ (dog specific)

http://www.onyxandbreezy.org/

http://www.paws4acure.org/

http://www.thepetfund.com/

http://www.petsofthehomeless.org/ (assistance for homeless)

https://www.riedelcody.org/ (cancer specific)

http://www.redrover.org/

http://www.rosesfund.org/

http://www.shakespeareanimalfund.org/

http://www.topdogfoundation.org/ (senior dog specific)

I know from personal experience that this is THE WORST! Stay positive if you can, because things can work out. Personally, I applied for Care Credit and did a fundraiser through YouCaring. There are other options out there too! (also a reminder that we only signal boost and donate to certified non-profits, so we can’t help individuals in those ways, but I hope this post helps out because I know how difficult this can be!)

[mostlycatsmostly]

SIGNAL BOOOOOST

[why-animals-do-the-thing]

Please don’t ever put off taking your pets to the vet when it’s necessary because you can’t afford it. There are options. 

[unregistered-hypercam2-deactiva]

[dumbpetstorecustomers]

Okay You Can Put that in a Bowl

I realized I’ve never shared what may be my favorite story from working in pet care. (If I have, just play along and pretend this is the first time you’ve heard it.)

A dad and his kid (about 8 years old) come in to the fish section, looking for a “cheap” pet, bowl in hand. You know where this is likely going. Of course they ask about the goldfish, and I give my usual spiel about goldfish needing an actual huge tank or pond. AND THEY BOTH LISTEN. WHAT. The dad tells the kid they’ll just need to save up for a pet they can afford.

Well the kid still really wants *some*  kind of pet, he doesn’t care what it is. After a few seconds his eyes wander to our cricket bins, and he gets really excited.

“Dad, can I have a pet cricket? Please!” He turns to me, “Can I put a cricket in a bowl?”

Trying not to laugh, I tell him sure, but the cricket will probably jump/crawl out if there’s no lid, so I take them over to the kritter keepers and explain, I dunno, general cricket care.

The dad is a really good sport about this, and so they buy a kritter keeper, some decor for the cricket to climb on, and those water crystals, on the condition that I sell them a nice quiet female cricket. Probably $15 on the luckiest feeder cricket ever.

I wish him and his pet cricket the best.

[kai-ni]

Shut the fuck up this is cute

[crocutacritters]

I'm back! Sorry about the unintentional hiatus (forgetting this exists for six months) I'll be more active from now on

[fuck-customers]

I work at a pet store and it's absolutely insane the amount of parents that will be about to buy an animal they aren't prepared to take care of, or that is an ill fit for their kid, or fish that can't live in their tank, and when you try to help them by explaining why it's not a good idea, they look at you and go "well I promised my kid they could have it." GROW A BACKBONE AND PARENT YOUR CHILD. Sometimes you admit you were wrong and tell them they can't have it after all.

[myfishers]

[bunkerlad-moved-blog]

EXPANSION PACK: 

[zooophagous]

I am in physical pain

[andonehyena]

Happy Black Cat Appreciation Day! Here we see Raven in her natural habitat, in the way of whatever you are trying to do.

[mad-hare]

Myxomatosis in America

Myxomatosis is an endemic disease found in wild European rabbits. Rabbit owners in the UK have been aware of this for years, and in the UK pet rabbits are vaccinated against it. Myxo is mainly transmitted via mosquito bite, so outdoor rabbits are more susceptible (but as we all know it’s hard to keep mosquitoes out of your house).

Americans have not had to worry about this disease in the past, but it has now been found in America (likely due to rabbits being imported from the Europe or Australia [where it was introduced intentionally to try and reduce the wild rabbit population]). For now, it has only been seen in California, but it will likely spread across North America over the next few years.

You cannot vaccinate your rabbit against myxomatosis in America as of yet- even though this vaccine is used in the UK there is currently not enough market for drug companies to approve it here. As the disease spreads and pet owners start demanding it, it will likely become available.

Information on symptoms and diagnosis here.

[cloverthebunny]

Please be careful, especially if you live in the area of this outbreak. Let’s try and keep this disease to as few areas of the world as possible.

I’m not necessarily sure that it will “likely” spread across the country. If people at the outbreak site keep infected animals contained safely, it shouldn’t get out of hand. Yes it’s primarily transmitted through mosquitos, but again, if the mosquitos can’t get to an infected host, there shouldn’t be an issue. The virus doesn’t live on inside the mosquito, it is only transported via their mouths. However, anything is possible, so stay safe.

[mad-hare]

There is an ARBA article about Myxo that also states that the wild California Brush Rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani), found in CA and OR, has become a resistant carrier of the disease, so unless we eradicate this species, the disease will persist at least in areas where this rabbit is found. The fact that it has mutated enough to move between two separate genus of rabbit (tame rabbits are genus Oryctolagus) means that, to me at least, it seems quite possible that it will mutate and spread to other wild rabbit species (genus Sylvilagus) across the country, in this form where it can still affect domestic rabbits. The timeline for spread I am talking is not a year or two, but 5, 10, 15 years into the future. For sure it is here to stay in the Western US…

[nyckie]

Are you sure it’s mutated and just not prevalent enough to become an epidemic? (Hey, I can hope..) WELL at least 5 years is enough time to build a screened-in rabbitry ahahahahah ;3;

[cheese24k]

Horded ducks see water for the first time

> That was heart warming, thanks!

> “NOO I DON’T KNOW HOW TO SWIM!!!…. wait, this is built in? well now I feel silly..”

> Who the heck hoards ducks?

> That music was the best.

> Beautiful video, thanks for sharing this gorgeous moment for those ducks.

> Love the way they stop as a group right at the waters edge as if to say “NO THANKS!”

> “Oh wow! I’m like a boat! You guys! Hey! You have to try this! I’m like a boat!”

> I almost skipped watching this because the video isn’t embedded, but the promise of seeing something adorable was just too strong. I wasn’t let down.

[backtobass]

ABBY!

[rheadadoodles]

Hey all! It’s been a long time since I’ve updated here–I’ve been in a cave working away on my second year film! Here it is! It’s about dogs and friendship. 

It was a tough story to crack and a long time in the making, but it was worth it and I learned a lot! Hope you enjoy it! 

[sacred-portal]

[awesome-picz]

This Cat Has The Most Beautiful Eyes Ever.

[minigenos]

@furaitsu

[mockwa]

[wheel-skellington]

like if you would jump in, ignore to hurt their feelings

[andonehyena]

Look at this cutie

[courtneyisawesomeatfish]

Source: http://www.beatricebiologist.com/2016/05/dont-get-dory/

[glueandpieces]

You wanna ‘keep’ a Dory-fish?

Preserve their habitat, so your grandkids can see Dory-fish too.