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Pet Stories

This is a place to share your Tears of Joy pet stories about your cat and dog. Do you have great cat stories, or great dog stories, or maybe you have a bird, or a more exotic pet, or maybe just a gold fish. If you have a story about them, share it. Share your funny dog pictures and tell the story behind the picture. Pets can do some pretty funny things. Also if you have information you would like to share about a pet or about animals that would help pet owners, feel free to share that too.

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Honey Bun 

I have a yourkiepoo that is I think...almost five. Her name isHoney Bun. She doesn't get her name from her personality. She gets her name from two reasons;

1) Because of her off-gold yellow and dark-carmel brown color,

2) And when I'd go to my grandmothers house, and when she'd get up to do something, my dog would jump-up onto the coffie table and STEAL my grandmothers Honey Buns.

Honey's a real coward!!! If a stranger comes up, she'll stand two or three feet away and bark. And bark and bark and bark and bark and BARK.
Contributed by Mary Lou
Center, Missouri

King of the Backyard 

I am the king of my backyard . My job is to defend my kingdom from the trespassers. My first defense is to bark. I bark at the bikers who ride through our front yard. I bark at the dogs that smell our front lawn. I bark at the leaves that fall into our backyard and the squirrels that jump on the tree to make the leaves fall into our backyard. My second defense to guard my kingdom is to send my lazy knight Kuma, to help me chase the intruders out of our yard. Most of the time, Kuma just looks at me and thinks I am crazy. Sometimes, he even ignores me and goes back to his kennel to sleep.

So I am a lonely king who works hard to protect my property and family. During the night , I bark to scare the impostors away from our house. Usually, twenty minutes into my loud and mighty bark, the superior beings (the humans) will try to stop me. They will tell me to go back to my kennel. However, I am determined to protect my family. I am the king of my backyard, and it is my destiny to guard my family from harm. I continue to bark and chase the enemies away and the superior beings continue to overrule my decisions.

Superior Auntie Becky told Superior mommy that I am a dog with mental disorder, which is why I cannot stop barking. This is not true at all. I know what NO barking means. Even though the superior mommy always asks me "Tiger, what part of 'NO' don't you understand", and Auntie Becky always adds, "The 'N-O' part," the fact is, I know what 'NO' means. When mommy says it, it is always mean and demanding. I obey! I always stop what I am doing and behave. It is just that after 10 seconds, the word "NO" comes in my right ear, travels through my brain, and "poof" it busts out my left ear and disappears .

Then, all I remember is, "I am the king of the backyard again." My fate in life is to alert my people when trespassers come close to our land. I think I am making the right judgments, however, why are my decisions always being overruled by the superior beings? Regardless of what the superior beings think, I know I am the rightful king of my kingdom. I will continue to bark loudly and clearly to scare the intruders away from my territory no matter how many times I have been overruled!
Contributed by
Sherla
Carmichael, California

I taught my birds to tweet on twitter

Cathie Dodd
Tears of Joy Video   

 Bears

Ever since I met my husband some 30 years ago, we have loved camping and, being surrounded by nature. Our dream was to move from Fort Lauderdale Florida to Naples Florida, where we could own acreage and live amongst the natural surroundings. We finally reached our dream 6 years ago. We bought 5 wooded acres in Golden Gate Estates in Naples Florida. We love it here. We see white tailed deer, wild turkeys and, black bears walk through our property all the time. In fact, it makes my day exciting when I get to see one of these animals.

When we first moved here I put out a bird feeder for our new feathered friends. Little did I realize I would attract all kinds of animals. One day our feeder attracted 7 black bears. Not all at one time mind you, they took turns. A mother and her two cubs came to eat. Mama knocked the birdfeeder down in fact so her little ones could eat. The same day we saw a mother and her two older cubs, almost as big as she was. Then a lonely bear came through to scarf up a free meal. When I realized this was attracting the bears, I got a little scared so consequently removed the birdfeeder from our yard.

When the bears are around you can hear them walking in the woods. They are very noisy as they come through. We watched this particular bear as he was feasting on wild grapes. I guess he had taken all the ones within his reach when he began to climb the tree in our front yard to get more. I immediately went and got my camera. There I stood, the black bear only 20 feet away as I took a movie of him climbing the tree. His back feet would try out each branch as he went further up the tree. It was an amazing site and, one that I was glad to get on video.

Black bears are my favorite animal. Yes, they have come by when I was out in the garden. I found that if I hollar at them, they will turn around and mosey in a different direction. It is so interesting to live here, out of the city and in with nature. You never know what you might see each day which, keeps my life exciting.

When my grandchildren come down I ask them if they want to go to the zoo. They say, "Grandma, you have just as many interesting animals in your backyard, why would we want to go to the zoo?" In fact, two of my grandsons were here one year when we got to see a Florida Panther. We were all so excited.
Since I live far from town, I started two on line business, both featuring secure shopping. I love working at home, meeting new customers and, placing orders for them. You will find my stores on line, come on in and visit.http://www.cherylsgifts2go.com http://www.cherylsgifts2go.net

Of course you will find many nature themes for decorating your home, because I love them so much but, you will also find many other fine products in both of my secure on line stores.
Cheryl
Naples, FL

My Dogs

I am writing to share my story for one reason: It may help others.

I left Ohio when I was 21 to pursue a career in acting. I ventured off to Los Angeles and ended up in the casino business for 15 years. I became the first female supervisor on the floor at the Bicycle Casino. Yes, the glamorous life, but also a very dysfunctional life. That, however, is a completely different story.

My nightmare began in 2003. I was in my prime and very physically fit, even though I had mild allergies  and occasional asthma symptoms. During a routine checkup, my pulmonologist told me that I had enlarged lymph notes. He sent me to a specialist who told me that I had either lymphoma or HIV. The doctor ordered blood tests for HIV. Results: HIV negative. So she said it had to be lymphoma and I went to a specialist who removed several axillary lymph nodes. Results: no lymphoma. So I had four lymph nodes removed for no reason.

A few months later, I developed a rash on my right arm. I went to a dermatologist. Diagnosis: stress. The rash spread and spread. Soon I was covered. Next doctor, next diagnosis: scabies, a highly contagious skin condition caused by tiny mites that burrow into your skin. Seven rounds of treatment for scabies, I also bleached my house, had my dogs "dipped" and burned some of my clothing. But I still had the rash. The next doctor  said I had an allergic reaction toscabies and injected me with cortisone. Still no relief. My boyfriend never got the rash, so I was skeptical that I had scabies.

After a year, my face began to swell so severely that my eyes swelled shut. I was prescribed 80 milligrams of prednisone, an oral corticosteroid, which I took for almost two years. Little did I know that prolonged used of prednisone  can weaken your immune system. I developed impetigo (which caused more swelling in my face), MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)on the outside of my legs (the doctor said "Make sure you don't cut yourself - if this gets in your bloodstream, you'll die") and mononucleosis. My dermatologist had me take baths with a quarter cup of bleach every other day to prevent further skin infections. I wasn't allowed to work because I looked so bad, plus I was sick a lot.
There were more trips to the emergency room and more doctors. I was even taken to grand rounds at the University of Southern California. Still, they had no idea what was wrong with me. I gave up on LA, sold most of my stuff, left a great job and the love of my life, packed up the dogs and headed back home to Ohio. I had to be with my family and try one last time to get an answer. At the suggestion of a relative, I went to the Cleveland Clinic. There I met my heroes: dermatologist Jacob Dijkstra, MD, and allergist David Lang, MD.

I first saw a doctor in the infectious disease ward at the Cleveland Clinic. He said I didn't have an infectious disease and sent me to dermatology, where Dr. Dijkstra told me it was eczema! Finally I knew what was causing my face to swell beyond recognition. He gave me a prescription for a cream that cost $29 and got my face back to normal.

Dr. Lang was concerned about my worsening asthma and suspected that allergies  were at the bottom of my problems. He tested my blood for IgE antibodies - the molecules in your immune system that cause allergic responses. The results showed IgE levels of 9,000. Normal is 140, abnormal is 500. I was in the top 3 percent of the world population!

I tested allergic to dust mites, pollen and dogs. Great--I just started a business in Ohio related to dogs. More importantly, what about my dogs?! I could not give them up. Dr. Lang said he'd work with me to find a solution.

I followed Dr. Lang's instructions to reduce my exposure to allergens. I bought new mattress sets with dust mite covers, replaced my fabric sofa with leather and began vacuuming at least twice a week with a HEPA-filter vacuum. He also recommended that I get a dehumidifier. The dogs stay out of my bedroom and I wash them frequently - despite their protests!

Dr. Lang also suggested a new drug called Xolair® (omalizumab), a medication used to treat allergic asthma. He told me that Xolair is normally recommended for people with IgE levels much lower than mine-between 30 and 700. Even though there was no clear evidence about using Xolair within my IgE range, he wanted to try giving me the maximum approved dose. He thought that it might be effective because my asthma was poorly controlled and he thought that allergies  were playing a major role in my asthma. I've been on Xolair for two years now, and it's amazing how much it's helped me!

After five years of struggling with my health and financial ruin, I am finally starting to succeed. My all-natural dog biscuit company - including biscuits for dogs with allergies! - has orders from several Whole Foods Markets and I'm working on more. Since I was fortunate enough to finally get help with my health situation, I decided to give something back: I donate $.10 of each order to patient advocacy.

My advice to other patients: Never give up! And get a second, even sixty-fifth, opinion when it comes to your health. It's been a long struggle for me, but there are doctors out there who care. No matter what you do, keep going.
Lisa
Aurora, Ohio
http://bowwowgifts.com

 My Goldfish

Once again
I've got to say
I am fascinated by
the remarkable simplicity
in the lower and
unobtrusive creatures
I am speaking specifically
of my companion
the Goldfish
Who dwells in a tapwater,
not often cleaned
bowl beside my bed.
I have frequently overlooked
this creature
and more frequently
become incensed
at the lack of purpose
if you would dare to call it, life
of this finned and foil wrapped aqua bat.
Never the less, I must render him respect
for he must know something I have yet to learn
I have yet to learn contentment.
He has no where to go and certainly no diversions
except the daily sprinkling of his granular meal
but he hasn't stopped swimming over it.
Perhaps my little roommate knows nothing better
than his routine of solo swims
but then, I know better
and still have yet to know
the contentment that keeps him alive despite my neglect
Maybe I should watch you closer little fish.
By Julie Wilkerson
Tears of Joy Video 

Oscar the Cat

I have been a pet sitter for decades. To many of us, our pets are very much a part of our family. People have always trusted me with their pets because I understand their reluctance to leave pets behind when they leave town.

I had one friend that would bring his cat to my house when he went out of town. Oscar was a beautiful, diabetic tabby, 12 years old, when I first started babysitting him.

I was a little nervous at first because I had to give him two insulin shots twice a day. Oscar was so good about his shots. He would eat, and watch me get his shot ready. I would sit on the couch and wait for him. He would come and sit by my side and sit quietly while I gave him his shot. Then I would pet his tummy for a while. It was quite extraordinary.

Oscar's dad got engaged and his fiance was allergic to Oscar. He asked me many times if I would take Oscar and I refused. I am single and taking him full time would put a real kink in my social life due to the daily shots, not to mention, I would not be able to pet sit anymore.

I was so in love with Oscar and it was very hard each time he asked me. Soon, the fiance kept threatening to put Oscar down and it became a dire issue. One day when his dad came to pick him up, he pleaded with me once again to take Oscar. At this point, I knew I had to take him in order to save his life. I said yes, and his dad cried.

That day, Oscar's dad left empty handed and Oscar became my cat. I know it deeply hurt Oscar's dad to leave him, but he knew I would take great care of Oscar.

My life changed dramatically after taking Oscar. My life became dedicated to him. I was home every morning and evening.

There were many trials after I took Oscar. His teeth had been infected and all of his teeth had to be pulled. This in turn, affected the amount of insulin he needed as his mouth started to heal. He was such a trooper.

When I made the decision to take him, I thought I was saving him. As time passed, I realized that he gave me so much joy and love, that he really was giving me more than I was giving him.

He loved to be held like a baby and liked to be rocked. We would watch TV as I rocked him. When I worked on the computer, I would hold him and type with one hand. He would wrap his arms around my neck and rest his head on my shoulder. I was so blessed to feel his love everyday.

After two years, it became harder and harder to regulate his insulin. It was jumping all over the place. There were many days he would have to spend the day at the vet to be tested. He was always so brave.
The day came that I had dreaded since the day I took him into my home. I had to put him down.

I didn't know if I could emotionally handle it. My neighbor drove us to the vet one last time. I finally came to the conclusion that I owed it to Oscar to have him in my arms as he took his last breath.
Oscar was the angel sent to me. He opened my heart up to so much love that sometimes I felt I would just burst. I will remember him always and am so thankful he was a part of my life.
Kat
http://www.netpetmarket.com

Totally Tortoise

I bet I'm the only one who will write about having a human pet! That's because I'm probably the only nonhuman who has her own computer. Other nonhumans have human pets, but it's hard for them to tell their stories because although humans insist that we learn their language, they don't do a very good job of learning ours.

So here's the story of my human...
Her name is Audrey and she's "a lady of a certain age." She was already pretty old when we got together.
She teaches human kids, edits writing for humans, and builds Web sites.
She is a sorry-looking sort of pet. She has no shell or scales. She doesn't even have much hair except on her head -- but then that's true of most humans.

The best thing about her is that she has an Internet connection and she helps me build my Web site. Although I have my own computer, I have no Internet connection, so I need a human to get me online.
She's pretty easy to look after. She finds her own food. She even brings me treats from time to time. She stays in her own room at night and she is house trained.

On the down side, she can't seem to learn any tortoise tricks. My Uncle Jon made a great tortoise dancing video for me, but Audrey can't do the tortoise dance to the music. The video is on my Web site, and you can go there to see it. If you are a human, you probably won't be able to do the tortoise dance, either, but if you have a tortoise, maybe your tortoise will dance to the music.

I recommend that animals think long and hard before getting a human. They have their good points, especially when it comes to the Internet and food, but they are not as smart as most animals I know. (Well, they are as smart as cats. You can see a video about that on my Web site, too.) But on the whole, you should think before you get involved with a human on a long term basis.
Keep it slow and steady
Shelly
http://www.totallytortoise.com

We Drove to Tucson

Contributed by Asa
http://www.asagauen.com