Owning a pet is like training for parenthood
A dog is like a kid who never grows up. He depends on you for everything. You provide food and water, and you pick up his shit. You take him to the vet and give him his medicine. He doesn’t know what’s good for him or what’s bad for him, until it happens to him.
Since Snoop had the surgery, the waiting for the lab analysis results of his lump is especially hard. The past few days I’ve gone from worrying to optimism, and back to worrying again. I find myself drifting with random thoughts at home and at work.
What if it is cancer and it has spread to other parts of his body?
What if amputating his paw wouldn’t save him?
But he’s been fine all this time, if it’s cancer surely he would have shown signs of being ill?
Should the lump have been removed earlier? Should I have insisted that the vet operate even thought he didn’t suggest it at the time?
As a result, self-doubt and melancholia have set in occasionally. This must be like what parents go through when their children go through a major illness. Or when they go out alone with friends. Or when they first get their license and drive. Or when they first started having sex. Is this what my parents went through - the constant worrying?
So why do we do it? The most obvious answer is unconditional love and the satisfaction in watching them grow and be healthy. At least that’s what I feel it is with pets and young children anyway. I’m not too sure about teenagers. 
8 Responses to “Owning a pet is like training for parenthood”
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i believe that we should give our pets the best we could.
i miss my dogs!
I hope Snoop will be alright. He is so fortunate to have such a loving owner! Don’t you worry too much.
I feel that no matter wat happens, Snoop is happy to be in the family. He had a much better life than most of his kind. He knew it. Rite Snoop.
Snoop lost a paw? poor thing.
hope everything goes well.
you’re right the worst thing about these situations is the uncertainty while waiting for diagnosis. once you know, even if its the worst case at least you’ve got an action path to focus on.
Totally understand what you are going through there. My dogs are like my babies and when one of them was diagnosed with a heart murmur we worried about it. Now the murmur is not so bad and he is having a great life. They are like children and I feel like I am getting practice for when the 2 legged variety come along. A BIG get well queeze to Snoop!
charsiew: that’s why I think they are good training for parenthood.
white dahlia: thanks for the kind thoughts!
lupin: yeah true that.
rob: well, the vet did prepare me for the possibility of amputation. I will have more details later in the day. And yeah, having an action plan is better than uncertainty.
babyviolette: yeah definitely very good practice, and thanks for the well wishes!
OMG!
That was why bacon got me a hamster! To train me to be responsible
:/
Sometimes I feel like 7 and not 27.
hope snoop’s doing well
sourrain: good timing, updating with a post as we speak.