Hello Janis.  
    
    regarding Old girl... >  
    
  > The last couple of times I've visited I've noticed that she has lost a  
  > substantial amount of weight. She's now at 6.25lb, down from 10 or  
  > so lb.  On the last visit I decided to take her to the vet I used to  
  > use there; took her in and sure enough, they still had records on her  
  > from over 10 years ago.  
    
   JK> That must have been a relief.  Great that the doc kept the records.  
   JK> :)  
    
  I was surprised indeed!  Was also surprised that they had her birth date on  
  file.  We projected that she was fairly old; in fact one of the fellows at  
  the  
  old job said he thought she was about 17... He was dead-on.  
    
  > Discovered first off that she's now 17 years 10 months old and has thyroid  
  > problems.  They've prescribed some type of "pen" to put the drug inside her  
  > ears - "transdermal."  
    
  > Do you or anyone else here have any experience with this type of med?  
    
   JK> That's very interesting, I'd never heard of that before.  I'd heard  
   JK> of animals with thyroid problems, but never this 'pen' you mention.  
   JK> And I wonder, why in the ear?  
    
  The ear is about the only place she can't lick and can't paw-clean.  
    
  > My other cat that lives with me is still fairly young, healthy and smart,  
  >although I think he's a bit puppy-like - - when running around  
  >outside he will come running when I whistle for him.  :-)  
    
   JK> That is so neat :)  
    
  Yeah and he's just jumped into my lap while I'm trying to type this, looking  
  all sleepy-eyed and purring his heart out. :)  
    
   JK>  It reminds me of one cat we had, a Maine Coon Cat, who chased  
   JK> q-tips if you threw them :)  He was so funny to watch when he'd  
   JK> carry the q-tips around in his mouth after chasing after them :)  
    
  Neat!  
  >  You've heard of "transgender," well this one's "trans-species."  
  >   
    
   JK> hahaha  He sounds like a great guy.  Think your Christmas Tree will  
   JK> stay UP? :) :)  
    
  It's a miniature and up high... But that might still not stop him!  :)  
    
   JK> I was reading in the news yesterday that  Cornell University's  
   JK> College of Veterinary Medicine here in Ithaca, New York, showed off  
   JK> a litter of  7 puppies born after In Vitro fertilization.  
  {snip}  
    
   JK> http://news.yahoo.com/7-half-pound-mutts-become-first-test-tube-190  
   JK> 347359.html#  
    
   JK> Amazing stuff to me... and incredibly cute puppies :)  
    
  It is and I'm sure they are!  I'm going to copy the URL over to my windoze  
  machine and visit there.  
    
  Best regards,  
  Marc  
    
  ... Now and then someone innocent is sent to the legislature.  
  --- timEd/2 1.10.y2k+  
   * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS-Huntsville,AL-bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)