MuseBlog’s resident veterinarian-in-the-making spent part of her weekend monitoring a sick tiger. You can read details on the Random thread. Photos inside.
Patience, Please
This site is under reconstruction and will look strange for a while. We regret the inconvenience.
Whoa! That’s so cool Luna!
The tiger is HUGE! (Thanks for sending in the pics!)
(And you even look like what I expected! Weird, since that never happens…)
Wow! That is a big Tiger.
But very beautiful. 
Luna, I can’t believe you got to do that! That’s amazing!
Ohhh… it’s so CUTE! I want a pet tiger! First post? (NOT a PoPo)
Um, no, you don’t.
I’m sure Luna will agree that you do not want a pet tiger. People who take tigers home almost always regret it sooner or later.
Sadly, the desire to keep tigers and other exotic animals for pets is one reason that has created the need for sanctuaries. As mentioned in other comments, the animals suffer from inbreeding, poor or erratic care, and multiple other problems. As a museum director, I was given a special behind-the-scenes tour of the local Natural Science Center, and learned how many of the animals there, including tigers, are rescues. Some of the stories of their lives before coming to the NSC are truly heartbreaking.
A different kind of story about the tigers: They have a big area where they can roam and run — it happens to be parallel to a major road. When the tigers first arrived, they “chased” cars that they saw driving by, much to the alarm of the drivers, so a screen had to be installed to prevent traffic accidents. Some people must have thought they were hallucinating!
Yeah, tigers really would not make good pets. For one, they’re wild animals, plus they’re large: Imagine the way your cat (for those who have one) likes to play with you, and think what would happen if your cat weighed hundreds of pounds more than you…..
Plus, since htey are large, they need a large space to run, not a bitty enclosure somewhere. And food. The tigers were getting fed about 6-8 pounds of food that evening when I was there. 6-8 pounds of beef and chicken and pork? That’d cost a heck of a lot…..
The one in the middle is my personal favorite….
All three of the pics were taken after the IV had been removed and the blood drawn from her left hind leg. I was holding her right hind leg (the one on top) back out of the way while the blood was drawn.
After, we got to listen to her heart/breathing for fun, although neither me nor the other pre vet student (who is actually a technician already) could find her heartbeat…..I’m guessing it’s because I, at least, have never listened for it on something this big…
((First post? Is it wrong to troll one’s own thread?))
((I think the fact that you didn’t get first post makes up for it.))
((I’m still amazing how much that matters to people!))
-A
((I think you mean “amazed”? And what’s amazing: How much first post matters, or how much it bugs other people when people go “first post”?))
Wow, Luna. That’s amazing!
You’re so lucky…
Have you heard anything more about the tiger’s condition? It sounded very serious. And I understand that many of these rescued tigers have numerous health problems from inbreeding and improper care.
I haven’t heard anything new, but my understanding from Saturday was that she was improving. Of course, depending on the amount of damage to the kidneys, renal failure isn’t something that can actually be recovered from, because the renal tissue doesn’t repair/regrow. I think one of the full-time volunteers there said that treatment would extend her life maybe 6 months to 2 years, but I could be wrong on those numbers.
As for preexisting health problems, this particular tiger was found at a puppy mill last year, and was malnourished and parasitic, with various other problems. I believe they said that she is arthritic, has muscle problems/difficulty walking, and they also said that she had been declawed on all four feet.
The weight estimate I posted on the random thread would seem to be a fair bit off–looking at the website for the sanctuary it would appear that she is in the 300-400 pound range. Although I’d thought they’d said she was bigger than that….I’m not sure. *shrug*
*drools* Tiger…. *drools* Big tiger…
COOL!
That’s awesome, Luna.
Awesome, Luna! But you don’t look like how I picture you at all…
Aw, the poor tiger… I feel so bad…
Hope the tiger improves…because I like tigers…
And Luna, you’re so pretty! And pretty much EXACTLY like how I imagined you! *goes into shock*
Aw, thanks.
Same! I never guess people the way they look, but I pretty much expected Luna to look like the way Luna looks.
I also hope the tiger improves…she’s so beautiful. (You and the tiger.
)
Agrees entirely with P_M, odd since that (having someone look the way I imagined, not the agreeing w/ P_M bit) absolutely NEVER happens.
Oh, and in relation to the “Blog Siblings” thread, I am definately NOT related to you though.
Shame, I wish i were….
Well, considering I don’t have any female cousins that are younger than me (I do have a couple older ones)…..I rather figured as much.
But yes, it would be flamablamablous if we were related.
Luna’s hair is a slightly different color than I pictured it…
Wow! Impressive! I also hope the tiger improves.
Woah. The tiger is small than I imagined, but still very beautiful. I hope it gets better.
Jesucristo, that’s ridiculously fantastical! Wow, Luna! Congrats on a) opportunity to do that, b) courage to do that, and c) success in doing that! Yayitude!
If I were to say that I felt absolutely no fear whatsoever being in the enclosure with the tiger (it was sedated…) and absolutely no fear touching it, would you think I was completely insane? Because, really, I didn’t feel any fear at all. Not even a smidge. And I would have loved to have helped feed the other tigers (which consisted of shoving meat through a small opening at the front of their outdoor enclosures, straight into their awaiting mouths….) but since I’m not a volunteer there, it would ahve been a liability issue, so they wouldn’t let me. Too bad. I really wanted to, and also would have loved to have petted one of the fully awake tigers (one of the people who volunteers there regularly pet one through the fencing on one of the enclosures)…..*ponders* Yeah, I don’t think my fear impulse functions properly. Spiders, dark, and heights trigger it, but ginormous kitty cats who could shred me if they wanted? Nah.
If it was heavily sedated, I don’t think I’d feel too much fear either. So no, you’re not insane. Not in that way, at least.
Yeah, she was pretty heavily sedated. Although we were warned that they were still working on getting the correct balance of sedatives, and that she would sometimes wake up, stagger around groggily than lay back down….Sadly, though, that didn’t happen when I was actually in the enclosure with (or even in the same room…..). I’d really wanted to see that.
When I read that, I thought it said:
If I was heavily sedated, I don’t think I’d feel too much fear either.
Me too! *failage*
Dun, dun, da-da, da dun, dun, da-da– I wanna be sedated! Dun, dun, da-da, da dun, dun, da-da– I wanna be sedated! Twenty, twenty, twenty four hours to go… I wanna be sedated! Nothing to be, nowhere to go-o-o, I wanna be sedated!
Just had to put that in there.
Wow… That’s so cool. Touching a real live tiger? Amazing… *can’t think of something more original to say*
That’s so cool/sad! I hope the tiger’s condition improves. It’s sad that people treat wildlife that way.
I remember when I still used to volunteer at my zoo, we have tigers and elephants that were maltreated and abused after they were taken from the wild. My school was part of a group that was working to aid tigers in the wild or taken from their natural setting that needed medical attention or just some TLC. As I recall, we had a thread like that a long time ago.
Great Job Luna!
Noooo! Not the elephants! I love elephants…
Wow Luna, that is so incredible!
Okay “stalking” one of the volunteers at the sanctuary on FB (well, it’s not really stalking, I friended him….He’s prevet, too):
They have “gotten her kidneys jumpstarted again,” but she is still groggy and not awake. She is peeing now, but not drinking any water. Also, she is apparently anemic and has a bacterial inficetion. They’re still giving her fluids/antibiotics. He feels that “if we can pull her out of this stupor somehow that we can get her well,” but has no ideas on how….
Ohhh, that poor tiger…why do people want to hurt tigers??! I mean…a tiger?! Haven’t they ever read Calvin and Hobbes?
Wow. Poor tiger, though…
Wow. That’s amazing, Luna!
Although Rosebud is right, that kinda sucks for the tiger
“…she fought hard all her life but this time it was just too much for her. She has gone to a better place…”
Oh no. Very sad.
*cries*
I am so mad at the people who took that tiger and made her condition worse!! How could you do that to such an animal?!?!? Rarrgh! It’s all Mr. Joe’s fault.
Oh no… *sobs*
Sucky old Mr. Joe.
I just looked at the pictures, that was a beautiful tiger. Whenever I see one all I think of is Hobbes, and his cuddly, occasionally vicious and slightly cynical furry grin.
I’m really sorry, the smileys, or, in this case, sobbies, can’t express feelings, so just pretend I copied every nice thing written in the last 5 posts and put them in this one. I’d swear at the people that did that to her if I could, but I’m sure the tiger (not to mention the GAPAs) wouldn’t like that very much. This sounds really freaking cheesy, but our thoughts are with that fuzzy tiger.
*sob sob sob*
Blame that guy with the green face!
I’m sorry, Luna. Given that every living thing must die, one could do worse than to die like a tiger.
Wow, Luna, wow. That is just so… brave… wow. I mean, I know it probably couldn’t hurt you, given that it’s sick, but I’d seriously freak out, and there you are completely calm…
I suppose I should be glad that I live in Singapore as opposed to Nepal or somewhere. I think Singapore’s last tiger was shot around 1930.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Luna, that’s so sad!
Oh goodness. I’m so sorry Luna. Losing an animal that you’ve loved is always hard, but one that you rescued and tried to help…. *virtual hug and choklit*.
I want to be a vet too, but happy endings are so much better.
I actually only spent the one day there helping with the tiger, so I didn’t get that attached to her. I mean, it’s still sad, but….Not like it must be for the people who have worked/volunteered at the sanctuary for awhile.
but, yes, happy endings are always nice when they happen.
I suppose I’m just overly sentimental. I get attatched to every animal I’ve ever heard. I was even crying over this tiger.
For me, as horrible as it sounds, euthanasias/animals not making it, really doesn’t affect me that much. I mean, obviously I’m not happy, but unless I had grown really attached to the animal, it just….is. I can honestly only think of one time that I was strongly affected, and that was when we euthanized a very, very sweet cat that I had pet-sat for about a month, earlier that same summer. ((And, of course, when my own dog died, I cried for ages….))
Urgh, that makes me sound cold and callous….
I think you’d have a difficult time being a vet if you were engulfed with emotions every time an animal didn’t pull through or had to be euthanized in a job where that is bound to happen all too often. Pursuing a career with the aim of caring for animals — not to mention the fact you’ve already put in many hours of animal rescue — doesn’t sound cold and callous to me. Actions speak louder than sentiment.
*hugs*
Those are exactly the reasons I now want to be a marine biologist instead of a vet. I get way too attached to animals. *sniffle*
Oh my gosh Luna, I feel horrible about that. There’s nothing else we can do, but pat your back and give choklit* *does exactly that*
Oh…
I’m sorry she didn’t make it.
What a beautiful creature though, I’m glad you got a chance to work with her for even a little bit.
So am I–it was an incredible experience, even if it didn’t turn out well…
I’m so sorry, Luna.
Oh, my God, that’s so sad. I’d prepare a eulogy, but that would make me feel over-obsessed.
The poor thing. I’m so sorry.
I’m getting Life of Pi vibes here.
Awwww… so cute. *dies* I want to hug him incredibly badly. I would have posted this earlier, except the school computers don’t show the images.
I’m so sorry!
That is awful news Luna, but it is still so amazing that you were given the chance to work with such a beautiful creature.
Still, it angers me how people can be so cruel to creatures like these.
You are soooo lucky to have an experience like that!
Uhm, so I sort of like, idolize you now… *coughcoughthatwassortaawkwardcoughcough*
*blushes*
Oh, there I go again… Providing the awkwardness…
That was not very nice Ducky…
Yes, idolize the tiger-lady! No, just kidding. Really though, Luna, that’s amazing. I’d never be brave enough to get within a 30-foot radius of any tiger, even a sick one. Anyway, Beedle’s right on both counts: the idolizing, which I’m sure we’re ALL doing, and the awkwardness. That seems to be abound here on the blog.
And, uh (my turn for the awkwardness) Luna, is your Gravatar a…..Port-A-Potty?
It’s a police box. sort of like a phone booth. More specifically, it’s the TARDIS, the Doctor’s space/time travel ship, whose Chameleon Circuit jammed and is stuck as police box, instead of taking an inconspicuous shape/form for wherever it happens to land. The Doctor being the Doctor from Doctor Who, a super awesome BBC sci-fi show.
Or Port-A-Potter, more appropriately for you, Luna.
Sorry, cheesy pun. Couldn’t resist.
*snork*
I always thought it was a mailbox. But now that you guys mention it, yes, it does look like a Port-A-Potty.
*dies from laughing*
Yes. Luna’s gravatar is a Port-A-Potty.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Okay, had to get that out.
It does look like a Port-A-Potty though, especially if you’ve never seen Doctor Who.
Yeah. I kept thinking “Why does Luna have a Port-a-Potty gravatar?”
O.o
I knew it was Tardis.
And I’ve never seen Doctor Who.
Luna- the other day I was listening to my moms favourite comedy/news podcast. They were saying something about Doctor Who. My first thought- John Barrowman!
Again, I’ve never seen Doctor Who, or anything related to it. *glares at Luna-who-has-corrupted-my-mind*
Corrupting minds is my goal in life.
*is very proud of her corrupted fireh*
XD
I’m sure I had a bit to do with it.
That may be true. Who knows?
My mom immediately recognized it as the TARDIS
Good.
I like your mom.
What’s life without a little awkwardness? Dreadfully boring, I’d imagine.
*laughs*
*laughs along*
Oh, of course. It really DOES look like a Port-A-Potty, though. [awkward] It’s even that same slightly-sick shade of blue, that glows on the inside, traps the smell and makes you feel like you’re suffocating. [/awkward]
And are phone booths blue?
Never seen Doctor Who (Who’s that? Who’s on first, Who’s Next, Who Dealt That, What’s on second, Whoooo are you? Who who, who who?)
but I agree with the “Port-A-Potter” thing
Unless it’s British. Then it makes sense. My fried thought my Grav was a man with a discus. I’m like, “Noooo…it’s a GUN, and that’s Jack Bauer. Can’t you SEE?”
The TARDIS appears as a police box. A regular phone box would be red.
But… the inside of the TARDIS is quite nice. It’s bigger on the inside, after all.
*insert shameless plugging of Dr. Who here*
A book I’m reading described an aspect of mathematics as being like the Tardis.
Really? How? That sounds really interesting.
Yes, it’s British. But the TARDIS, as Lady B stated, is a Police Box, not a regular phone booth. Britain has lovely red phone booths. And lovely red double decker tour buses….and I was just about to say that has no bearing on DW whatsoever, but then I recalled that I am, in fact, mistaken, and a lovely double decker tour bus made an appearance in one of the DW specials a while back….
Teehee. “Doctor Who” isn’t the main character’s name. He’s called “The Doctor”/
It’s so annoying when people who have hardly seen Doctor Who insist that his name is Doctor Who. I have no idea why.
You might cut them some slack — I read that even the show’s own credits used to list the character as “Doctor Who.” I believe it was David Tennant who asked that the name be corrected. Some of the other Whophiles out there might know for sure.
True. What is a Whophile?
Someone who loves Doctor Who. Phile comes from Philia, which means “love” in Greek.
Ah. Yes. *feels stupid* *headdesk*
That’s correct. In the episodes from Classic Who that I’ve been watching, I am now a little ways into season 3 (aired in ’66, I believe), and in the credits it reads:
Dr. Who
William Hartnell
So…..I would say that calling him Dr. Who ought to be forgiven. As for DT being the one to ask for the name to be corrected, I really don’t know.
Oh, goodness. I altered the whole thread, just by spying an inconspicuous Port-A-Potter…I mean, Port-A-Potty.
How does one get British TV shows in the bolly old USA, mate?
Oy, I don’t think-a my library has it.
Try YouTube. Or other video sites
This really isn’t the thread for such inquiries. However, you can find all of Doctor Who (old, and new) via various video hosting locations. A simple google search would almost certainly get you started. (Or just go to surfthechannel/watch-series, those both have it the new ones)
Thanks! I’ll check that out. Hey, Luna, what’s your shirt say; the one in the pictures? I’ve got one the same color, one of those “De-Evolution” shirts, and I’m getting a “You Make Bunny Cry” shirt soon. When I get it, I’ll send in a picture of it on a table or something. It’s really, really, really cute. Got a little cartoon bun-bun (white, not pink) with his paws over his eyes, crying.
(\||||||/) C’est moi – Zack.
(=’.’=)
(”)_(”)
Oh, no, the shirt’s not anything like that. It’s a freebie I picked up when the had a fire prevention thing (with free pizza!) on campus. Although, really, the fact that they were burning down a full-size replica of a dorm room to demonstrate how fast one burns may have been a wee bit more of a draw than the free pizza. But, really, top free pizza *and* fire.
*digs shirt out of the very bottom of her laundry hamper, as she has not done laundry in, um, a month*
It reads:
it’s more than
*pictures of stick figures illustrating words below*
stop, drop & roll