#I went to vet school for a few years but also my family rescues abandoned animals since I was a little kid

[mammalidentifier]

Do you know if male mules typically have nipples?

I wasn’t sure and I also couldn’t find a straight answer for that (I’m surprised at how little information there is on animal nipples online. Doesn’t anyone get curious about random topics like this?) so I went down a little rabbit hole and resorted to looking at images and watching videos of male mules being gelded, heh.

Well, what I can tell you is that none of the mules I saw during this brief research had nipples! Of course, the conclusion here isn’t that male mules never have them, since it was a small sample size. But there’s a possibility they might favor their horse half on this aspect!

[xxdragonwriterxx]

I was tagged by the amazing @nefelimalfoy, thank you for the tag! I hope I’m doing this right, I’m still pretty new to the mechanics of Tumblr so we’re just gonna roll with it and hope this is how it works 😂. I made this on a new one to save space but I decided to do this tag because I figured it’d be a good way for you guys to get to know me since I don’t have an About Me page. Either way, thanks again, and here are my answers!

Named after someone? Yes actually! My name is Morgan and I was named after my mother’s maiden name because they wanted to give me a unisex name so I could be whoever I wanted to be, and that name just happened to work really well. It’s still my grandmother’s name so we always have fun calling each other by my name for fun. My mom also just really loved that name, even when she was a teenager, and wanted to call her child that in the future anyway, so here I am!

Last time you cried? The last time I cried was about three weeks ago. We recently moved several states away from my friends and family and I’m having a hard time adjusting since I didn’t really want to live in this particular state in the first place, coupled with leaving everyone, it’s been a little tough for me. Nothing significant, sometimes I just miss my friends 😊.

Do you have any kids? Nope, I’m only 18 so not quite there yet, but I’m hoping to have some in the future! I’d love to have between 2 and 3 but that all depends on what country I live in and the state of the world at the time I’m ready for them. Raising kids is expensive and really hard so I wanna be ready for them. But hopefully they are in my future somewhere!

Do you use sarcasm a lot? I guess I’d say I use it moderately. I love to use it all the time for humor purposes, but in terms of using it for when I’m annoyed, I guess it just depends on how long I am in an annoying situation and who I’m with. It’s my favorite thing to use for jokes but I’d say I use it moderately in terms of genuine use.

Eye color? I have blue eyes! Although they tend to change based on the seasons. In the winter and spring they are more blue and in the spring and summer they are more green, so I guess it kinda depends on the season and temperature.

Favorite book genre? Definitely fantasy but I will honestly read almost anything just so long as the story is interesting. I don’t really have a “least favorite” genre or anything because I tend to judge a book based on it’s story rather than it’s genre. But most of my favorite books of all time come from fantasy, so I’d say that’s my favorite aside from horror and psychological thrillers which are also top tier genres in my book (can’t watch horror movies but could read horror novels any day).

Any special talent? Okay so actually, I do have one talent that would be considered special. I have no idea where it came from or how I learned it, but ever since I was a little kid, I’ve been able to perfectly replicate certain animal sounds (and a few extra ones that aren’t animals too). I can do a dog, cat (both meow and purr), horse, goat, zebra, pig, dove, Golum (from LOTR), Stitch, trumpet, engine from Cruella Devil’s car (I know this is really fucking specific but trust me on this one), dragon growl/purr (think from HTTYD), and Homer Simpson. Again, I have literally no idea how I started, I just know that when I was a kid, I used to bark like a dog and eventually got good at it (according to my mom). Now, I just practice different sounds I want to make until I can completely replicate them. I know it sounds far fetched, but that’s what it is. It’s really fun to shock people with tbh 😂. But I always have to be careful dogs aren’t around when I bark, because I have set off a barking frenzy before 😅.

What country were you born in? I was born in America but I hope to move to Europe shortly after college. I’m looking at somewhere like Scotland or New Zealand but honestly getting to explore Europe will be amazing in itself and I know I’ll find where I want to live as I go along.

What are your hobbies? Well, writing is the obvious one but I don’t just write fanfics. I also write original short stories and I am working on a fantasy novel currently. Aside from writing, I have been riding horses ever since I was 2 years old, riding my first pony on my grandma’s farm. Now I ride and show competitively, showing in the jumper ring with my 17 hand dark bay Thoroughbred, Moose! We jump about a meter 20 (if any of you know equestrian terms/measurements) but we are aiming for the Grand Prix at some point in my life. I also like to wake surf behind a boat on lakes, draw, read books, and listen to music. I also absolutely love classic cars more than anything. It’s my dream to have one one day and fix her up, so while it’s not technically a hobby since I haven’t done it yet and I don’t know much about the mechanics, I do a lot of research and reading up on them, which will hopefully lead to my dream coming true at some point!

Do you have any pets? Oh god, here comes the word vomit. I could talk about my pets for days 😂 but I’ll keep it short. I actually have three dogs currently, two french bulldogs and a street chihuahua (she does not look like a normal chihuahua at all. She is quite a bit larger and has the funkiest ears of any dog ever. She looks like if a weasel, a chihuahua, and a pine marten had a baby) we found abandoned and neglected when I was 9. I also have a horse and my mother has one as well so as a family we have two because both my mom and I ride competitively. My two frenchies are called Herschel and Humphrey, and then the chihuahua is called Ginger. My horse, as mentioned earlier, is named Moose and my mom’s horse (a 17.2 hand Warmblood) is called Rexy. Despite having all little dogs, we used to have two labs whom I loved with all of my heart, so I’m hoping to get big dogs again in the future when I get out of college. My dream dogs are German Shepherds, Pitt Bulls, and Labs, Collies, or Dobermans. Honestly, just any rescue dog will work, but those are the dogs I envision myself having in the future.

What sports do you play/have played? Like I said earlier, I am an equestrian and have been riding for 16 years but when I was younger I went through a bunch of other sports to see  which one I liked the most. Obviously horseback riding ended up winning, but I did try soccer, gymnastics, dance, taekwondo, track, cross country, and wake surfing. Aside from horseback riding, wake surfing was a favorite of mine, and I only stopped when we sold the lake house and boat we had that we would use to surf. But I still love it and hope to try it again sometime! Other than that, I kinda just like exercising in general, so while I don’t do any of this competitively, I like to run occasionally and I ride my bike as much as I can when I have the time.

How tall are you? I am 5’4” or about 163 cm give or take. I am definitely the shortest aside from my mom in both my family in my friend group but I actually like being smaller sometimes. I can officially say I can fit in both a vacation suitcase and a medium sized dog kennel (like for corgis, beagles, etc.).

Favorite subject in school? In high school, my favorite class by far was Vet Med, but I also loved AP Literature. My teacher was the best and reading has always been my strength (rip math). As for my college classes, my favorites are Abnormal Psychology and Creative Writing.

Dream job? Okay realistically, my dream job is Forensic Psychology. Basically a detective with a psychology degree so that you can not only solve cases but also study the criminals behind them. That’s what I am currently going to uni for and what I hope will continue throughout the duration of my college years! I originally wanted to be a Veterinarian more than anything (hence why I took Vet Med in high school), but for a whole magnitude of reasons, I decided against it. I actually worked at a vet clinic for three years during high school and I fucking loved it, but there were just a lot of things that bothered me about the industry (it didn’t have anything to do with the vets themselves, those people are fucking awesome) so I decided it would be for the best if I changed my major. I still fucking love it and I even have an old textbook from when I was going to major in it that I read when I want so I can still stay refreshed on the major injuries and diseases and their cures. I also get some experience with Vet Med since with horses, the owner kinda has to do most of the healing unless it’s something specific like acupuncture, so I take care of all of Moose’s injuries and illnesses in the same way a vet would. If we are talking unrealistic, my dream job would be to train horses in Europe, writing short stories and novels as I travel around the world to train and compete. While I could never support myself with a job like this, horseback riding will always be in my life and I am hoping that my novel will be successful enough to allow me to be an author on the side of my Forensic Psych job!

Thanks again for tagging me, and thank you for reading through my word vomit about my life! In turn, I’m going to tag @mysteriousmagicx for this. Have a nice day!

[lucimorningstar812]

Review of the Decade

From the beginning of 2010 to the very end of 2019, this decade had certainly been a journey that has defined me, for better and for worse. So here’s a list of things I can recall that happened and have brought me to where I am now

Trigger warnings of self harm, suicide and manipulative relationships Also this is VERY long

2010

I went to Thailand for the 2nd time, with my grandparents and mum

I used to use my mum’s Facebook to play games and keep up with friends. She eventually gave me her account and made a new one for herself

I had my Year 6 prom, which I remember being a relationship counsellor for my best friend and her boyfriend while my own boyfriend didn’t even go. There was also an end of year residential trip for year 6 that was one of these adventure centres with abseiling and stuff

I left primary school with pretty decent SATs grades and got into the high school I wanted. Not many people I knew were going, and it was tough at first, but once I started making friends, it became a lot easier

I had my longest relationship (6 months) with said boyfriend I mentioned earlier I’d know for a few years now, and would continue to be friends with throughout high school and into college

I got some stick insects! It was fun to have them for the short time we did. I also kept snails and a caterpillar for a short period of time

2011

My mum had to go into hospital for back surgery

I went to France with school. Discovered I am AWFUL with boats and part of that trip was to Disney, but not even the main park and even then, I barely saw anything because my friends abandoned me

I joined the school netball team. Well, I think it was 2011 when I joined

I sprained my ankle. This damn injury still bothers me to this day if I walk too much, and it’s only just gotten better after recently aggravating it again

2012

I was part of a group at school that we called PAD (people are different) and it was essentially an anti-bullying group

I went on a coach trip to Newquay with my grandparents and mum, and part of the trip was going to the Eden Centre. I loved that trip so much

I got a pair of budgies. Lilith and Jasper were my little sweethearts that I trained to even sit on my finger

2013

I can’t remember if it was this year or late 2012, but I started learning to play violin, and then when I started my GCSEs, that became my focus instrument for the practical exam

The last time I went abroad. We (my grandparents and I) went to Bulgaria for the 2nd time. We stayed at the same resort so we had a decent idea of where everything was now, and it was lovely, but the weeks leading up to going troubled me a lot as all I could imagine was the plane crashing. The anxiety from that and being in the airport is why I’m not too nervous to go abroad

Honestly can’t remember what else happened

2014

I was part of an orchestra. It was part of my GCSE because my music teacher said it would help my friend and I improve, and she also convinced us to go by saying she would take us the first night and buy us KFC

Went to York for the first time with my parents, and then London with my mum, where we stayed with a family friend and did lots of touristy stuff

My Uncle’s dog Ki died. I loved him to bits and I still get upset sometimes thinking about him. He was the first of the 3 to die. I can’t remember when Nikita died, but Shamara was only a few weeks back

2015

I can’t remember if it was this year or 2014, but I did a keeper academy at my zoo and had some amazing experiences, like stroking a sea lion

Had my high school prom. Got to wear my dream dress and it was actually a lo of fun, just hanging out with friends and enjoying the night

Left high school with pretty good GCSEs and got into sixth form, but starting college was my downfall

Got into a relationship for the first time in 4 years with a manipulative asshole who tried to accuse me of manipulating him and forced me to do sexual things I didn’t want to because apparently if we didn’t, he couldn’t be sure the relationship would last. Also felt suicidal for the first time, and when I told my boyfriend, he broke up with me because I wasn’t the girl he fell in love with and it scared him

Had him and my two other friends fuck me over multiple times

2016

Had lost all my friends, so I had to cling to my best friend and hang around with his friends in order to not be alone. Ended up falling for one of his friends and getting into another relationship. Still a shitty one, but better and it hurt way more when that ended

My best friend got into a relationship with one of he friends who fucked me over the previous year. I made friends with her again for his sake, but then she fucked up his life and dragged me down too because I trusted him more than her

Went to Cardiff and the Doctor Who Experience for my 18th. An experience I will forever be grateful for because the place isn’t there anymore

2017

The worst year of my life by a long shot

My dog, my beautiful baby girl Sandy, was put to sleep at age 11. Losing her broke me, and I’ve never recovered, because she was around for over half my life and I never fully grieved, which caused me to unintentionally shut off some emotional reactions that I’ve never gotten back

I had my first proper emotional breakdown at a student day at the college I was looking to go to. I realised all these years I’d been following a dream I didn’t want anymore and was doing it to please everyone else as well as not panic about not having a plan b. I gave up the goal of being a vet, something I had worked towards since I was old enough to know what a vet was

Not part of the bad, but I went to a supernatural convention and got to meet a bunch of the stars which was pretty cool since it’s the first time I’d ever done something like that

Got the closest I ever have to actually considering suicide and throughout that day, spent so much time thinking of how I could do it. Couldn’t go through with anything obviously but it didn’t stop me using a tie to choke myself multiple times trying to make myself pass out, which left a bruise on my neck

I self harmed a lot more back then, from 2015 onward really, and I have all the scars to show

2018

Saw Mark and the guys on tour, and Mark blew a kiss at me. First time I’d ever seen any of the YouTubers I watch in person

Was supposed to get a rescue puppy, but she and her whole litter bar one died. I’d already been feeling iffy about getting a dog again, and this was the last straw that sent me into my worst depressive episode of feeling nothing for 2 straight weeks

Met Dan and Phil at their show during said numbness period. Meant I couldn’t feel anxiety which I guess was good

Ended up getting a puppy and the depression kicked in on day 2 that I waned nothing to do with this dog after saying for months I didn’t even want a dog

Nan got diagnosed with leukaemia and was in and out of hospital for the next few months, first with chemo and then for her bone marrow transplant. I saw her at her lowest, where she was just about ready to give up

Met so many amazing people at the HDWGH show, and got to ask Sean a question in the Q&A. The best day of my life, well until VidCon 2020

Had a massive fallout with my sister, essentially making it so I didn’t speak to her at all throughout 2019 unless I had to

2019

I outlined everything in this post, but there’s a couple of things I didn’t include

Me and my sister made up. Might not be a permanent thing, but at least at Christmas everything felt ok again

I embraced my sexuality this year. I had been questioning it since 2013/2014, and realised I wasn’t straight before June 2018, but 2019 was really the year I thought ‘yes, I’m panroace and proud’

I’ve missed a shit ton of stuff because things blur together and I don’t remember when anything happened, but this decade started with someone excited and determined. It’s ending with some who has that same passion but for a different path, after fighting through the darkest times I’ve had to face. I am who I am, and I am ready both for 2020 and for the next decade

[its-lifestyle]

Dogs are wonderful but they do take a lot of looking after. Basic how-to guides talk about the three-times-a-day walks, the vet bills, the twice-daily meals, plus the grooming and perhaps the barking. However, there is a lot of other information that doesn’t get out there that easily.

So, we asked seven Malaysian dog lovers to share tips that they think new dog owners won’t have come across.

When your children get a puppy, you will inherit the dog!

“When my son was a teen, he bought Kiera from a breeder. She’s an Alaskan Malamute and taking care of her was too much for him. As I work from home, the dog bonded with me.

“A few years later, my daughter who was studying abroad adopted Mikko, a Shiba Inu. She brought him back when she came home – but she’s working now, and I’m at home, so guess who has an extra dog?

“All kids want a puppy but they don’t understand that it’s a 20-year commitment – and that they won’t be kids forever. So, if yours want a pet, just know that there’s a very good chance you end up walking it, feeding it – and loving it.

– Reggie Lee, cartoonist, guardian to Kiara, an Alaskan Malamute; Millo, a Shiba Inu; and dad to the newly adopted stray mix, Jamie

You’ll probably underestimate homing time

“Rescue dogs have been abandoned and neglected, so they have lots of emotions to work through. They will be nervous, not trusting that they have a forever home, so they need a lot of comforting before they understand that they are truly home and welcome.

“When Huggie came to live with us 18 months ago, my little daughter was there constantly saying, ‘This is your home, this is your bowl, you have a bed here, we love you.’ He needed it because he had to learn to be unafraid. So, reckon on a minimum of two weeks to get the pet settled – and likely more.”

– Bobby Keng Hsing Ong, shipping company consultant in Puchong, Selangor, and dad of Huggie, a rescue dog adopted in 2017

Dogs need to know that you love them.

Attention is key to bonding

“When your pet wants to talk to you, pay attention, even if you’re busy. Pick them up, hug them and talk to them. If they are small enough for you to carry them about, do so.

“Dogs need to know that you love them. They crave that reassurance, and contact is the way you signal that to them. If you don’t hug them, they are disappointed. It’s so sad. It hurts their feelings. So, be mindful of your pets. Hug and show them your love.”

– Khoo Kong Soo, pet rescuer, who shuttles between Kampar, Perak and Kuala Lumpur

Even when you think you know dogs, adding one to your tribe may be difficult

“Jade came to us as a pup, and we had two older dogs, so she was the baby. Later, when we brought in Duchess, Jade was already three years old. She wasn’t used to being a mum/aunt-type figure. Jade was too big, played too rough, and she frightened Duchess.

“As our new pup was so small, we kept her away from Jade for a year. With hindsight, that may not have been the best approach. Today, they’re still not really friends. Jade spends a lot of time in the garden and Duchess tends to stick to being indoors, and we use a divider when they’re in the same space.

“I think that when you introduce a new dog, you have to do a bit of reading up, and be prepared to deal with size and character differences.”

– Katelyn Pereira, student in Subang Jaya, and mum to Jade, a German Shepherd, and Duchess, a Poodle

Tiny puppies don’t drink regular milk

“Most puppies can’t tolerate cow’s milk as they are lactose intolerant. You can tell as they throw up or have diarrhoea. So, people go for formula puppy milk (universal replacement milk) but the amazing thing is that most dogs don’t like it very much.

“That’s when you end up buying goat’s milk, which is expensive. A small bottle is RM5 and it lasts one or two feedings. Powered goat milk is much cheaper and lasts a few weeks. Happily, when puppies get to crawling, you can start adding in real food, like minced meat and egg yolk.

– Siew Yenn, rescuer in Petaling Jaya, and mum to six dogs, including the seven-month-old mixed puppy, Pixel, who enjoyed goat’s milk

As your life changes, you may not be a good dog parent

“If you and your partner get a pup, you may think of it as a fur-baby. You work at raising the pup and how to fit work and play around a young dog. However, it’s your own life changes that are an issue.

“At the moment, relationship issues are the No.1 reason for dogs being dumped. Maybe the new apartment won’t allow dogs, or perhaps there isn’t enough money to pay for food and vet bills. We even hear of stories of dogs being given up when the new partner doesn’t want the dog from the old relationship!

“Marriage is another ‘killer’, especially if you want kids. There are many in-laws who will tell you to get rid of your dog – that it’s dangerous, dirty, and so on. They go on and on and on about this. It can be hard to resist them.

“Then there’s your career. What happens if you get a new job and have to move to a new town? Getting a room or a flat is easy – but getting a condo that accepts dogs is not.

“I have four dogs at the moment because people didn’t think about planning ahead. So, when you get a pup, please ask yourself: Will I be in this relationship and home in 15 years’ time? And if the answer is no, then don’t do it.”

– Shayne Lee, business development manager from Kuala Lumpur, and mum to four rescue dogs, Ice (Poodle), Neil and Gabriel (both Maltese), and Bobby (mixed breed).

Some dogs are really very hard to train.

Some dogs are not trainable so be prepared for chaos

“When I saw Benjy Boy on Facebook, he looked so lost that I felt sorry for him. I really thought it over before I contacted the rescuer because I already had two dogs. We went about it carefully, with me sending over money to have him cleaned up and neutered, so he was healthy and tick-free.

“When I finally got him, about a month later, he was much taller than I expected – my two are short compared to him. Also, he was a real rascal. He jumped all over Danny Boy and Daisy Belle, terrifying them. He tore up his bedding – and my cushions. And he peed everywhere!

“Then there was the noise. I cook lunch and dinner for the dogs, and from the second Benjy smelled the food, he’d be screaming and yelling and jumping and barking. After a month, I was a wreck and my house was practically destroyed.

“I actually called the rescuer to say I couldn’t cope. But as soon as I said it, I felt so bad that I changed my mind. I mean, it’s only a house. It can be washed, cleaned and tidied. And Benjy had already been rejected by several homes because people couldn’t cope with him.

“In short, I renovated the house and spent some money building him his own run. And I work to keep him separate from the other two. Three years later, Benjy is still wild. Training did absolutely nothing. He destroys his bedding, eats my cushions and he’s super noisy. But he also jumps on my lap for a cuddle and he’s very loving always.”

– Royce Rachel Thevarakam, secondary school teacher in Rawang, and mum of Danny Boy and Daisy Belle (both Lab-Beagle mixes), and Benjy the Destroyer

from Family – Star2.com https://ift.tt/30Kgmkq