u/TheTransDoctor

My transgender niece is looking for LGBTQ-friendly doctors in the Miami area to start HRT. Any recommendations? Much appreciated!

I have a Cavalier who gets extremely anxious with certain sounds (fireworks, car backfiring, etc.) Typically when we fly we give him vet prescribed combination of trazadone and gabapentin, he does great and sleeps through the whole flight.

Yesterday, we had a doggy photo shoot at an indoor studio and he was totally fine with the photographer eating treats playing, but as soon as the popping sound, went off with the strobe lights flash, whenever the camera would take photos, he associated the noise with danger and it was downhill from there.

His heart was pounding. He was shaking. His tail was tucked. He did not want any more treats or toys. We tried exposure therapy to get him used to the sound by giving him pets and love and showing him with the other dog that he was totally safe and everything was okay, but nothing worked so we just left him alone until the photo shoot was over.

Today we are going to re-attempt it with the same photographer who he knows and likes, but I want to help him have a calmer reaction or no reaction at all to those lights popping. I wonder if trazodone or gabapentin or both together would be best to reduce his anxiety enough so he is calm and not reactive to that popping sound, but also not totally knocked out where he can’t even stand up and play or have treats while engaging in cute photos.

Which of these medications would be better for this or is the combination of both the best thing I can do for him in this situation?

I recently got a notification from Ancestry that says I have a half brother (sharing 25% DNA). I looked at the other connections, so I know this match falls under my dad's side of the family. After some detailed internet sleuthing I found this to very likely to be my half brother. He strongly resembles my dad and one of my known half brothers, he grew up in the same area, and the timeline shows he was born before either of my dad's marriages.

My dad has joked over the years that he "got around" back in the day and wouldn't be surprised if he had a few kids out there, but nothing has ever shown up, until now.

My dad in his 70s, and the potential child is in his late 40s, older than all of my dad's known children. I'm torn between feeling like he deserves to know if he has another child and worrying that bringing this up could cause unnecessary stress if he'd rather not know. I also haven't told my siblings yet.

My mind is jumping back and forth between choices. Do I tell him straight up? Tell my siblings first to brainstorm what to do and how to tell him? Reach out to this potential half brother and ask what he would like to do? Take this to my grave?

If this was you, as a former bachelor in the 70s, what would you want and how would you want your family to handle this?

EDIT: Just discovered that his mom has been married to her husband for 52 years, so if this is all true, this potential half-brother could have absolutely no idea the dad he's known for 40+ years isn't his biological father...

EDIT 2: The half-brother reached out to me and confirmed he had no clue about this, and he is unable to ask his mother because she has passed away. He has asked if I am open to connecting with him and also connecting him to my father so he can fill in the blanks before he decides to ask the father who raised him. After this, I broke the news to my dad and he is excited! He said he always had an inkling something like this would happen, and the rumors he heard about a potential son are now proven true. I am happy my dad is excited to connect with him but I feel so horrible for my new half-brother to be going through this whirlwind at this stage in his life.

I recently got a notification from Ancestry that says I have a half brother (sharing 25% DNA). I looked at the other connections, so I know this match falls under my dad's side of the family. After some detailed internet sleuthing I found this to be very likely to be my half brother. He strongly resembles my dad and one of my known half brothers, he grew up in the same area, and the timeline shows he was born before either of my dad's marriages.

My dad has joked over the years that he "got around" back in the day and wouldn't be surprised if he had a few kids out there, but nothing has ever shown up, until now.

My dad in his 70s, and the potential child is in his late 40s, older than all of my dad's known children. I'm torn between feeling like he deserves to know if he has another child and worrying that bringing this up could cause unnecessary stress if he'd rather not know. I also haven't told my siblings yet.

My mind is jumping back and forth between choices. Do I tell him straight up? Tell my siblings first to brainstorm what to do and how to tell him? Reach out to this potential half brother and ask what he would like to do? Take this to my grave?

If this was you, as a former bachelor in the 70s, what would you want and how would you want your family to handle this?

EDIT: Just discovered that his mom has been married to her husband for 52 years, so if this is all true, this potential half-brother could have absolutely no idea the dad he's known for 40+ years isn't his biological father...

I have had my Furbo 360 (subscription required) for about 3 years. I am still on the Furbo Nanny Pro Plan, soon to change to the Standard Plan upon my next yearly renewal.

I recently have been wanting to add a Furbo Mini 360, but am unsure with an existing subscription, if it makes sense to purchase a subscription required camera or a subscription optional one? It seems the subscription required camera would require an activation fee, but the camera itself would be discounted, whereas the subscription optional camera would not require an activation fee, but would be full price.

For those with existing Furbo Nanny subscriptions, did you purchase a subscription required or optional camera when adding another device to your plan?

My 8 year old male Yorkipoo has been having these episodes for the past year where he will lock up, arch his back awkwardly toward his tail, as if he is trying to pull away from something but he can’t, sometimes tremble, hold one paw or foot up, and stare with a paralyzed terrified look on his face.

Initially these episodes would happen infrequently, usually at night after he was curled up in bed, but yesterday it happened while we were mid-walk. I try to console him during it because he seems petrified, but sometimes I will record it without intervening so I have objective footage. I have been limiting his jumping, roughplaying, and only allow him to walk up 2-3 doggy stairs. If there are stairs in a house or building I will carry him.

I’m thinking of seeing a neurologist, because I am in the process of switching vets, but curious if this sounds to be more spinal-related (IVDD, nerve pain) or brain-related (focal seizure).

Wish I could post photos and videos for visual support but hopefully I described it well.

Thank you for any input! ❤️