My dog, Rusty, who I rescued from the shelter when he was about a year old, is now 12. He is in good health, but needs to have a surgery on his eyelid to remove a growth, that is guessed to be benign. He must be put under, and there are no gaurantees given his age. The Rust-man is a beautiful dog, and my long time companion. He is a 90+lb, Chow/Samoyed mix, and I really love this mutt.
Here’s the question: IYHO, if he doesn’t survive the surgery, can I take him to a taxidermist and have him made into a “bear skin rug”, or a statue ala Trigger? Is this idea just too crazy? I will defer to the Dopers’ consensus.
IMHO (hint: there’s a forum especially for these things), why not? Roy Rodgers had Trigger stuffed and kept him in his living room. I seem to recall though that Dale Evans, Roy’s wife, threatened to have him stuffed for doing it.
I personally wouldn’t have a pet stuffed. I think I’d rather have memories of the live animal than the “presence” of its preserved body or skin. I just don’t think it would be comforting to me. But I don’t think it’s a crazy idea.
If he’s in good general health, maybe it’s not too risky. If the growth is truly benign and your vet is worried about the risk of anesthesia, could the best option be to leave it alone?
Second, ICK. I personally would never consider this. I would want to remember my fuzz-ball bouncing velcro dog as he was, not as a rug. I think the idea is pretty creepy.
I have my pets cremated (after they are dead, of course), and I keep their ashes in urns about my computer desk. Having their little stuffed bodies around the house is creepy.
I’ve heard mummification is now an option…also creepy!
Damn, Toad, I don’t know. I mean, I love my dog, but that sounds a little morbid. Would you still talk to him, and pet him, and stuff? IIRC, they have to use powdered chemicals on the fur to keep the bugs from getting at taxidermied (a word?) animals, and you might not want it on your skin or around your food.
I guess that local anesthesia doesn’t work on animals very well. Talk to another vet, preferrably a surgical specialist, about the risk to an older dog, then make your decision.
Have some great pictures of Rusty enlarged and framed, and spread them all over your house instead.
Rusty’s age should not be a problem especially if you take him to a veterinary hospital that uses veterinary anesthetists. The new anesthetic techniques are really quite safe for the elderly.
I wouldn’t think less of you for going the taxidermy route when the inevitable does happen. Hell, I’d do it to my husband if they’d let me.