Sick as a dog!
By candymarie
@candymarie (1368)
Canada
January 25, 2010 9:28am CST
...Where does this phrase come from anyways? Share your theories, or explanations, or changes! Such as Sick as a cat for example.
6 responses
@messageme (2821)
• United States
27 Jan 10
I'm not much of a dog lover so when I hear the phrase sick as a dog all that comes to mind is....Dogs licking themselves in nasty spots and then turn around and lick someones face....That is just SICK!! I know it's not the same kind of sick we are referring to but it could very well work.
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
25 Jan 10
I would rather say healthy as a dog. dogs can heal really fast, much faster than people. I have never hear such expression....
@candymarie (1368)
• Canada
27 Jan 10
Really? Well now you have!
That's also true, with lots of animals, makes me jealous about their fast healing factor.
But I've noticed with cats (from past experience with mine) you have to be careful when they have a large cut, because due to the healing factor, their cartilage, it CAN heal too fast, so if there's an infection, that infection would then develope moreso underneath the skin.
This sounds sick, BUT, it was better than finding out down the round that he would need antibiotics, which would be expensive for a pet, but what I did when he got his tail mangled up some bad, again, I KNOW it sounds gross, but it was for the best...I had to pick the scabs and encourage it to bleed more, as well to drain any puss liquids. I know it was the right thing too because he was purring the whole time!
My friend had to do that to her cat too, I had to explain the process to her, she thought it was gross too, but she called me up a few days after she did that to thank me, because she could see the difference after a few days.
Our kitties are our babies!
Thanks for responding and happy myLotting!
@derek_a (10874)
•
25 Jan 10
I don't know where that expression comes from, Sick as a dog. Because, when a dog is sick, it is only a short affair and soon over. Our dog use to eat grass and this would make him sick.. Sick as a cat.. Cat's seem to be somewhat proud animals, and I don't think they like people seeing them being sick. I have heard someone say once, "sick as a parrot".. Now I really don't understand that one because I have never, ever seen a parrot sick! 
_Derek
_Derek@candymarie (1368)
• Canada
27 Jan 10
Cats do that too actually, eat grass when they need to "purge" some bad thing they ate. As for cats being proud? Not my roommates cat! Poor thing gets a lot of hairballs, gets sick, he doesn't try to hide or anything, and then when that's done, he just turns into a big sook lol. Hold me! I don't feel well! Rub my belly to help calm it! Meow! Meow Merow! lol He's a funny kitty.
And as for the sick parrot, read above your comment.
Thanks for responding and happy myLotting!
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
26 Jan 10
Maybe it is because dogs are more likely to get sick in front of people whereas cats try to go hide when they are sick. They both eat grass though.
Infoplease dictionary says that there is such as saying as "Sick as a cat" and that it means the same thing as "Sick as a dog" but I had never heard the expression used with cats before.
@candymarie (1368)
• Canada
27 Jan 10
I've never heard the cat expression either until I posted this topic haha.
Thanks for responding and happy MyLotting!
@savypat (20216)
• United States
25 Jan 10
I would think it just came from observation, have you even watched a dog throw up, they do so with their whole bodies, and boy do they look sick.
@candymarie (1368)
• Canada
27 Jan 10
I suppose haha, sorry, don't mean to laugh at the poor dears, my sister has a dog, and shes a little princess, but thankfully she doesn't get sick, the throwing up kind that is.
Thanks for responding and happy myLotting.
