DocsDoctor

Hugs. Doc will be 13 next month and has a wonky spine and rear end, so I sympathise. Ask the vet about a course of prednoleucotropin (an oral steroid) in place of the meloxicam. This really helped Doc, after the manager of our greyhound rescue had suggested it. Steroids may sound a bit scary but as she said it is all about keeping them comfortable, at this stage of their life. He is on gabapentin and tramadol too. He is fine with tramadol but as others have said not all dogs are, so it's worth checking with your vet about that. I second what others have said about the current heat and humidity being very trying for dogs. Re quality of life - I found this a helpful list to read through: http://www.pawspice.com/downloads/QualityofLifeScale.pdf Do you trust your vet? Can you talk it through with him/her? I did just that with ours, yesterday. We concluded that while Doc was weaker than he was, and has lost some muscle mass from his steroids, he is still coping well enough to want to stay here. Here are some of the points we covered, these might be helpful for you in addition to the pawspice list: Still keen on his food In good body condition apart from the loss of muscle mass. Glossy coat, bright eyes, cold wet nose Still wanting to go for little walks, romp with his teddy bear etc Mentally alert, no signs of confusion Still very interested in what's going on around him - and eager for liver treats from the vet's jar! Hope that helps.

Is it like this one? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Greyhound-Whippet-Dual-KEEP-KOOL-Dry-Sun-Rain-Coat-/280354975801?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Kitchen_Steamers_Cookers_PP&hash=item4146757039#ht_1023wt_722 If so, yes Doc has one. Gets more use as a raincoat but I used to find it helpful when he was a PAT dog. We visited a local day centre at lunchtime, which meant a short walk but along pavements. Some had no shade and on a hot sunny day the reflective coat did seem to help, though I wouldn't have used it for a long walk. And yes, they do look cute, and I'm afraid that whenever I put Doc's on, I say to him 'Greyhounds in Spa-a-a-ace!' (Maybe you remember 'Pigs in Space', from the Muppet Show? )

The OP is in the UK, so this will not be the case - a dose of antibiotics, possibly.

Most greyhounds will not encounter other breeds until they stop racing, so yes this is quite often an issue. Small white fluffy dogs may suggest a racing lure to Charlie, the squirmy movements of puppies may also suggest prey, and then you have all the other breeds of dogs whose body language and sense of etiquette is often just very different to a greyhound's - Doc found pugs alarming and difficult to 'read', for instance, because of their squashed-up little faces and non-waving tails. What helped for us was finding a mixed breed obedience class with a good trainer where he could get to know lots of 'funny-looking' dogs under controlled conditions. It was good for our bonding and for expanding my knowledge of doggy body language too. Look for someone offering positive reward-based training only - greyhounds are sensitive souls! David Ryan (the clinical behaviourist mentioned in my first post) uses positive reward-based techniques only, I believe.

Hi, I take it like me you are in the UK? (Note to US readers: British greyhound rescues permit, and indeed encourage, their adopters to train a recall and let their dogs offleash, with due safety precautions) There is a book called 'Stop' by the dog trainer, David Ryan: http://www.dog-secrets.co.uk/stop-how-to-control-predatory-chasing-in-dogs/ I haven't read this myself but have often seen it recommended on UK dog rescue forums. The control of predatory chasing is one of his specialisms and he also often runs seminars on the subject, including I think specifically for greyhound groups. Doc had/has a very strong prey drive though these days he is a wobbly old boy so it is less of an issue. From my own experience I would suggest just checking the garden for wildlife/cats before you let him out. Open the door loudly and/or clap your hands and any visiting creatures will hopefully get the message. As you say otherwise given the distances involved things will kick off too quickly for you to be able to intervene. For walks the best advice I can give is to learn to 'think/see sighthound'. With practice I became almost as good as spotting squirrels as Doc himself. Also - watch your dog. When he spots something, his ears will go up, and then you have a micro-second to get his attention before the chase instinct kicks in - after that he just won't hear you. I also recommend playing games that encourage recall on walks. Our favourites were 'hide and seek'= hide behind a tree and call him and 'greyhound catch'= two of you, armed with treats, calling him in turn and rewarding him when he comes. You may well find that as he settles into domestic life his chase instinct dies down a bit, but don't count on it, certainly where live creatures are concerned. Doc was ten when he caught his first and hopefully last squirrel. (In the park, early in the morning in heavy rain, so I didn't see it first. It was rather a stupid one, as it ran across the grass instead of up a tree!)

I've nothing to add about possible causes, others have already covered that well, but just wanted to suggest using a house/ tag collar with a satin lining. I remember noticing this problem with Doc our first summer. Switching from a webbing to a satin-lined house collar definitely helped, as did leaving it relatively loose.

Hugs. This struck a chord with me, Doc has a crumbling spine too. As you say, it is an extra-tough decision to make if a dog is all there mentally and still enjoying meals, little walks etc. I have always told myself that Doc 'would let me know if it was time,' now I am coming to see that there may be good practical and indeed merciful reasons not to wait for such a sign. Maybe another way to look at it could be: 'If I was Doc (or Poodle) and he was me, what decision would I want him to make?'

As Prairieprof says the Pawz rubber booties are great for protection outdoors. But I have to say that when I muzzled Doc indoors to prevent him getting at a wound on a back paw he ended up creating a new hole in his back leg with the muzzle in his continued attempts to get at the paw My preference would therefore be for a better-secured sock. What I find works best is to cut the foot off an old cotton ankle sock. You will be left with a straight tube - sew straight across the bottom of this to make a new greyhound-sized 'sock'. Then sew one of those velcro fasteners for computer cables a couple of inches from the top. This way you can fasten it snugly above his paw but below his hock, which should be a good deal more secure. He probably will still try to lick it, at least in your absence. You could try adding an inflatable collar or lampshade into the equation but may find his long nose and tongue can still reach to his back paw with that on. I don't think a bit of licking of the sock will matter too much if it stays on, what you want to avoid is him licking the wound itself and opening it up further. So I would make a spare sock or so too, then you can change over and launder them as needed. Good luck!

My vet told me place a cold wet towel on the underside of a greyhound's chest/stomach to cool him down quickly - with its exaggerated form and sparse/non-existent hair cover it has already been 'designed' for the rapid dissipation of heat, when the dog runs.... ... for the same reason you should keep it covered in winter, when standing around in the cold.(Not so much of an issue if they are exercising!)

I clean Doc's ears once a week with a baby wipe. They are actually usually very clean but I keep the routine up as he clearly enjoys the process, leaning against me and groaning!

Doc - who will be 13 in August - has been weakening in his back end over the last couple of years. Like you I don't have a formal diagnosis of lumbo-sacral stenosis but I will tell you what I can about his issues and treatment, in the hope it will be useful for Jeffie. Initially the problem seemed to come on very suddenly - I was walking him one morning as usual in the park, back in spring 2012. Suddenly he stopped and I could see he was in severe pain, barely able to walk. Our vet was quick to diagnose a lower back issue and did some x-rays (which he lay quite still for, without sedation - good boy Doc!). Sure enough there were a couple of compressed disk spaces, near the junction with the hips. Some associated osteo-arthritis was also visible, so although the pain appeared to come on so suddenly, we believed the problem had been coming on for a while, with him just being stoical about it in that classic greyhound way, until it just got to be too much. We also believed it to be the result of general wear and tear, rather than any specific trauma - this area is after all the 'hinge' for a greyhound's double suspension gallop so it gets a lot of hard work. The right hip was more painful, nothing showed up on the xrays so most likely something was pressing on a nerve. We put him on Metacam as an anti-inflammatory, and Tramadol for the pain. Did some sessions of hydrotherapy with him walking on an underwater treadmill, which he didn't enjoy but it did help him build up muscle again in his back legs. I also found via our greyhound rescue a veterinary physio who would come to the house and give him massage and manipulation, which definitely helped, and cold laser therapy. She also gave us various exercises to do daily which we still keep up and which again definitely help - knuckling over his back feet for him to pick up, side stretches for treats, etc etc. He responded really well and we were able to stop the Tramadol for six months or so. Other things that my vet recommended at this stage and which would be good practice anyway for any arthritic hound are: plenty of soft bedding, keeping up a regime of gentle walks to prevent him seizing up, stopping him from coming upstairs ('dogs are not designed to do stairs' was her comment and in any case mine are particularly steep and narrow) and appropriate dietary supplements - Doc takes fish oil, green-lipped mussel, turmeric and a liquid joint aid supplement with glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM. However over time there has still been an inevitable process of continuing deterioration. After the six months we could see his left shoulder getting increasingly sore, partly as it was working harder to compensate for the issues in the right hip, but when we did another x-ray we could see that there was also some arthritis in the spine in that area. So he went back on the Tramadol and had some more visits from the physio. We also tried acupuncture but though that had some immediate effect the physio always seemed to give him more lasting relief. Unfortunately our old vet left the practice last November, so when I saw he was beginning to struggle again this spring we had to see the new one. Initially we just added Gabapentin to the Tramadol, I also asked her about the possibility of a corticosteroid injection to the lumbosacral region which often gets mentioned here on Greytalk and which you can find discussed in the Suzanne Stack article: http://www.greyhound-data.com/dir/397/Lumbosacral_Stenosis.pdf I have to say that she had never heard of this, and was somewhat horrified by the idea, commenting that 'it's the equivalent of an epidural'. I don't think it is commonly done in the UK - the kennel manager of our greyhound rescue hadn't ever heard of it either. The vet practice would have done it, after I showed them the article, but only with Doc under general anaesthetic, while the physio commented that Doc's shoulder seemed to give him more pain than his hip. So we didn't pursue that, but what the kennel manager at the rescue did suggest was to try taking him off the Metacam, and giving him a short course of orally-administered steroids - something she has often done with her oldies in the kennels, and at home. As she said ' it's all about keeping them comfortable at this stage.' (I must say it is great to have the rescue to talk to about this sort of thing - they are always very helpful and practical!) The vet agreed this would be good to try, so we put him on a 10-day course of prednoleucotropin the other week. I must say this worked really fast - you could see even in the first few hours that he was feeling more comfortable - and he tolerated it very well, though it is not something you want to administer long-term. He can however have topups later as needed using what the vet called 'pulse dosing'. So right now he is on just the painkillers and we will go back to the vet's in 2 weeks to see how he is doing. Sorry, this has turned into something of an essay! To sum up I think the important thing is to keep Jeffie comfortable, and to be prepared to try different things to do that. It's important to keep him moving meanwhile, too, so he doesn't lose too much muscle. You can't stop time but you can help prevent deterioration, if you're prepared to work at it. With Doc goodness knows how much longer Doc will be with me but although he certainly can't walk as far or as fast as he used to, for the moment he's still a very happy boy - eating well, wanting to go to walks, and romp with his teddy bear. Considering that 2+ years ago I can remember standing with him in front of the old vet and saying 'Look at him - he's wretched - if we can't sort this out PDQ it's time to say goodbye' I feel privileged to still have him here, really. And now I really will stopping as he's squeaking about it being time for his afternoon walk downstairs!

Were the wings raw or cooked? If raw, there should be no problem that I can see. In fact, I used to give Doc two for his breakfast every day (until he went off them). The bones are actually pretty soft, given that chickens don't often get a chance to fly.... If cooked, there is a possibility that they could splinter. However, if it's 24 hours and she is happy and eating and pooping normally I think all is likely to be well. Keep an eye on her, and on the poop - you may see fragments of bone in there during the next couple of days, or you may not - dog stomach juices are pretty ferocious so they may get metabolised away to nothing.

Can you try adding some extra protein to her meals? Doc has struggled to keep weight on at times and that was always our vet's advice, apparently it is easier for greyhounds in general and the oldies in particular to metabolise than extra dry food or carbs. Some raw mince, beef or lamb - cheap and relatively fatty is fine, provided your girl has no pancreatic issues - was always her first suggestion. Or a couple of scrambled eggs, or some boiled chicken, with the broth but stripped of it bones, or a small tin of sardines are all very popular additions to meals here, for my old chap.

Just for balance, I do feel it necessary to point out that many greyhounds - my own included - can take Tramadol with no adverse side effects. No anxiety, no sleepiness, just effective pain relief. I can't comment on the Rimadyl as I have no experience of that.

There is Daniel Doherty in Uxbridge who is a greyhound specialist with a very good reputation, but that's probably too far away: http://www.myvet24-7.co.uk/ If no one else comes up with any ideas, try asking your local greyhound rescue and/or greyhound track for recommendations. Ours was originally a recommendation from the lady who did my homecheck!

What a lovely boy he was, and how lovely it is that you are thinking of him ten years on. That made me think of a poem I came across the other day - written for a foxhound, I imagine, rather than a greyhound, but hopefully you will like it, and find the second verse at any rate apposite. AN OLD DOG Now that no shrill hunting horn Can arouse me at the morn, Deaf I lie the long day through, Dreaming firelight dreams of you; Waiting, patient through it all, Till the greater Huntsman call. If we are, as people say, But the creatures of a day, Let me live, when we must part, A little longer in your heart. You were all the God I knew, I was faithful unto you. By Celia Duffin, c.1913.

Yes, do give it a try, but I'm not sure how effective it will be on his own. Doc gets cold laser therapy on his achey old joints (primarily right hip and left shoulder), but it's at the end of his fortnightly home visit by a veterinary physiotherapist. She massages and manipulates him first, for half an hour or so, and you can tell that's helping him and that he enjoys it . Then at the end she uses her portable laser machine to give him a few quick zaps - he doesn't react to that at all, unless the metal feels cold! So I tend to think 'well it is harmless, may help, who knows?' From what the physio tells me cold laser therapy is especially good for helping to heal soft tissue injuries. I am less confident that it does much for chronic conditions...

I'm so sorry you're both having to go through this - and that not having your husband there, and not having confidence in the vet, are making it all that much harder. I am also in London and carless so had a few practical suggestions I wanted to make, you may already know of them/not need them, but just in case they help.... I would recommend a black taxi cab for transporting your girl to and from the vet, providing she can stand on her feet. The low floor/access makes them much easier to use than a conventional car. And I've never had one refuse us, even when Doc has been wobbly post-anaesthesia, but obviously you can always prebook and mention the dog at the time of your call. If she can't manage a cab, it may be worth checking out http://www.veterinaryassist.co.uk/index.html which can provide an 'ambulance'. No personal experience of this, but it is something I have made a note of just in case I ever need it. In your shoes I might be thinking of a change of vet, maybe talking to other local petowners for recommendations. (Mine's in SW11 so probably too far from you, but PM me if you want details.) I note that there are also vets in London who will do home visits, especially for end of life care and euthanasia, e.g. http://www.homevisitvet.co.uk/ (Again, I have no personal experience of them.)

In the UK it's normal to charge. At one point the RCVS specified that vets had to supply written prescriptions for free, I believe, but now they may make a 'reasonable charge'. I think it's fair enough, if I'm asking them to write me out a prescription rather than buying something directly from them. I pay about £12, it is well worth doing for long-term medications e.g. Doc's Metacam and Tramadol. The vet is happy to do it, and I'm happy she's not a loser. She can't offer to 'price match' instead, because she pays more for these medications wholesale than I pay retail, if I buy online. (The online suppliers buy in much bigger quantities, so can cut much better deals with the pharmaceutical companies.)

Doc is twelve and a half, with some arthritis in his spine, right hip and shoulder area. He's on Tramadol and Metacam too, also various supplements - fish oil, green-lipped mussel, liquid glucosamin and chondroitin. Something that has made a real difference for us is physiotherapy, by a nice girl recommended by our greyhound rescue. She is qualified both as a human and a veterinary physio, and comes to our house every couple of weeks to treat him - that involves massage and some manipulation, a bit of cold laser therapy too. Afterwards he is very happy and relaxed, I think it helps that she comes and does it here - also that she is a greyhound owner herself and knows greyhound habits and anatomies very well. She has given us a sheet of exercises that we do every day in between her visits, and I also do a bit of gentle massage on him myself as needed - by now I can tell which are the achey muscles! Like you we have tried acupuncture, Doc didn't mind it and there was some immediate relief, but the physio seems much more lasting in its effects. When he was first diagnosed with a compressed disc we also did some hydrotherapy on a water treadmill at the vet's, that helped rebuild muscle in his hindquarters but after that we dispensed with it as quite clearly he wasn't enjoying it. Other things that our vet told me to do were to keep him warm, to make sure he had plenty of bedding, to discourage him from doing stairs, but to keep going on gentle walks, to help prevent him seizing up. (Besides, he loves his walks and would be miserable without them!) Also that it was important not to let him get overweight - though there is not much risk of this as he has always been a skinny chap! I've also been thinking of trying adding turmeric to his food, as this is said to be a natural anti-inflammatory, but need to investigate the dose. As well as physiotherapists there are chiropractors, but I'm somewhat wary of those as in the UK at least the manipulations they will do are more extreme, and the science behind them less well-proven. Hope that's helpful - I'll be interested to see if any other new ideas come up in this thread!

Several years ago now Doc scratched his eye while investigating a thorny bush and gave himself a corneal ulcer. It refused to heal despite two different lots of antibiotic drops so my vet did the op mentioned by 3dognite, cutting back to fresh tissue to encourage it to heal and avoid the risk of it turning into a 'melting ulcer'. After the surgery she didn't sew the eye up, but inserted a sort of protective contact lens. That popped out of its own accord after several days, as she had warned me it would, but by then the eye was on the way to healing. Until it was fully healed he wore a 'cone of shame' while unsupervised, to prevent him trying to scratch at it. The whole process took quite a while - I think 2 to 3 months from the original injury to cone removal - but was ultimately a success. The vet told me eyes are often relatively slow to heal, because they contain relatively few blood vessels.

Aloe vera is what the vet recommended when we were trying to get Doc's elbow to heal up, post-haematoma. It is moisturising, and also encourages skin elasticity. You need proper aloe vera gel, not just a skin lotion or whatever which 'contains aloe vera'. I rubbed a bit of it into Doc's scabby, baggy elbow two or three times a day and it worked a treat - now you would never know there'd been a problem. What a sweet boy Iker is . It is lovely to see him so relaxed on your sofa, after the trauma of his earlier life. He is one lucky dog!

John Bradshaw's 'In Defence of Dogs: Why Dogs Need our Understanding' - http://www.amazon.co.uk/In-Defence-Dogs-Need-Understanding/dp/014104649X (The US edition is called 'Dog Sense', I think) Bradshaw is a British scientist specialising in anthrozoology - i.e. the science of animal/human interreactions. It's designed for the general reader though, to summarise current scientific knowledge about dogs and how they have evolved in relation to us. A very interesting read, certainly helped improve my understanding of dog behaviour. He does a blog in Psychology Today too, I've just discovered:http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/pets-and-their-people

Doc would do this initially when he was left on his own, as did my neighbour's little cockapoo. Both have grown out of it. Always sounded to me like 'I'm here all on my own and where are the rest of you-ou-ou?', and this was more or less what John Bradshaw said too, on a recent UK TV documentary about dogs left by themselves. So it's separation anxiety, yes, but if she's not otherwise distressed she'll probably grow out of it too.

Yes, the distress may be down to the Tramadol - it doesn't suit every dog. Inform your vet - she should be able to prescribe something else. Sedation for x-rays is pretty standard for dogs, though because greyhounds are so gentle and tractable they don't always need it. My Doc was quite happy to lie still on the table for one spinal x-ray, somewhat to my vet's surprise, but was put under for another in the shoulder area as that required his front legs to be stretched out and we didn't think he would 'hold the pose'. It sounds a sensible way to proceed in this case.