greytpups

Is there any info about testing? For example, are we going to be able to test our pups for the gene? Did Dr Couto mention anything because I can't be the only one who wants to know.

try feeding her a bland diet such as chicken and rice for a few days to see if it helps.

Do you have an x pen or baby gate whereby you could leave him some space in an area in your home where he couldn't destroy anything. Does he get lots of exercise?

Welcome...she's beautiful

Irens, I'm so sorry for your losses. Bless you for taking them in when they needed a home, and not splitting them up.

I'm so so sorry, how heartbreaking to lose one, I can't imagine how you are feeling after two losses.

Mary and I are in Canada though...Maybe they ship here I'll check when I have time. Wasn't there some caution about ordering online? I thought there were some horror stories.

I hope he heals quickly..poor Chevy.

omg...things have to get better...I'm so sorry for your sudden loss

Great update...hope things continue to work out. I also hope you continue to reach out when necessary. If you can ignore or weed through the negativity, you'll often find some good advice providing you're open to hearing and understanding it. Many of us have btdt and can sound abrupt or will question other's opinions. But when you need support, there's no other place like this GT community.

Adrianne, how awful for all of you...lots of good healing thoughts for poor Chevy. Please update when you can.

First of all, the alpha dog is a myth...you can google it to find out the concept is based on a flawed study of wolves. Secondly, this article by Kathleen Gilley may provide some insight. You need to start with NILF (nothing in life is free) training. A search here on GT will provide a lot of information. I also recommend reading "The Other end of the Leash" for starters. Contact your group as well and let them know what's going on. They should be able to provide a wealth of information. Here's the article. Good Luck and hope you find it helpful! This breed has never been asked to do anything for itself, make any decisions or answer any questions. It has been waited on, paw and tail. The only prohibition in a racing Greyhound's life is not to get into a fight----------------or eat certain stuff in the turn out pen. Let us review a little. From weaning until you go away for schooling, at probably a year and a half, you eat, grow and run around with your siblings. When you go away to begin your racing career, you get your own "apartment," in a large housing development. No one is allowed in your bed but you, and when you are in there, no one can touch you, without plenty of warning. Someone hears a vehicle drive up, or the kennel door being unlocked. The light switches are flipped on. The loud mouths in residence, and there always are some, begin to bark or howl. You are wide awake by the time the human opens your door to turn you out. A Greyhound has never been touched while he was asleep. You eat when you are fed, usually on a strict schedule. No one asks if you are hungry or what you want to eat. You are never told not to eat any food within your reach. No one ever touches your bowl while you are eating. You are not to be disturbed because it is important you clean your plate. You are not asked if you have to "go outside." You are placed in turn out pen and it isn't long before you get the idea of what you are supposed to do while you are out there. Unless you really get out of hand, you may chase, rough house and put your feet on everyone and everything else. The only humans you know are the "waiters" who feed you, and the "restroom attendants" who turn you out to go to the bathroom. Respect people? Surely you jest. No one comes into or goes out of your kennel without your knowledge. You are all seeing; all knowing. There are no surprises, day in and day out. The only thing it is ever hoped you will do is win, place or show, and that you don't have much control over. It is in your blood, it is in your heart, it is in your fate-- or it is not. And when it is not, then suddenly you are expected to be a civilized person in a fur coat. But people don't realize you may not even speak English. Some of you don't even know your names, because you didn't need to. You were not asked or told to do anything as an individual; you were always part of the "condo association?; the sorority or fraternity and everyone did everything together, as a group or pack. The only time you did anything as an individual is when you schooled or raced, and even then, You Were Not Alone. Suddenly, he is expected to behave himself in places he's never been taught how to act. He is expected to take responsibility for saying when he needs to go outside, to come when he is called, not to get on some or all of the furniture, and to not eat food off counters and tables. He is dropped in a world that is not his, and totally without warning, at that. Almost everything he does is wrong. Suddenly he is a minority. Now he is just a pet. He is unemployed, in a place where people expect him to know the rules and the schedule, even when there aren't any. (How many times have you heard someone say, He won't tell "me when he has to go out. What kind of schedule is that?) Have you heard the joke about the dog who says "My name is No-No Bad " Dog. What's yours? To me that is not even funny. All the "protective barriers are gone. There is no more warning before something happens. There is no more strength in numbers. He wakes up with a monster human face two inches from his. (With some people's breath, this could scare Godzilla.) Why should he not, believe that this someone for lunch? (I really do have to ask you ladies to consider how you would react if someone you barely knew crawled up on you while you were asleep?) No, I will not ask for any male input. Now he is left alone, for the first time in his life, in a strange place, with no idea of what will happen or how long it will be before someone comes to him again. If he is not crated, he may go through walls, windows or over fences, desperately seeking something familiar, something with which to reconnect his life. If he does get free, he will find the familiarity, within himself: the adrenaline high, the wind in his ears, the blood pulsing and racing though his heart once again--until he crashes into a car. Often, the first contact with his new family is punishment, something he's never had before, something he doesn't understand now, especially in the middle of the rest of the chaos. And worst of all, what are the most common human reactions to misbehavior? We live in a violent society, where the answer to any irritation is a slap, punch, kick, whip, or rub your nose in it. Under these circumstances, sometimes I think any successful adoption is a miracle. He is, in effect, expected to have all the manners of at least a six-year old child. But, how many of you would leave an unfamiliar six-year old human alone and loose in your home for hours at a time and not expect to find who knows what when you got back? Consider that if you did, you could be brought up on charges of child abuse, neglect and endangerment. Yet, people do this to Greyhounds and this is often the reason for so many returns. How many dogs have been returned because they did not know how to tell the adopter when they had to go out? How many for jumping on people, getting on furniture, counter surfing, separation anxiety, or defensive actions due to being startled or hurt (aka growling or biting)? So, let's understand: Sometimes it is the dog's fault" he cannot fit in. He is not equipped "with the social skills of a six-year old human. But you can help him.

good news so far

the pain never goes away completely, we just learn to tolerate it.

I'm so sorry for your loss...Santa sounds like he had a wonderful life with you.

I'm so sorry for your loss of Moose.

Look how many get hurt running in their back yards. I'm so sorry Nash has to go through this...Bailey had to have her toe amputated due to a tumour...it's probably more common than you realize.

I'm so sorry to read this.

I'm so sorry to read this...hope he has many more good days with you.

When I read "sorbitol" a lightbuld went off. This is from wikipedia. I never eat anything with sorbitol in it but I'm not sure if this applies to dogs. Laxative Sorbitol can be used as a non-stimulant laxative via an oral suspension or enema. As with other sugar alcohols, gastrointestinal distress may result when food products that contain sorbitol are consumed. Sorbitol exerts its laxative effect by drawing water into the large intestine, thereby stimulating bowel movements.[3] Sorbitol has been determined safe for use by the elderly, although it is not recommended without consultation with a clinician.[4] Sorbitol is found in some dried fruits and may contribute to the laxative effects of prunes.[5]

Thank you for the update and for having the courage, compassion and big heart for saving Freddy. I'm extremely happy this all worked out in the end.

Does she have anyone let her out at noon? it seems like she needs something mid day.

if it's a small amount, he may be marking. btw, I don't use crates...a lot have responsed pro-crate, but I just wanted to add that I'm a non-crater and it's ok to feel how you do about not crating. However, greys are kept in large kennels at the track so it's not cruel. They eat and sleep in them and don't have to share, although I've seen pics with humans in them with the grey. I'm ok with crates for security reasons or for those who love their crate if the door is kept open so they can in and out. I'd tether him to you when at home, and use x-pens or baby gates if you can block off an area with a dog pillow and water where he won't damage carpets until you this resolved.

Welcome!