Gryffenne

Sammi had her senior check up and her rabies vacc this morning. Considering that she is almost 11, her check up was pretty good. Weight is "wonderful". Vet impressed that we got the steroid weight off of her so nicely. Muscle tone, skin, etc... all very good for her age. Nails, longer than the average dog's even tho they get clipped every few weeks (any less and there is nothing to clip) been fighting those suckers for 7 years. Even with a Dremel, I've never gotten the "off the floor, paw-dicure beautiful" nails on her. Due for another dental (just had one earlier this year). Still keeping an eye on her back end. Back feet still knuckling under. Only a few seconds til she realizes and corrects, vs last year when it was 30+ seconds before she would correct her foot. So at least her Periphreal Neuropathy isn't getting worse, although she does stumble sometimes. She gets stiff/sore when she's been more active than normal, also a few times now in the past few months she's been in pain to the point I had to give her something so that she could settle down. arthritis is a definite possibility. Starting on a different Glucosomine supplement. We were concerned about her eyesight, specifically at night or dark/dim lighting. She has gotten very skittish outside at night, has slipped/missed a step on the stairs to the point we baby gate her in the bedroom at night to keep her from wandering downstairs. I don't think she'd try, tho. In the morning she stands at the top until DF or I go down the stairs and turn the living room light on that is right by the stairs. Mild cataracts in both eyes. Now for the question: We were given Previcox for her to try. Anyone have greys that have used this? Pro's/Cons? So far we're starting her out "as needed", not daily. Thank you! And as a show of my thankfulness for any help, a funny When ti came time to check Sammi's back end & anal gland area, I busted up laughing and couldn't stop. Go to :20 in (where Toothless has "the look of dread" on his face) That is the exact look Sammi had on her face when the realization hit her that something was happening back there. I felt SO bad laughing, but I couldn't stop. All I could see was Toothless with the look on her face. She got more offended, I laughed harder. I am a terrible mommy... that gave her treats and let her go on my errands runs with me as a way to suck up make up for laughing at her in her time of distress.

http://www.freep.com/article/20131004/NEWS05/310040040/circovirus-dog-deaths-michigan The Detroit Free Press is so far saying that it is SE MI where the circovirus is showing up (We are up south of Traverse City, other side of the state hours away). Definitely calling the vet on Monday and asking them like you suggested. It's only for her Rabies/tags and we have a 30 day window to get the 3 yr, after that its a 1 yr. Part of me wants to get her in and out before it spreads farther into Michigan, but will talk to the vets office about it.

http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2013/10/deadly-ohio-dog-virus-hits-michigan/ sammi heads to the vet in a fee days for her shots, going to ask about this.

Years ago, I was chatting with my mom while baking something. I used the edge of the counter to crack the eggs. Well... while looking at my mom, I cracked an egg and it didn't sound.... correct. My mom instantly starts LHAO and I look down to see Sammi with egg dripping down her face. Apparently, I had cracked the egg on her kissy spot. For the longest time, a raw egg in view on the counter kept her clear of it. She hated the sight of that egg! Sammi's "reward" for wanting to be in the kitchen was getting to be with me (apparently, the world will collapse if she cannot see me 24/7 ) No matter how much I tried to correct her out of the room, she'd be right back in. I solved her issue by dropping a dog bed out of my way in the kitchen area. She tries to get up under me or behind me at the counter, and I would lead her back to her bed. If she stayed on her bed, she got bits of what I was prepping to cook. If I had to correct her to the bed -because whatever I was prepping required closer inspection- then I ate it. I learned pretty fast that she was calmer if she could see me. She learned pretty fast that tripping me didn't produce noms. Moved in with DF and he was having issues with Sammi just standing and staring in the kitchen. Occasional pitiful whines would be emitted. Told him, "she wants her bed" So I walked into the laundry room and brought the bed into the kitchen. (laundry room is HUGE and has a halfbath and also the computers the boys use, so Sammi had a bed in there). Dropped the bed down in the corner leading out the the dining room. She calmly went over and laid down facing us.

No certain advice, but depending on what was in those teas I would most likely call the vet. eta~sorry, on tablet.... to expand.. I'd want to call the vet and run through the ingredients with them. I know me personally, most of my teas have caffeine in them (love chai)

I've always heard it was a % of the racing weight gained to get to the retired weight. When Sammi raced, she was listed at 66 pounds, came to me at 75ish. Because of where she broke her hock, they recommended never going above 76. She did gain up to 84 a year ago due to medication, but we've since gotten her back down to her 74-76 range. Can see ribs (can REALLY see them if you're holding food that she has found desirable ) and she has a tuck, tho at 10.5 she's lost some of the firmed muscle tone in it. She goes into the vet next month for her check up & shots. I am wanting to talk to the vet then about her weight & her age. She doesn't have the muscle tone that she used to, so I am curious as to what weight is now ideal.

When will everyone just stop playing nice with that country and shut down all imports/exports?! And can someone please explain to me HOW birds grown here, shipped there for processing, and then shipped back is cost productive? GAH!! Annnnnd.... the meds kicked in for my tooth, so time for me to go to bed

If my Sammi gets ANY pork product (even a sliver of pepperoni left on a pizza bone) Homeland Security would be knocking at the door inquiring about our weapon of mass destruction. My dad did not believe my warning about her and pork and slipped her a piece of sausage. After brunch, I was in the back of the house and they were in the living room. Her stench bomb woke him out of a dead sleep! My threat with the boys & their friends when they have pizza, "You feed her pork, she sleeps with you tonight!" DS (who has been at ground zero when her pork fueled bombs have gone off) will back me up and warn them also that "Mom is dead serious"

After coming back to kibble from Raw, Sammi could not handle grain based foods. So for a few years, she has been on ToTW. Poops were formed, but stunk BAD. She was hounding me for meals an hour before feeding time. Begging. Started pooping 5+ times a day. She started having accidents in the morning because she worked herself up SO badly between her desire to go out, and her desire to get breakfast. Something had to change. Tried the popular Iams green bag. O... M... G... Overnight change! Pooped firmed up and were almost odorless (compared to her waste processing plant byproduct poop before, a skunk dead a week on the highway would have been mildly odorless by comparison!) She went form barely formed, squishy, stank poops... to poops that would roll downhill in the yard! Gas gone. She is calm again in the morning. She acts satisfied now right after & between meals. 5+ poops a day, down to 2-3. Just watching her closely for the "itching from the inside out" she had 2 years ago on a grain based food. So far, 1 month in and she is still good. Still tho.

When I was a teen, our neighbors went away on vacation and hired me to dog sit their beagle. He also had that "rank" Alpo and it is the very reason I have never fed canned dog food! I can still remember the smell and the *slooouk* sound of it coming out of the can. As for the tuna, Sammi goes gaga when she sees DF and I making tuna sandwiches. (Or if I am making him tuna salad for work at 6am) She is standing patiently dancing from foot to foot at her food dish. She knows that what I drain out of that can is gong to be going on her meal, and that she gets to clean the bowl for me. I remember when my first husband walked out changing my life from SAHM to single mom with a baby. He was an alcoholic gambler, and I was left with debt and utilities shutting off on me since he hadn't paid them in months. I needed a job FAST, and I needed to provide for my son, and cat, FAST. So I sucked up my pride and went to talk to family assistance. They helped with working out a deal with the utilities and my landlord. They got me insurance for my son and food assistance. They helped me sharpen my resume. Only one thing... They wouldn't cover cat food. I was at the store, almost in tears wondering how I would feed my cat, or who would take her in for me, when I noticed... hmm... tuna. Same sized can, cheap, covered by food assistance. Let's see if this will work. a few weeks later, I had a job, things under control and I went off of assistance. I think my cat was the only one upset by that fact.

Chiming in to agree with the closed fist and lower treat height methods Those are the methods my dad used when I was growing up. I've also used them on a husky/GSD mix puppy, 2 greyhounds, and 2 Siberian Huskies. If there are kids in the house, I also taught "DO NOT TEASE" with them. You act like you are going to give them the food, and then snatch it away, you're giving the food up to them. IME, it teaches them to lunge/snap for the food that they are being tempted with. My friend's DD was horrified that I made her give her PJ&J to her dog because she continually was teasing the husky with it. Cried to her mom, mom told her tough sh*t, she was warned, and continued to do it. And this wasn't the husky puppy, this was the older-food possessed- one that we were having so much trouble with until we started NILF training with her. I would trust Sammi to accept a cheerio from a toddler, she is that gentle. My son learned young to never tease a dog with food. A few times when he was younger, he's had to give over snacks to Sammi because he tried teasing her with it.

I've known of a few dogs, including one while I was growing up, that detested sunglasses. In fact, when I meet a new dog, the first thing I do is remove my sunglasses before approaching.

Sammi, when she was younger, loved walking and hiking with me. My neighbor, when I first adopted her, loved jogging. Sammi was only 3.5 yrs old when I adopted her and would go jogging with him 2x a week. agreed Quite a few single grey owners here. More single females than single males, iirc It might very well be a dating profile And welcome to Greytalk!

So very sorry for your loss. Hugs to you both

Yep I live 2 blocks from the MI side of Lake M, roughly around the middle of the state. I remember north of TC took forever to warm up, but the sleeping bear dunes on south does warm up a tad faster with more sandy beaches. versus rock. But fully south would warm even faster than us here south of TC.

WoW! Sammi's supposed to be up to almost 3 tablespoons (80 pounds/8 tsp)? Yikes, I am a bit off. She is only getting 1T a day. Well, she'll be thrilled that she gets an extra treat then

And if she thinks that she is smarter than you, she'll try a ghost squat to get that treat First time Sammi tried a ghost squat, I leaned down, looked, and commented, "You need to produce something to get something!!" Can try giving her privacy (turn your back) when she starts sniffing around.

Depending where on Lake Michigan, Memorial Day weekend the water might still be close to frigid. I think your idea of one in front & one in back should work both ways, tho

I'm so sorry for your loss.

My DBF stared at me for a few quiet moments and then back at my laptop when he discovered what I was tabbing back and forth from earlier today When I explained the cam, he nodded and then asked, "Do you feel like you are dogsitting?" BUT Every time that there was noise, he would glance over when I tabbed to see And then around 530 when the commotion really started, he laughed and said, "Well, their dad must be home!!" As I was tabbing and then getting ready to close the window, he saw Tempo almost effortlessly hop up onto the couch and praised him on that (well, praised my laptop) I think that there is officially another member of the cult.

A bit ago, Tempo looked like he was trying to decide how to get off of the couch. I was actually holding my breath until he changed his mind, did a few turns and laid back down. ETA~ And he's off now and moving around!

Rocko Zoomies!

So glad to hear that Tempo is recovering so well! Just woke up, and sipping my first cup of coffee this is my kind of TV! (When DBF wakes up, he is most likely going to think I am )

Prayers for you and Tempo!

Just brought Sammi home from the vet. Tooth pulled, so there's blood (She could audition for Heath Ledger's Joker). She's wobbily, especially her back legs. Thankfully DBF was with me to pick her up, even in my Malibu she needed help getting in. Has ABs and pain meds. They even gave us the tooth to keep (DS will love that ) As for her left eye, there was no fixing the tearing. It's more than just the lid that was damaged before she retired. The tear duct itself was damaged. The vet tried flushing the ducts, and the one that drained to the nasal cavity is the damaged one, hence the tearing. Poor baby her eye is all puffy now With the scar across her nose, the scar on her left side and the broken back left hock, guessing the damage occurred from the muzzle when she went down on the track, since that is all on the same side. (Even the broken canine came from that side ) Now just hoping that she gets a little less stoned before bedtime. If not, will sleep downstairs with her. Thank you all for the prayers and good thoughts. You guys rock!