ElizabethGPAPS

My fawn boy gets splotchy and dark in the summer, too. I think with your girl, the white part is where she would have white fur if indeed she had any down there...like a continuation of her white chest patch.

I was, and am, awed and inspired by your act of forgiveness toward Frank. I will always remember Iberia as well, and wish you all peace.

35. Give us a shout when you're Seattle-ish if you want to do lunch or playgroup or something!

I wouldn't go to the Vet unless there were signs of distress. I've lost several remotes and other "inedible" objects that way and never had a problem requiring Vterinary attention.

Goodbye, dear Stanley. I wish you could have stayed longer.

Poor thing. It must be very painful to make her claw at herself like that. Please get her in for an x-ray ASAP. My first thought was that she's got a foreign object jammed in there somehow - it might not be visible without an x-ray.

I can only hope that something is learned. Maybe, like Ruffian, Belles' death will bring about a better way of doing things and some will live that otherwise wouldn't have. Godspeed to Eight Belles.

My group had a female years ago that took a long time to clot after a blood draw. I can't remember if she tested positive for VW; I think she did. Our Vet said he wouldn't spay her, and that she needed to see a specialist who could have plasma on hand for a transfusion. It just so happened that the Vet I found to do the surgery knew Dr. Jean Dodd (I think they went to Vet school together?) so they talked about the case...Dr. Dodd suggested that we put the dog on thyroid meds for a month and then re-test. That's what we did and the clotting was fine after that. The dog went on to have a normal spay and a normal life (without thyroid meds, I might add, which were discontinued a couple of months later because her thyroid was never low to begin with). So apparently thyroid can have something to do with clotting, at least in Greyhounds.

I would dump the rimadyl and tramadol. That's really excessive medication for a single tooth extraction. That being said, some dogs just react badly to anesthesia. I would let her rest and give it some time. Check her gums and circulation as previously suggested, and her temperature if you can.

Geez, if I knew that gallons of poison had been poured in my yard I'm not sure I'd ever let my dogs back there. Enlighten me - what's the point of an "eco-lawn" if you have to apply toxic chemicals into the earth to clear the way for it?

I'm so sorry to hear this news, Julie. They do tend to go fast when they go. I hope in time you can feel comfort knowing that you gave him a great life and did everything you could for him at the end. Remind of what his racing name was? I never throw anything away and may have some old "right off the track" photos saved of him somewhere. I'll send them to you if I do. Again, my condolences to all of you. Godspeed, Scooby.

Hi Julie, It's great to see you back on GT, but not under these circumstances. Do you still live out on Bainbridge? It seems like you adopted Scooby a million years ago - I'm surprised to hear he's still so young! And 9 IS young! I don't recognize his symptoms, but I'm sending my best wishes and healing thoughts. I'll pray that it's something curable.

That's very sad. I remember the duck pairs walking the neighborhood every spring where I grew up. It has something to do with the nesting season; not sure what. We would always have a pool for them to swim in and snacks at the ready. I hope the male finds another mate. At least it's probably too early for them to have a clutch of eggs somewhere.

Purina Beneful / Score 17 F Purina Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F Dang! It seems like you have to WORK to make dog "food" this bad! Interesting list. I think I'll print it out and include it in all our adoption packets so no one ever asks me again if "X" is a good food...

My current foster dog came with prescription Furacin Ointment for his owie toenails that fall off from SLO. Our Vet agreed that it's great for helping the healing process.

I just use the people stuff - generic "triple antibiotic" ointment or regular old Neosporin. That's what we used on the animals when I worked at a wildlife rehab center so I assume it's okay for dogs too. I guess antibacterial and antibiotic ointments are the same thing. Neosporin, Polysporin, etc.

When I first had Greyhounds I was not an inexperienced dog owner, but I wasn't prepared for what Greyhounds look like with just the slightest of gashes. Savannah had cut/scraped her front leg somehow - there was about a nickel-sized skinless bit. I was horrified! The muscle fibers - the very...meatiness of it. They don't have a nice layer of subcutaneous fat to hide behind! If their skin is open - you're seeing "inner workings". I think there may have a been a vein running through it, too. Gah! So I took her to the Vet, and he said "Meh. It'll heal". I wanted to smack him! Was he blind?? So I took her to another Vet who basically told me the same thing. The second Vet offered to stitch it up if that would make me happier, but reminded me that I'd have to knock her out to do it and that would be a lot riskier than just letting it granulate and heal on its own. So I took her home, it healed on its own, and after 10 years of Greyhound ownership and many unnecessary Vet trips I (jokingly!) tell my dogs that unless I see actual organs exposed or broken limbs, they're just going to have to wait for our regular Vet, and even then if it can be fixed with duct tape they're not going at all. If I were you I would take another look at it tomorrow and maybe see if it looks like it's something that just needs a little antibacterial ointment, a gauze pad, some vet wrap (all of which you should have in your doggie first aid kit) and some time to heal - and save yourself a trip. If it's starting to look scabby or dry like jerky (ew, I know), then it's already healing up.

I don't recall Boxers specifically being mentioned, but the subject has been brought up here as to whether Greyhounds in particular might be targets of canine aggression. Something about their shape, the way they move, their posture...? This came up after a period where it seemed like every day there was a new post about a Greyhound being attacked while just being leash-walked around the neighborhood. It sure felt more than just random for a while there!

I would also guess a muscle injury and bleeding, and would see a Vet if it's not a lot better tomorrow.

I've never taken one of mine to the Evet for a ripped out toenail. It's not life-threatening and I don't generally have $500 that I feel like blowing. Yes, they bleed like the dickens but unless your dog has a clotting disorder it'll keep until tomorrow. And by tomorrow you may even decide just to keep it clean, watch for infection and skip the vet altogether.

I'd watch for signs of distress (pacing, panting, dry-heaving, straining to poo) but not do a pre-emptive trip to the Vet. It'll all probably pass uneventfully.

I second the round of panacur, and also suggest a round of metronidazole/flagyl just to make sure there aren't any nasties. I also give one of my pups slippery elm powder with each meal to help regulate her gut bacteria. You can get that at most large grocery stores in the supplement section.

Simon's been doing that for 10 years. I call it his "drinking problem". I don't worry about it...I just try not to step in his little warm slimy puddles in my socks.

Hmm. As the adoption group that placed the dog in 2005, I would like to see them at least TRY to do right by their dog. This all just happened a few days ago, the dog's not even on meds yet. By dumping him off they're just shifting the burden - now it'll have to be a volunteer to live with him, take him to the vet, deal with the drugs and their side effects, supervise his seizures and clean up after them (and apparently he's aggressive during the post-seizure aura as well), take him for middle-of-the-night e-vet visits, and possibly/probably witness his early death. The foster parent will have to separate him from other dogs when not there to watch...I know from experience that mine will attack a seizuring dog. And of course the adoption group will have to bear the ongoing expense. And let's not forget all of the other dogs that will die so that this one can take up a foster home in perpetuity. But yes, it'll be much more convenient for his current owners.

I've got an adopter whose boy just had a first grand mal seizure and a second one about 12 hours later. They have a new baby in the house and are hinting broadly that they'd rather return the dog than deal with it. Nice, huh? Every Greyhound I've known over the years who was diagnosed with epilepsy lived a short, vet-heavy, drugged life until finally being euthanized (usually at the e-vet since episodes tend to happen at night) for cluster seizures that couldn't be stopped even with valium suppositories. Does anyone have any more positive experiences? I really need some hope here.