NeylasMom

You're so welcome Lulu. I can't wait to get home to tell Neyla and Zuri and show them the pictures. They will be so happy you liked everything. Those treats are their favorites so they were hoping you'd like them too. Jen - I'm so bummed I can't see pics here, but will look as soon as I get home. I haven't seen the earlier cuz ball ones either. By the way, I sent those ear plugs for a reason. Not our fault if you're not using them.

But we're going to today :lol My tree was already done, but I only finished putting up the rest of my decorations last night. I wanted to open it with them once I was done, but I had guests coming and didn't finish early enough. They're staying with friends while I go away to celebrate christmas with my boyfriend this weekend, so we're going to open it before I drop them off. Hope their ss doesn't mind. We're not into waiting, and I think it will be nice to do something special with them before I leave.

Katie looks great! If she weren't shaved, you'd never know she had just had major surgery!

I love this pic: "Stuffy: prepare to meet your maker." :lol

We feel your pain on the foot issues. Hope Pepper is back to normal in no time!

Hmm, no bump that I've noticed, but I'll double-check tonight. She's not too keen on having those toes handled either, the main offender is VERY sensitive, but she will let me so I'll just have to be as gentle as possible. Unfortunately she's a little beat up from the x-rays yesterday. She was really nervous and somewhat uncooperative about getting into the right position, and I really didn't want to sedate her for one x-ray. At one point her other leg slipped between the table and the wall and she ended up with some nasty bruises and a few cuts. I felt terrible about the whole thing, hate to have to poke around more, but it's worth taking another look.

Really great news for you guys, I'm so glad.

Those jammies are perfect for Turbo!!!

Bob, Where are you located? There's a dental clinic in Philly that does dentals at a lower cost, and they are very experienced with greyhounds and anesthesia. There may be others nearer to you that other members could mention if you let us know where you live. I can't recommend enough what others have suggested, get those teeth taken care of. Dental disease that is that severe can cause systemic problems like Turbotania mentioned. If you want some info on the extent of the problems it can cause, check out Tom Lonsdale's book. It's also likely why your pup is having trouble eating, which could be leading to the stomach upset and bile. On that note, have you tried soaking his kibble in a good amount of water for a half an hour or so before feeding? This will soften the food up and may allow him to eat. A vet visit to have the anal glands checked is also a good idea. I would also take him off the thyroid meds if you really doubt he's hypothyroid, wait the designated amt of time (I think it's 2 weeks or so) and then have a full panel done through MSU. It will run you about $100 plus what your vet charges for the blood draw, but it will allow you to see if he's truly hypothyroid or not. Good luck.

Not sure what the bump is. It looks like a bone bump, but it also appears as if there's a smaller one on the neighboring toe so they could be something totally "normal". This is all somewhat complicated by the fact that these are crooked old beat up toes that were possibly broken during her racing career. Anyway, we initially suspected a foreign body. I thought potentially a piece of glass, b/c I had broken one before this happened, but it seems unlikely since I cleaned up well and their pads are so tough. Still, it's a possibility. I will at least give these antibiotics a chance to run their course before seriously considering a biopsy. FYI, this is NOT the toe that we originally had trouble with. That was her right foot, this is her left and has been going on for no more than a month. The poor girl now has to weight bear on her "bad" toe, but thankfully the 100 mg of Tramadol/day seem to be enough to control her pain in her right foot. Meredith, I'll mention autoimmune to my vet, it isn't something that we've considered thus far. Also going to email Dr. Kellogg and see what she has to say. Thanks for the no cancer cheers. I'm feeling better about it today, b/c rationally it really doesn't seem like it. It just hits you hard anytime it's even a consideration. Still anxious to get it ruled out though!

Don't have much time, but wanted to get this out here tonight so I'll have plenty of non-cancer suggestions awaiting me in the morning. Neyla did her course of clindamycin, along with 2 low-dose aspirin twice a day and we saw some significant improvement. Under my vet's advisement, I lowered her to 1 aspirin twice per day. This weekend (a few days after both changes) her toe started swelling and she started limping again. I upped the aspirin again and off to the vet we went first thing this morning. in the waiting room, I noticed that her entire foot and the bottom portion of her leg were swollen. The vet took x-rays, which didn't show anything definitive. Plenty of inflammation and a bump on the outside of the offending toe. She mentioned the possibility of a bone biopsy but said she wanted to send the x-ray off to Dr. Canapp. I also asked her to send a copy to Dr. Radcliffe. In the meantime, we're putting her back on the aspirin and starting her on a 10-day course of Baytril (giving pepcid for her stomach ) and I'm trying not to think about cancer. To be honest, it didn't necessarily present like cancer to my vet, and I would have expected it to worsen much more quickly if it were, not to mention that the swelling seems to have returned a few days after we stopped the antibiotics, but once cancer is on the table, it's hard not to worry. Does anyone have any ideas of what could be going on? Obviously, bad infection is already on the table (but her temp is ok). I suppose it could still be a soft tissue problem, but that seems unlikely to me (there was no one incident before this started, she just woke up one morning limping). There was what looked like an old hairline fracture, but it was a toe over. Ideas? Or feel free to just tell me it's not cancer. Thanks.

I am pretty positive these are the treats Neyla and Zuri are batty over (see my just posted thread in the same forum). Do you happen to know what flavor we got if there are different flavors? Check out my post if you can, my dogs were batty for your treats! FYI, not sure when you shipped mine (to MD), but they came on Wednesday.

Neyla and Zuri are SO excited about the homemade cookies they received this week. I swear, I have to get off my lazy butt and take some photos. Zuri was especially nuts over them - he couldn't control himself, switching from laying down to sitting repeatedly while occasionally barking b/c he just couldn't help it while I got them out. Neyla gave some unsolicited sits and "paws" as well. They were SOOOOO excited. They're in our fridge for safe keeping and they're getting a daily ration, but if they had their way they'd have eaten them all by now. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! from a very grateful mom!

What a wonderful remembrance. I'm so sorry for your loss Patti. It's obvious that Lacey was truly loved.

How odd that the change is so extreme too? Thanks for the continued updates Diane. I think this thread may go down in history as the best one ever to appear on Greytalk, at least for the number of laughs and heartwarming moments it provides. I love the "bight the menorah" card, too bad I'm not jewish or I'd insist on glynis making me a set.

Great news, keep it up Katie!

Any news yet? Thinking you'll be back soon. Anxiously awaiting the report. Poor Katie, I hope the trip to the vet wasn't too hard on her.

I think it sounds like stress, but would say if it doesn't subside over the next week or so, do take her back in. And I would also second the suggestion to put a coat on her. If she's thin she could very well be cold. I keep my house set at 68 and that's pretty darn cold, my dogs are definitely wearing their sweaters now.

That is GREAT news!!!

There is no doubt you are being and will continue to be the best advocate for Katie!!! Katie is such a lucky girl to have you to help her through this and give her the quality of life she had before. Hoping your vet gets back to you asap. Did the person who took the message understand the extent of Katie's pain? If not, maybe a second call is warranted? Me, I'd just drug her up myself, but I tend to not follow the rules.

Cynthia, just seeing this now. So sorry Katie's have some discomfort. I can't offer any helpful suggestions on helping her get up, but I do agree on the recommendations to up her Tramadol. 50 mg/day is the starting dosage for a dog Katie's size. Neyla is on 100 mg/day + aspirin for an inflamed toe so I can't imagine 50 mg/day would make much of a dent in post-surgery pain. I do see the value in increasing it gradually so you can find the point where she doesn't feel TOO good and hurt herself. The good thing about Tramadol according to Dr. Radcliffe is that it would be really hard to overdose a dog on it, and the only "side effect" is getting your dog high. It can also be used in combination with other pain meds although your vet would obviously have to doublecheck based on the particular meds. Let us know what he says and keep us updated on Katie's progress. Sending healing thoughts your way!

I am so sorry to hear this. Healing thoughts being sent to Lacey and well wishes to her family. Please post some good news soon!

This is so bizarre. You actually popped into my head this morning and I wondered if there had been any resolution, but wondered how the heck I would find out because I couldn't remember who had posted the request for help, then here you are front and center again. Anyway, sounds like the seizures if that's what they are could be increasing in frequency, although that's probably not a fair statement based on the two episodes I know about, but if they are, medication could be helpful, may even help you get a diagnosis. I believe there is another reasonably common seizure medication out there other than Pb that supposedly has less side effects. Of course, I can't remember the name, but I'm sure you could find it by searching this section of the site. Keep us posted as things progress, really hoping that if you try the meds they help your boy.

I'm so sorry. Those pictures of him, especially the one of him lying against the mirror, are precious. It's clear he was a very special and much loved boy.

What a freakin' smart dog. I LOVE it, as usual. Winslow's stories ALWAYS brighten my day.