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dmdsmoxie

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Posts posted by dmdsmoxie

    Beth's First Run Since Toe Amputation

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Beth should be just fine. You have to remember that her run was probably her first in 6 weeks or more. I don't know how far she ran, but she probably ran further than she would have at a track coming back from surgery because at the track they will run them short, meaning just from the backside to the escape.

     

    Would she run to you at the park if someone else held her and you walked to the other end? Or would she just keep running because she is loose and having fun. If she would come to you I would do that a couple of times and call it a day.

     

    Dick

    Jack's Toe - No Cancer!

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Kyle,

     

    Glad to hear there was no cancer. By taking the toe it will never bother him again. Sometimes toes can bother them, off and on, for the rest of their lives. Other times it is just a one time deal and the toe is fine for the rest of their lives.

     

    If the vets thought it should come off then it was the right thing to do.

     

    Dick

    Introducing Myself

    in Introductions & Biography

    Posted

    When we approached an adoption group on the west coast a couple years ago, we were denied because we didn't currently have one of their Greys.

     

    As someone that usually stays out of these discussions I just had to ask this, if this group denies you because you don't have one of their greys, how does anyone ever their first one from this group? :dunno

     

    Dick

    Help-Vet Stumped

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Dennis Mckeon, AKA Rockingship, had this to say to an adopter having issues with her dog suddenly starting to urinate in the house and there being no medical issues.

     

    Kidney flush has been done in the kennels in Ireland and here for many years.

     

    Here is what to do.

     

    Half a package of pearl barley in a pot with a gallon water

    bring to a boil then simmer for 2 hours, let cool

     

    Starting tomorrow morning I'm to take about 6oz of this stuff (which looks like the top layer of scum

    in a cesspool, eeooow!) place in a dish and microwave until it just liquefies again. Then add about 2oz

    of milk, cream or half and half to make it more palatable. I've been assured the dog will actually consume

    this readily. In about an hour, the hound should have to piss like a racehorse. This process is to be

    repeated 4 times a day for 5 days and he'll have sparkling clean kidneys and I'll have dry carpets again.

     

     

     

     

    And a piece of the recipe needs clarification - you strain the pearl barley and discard, its the pearl barely

    water you want to use.

     

    Dick

    Lasix

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Piper turned 13 on Tuesday and I had the vet come to the house Wednesday for an exam. She has been making a hoarsey/raspy clearing of her throat type noise for several months, but it's not a cough. She makes this noise after she comes in from outside (I live in FL and yes, it's hot, but she's only outside for a few minutes at a time and doesn't run around the yard, just trots) and when she gets off her bed (she spends about 23.5 hours a day on her bed). She was diagnosed several years ago with a mild heart murmur and the vet said that it can't be treated until she starts showing symptoms such as coughing.

     

    The vet examined her while she was laying down and said her heart sounded good but she could still hear the murmur. She asked that Piper stand and then listened to her heart. She found that her heartbeat almost doubled when she stood up but couldn't hear fluid in her lungs. She did blood work which came out perfect and prescribed 50mg of Lasix once per day (Piper is about 55 pounds; she wanted to do a low dose because her condition doesn't seem too serious - not hearing fluid in the lungs - but by the sound of her panting there is fluid in there somewhere).

     

    Piper has been on Lasix for 2 days and had urine accidents during the night both times. In the 6 years we've had her she has only peed in the house 3 times, now she does it twice in 2 nights. She gets the Lasix at dinner, about 5pm. For the last several months she has only gone outside to potty twice a day (she has no interest going out more often), about 6am and again at 5pm, but because of the Lasix I have taken her out again at 10pm before I go to bed. I haven't noticed an increase in drinking but do you think it would be beneficial to give the meds in the morning so she doesn't have accidents at night?

     

    Are there any other senior greys with mild heart murmurs on Lasix? Any advice or comments are appreciated.

     

    Sandra in FL

     

    People that are on a diuretic will take them in the morning because they have to go to the bathroom a lot for the next few hours.

     

    I would give it to Piper in the morning and make sure she goes out a few times before noon.

     

    Dick

    Grey/blue Greyhounds

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    I think the blue coat color is just genetically recessive. Black and red are dominant genes, so they are more predominant and make more blends together like brindle.

     

    Or is that too literal? :colgate

     

     

    That's correct, blue is a dilute of black so it would be a rare color, but, not as rear as this.

     

    You don't see many of these in the U.S. They are seen more in Ireland and England as Larkill Jo has been known to throw them.

    Considering An Adoption

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    I think this was posted here on GT a while ago.

     

     

     

    Being a Greyhound Pet

     

     

    Take a minute or 2 to read through this to get better idea of what your new greyhound is going through when it leaves the track or farm to live in a home for the 1st time.....

     

    Of all breeds of dogs, the ex-racing Greyhound has never had to be responsible for anything in his life. His whole existence has been a dog-centered one. 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 a 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 every thing 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.

    In my "mobile abode," the Greyhounds each have several unique names, but they also have a single common name: it is Everybody. We continue to do things as a group, pack or as we are affectionately known in-house, by Kathleen's Husbandit, "The Thundering Herd."

     

    Back to those who have not been permanently homed. 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," who has crept up on him, isn't going to eat him 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 though 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 adoptor 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 with your love and help, you can make it happen.

    Fancy Who Was Hit By A Car

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    I have been on ebay and bid on some items. I hope all of us can visit ebay and bid if you can. Fancy really needs $ for her ongoing treatment.

     

    I clicked on the ebay link on the blog page, but it just went to my ebay account log in. Is there another way to find the items on ebay? Thanks.

     

    See if this works for you.

     

    Dick

    Fancy Who Was Hit By A Car

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    just received 4 new pics of her I hope they put them on her thread. She has the most expressive face

     

    I wonder if anyone has thought of starting a FB page for her. It could help spread the word about the Ebay auctions and medical expenses.

     

    I'm not on Facebook so I can't check this out, but, this was posted on AG:

     

    Couch Potato Greys has posted her story on Face Book and asking to help with the vet bills.

     

    Dick

    Ez Was Zapped When He Was Racing

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Brit,

     

    I agree with Heather, great imput.

     

    It's pretty tough to hit the rail as most falls occur at the turn and centrifical force is pushing you away from the rail.

     

    If you figure over just the past 40 years there have been millions of individual runs around the track and I'm not sure you could find 5 that have died.

     

    When you see the comment "Hit The Rail" they are not talking about the live part of the rail.

     

    The greatest dog that ever lived, Downing, would rub the rail in most of his races and come back to the kennel with grease on his left side.

     

    On a side note, here in the U.S. we run an inside lure and in the U.K. and Ireland they run an outside lure.

     

    Dick

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