silverfish

I love my oldies, medical issues and all. They can be expensive, messy, obstinate and contrary, and to many people they don't look pretty anymore. I usually don't notice the moth-eaten fur and so on, but I think I'm in the minority. It's very sad, but I see very few really old dogs out and about.

Many good thoughts coming your way - I'm sure the surgery will go well and you know, we've seen some horrific open wounds here on GT which have had to heal by second intention (ie, not able to be stitched closed). It looks horrible. I'm sure it's also horribly painful. But it can be done with diligence and patience and the appropriate therapy - dare I suggest manuka honey? So if the surgery doesn't completely close the wound as you'd all like, don't panic.

They'll be all over the place if you let them. I take the view that it's their walk and they can stop and sniff if they like - especially as they are old. But I do insist that if they are going to cross from one side to the other, they do it behind me, not in front of me. And I let them know when it's time to move on if they take too long. If you choose a command for that and never let them get away with dawdling once you have given that command, they soon learn. DH wants to know why it is that Sid behaves better with me. I tell him it's because he doesn't take charge.

Have to agree with you there. Looks like necrosis over/around the vein caused by the chemo agent and that maybe - just maybe - somebody started to administer it intramuscularly before realising that it was strongly contra-indicated and stopped, or was stopped from continuing (I remember a case in the news here a few years ago when it happened to a human patient).

Manuka honey is wonderful stuff. We got the go-ahead to use it for a few more days on Jeffie's injury, and then I have some gel called 'Intrasite' to use. It's supposed to be very good at promoting healing, especially in the older ones. Jeff got this because he is old and frail and his skin is thinner than thin. Might be worth enquiring about for your Maisie, too, perhaps?

Not daft, but I think in this case perhaps a little unrealistic. I'm like you, been caring for greyhounds since the early 90s (around 20 years now). Some injuries I do heal myself at home, but with the experience I have, I prefer to let a vet take a look at least to make sure I'm not missing something - and also because I tend to have older greys whose healing powers are not the best. Their skin becomes more fragile with age and their restorative powers wane. Manuka honey is definitely our friend, here! Jeffie is an easily stressed dog, too, so I know where you're coming from. After his fight with a plant trough in the early hours last night and our visit to the 'ER' this morning for a quick look-see and treatment, he vomited. Predictably. It's his go-to stress response, bless his heart.

Vet, and as soon as possible. It sounds likely that the small flap of skin you describe could be pulled down and stitched. if it can, and if you can definitely see tendon, it should be stitched. The reason skin is there is to keep bugs out of the body's inside parts. Asking an internet forum medical questions is great when you have a knowledge base as wide as Greytalk's, but any fool can give you an opinion, let's face it. It's no substitute for a vet actually eyeballing the thing and giving you a professional opinion based on years at medical school. I do understand that having a previous bad experience can colour your judgment, but basically, medicine is not an exact science and it sounds as if you were just unlucky. To answer your last question... well, to be blunt and IMHO, by not taking an injury as potentially serious as this to a vet, yes, I'd call it neglectful. To be fair, I take mine when many people wouldn't, because I've worked for vets and know how things can go bad from owners attempting to treat their dogs themselves and wasting time. Some of the results I've seen have been quite catastrophic. What you've been doing sounds good (I use Manuka honey a lot) but unless you have a really sound knowledge of anatomy and medicine, you could be missing something serious which really does need attention. Oh, and if you really don't trust your vet, I would seriously consider moving to one that you feel more comfortable with.

As they age you should expect the bills to rise dramatically. If they don't, great! If they do, you're prepared. Jeffie has cost us several thousand in the last few months. He's twelve. He was at the ER this morning because he wiped out coming in last night from his last pee at midnight and gouged a great lump out of himself over the hip bone. I don't know what that will cost yet because he has another appointment tomorrow morning for bloodwork - they can't run bloods over the weekend because the support staff aren't in. I'm not expecting to get much change from two or three hundred GBP - and last week it was an oral infection for which he is already on antibiotics. Then there are the supplements and maintenance drugs. I spend about £130 for 3 months worth of NSAIDs for both of them, about the same for Jeffie's 'Dogzheimer's' drugs, £10 a pot for senior vitamins, between £40 and £50 a pot (about a month's supply) of Cosequin DS joint support, and there are also Sid's painkillers which are cheaper but still about £30 a go. Special food to tempt aging appetites can run up the bills too. Jeffie is losing weight - which he can't afford to lose, being practically a walking skeleton already) so he had half a pack of ground turkey this morning for breakfast. I buy trays of chicken legs, minced (ground) beef, beef, pig or lamb heart, etc, to mix in with their kibble. Cans of mackerel are about 80p each and they have one each. Sid had a splenectomy last year. If I remember correctly, it was about £600 all told.

Ha - you get that all the time when you're a greyhound owner! 'My lab/mongrel/cockapoo/JRT is so fast, he'll give your dog a run for his money'. Famous last words. Our first greyhound, Jim, was safe with all kinds of dog breeds, so he used to get to play with them all, from a CKC spaniel to a doberman and back. The only dog that could beat him was a border collie who used his smarts; Jim would run in crazy circles in the big meadow and the collie would start off by chasing him, realise he didn't have the speed, and simply cut across the circle and head him off at the pass.

From what you've said, this sounds like a fairly normal reaction by a somewhat nervous new dog (and five months is quite new, really) to someone showing her a threatening behaviour. As others have said, dogs don't much like people leaning over them, and they don't like being hugged, and they don't appreciate long eye contact with people they don't know well and feel they can trust. Learn the social signals, either from the excellent Patricia McConnell book 'The Other End of the Leash' or the link which you've been given, and you may find that it all becomes clear to you. If so, all you need to do is develop some trust between you and respect her boundaries. Incidentally, we've found that those boundaries often disappear once that trust has been properly formed, though sometimes they just shift a bit in your favour. Great idea to get a thorough health check for pain issues. One of the big reasons Jeffie growled and would have bitten (if he'd not been such a wuss) when we adopted him was an undiscovered, deep, painful mouth ulcer. So clearly out of fear that he'd be hurt, each time anyone went to touch his head, he reacted badly. He growled, yelped, and leapt clean into the air like a bucking bronco. Good idea also to ask for a behaviourist to assess her. They will be able to see first hand what the problem is, and all we can do reading a forum is try to understand what is happening from what you've written. There may be important things you haven't thought to include, and our answers are going to be coloured by our own personal experiences.. but from what you've said, I feel that trust is the key issue here. She is warning you that you are pushing her beyond what she's comfortable with, and by punishing her when she warns you (yelling, mostly, and almost certainly threatening body language when you insert yourself between her and your wife), you haven't been helping the situation. It's really not a good idea to teach a dog that it is not okay to warn you, since that's when you're likely to get bitten 'without warning'. Even so, there is always a warning. You may not see or recognise it, but there always is one - there'll be body language. It may be subtle, but it will be there to be seen if you know what to look for. Hopefully, this will be a fairly easy fix, once you understand each other, but don't take chances. Work on building trust and see how you go.

So true. I visit my local racing/adoption kennel from time to time and whenever I go down to the kennel block to see puppies from 3 or 4 months old to 11 months or so (or when they get split into pairs) they are all tumbling over each other in the runs, playing, chasing, jumping on each other, play-biting, etc. They know how to play 'dog', even if they don't know how to play 'human'. Jeffie, who is 12 years old will ONLY play 'dog' with me. He loves to chase me from room to room, stopping, turning, following and leading. He doesn't play-bite, though he mouths. As others have said, three weeks is nothing. She is still settling in, so she may still be feeling a bit overwhelmed by the changes in her life. It could be that she feels safer keeping to a smallish area of your house - remember she hasn't been used to that large a 'kennel'. She'll branch out in time, but only if she's not forced. How do you bond? Well, yes, first, back off a bit to give her space. Then the way I do it with new dogs is to teach them to be reassured by a touch on the shoulder and talk to them in a soothing voice. Each time they pass me, or I pass them (while they're standing, not while they're resting on their beds, which should be a 'sacred' place to her right now) I touch them lightly on the shoulder. Just a fleeting touch. There's no need to keep your hand on them at this stage, because they need to feel 'free' to come or go as they wish and in no way forced. I also do that when I feed them, when I offer them a treat, etc. Always accompany the touch with a soft word, and use her name often. I have found that this helps us to bond with each other, and carries on over to other activities. If one of my new dogs is nervous of trucks going by while we're out, for instance, I can just touch him or her on the shoulder and say 'It's OK, Newdog'sname, no worries' and they stay calmer. Often they'll move closer to me, which is what I want. I want him/her to come to me for reassurance, not run away. I wouldn't worry about any other training right now, till she settles a bit. Just work on the bonding, because you're right; it is important. It builds a solid foundation for your future relationship. She's very beautiful, by the way!!

Exactly. Have fun on your night out - she'll be with your next weekend and you'll have that much more time to prepare.

I think that's very wise of you, and it's what I'd do!

I agree. He's exactly what they suggested he would be: anxious and lacking in confidence as an only dog. I'd also be interested to know what it was about this particular dog that you felt you had to have him? Also agree with this. Anxious dogs can do a lot of damage - to themselves as well as to property. Personally, I would watch him very carefully, and if he shows any signs of severe separation anxiety and the associated displacement activities (chewing, soiling, barking/howling etc) I would return him before he develops habits which are going to make him a LOT harder to adopt out again. You were told he probably wouldn't do well, after all... But it's also true that greyhounds, more than any other breed, can surprise you when in a home of their own. Outgoing dogs can become introverted, shy dogs may blossom, quiet, easy dogs may become champion hell-raisers, 'cat-safe' dogs may suddenly decide they'd like to chase that interesting bundle of fur. And nervous nellies who appear to need company may develop into confirmed 'only' dogs and be perfectly happy, but in my experience, this last one is the least likely. The adoption kennels that I volunteer for does adopt dogs out to situations that they're not sure they'll handle in certain special circumstances, but always on the strict understanding that if there are any problems, they get in touch with Sharon immediately, and if it doesn't work out with help and advice, the dog comes back in. Kennel owners usually know their dogs extremely well, and it's well worth listening to what they tell you. JMHO.

Your old guy Ace looks super-sweet and laid back! I'd be a tad concerned about Buzz nipping at him, but it could simply be that's she's a bit of a nervous girl and not used to other breeds. She's only two, so once she comes out of her shell you'll probably begin to see some puppy behaviour. Probably a good idea to have her in your home for a while to see how they deal together on his turf, but if it doesn't work out, don't feel guilty. The right dog is out there! As to the bald thighs, don't be too quick to assume it's due to lack of bedding. Bald Thigh Syndrome is a well-known 'problem' among greyhounds and appears to have a genetic component. Some people find omega oils or vitamin supplements help, others find that nothing helps but that the dog is otherwise perfectly healthy and happy - which is why I put 'problem' in inverted commas. It's not really a problem at all, just cosmetic. It's rare for it to be a sign of a real problem. I see she's in Essex, quite near to where my husband was born and brought up! Oh, and I do agree about a second dog being quite helpful to many oldies. Sometimes it gives them a whole new lease of life!

Jeffie is also on Vivitonin. It has helped him amazingly, so please don't discount medication. There are at least two types of CCD drugs, which work in different ways: Vivitonin, I'm told, works at capillary level. It has taken him backwards in time so that he appears to be a couple of years younger (not physically, obviously, he's still a skinny old moth-eaten dog!) and he plays, eats 100% better, and is generally more engaged with us and with the world. He still has his confused moments, but he no longer poops in his bed. To be honest, I wasn't expecting it to work, or if it did, to not work very well. It has exceeded our expectations, so if a year or so down the road it stops working ... so be it. If he declines and dosage can't be adjusted or a different drug used, well, it will have given him over a year of quality life and saved a lot of work of changing his bed. I would suggest you get Tibbie to the vet for a good check-up including geriatric blood panel, and see if they think she's a good candidate for a trial of medication to help with this. Good luck with her - it's not easy to watch them decline, is it?

Oh, and I thought I was allergic to guinea pigs, but apparently it was to a mite called cheyletiella, otherwise known as 'walking dandruff'. They are very small and hard to see, but they are infamous for causing allergies. Dogs can get them, too. They're not terribly harmful to the dog, but can cause quite severe allergy problems for those who are sensitive to them. I had huge hives all up my arms each time I handled the affected piggie. Click for info.

It sounds as if you're doing all you can. Except .. have you considered that the allergen may be in the food you're using? Do you have food allergies? If so, take a look at the ingredients on the kibble and see if it gives you any clues. Other than that .. often people seem to be allergic to a dog when they first bring one home, but it turns out to be the dust in their coat from the kennel, or something simple like that. Have you actually bathed him, as well as brushing and wiping? If not, that might be worth a try. (You might want to delete the extra posts before they get replies. It can get confusing, if we don't know which one to reply to/read!)

It's always better to hear both sides. But remember that he is old and he has other issues as well as the loss of the toe. Most dogs seem to do OK, although whether it becomes an issue as they age and develop other medical problems I don't know. Maybe someone else can weigh in on that?

I would think very hard before agreeing to a toe amputation again. Jeffie broke an outside toe on his left rear foot a couple of years ago and it was amputated because it was shattered - a real mess. It healed beautifully, but he constantly goes 'over' on that foot. It's as if he still expects the toe to be there and doesn't make any adjustments. He wobbles when he walks all the time because he's putting weight on the outside of that foot and the support isn't there. He's not bad when he trots, but walking is difficult for him and if you push him towards that side when he's standing, he'll stagger. He is old (thirteen in May) and it's thought that he has DM, and the loss of that toe has certainly inconvenienced him quite a lot.

I think it's being questioned too. I am so sad when I remember how my mother died ... she was a nurse and a great believe in the 'aspirin a day keeps the heart attack at bay' thinking, so that's what she did. She died of a massive brain bleed. We'll never know whether the aspirin was the cause or if it would have happened anyway, but these days I'm skeptical of these 'health initiatives' without solid research backing them.

Of course - just because they have a high level of stomach acid doesn't mean they're immune to everything.

Usually, the way to tell if they're cold is to feel just inside the ear. It should be warm. If it feels cold to the touch, the dog is cold. They will usually also shiver. Sounds like Sid. Sid runs away from coats, and won't wear pyjamas or have a blanket over him. To be fair, he does have a very thick, fluffy coat for a greyhound and he never shivers, so we assume he doesn't need it. If it's literally blowing a gale and it's snowing, he'll let me put a light coat on him. Otherwise, he'd rather stay home than walk in a coat.

Just because he has allowed you to do something several times without reacting in an obvious way does not mean that he trusts you. You need to take this seriously, or he probably will end up biting you. Nice, ordinary dogs - particularly greyhounds - will put up with an awful lot before they reach breaking point. If you go and read this article, it may help you to understand what I mean. I know it's not a comfortable thought that he has been untrusting all this time, but it really is the most likely explanation for his behaviour. As to advice on how to proceed and build trust, the very first thing you need to do is bone up on how to read what he's telling you. Greyhounds can be very subtle in their body language compared to many other dogs. The signals they give are small. Compared to, say, a German Shepherd, it's as if they were whispering instead of shouting. If you don't want to buy a book, you may be able to borrow one from a public library, or even find the resources you need online, but please, for the sake of your dog, do read up on this. For example, some of the first signals he gives may include simply turning his head away, moving his eyes (rolling from side to side, or showing the white), yawning, flicking his tongue, licking his nose or sniffing the ground. The next step might include looking anxiously at you, lifting a paw, showing you a bit of his belly ('please don't hurt me, I'm submissive, look!'), panting (anxiety). If you keep going with what you're doing, he might then show you stiffened body posture, tight mouth, and/or an audible warning (soft grumble, growl) and he might try to move away from you. If you don't heed any of these warnings, the warning snap is next (this is what he did when he connected with you and scratched you. Warning snaps aren't meant to connect, but with people they often do because we are slow to react and because we don't have fur). If you continue after this, you may well get bitten in good earnest. At this point, the dog has done all he can possibly do - using the only language available to him - to let you know he cannot tolerate what you are doing. He can't speak English so what is he to do? And all this can happen in less than half a minute. That's why you need to build trust. But trust is not built overnight, you need to work at it daily, every day, and with some dogs, for life. I can tell you what I do with mine, but it does need to be adapted to each individual, and you need to constantly watch the body language to make sure you're getting it right. If you are not knowledgeable on body language, it will be much more difficult, and with a dog who has already reached this point, I have to agree with Amber that it might be better to get a professional behaviourist in to assess him and show you the way forward. It's important that it's a professional behaviourist though. NOT a dog trainer. The wrong person at this point could ruin him and get you properly bitten - and by that I mean someone heavy-handed. What you definitely don't want is someone coming in and trying to use old fashioned dominance theory with him. Good luck - he sounds like a lovely dog who is just very confused and anxious at the moment. And don't forget, he's still a very new member of your family! Oh, and by the way, many of our dogs make liars of us at the vet. It's due to a number of things: being on unfamiliar territory, and being handled by someone who knows what he or she is doing and has developed the right approach through years of experience, to start with. But trust me on this, vets and nurses and techs DO get bitten. I myself have a scar on my face from my early vet nursing days, which was one thing that taught me that learning dog body language was a smart thing to do.

Firstly, Baxter did not try to bite you. If all you got was a scratch, he intended to warn, not bite. He probably didn't even intend to make contact, but our reflexes are very slow compared to dogs. Secondly, from what you say, it sounds as though you haven't managed yet to develop a solid bond of trust and Baxter simply does not trust you not to hurt him. You say you 'only nudged his belly twice'. Well, a dog's belly is a very vulnerable part (dogs who are seriously fighting may try to disembowel each other), so he's going to protect it. He warned you that he was uncomfortable with what you were doing. You may not have been near what you thought of as a vulnerable area, but when dogs are not yet trusting, they have different perceptions to us. A fearful or nervous dog will not want you to stare into his eyes, go face to face with him, approach him suddenly (especially from above), grab bits of him without warning, or nudge him in the belly. He won't want to be hugged, and he most certainly won't want you on his bed, particularly when you're doing something painful or scary. What you need to do is take notice of his warnings, and back off a bit and work on the trust issue. He needs to know that he is safe with you, and the best way to teach him this is with gentleness, and not pushing his boundaries, and positive training with rewards. Teach yourself to understand dog body language and social signals. Bones Would Rain From The Sky by Suzanne Clothier, and The Other End Of The Leash by Patricia McConnell are a couple of good books you could try. Your problem is that you now have to bandage his injured foot (or take him to the vet each time), so you are going to have to go carefully. It sounds as if he's uncomfortable enough to bite if he feels you aren't taking notice of how he feels and what he's telling you, but he almost certainly doesn't WANT to bite you. So when you bandage him, pop a muzzle on, and get someone to help you hold him, but don't use this as an excuse to manhandle him. Take it slowly, talking gently to him all the time, and praise him for being good. Be very careful not to hurt him, but if you do, and he yelps or growls or snarls or snaps, immediately stop and let go and talk to him gently and say sorry. He won't understand the words but he'll understand the emotion. Give him a few seconds to settle and then quietly continue. Reassurance at this stage is what he needs, not being punished or yelled at.