ripley488

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We give every dog Drontal Plus when they arrive in our program. We have never had an issue with worms.

I adopted a pair of littermates when they were about 5-6 weeks. They turned 2 earlier this month. They still play like that. Exercise is your best friend with pups & remember Greyhound pups do not mature quickly. They are not my first Greyhound puppies & I had a trainer tell me once they really don't mature until they are about 4yo. I have found that to be true. Yesterday mine did not get enough exercise because it rained all day. At 1am this morning they were up running from one end of the house to the other chasing each other, running over furniture & other dogs. Today I let them outside as much as possible to run off the energy. They ran with my new foster dog, dug some new holes & are now resting quietly after dinner. When the girls play roughly I rarely intervene. They are siblings & they play like them. They never hurt each other - just noisy for the most part. They don't get to play that way with my other Greyhounds however. They don't like it so it is not allowed. Sounds like you have energetic pups...they just need exercise.

Congratulations on the new addition. He is very handsome!

I have had 3 hound with kidney disease. Your best treatment is sub-q fluids at home daily. That will manually flush the toxins from he kidneys just like dialysis in humans. Sounds scary, but it is really easy to do & really extends their life expectancy with this diease.

Hip Dysplasia is pretty easy to see on an xray...the ball of the hip is not in the joint. You can google xrays online to see what it looks like. Once I knew what it looked like I could quickly see it on Lincoln's xrays.

I adopted an 11wk old Oops puppy who did have hip dysplasia. By his first birthday Lincoln was having difficulty walking. I had xrays done & my vet called & said he had hip dysplasia. I said Greys don't get that...try again, but I did come by & look at the xrays. Sure enough..it was. I contacted Dr. Couto & he said he had never seen HP in a Greyhound & I overnighted him the films. When he got them he called me and asked me to bring him up for a consult. After a day of workup from Dr. Couto & the Orthopedic Surgeon Lincoln was scheduled for a Total Hip Replacement. Neither doctor had ever seen this is a Gryehound. He was younger than most dogs that get the surgery he was 14mos), but because he was having so much trouble they recommened doing it right away. They kept him 5 days instead of the normal 3 days post op since he was their first Greyhound. Lincoln did great & today you would never know he had it done. Dr. Couto got to see Lincoln again last year at the Greyhound Festival of the Bluegrass & was amazed at how well he did. He said he still has never seen another case. He also has no idea how Lincoln go it. HIs incision... He had to walk with a sling for a few weeks post op

Reagan - adopted at 12wks Lincoln - adopted at 11wks Scout - rescued at 16wks Trouble & Chloe - rescued at 5-6wks In my opinion - having raised the Greyhound puppies listed above - retired racers are much, much easier. Puppies are puppies regardless of breed & they have to learn everything. I like puppies & have enjoyed mine, but they are more work than a dog that comes with the training a retired racer does. Reagan only ever had one accident, but chewed like crazy. Lincoln was very difficult to housebreak & chewed any & all wood. Scout was pretty good all around until I got the twins (Scout was 10mos) - then she reverted. Trouble - well she earned her name - and Chloe is a barker (very loud & obnoxious.) Two at once was double the work. We don't place many pups, but when we do I give 2 pieces of advice - exercise & socilization. Those are the 2 best things you can give your pup. Exercise makes for a tired puppy & a tired puppy is good. Once they get all their shots (usually 4mos) take them everywhere - walks, meet & greet, fundraisers. Expose them to everyone & everything. I have found that really helps as they mature.

Thoughts & prayers sent...

My number one rule with CRF dogs is keep them eating. All the best food in the world won't help them if they won't eat it. Feed them what you need to until their appetite improves. Fluids are a great way to help them flush their system. Ask your vet about a phosphorus binder. The fluids help a lot but a phos binder can be a huge asset if your dog doesn't want the low phos renal diets. I bought aluminum hydroxide gel powder from a compounding pharmacy. It was money well spent. Completely agree. I don't like the prescription foods at all. I home cooked for my last dog with kidney disease. However when he went off of that you feed whatever they want to get the calories in them. He would always eat boiled hamburger. Not he best diet for him, but better than nothing when he refused to eat. I was terrified the first time I stuck my dog, but it does get easier. Once you get the hang of it - it is easier for both of you. I just had to resign myself that it had to be done & I did it. The two dogs I treated got comfortable with it. I'm not saying they liked it, but they knew at that time each day they got their fluids. A few hours after the treatment - and a nice big pee pee - they would be very hungry. With them I saw results quickly from the sub-q's.

I started sub-q as soon as they were diagnosed. When you get the diagnosis you have already lost 70% kidney function. The sub-q's help to flush out the toxins that the kidneys are not. Once the toxins are removed from their system they get a boost of energy & a desire to eat. Loss of appetite is a real challenge with kidney dogs. As the disease progresses - and it does - you increase the frequency and/or the amount of fluids.

You don't need a GIF tube - just give her sub-q fluids. I did this with 2 of my dogs & a friend is doing them daily for her Ridgeback mix right now. Once you get the routine down it is no big deal. The needle just goes under the skin & the fluids really work magic with flushing the toxins out of their system. Sadly it is not a cure, but will make them much more comfortable. I had Houdini almost 2 years after diagnosis with giving sub-q's. We started twice a week at the end it was twice a day. The first time is scary, but it gets easier.

We use it on everyone of our dogs who has surgery. It was given to my Lincoln by Dr. Couto when he had a Total Hip Replacement. I asked Dr. C about it & he said he recommended it because of Greyhounds being "bleeders." It is inexpensive & worth the peace of mind. We lost a foster girl after spay & we want to do everything we can to avoid that happening again.

Can't help you with the other, but Longevity is 1 scoop per 40lb. You may want to try 2 scoops a day - that is what my hounds get.

Someone in our group just lost one last month to Osteo in the pelvic bone. He was diagnosed 10mos ago, so she was lucky to have him as long as she did.

I have had senior Greyhounds since 1997 & I have never fed senior kibble.

I would never use a vet that did not allow me to stay with my dogs when they are examined or worked on. I usually let the techs handle the dogs, but I have helped out with difficult ones. I stay with my dogs during shots, IV fluids, stitches/staples, ultrasounds, xrays (even assisted with a few.) I even stayed and watched a dental the last time we needed one. I have not watched a spay/neuter, but I think she would let me if I asked. I am responsible for my animals & that includes their health care. I want to know what is done to them & how they react. I ask a million questions & often bring in internet printouts to discuss. My vet has learned to expect this from me & it has never been a problem. If it was - I would find a new health care partner.

Out of curiosity- what is Lincoln's dame's name? He is an Oops puppy, so I don't know his heritage. He was born in Pensacola.

Greyhounds don't get hip dysplasia, but I had one that did. I got Lincoln as an oops puppy at 11 weeks. At 12 mos he was diagnosed by my vet. I immediately contacted Dr. Couto & he said he had never seen a Greyhound with it. He asked for the xrays which I overnighted. The next week I had an appt with him & Dr. Dice (ortho) at OSU. They confirmed the diagnosis & since Lincoln was already having mobility problems he had a Total Hip Replacement 2 weeks later. Not only had they never seen a Grey with HD they had never done a THR on a Greyhound. Lincoln was also very young for the surgery according to Dr. Dice. They have no idea how he got it, but it had to be genetic. One year later & Lincoln is doing fantastic. You would never know by watching him run that he ever had a problem.

My Ben has a similar condition called a Vascular Anomaly. Basically he has a constricted esophagus, so no solid foods will go down. He regurgitates food if it gets lodged in his esophagus - which is often. He has been on pureed food since he was diagnosed. The vet also recommended him sitting up while he ate - but Ben would have nothing to do with that. He gets 3 meals a day & I just hold his bowl in my lap while he eats. Then, if his esophagus is enlarged (above the constriction) we dance. It just means I pickup his front feet & put them on my shoulders & then I burp him with my right hand (the esophagus is on his left side) to try to get the food to move down the pipe. We move around (like dancing) and I talk to him. We have made it fun over the years and time for just me & Ben. I don't do this with any of the other dogs - just him. We usually only do this for a few minutes - until he has had enough. Either the food goes down or it doesn't. If it doesn't I try to pick it up as soon as it comes out or he will continue to re-feed on it. Not good as it will continue to come out in his case.

I think I adopted Greyhound #15 this year & none of mine have ever needed their anal glands expressed. A normal healthy stool should take care of that when they express themselves. I did have an IG who had a ruptured anal glad, but a round of anitbiotics & some ointment & she healed up fine. She has never had a problem again. Have you tried adding fiber to his diet? If he were mine I would try to avoid manual expressing them if possible.

Donna, Why don't you call Dr. Boswell? Jennifer

Donna, It is safe for Cash to have annual bloodwork - in fact I would encourage it. I don't have her medical records in front of me, but I seem to remember us sending off BW after her spay. There was no concern issued with drawing the blood at that time, so I don't know why there would be now. The board certified vet is not what saved her life - it was all chance. She bled out the day after her surgery - which just happened to be a holiday. They checked on her by chance when she started to bleed & called & asked to do a transfusion from another foster dog. Had they not checked until later she may have died. We have had this unfortunately happen since Cash & that dog was saved as well. Being board certified is not the issue - being a good vet is. The vet just needs to know she is a bleeder before any procedure is done. It doesn't mean she can never have anything done to her - that would be unrealistic. We are lucky in that our area has a lot of vets from which to choose. Some are much better than others & some I would run from - but it is still great to have choices. Find one that you trust - and that will work/listen to you. I consider my vet my partner is my pets healthcare. I lost a dog to DIC too, but really that is a rare occurance. Doing BW on a dog - particularly as they age - is an important part of their healthcare in my opinion. Jennifer Watkins Shamrock Greyhound Placement

Lincoln got his last dose of pain meds last night. He woke up at 5am today! Oh my. So I got up & took him for a potty break. That is not what he wanted - he wanted to play. Sorry buddy - you can't right now. Being 13mos old his attention span is very short. The best toy so far - plastic water bottles. I know - not environmentally friendly, but we are talking my sanity here. It is the only toy he will pickup for more than a few minutes. I think he loves the noise it makes as much as anything. I am going to the pet supply store today at lunch to check out some interactive toys. Another few days of Cephalexin & he will be off meds. They warned me with his other joint issues he may still need something like Deramaxx, but we will go drug free to see how he does. He figured out yesterday that his "special treats" were hiding his pills, so he started spitting them out. He will take them however if my sister (his dog nanny) gives them to him. What a punk!

Lincoln with his sling. He has to use this for support until he is released. It is ackward & you have to get used to handling the lead in one hand & the sling in the other. A rear view Lincoln! Roaching in his xpen last night