Houndmommy03

How awful! I am so sorry for your loss. Hugs, Kim

Just came back from the vet - they took blood and will run a "Free T4 by Equilibrium Dialysis". Hopefully I'll know something by early next week. Just curious, my vet said that his "grumpiness" (we have had a few growling episopes and a snap - he is normally not grumpy) wouldn't be due to a low thyroid but I thought that was a symptom (or is it a symptom of hyperthyroid)? Kim, Silver and Holly (whose thyroid is just fine!)

I am really sorry. We lost our 5 year old grey to osteo 2 years ago. Definitely join Circle of Greys - you'll find a lot of info and support there. Hugs, Kim

Thanks. I'll do a search and see if I can find the info in case I need it. I'm hoping the new test will give me better info. I guess I am jumping the gun a bit because the vet (whom I do like) didn't seem all that concerned. I just think it is odd to have a drop in thyroid levels AND some new issues that could be symptoms. But, then again, I am not a vet so what do I know! Thanks again, Kim and Silver

Silver had his physical last week and the vet did what they call a Senior blood panel (had one last year as well). Anyway, His Creatine came back slightly elevated compared to last year (1.1 2008 and 1.9 2009). The vet isn't too concerned but thinks we should recheck it in a few months. I am good with that. Meanwhile his thyroid levels (don't know exactly what was tested) are slightly low compared to last year (2008 1.3 and 2009 0.7). She isn't too concerned with this especially since he isn't lethargic or having weight gain. I have asked that they run another test (which they are going to do) because he has some other issues that initially I didn't give much thought to but now wonder if they could be thyroid related. He is losing tons of hair (we have had him 4 years and have never seen hair loss like this). It is coming off of him in piles, especially if you pet him. In the last few months he has gotten grumpier - we have had a number of growling incidents. I just thought it was his age and that he was becoming les tolerant. He has always been a very sweet, tolerant dog. THis spring he has started barking at thunder. When it thunders he jumps up, barks and runs around (I saw being thunderphopic as a possible symptom of hypothyroidism on the NGAP site). Anyway, we are having another test done and hopefully it will give a clear indication of what is going on but if I get results that aren't real clear, what would you do? I know 0.7 isn't low for greyhounds but it is lower than what he had before and could his other "symptoms" be related? Thanks for your thoughts! Kim and Silver

It wouldn't let me vote for some reason. We just did pain management for Lucky and she was with us 3 1/2 months after official diagnosis but had started limping about 2 months before we finally got an osteo dx (so 5 1/2 months from when she started limping). We were relatively new greyhound owners when Lucky started limping (we had only had her 3 years and she was only 5 years old) and I didn't know much about medical issues so when she started limping I had no idea it could be cancer. Otherwise we might have gotten a proper dx sooner. It was during that time that I found Greytalk. We opted to not amputate for many reasons but I often feel guilty that we didn't because when we finally had to send her to the Bridge, she still didn't show any signs (via x-ray) that it had spread to the lungs. I often wonder if she could have beat the disease or at the very least lived much longer.

Hi Martha, I am so sorry to hear about poor Avery. I didn't read all of the posts but did want to say that I have read that food intolerances/allergies can cause joint pain in humans (I have 2 kids with food issues so I read about them a lot). I don't think it is a main stream idea but it could be a possibility. You may want to stop the pumpkin cookies permanently just in case or after Avery is better and has been better for awhile, you could try them again to see if the limp starts again. Hugs to you both, Kim, Silver and Holly

I'm sorry to hear about your pups dx. We lost our 5 year old grey to OS 2 years ago. You are on the right track with Dr. Couto. You may also want to join the yahoo group called Cirle of Greys. They were very helpful as we navigated the OS dx and tried to figure out what to do. Hugs, Kim, Silver and Holly

We lost our first grey at 5 1/2 (OS). Currently we have a 7 yo and a 4 yo and they had better live a long, long time!

Lots of hugs. Kim

Sending hugs to you and your pup. I am sorry you are going through this. Kim, Silver and Holly

So sorry for your loss. Hugs, Kim

Hugs to you and your pup. Kim, Silver and Holly

Poor thing! Hugs and prayers going out to her. Kim, Silver and Holly

Leah, I am really sorry. Don't feel bad about not doing an amp. If the cancer is as agressive as the vet thinks, it has probably already spread. We didn't do the amp when our grey had it. I know the decision about whether or not to do am amp is not an easy one. Many hugs to you and Romeo. Spoil him rotten! Kim, Silver and Holly ETA: Join Circle of Greys. It was such a comfort when we went through osteo.

Thanks! I will keep this in mind as we move forward. Had he been eating the same food for a long time and then develop a problem or had you introduced something new? Kim

I haven't heard a dx yet, but if it's gastro intestional (like HGE)it might be a good idea to keep him on the special food for a week or so without anything additional. Meaning skip the broth and just add water. What food did you vet give you? So glad he's feeling better! Don't be alarmed if you see 'black stuff' in his bowel movements. It's digested blood from his illness. This is a good point, I didn't consider if Silver was on a special diet. With Nellie we were just feeding her a "bland" diet of ground meat and rice after a couple of days of the Hill's I/D. I still haven't seen a poop yet (vet said the meds may "bind" him a bit, especially after not eating for a day) but I should see one tomorrow. Thanks for the heads up on still seeing some blood/black stuff for awhile. Currently he is eating Hill's i/d. I have about 4 days worth left. I guess when we see how "things" look I'll call the vet and see what I should do when Hill's food is gone. I would imagine I give him his normal food gradually. The doctor never gave me a dx. She said (assuming he gets better with meds/diet) that it was probably a virus or bacterial infection. Should I look for a more specific dx for any reason? He is a dog with mild anxiety issues (they were bad when we moved and our other grey died within weeks of each other but he is better now. That was 2 years ago.) but nothing happened recently that would make me think this episode was stress related. We are painting the laundry room which is where he eats and his crate is (which he doesn't use anymore) so it has been a mess and the dogs have to eat other places right now - hopefully that isn't something that would have sent him over the edge! Kim, Silver and Holly

Wow! What a difference a day makes (and medicine, special food, etc.)! Yesterday morning I really thought we could lose him (pooing lots of blood is really scarey!). This morning when the alarm went off he was next to the bed waiting for DH to get up and take him on a walk. He really wanted breakfast this morning and when he went on his walk to the bus stop DH said Silver was "bounding" - he was just full of himself and energetic. I haven't seen him poop today so I don't know where he is on that front but he definitely feels better! Thanks again for your prayers and thougths on what I was dealing with! Kim, Silver and Holly

I think Silver is feeling a bit better - Ya!!! He really had me worried all day though. After he ate that little bit of food this morning he went upstairs to his bed up there and he didn't move all day! I kept going up to check on him to make sure he was okay. I tried several times to get him to come downstairs but he wouldn't budge and I took water to him but he wouldn't drink. Finally at about 5:00 I convinced him to go downstairs but he went right to his bed in the family room. Then at about 6:30 he came to life a bit. I was putting some of his special food from the vet in a bowl and he came to check it out - he ate all of it! I then made him go out and he still has blood just coming out when he poo's . Just a little while ago though he came into the kitchen while a did the dishes (he always does that so it was great to see him acting himself!) I fed him some more and he is sleeping again. I feel better that he ate without prompting and that he came to check out what was happening in the kitchen. Hopefully this means he is on the mend. Thanks again everyone! Kim, Silver and Holly

Thanks everyone! I feel better after hearing what OldNELLIE and carronstar had to say. I finally got him to take his pills so I feel better about that as well. Thanks again! I'll let you know how he is this evening how he is doing. Kim, Silver and Holly

I just got back from the vet with Silver. Last night he had 2 accidents in the house (we weren't home) - it was watery blood (wasn't sure if he threw up or had diarrhea), lots of it and it must have been explosive because it was every where. The house smelled like metal - it was wierd. Must be what a bloody crime scene smells like. Anyway, he wasn't himself either. Didn't come to greet us and wasn't interested in eating (very odd for him). He got us up at least 3 times in the night. My DH had to coax him into his morning walk and said he had diarrhea and vomited. After the walk Silver went back to bed and didn't get up when I get up (which always does). I took him to the vet first thing this morning (he "pooped" again before the vet but it was just like a faucet of watery blood - if it wasn't obvious where it was coming from I would have thought he was peeing). The vet didn't seem overly concerned. She gave him subcut. fluids, some prescription food, and 3 pills (Famotidine, Metronidazole and Amoxicillin). She said he should feel better by this evening and to call this evening or tomorrow morning if he isn't better. If he had bloody poo I wouldn't be as concerned but I am totally freaked out by this bloody "water" (there is no poo). It just seems like so much. I got him to eat a little of the food and then managed to get him to take the Famotidine but I can't get him to take his other meds (they are "wrapped" in the special food). Silver is a chow hound and he hasn't eaten since breakfast yesterday (which was rice and water since he had some regular diarrhea the night before). After he ate he had that bloody, watery "d" again. Now he is sleeping and won't budge. How concerned should I be? Thanks from a freaked out mommy.

I"m sorry. Hugs and Prayers to you all, Kim, Silver and Holly

Besides frequent peeing, what are symptoms of a UTI? A couple of weeks ago Holly started getting us up in the night to go out. We thought maybe she wasn't going out as much during the day due to the cold whether. Last week I came home to an accident in the house and I knew it had happened the minute I got in the door because the smell was STRONG! There have been several accidents over the last week but we weren't sure which dog it was (it is rare that either dog has an accident and Silver has a great bladder - he can hold it for a long time but I still wasn't sure because we did catch him the act recently. We had just missed his whining at the door to go out). Anyway, last night we woke up at the sound of peeing and caught Holly in the act and it smelled soooo strong! I'm wondering if she could have a UTI brewing. She doesn't ask to go out a lot and when I take her on a walk she isn't squatting more than normal. Thanks! Kim

Got mine and love them! Thanks! Kim

I want to add my thanks for sharing your trip with us. The pics have been great! Makes me want to do a road trip to someplace I haven't been. How have gas prices been? Wishing you continued safe travels! Kim