greyhead

Chris, I hope you see this, because my whole-post-quoting function on GT hasn't been working. Did you figure out a cause for Cash's behavior? Shane has been doing the same thing lately, and everyone is clueless except for thinking that he has pain. He also has kidney issues but they're not anywhere near dire yet. Tonight I started wondering about seizures and came to GT to research. Didn't have to look far to find a case just like Shane's! Anything you can relate will be greatly appreciated! Mary

WHanson, no need to apologize at all. My siggie picture is misleading since Spencer isn't wearing his halo! And I'm totally over being sensitive about it. Budesonide targets the GI tract specifically, so you don't get the wide-ranging generalized SE's of pred, including weight loss. Spencer was on pred for three days, before we even knew he had SIBO or IBD, and dropped 5 lbs on the spot. Later, when we discovered the IBD, we went straight to budesonide and got excellent results. (If you use pred and then switch to budesonide, there has to be a wash-out period of at least two weeks, which is a long time for a dog in distress.) The only SE was fur loss. But greyhounds only need half the dose that other dogs should take, which is important to know because they can overdose on it.

Good thoughts from here too. Clem looks like a fine addition to the family!

What a relief! SO happy for you both!

You're most welcome, and I'm so glad if it's helpful. I found that self-educating was pretty much essential in getting Spencer through his ordeal. It started with his starting to chew on wood in the house, and I happened to see something saying that could be a sign of anemia. The vet ran the cobalamin/folate test and found him low on cobalamin, which indicates intestinal malabsorption and *may* indicate SIBO. But since he didn't respond to a low dose of tylosin, the vet concluded he didn't have SIBO. Long story short, I spent every waking moment on the internet, researching what could be causing his stinky, increasingly yellow pudding poop. And he was needing to go out 4 times a night. So as you know, a poop culture was positive for Clostridium, an anaerobic bacterium that would have been fatal if not treated, and it took three antibiotics to do it. After that, he still wasn't entirely right, so we did an ultrasound, and that showed he had developed IBD. So we spent the next four years treating him for that. He did pretty well on the treatment, though, which had budesonide (instead of prednisone) as its centerpiece. Spencer went to the bridge almost a year ago, from complications of drugs given for an ultrasound and biopsy. We were looking at the liver to account for his steadily increasing liver values, and the testing didn't really show anything. So he didn't pass from all that GI stuff anyway. He was only 8 years old when his troubles started, though, and I have to agree with the poster who said to consider her age. If you do get a referral and they want a biopsy in order to diagnose, I would resist that, especially at her age. Also, as long as this has gone on, I'm not sure tylosin would be strong enough. Flagyl was one of the three meds Spencer had to take for his SIBO, but there were two others (simplicef and clindamycin, I think?) that he needed first. *Really* recommend the poop culture, ASAP, to see what she's dealing with. It takes several days to get results. (I used a very clean container and held it under Spencer, so the only germs in that container were the ones in the poop.)

I'm so very sorry Lazer had to leave. He surely beat the odds over and over, didn't he? And he was so lucky to find you most of all.

I'm one of the ones who had a grey with small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). I'll try to find links for you to the threads. It practically took an act of congress to get a culture-and-sensitivity test for fecal bacteria, but when we finally just ordered it done, it was positive for Clostridium. So sorry you're going through this. At her age, you need to get this under control fast, I'd think. I'll be back with whatever info I can dig up. ETA: I found Spencer's first SIBO thread after he was diagnosed, but I can't get the URL to copy here. So I'll type it by hand, and you can copy it into your browser. http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/225238-chronic-diarrhea/?hl=clostridium%2C+sibo This might be good to read too: http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2002&PID=2580

She *did* find the perfect family, and you couldn't possibly have loved her more. I can feel your loss, and I am so very sorry.

Godspeed Lynne. You were well and truly loved.

Gorgeous girl! I'm sorry for your loss, but she's clearly living in your heart.

What an awful shock. I'm so sorry.

It did feel like Mork would/should always be here, and I'm so sorry he had to leave. Thank you for sharing that lovely poem with all whose hearts can be healed by it.

I'm so very, very sorry for your loss. He was a lucky boy to land with you, fit fine in your pack, and soak up everyone's love!

You did well by Sam, and he knows it. I'm so sorry he couldn't stay and be free of pain too.

Tracey, I'm so sorry. She was perfect, your first, and left unexpectedly. That was a lovely tribute. She was so loved.

That was a lovely tribute, Deb, and that picture is just the *best*! He could not have landed in a better home than yours, and I'm so grateful that you were there for him. I'm so very sorry you couldn't have had each other longer. Run free, Lucas. You had quite a ride.

Same here. If you don't have food limitations, it's probably different. But with them, we opted for capsules. Not hard to fill at all. Size 00 yields 1/8 tsp. IIRC.

I'm so very sorry. Haka had a good run with you and was clearly well-loved.

I'm so sorry, Susan. She sounds like quite a girl.

I totally agree with tbhounds about the budesonide being preferable to the prednisone for greyhounds with IBD. It worked for Spencer for four years, and IBD is not what got him in the end. Three or even four meals a day is what we fed. Always dressed his kibble with a gravy made from canned food -- in both cases, the simplest formulas available. And Ensure was great, but you have to start slow to avoid diarrhea; we started with a third of a bottle a day and over time increased to half a bottle twice a day. You want the original vanilla Ensure, not the newer (more complicated) formulations. ETA: B-12 injections (sub-q at home) were immensely helpful in preserving Spencer's muscle, appetite, and sanity. The first two seem of concern to you, and I'd highly recommend B-12.

I'm so sorry Rudy had to leave.

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Mary. Godspeed Rickie.

I'm so very sorry about Swiftie.

Woo-hoo!