GeorgeofNE

Interesting! Sounds like someone has gotten used to being the center of attention and doesn't like it when he's not! I'd spend time doing the alone training. I happen to believe there's a difference between true anxiety "Oh no oh no oh no where did they go where did they go I am alone I am afraid!!!" and "Hey! Come back here right now! How DARE you leave me!" I'm GUESSING it's the second.

Wow. My vet tries to talk me into blood work pretty much every time I go in! And, oddly, I have NEVER had a CBC come back on ANY pet that showed "normal" for all the values. Made me wonder how often the lab's equipment was checked. I mean seriously--every cat and dog has something abnormal? What are the odds of that? My Siamese, who is deathly afraid of leaving the house, needs his rabies shot and is going in this weekend. I know they're going to try to get me to do a senior panel. I'm not sure I see the point. He's the very picture of health. If he has symptoms of ANYTHING, sure, I'd happily do it. Still pondering my decisions.

I wouldn't even consider doing a dental on a 13 year old myself. George had a bad reaction when he had his dental when I got him, and unless he has a critical need for one, will not be getting another. Fortunately, his teeth are spotless. And I do not brush them.

There have been TONS of threads on separation anxiety. Perhaps search for them and you'll get some helpful ideas? She's not used to being alone. Suggest, for starters, a LOT more exercise before you go out, and try leaving her with a Kong and some peanut butter in it, and maybe some kibbles mooshed in there too. Something to keep her busy for a little bit when you leave. Something special, that she only gets when you're not home. That way she starts to associate it with something pleasant instead of just being lonely. She's not angry at you, trust me. If dogs held grudges, they'd be...well, they'd be like people, and not the wonderful, forgiving creatures that make such great companion animals!

My dog doesn't have corns, thank goodness, but I've read enough here on GT to know that a corn would feel like a hard spot on the paw pad. They can start quite small, so you'll have to run your finger over the surface of each paw pad and feel for anything that isn't normal paw pad!

Yuck! Poor dog. Does OSU offer their free consultations to Whippets? I assume, since this dog is on a Whippet board, it's not a Greyhound. I was under the impression that their consultation services were for owners of retired racing Greyhounds? Perhaps I'm wrong? My only familiarity with them is via the Greyhound Wellness Program. My first thought was spider bite.

Make sure you feel each of his paw pads very carefully in case it's a corn. Unexplained limping in a greyhound would be cause for concern to me (and my vet!). If he were my dog I'd schedule some x-rays.

Argh! Been there, done that. Encouraged George to go up the stairs at my parents' house, and he would NOT come down. They were very steep, narrow stairs and I ended up carrying him. Still not sure how I did it without killing us both! He never went anywhere near those stairs again.

That's exactly what I was wondering. And how did this man get close enough to your dog to hit it, and where were you? I can barely get my dog to come to ME when he's loose and excited. If anyone approached George looking ticked off (and he must have), I'd shout at him before he got anywhere near him.

Unless you saw what happened yourself, I'd stay out of it. My boss and his family adopted a dog once. They're not dog folks--and if you listen to my boss, a normally fairly sane man, he will tell you the dog attacked his children. What happened in reality is people who had no clue how to handle a dog adopted a pup from a shelter and it was doing what puppies do--jumping, nipping in play, etc. But in his mind, that was "attacking" them. I've spoken to his daughters--they never had to even use a band-aide on what he says were "dog bites."

Please note! You must not use Advantix if you have a cat! It says so on the package, I think, but it bears repeating! I've never had any sticky or flaking or white residue with Frontline Plus, and I've been using it forever! What I make sure to do is part the hair and pour it on the skin. I do put it all in one place, but I do it in small squirts! I also take him for a walk right after so he doesn't lay down and it doesn't dribble off of him! Preventic collars are safe and very effective for ticks. Frontline doesn't repel ticks--never has. It will kill them though. I think Advantix is the only topical that repels ticks. Alas, I have cats and cannot use it.

My suggestions are: Walk him before you leave (dogs tend to piddle more when they're on a walk (leaving pee mail!) than in the yard, I think) and get a belly band if you're worried about accidents. Seems to me he's telling you rather clearly that 8 years is enough of the crate. Greykarma here on GT makes a great belly band, and a Serenity Ultra pad inside can hold a full on pee--trust me, I know of what I speak, having dealt with a mysterious bladder issue with my own dog on and off for the past four years! I think that risking injury to him by continuing with the crate is far worse than the possibility of an accident--particulary when you can pretty much contain them with a good belly band system! Good luck!

Agree with everyone else. A "sprain" won't typically cause a dog to bear no weight on a limb. My last dog tore his ACL and he would not bear any weight--I doubt that's what it is, but you do want to rule out a break. Good luck! Hope you're right and it is just a boo boo.

Don't know if the new tests are better, but I was told by an animal dermatologist at Angell Memorial that allergy testing on dogs is not terribly accurate.

My parents sold their house. The only place I have to stay is an air mattress in Mom's new (small) apartment! And I work in the securities industry; Monday is not a holiday for us! So, the answer is no! But if an old lady with chin length grey hair approaches you and asks you if you know George and Chikken Arms, that's my Mom. Apparently she's been doing this to anyone she sees with a Greyhound!!!!

I totally agree with Susan P. My experience with George is that he's so used to different people coming and going in his life (trainers, kennel helpers, etc.) he would be happy with anyone who was kind to him and had treats!

Is it ONLY the outside toes on his hind legs? I maybe TOTALLY wrong, but it would seem to me that might have something to do with how he walks. I can't imagine anything that would only affect two toes, only toes on the rear, and/or only the outer toes--except that they're physically rubbing on something. I only suggest this because George's back feet are a bit "beat up" on the outer edges and it is because of his gait and most likely related to his LS.

Thanks...this is how I was feeling. The good news: nothing was found...though the results of the cysto culture have yet to come back. He's currently on Clavamox (and the vet wanted me to give him Tramadol too, but I've stopped that, because I don't think he needs it. He is not showing signs of being in any pain.) The BAD news: this cost more than $1000.00 This is totally unacceptable to me. I am actively looking for a new vet. I can't afford to continue to go to this office. The vet was ridiculously over-aggressive in what he did (Bentley had no fever, and was acting normally). We have 3 dogs, including one who is 7+ -- we can't spend like that on one dog that ends up not being very sick. Thanks, Jen! Bents sends his love right back to you & Razzy! A bit off topic, and I hope Bentley is doing well-- I live in New England (as does the OP) and I have found that the vets around here are very quick to assume the worst and pile on test upon test. I've gotten to the point where I ask them to give me the cost of each test before I agree to it, and explain the purpose, and the benefit, and how the treatment will differ if I allow the test. I spent over $2,000 on George my first few months because my vet (at the time) was freaked out about his creatinine levels. It was only when I got Dr. Couto to confirm, via email, they were perfectly normal for a Greyhound that she backed off. And she KNEW Greyhounds had different values! When a specialist told me that based on x-rays she thinks George has LS, but she could only positively confirm it with an MRI, I asked her if the treatment would be different if she suspected it, versus she knew it for sure, and she said no. Since I had no intention of subjecting him to spinal surgery (the only valid reason, IMHO, to get the MRI), I declined. She was OK with it. This is something I will definitely have to keep in mind going forward. May I ask what town you're in? I know of an excellent vet in Dedham.

Awesome! One word of caution re: feeding him when you're leaving (if that's what you meant by distract him with his food bowl): many dogs need to uhm, move their bowels within an hour of eating. Some even sooner. I NEVER feed my dog right before I'm going out. I feed him BEFORE his morning long walk which gives him a bit of time to digest before we set out, and the movement (the walking) gets things going. I suppose (and hope!) that his morning poop is actually the remains of his evening meal, and so on... But if I fed him, and then went to work, I imagine I'd come home to a pile of poop in my house. What are you putting in the Kong? Lots of GT folks tell you to freeze it--but I found that when the contents are frozen, all the dog needs to do is drop it on the floor a couple of times to break out the insides. I keep mine in the fridge--makes the peanut butter not so messy, but not brittle so it doesn't solidify and just fall out in chunks. I use about two tablespoons of peanut butter. I smear it around the inner surface of the Kong. You don't have to fill the whole thing up! You're just trying to distract the dog while you depart and for a couple of minutes afterward. The Kong is NEVER used except when I leave so that it seems more special to him. Another thing you might try is "hide and seek." A behaviorist suggested this for George. Take a small handful of kibbles, and hide them in places like just under a chair, in a corner, etc. Show him that they're around--and he may spend some time hunting for them! That one didn't work on George, but I did like the idea! If you're in a HOUSE (no one below you), a Buster Cube is an excellent distraction! This is a square plastic thing. You load some kibbles into a chamber, and the dog has to roll the cube around to make a kibble come out! This can be a noisy toy which is why you should not use it in an apartment building! I had to teach George how to use it (literally crawling around the floor pushing it with my nose) but he did enjoy that! Here he is, working on his cube! Finally, a more expensive diversion toy is the "Kong Time" dispenser! This is a battery powered thing (looks a bit like a flying saucer!) that spits out a small Kong at a preset interval. It holds three or four small Kongs. I used to come home and find a pile of little Kongs on George's bed! He liked that too, but I stopped using it when I realized the beep noise it makes to warn the dog a Kong is coming just kept waking him up! I think it cost about $60 or so. But I was desperate, so it was worth it! And I can't stress it enough--EXERCISE! Whatever you do now in the morning--do more!

I can't help laughing at this! Yes, it's normal. All dogs burp. We had a dog once that just loved to walk up to you after he ate, give you a little wag, and belch right in your face. I think it was his way of saying, "Awesome meal! Thanks!"

A bit off topic, and I hope Bentley is doing well-- I live in New England (as does the OP) and I have found that the vets around here are very quick to assume the worst and pile on test upon test. I've gotten to the point where I ask them to give me the cost of each test before I agree to it, and explain the purpose, and the benefit, and how the treatment will differ if I allow the test. I spent over $2,000 on George my first few months because my vet (at the time) was freaked out about his creatinine levels. It was only when I got Dr. Couto to confirm, via email, they were perfectly normal for a Greyhound that she backed off. And she KNEW Greyhounds had different values! When a specialist told me that based on x-rays she thinks George has LS, but she could only positively confirm it with an MRI, I asked her if the treatment would be different if she suspected it, versus she knew it for sure, and she said no. Since I had no intention of subjecting him to spinal surgery (the only valid reason, IMHO, to get the MRI), I declined. She was OK with it.

Around here, they start the dog on antibiotics before they even DO the dental! Cats too!

Don't panic! And don't let the stories of separation anxiety scare you. What you're NOT seeing on the forum are stories about "Hey! I got my greyhound on Saturday, and he's totally relaxed, mellow, and happy to be here," cause those people don't need help. But you're probably more likely to not have any serious issues than you are! At least I hope... I think the most important thing to know is that the dog you bring home is NOT who your dog will be in a week, a month, six months, even a year. Everything changes for a retired racer. Everything. Try to remember that. Don't expect your dog to run into the house and grab the toys you so lovingly picked out and play with them like a Labrador. That might come later--or not. Don't expect your dog to understand that the loaf of bread on the counter isn't up for grabs! He's never had to have manners beyond not fighting and not climbing into another dog's crate. Your dog might be pretty good on a leash (many are) or he might not be. Mine wasn't. Of all the things he learned in the first few months, he learned that one faster and more thoroughly than anything else. Mirror and plate glass windows and doors are things he may never have seen. Please consider putting blue painters tape on any glass doors or windows he can easily reach as a visual cue there is a barrier. Your dog will probably not have any clue its not supposed to go to the bathroom in your house! Housebreak it as if it's a puppy, and do NOT punish the dog in any way should it have an accident! And don't be afraid to ask questions on Greytalk! Remember, there are no stupid questions--just stupid answers. Wait! That's not right! Just kidding--remember to keep your sense of humor intact!

Hang in there!! It WILL get better! No one has actually mentioned by name the booklet that describes in detail "alone training." It's called "I'll be Home Soon" by Patricia McConnell. I think it should be mandatory pre-adoption reading for all new greyhound owners! Very helpful!

I'd be thrilled with a dog who let me have FIVE MINUTES alone once in a while! Four years later, George still follows me from room to room--and we only have four total!