GeorgeofNE

If she's underweight, with no energy, and hasn't seen the vet since she was six months old, you really should consider a visit. What you're saying is that half of her lifetime ago, she was seen by a doctor, isn't progressing normally, and you're concerned. If she were mine, she'd be going to the vet.

Perfect! I lived in a condo (apartment style units) when I got George. One day I got home, and the Super was waiting for me to tell me he had gotten three complaints (three other owners!) in one day about George. I was mortified! I wrote a letter that explained I had a newly retired Greyhound, that he was not used to live in a home yet, that I was working on the issue, and that it would NOT go on for long, would you please bear with us? I gave them my cell phone number, and invited them to come over and meet a real, life retired racing dog. I put the letter under the door of EVERYONE anywhere near my unit. With one exception (a person who is just nasty by nature!) they all said, "Thanks for letting us know--no problem--we can handle it for a while." I videotaped him the next day, assuming the noise level was being exaggerated, and was HORRIFIED at what I saw on the video--howling at the top of his lungs the ENTIRE two hours of video tape. I stopped crating him, and the noise stopped immediately. He was so good, in fact, one of my neighbors who had complained came to my door in a panic saying, "You didn't get rid of him because of me, did you?" and was shocked to see him wagging his tail at her! I was fortunate that I happened to be the chairman of the condo board at the time this all went on; there was nothing anyone could really do to me. Are you in your own private single family home? In addition to giving up on the crate, I started getting up early so I could walk the dog for 45 minutes before work every day. Four years later, I'm still doing that. A tired dog is much less likely to fuss. I also used a DAP diffuser. I can't say for sure it helped, but it most certainly didn't hurt, and they're not terribly expensive. I should clarify that George was relatively quiet--at first. It was after about two weeks he started to carry on. Some dogs just don't want to live in a crate once they're in a home, and George was one of them. Many dogs are just fine in them--but it's a very different thing for a retired racer to be at the kennels, surrounded by other crated greyhounds, than it is to be alone in the house trapped in a box with no one next to you, or above you, or across from you. I think of it sort of as the difference between living in a dorm, and being in solitary confinement!

Nine days is really no time at all (I'm so sorry for your loss). Maybe you need to back off a little and just let her mourn? Obviously she needs to eat, but I would not worry much about her not wanting to play or perhaps being a little more withdrawn. She's suffered a loss, and she needs time to adjust. MAYBE being with your aunt will be just what she needs? A change of scenery and all?

Perhaps consider not using canned food? My dog gets kibble with warm water, and eats is with gusto.

The first dog I had with happy tail wore a bandage for SIXTEEN WEEKS and then, because he was having major surgery anyway, I had the vet cut off the damaged part. The vet doubled up the skin on the end, and it was never a problem again. George came to me with happy tail. When he had his dental (four days after I got him) I asked the vet to do the same. When she took a look at it, she refused. She made the right call. A month of good bandaging, and it healed up just fine. Also letting the fur grow back (the foster took him to a vet, who shaved the tail...) helped. It's opened up once in the past four years; two weeks of bandaging and it was fine. Contrary to what most people do, I believe that less is more in happy tail bandaging. The more weight you add to the bandage, the more likely it is to come flying off. I had great success using knee-sized bandaides, white first aide tape, and a bit of vet wrap.

There are two kinds of stones. One can be seen on x-ray, the other cannot--you'd need to use ultrasound to see those. How they deal with them depends how many and how large they are. If they're large enough to be felt through the abdominal wall I would think surgery would be required.

He's not "trying to destroy" your house. He's not trying to punish you. He is not capable of understanding that because, hours before, he tried to eat poop you're withholding a treat from him. If he were my dog, I'd probably just close the dog door. If he can't get outside when you're not there, he can't try to eat poop while you're not there, and he won't be bringing a dirty muzzle inside with him. I had a dog who ate poop at one point. I used For-Bid in his food a few times, and he tried to eat one of those poops, was repulsed by it, never did it again.

Oh Linda, what a shock. Poor dear girl. Run free Molly. We will miss you.

First thing I thought of too, heart. But hopefully nothing!

I can't see how grinding his nails would do much--unless he's like George and yanks his legs everytime you touch a nail! He COULD have aggravated his injury. He could have been laying funny. Lots of things come to mind, but the nails are not likely to cause a problem like that unless you went WAY too short--but you'd know it if you'd done that. Don't beat yourself up. You did NOT break your dog! Hope he feels better soon.

Could also be bladder stones or crystals in the urine. I doubt VERY MUCH that this is a behavioral issue.

One of the many reasons I don't allow my dog to walk on other people's lawns!

That worked for me--it's not you don't ask for the behavior; they understand "speak" so they understand "no speak." At least my wonder mutt did! Teaching him what speak meant was hilarious! Me, barking my head off while he looked at me with his head cocked! Teach him what "go lie down" or "shut up" means!!

My dog had a HORRIBLY chafed neck when I adopted him. I have tried virtually every kind of collar. It makes no difference. What worked was getting his skin healthier with omega fatty acid supplements!

Couldn't hurt!

Whatever it is, it's not normal. Please make an appointment and have it looked at. He may be "stubborn" on the stairs because he has some sort of painful infection.

That's awful-- But try to remember that she isn't a person. She doesn't think about another dog attacking her in the same manner you do. The more uptight you are, the more likely it is she'll react in a negative manner. People "telegraph" their fears and stresses right down the leash to the dog without even realizing it. Sheila is correct about the various sprays you can use on dogs. I used to work for the law enforcement department of the Mass. SPCA, and had a lot of interaction with our state's "animal cops." Yes, they carry a spray on their belt (on the other side of their gun). The spray is more for the people they're forced to seize dogs from, not the dogs. It's also of a strength that isn't legal to carry in this state without a permit. If the dog is close enough to you for the spray to work, it's already close enough to attack your dog. Same with a stun gun. If you can reach out and touch the dog with a stun gun, it's close enough to latch on to your arm. And yes, you're just as likely to get the spray in your own face, or your dog's, as the attacking animal. I like the golf club idea! Perfectly legal to carry a golf club around. I'm really sorry this happened, and I'm sure it was terrible. I bet (and hope!) that you'll be surprised by your girl's resiliance.

Keep him busy, and keep him TIRED from exercise. I'm sorry for your loss.

Could easily be a UTI. She sounds like a terrific girl!

Yes! Thank you! I'd like to hear anyone's experience in using this product on their greyhounds, especially regarding the fit. Tinkle Trousers Hey! I have a Tinkle Trouser, and despite the manufacturer assuring me I ordered the correct size, it doesn't seem to fit to me at ALL and I have never actually had George wear it, just because I couldn't see how it would possibly hold in his urine if he had an accident. The area that is designed to hold a diaper doesn't touch his body at all, so I thought if he lifted his leg, the urine would just squirt out the side!! She was not interested in taking it back, so if you want, PM me, and if your dog is about the same size, I can send it to you on Monday.

It could simply be irritated from the Epsom salts and the antiseptic wash!

People gain weight on Prednisone because it makes you hungry, and we have thumbs to snack when we want. My dog (not George)was on Prednisone many, many times and never gained an ounce--what with not being able to serve himself!

Ticks lurk in any kind of brush-- Frontline doesn't repel ticks--it only kills them once they've started feeding off your dog! Preventic collars are your best bet for that kind of bad problem. It gives me the heebie jeebies just thinking about your problem! I hope you've gotten most of them by now!

I know it's almost impossible not to, but try not to second guess your plan of action. I went through almost the same thing--but my dog never had surgery at all because he was 12 and they would have had to remove a large portion of his side (that's where his tumor was)--and they told me it would just come back anyway. I didn't see any point in putting him through all that for a few extra months. We went along, business as usual, until one day he just laid down in front of his food and looked at me, and I knew he was just done. So off we went, and the vet and I sat on the floor and cried while my dog suddenly acted totally normal. She said it happens--adreneline or something--but that in all her years of being a veet she had never had a client call after a euthanasia and say, "Why did I do it so soon?" but she'd had many clients call and say, "Why did I wait so long?"