GeorgeofNE

Oh, I'm so sorry! I know how painful it is. But PLEASE remember: it's not about YOU. Putting off your pain by prolonging hers is not what you want to do, I know it. No one who loves their pet wants to do that. The kindest thing we can do is let them go before every shred of quality of life is gone. I think your husband is right. May you all find peace with your choice.

What's the dog eating? When George gets a turkey neck, the next day he poops ROCKS.

If the dog is two, he had a very short career, if any. Have you checked on Greyhound Data?

He's probably just BORED. Is he getting plenty of exercise before you leave? It's been really hot in a lot of places and I imagine a lot of hounds aren't getting the same amount of exercise they normally get. A tired dog is far more apt to sleep than chew! I find that simply smearing peanut butter around the inside of a Kong works wonders. I don't feel like I need to pack meal in there. And I've also observed that when it's frozen, a couple of good drops on the ground and everything inside sort of "breaks" and comes out. I keep mine in the fridge so it's not gooey when I give it to him, but the contents are not brittle either.

Yup. George eats TOTW, and he gets one cup twice a day.

Kind of off the point, but my father discovered he has glaucoma because my Mom kept asking him what he was swatting, and he kept telling her there were gnats everywhere, and she kept telling him there were none at all...visit to the doctor, and he found out he was seeing spots and had glaucoma! I hate those little bugs. They're all over George too, but they don't bother him a bit, so I concentrate on keeping the little buggers away from me.

Lucy, check your receipts. Sometimes they just draw urine out with a needle. Since Piper spends the day for his blood work, it's not unlikely they did that, rather than ask you to bring it in a cup. Or just ask the vet's staff to look in his records.

A pack of dogs and a cat is very different than a single dog and a cat. And a cat outside is very different than a cat inside. George would chase a cat that was outside. They do seem to understand that a cat in the home is part of the family. A cat outside for many dogs, even those that are cat tolerant, is simply another prey animal.

Lucy? I believe "UA" is urinalysis. I expect that Piper's blood and urine tests are run frequently for his other issues, and that bloodwork was taken before his dental. Any chance he's snacking on too much of the garden when you're not home?

Oh Judy, I'm so sorry. She was a beautiful girl. Run free sweet Heart.

You can't get better advice on this topic than from JillysFullHouse! Your new girl will change and evolve for MONTHS, so don't worry too much about her shyness right now. Sounds like you're doing lots of things right!

Never heard of that and would never sign that agreement. Technically though, unless you have a signed blue slip, wouldn't the legal owner still be the racing owner? I seem to faintly remember this coming in useful in an adopter abuse/neglect situation quite a while ago. I agree with this-- I signed the agreement that I wouldn't let him run loose, and I abide by that. However, I have a piece of paper designating me the owner of Greyhound 92a-15005, and I don't think the adoption agreement would stand up in court for five minutes. The owner of the dog, Driven Racing, Inc., signed over ownership to ME, not my adoption group. In Mass., a dog is property under the law. Not sure how you "adopt" property. That being said, the only thing in my adoption contract I didn't do was the group training class since he doesn't like dogs that aren't Greyhounds, and I trained my first dog when I was 10 years old and didn't feel I needed to pay some kid to tell me how to teach a dog how to heel!

My mother had a thyroid tumor--they removed it, and her thyroid, and she takes one pill a day and is just fine.

Doesn't sound like a UTI to me. I'd be very worried if a dog hadn't eaten in three days--unless you meant he hadn't eaten WELL?

Does your neighbor realize how easy it is? I used to give my neighbor's dog his shots when his human was running late. She showed me how, no big deal at all!

Hi! Sorry to hear about your leg! I only have one dog, and it's just me--we have a one dog only rule here at my condo, so there is no option for George. However, George is one of those oddballs who ONLY likes other Greyhounds! Loves all of them, instantly, but has a very strange and aggressive reaction to all other breeds. I'm not sure if it's ridiculously rough "Let's play whatever you are" or "You don't look like me or my friends and I'd like to rearrange your parts!" so I just keep him back. He seems none the worse for his four years with me! By happy chance, someone else in my condo adopted a male Greyhound last year, so every few days he gets to sniff butts with one of his own kind! I did also take him, a few times, on a Greyhound only group walk--gave those up those because we both found them TOO SLOW. Do you have any friends with dogs? You could have them over to play in the yard! That would be a real treat to someone like me, who has no hard and has to leash walk 365 days a year!

That's interesting. My father's dog never left his side once he had one of his eyes removed. And once he got REALLY senile, his other dog started to hide from him. It was heartbreaking.

I was gonna say that I was too!

This question makes me laugh and remember when! George was the same way. Has still never been on a couch. I actually put him on the bed and sat up there with him, feeding him biscuits, a few times. But it was 18 months until he actually STAYED on the bed. Now I can't get the darn dog off, and he's a bed hog! Be careful what you wish for!!

really? wow, I've never heard of that. I was just wondering what other people do with their greys. Licorice is very good at coming when he's called and will even stop mid-run to return to me (while at the dog park) so I've thought of letting him run on back trails... Just curious about other's input. Did you sign an adoption agreement? Because if you DID, I imagine it contains such a clause. Everyone I know has an agreement that says they won't let it off leash. My dog has NO recall, and I would never take the risk. My last dog was a mixed breed from a shelter; I signed no such agreement, and he was extremely well trained and I DID let him loose in safe areas.

My last dog was bitten by a squirrel (can't blame the little fellow, my dog had him in his mouth at the time) and I was told the same thing by my vet; squirrels have not been found to carry rabies, and, as he reminded me, my dog has been vaccinated against it! Rest in peace little squirrel!

A single vomit with a dog, I don't worry. Vomiting a SECOND meal up gets me a bit more concerned. Has she pooped?? You're correct; your vet would no doubt suggest you withhold food for 12-24 hours, then start up with the bland diet. However, I would keep a very close eye on her, particularly to make sure she's pooped. If she can't hold anything down, and nothing has come out the other end, she's got a problem.

Exactly what Greysmom said. Who is running the home? Needs to be you! Sounds like you're providing for all his needs; and believe me, my dog is the EXACT same way (and he's nearly 9). He reminds me more of my cats--everything is all about them all the time. He has no interest in my needs/wants/like/dislikes (which is very different from the dogs I've spent my life with prior to him!). It is ALL about him. So I do the best I can; during the week we walk 2 miles every morning before I go to work. On weekends I normally walk him on a totally different route and then I give him a marrow bone (which he loves!). We have a routine (dogs love routine) and I try my best not to let him dictate changes to that routine--although I don't think he'll ever stop trying! This is where the "go lie down" command comes in very handy! Although I admit, George gets the "go" part, and will do the "lie down" part, but as soon as I turn my back he normally jumps back up...he's prove HIGHLY resistant to training! Mind you, I give him some leeway on that since he did spend 5 years as a working dog who had a TOTALLY different routine and his only obligation was to run really fast, not fight, and get into the right kennel. I have learned to love him for who and what he is--stubborn, self centered, but sweet and funny too.

I just use peanut butter smeared around the inside of the hole. I keep it in the fridge, as I find freezing it actually makes it EASIER for him to get the peanut butter out fast. For a dog with mild SA like mine, what you're trying to do is keep his mind off your departure as you leave, and for him, once the first 5-10 minutes have gone by, he calms down anyway. I use the HUGE size. When I tried to give him a new one, he refused to touch it! The one he is using every day (Mon-Fri) belonged to my last dog. I don't get too disturbed about cleaning it. It's no like I'm going to eat out of it, and George could care less if it's "clean" as long as it's got his peanut butter! That's also why I don't use anything that spoils.

Oh Judy, how frightening for you both.