GeorgeofNE

Add me to the list of "Why are you sitting there typing on the computer and not driving to the vet?"

I've been where you are--thankfully, not crating my dog was the answer. It sounds to me as if you've tried everything. 10 hours alone is a LONG time. No judgement--most of us have to work for a living, and it is what it is. Sounds like you got one of the dogs who just doesn't deal well with that. There are plenty of dogs who DO. I don't think anyone would blame you if you decided that she's better off in a home where there is either another dog, or someone home. Please don't think all Greyhounds are like this. Good luck.

I believe that was the group I got George from! I was stunned-- I did crate him at first. He was fostered, and she was NOT crating him as per the schedule they tried to have me on (crated almost all the time). Anyway, he hated the crate, and it was a nightmare. I KNEW I should let him out, but they were so insistent. Anyway he was fine once I stopped crating him! I personally believe a dog only needs to be crated until it's housebroken. I guess if I had multiples, and they were happy in their crates, I might use them. I'm not anti crate, I just think, as above, they are vastly overrated as a "comfort zone" for Greyhounds. And FYI, when I told the late Linda Jensen, who was the lady who handed off George to my adoption group, that they recommended crating almost full time at first, she was horrified.

A nerve sheath tumor is what killed my last dog. His was huge, and it was on his side. The amount of flesh they would have had to remove, his age, and the fact that the vet said it was a virtual certainty that it would come back were enough for me to decide NOT to remove it. I didn't feel subjecting him to the surgery just so it could come back in a few months was worth it. It's a painful tumor as well. I'll be very interested in what your vet says, and I'm sorry for your girl.

Well if you can afford the monthly premiums, by all means, get insurance! My dog weighs 64 pounds, and he's 10. Once you figure out how to post a picture, we can tell you if she's actually underweight or not!

It's not "totally common" with dogs who grew up in homes, but it seems relatively common with retired racers who grew up in kennels where it's perfectly fine to pee wherever you want! I've had two friends bring Greyhounds to my home, and both of the buggers peed! George has peed in pet stores and at the vet, but never in someone elses house, but I watch him like a hawk.

I'm SO sorry-- If she were mine, I would not let her live in pain even if she was "stoic" about it. Hugs all around--

If she's fine with it, I'd just deal with it. A muzzle will not keep her from TRYING to mess with the staples, and in fact will probably mess them up faster than her tongue did.

I think that insurance on a 9 year old Greyhound is going to be too expensive to be worthwhile--that's just my opinion, and also my dog's bloodwork comes back as "abnormal" every time even though it's perfectly normal for a Greyhound, but it just wasn't worth it to me. And it doesn't sound like you HAVE taken the dog to the vet, which should really be the first thing you do upon adopting a dog!

I'm more than a little surprised a veterinarian would just pump various drugs into a dog with absolutely NO clue (apparently) what's wrong. What kind of blood work did he run, and read, that quickly that reveals nothing?

You've had the dog for a DAY. He doesn't know you. He has NO reason to trust you. It's naive to think he'll come when he's called--my dog didn't even know his name when I adopted him despite it having been his ONLY name for five years. Will someone please post for this new adopter that piece about how everything in the dog's world is new and unfamiliar? Thanks!

Agreed. The only time I'm ever nervous when I walk in the morning (very early, in the dark) is when George acts like he wants to turn around. I know he can either see, smell, or hear something in the woods that I can't.

Agree, something is amiss. Age isn't an ailment, in and of itself. George is 10 and other than gray fur, exactly the same as he was at 5.

I'd have the vet prescribe an antibiotic for 10 days and see if it stops before I went nuts thinking this is a housebreaking issue.

I'm so sorry. I don't happen to believe diet has any effect on cancer (aside from eating food contaminated with cancer causing things!) but your best bet would be to ask OSU what they think.

Thank you Meredith! I was going to say the same thing. Dogs don't have any sweat glands anywhere near the "hoo hoo" area, so it's either discharge from his sheath, or he's licking himself.

You couldn't possibly give her enough cranberry juice to make a difference. There are plenty of cranberry supplements meant for dogs -- George took them for ages. Just search "cranberry supplements, canine" on Amazon.com or your favorite site.

You need to stop loving on her when she barks! Which will be tough now that she's leaned how to get exactly what she wants. If you make a game of teaching her "speak" (bark on command) then she may have a greater understanding of "no speak"! That's what I did with my last dog--but he wasn't a Greyhound. Thank goodness George is "as advertised" and very quiet!

Only a person not familiar with cats would characterize this as an attack. Sounds like mischief to me. Doesn't make it less annoying--but I have a cat who thinks absolutely nothing of being growled at, snapped at, etc. The squirt bottle? He HATES that. Unfortunately, most cats are smart enough to know they can get away with whatever when you're not there or the bottle isn't in your hand, so if he's using his claws, you need to get them CUT as short as possible, and separate them when you're not around.

George has that. Probably ended his career, but doesn't seem to bother him now. Other than look a little weird! That's how I can tell if a vet knows Greyhounds or not! If they know what it is, they do. If they think it's "swollen," they don't!

Are you serious? A routine office visit costs $56 here. That's walking in the door and saying hello. I have never left a vet visit spending under $200--$56 for the visit and there is always either a vaccination on blood work. A routine dental here is at least $500.

The paper thin skin is why so many Greyhounds have scars (despite what the anti racing folks would like you to believe about their horrific treatment). It's why they were muzzles in the turnout pens. Even a perfectly normal dog play session can result in stitches if you're a Greyhound. My dog tripped and fell on some stairs once, and his skin split open in three places! A "regular" dog would not have had any injury at all.

Ah, but ask any orthopedic doctor. You're supplementing the income of the producers of these things more than helping yourself!

Check out the powder at www.planeturine.com It's awesome stuff! You blot up as much pee as you can, then you pretreat with a light mist of some spray stuff they give you, and rub in the powder and let it all dry. It sucks the urine into the powder, unlike liquid treatments which actually spread the urine and even soak it into your carpet padding (unless you have special pet carpet padding like me, that doesn't absorb liquid!). The powder stuff is so awesome my realtor told me to not bother having my carpet cleaned when I was selling my condo. Little did she know George had peed a LAKE of dark orange, stinky urine on that carpet that even a full gallon of Nature's Miracle would not get out. The powder got completely rid of both the stain and the smell!

I have never met a dog who didn't act like it was starving at all times if they believed there was ANY chance they could get food out of me. I expect you're being played--and it sounds like it's working like a charm!