macdaddy

Sweetie sleeps next to me and LOVES to snuggle .. and snuggle.. and snuggle...by morning I am sometimes allowed as much as six inches of the king sized bed

Maybe he identifies as a skinhead ...or like me just trying to disguise male pattern baldness..

" a thing of beauty is a joy forever.." John Keats

I went from 2 to 3 by foster failure before my wife put her foot down (across my neck) but it was really no more trouble than with 2..walked all three at same time ..lined up on my left like little soldiers on parade...we have a little 'breakfast nook' that became the dog room..fed one in each corner w/o any problems...hey! 4 corners why not 4 hounds!...(wife..)...that's also where their crates were and where they were secured via baby gate if we had to be away for extended time...maybe I was lucky..Mac, Mango and Opie were extremely laid back and docile and never had any issues between them... other than 3xxx the food,vet bills, and poop I'd say go for it...what the heck..we're all cult members here...

ditto FiveRooooers post...you can buy lots of stuffies at the thrift stores for as little as $ .25 /ea...and you can buy squeekers in bulk bags at Amazon..a little stuffie surgery to remove eyes,buttons,etc and implant your squeekers and ...voila!!... your pupper has an almost unlimited supply of toys...

Mac..it's been two years since I had to say goodbye 'to the best boy ever in the whole wide world'...miss every day of the eleven and a half years we had together...love you still and forever..

Yesterday was one year that Mango joined her brother Mac at the bridge ..so hard to loose both so close together ..say Hi to Opie, Dessi and Charm...know that your new sister Sweetie is a good girl and is keeping me in snuggles..I miss them all to this day .. run free babies...luv you

One year ago today my best boy ever Mac crossed the bridge..still miss him. My first greyhound, my heart dog..had him 11.5 years..longest of all my greys..don't think I'll ever get over him..don't really think I want to..still get teary at times when I remember some special little thing about him..not as bad as at first and Sweetie is a comfort..a little velcro cuddle bunny..all I could ask for in a dog..I tell her she's the best girl puppy ever..just wish I could still have the best boy puppy ever..love you Mac..forever ....

your post breaks my heart.. time isn't kind to our fur kidz .. ... I'll always remember her as a young Lady Di...give her a cuddle for me...Bill

Mango age 11.5 went to the bridge this morning ...large mass in left lung area..wrote all about it in 2 posts in 'Health' forum ...first Mac now her in just 3 months... .. .run free sweet baby and say hi to Mac at the bridge

As the song goes.... if it weren't for bad luck I'd have no damn luck at all...first Mac now Mango..had vet visit today in follow up to massive weight loss past couple of months and loss of appetite/big 'D' past two weeks..(see 9-9-15 post)..x-rays showed a massive tumor in left lung area...30-50 % involved..probably pressing on esophagus causing problems in swallowing.. just lost my best boy 3 months ago and now his 'sister'..tomorrow will be boiled chicken and ice cream for breakfast and a last ride to cross the bridge...had no idea she was that sick...first time in 25+ years I'll be without at least one dog....life sucks..

I just lost Mac in May and now I think Mango's in trouble..she had a cancerous mole removed from her lip a year ago..vet said although he got it all 'something' would likely show up in 6-8 months..well it's been a year and the weight is just melting off her..she was off her feed about two weeks ago with a little 'almost diarrhea'..you know no big deal just typical greyhound stuff..rice and ground turkey for a day or two and she's back to normal but only for a few days..all this week she's really been off food..(same stuff she's had for years)..absolutely refuses to eat her kibble or her canned food..will eat a little rice/turkey/boiled chicken bites ......although it's had to tell when a greyhound is lethargic ..she's got no energy at all...like the old time cowboy movies when they say 'it's quiet out there'..'yeah..too quiet' I can tell something just isn't right...I knew she'd lost some weight but didn't realize how much until last night..we were watching t.v. and she was laying on her pad ..she stretched and I looked and thought Wow! you can see EVERY rib on her not just the last 2-3 as usual...picked her up and weighed her (and me) on bathroom scale..she's down to 55 pounds (scale read considerably more)..she was 64-66 range..that's like 15+% loss...got an appointment on Friday to have her checked but I'm not feeling good about it..she's in the danger zone..11.5...Mac had just turned 13...Damn I HATE it when they get old and start to fail...

It's been two months since I had to let Mac go and I miss him ...EVERY...SINGLE...DAMN...DAY.. I actually think I had a little depression episode..I'd had a major depression years ago when my thyroid quit and went untreated for a year..had many of same feeling of sadness,despair,listlessness but things got somewhat better..or maybe less bad..until I'd meet someone while walking Mango who was used to seeing me with both kids and then they'd ask about 'the other one' and I'd choke up.. Yesterday had a bad time..I'd been painting the bathroom and ran way WAY late on puppy dinner time..about an hour and a half over...when I finally got to where I could clean up and feed her I found Mango asleep on her pad..I told her " Your brother never would have tolerated this"...which got me thinking about one of Mac's most endearing quirks ..when he want something..like dinner and I wasn't responsive he'd come and ...ever so gently.. take my hand in his mouth and 'lead me' his supper dish or to the door if he wanted out or just to his bed/pad if he just wanted some cuddles and attention ..and I thought never again will he do that and I just lost it..miss you Mac ..miss you bad..

Thank you for all your kind responses...this is rough...didn't get much sleep last night..Mango, Mac's sister, sleeps on her pad next to our bed..she's the type that wants to be in the same room as you but is not a'cuddlier'...she accept a pet or ear rub ..even a short hug but than wants to be off...coaxed her into bed but it didn't last..Mac or the other hand always slept in the bed..he'd start off at the foot but after a while would snuggle up next to me...we'd cuddle off and on through the night...no spooning last night..missed his warmth..his fur ..his smell..hell I even miss his kidney kicks as he dream chased rabbits... took Mango for a walk after breakfast ...by ourselves ..this is the first I've only had one greyhound in years and years...I live in a 'retirement community' and all the dog walkers know each other and the dogs..of course someone asked about Mac..I could barely choke out a strangled 'He's gone' and had to walk away.. I'm retired law enforcement..almost 30 years working in Federal prisons...used to be a lot tougher ..got soft in my old age...thanks again...

All good things must come to an end....even the best of things...we have, with much anguish, made the difficult decision to help my beloved Mac across Rainbow Bridge...we've spent the past few days with hugs, cuddles,tears and love....today we had a special mid day meal of cheese burgers and ice cream and then took our final ride...my heart aches ..the tears won't stop..I am in darkness and despair.. the past year has been....difficult....he grew progressively more and more frail...weak in his hind quarters and stiff...he stopped getting up on the couch or love seat while we watched t.v. ..than stopped laying down on his pads/dog beds...even outside in the sunshine..his most favorite place in the whole wide world....for most of the past year the only place he's been comfortable was on our king sized bed and except for potty, meals and shot walks that's where he spent all of his time...we tried to spend time with him but it was difficult and he was pretty lonely..his world grew pretty small..the past few months brought more problems...he stagger and stumble on the rocks in the yard when going potty and would 'sag' in his back legs if he had to walk any real distance or stand for any length of time...30-40 minutes was all he could handle...he collapsed on our last 'long' walk...less than 3/4 mile.. and had to be brought home in the van.... next came difficulty controlling bis bowels..he'd leave the occasional 'turdette' when he struggled to get up...still it was manageable as long as we were conscientious with potty breaks...last month he started limping badly in his left front leg..2 vet visits, x-rays,blood tests, pain and anti-inflammatory meds helped some but the Dr. basically said that his time was short..said there were a number of other option we could consider but "in a dog that age"..and he used the term 3 times...he wouldn't recommend it...things went further south this past week or so..he had 3-4 accidents in the house..if there's any "back pressure" at all he go..I don't think he even was aware it was happening..he'd just loose control..Mac was 13 which is a pretty good run for a greyhound..and he had a really..really.. good life ..he was spoiled rotten because ...he deserved it...he was my faithful friend, my constant companion, my heart dog.. for 11 and a half years..my first greyhound ..the one by whom all others will forever be judged...the most perfect, gentle, noble, loving soul that ever walked this earth...he leaves a 70 pound hole in my heart and I'll miss him terribly and forever...but will be forever thankful he was a part of my life...I'd be a much better person if I had his attitude and gentle spirit...I'll see you on the other side Mac...love forever..your Macdaddy

Don't know where else to put this..not really looking for anything other than to vent a little..have had Mac to vet 2xx in last 2 weeks..started with limp in L front leg..he turns 13 next week..checked for the big 'C' and Valley Fever..both negative..vet put him on an anti-inflammatory ..seemed to help a little.. not limping so bad and seems to have a LITTLE more spunk...for the past year or so he's been getting so frail and weak..after even a short walk his hind legs sag and bend so he's walking like a German Sheppard ..stumbles when on uneven ground..sleeps almost all the time..face is all white ..eyes are cloudy..just wearing out .... but things seem to be accelerating ..his world has grown so small..still eating good so there is that..Doc said when his eating slows it'll be time..we could go whole hog and do MRI and other tests but to what end?...then said the words none of us want to hear.." in a dog that age"...yeah..yeah yeah ..I KNOW!!!..I just don't want to hear it ..don't want to accept it...he's 13..I've been his Macdaddy for eleven and a half...just breaks your damn heart but i swear i won't let things go too far...I owe him that..when he no longer enjoys his few pleasures I'll take him on his last ride..share a cheeseburger and hold him tight as he crosses the bridge..why can't they be like tortoises...

Oh No!!..I sit here with tears in my eyes....so very very sorry..my heart breaks for you...I dearly loved 'dinner with Bill'..he reminded me so much of my own finicky eater Mac..hugs to you..run free Bill..run free..

Had to help my poor Opie across the bridge this morning. He's been in a slow decline over the past 3-4 weeks. Started to notice he wasn't jumping up on the human bed during the day about 3-4 weeks ago. He ALWAYS loved to be on our bed but I didn't think too much of it ..just chalked it up to typical greyhound weirdness. Then a week or so after I noticed he was favoring his back left leg again I didn't think too much of it as the three are always playing 'me first out the door' and I just thought he had bumped it. A couple of more days and he's really limping so off to vet. He examines, manipulates the leg, does x-rays and...????..nothing specific...??? at that point it's hard to tell and could be a lot of possibles..but some good news definitely not ostio or valley fever. Treated with pain meds and anti-inflammatory for a week but things just got worse. Back to vet more x-rays..now he can say that it's something neurological.. he can't flip his left back foot back out when folded under and is slow in doing so on the back right. Basically we're looking at an MRI,neurological specialists,and all just to try to find out what's wrong without a whole lot of hope for successful treatment if we are able to find out what's wrong. So tried different/stronger meds but decline continued...yesterday he got up and staggered outside for potty, could JUST barely squat...he ate about 1/2 his breakfast and just a little water...then laid down all the rest of the day got up once for potty then right back down. ..same for supper...I tried giving him chicken broth with a little sugar at dinner to encourage drinking and add calories but he barely touched it..this morning he fell coming back in from potty and hardly ate anything or drank..noticed his skin would stay 'puckered' when I checked for dehydration ..and knew it was time.. I just feel so bad ..he came to me from an abusive situation..he'd been starved, was flea and tick infested.. only weighed 45 when our group got him..brought him back from the brink..then had to pull ALL his teeth due to an autoimmune disorder that caused the plack on his teeth to basically eat his gums ...so many physical problems..plus he was such a shy spooky boy..he literally hid under my computer desk for the first 6 weeks he was here..gradually he came out of his shell...at least with us... and became a happy lovie-lovie boy ...dear God I'm gonna miss him..sorry to go on but had to vent..kinda hurting right now..

Oh No... ..Greg so very sorry..Mac, Mango and Opie send

I've had Mac for just over 7 years and he's always gone through periods when he won't eat or eats only lightly...he'll be fine for months and months then he'll take a few days and go into his 'picky eater' phase...as long as stools and activity are normal I don't worry anymore...although I might give a few extra liver brownie treats just to keep him from throwing up that nasty snotty bile puke they do when stomach is empty...

Thanks..I'll wait until tomorrow ...just wanted to be sure I'm not being a bad dad...

Hi Guys...my Mango has had problems with a 'hot spot' on her left leg...as long as she leaves it alone there's no problem...as an aid I've been putting on a cut down long sleeve t-shirt instead of a muzzle ...about an hour ago she managed to catch her dew claw in the sleeve and tear it loose...I bandaged it up to stop bleeding and she seems o.k....not limping or displaying pain..my question is should I take her to an emergency vet on a Sunday afternoon and spend big bucks or can it wait until tomorrow...it's obviously not life threatening ...advice please

Back in September I posted about my little female Mango and her hot spot..thanks for all the info from fellow GT peeps ..I'm glad to report that she's stopped licking her leg and seems to be back to normal..again thank to all

Ice packs for swelling...Opa looked a little bit like the Spuds Mackenzie dog from the old Bud beer ads for the first 24 hours..10 minutes on every 1/2 hour or so...and soft food (can dog food/boiled rice) for the first 10 days while the gums heal..but believe me he is SO MUCH better off with all the old rotten teeth out and he doesn't miss them any more than I miss my hair..

I have a 5 year old foster failure Opa who had to have all his teeth removed due to the auto-immune/inflammatory response referenced above...the first few days after extraction were kind of tough but he got by with pain meds and ice packs...since then he's done fine ...much better off then with the bad teeth..I soften his kibble with a little broth but not to the point of being soggy...just a few minutes soak while I fix the other two their dinner..and he does have ETS a lot but it's cute...go ahead and get them removed he'll be much happier