tydyelady

Thanks for all these replies. I believe I am going to get Opie tested for a full panel, without the meds. His original symptoms were some aggression, but I know and have learned that it was me, not reading his signs, allowing him too many privileges in the beginning, and not doing proper training as me as the leader. He was new to our household at the time (3 months), and he was beginning to test his boundaries. Plus the fact that I was playing with him, on the floor, on his bed, and did not read his signals of "leave me alone" and he snapped at my face, hitting me with his canine tooth and drawing blood. YES, I have since learned a LOT, and Opie is the sweetest big goofy boy ever now. It will be 5 years in March that we have him now. He never had any other symptoms. His diagnosis was based on VERY low T4 levels, which the lab actually retested because they were so incredibly low (lower than the low end for greyhounds) I was given the choice of a full panel at the time, but I did not know then what I know now. So that is what we will do, probably in a few months.

He was beautiful - and your tribute left me in tears. Run free sweet Silver.

So sorry, just love her.

He was tested a few times after during the first year, and then a year later. No, it wasn't just take this and run. But not the full panel. Well this is interesting, can test T4's while taking it, but 6 weeks off for full panel. OK, I will discuss this with my vet too then and get her input.

Opie has been on Thyroid medication after testing him a number of years ago. My vet wants to retest him before continuing with his current pill levels, and I in fact, after becoming more educated, am questioning whether he needs to take the supplement at all. I will request a full panel, which he has not had before, just the T4 levels, which were VERY low. So my question is - when I take him for the test, should I take him off the medication to get a result of how he is naturally, or should he test with taking his thyroid medication? Thanks for any help in this. I hate to have him on thyroid meds if he really doesn't need it.

Opie will do this occasionally. Usually in conjunction with him eating grass. I figure he has a tummy upset. Usually we just wipe his butt with witch hazel wipes, and if it looks a bit swollen some Prep H on it. Of course if it didn't go away we would go to the vet, but it usually resolves in a day. I totally understand, having IBS myself, with its associated issues!

All good foods from Costco, and at a significantly lower price.

Continued prayers and white light for Paulie from the PNW.

I am SO sorry to read this - what a freak accident and tragedy. She was so beautiful.

You mentioned he was sleeping when you left - then when he woke up you weren't there, so perhaps that's what freaked him out? We always tell Opie bye, leaving, going to work (yeah, even at night!) so he knows we are leaving. We don't make a big deal of it, but just let him know, always say the same things to him. He always gets some cookies before we leave too. And no, we never used the crate after the first few days, as he was so unhappy and broke out of it twice. Returned it to the adoption group the next week.

Beautiful! I am so very sorry, it is always so hard to say good bye, even when it is the right thing to do.

This is definitely true for Opie. He sometimes refuses breakfast in the summer hot weather. Now its cold here in Seattle, has been in the 20's at night by us for almost a month. We don't have a fenced yard, so he gets 4 walks a day. He has been eating like a HORSE! We leave cookies when we leave in the AM, and they are gone before we even have our shoes and coats on!

YES vote for Comfortis! It keeps on killing fleas for a month. Give to dog - I bathe the dog the next day to get rid of dead fleas and flea poop, wash all bedding and vacuum vacuum vacuum. Any fleas you miss that still jump on the dog will be killed from the Comfortis. Its a great product.

Um, I was thinking the same thing. Seems like a potty before human bedtime should be mandatory.

I too am so sorry for your sudden loss. It does sound like it was something that could not have been prevented. This is just tragic, and my heart goes out to you.

I am so sorry - what a little sweetie she was! Run free sweet girl.

I am late getting into this thread, just sat here and read the whole thing. SOOO glad that Pinky is making such wonderful progress! Go Go Go girl!!

Opie loves raw chicken feetsies. Its rather disturbing to watch him eat one, but he does love them so. I have never seen any of the dehydrated varieties.

I mix Kirkland lamb and rice with the Natures Domain Salmon.

And how is your poop after a lamb meal? Do you really want to know???? Let's just say, I keep on eating it!

Our Opie eats Kirkland lamb and rice food from Costco. When we got him, he had been eating chicken, so we bought that. Poos were awful, and we gave him plenty of time to settle in with us. Finally switched to lamb and he is fine. Recently we added the salmon food from Costco with it (half and half mix) as he seemed to be a bit bored with the kibble, and his poo is even better! And as far as eating lamb, he loves it. I like lamb, so if we eat lamb chops, DH and I always save a few pieces for Opie, and he absolutely loves it! But if we give him any more than a small amount of turkey or chicken, he gets loose poos again. Different dogs do well on different foods / different proteins.

So VERY sorry ..

IMO 10 hrs is a long time to leave a dog, but I know plenty here have done it. They do adapt to your schedule. We usually leave Opie for between 6-8 max, although we have left him for up to almost 11 in an emergency, but I don't like to do it. If you have an adoption group that can work with you on your needs, you can find the dog for you. They will also take into consideration a young child, as you have to be quite vigilant with them around the dog, but again there are plenty here who live with babies and do just fine. Just be honest with the group on your situation, so there are no surprises later. Greyhounds do make wonderful pets, and many (such as ours, he is an only) do fine by themselves.

I use the Kirkland Lamb and Rice, (Opie doesn't do well on chicken food) and recently started mixing it with the Natures Domain Salmon food (also from Costco). He loves it, firm poops, soft shiny fur, and the price is right.

Prayers for Willie today.