vjgrey

So sorry you lost your very beautiful girl.

Exactly. I don't think anyone has "attacked" the OP - just expressed concern for, and sincere offers to help, Coen. My offer to go get him stands if the OP ever wants him to "pack his bags," as she said in her first post.

I'm in DC and will drive the eight hours (I think you're in South Carolina?) each way to get him if I need to. With Gabe fighting Osteo, I'm not really in a place to take on another hound right now, but i'm sure there's someone in the area who will.

I'm so sorry about the diagnosis, but aren't these "surprise" moments great? It makes me SO happy when Gabe goes back to just being Gabe. Even/especially when that means he's being naughty and stealing chicken off the kitchen counter (which he totally did a few nights ago). He had a CBC and chemo follow-up appointment this morning, and everything looked great. His oncologist said he showed no signs of pain - didn't even flinch or look at him when he handled his osteo legs. I'm just holding my breath and hoping this lasts. He'll have his pamindronate treatment again next week.

No, you're not. It's extremely sad when strangers who have never met Coen feel more empathy and love for him than someone who's lived with him for three years.

What a beautiful boy. I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry to hear about the diagnosis, on top of everything else. The Osteo thread here in this section is very informative and supportive, so don't hesitate to post there, too, if you have any questions or just want to vent. Gabe is on Tramadol twice a day, though we have given a third dose on a few occasions. It doesn't really seem to phase him, but then he's a big hound - 85-86lbs currently.

Gabe's appetite is definitely on track - so much so that we had to dial back the kibble. His oncologist said he's one of the only dogs he's ever seen who is gaining weight while on chemo. We have it in check now, though - much to Gabe's dismay. No sign of lameness so far - knock on wood.

Just checking back for an update. Hoping you got good, something-simple news this afternoon.

I have everything crossed for Shelby, and will be thinking positive thoughts for you and your family.

He seems tired/worn out, but Chemo days are always long days. Other than that, he's doing well so far. He's mad at me because I haven't fed him dinner yet (forgot we still needed to boil chicken for the kibble topper). I'll echo the "Yay FedEx!" DH and I are rooting for him, and all of the hounds in this thread.

It isn't about a hypothetical point in the future. It's about expecting someone who claims to be committed to animals generally and who committed to this hound, specifically, to live up to that commitment.

She's ADORABLE!! Is she as teeny tiny as she looks in the pics? My itty bitty (50 lb) girl is the sassiest, bossiest hound in the house.

This. And also this. If YOU want to return her, I hope you'll do it sooner, rather than later. But I think it's ridiculous to say you're doing it to be "fair to her." My hounds were with me while I went through law school full time (as an honor student), served on law review, worked a paid job AND interned for federal prosecutors. All at once. And they were, and still are, very happy and well-adjusted.

I'm so very sorry for your loss. She's always been one of my GT favorites, too.

Gabe is all set for Chemo #3 today. We're going to do every four weeks from now on, instead of every three, to allow his cell counts more recovery time. I'm a bit nervous, because he's gone lame within days of both of his previous chemo sessions, but his oncologist insists it's just coincidence. I'll be keeping a close eye on him, and hopefully we'll be able to schedule him for a radiation treatment if we see it coming on.

I've moved three times (oy!) with Gabe and twice with my girls, and aside from a lot of whining on moving day ("WHY are these strange people taking our stuff?! And WHY are they not petting us?!"), it's been fine. The most important thing is to make sure your hound is safe and isn't going to slip out the door as things are being moved in and out. I baby gate them in an empty room (no reason for movers to go in), put a sign on the gate and let the movers know to be extra cautious about it. Obviously, if you're doing the moving yourself, this isn't an issue. They've all settled into our new homes without missing a beat. As long as their people, beds and food bowls are there (not necessarily in that order ), my pups generally just go with the flow.

Gabe goes in for another try at Chemo #3 tomorrow. We've been giving him antibiotics all week, so our fingers are crossed that his white blood cell count is back up. The swelling in his leg/foot FINALLY went down today, and the leg looks almost normal again. He's NOT excited about going out for bathroom breaks in this cold DC weather, but apart from that, he's a happy boy. Which means his mama is happy, too. :wub:

Who do you see in VA? I go to Caring Hands and while it is pricey, I do like the doctors and I love the front office staff. I sometimes ponder switching but I've seen them handle crisis before and I appreciate how swiftly they respond. Once was an issue with Enza and once was while I was in the waiting room. This woman walked in with a dog that was in pain and even though she wasn't a patient of theirs, they rushed the dog to the back and calmed the poor woman down. (okay - two of the doctors are also really good looking...I took my boyfriend with me once and he even noticed it...) We go to Caring Hands, too, and have stayed there largely out of appreciation for how they handled an incident with Gabe. He had what was either a panic attack or a bad reaction to anesthesia following a dental. He was such a mess, they thought it might be some kind of cardiac event and did a series of tests to rule that sort of thing out. They called me immediately, and I got up there as soon as I could. When I went in, they had him in a darkened room, laying on a blanket on the floor, surrounded by three vet techs who were petting him and talking to him in soothing voices. The vet (Dr. Garcia) said "We realized that he loves people, so I gave him some people." She didn't charge me for any of the cardiac tests, saying she'd done them for her "own peace of mind." So, every time I leave with a $200+ bill for a routine visit, I consider switching vets. And every time I think about them giving Gabe people, I stay. They were also very kind when I had my sobbing meltdown following his Osteo diagnosis.

No advice, but I did want to echo those who are saying a huge thank you for your dedication to Joe. We don't have children, but we do have a "special needs," boy who was previously bounced for repeatedly biting greyhounds. He's since bitten my two girly hounds and me (though our vet has attributed his biting me to neurological issues, not aggression). It's taken years and a lot of hard work to learn how to recognize and avoid his triggers. In spite/because of all that, he's my favorite boy - the hound who's the very closest to my heart, and I would not give him up for anything on earth. I admire your dedication to Joe, and I very much hope you can keep both him and your child safe and happy. If not, please know that there are people like me (and others on this board) out there who can and will love a hound with "issues," and whose lifestyle might be a better fit for him.

I'll be watching this post, as well. I'm not unhappy with our current (general practice) vet, but I'm not thrilled, either, and they do seem very expensive. We rarely get out of a routine visit (e.g. vaccinations) without a $200+ bill.

Maybe he knows the pony is lonely... Either that or you have a ghost... Seriously...he probably hears 'something' outside. I want to know why there's a pony in the house!!! I think it's a toy pony. You never know. One of my friends/former neighbors really wanted one of these as a house pet:

I woke up with the feeling that someone was looking at me. Quickly realized that Gabe was standing on his bed, staring at me intensely. When he realized that his "willing" me awake worked, he playbowed and barked his happy bark. What a great way to start 2012!! His leg is still swollen but does seem to be going down some. He's walking a bit gingerly on it, but I think that's because the thickness makes it feel weird. It doesn't seem to hurt.

When Gabe was in on Thursday for his Pamidronate drip, he somehow tangled himself up in the IV line while trying to lay down and pulled it partially out of his leg. It left an ugly looking bruise but seemed fine otherwise. Until this morning. His whole leg Is swollen, and he has a walnut sized fluid-filled mass just below the IV site. Of course, everyone at his oncology and radiology offices are off for the holiday, so we spent the morning at the eVet associated with his oncology center. We're doing warm compresses, massages, and watching it. Poor buddy.