vjgrey

We use the gel.

We've used it on Diamond (for neck soreness) and have never had a problem.

We're waiting on chemo from OSU, too. I contacted them more than a week before Gabe's second session, but there was a lot of back and forth with our oncology office, because they wanted a histopath report, which we didn't have (no amputation, so no biopsy - only a fine needle aspirate). We finally got it all worked out but not before I'd paid for the second chemo. I'm really hoping it arrives before his third in three weeks.

I really think you're looking too far ahead. She may not want to sleep with you. Or may be unable to because of space issues. Of our three, Gabe has space/other issues, so he's never allowed to sleep with us. It doesn't seem to bother him. He has his super comfy bed on our bedroom floor, and that's where he heads when we all go to bed. He naps on our bed sometimes during the day. Diamond always sleeps with us and always has. Lucy does, or not, depending on her mood/the weather/the alignment of the planets. Most nights she spends part of the night on our bed and part on her own bed on the floor. Your husband may change his mind, too. Mine swore none of the hounds would ever sleep with us. Now, he'll actually move to the foot of the bed to accommodate the two girls.

Like this

Gabe had his second chemo session yesterday, and so far (knock on wood) he's had no side effects. My chunky monkey IS on a semi-diet, though, because he's gained four pounds. Must be all the whipped cream we're giving him to get the pills down.

All three of our hounds have their dew claws, but I really wish they didn't. This weekend, Diamond tore one of hers off - for the fourth time. She's managed it in all kinds of creative ways, including getting it caught going up the stairs and stepping down in a hole on a walk. Somehow, it always happens on a weekend/holiday/after hours, requiring an e-vet visit.

I think the white hair is just more visible. Even though I'm a neat freak, you'll find hair from my two white girls on pretty much everything in my house. It gets on, and shows up on, everything. I don't tend to see Gabe (red/blue brindle)'s hair around the house, but I know he sheds - it comes off in my hands when I pet him.

My heart jumped so far up my throat, I thought I might choke this morning as I watched Diamond limp in from the back yard. I actually laughed out loud with relief when I saw the bloody dew claw hanging at a weird angle. Messy and painful (I won't go near those things, so she's now at the e-vet with DH having it removed and bandaged), but SUCH a relief! I've been SO paranoid about my other two since Gabe was diagnosed.

Well done, Berkeley! Gorgeous face. I love when they go white. :wub:

I'm so sorry for your loss and so angry at this horrific disease.

The coat is from here: http://halemar.com/Numbered-Winter-Fall-Track-Coat-105.htm I LOVE them. They're nicely lined and really inexpensive. The only negative is that they only come in two sizes, and the medium is a little big on Diamond (63 lbs) and WAY big on Lucy (52 lbs). This is the large on Gabe, who's a fairly big boy at 82 lbs. He has a tumor on his front right leg. He's also been diagnosed with osteo in his back right leg, although there's no visible tumor. I've actually been emailing back and forth today with Lilian in Dr. Couto's office about that today. She said that Gabe's case (osteo in two limbs with clear lungs) is "VERY uncommon" so she wants Dr. Couto to review his X-rays.

Cancer does suck. I'm so sorry you're having to say goodbye to your brave girl. I am glad that you had a good Thanksgiving with her, though. I know those good days are such a gift. Since his radiation treatment just before Thanksgiving, Gabe has been doing really well. He had a CBC yesterday, and everything looked good. He'll have his first full dose of chemo next Wednesday. He flirts with all of the oncology techs, and yesterday, they were calling him "our Gabe." He looked gorgeous in his coat this morning :wub: :

I went through law school with three greyhounds, including a one year-old puppy I adopted my third year. It can definitely be done - you just have to be willing to figure out what works for you both. That might not necessarily involve MORE time, just time spent doing different things (quick training sessions, jogging, a one-weekly obedience class, etc...) Two months is such a short period of time - you're both still learning, and she's still figuring out what living in a home means. I think you'll find things will get much easier once she's really settled in.

This morning, Gabe had a tech appointment for a blood draw. That's all it was supposed to be - in and out with the tech. But when she saw how amazingly improved Gabe was, she said she had to take him back to see our oncologist. She said he'd been really worried about him since we were last in. When we went in last Friday (before radiation), Gabe needed sling support and two vet techs to help him walk. Today, he was prancing, flirting with and play bowing to a lab in the waiting area, and he's walking with no noticeable limp. Our oncologist said seeing that was his "Thanksgiving present." We really our oncology center.

Gabe is on 300mg gabapentin twice a day, but he's a fairly big boy (81lbs). It never made him wobbly, but it did make him really sleepy the first week or so. Now, not so much.

Sorry, no advice, but, yes, it is a "greyhound thing." Gabe did this when we first brought him home but stopped once he felt more settled. It was clearly a comfort thing for him, although I know some greyhounds are just "collectors." I found it endearing, and he never destroyed anything. He once carted off my palm pilot in a leather case, and there weren't even teeth marks on the leather.

So glad you have more time with Faye Oops, Winnie. The radiation and/or new meds have done wonders for Gabe, and he's almost walking normally again. In fact, he tried to run this morning before his nervous mama stopped him (wet ground + a lot of slippery leaves). He's slept through the night without restlessness all weekend, and he's LOVING all the extra treats. I'm really grateful for these good days.

Mine LOVE them, but I have to be careful, because they consider them very "high value" treats. Gabe has let Lucy take cookies directly out of his mouth but caused Diamond an e-vet visit and three layers of stitches when she eyed his moo tube.

After more X-Rays, it looks like he does have osteo in the rear leg, too. His lungs still look clear, thankfully. His radiation has been bumped up to today (was Monday) and they'll do both sites. He's also getting amantadine added to his meds.

Gabe had a really rough evening/night. By late yesterday, he'd gone from a slight limp on that back foot to not weight bearing at all. Because he's trying not to put too much pressure on the front tumor leg (same side), he's not very mobile at all. He is really restless, though, and was up every few hours last night, trying to change beds or adjust positions. I had to get up each time, because I was terrified he'd fall. He has a radiology consult this afternoon, but I'm going to call his oncologist when they open in a few minutes and see if they want me to bring him in for x-rays. I'm scared he has a fracture in that back leg. This is so. very. very hard.

So far, Gabe seems to be handling the chemo really well, although I understand the full side effects may not hit until later. What's worrying is that today he's limping on a (non-tumor) back leg. The x-rays on that leg were a little iffy - both our regular vet and our oncologist saw density "issues" but no mass or any definite signs of cancer. They said it's possible that it's age/arthritis related, and our oncologist wanted to "keep an eye on it," while treating the tumor in his front leg. Is it normal for chemotherapy (and cold, rainy weather) to make him sore, possibly exacerbating arthritis/other issues in that leg, or should I insist on more x-rays at this point?

OMG. I'm SO sorry. We lost our pre-adopted puppy, Holly, several years ago while we were making plans to get her home. It's horrific, and I still think about her all the time. So very, very sorry for your loss.

Gabe is at the oncology center for his first chemotherapy session, and I'm next door at Starbucks trying to get some work done. I am absolutely buried in overdue work, but I can't concentrate on anything lately. I just want to drop everything and cuddle (and nap!) with my pup all day.

I'm so very sorry. I'll be thinking about you and your brave girl.