vjgrey

The Hope Center is who's seeing Gabe (Dr. McNeill). So far, he's doing really well on Gabapentin, Rimadyl and Tramadol. He gets short leash walks 4x a day (back yard requires stairs), and he'll drag me if I let him. I'm expecting to hear from the Center today with his FNA results, and then we'll try to schedule Chemo for tomorrow or Thursday.

We had a long consultation with an Oncologist yesterday and decided that the vet's initial impression was right - Gabe is not a good candidate for amputation. His hind end is too weak to support more weight, and he is TERRIFIED of vet visits. He shakes, tries to climb into my lap, and tries to hide. That said, he LOVED the Oncology center. It was very clean but didn't look or smell "clinical" at all. They had lots of dog beds and blankets available, and Gabe actually curled up and fell asleep - totally unheard of with my vet-phobic boy. They took a FNA just to 100% confirm that it's cancer (currently about 99% sure, but he said he has seen bone infections mimic cancer on x-rays). We'll get the results back on Monday or Tuesday and will start chemotherapy, radiation, and pamidronate, along with home pain meds (tramadol. rimadyl and gabapentin). Gabe stayed at the center for a few hours yesterday for blood tests and the FNA. When we picked him up, two vet techs came out separately to tell us that everyone was completely in love with him. The receptionist said they were plotting to keep him. That's my sweet boy - a total charmer.

We've made an appointment for tomorrow with an orthopedic surgeon to get a second opinion on amputation. If they think his hind end will be unable to handle the weight, we won't do it, but we want to make sure before we totally rule it out. I think I've moved on from yesterday's depression/denial to anger/advocate mode.

What a great resource, but such an awful club to join. Ugh. As I posted in my other thread, Gabe was diagnosed yesterday with Osteo just above his front, right wrist. He has hind-end weakness, so our vet does not consider him a candidate for amputation. We've sent his x-rays and the consult form off to Ohio State for a second opinion. We're looking into limb spare surgery, but I wonder whether his age (10 1/2) and hind-end weakness will make him a poor candidate for that, too. Can anyone recommend a good oncologist in the DC metro who performs them?

Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers. We've sent Gabe's X-rays and the consult form to Ohio State for a second opinion on his diagnosis and treatment options. In the meantime, we're spoiling him like crazy with lots of soft things and his favorite foods. As I type this, he's stretched out on a quilt-covered daybed mattress on the floor. He gets short leash walks instead of back yard time, since we have to avoid our stairs, but he seems pretty happy with that, too. It's hard not to think ahead, but since he's content at the moment, we're trying to be, too.

Just back from the vet, and it's Osteo. He's struggled with hind-end weakness for several years, so amputation of his front leg is not an option. He's back home with me now so that we can spoil and make him comfortable for as long as we can while we try to figure out how to say goodbye to him. I am beyond gutted.

I haven't posted in a while, but I hope some GTers remember Gabe. Tonight, while trying to figure out the reason for a limp/awakward gate in his back legs, I discovered a hard lump on his front leg, just above his wrist. I am terrified and will get him in tomorrow as soon as his vet can see him. It can't be "that." He's only ten and a half, and we're not done yet. We need years more for more car rides, cookies and walks. Please think lots of positive thoughts for my sweetest boy.

I've been absent from GT for a while, but I haven't forgotten about Phene. I'm so sorry, Robin.

Beautiful boys.

Yep, Diamond is a member of this club, as well. Gabe has gotten her ear twice - through a muzzle, both times. Oy. Poor, Echo. Hope her ear and her ego are feeling better soon.

Lucy was 20 months old when we brought her home (now almost two and a half). She's definitely more active (and MUCH more vocal) than Diamond (six) and Gabe (eight and a half), but she seems to take her cues from them, for the most part. If they're playing, she'll play longer and harder than them, but if they're laying around sleeping, she's happy to do that, too. Usually. She still occasionally chews on things she shouldn't, collects random things, counter surfs, etc... but she's not as busy as I expected her to be. Edited to add - Lucy was injured in racing school, so she had some training but never officially raced.

Weird - it came up as a new thread for me (in "today's active topics"), which is why I commented on it.

Welcome to Greytalk! My husband and I have just moved to Alexandria with our three hounds. Next time we have them out in Old Town, we'll stop by.

Welcome from Alexandria!

No, never. The risk of them choking or injuring themselves with a caught tag is much greater, in my opinion, than the risk of them being let out in a break-in. If you want your dog to have permanent identification, you could always get a microchip.

Thank you! We're in Alexandria, just south of the Beltway. We're renting for a year or so and then plan to buy in the Old Town area. I'd love to be included in greyhound events/walks/meet and greets, etc... I'm currently trying to get my "sea legs" with the driving around here. The traffic! OMG!

Glad she did well, but I'd suggest taking her collar off before you crate her. The tags can get caught between the bars, choking your hound.

My pups need a new vet. Anyone in NOVA have one they just love? We'd prefer to stay in Alexandria but will go to Arlington, Southern Maryland, etc... if necessary.

Thank you for including Holly on your list. It's so hard to think - she should've been on our couch right now.

Hmmm, ok. This is really not larger than the width of a pencil at the opening. There was really no blood around the wound, and probably not more than a drop or two on the fur, and we've all been in the same room, so I'm sure she wasn't licking it all away. I don't know. Maybe I'll have my neighbor surgeon look at it later, just to be sure. ETA sorry to hear about Diamond, by the way. She's a beautiful dog. Oh, that doesn't sound bad. In that case, I'd probably just keep an eye on it. I know most dogs' skin doesn't tear easily the way greyhound skin does.

Of course, greyhounds are different, but... when we took Diamond to the e-vet two days ago for her bite, the vet said her wound was "deceptively small." It was about the size of a silver dollar and not HUGELY gory, but there was a lot of damage underneath, including muscle damage. He wound up putting three layers of stitches in. If it were my dog, I'd want the sitter to take my dog to the e-vet. I'm very, very protective/particular with my hounds, though.

Thanks for all the good thoughts for my sweet girl. She's been up and about a lot more today. She seems to be feeling a little better, but we're having a hard time keeping her from scratching at the stitches. They didn't give us an e-collar, because she can't really reach them to bite at them, but she's been scratching with her back legs. I guess we may need to find a shirt to put on her.

Last night, my mother-in-law gave the hounds the biggest Moo Tubes I've ever seen in my life. She'd picked them up at some boutique store as a holiday treat for the "granddogs." We're careful to separate the dogs with high-value treats like raw bones, but with regular treats, greenies, bully sticks and usually moo tubes, they've never had any issues. They'll each carry their treat off to their own little corner with no snarking, no growling, no problems. So, I didn't think too much about it when MIL gave them the Moo Tubes. I think they were just so BIG, Gabe didn't know what to do with his, so he dumped it on his bed and walked off. Diamond was standing on the bed next to his, chewing on her treat. I guess when Gabe put his down, she decided maybe his was tastier, so she dropped hers and went for his. He saw it, decided he DID want his, and before we could do anything, he'd crossed the room and jumped on her. The fight lasted just a few seconds before DH and I each grabbed a dog. Gabe didn't have a single scratch on him, but Diamond had a bloody ear and a gash in her shoulder about the size of a silver dollar. One midnight e-vet trip and several hundred dollars later, she has three layers of stitches in her shoulder (it was torn all the way down to the muscle) and several stitches in her ear. She's going to be fine, but she's very bruised and very sore. Poor pup - it's her birthday week, too (Sunday). :(

Just need to update mine - we're now in Alexandria, Virginia (previously in Kansas).

Welcome from Virginia! Beautiful hound, and I love the name. It reminds me of Charlotte's Web, one of my all-time favorite books from childhood.