greg1229

Bijou always licks her leg after a good blob of peanut butter

Welcome from sunny Phoenix, Arizona

How about what should be in a "basic" greyhound First Aid kit? My basic kit seems to have filled a tool box..

welcome from a balmy Phoenix

Run Free Sweet Abby...enjoy the warm Sun, the calming breezes and run with the other houndies that have been waiting for you Greg

Not sweet Kylie too... Run free little one, enjoy the "mooshie" bushes and the warm sun and cool breezes Greg and the Girld

Run Free Misty...Enjoy being pain free again..Help yourself to all you want from the "mooshie" bushes, the warm sunshine and cool breezes. The cold clean water from the porcelain "magic drinking well". Know that we are all here to help your mom. Don't fear for her, she will never be alone with all of us looking out for her. And know that someday you and everyone else over the bridge will be reunited.

Claudia it hurts to read this thread, Misty has been through so much and been fighting like a real trooper. I hope you get your miracle. But if not, I know Isis will be at the bridge to show her the ropes til you two are reunited. I'll be lighting a candle for Misty and you and the whole family Greg

My Isis came up lame New Years Day..I rushed her to the e-vet, they took x-rays and it showed nothing, so they thought a pulled muscle. She started to get better about 3 weeks later...Never was back to snuff. Then the first of March she started limping again but not bad. Then the weekend of the 5th her left rear leg became swollen. And it took her a lot of energy to get up and down from the floor. At night i would lift her into bed and she would flop down and pant several minutes before calming down. I got her into my reg vet Thursday the 12th. The took x-rays and she had a huge mass on her femur and it looked like it had cracked the bone already. Being in the desert we did a Valley fever test. The vet said he never thought he would wish Valley Fever on a dog, but it was better then cancer. At least with VF the mass would probably be parasitic and could be treated and the bone set. Unfortunately the test came back negative. Isis was 13 and ahlf years old and at her age the vet figured amputation and chemo wouild give her maybe 4 more months. But I knew it would not be a good quality of life. So on Friday the 13th, even though I wanted her with me forever I made the decision and sent her across the bridge. It was one of the hardest decision i ever had to make but I didn't want her suffering and on pain meds to the point of being a zombie. I know it was the best thing i could do for her. And you will know when it is time. Thining with your head and not your heart is the toughest to do in this situation, but you will know. Greg

Welcome from another Zonie...Phoenix here...Gotta love the Oreo pups Greg

My heart goes out to you and Merlin. I went through the same thing with my Isis 2 weeks ago..She came up lame in Jan, nothing on x-rays, then 3 weeks ago her leg went totally dead and became swollen. The mass has swollen and was fracturing her upper leg. At almost 14 it was likely the cure would kill her, if not only give here 3 or 4 more months and they would not be quality months. The hardest thing for me to do was to let her go before the pain took over. I got her when she retired at 5 as well. I still tear up when I remember the times we had together but I know she is now pain free and we will be together again sometime. Enjoy the time you have left with Merlin and take comfort in the fact you gave him a great comfortable spoiled life the past 8 years and you will know when it is time to let him run free. Greg and the Girls

Sorry for your loss, Isis left me Friday so she will be there to welcome Bodhi and they can play until we are all together again

Sorry to hear about Willow...Her and Isis will both be waiting for us at the Bridge. And Willow will be sticking that needle nose in all your bags again

If the Photobucket link isn't working I posted a Youtube link as well..

Ten years ago I finally bought a house and decided to keep a promise I made to myself way back when I was in high school working at Southland Greyhound Park..I said then that one day I would give a greyhound a spoiled retirement. I contacted GPA-AZ and like everyone else told them I was wanting to adopt a greyhound and knew exactly what I was looking for..more or less. A black, fawn, red or cow doggie. The thought of a brindle wasn't even a brain pulse. And no older then 3 years The TV station I work for heard I was wanting to adopt and decided to do a news story on greyhound adoption with my path to fatherhood as the subject. So one eveming GPA brought about 6 pups up to the station. All the colors I requested plus this shy little 55 lb. dark brindle little girl. I did the cursory pet and rub the pups and this little brindle sort of stayed in the shadows, head down. I was told she had been waiting for a forever home for about a year. No one was interested in her. She was not out going and goofy. Then all of the sudden she slowly walked up to me and put her nose under my hand. Everyone just stopped talking and stared. She had never gone up to any of the people they showed her to. And even though I had no intention of adopting a brindle and a 4 year at that, when I looked into her eyes something clicked and Doc's Terry became Isis my 4 year old child. In all the years she owned me she never was a people person. Out in public or meet and greets we would go to, her favorite place to be was behind Daddy. Sticking her head out between my legs to look at everyone else. And that was just fine by me. Her favorite place to sleep at night was up on the bed with me. She had to have the pillow next to me place her head on my arm and let out that big sigh of contentment. She was sleep aggressive with other greyhounds but never once snapped or growled when she slept with me. Even when I rolled over on her a few times. Fast forward almost 10 years.... New Years Eve, Isis came up lame on a rear leg. X-rays showed no signs of cancer, arthritis, broken bones. So the E-Vet figured at almost 14 years old more then likely a pulled muscle. After about 3 weeks she started using the leg more but not a lot. Then a couple of weeks ago her upper legged looked swollen. A few days later she quit using the leg altogether. And last Saturday her entire leg was swollen and it was dead weight. Tuesday I took her to my vet and x-rays revealed a mass on her upper leg. Hoping it was merely a mass from Valley Fever a blood panel was done and it was negative. The vet looked closer at the x-rays and determined it was more then likely bone cancer and the mass had fractured the leg as well. At her age even with chemo or amputation it would probably only give her a few more months and they wouldn't be a good quailty few months. So today, I took Isis to the vet and freed her of any pain and suffering she had or would be having soon. She passed quietly at 5:20 this evening. I held her head in my arms and petted and kissed her head and told her she would finally be catching the rabbit. She would not be alone, there would be other greyhound waiting to welcome her home. And one day we would be together again and she could watch the world from between my legs again and have Daddy's should to sleep against. Isis, because of you, I adopted Bijou and then last year Ellie B. You were the one that made this place the Magic Foster House as well. There will never be another Isis in this home for you will always be here. If only in my heart and memories. I know this time was drawing near and I made my memorial music video a month ago because now there is now way I could work on it. It hurts you are gone, but it would have been selfish on my part to keep you and let you be in pain. Catch a rabbit for my Isis.. Daddy loves you always Greg

The blood work came back..And it is what I feared the most..the Big C..TBD and Valley Fever came back negative. The vet was examining the x-ray and noticed the mass had fracture her leg bone as well. There was some other level in the blood that determines muscular inflammation, I forgot what he called it but should be in the low 200 range and Isis' was almost 700. After soul searching and wanting to do what is best for my girl, I have made an appointment for 5pm today AZ time to send her across the bridge to be whole and pain-free again. I so want her to stay with me but I know the best thing for her is to let her go. It would be cruel to keep her any longer and rather free her before the pain gets bad. Isis will always be daddy's girl no matter what separates us and one day she will be with me again. Greg

...and too soon for me. You may remember me posting the first of the year that my 13 year old Isis came up lame on one of her back legs. The E-vet took x-rays and saw nothing..Figured a pulled muscle and it should get better..It seemed to have been getting better since she started putting weight on it and walking on it some. Well last week it went lame again and Saturday started swelling up. I made an appointment with my regular vet Tuesday and took the first set of x-rays for him to look at. He say some light shadowing on her thigh bone and we took another x-ray. There was a mass about the size of a golf ball on her upper leg bone. It looks as though it has grown through the bone and fractured it. His best guess right now until blood work gets back is, yep the Big C..However it could also be a parasitic mass from possible Valley Fever but he isn't too sure since the lameness was sudden onset and not gradual over time. The blood panel will check liver, kidney function and will test for Valley Fever. The vet said he never thought he would wish Valley Fever on a dog, but that is the lesser of 2 evils and can be treated. I knew when I adopted Isis 10 years ago that one day I would have to make the decision. The years fly by so fast. At almost 14, if it turns out to be bone cancer, it's doubtful she would survive much longer even with chemo and amputation. So I have made one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make. Even though my heart wants to keep her with me as long as possible, I know I cannot. I would much rather have her cross the bridge before she is in a lot of pain. And I know one day she will be curling up with me again, resting her head on my shoulder and giving me the big sigh of content in my ear. I will update on her condition when I hear back from the vet. Greg and the Girls

Isis first.... As you may have read first of the year Isis came up lame on a back leg and had trouble standing on the other back leg and was losing weight.. I've been feeding her some canned food and she has put on a few pounds back a little above 50lb now. That seems to have helped with standing on her back good leg. Now her lame leg was starting to get better then all of the sudden it was lame again. No arthritis, no dislocations. At almost 14 years young, there isn't much I can do. We did acupuncture and massages. no help. She does put some weight on it and I am more then happy to lift her unto my bad at night. I did find out that during her career there were months at a time she was on the nmo race roster because of pulled muscles on that leg. Vet checked on her hind muscles and calling it muscular atrophy. So I am doing what I can to make her comfortable. She seems not to be in any pain and will try to use it some when we all go out back to play. She is a tough old bird.. Now Bijou..... My little 10 year old broke a toe on her one of her front outside toes. I've worked with dislocations on Isis and I know without an xray this is a broken toe. I got her on some Tramadol and attmepted to wrap her foot to keep the toe in place while it heals a bit. She was NOT going to have anything to do with that..I've iced it some when she will let me, the swelling is way down. So just got to keep her from playing full tilt on it for the next few weeks. That first aid kit I put together is being put to use Ellie is on thyroxine and the extra weight she picked up with the thyroid issue is starting to come off and she is more active then she has been in months. Even has been jumping up on me to play. What have I created?? Just another fun weekend at the Magic Foster House..

Ok..been almost 2 weeks.. She is getting better, but still not doing a lot of weight on the leg but she is using it more. Took her to my vet and of course Isis was a real trooper. Vet knows it is some sort of sort tissue issur like a sprain, but Isis wouldn't whince or jerk her leg so the vet doesn't exactlu where the sprain is. But she is getting better, a little at a time. My hardest thing is to catch her before she tries to jump on the bed at night. G

Well the Monday afternoon update.... She is doing a little better..even jumps on the bed..sort of... The back legs don't have the umph back yet so the front legs get n the bed no problem..the back legs semi-make it and I give her the added boost. And she will attempt to bout more weight on the left leg when she walks but hops more then walks I've noticed the muscle in her inner thigh right up at the hip joint will quiver when she is standing. Went to the store today and got the Traumeel tablets and gel. Will start her on those today. It was a few dollars more then on line but take into account the shipping cost and the amount of time it would take to get here what's a few bucks. She is getting a little better each day. I took her off the Rymadl Saturday morning, she doesn't seem to be in pain.If this Traumeel is as good as everyone here is telling me, i would rather give her the natural stuff then pharmaceuticals. I will let you know how it goes. Greg

I took her off that after Friday. She isn't in pain, I mainly used it to keep her calm the first 3 days. That stuff kept her sleeping a lot and not jumping around.

After 5 days, Isis is using her leg a little more. Mainly when she is walking she puts a little weight on it and hops, but her paw isn't as curled under as it was Wed. When I am up and she works her way to the dog door I will get up and open the sliding door for her. She is still having some trouble going in and out. The good news is she is trying to use the leg a bit more each day and now gets po'ed when I go to help her up on to the bed. She tries to jump and gets about 3/4 of the way and her back legs don't grab the blanket as well as a week ago so I will grab her backside and stabilize her and she thing hobbles and settles in. When we are in the living room this is her comfort spot When I massage her leg she stretches it out a bit more each day. I think she is like me and not going to accept this getting older with any grace.. Greg

At least whoever ate it will be protected from the alien thought rays..

Looks like Isis is getting better..She is walking around a little more and starting to try to use the leg more. The first few days she hardly got up at all. Now she will get up and slowly come over to me so that is a good sign. But when she stands still she still is a bit wobbly in the rear end. I've been giving her hip massages everyday. Still lifting her up and off the bed at night and mornings. Somehow she got her ear cut so now I am doing more pari-vet work with her.. Keeping my fingers crossed that she is on the road to recovery. I'll keep up with the massages and the extra daddy lovin' Greg

Well, last night she stood and barked at the bed that I lifted her up there and she curled next to me to sleep. There were a few times she woke me up by trying to move around and her back legs just didn't want to cooperate. But she slept pretty solid. I woke up this morning for work and lifted her off the bed and she tried to walk more. The paw wasn't as curled under as yesterday. I came in from work a couple of hours ago and she is still laying on a dog bed. Hasn't even tried to get up so not sure how her legs are doing. I'm not going to force her to get up. But I am seeing her move her right leg more. I did a pinch test and the right leg has more reaction then yesterday but the left leg not so much. Of course being the Dad I am I have been spending more time on the floor with her. I know what it's like to have a bad hip..Takes me more time to get up off the floor then it does to get down to the floor. Seems we are both getting older. I'll keep lifting her to and from my bed as long as we both can. Greg