MerlinsMum

I am so terribly sorry that you and Cash had to be parted I just read your beautiful, heart-wrenching tribute and I am in floods of tears. Clearly he was a very special person, a sweet and true friend who will be impossible to forget and who will hold a special place in your heart forever. :grouphug Rest well, Cash.

Oh, poor, poor boy What time are you seeing the vet today?

Oh, Robin, I'm so sorry to read that Dustin vomited again today How worrying for you. At this point, since he is not holding anything down, I would take the vet's advice and fast him. His system is clearly rejecting food at this time. If he doesn't have a gurgly tummy, then that's one less thing for you to worry about (I know how scary it is to fast a dog with IBD and worry about that loud gurgling and the discomfort and anxiety that accompanies it) Did the vet recommend continuing with Sucralfate and Metronidazole even without food being administered? I am sorry your vet couldn't see you today. I have Dustin tucked in my thoughts, please keep us posted

I am heartbroken for you, Marc. What a heart-wrenching year it's been for you. I am more sorry than words can tell. Thinking of you. Rest well, sweet Kara.

Thanks, I'll ask about a manual count Merlin is not on fish oil. Used to be years ago, but not anymore. I made an appointment for next Wednesday, so I guess I'll update then... very relieved that I don't need to worry though. It's bad enough getting him to eat, I feel constantly deflated where his health is concerned. Every day is a struggle not to worry about him.

:lol The wizard says he has seen the error of his ways and wishes the happy couple much happiness But I wouldn't trust him - he is a wizard after all

You've got that right!

Thank you so much! That certainly helps allay my fears!

So I am rather confused and would really appreciate getting other people's input. Last month I took Merlin to the vet for his annual Lyme/Erlichia/Anaplasmosis and HW test. The test was negative across the board. We got back home at 3.30pm and I left to go back to work. At 5pm DH and I returned to find Merlin standing at the door holding his leg up (same leg where blood was drawn). His leg seemed extremely painful to the touch, he screamed and cried if I even touched it very lightly. Upon closer inspection, it was obvious that there was not just a swelling on the upper part of his leg, but subcutaneous bleeding. He had a sac of fluid just hanging there and was unable to bear any weight on the leg. I called the vet right away and made an appointment for the next morning, and was told to give him some Deramaxx. The meds helped with the pain, and by the next day when I took him in part of the fluid had been reabsorbed by his body, but his leg started to swell up further down, at the joint (no fluid but actual swelling). The vet took another blood test and declared that his platelets were low and suspected a tick-borne diseases despite the test being negative, so she put him on Doxy. We were there from 1.30 to 4pm and it was hot, the A/C wasn't working well, so both dog were fed up and I was distracted. As a result, I didn't check the platelet levels with her. It was only several days later that I looked at my copy of his test results and and noticed that his platelets were within normal range for a greyhound (141k). So then I started to worry that he was on Doxy unnecessarily, etc. but I know that my vet is grey-savvy so I figured there must have been a reason why she put him on Doxy anyway. I called my vet yesterday and asked her how his platelets compared to previous levels over the past year or so. I just heard back with this information: July 14, 2010: 232k April 8, 2011: 239k May 23, 2012: 191k June 12, 2012: 141k That's quite a substantial drop (it also tells me that my vet was right to put him on Doxy.) I am going there this afternoon to pick up some more I/D for him and I will make another appointment to have his blood drawn. I hope the platelets have gone up. I guess that if it was a tick-borne disease and he's been on Doxy, they should be higher...? I was supposed to go back after a week to have his blood drawn again. I didn't for a number of reasons - including the initial concerns I mentioned above. She had mentioned that if the Doxy didn't help we would need to consider putting him on Prednisone and doing more tests. Does anyone have any idea of what could be going on? When Merlin was attacked he developed bruising almost immediately, which the emergency vet was concerned about as it can be a symptom of hemangiosarcoma. The bruising coupled with this sudden weird bleeding worries me. He has been fine since his last visit (he's nearly finished his course of Doxy), but I don't know what's going on and I'm worried.

Oh Kyle :ohno I haven't been able to visit GT much lately and I am only just seeing this! I am so terribly sorry :grouphug Thinking of you.

If she is still having diarrhea, I'd lose the PB for the time being.

I read about this on Facebook and I am so, so, so sorry, Claudia :cry1 Ekko was such a character, I have lost count of the laughs I've had reading about her and her antics (especially with toilet paper)... she will be so missed. Your heart must be grieving so much right now, what a huge hole she leaves behind. Keeping you in my thoughts :grouphug I am so very happy you found each other and that she ended up in the life that she deserved. Rest well, Ekko...

I used to be all about the best ingredients and expensive food. And when we adopted him Sagan used to eat a really expensive food mixed in with a little Iams (large breed chunks) and didn't do well on it the most expensive food once we tried to wean him off the Iams. In the end we gav eup and just fed him Iams. He got an upset stomach on the Iams mini chunks for some reason, one time when I bought the wrong kind by mistake, but he's always done so, so well on the Large Breed chunks. That's when I decided that I would never again be a food snob His poops are amazing. Every single time. AND it's cheap and easy to find everywhere, which is refreshing since buying Merlin's I/D every 2 weeks or so is expensive and inconvenient (my vet office is not around the corner from me.) PS the title of the thread made me "Garbage kibble"! love it

Yay Adam!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the update, Amber!!

I'm so sorry Rest in peace, Flame...

Beautiful Sabrina with the lovely earsies :heart We miss you, sweetie. We won't forget you. Caroline - I am holding you in my thoughts and sending strength. I am truly heartbroken for you, I know how much your love your sweet girl :grouphug Please lean on us for support. We're here for you.

Nancy, I am so so sorry :grouphug Crushing news indeed. Been thinking of you since I saw your post on FB. Hope you have some quality time left together. We are here for support.

So beautiful, Marc, although I found it hard to watch without tearing up. I still can't believe our Duchess isn't with us anymore. It's just... unreal. :grouphug :grouphug

:cry1 I am so so sorry, Deb and Ed :grouphug Gorgeous pictures. Who could forget Eric the Ostrich? I have that one on my computer He was so beautiful. Rest well, sweet Eric.

:weep :cry1 Can't even see through the tears to type properly. I am so terribly sorry, Marc, with all of my heart I am sorry. She leaves such an impossibly large, tremendously deep, perfectly heart-shaped hole in this forum - impossible to quantify. I will miss her so much. I can barely even take in that the beautiful, wise, proud Duchess of Blackwood is no more. It just doesn't compute. But she will remain in our hearts forever. :grouphug Rest in peace, Nadia, thank you for sharing your beautiful self with us all

Welcome from Maine! Wally and Brady are so handsome! Congratulations!!! I look forward to seeing and reading a lot more about them in the coming weeks, months and years!

Deb, what a beautiful tribute to your brave girl. I believe that Maxi must have known somehow that she was home when she stepped paw in the Magoo household. She was a lucky girl to find you and John: you are special people. And, fittingly, you are special in part thanks to hounds like Maxi, and all the other hounds you so lovingly care for and who leave indelible paw prints on your hearts. Rest in peace, sweet Maxi.

I can't believe it's been three years. Love that photo of her. :grouphug

Thanks for that terrific update, Nancy!!! :yay