Brindles

Goodbye, my sweet boy. I'll love you forever.

Also, like Anne said, commands are good! I forget about vocal commands because Julio can't hear them anymore. He responds so well to touch that I use physical commands instead. For example... leash tug up = step up or step down (for curbs on walks) leash tug back = stop pat on the back of the head or butt = move forward pat on either side = move sideways (he responds to this just like a horse does to leg) tail tug = stop & turn around (useful if I'm behind him and he's about to run into a wall) Those aren't things I went out of my way to teach him. Just things that we've both picked up along the way. let me know if you have any more questions and I'll be happy to answer. And Anne is right, confidence is key with a blind dog. With any dog, really, but especially with a blind dog. Treat them just as you would treat a "normal" dog and they won't let the blindness slow them down at all. That I can promise.

Yup. Julio is blind AND deaf and still doesn't even care. He's just as happy as he's always been. Having a blind dog really is not that big of a deal, especially if the dog is older and sleeping more and more often. Is your pup's blindness a sudden thing or a gradual thing? The reason I ask is because a gradual blindness is much easier for the dog to adapt to and often it will barely phase them. There's really no need for bells and all that. Just keep things picked up and make sure furniture stays in the same place. If the dog is fast asleep, make sure you speak to them and wake them up before touching them. And touch them A LOT. You don't want them to get in the habit of startling when they're touched, because a scared blind dog will bite. Like I said, Julio is deaf now and speaking/clapping doesn't work. Sometimes he'll startle when I touch him, but it's incredibly important to KEEP PETTING even if they do startle, because then they know it's you and they know that they're getting affection. If you startle them and pull back when they jump, they don't always know you're there and it can be unsettling. Make sense? Hope I'm not rambling. If you want, I can record some video to show you exactly what I'm talking about. Just make sure that you touch them and touch them often.

I wouldn't put anything on his feet at all. Limit walks a tad and let him walk in the grass and off the asphalt. Eventually his feet will toughen up and he'll be just fine. Greyhounds have been kept on soft footing their whole lives and don't ever have a reason to toughen up their paw pads until they go to a home.

I had to do the salt trick when Echo ate a whole tray of oil pastels.

I could see it causing an increased heart rate, but not an irregular heart rate or murmur.

Lantus is a peak-less, long lasting insulin, meaning there is less risk of having a hypoglycemic episode. In humans it is given once a day at bedtime. I know that it's great in humans but sometimes necessitates keeping rapid or short acting insulin on hand just in case there is a BG spike.

Echo was completely grey-faced when I got her at 4yrs. And here she is at 8 years:

None of mine have ever needed to be anesthetized for x-rays, but they're all very tolerant and very well behaved at the vet.

Dazzle's didn't take but a day or so to get calloused enough to walk comfortably on. I guess it took a little over a week to fully heal. ETA: Pad, right? not web? 'Cause a split web is a whole different ballgame!

We did Julio (NSDTR) at 6 months. Solo (Australian Shepherd) was done at 6 months as well.

Good news! Julio's x-rays came back and there's no sign of cancer! There is a little bit of jaggedness and evidence of wear and tear, so he is indeed arthritic. There is also a tiny bone fragment that looks like it has chipped off. Both of these are causing him pain in that elbow. The vet said that it would be something to remove in a young dog, but Julio is geriatric and can't tolerate anesthesia or surgery well, so the goal now is pain management. Thanks for the input and well wishes, guys!

Thanks for the info! This is Julio earlier today in the yard. I'm calling the vet first thing in the morning to try and get an appointment tomorrow afternoon for x-rays.

Oh, cool. I haven't been reading H&M much lately so I haven't heard it mentioned before. Could you give me a link so that I can read more about it? Thank you for the well wishes!

Thanks so much for the replies, guys. The reason I don't want him on Rimadyl is because I've seen the damage it can do to the liver and I'd like to stay away from it if possible. Metacam has been proven safe in clinical studies for 10+ years. It's an NSAID like Rimadyl, just less harmful in the long term. An x-ray was not done on the first visit, but it will be done if we need a second visit. Yes, and that's exactly what I'm trying to avoid. I'm a very firm believer in letting them go a little too early than a little too late. I realize dogs care about QUALITY of life, NOT quantity. Upholding that is extremely important to me. Julio is not in any pain other than his elbow, and he's not anywhere near stuporous. He hasn't changed at all in personality or attitude since he started taking the Tramadol. If anything, he's a little bit more vivacious, which is a good thing! I'm just trying to think ahead. That's also why I want to have an x-ray done if we go back to the vet. If it's something as simple as arthritis, then Metacam it is. But if it's something else, like a tumor, then I need to start thinking about my alternatives. He's been through so much already.

Julio started limping about two weeks ago. The vet says it's arthritis in his FL elbow. He was on Rimadyl 75mg once daily and Tramadol 50mg twice daily for about a week. He has been off the Rimadyl for about five days now (my request), so now he's just on the Tramadol and a glucosamine+chondroitin supplement. We will put him on Metacam (instead of Rimadyl) if the Tramadol alone cannot manage his pain. This morning he was limping again despite taking his Tramadol last night. I dosed him two hours ago and he is still limping pretty hard. If this continues tomorrow, I'll take him back to the vet. Despite his various issues, Julio is acting just as he always has in his geriatric years. Inquisitive, content, and relaxed. He is 11.5 years old. I have two concerns. 1) Has anyone else had experience with arthritis that is localized and centered in one area? He has no pain in his shoulder, back, feet, other legs, etc. Just in the one elbow. All the older, arthritic dogs that I've ever met have had a generalized arthritis and have been achy all over, not just achy in one joint. It makes me wonder if maybe it's not arthritis, but something else. 2) Please help me feel better about loading my old dog up on an opioid. I know that dogs don't react the same way as people do to pain meds, and the meds are helping him, but I am one of those people who hates taking medicine. I hate taking painkillers so much myself that I feel bad about giving them to my old dog who hasn't taken a painkiller since he was 2 years old when his patella luxated. Thanks in advance for any advice.

We don't go far. Maybe 1/2 mile on the skates and they start to get tired. It really doesn't take much distance to wear out a greyhound! Then again, my boys are 5 and 7 years old now, and Echo can't keep up so I don't take her anymore. A couple years ago they could do a little over a mile. As for the skates, they're Landrollers. DBF got them for me for Christmas. Best present ever.

If the vet thinks it looks fine, then don't aspirate. I'd wait and keep an eye on it. If it gets bigger or changes at all, then think about aspirating. But if the vet thinks it's fine, then it probably is. Congrats on the good news!

Grats!!

It could be a different set of bacteria. Yeast infection, for example. But does that cause bleeding?

Hmm... the "olives" usually aren't golf ball sized. They're usually grape sized, and you'll see two - one on each side. They should be symmetrical. Cryptorchidism is a valid thought, but usually they're either up in the abdomen or palpable in the inguinal area. Is it sore or painful to him at all?

Don't panic! Even if the situation is dire, panicking won't get you anywhere. I would take her in sooner than later. The neck is a sensitive area and large masses can cause problems, even if they are benign. I found an egg sized lump on Julio's neck and it turned out to be thyroid cancer. The placement you're talking about is too low to be the thyroid, but it's still worth checking out.

OMG! So do I have this straight? You took Rights to Riches home? CONGRATS! I really feel like I've got a racing photo of her... Super busy atm so I can't go look yet, but don't let me forget to check!!

Yep. Echo has what's called an "everted vulva." It's always red and icky looking, but since it's been like that since I've had her and never given her trouble, the vet says just keep an eye on it. He gave me some antibacterial/antifungal wipes to use on it from time to time.

AWESOME!! Congrats all around!!