Brindles

Raw or cooked? Mine loved the occasional raw egg when I had chickens. Too many raw eggs can create issues with biotin binding and absorption, but you have to feed a whole bunch of them to make that happen, according a past Biochemistry professor.

http://dpca.org/BreedEd/index.php/component/content/article/284-hot-spots

Looks like a hotspot. A lot of times they pop up in the summertime on dogs on high protein diets. How much protein is he getting? You can put hydrogen peroxide and/or neosporine on it. Nothing fancy is required to treat it.

Screw the ratings. A canine nutritionist told me that as long as it has the AAFCO statement on the bag, it's safe to feed. Let your dogs tell you what works for them.

You're welcome! Great to hear he's doing well. Let me know if you have any other questions. I'm happy to share what I learned about blind dogs.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy? It pops up in greyhounds from time to time but it is uncommon. I had a Duck Toller with PRA and he managed just fine. It is a gradual change and they adapt to it extremely well. Dogs don't depend on their eyesight like humans do. And, the opthalmologist told me that dogs with PRA don't go completely blind, which I found to be true with my Toller. Often they will retain a 2-3 degree field of vision, which is very small, but better than nothing at all. The best thing you can do for your dog is to keep treating him like a normal dog. Start teaching verbal commands if you haven't already. He'll be fine.

Hey Judy, just another thought for Jilly and her pills. If/when she figures out the marshmallow trick, maybe crush it up in some dyne and she'll eat it.

Glad to hear the old gal is feeling better. Keep it up, Bean!

How much is she eating? Can you post a picture of her? Puppies have to grow at their own pace, and it's especially true with large breed dogs. Packing on the pounds in their youth can often do more damage than good.

Thinking of you, Harold!

My thoughts exactly. This, too! It took Dazzle several years of training to be trusted off-leash, but now we've been able to do a lot more fun things and make sure he spends his senior years enjoying life rather than being a glorified couch ornament. ETA: I thoroughly check out the places I let my dogs off-leash beforehand, and never, ever in a place near traffic. Off-leash adventures are hugely rewarding, but you have to be smart about it.

Tendons and ligaments take a long time to heal, but they do heal. You'd be amazed at how many things can heal without invasive procedures. The best thing you can do is keep him quiet for now and limit his mobility, which I imagine shouldn't be that hard for a 12 year old. It is possible to splint it. I'm always wary when vets jump to conclusions like surgery when they don't know for sure what the injury is.

Dazzle thinks fireworks are fun to bark at, but I would never risk taking him to a display. That can be scary even for the bravest of dogs. They can do really, really stupid things when they're scared (Diego has tried to jump through the window and run through solid walls) and they can be exceedingly difficult to handle during those moments of terror. I wouldn't risk it.

Lumbosacral Stenosis. You can also search Cauda Equina. It cannot be diagnosed with radiographs. Only an MRI will give you the whole picture. Osteoarthritis drugs don't often help in LS cases because the problem isn't in the bones or joints. Narrowing of the spinal column causes pain in the nerves. It can often be treated successfully with Gabapentin, which is for nerve pain.

Congratulations! Welcome home, pretty girl!

https://ckm.osu.edu/sitetool/sites/greyhoundpublic/documents/About/Newsletters/GHWPSpring2012.pdf

I'm just a bit worried that if it's something other than a muscle issue, I could do more damage right? Unless you're massaging with heavy hands, probably not. Some pressure is needed to get the blood flowing but it doesn't have to be excessive. Most greyhounds tend to respond best to Rimadyl, but Metacam was the only one that worked for Echo. The problem is that Metacam comes in a liquid form (huge inconvenience imo) and also very expensive ($90+/month in my area). I had my vet call in the generic script (meloxicam) to Target and I was able to get a month's supply for $4.

An MRI is not cheap. I'd be trying something else first. you could ask for radiographs, but this may be more muscular than skeletal. Maggie, if you want to avoid drugs, go to a horse & tack shop and pick up some liniment (trainer's choice is my favorite) and either ichthammol or numotizine or both. Mix them together and massage her neck and saddle area with it every day for a week. That's what we use in the race kennel and it does amazing things for soreness. ETA- a friend of mine had a horseback riding accident that messed up her neck. The torn muscles eventually healed, but now the scar tissue that formed presses down on nerves and gives her terrible headaches. She has to go get a deep tissue massage once a month to relieve the pressure and she swears by it. People look first for problems in the bones and nerves, but muscles often get overlooked. Don't underestimate what a therapeutic massage can do. If you want, I can take a video of how we do it in the race kennel. Just let me know.

Hypothyroidism is often misdiagnosed in greyhounds. If she does truly have it, it's an easy fix. Your vet will likely prescribe Soloxine and have you come back some weeks later to repeat bloodwork until the dosage is properly adjusted.

Gosh Darn Lisa! You are hired. YES, she went head first into the sliding screen door about a month or more ago, she screamed I'll mention that to the vet. I didn't even think injuries could show so much later. Yep, they certainly can. Sometimes injuries don't reveal themselves until things start to heal and loosen up. That would be worth a vet visit imo. Not an emergency, but it's probably worth it to take her in. Hope your girlie gets to feeling better soon!

Gabapentin is an analgesic that works on the nervous system rather than as an anti-inflammatory medicine. It's often used in LS patients since they tend not to respond to NSAIDS. Echo had back problems that went undiagnosed by five different vets. She rarely yelped but she did have trouble getting up and down. When you feel on Bella's spine, how hard are you pressing? And where,exactly? Muscles? Vertebrae? They say to use about 12 lbs of pressure. This link may be helpful: Dr. James Gannon's "Greyhound Soundness Examination" Videos

4health makes low protein foods: large breed and lamb and rice. Calcium and Phosphorous values are very important. I wonder why they don't list them.

Head shaking can be caused by low blood sugar. Give her some bread or peanut butter and it should stop.

No water on the back unless the dog will be moved to the shade.