LaFlaca
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Posts posted by LaFlaca
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Our 3 1/2 year old grey went through the exact same thing with the anal issues and it was finally diagnosed as food allergies. Apparently food allergies can cause an itchy bum. We switched foods and haven’t had another issue to date.......it’s been about 6 months now.
Btw, he licked his anal area so much, he had sores and it would bleed!
This sounds like my Lola. What food caused the problem? I've eliminated chicken, to begin with, going on 2 months now with no change. Beef is the next to be eliminated.
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I second and highly recommend Patricia B. McConnell's booklet, I'll be Home Soon. It's only about 30 pages long and is very easy to follow. My Lola had a pretty hefty case of S.A. She was destructive, urinated in the house, howled the entire time and destroyed her crate which she escaped from twice bloodying her mouth in the process. She was miserable, poor girl.
These antics went on even if I went into another room and closed the door. Taking a shower was a mission.
I tried DAP diffusers, loaded, frozen Kongs, leaving the T.V. or radio on and, ultimately, Trazodone but what really did the trick was time (4 months), patience and intensive "alone" training. This is why your trainer says that someone has to be home all the time. Alone training requires that someone be at home to do it multiple times during day. It's a process which I found exhausting but well worth it. Luckily, I'm retired; I don't know how a working person would handle this.
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Two things our vet recommended; FortiFlora (canine probiotic) and Beano (for humans). Some Gt'ers use Gas X. The gassiness may subside on it's own. You might need to experiment with different brands of food. It is worth mentioning that Greyhounds are notorious for paint-peeling, eye-watering gas.
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I'm so sorry for your loss.
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Poor baby! Poor you! She’s undoubtedly uncomfortable and stressed out. Praying for a quick and uneventful recovery.
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There's never enough time. So sorry for your loss.
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My girls have had squeaky tums. I have found that pain can cause tummies to squeak and rumble. Lady always had a noisy tum when her back was aching. Maybe some probiotics may help?
Lola gets a probiotic every day with a meal. This is the second time she's had the squeaks. I don't ordinarily see signs of pain although she's obviously uncomfortable when she gets so gassy. We're going to the vet next week for a routine check-up so this will be on the to-be-discussed agenda.
Can food allergies cause gas?
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Prayers for a speedy, complete recovery.
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My vet is quite Greyhound savvy. There is usually at least one other Grey at the clinic when I visit with Lola. Lola was 68 lbs when I took her in for her first wellness check and I mentioned that I wanted to put a couple of pounds on her. Both the doctor and her tech said, "Don't you dare!".
Just confirming what I already knew; putting 5 lbs on them when they come home is nonsense. -
Thanks to all for the great advice. The tummy rumblings have ceased and Lola ate breakfast - kibble and sardines - after skipping 4 meals. I'll still be keeping a close eye (and ear) on her, at least for today, to make sure she's back to normal.
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I've said this here before; crates are over-rated. My dogs have detested being crated. Lola actually tore her's apart escaping it twice. We got rid of the crate for her safety.
Start slowly, perhaps baby-gating him in a dog-proof area for a short time to begin with increasing time as you go. Provide a loaded, frozen Kong or a puzzle toy when you leave him alone. Walk, walk, walk. A tired Greyhound is less likely to create chaos when left alone and uncrated. Patience and lots of love! He'll be fine.
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Well, the squeaking and burbling has stopped. She skipped breakfast but is acting normally otherwise. Watching and waiting...
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Gas-X tablet usually works well for gas. You'll usually get a big belch within 20 minutes, often sooner. Just plain Gas-X, not the ones with any other "features."
I keep this chart on our refrigerator as a quick reference for bloat. http://www.bmd.org/bmdcr/bloat_chart.pdf
If she's turned down 3 meals, but everything else is normal, you might try a small amount of stinky canned food or tuna and see if she will eat that to jump start her eating. If she still won't eat, then a vet visit is probably in order.
Thank you for this great advice! I've printed the chart and it's in my Greyhound-stuff binder.
Is one Gas-X enough for a 70 lb, pup?
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This is a treat/weight gain recipe from my adoption group. It can be adjusted to make smaller quantities.
Satin Balls
10 pounds hamburger meat [the cheapest kind]
1 lg. box of Total cereal [or comparable natural brand]
1 lg. box oatmeal
1 jar of wheat germ
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup of unsulfured molasses
10 raw eggs
10 envelopes of unflavored gelatin
pinch of salt
Mix all ingredients together, much like you would a meatloaf.
Divide into 10 1-quart freezer bags and freeze.
Thaw as needed. -
Lola has been having major gas since last night. She's not passing it. Her tummy is actually squeaking so loudly at first I thought is was a kitten or some other small critter. She has skipped 3 meals (definitely not Lola-like!) and is presently out in the yard eating grass. Other than than the squeaks and not eating, she's acting normally.
Any tips on how to help Lola? Is this a situation that needs the vet? I'm worried about bloat.
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It may be time to make a very difficult decision. Your dog is 14 years old and is suffering. This is probably the last thing you want to hear. I'm not trying to be cruel or unkind. I'm just very concerned that your boy is suffering unnecessarily.
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Salmon oil and/or Proderma. Proderma is available through your vet.
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Thank you LaFlaca
I almost feel like the steps are a big part of the issue. Im going to try that and get back to you!No worries! Glad to help.
Another, thought...work on one issue at a time so Archer won't be more overwhelmed than he already is. He's like an alien that has landed on a strange, new planet where the inhabitants, language, customs, even the sights and smells are very different from what he has been used to. Poor baby must be so confused and maybe even frightened. He must first learn to trust you and his surroundings. Once that happens, his brain will become calm enough to be able to learn. Right now, it's too busy processing all the new data that's bombarding it. -
You think I should take him out for a half hour and bring him back in even if hes not done his business? And how long to wait for him to come up the few stairs before helping him up?
Yes, take him out, give him 1/2 hour (or however long you decide) to do his business. Bring him back in whether he performs or not. Try again maybe an hour later and so forth.
Same thing with mealtime; I've always given my dogs 1/2 hour to eat. If they have not eaten by the end of that time, the food is put away or thrown out.
Don't help him up the stairs. He doesn't need help he needs to learn how to navigate steps. Have you tried putting high value treats on the steps to coax him up and down? Another way is to walk briskly towards the steps urging him on in a super-happy, high pitched voice and just go up (or down) before he's had a chance to think about it. He's harnessed when you do this, of course.
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A week is an infinitesimally short time. Time and patience, my friend...time and patience and a bunch of treats! When he statues, either gently tug him until he moves or turn around and go in the opposite direction or in a circle. That will usually break the "trance" and get them going again. Your use of praise and treats is great, however, one week is not nearly enough time for Archer to "get it". It took me 3 months to finally get my Lola to understand that the yard was safe and that was where she had to potty. During those 3 months, cheddar cheese cubes became my best friend! I'd toss them out the door to get her outside and give her a handful as soon as she finished her business.
I'm no expert, but I think that walking him for long periods of time may be counterproductive. He'll become accustomed to the never-ending walk. Maybe shorter, more frequent outings? Especially after a meal?
He may be picking up on your anxiety. Take him out for, say 1/2 hour, no fuss, no muss, and bring him back in. Rinse and repeat.
Good luck! Enjoy your boy.
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Accompanying you in your grief. Gentle hugs.
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Crates are over-rated. Neither of my two Greyhounds could tolerate being in a crate. Lola escaped her crate twice (and soiled it, as well) before we decided to get rid of it. Can you use baby gates to confine your boy to a dog-proof area? It sounds like he might have some separation anxiety. Begin "alone" training. A great resource is Patricia B. McConnell's book, I'll Be Home Soon! Get him checked out by your vet to make sure that there are no underlying heath issues. Sometimes medication is helpful for extreme S.A. My Lola had dreadful S.A. We used training, medication, and DAP diffusers to help Lola overcome the anxiety. It took four months but she's fine now. We discovered that she feels calmer if we leave the living room blinds open so that she can see outside when she's alone.
Begin intensive potty training. Keep an eye on him so he cannot "stealth" pee when you're not looking. If he likes to pee on area rugs, put the rugs away for now. Use a product like Nature's Miracle to get rid of the urine odor. Take him out many, many times a day. As soon as he finishes urinating or defecating, treat and praise lavishly. He'll get it eventually. My girl, Wendy, was housebroken in two days! Lola took 3 months to get the idea.
It takes a lot of work and consistency but both of you can do it!
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There are absolutely no words. Peace to Tanzi and to you.
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Both of mine have used their feet to sort of "wave" me over for lovies and both have stuck out a foot to stop me in my tracks for a belly rub. This has caused more than a few DRI's (Dog Related Injuries) when the little brats have caught me off guard.
Just confirming what I already knew; putting 5 lbs on them when they come home is nonsense.
Desperate For Advice - Anal Issues
in Health and Medical discussion
Posted
Thank you. We have one more month of chicken elimination, then we move on to beef. Lola's food is grain-free. <sigh>