greysmom

Read through the osteo thread posted above for lots of links and info. This really isn't something anyone else can decide for you - you know your dog and your own financial situation. But... Generally, surgical removal of the tumor is not a cure for osteo. Once a tumor is seen anywhere in the body, there are likely metastisies present, even if they are microscopic. Surgery is done to remove the primary tumor, which is the source of excruciating pain for the dog, and extend their life, though that time is usually quite short. And the surgery itself is dangerous and expensive. I would think that resecting enough bone from the ribcage could seriously compromise a dog's structure, but your surgeon is the one to talk to about that. With osteo in a leg bone, amputation is better tolerated. Follow up chemo is a must, as the survivability without it is very low. If you opt not to do surgery and do palliative pain management instead, there are numerous options for tumor reduction and treatment. Again, a conversation for your oncologist as they all * can* work to help with quality of life. The Osteo Thread mentioned above will not have many current options, so this will be something you'll need to research. Finally, no one wants to have to consider this, but the cost of surgery/chemo vs palliative care does need to be a factor. When we went through this journey in 2011 (catastrophic leg break, amputation, chemo infusion, 9 months surviving with pain meds following) the cost was around $20,000. We did not have any insurance to help with the cost so it was all on us. I'm so sorry you're having to join this club. It just totally sucks all the way around. And no decision is the "wrong" decision - only the right one for your family. Good luck! {{{hugs}}}

Is this for permanent installation or for your temporary camp?? Are you installing or done by a professional? What's the style of the house? Are there any HOA rules?? Chain link is probably the most cost effective and the longest lasting. You'll only get about 10-12 years from any kind of wooden fence, depending on the weather it has to withstand. #7 and #10 are my favs above - sturdy but functional. Though I would make any fence at least 5 feet, and 6 feet is better. 4 feet, or even 3 feet might be fine for Punkin and Annie, but there may come a time where you wish you had a taller one. There's a house I drive past a lot and it's similar to 7/10 but the posts and the top bar are round wooden posts and the wire portion is cattle panels. Like this but with an additional wooden round pole across the top: It seems very sturdy, but it is a more rustic look than chain link or privacy fence.

Gotta love a big black boy dog!!! Has Grace warmed up to him at all yet?

There may be, I would call your vet and see what they suggest. I always recommend a vet visit for any eye issue. They know what they're doing and have instruments to check much more closely than your naked eye can. Especially in the absence of any definite cause.

My adoption group wa-a-ay over here in Oregon is now getting in greyhounds from Ireland - Flying Irish Greyhounds - as they can afford them. They are wonderful dogs and very well cared for!!

He's stunning!!!! What a beautiful boy!!! I hope everything goes just exactly right for all involved!!!

This is probably all the explanation you need. He was doing fine. Then suddenly, his entire life is completely changed - again - and he's reacting by becoming anxious in new situations and with new people. This is a completely normal reaction. It sounds like you're doing everything right. Make sure the trainer is only using positive reinforcement techniques. Up your treat value significantly for your deconditioning training with the dremel and people out on walks. You want to make an impact in a short amount of repetitions so they need to be memorable. If you want some further suggestions and insight get two booklets by trainer Patricia McConnel: "Feisty Fido: Help for the Leash Reactive Dog" and "The Cautious Canine." She understands dog behavior and offers step-by-step training techniques. As a bonus for you - his owners - all of this change for him is coming about just as he would have been really settling into his new adopted life. When he was beginning to get comfortable and his personality beginning to emerge, his entire world was upended. You are, essentially, starting over from the beginning. It's going to take some time and patience to work through his new-old issues. Good luck!

My first thought was bloody nose too. If that's the case, I would suggest a vet sooner rather than later, as, while usually benign, it can also be something really nasty. Make sure there's nothing caught inside his mouth between his upper teeth - piece of grass, or something else small but irritating. I forget which dog, but we had to use a flashlight inside their mouth while they were roaching to discover a tiny stick between two upper teeth that wasn't visible at all any other way. The only symptom was repeated "air licking" and worrying at it. OR something caught between the cheek/lip and gum outside the teeth very high in the front like a piece of kibble. OR maybe he knocked an epulis off with his collision??

Not super common, but we hear about spooks quite frequently here on GT. First thing to do is a search here for "spook" threads so you can do some reading. If you want to google "Idiopathic fear syndrome" that's another thing to research. Imagine living in a world where everything terrifies you every minute of every day. This is what she is dealing with. Second thing is for you to realize that this isn't a behavioral issue. Spooks are a genetic and a physical problem that occurs in a certain percentage of greyhounds, sometimes following breeding lines, but they can pop up in any litter. Breeders can see it developing only a few weeks after they are born and no solution has ever been found to stop it. The best analogy I have found is that this is like having an autistic child. Everything is scary. Everything is new each time it's encountered. They often don't respond to names or familiar people. They often don't respond to familiar cues. They often prefer to self isolate, do repetitive behaviors, refuse to eat. Third, you've hung in there for a very long time and you should be commended. But this isn't what you signed up for, and no one would fault you for wanting/needing to return her to your adoption group. There are people who specialize in dealing with spooks and who have a lot of experience doing so. Hopefully your group has one of those people available to help this little girl. Call your group and explain just what you have here, and ask them what their procedure is for returning a dog. It's not going to be any better or worse for her to be returned, at this point, since she's devolved so far down the rabbit hole. If you want to try and stick it out and help her, ask your vet and your adoption group for a referral to a certified animal behaviorist who is experienced working with fear and anxiety issues. Make sure you interview this person and that they only use positive reinforcement techniques. Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists Also, you're on the right track beginning with anti anxiety medications. But you've only stuck your little toe in as far as the toenail. There are multiple classes of drugs, with multiple medications and dosages that can be tried. Trying one med and giving up because it doesn't work is doing a disservice to treating her. This is an issue that is multifaceted and involves both the physical and chemical properties involved in an individual dog's brain. What works for one dog will be ineffective for another. A CAB can address both the training aspects and medical aspects of helping her. A neurologist also may be able to help monitor and suggest anti anxiety medications. As far as her fear peeing goes, I would invest in some diapers. It will at least help contain the issue. You can use appropriately sized human diapers (cut a small hole for the tail), or they make doggy diapers for incontinence. But... None of this is a quick fix. I can take years to discover the right key in the right lock to help an individual dog. Only you can decide what's best for you and your family. Good luck, and keep us informed.

This. Tramadol doesn't even work that well in people. And Fentanyl can really cause anxiety and other mental issues with dogs. We've used Codeine Sulfate with very good results for the past 10 years instead. And just keep in mind that what you're really doing is providing at-home hospice care. There's no need to be (too) concerned about long term side effects or other effects that may come about from long term use. Talk with your vet beforehand - now - about incremental increases you can make to her pain medications, and keep smaller or dividable tablets of each on hand so you can tweak her amounts as she needs more. And talk with him about what to do in case she does suffer a break at home. Monitor her daily for quality of life. One thing our vet told us was to pick her favorite three things, and when she can't enjoy those things anymore it will be time to let her go. Big hugs!!! {{{hugs}}}

As many have said above, first rule out any medical issues, most importantly hookworm, but including giardia and other bacteria. Even if she has been wormed, even if she's had *a* negative fecal test - hooks can remain in the environment for a very long time, and you need 3 negative fecals spaced out over about 3 months (one at 3 weeks post worming, one at 6 weeks, and one at 3 months) to be sure she's clear, then monthly preventative wormer. The other thing I'll mention (and suspect with your description) is that she probably has an intolerance or allergy for either the protein source or the carb source (or both) in whatever you're feeding. The most common culprits are chicken and corn, but your individual dog may have her own idea. The only way to diagnose this is to do a conscientious food trial with home prepared food over about 6 months, but once you figure out what the issue is and fix it, you will all be so much happier. Third on the list is to be aware of the possibility of nutritional DCM (Dilated Cardiomyeopathy caused by feeding grain free food). Make sure any commercial or raw food you feed is a complete food including whole grains. Many of us have switched to Pro Plan varieties due to this issue and have not been disappointed. I would caution to really look at the percentage of protein content, as too high a % of protein in a food can also cause gastric upset and diarrhea. I keep my dogs on about %25 protein, but again, your dog may vary, and it depends a LOT on how active she is throughout the week. A dog competing in dog sports or activities regularly will need a higher percentage than your regular lay-around-on-the-couch greyhound. You can try adding in insoluble fiber to her food, but if there is any underlying medical issue it won't help. You can add fiber using dehydrated Olewho Carrots or Beet fiber, adding vegetables like green beans to her diet, adding overcooked brown rice (high in fiber than white rice), high fiber pasta cooked in broth, cooked or uncooked oat bran, or even plain Metamucil wafers (check for artificial sugars).

Make sure he's not getting cold at night - a blanket for him, or have him sleep in a light coat or PJs. Make sure his bed is out of drafts and feels comfortable and safe for him. Did the behavior begin when you started using the heat for the winter? Have you tried changing your bedtime routine to disrupt the start of the behavior? Or crating him in your bedroom? Making sure he completely goes potty before bed? It sounds like he's the one dictating when he eats. The one thing I've discovered for dogs with sensitive stomachs is that they need to be on a strict schedule, and they do much better when their stomachs don't get completely empty. He's getting nearly all his food within a very short time of going to bed. Most dogs will do better having their meals spread out (though nearly every dog I've had has self-selected themselves out of breakfast at some point as they have aged). At 8 years old, unless he's unusually active, he probably doesn't really need 2-plus cups of food to maintain a healthy body weight. If it is an anxiety behavior, it could be that an anti anxiety medication will help him settle and sleep through the night. Also, if he does have some arthritis or joint issues, it may be time to start him on a daily nsaid to keep him comfortable. At some point, OTC supplements just don't provide enough relief for older dogs. Something to talk about with your vet. Another thing to discuss would be the onset of Sundowner's Syndrome and/or doggy dementia. He's a bit young for it, but each dog ages at their own pace, and he is technically a senior. Their is a medication for it now for dogs and it might be worth exploring. Good luck.

Just keep doing what you're doing. It takes time and patience and consistency to change fear-based behaviors, and 2 months in a new home is just a blip of time for him. You can try a behaviorist, as long as they *only* use positive reinforcement techniques, but it sounds like you're already doing everything one might recommend. All of what you're describing is really common behavior for newly adopted, retired racing greyhounds. Consistency. Time. Patience.

You need to be more proactive about protecting your dog in these situations. He's just doing what he feels he needs to in order to protect himself. Be much firmer with the owners of off leash dogs - at least here in the US - they are actually breaking the law in most jurisdictions. Off leash dogs are rude, and hardly ever under voice control of their owner, and can cause untold problems for well behaved dogs on lead. No one wants to see a dog get hurt or injured, but this is what they are in danger of by running up to strange dogs. Many people carry sticks or canes to help fend these dogs off. A squirt gun with a water-vinegar mixture can sometimes be a deterrent. I've even resorted to kicking persistent and aggressive ankle-biters to keep them away from my dogs. Then I ask for their owners contact information so I can report them to our local animal control. If you're walking him in a muzzle because of these incidents, I would urge you to reconsider. One of the reasons he feels so anxious is because he knows he has no defense if one of these dogs does bite or attack him. And a muzzled dog seems to give some owners of off leash dogs a feeling that their dog is "safe" from retaliation. If your dog does have issues with "leash reactivity" there's a wonderful booklet by trainer Patricia McConnell called "Feisty Fido: Help for the Leash Reactive Dog." It's cheap, and comes in hard copy or ebook, and gives step-by-step training help to work through this behavior.

IMO, finding a schedule for meds and food, and sticking to it as much as possible, makes it easier to stay on top of pain and to monitor when it needs to be increased. Instead of daily/hourly reacting to seeing her in pain and giving more or having her drugged up from too much at a time. Also, talking with your vet beforehand about incremental increases you can make without discussing it with them beforehand when it does becomes obvious she needs an increase. I agree with Jerilyn about seeing if you have access to a hospice program can be very helpful.

!!!!!!!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY WIKI !!!!!!!!!!!!

IMO, it looks like: 1 - he either had a separate injury to that pad that's still healing, OR he's starting to get a corn 2 - (other than the pressure sore on the top of his foot) it looks like the area to the rear, right above his main pad is still really swollen, even up to the "ankle" area (I can't see any higher on his leg in these shots). This leads me to believe he may have injured the toe tendons more than just a strain/sprain - maybe a partial or whole tear of one or more flexor tendons. I would ask the vet to snap a quick shot of as much of the leg as possible, just to rule out a broken bone that wasn't visible before (some of those smaller toe bones can hide non-displaced breaks). He probably refused the bandage because of the developing sore, and I would be cautious about rebandaging until that was taken care of, but he probably does need support on that leg for a few more weeks. Definitely on leash walking only and restrict his activities as much as possible. Warm epsom salt soaks of as much of the swelling as you can, a couple times a day, will help both the swelling and the sore. Plus also, icing in between times. And keeping him on an nsaid for a while longer. Also a real pain medication like codeine sulfate could help keep him more comfortable.

That cross will need a job to burn up energy and keep it's mind engaged. And would probably take to dock diving or nose work like a duck to water. But a puppy is a puppy is a puppy - there's potty training, socialization, manners training, daily exercise, more money for food and treats and veterinary care. It's a big commitment and one you should make fully aware of what it entails. If you have doubts about Grace, see if you can take her over to meet the litter before deciding. Many greys do just fine with young puppies, but some want nothing to do with them. And there's no better puppy trainer than an older dog.

How's your sweet boy doing now?

I'm sorry I missed this until now. Congratulations!! We picked our first greyhound. The next 5 dogs that ended up at our house permanently were picked by the foster coordinator! Whiskey/Lilly were the next ones we picked out 8 years later!! Libby - first greyhound Jack - successful medical foster!!! Voodoo - foster fail Copper - foster fail Cash - foster fail Toni - foster fail Dorie - foster fail Hopper - successful medical foster!!!! Whiskey, Lilly, Felicity, Atom, Andi - we picked out all of them!

It was the cat!! Or maybe a pony!!! Happy Gotcha Day sweet boy!!!