greysmom

Isis was a special girl and you know you did the right thing for her. I am so sorry.... greysmom

Oh Claudia! I'm so sorry! I was so hoping that she would have a really good test result. We're all thinking about you and your girl here and sending lots of white light and healing thoughts! greysmom

Oh, I'm so sorry! I know how much your girls mean to you. greysmom

Bag Balm and baby socks every night to sooth and promote healing. I would also wash her paws after walks. A dose or two of Benedryl will tell you if it's allergies. greysmom

Oooh poor thing! Glad she's home though! She looks like she's going to be fine! YEAH!!!!!!! greysmom

I've managed bigger wounds at home. It takes some vigilance. Usually our vet will at least clean the margins, Wally's looks like there's skin flaps. It's in a tricky place for stitches. The skin is going to tug and pull as he moves and the stitches may rip out anyway - then you're out the cost of anesthesia, and stitching not to mention the e-vet charge - and you won't be able to have it stitched again as the skin will be too thin and ragged. But only you can determine what you're comfortable with dealing with at home. It's probably worth a second look anyway. greysmom

Yeah Pawbey!!!!!! Pees, Dude (and Dude's Mom!! ;D)

This is FABULOUS NEWS!!!!! Their family needs some good news right about now! Prayers and white light beaming from the Northwest! greysmom

How was her thyroid problem diagnosed? I ask because I had much the same concern with Dude. He came to us on thyroid Rx, and we never thought to check if he actually was clinically hypothyroid. But after I had been around GT for a while and reading about greyhounds and thyroid issues, I began to doubt if he did have a low thyroid problem. He was very skinny, and completely unable to do any training exercises because he couldn't concentrate and was really hyper. He had some hair loss but not anything out of the ordinary for a greyhound - bald butt and thighs, no hair on his belly, chest or neck, and a bit around his ears. Also, his body temp ran a few degrees higher - not abnormally high but on the high end of the range, and he always felt very warm to the touch. His ears and other extremities never got cold, even out in the below freezing winter. So we took him off the thyroid all together and we now have a remarkably calmer grey than we had before. His temperature is smack on normal and his ears do now get cold from being outside. Turns out he was HYPERthyroid instead (too much rather than too little). He's also put on weight and grown some of his hair back (though not everywhere). Weight loss and dry skin can have other causes than thyroid - we are currently supplementing with salmon oil for dry skin in the cold winter. No answer about the soft poop other than to give the yogurt and pumpkin time to work. A lower protein/higher fiber kibble will also help her poop firm up. Good luck! greysmom

Bag Balm and a baby sock. Use some vet wrap or paper tape to keep the sock on in the house. Take it off if you go outside and dry the foot well, and reapply the Bag Balm, when you come back in. If you have some booties, the crack will heal faster if it can be kept clean and dry. greysmom

Ooohhhhh Connor! Hope yu feelz bedder soon! No mor chikkin samwichiz fur yu! Pees, Dude

One of our program's foster dogs just had a surgery to correct a vulva problem. The testosterone they get during racing enlarges the area and can make it prone to UTI's and other infections. Sometimes they have extra skin that needs to be removed so they can urinate properly. I don't have any personal experience but I'd definitely talk to the vet again and see if there's something more to do. And do a search as suggested above. It's a common problem so I'm sure you'll find better info. Good luck! greysmom

Hey Joey Bloo! I hope yu feel bedder soon! Pees, Dude

Try putting his muzzle on to keep him from licking. If he still can maneuver his tongue through the bars, tape the bottom of it closed with duct tape inside and out. Only you can decide if going to the vet is a good idea. You're right in that they probably won't do much more than you're doing, but he might need antibiotics (pills or a shot) and some pain meds. Mine get scrapes and cuts all the time. Our yard has a lot of sticks and they're always digging up rocks and debris. Kind of goes with the territory. greysmom

Contact your yard service and see what they're doing now. Many of the franchise lawn services around here have begun catering to people who want pet/environment friendly options. Greyhounds can be more sensitive to fertilizers and chemicals due to their low body fat and how they metabolize substances. At least for the short term, you might want to consider keeping Mandy inside on the days your yard service is there. Congratulations and welcome! We want a picture too! greysmom

I did see a picture of her just off the farm - you could clearly see nearly her entire skeletal structure (extremely emaciated), and she had down-to-the-bone pressure sores. She was in very bad shape. I'm not telling the whole story because it puts the farm and its owners in a very bad light, and I know they have been good and responsible breeder/owners in the past. I suppose her weight loss might have been exagerated, but that picture was not. I was mostly concerned about the fat build-up the vet saw during her spay surgery. I've never heard of that happening before. She's now getting 2 cups of kibble (we're switching her OFF the Science Diet) a day which is what the other three are maintained on. Also increasing her exercise a bit with an actual walk a day instead of just yard play and zoomies. Thanks! greysmom

Hey everyone! Long story short, through an unfortunate series of circumstances, our new girl Toni weighed only 47 lbs when she was put under a doctor's care on 1/12/09. This was before she came to our house on 1/23. She had a severe case of giardia, as well, that was treated prior to us. We were told to feed her 2 cups of kibble 3 or four times a day (Science Diet L/R Adult), which we did for about 2 weeks. Then, as she was looking really good by then, we began slowly cutting back to last week feeding her twice a day, a bit over 2 cups total. Her last three ribs still show, her hip points are not sticking up, her backbone has lost the hollowed out look and her butt is filling out with muscle, she still has quite a tuck up. If she had come to our house looking like this I would think she was nearly perfect. So I was totally shocked when her weight last Friday at her spay surgery was 70 lbs!! That's 8 lbs over her racing weight. And the vet charged us $55 extra due to the volume of fat in Toni's abdominal cavity that she had to work through. The vet also wants her to lose 5 lbs. So my question is have you ever heard of this before? Is this a common occurence when a severely underweight dog begins being fed regularly? Is the fat build-up a normal thing or should we be on the look out for another cause? Otherwise, she's happy and healthy and came through her surgery and dental with flying colors. Thanks for your thoughts. greysmom

I disagree in part with KF above. Weight loss can be a sign of HYPERthyroid (too much hormone replacement). Your grey's readings were within normal greyhound limits, and unless there were other symptoms than hairloss, I would seriously discuss using the Rx with my vet. Dude was on thyroid when he came to us (same dosage as yours), and we just automatically continued it for several years until I started reading on GT about greyhounds and thyroid issues. He has always been super skinny, super hyper, unable to concentrate on training, and his body temperature always ran a degree or two higher (though not above normal). His ears never got cold even outside in the dead of winter. So we talked to our vet and ended taking him off his meds. He's gained a normal amount of weight and doesn't look skinny anymore. He is MUCH calmer and can actually stand still of several seconds in a row when we work on obedience. His average body temperature has dropped by a full degree and his ears get cold! Good luck! greysmom

Lots of greys have callused-like skin on their chests from laying in their cages (my Copper for one), though it usually starts going away once they're laying on soft beds and couches. Is it actually turning green or it it fading into her skin color? Picture? I suppose it could be some sort of fungus like athletes foot in humans. Best bet is to ask your vet - don't wait for them to bring it up. Unless your vet is really greyhound savvy it might not even be noticed. greysmom

Many of our Fire Stations here in Portland have been equipped with animal rescue devices through donations in the past couple of years. They've been used successfully many times. greysmom

Once they pull out the stitches it's very hard to close the wound again. The edges of the skin get all torn and there's no way to pull it together, which can lead to infection. While it might work for dogs in the wild, dogs in the wild are not our thin-skinned greys! I would advise against it. If only to shorten the healing time as much as possible. greysmom

Some dogs grieve the loss of their housemates and some dogs never miss a beat. The process varies as much with them as with people. I'd watch him for awhile to see how he's dealing with being alone, no play companion, basically anything - even potty breaks - that they did together. He may be just fine. One thing I always try to do for the dog(s) left behind - is to let them sniff the blanket or bed or my clothing that I was wearing when their friend was put to sleep. It seems to make it final for them. I don't really know if something remains behind, or if there's anything for them to sense. Maybe this is more for me than them. One other thing that's interesting: We have always had our dogs cremated and their ashes returned to us. If one of ours was particularly grieving or acting out, they always settled down as soon as the ashes are home. I'm so sorry for your loss. Coach was a special girl. greysmom

Copper had his teeth sealed at his first dental because his teeth are bad overall. I couldn't see that it did any good at all. He has to have cleanings every 8-10 months like clock-work or his breath gets a bit ..... ripe. Don't waste your money on a sealant, is my opinion. greysmom

She's so beautiful! I know it's hard when they've had a big injury. I don't think you ever lose the "what if" gulp and lump in your throat. I would probably work on her muscle tone and stamina for a few more weeks before letting her have limited "normal" playtime with her sisters. Though in general, I do think that she'll let you know what she's ready for. greysmom

Kom home fast Misty! Let yuz Momma feed yu! Miss Clawdiya - I hope Misty'z test iz all GUD! Pees, Dude (and Dude's MOM!)