greysmom

Jeff - the following two messages are from Ducky. She can't get on GT at all now, and has tried several times this am, after trying all the normal trouble shooting processes. I can't get back on GT. I deleted the cookies, tried going direct to GT rather than from the saved linky in my toolbar. Won't accept me signing in, nor post, nor ask Support/Jeff for help. The only thing left to try is to run the pending Windows update, which I'll do now. Having trouble on both my Windows laptop/Firefox and iphone. I noted this weird behavior but since I can't send it to Jeff, can you forward it to Jeff within Kathy's tech question thread? Sometimes I can read it there and sometimes I can read our WFUBCC thread. ******* GT is driving me nuts. I deleted cookies. When I click on my saved upper toolbar icon for GT it takes me to the home page. I rarely log out but I haven't in a while and it made me log in, but then wouldn't let me in. I can see the main thread menu so I clicked here and can read this thread and it shows I am logged in. Kathy, I tried to post in your thread about the access problems. It will let me compose but won't send. Editing to add what I tried to post just now in Kathy's tech thread: Adding to bizarro land, returning now to GT via the link/bookmark in my upper toolbar on my laptop I get to the home page. I had not signed out since last visit yet it says I am not logged in. Then will not let me log in. Since I can see the main topics menu, I click on this thread. Oddly enough it now says I am logged in. Editing to add that I wrote the above hours ago but couldn't post. Returning now I find I am logged in. Go back to the main topic menu and now I am not logged in. Came back to add this and to see if it will be accepted as a posted since this page shows I am logged in.

I have no issues on my (Windows) laptop, but have to try to login repeatedly on either my (Android) phone or tablet before I can get GT synced. I've found sometimes that restarting the device will let me login. All devices are using Chrome for a browser.

That's quite a high dose of gabapentin to begin with. If she's *too* sedated, ask your vet to bump her back to 100mg. Though if the 300s aren't making any difference, it's likely not an issue gabapentin will help with anyway. I would also talk with them about an actual pain reliever such as codeine sulfate. We usually say to steer clear of most opiate pain relievers as greyhounds don't react to them well, but codeine sulfate seems to be an exception. Again, start with a smaller dose, and increase carefully if needed. I second trying to get in for an xray. It would have been nice if they'd done that when they had her in the clinic the first time. As Jan said, it won't tell you everything, but will certainly tell you if she has a disc issue or broken vertebrae, or other fracture issues. They may feel they need to sedate her beforehand, but they really don't if she's that lethargic on gabapentin. She'll likely just lay however they put her for the five seconds it takes to snap an xray.

It's really common with all dogs, not just greyhounds, and they all seem to need some "salad" after a long winter. I will often find all of mine grazing like sheep out in the yard, especially in Spring. Just be careful about grasses you don't know as they could be sprayed or otherwise treated.

Glad you got that sorted!! And that Ned is doing well!!

I'm so sorry Ducky... We will all miss your Little Charlie {{{hugs}}}

The other thing I would mention is that many times we see regression in extinguished behaviors following a major life change like moving. Sometimes you have to completely start over with retraining and desensitization at big transition points. In the meantime, just call her over to you, so she's standing on her feet, for attention. And don't take any of her guarding behaviors personally - it's just a reaction she can't control. Something that's worked for me with space resource guarders is to sit a safe distance from the bed and quietly read or watch tv - something you can do for a while that's stationary and not moving around a lot. Every once in a while, if she laying quietly and NOT reacting, toss her a YUMMY treat. If she does react, just ignore her. Do *not* reach for any dropped treats. Talk to her, read out loud, let her know you are there with her, but don't touch her. Do this at least every day, and more than that if you have the time. It's a bonding exercise so she learns to trust better. For toy and treat resource guarders I typically just use the "trade up" method. Do not try and remove anything she values with your bare hands. Offer a very high value alternate treat, and toss it away from whatever she's guarding, then pick that item up when she goes to get treat you tossed.

He's lived for four years in a certain way, and suddenly, he finds himself torn away from that life and thrust into a situation completely different and alien. It's scary, full of loud scary noises and new scary things to deal with - both inside and outside! - plus, all the people he's known all his life have been taken away and new ones - ones he doesn't really trust yet - have been added in. All his buddies, who he's likely been with since birth, are gone and he's living all alone with no dog friends for the first time in his life. New schedules, new foods, new EV-ER-RY-THING. Five weeks is nothing. Give him lots and lots of time and patience. Patience and time. In six months come back and let us know how he's doing.

Not common. Prior to surgery is standard, but not once the procedure has begun. I'd ask your vet for the reason. Two CBCs should have been included on the estimate as well, so if s/he didn't discuss this with you, you deserve an answer as to why.

Several thoughts, in no particular order... 1) The first thing to do when investigating stool issues is to talk with your vet and make sure this isn't a medical problem or a parasite problem. Once you eliminate that side of the loose stool issue, you can go on to explore the input side of things. And don't expect immediate results - it can take several weeks to a couple months to make a change in your dogs gut culture. 2) Many greyhounds don't do well on Hill's foods (unless they are prescribed it for a medical condition). Most greyhounds do well on a mid-range, complete (protein AND grains!) kibble such as Purina Pro Plan, Kirkland brands, or even Iams. If the only reason you're feeding the HIll's is because of this loose stool issue, you might consider a different brand. 3) The issue you're describing is very common for exactly the reason Claire states above. The gut has less time to reabsorb the liquid from the food, and the action of walking itself, sort of, bangs the stool around in the gut making it looser. This is, for the most part, a natural things and not an indication that something is wrong. If your girl has been tested for parasites and is clear, and she is currently holding her weight with her normal amount of energy, you may be trying to solve an issue that doesn't really exist. If the stool is hard to clean up, bring along a paper plate and slide it underneath her to catch the more liquid emissions, then throw paper plate and stool away. 4) Some dogs have the exact opposite reaction to pumpkin - instead of firming them up, it makes the stools looser. What you want to look into adding is *non soluble fiber." How you do that depends on what works best for your individual dog. The list of things to try includes: Metamucil wafers or powder (make sure it's the non soluble type), uncooked oat bran, raw chopped or grated vegetables, dehydrated beet pulp or carrots from the Olewho company. We use Olewho carrots here with good results. There is also a kaolin clay product that some people have used. 5) Some dogs are lactose intolerant so if you only give her yogurt occasionally that may be part of the issue. A trick from the racing kennels is to use buttermilk or goat's milk instead (they are both higher in good bacteria than yogurt), if you want to give her a shot of natural probiotic and she's NOT lactose intolerant. Pre/probiotics work best when they are given routinely and not just once in a while, so you should be adding them in to every meal, no matter what you're using. We use this product NaturVet - Digestive Enzymes Good luck!

Congratulations to all parties!!!

You mean, as far as using them? Or new products? Or medical conditions? Last thing I heard discussed was getting a human one and adding a tiny cuff used for babies, then take the reading by wrapping the cuff around their tail. I'm not sure how that compares with a traditional BP reading for dogs, but I would talk about it with your vet as it sounds a lot easier. My dogs would totally freak out when it tightened up, I think, so some training and desensitization would need to occur prior.

If you eat the cauliflower first, everything tastes like cauliflower!!

Some dogs don't process bones completely and that stuff has to get out somehow, one way or another. You might consider cutting back on the number or the size of the bones she's eating - switch to chicken necks or wings, or something that can be more easily processed by her system.

Hahahahaha!!! Andi *always* comes out to the kitchen when I'm cutting carrots. She *always* asks for one with that cute little face of hers that no one can deny! She *always* takes it very delicately in her teeth and runs off with it out to the living room. Where she spits it out unceremoniously on the floor!!

The one thing you need to remember when adopting a greyhound is this: Sometimes greyhounds lie. I can't tell you the number of times we see people here and their newly adopted greyhound has just gone after their cat or small animal, even though they completely ignored same during their "official" cat test. Sometimes the dog is distracted, or too anxious to respond naturally. Sometimes it depends on the personality of the testing animal. Sometimes the dog's true response will only emerge months after they have been in their home, when they have relaxed and settled in, and their personality emerges. The only correct answer is that your group will do the best that they can to determine how they guess any particular dog will respond to cats and small animals in your home, to your individual cat/small animal. Sometimes they won't be correct. Sometimes they will. So, while you can request and need and retired racing greyhound who will be cat/small animal safe, and the adoption group can do their very best to help you pick out the best fit for your home, it's *always* best to be extremely cautious when you have a dog and a prey animal living in the same home. That means using all the tools you have available to keep both animals safe and happy - muzzles, crates, enclosures, isolation in separate rooms, intense training for your dog, close supervision, never - ever - leaving them alone loose together. Many greyhounds are crated for the workdays of their people, and I'm sure your bunny wouldn't suffer unduly if he was in an appropriately sized enclosure in another room safely out of harms way while you are out of the house. You can read through the various threads here about introducing greyhounds to resident cats, and all of that info will apply to introducing a dog to a rabbit. Also read through the pinned thread at the top of this page entitled "Trust." It's about being off leash outside, but it can apply to trusting your dog around small prey animals as well. The one piece of advice I will emphasize is that a muzzle is NOT magic. A greyhound can totally catch, carry, and kill a small animal while wearing a plastic basket muzzle if they are motivated enough. They are a tool, not a guarantee of safety. That being said, we see greyhounds all the time that are completely successful living with all sorts of prey animals - cats, ferrets, chickens, bunnies, and anything else you can imagine. So talk with your adoption group and listen to their advice about which dogs they have that will work for you. You might have to wait a while for the right one to come along, so be patient!

You should have records of vaccinations with you when you travel anyway, but we have used ours to have a dog stay at a local doggy daycare for a few hours. The boutique, dog friendly hotel we were staying at recommended the day care, and the day care recommended one of their employees to come and stay with our dog in the hotel (like a dog sitter) in the evenings when we had plans. This was wa-a-a-a-ay before the internet and apps like Rover to help locate responsible dog help. Most hotels specifically state you can't leave your pet alone in the room, so having a dog sitter was ideal for us.

Dog rescue in general is very different outside of the US - as in, mostly non-existent - due to vastly different views on companion animals. I would think finding any agency that does rescue and adoption for campanion dogs would be very, very difficult. Also, if you are ever considering relocating outside Mongolia (returning to the US if you're a citizen, for example), research the export/import rules NOW before you find out your adopted dog is going to be too difficult to bring along. That being said, during the Beijing Olympics there were tons of stories of athletes finding and bringing home dogs from the streets of the city. There is greyhound racing in China as well, though the dogs are treated horribly and I have no idea how you would go about getting one. If you have *really, really* thought this through and made a conscious decision to commit to responsibly maintaining a canine companion, you might contact a group called Team Inch Sighthound Rescue. They work with people in China and Asia removing dogs (mostly sighthounds) from dangerous/unhealthy situations and bringing them to the States. It may be they would consider you as a local adopter.

I'm so sorry for your loss.... {{{hugs}}}

The hospital will want her to try and be eating on her own before they discharge her, but none of mine have ever eaten well in hospital. They usually need home and familiar surroundings before they can relax enough to eat. You will see bloody stools for a few days to a week, even after she starts eating and feeling better. It is super scary to see that much blood coming out of your dog, but it has to go somewhere. As long as she keeps eating/drinking and moving things through, that's what you want to see.

HGE takes some time to work through and recover from, so three days, while concerning, isn't unusual. The bleeding is caused by an ulcer that developes in the stomach following using nsaids (like metacam) for pain after surgery or for strains/sprains. It's particularly important with nsaids to give them only after a full meal so the stomach has enough in it to protect the lining from damage. This happens in humans too. The dog won't eat until the ulcer has healed, and that may be what you are seeing in her stomach. I'm not sure what other "bad stuff" you could be seeing there since it should be pretty cleaned out by now. Make sure you understand from the vets taking care of her what they feel this is. If she has a favorite food - something she LOVES at home - whether it's canned food or McDonald's cheeseburgers or peanut butter sandwiches, bring it along when you go to see her next and see if she will eat a few bites for you. Tiny meals will give her stomach time to start working again. She may do better once she's home, even if she is still having blood in her stools. It will take time to move that all through her system. They should send you home with some sulcrafate (a stomach protector). You'll need to monitor her hydration too, to make she she doesn't get dehydrated from blood loss. And I would not give your dog metacam again - they can become sensitized to individual drugs. There are many nsaids that can be used if she really needs one in the future. One of mine had a horrible HGE reaction to rimadyl, but she uses meloxicam just fine. It's super scary dealing with HGE, but you can deal with it, and your dog can be fine going forward. Good luck!

They regularly shave them for the summer heat on some farms, even though that's not really what you should do, as it's faster than brushing out 100s of dogs.