greysmom

Glad it's not super serious, though undoubtedly painful and irritating. {{{hugs}}}

Bumping for info in first thread

I'm so sorry for your diagnosis. Many here have been exactly where you are now. It is always a highly personal decision and there really isn't a right or wrong answer. There are many resources to help you, including your vet and oncologist. There have been many exciting new vaccine trials recently, so make sure you get the most up-to-date info you can. On Facebook, there is a group called "Greyhounds with Osteo"where you will find many in your situation. In the web look up the Greyhound Health Initiative and their informative pages. They have on staff and available for consults Dr Guillerma Couto who is a world renowned greyhound medical expert, specializing in osteo. Search here in the forum for the most recent threads entitled "Osteo Thread" followed by a number(I'll try and bring the latest one to the front page here). The first post in each thread has lots of links and info that can help you make your decision (though some will be outdated). Some general things to think and discuss: Your dog needs to be generally "healthy" otherwise, to absorb the stress and strain on the other three legs - ie, no severe arthritis or degenerative myopathy or spinal issues. This is especially true for front leg amps as it takes way more energy to do everything with only one front leg. They also need to be comfortable with strange people and at the vet office as they will be spending a LOT of time there the first 3-4 months between surgery, recovery, and chemo. The first two weeks following surgery are the hardest as the dog recovers and learns to deal with life as a tripod. This happens astonishingly quickly from our point of view, but it's a process. Someone needs to be with them pretty much 24/7 until your sure they can be safe by themself. If you have a lot of stairs in your home that will be something to consider. Most tripods end up being able to do them after much trial and error - supervised of course. The cost of the procedure(s) and hemo is an issue. Even with insurance it can be *very* expensive. Amputation is NOT curative. Osteo is still, at this point, a terminal diagnosis. So. While amputation and chemo will buy you some time, there's no guarantee of how much. It could be days. It could be years. Or anything in between. Palliative care is a perfectly acceptable choice. Provided you remember that the goal is to keep your dog happy and pain free. There's no need to be especially conservative with pain medication because of side effects. So you can see there's just lots of things to consider and only you can make the right choice for your family. Good luck!

!!!!!!!! CLETUS !!!!!!!!

Another strategy is to get a Perla bed and fill it with cheap blankets from Goodwill. She can nest to her heart's content. If she's nesting because she's cold, try getting her a set of pajamas or a housecoat to wear at night.

Get some cream-style toothpaste and rub a tiny bit across the clean dry pad. It will reveal the suspected corn by sticking differently to the pad vs the corn. If you're on Facebook, join the group "Greyhounds with Corns." If you're not on Facebook, it's totally worth it to join just for this group. Read through the posts to see what works for people regarding corn maintenance. In general, a couple times a day - soak the paw in epsom salts and warm water, dry and apply an ultra moisturizing cream. This means a cream meant to treat human ultra dry skin or calloused heels or cracked hands. Preferably non-petroleum based. Cover with a thick toddler sock to keep them from licking it off. This will eventually bring the corn up so it can be hulled at home. There is also a surgery being tried by vets in the US and UK (you will see this mentioned on the FB page) called a tendon flexotomy. I basically cuts the tendon to the affected toe, releasing the tension and relieving the reason for the corn. It does work, but there are questions that accompany this surgery. What happens if a corn comes up on a nearby toe? How much does this alter the gait of the dog, possibly creating corns in other feet? And others. Be aware that many vets are not up to date in treatments for corns. Some don't even know about them and their prevelance in greyhounds. You may be more informed than your vet on this subject if you do your research beforehand. Home treatment of corns is usually much better maintenance than surgical removal (which isn't curative anyway). Corns totally suck and I've been there and done all that. Good luck!

I'm so sorry. It's never easy to lose a beloved companion, especially so suddenly and with no warning, but it does sound like he might have had a stroke or heart attack. It's not UNcommon to hear about, though it's on the less frequent side. We've lost a couple to similar incidents. Coughing and lethargy are two symptoms that you want to watch for in heart issues, and particularly now that grain free foods have been linked to DCM. Often those symptoms are dismissed or misdiagnosed until it's too late, even by very experienced vets, so there's nothing you could have done or saw or treated beforehand. It's just a tragic end to a beautiful life. Please let your memories of your boy lead you towards healing and moving forward, as it feels appropriate for you and your family.

Sometimes it just all works the way it's supposed to. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

So adorable!!! Their personalities really start forming as individuals at about 4 weeks!!

The largest we've had was a 98 lb medical foster. He was *large* - but sooooo sweet!!! Our biggest adopted boy hound was Copper - 85 lbs, and very tall. But our largest greyhound is our current Lilly. She is *very* big!! Weighs about 90 (but feels best a couple lbs less), and she's 32 inches tall. I think greyhounds that big are a rarity of either gender. I would be wondering if that 102 was a bit overweight, or if he's just really big??? But there's nothing sweeter or funner than a big, laid back boy hound!!!

There is also a group called The Littermates List both on FB and a website. And don't discount Mr Google. Try searching for their racing names and see where/if they ended up with an adoption group. Their info on Greyhound Data will also sometimes list the group or even the adopters.

I would emphasize the gate issue with your contractor, but DO NOT rely on that person to spread the word. Padlock the gate shut if your dog can get out there unsupervised.

This is a great article! Thanks for posting!

How old is your dog? Cost of xrays is extremely location-dependent, so $300 doesn't seem out of line for a major metropolitan area. Do NOT let them talk you into her needing anesthesia for simple leg xrays. If they are doing a whole set, including manipulating her for a hip and spine series (which she probably needs more than just a leg), she *may* need a light dose of a reversable sedative, or anit-anxiety med to help her relax and stay still in position, but not otherwise. Most greyhounds will just lay right where they are put for the couple seconds it takes to snap an xray. Current thinking is that greyhound corns are a visible eruption of a deep tendon/ligament injury in the foot. If you're on Facebook there's a great group called "Greyhounds With Corns" that offers a lot of information and support. That being the case, the corn probably didn't "cause" her leg issues per se, but is the result of an injury and altered gait . Then, the corn itself causes her to alter her gait further, causing the body/hips to get increasingly out of line, loss of muscle mass in less used areas, increased use in other areas. In short, the deep injury in her foot causes the altered gait, which causes the corn, which caises the further alteration to her body mechanics, which causes the leg shaking and hind end weakness. Addressing this issue with nsaids or supplements is not likely to help at all. A regular schedule of hulling and daily soaking/moisturizing will help keep the corn as small and as painless as possible. If you visit the FB group above you will also see references to a new surgery developed by a vet in the UK called a "Flexor Tenotomy." This addresses the underlying cause of the corn - the ligament/tendon deep in the foot - by simply cutting it and releasing the tension on the tendon. This creates what is essentially a "sprung toe" on the toe with the corn, and sometimes results in the corn completely vanishing. This surgery is very new - about a year or so in general use - and there are a lot of questions about long-term results, but it can also be a miracle for our dogs that suffer so from these abominable corns! All that being said, hind end weakness, leg shaking, ocassional collapsing, and other symptoms can all be due to other causes as well - lumbo sacral stenosis, arthritis, narrowing of the spinal canal, spinal injury, cancer, and other age-related issues. Nsaids, supplements, gabapentin (a drug to decrease nerve pain), and actual pain medication can help with quality of life going forward, but are unlikely to "cure" any of them. But a comprehemsive set of xrays of hips/spine/shoulders is really necessary to diagnose and pinpoint where the actual cause is. Getting them read by a competent xray specialist is a must, so don't skip that step even though it will add to the cost.

I've only had girls who have the visible bald patch. None of my boys have had it.

And a good time was had by all!!! I bet they were tired when they got home!!

Probably a soft tissue injury. Your vet can diagnose and give you a short course of nsaids, as appropriate. However, it's also possible he cracked a toe bone so an xray may also be appropriate. See your vet.

I had to turn off the sound to be able to watch it!!!!

No offense, but ditto what Don said. I bet it's a fun vid!!!!

In general there's usually not any issues with adopting two greyhounds together, or very close together. They are raised in groups and live in groups and work in groups all their lives so they are pre-disposed to live with other greyhounds easily. My one caveat to this situation is that you have never had a greyhound (or a dog?) before. Yes, they are dogs, and as such can be treated like other dogs, but their behaviors are/can be unique due to how they are raised. I also don't think a responsible adoption group would adopt out two hounds to someone with no breed experience. If you are interested in having two dogs, then really discuss this with your group and see if you can strategize a way to bring one dog home for a few weeks while *you* adapt to having one. Then see if you really want/need a second.

It's very common for newly adopted dogs to have relapses of SA with every little change in their schedules. You may need to do a short course of Alone Training with her after a few times after vacations or other schedule challenges.