greysmom

I'll just second everything said below - no one really knows. The *may* (may possible, might be) some genetic link that runs in particular sire or dam lines, but there's been nothing scientifically proven. Yet. At least one vet I know - who is a former greyhound racing trainer - is collecting data for such a meta-study, but I don't think she has any even tentative results. I'll pass on what I was told by our orthopedic surgeon. I also had a 2 year old suffer a catastrophic leg fracture after coming into my home. We were competing in an AKC 200 yard racing event, and she broke her leg right above the hock. Her leg was a mess and took us over two years, several surgeries, an external fixator for 6 months, and two rounds of bones grafts to get her back to functional. Our surgeon is one of the best in our state and he works on greyhounds frequently. I asked him a question very much like yours, and his answer was interesting. He said, basically, that greyhound thigh muscles - the ones that power their speed - are so strong that they cause the torc force being put on the bones to exceed the level that their long bones can handle. Between the ground and the dog's muscles, the bone in between is the weakest point. Essentially, they break their own legs during running. This makes sense, since many/most broken legs during a race happen on the turns when the force is going to be at its highest. Whether some dogs are more predisposed to have this happen isn't really known or understood. It's heart-breaking to have to go through osteo. Really. I've been there, and many, many of us here on GT have been too. But as far as we know right now developing bone cancer is a complete and total crapshoot. There doesn't seem to be any correlation between "normal" leg breaks early in life and getting osteo later in life. They might. Or they might not. My osteo boy was a training school dropout who never had a sick day before he broke his leg just running in the yard at 10 years old. My other greys with serious hock breaks never got it - though several passed from other kinds of cancers later in life. So. Start supplements for your girl now and monitor her for developing pain and arthritis. The supplements form the Greyhound Gang are all good. We just recently starting using this one: Canine Process - Musculoskeletal Support and it's been really good so far. Both my dogs have perked up considerably, running around, digging, playing with toys and balls. I've been using one dose per day, every other day with good results. And adopt that other girl!!!

There can be a LOT of causes for persistent vomiting and diarrhea, some are more benign and some are really serious. In general, if symptoms persist beyond 3-4 days you dog should be scheduled for a vet visit, as the chance of them getting seriously dehydrated is worse than anything else. The tuna she's getting should NOT be packed in oil, as that can cause pancreatitis (which causes vomiting and diarrhea). And it should be rotated with other low fat options like cooked and rinsed ground beef, or poached white fish. If she can handle turkey you can also rotate with that (not all dogs with chicken intolerence can do turkey, but many can). Tuna is a really rich protein source, and can cause problems on its own.

Oh NO!!! I'm so, so sorry. He was a sweet boy, and of course he knew he was loved!!! Run in Peace Buddy, over the Rainbow Bridge, where your Mom and Dad will find you waiting someday.

Then you only option is to try and keep them separated (or muzzled) when not under your direct supervision.

Have you tried getting Roy his own dog bed on the floor?? He probably just likes to switch places sometimes and her dog bed is the only one available. If you don't have room for two dog beds I would definitely figure out a way to keep them separated when he feels the need to roam. One of mine will stand by the couch and WHINE her head off until I make her sister move so she can lay on the couch too. She will usually lay up there for 30 minutes or so - her on one end, her sister on the other - and then get back down and lay on a dog bed. She just likes to move around a lot.

Some good news all around. Here's hoping he feels a bit more like hisownself soon!!

Most likely. Lots of times when they are dreaming they also get their legs into the picture. You'll often see them running and jumping in their sleep, not to mention whining and barking. So unless he's cramping - which also happens, usually with a lot of Greyhound Sccream Of Death (GSOD) - it's probably normal. Next time it happens, try and get a video. Either to show us or your vet. But more than likely it's not anything to worry about.

When we were trying to figure out things for Lilly - our chicken intolerant girl - to eat, one of the only things she would eat consistently was tuna. By that point we were getting desperate to find something to give her, so we just went with it. She was about three years old at the time. She got a can of Premium Albacore tuna in water (wild line caught) 7oz, the really expensive kind every single day. We were worried enough to have her mercury levels tested every year, but the results were always the same - not even close to being at a dangerous level, only indicative of a diet including seafood. She did gradually start eating other canned food - thank goodness for my grocery bill!! - but tuna was always her favorite and she ate several cans a week all her life.

I'm so glad Buddy is feeling a little better!! And yes, a vet you can have an actual conversation with, rather than being talked at - or down from - is worth their weight in gold!! I left a whole practive because all the vets were "my way or the highway" doctors. I don't accept that in my own human medicine, so why would I want it for my dog?!?!? I did forget to add to my "piper noble" above - anytime he seems to want to eat and is interested in eating and will actually EAT, keep feeding him whatever it is (within reason). When they feel this way you can have a very small windows of being able to keep things down, so try and take advantage of those when they occur. I've ended up making sandwiches from rolls and chicken on my plate, or feeding spoonfuls of rice or potatoes or oatmeal from the counter, or toast and bacon from a takeout meal. {{{hugs}}} for you and the Budster!!

Yes, first thing to think of is a contact allergy. Washing or wiping his paws off (non-allergenic baby wipes might be a more workable option) should help with that. You can also consider getting him some booties to wear - PAWZ rubber disposable boots are easy to use and not too expensive, but I don't know if you can them in AUS. Ducky mentioned some allergy options in her post below from your vet, and they should be familiar with them though it might be under different brand names for you. But also you need to consider a developing food allergy. If you've switched foods lately, or your current brand has changed their formula recently, new kinds of treats, and other diet changes could be causing red, itchy feet as a first sign. Usually that symptom is accompanied by digestive issues and poor stools, but not always. It might be worth doing a bland diet (single low fat protein source, and single well cooked carb source) for at least two weeks to see if his feet get better. When you're out walking pay attention to what he's walking through. Lots of people spray and fertilize their grass, and parks and other green spaces can also have chemicals on them. Also, remember to keep his paws hydrated with a good, moisturizing paw balm or human cream for cracked heels. Especially since you're washing his feet multiple times a day.

Pretty common with senior dogs to lose their appetite for one reason or another. Most of my seniors have opted out of a meal - usually breakfast - as they've gotten older. Some things to consider: > Consider feeding only once per day. Or one meal and one smaller snack - like a tea - about 12 hours apart. Unless he needs food to take medications. > kidney issues can cause nausea which causes loss of appetite. It's a vicious spiral that leads only downwards unless you can find something he can tolerate. Being interested in food prep but then not interested in eating is a classic sign of nausea. > Probably not the acupuncture. Though I would mention it and see if they can do their magic and help with the nausea. > That's a LOT of fur to be putting into a system theat's not working properly. It could definitely be causing issues. And things like Greenies and other teeth chews probably don't have any nutrition to speak of that's helping him. > There's no law that says they have to eat kibble. Especially when it's more important to just get some calories in him for the day. If he'll eat canned food, or store-bought roasted chicken, or McDonalds cheeseburgers plain you can use those things to make sure he gets *something* in his stomach. Also try feeding him on his bed, or in the living room, eating off a plate instead of his metal (or usual) bowl, using a spoon to feed him like a baby, making the food warmer or colder (sometimes it's the smell that makes them nauseaus), frozen plain yogurt, cottage cheese, peanut butter or cheese sandwiches, scrambled eggs and bacon. I've even resorted to pretending to eat something like human food (unless it is human food! ) since that usually gets them interested. I take a bite, they get a bite - but using separate utensils!! > Your vet can also prescribe an appetite stimulate like mirtazipine. And as a last (last last last) resort you can try prednizone, since steroids often will stimulate the appetite. But for seniors it can also cause terrible alternate side effects (lack of energy, extreme muscle wasting, incontinence), so I've learned that this is the last thing to try. Good luck for you and Buddy!! {{{hugs}}}

There are several reasons that commercial dog food came into existence, one was convenience, another was proper nutrition for pets, a third was to decrease the cost. I can remember my grandparents had a huge soup kettle sitting by the back door, and all the days food scraps from their meals went into it - all the leftovers from cooking, all the garbage from the finished plates, cooked bones, all the grease from cooking - and that kettle was given to their hunting dogs at the end of the day. Something we would never consider doing now. The reasons for commercial dog food still apply. If you're considering doing home cooking for other reasons you really need to do your research to make sure you're not harming your dog instead. We had one poster here on GT many years ago who began to home cook for her greyhound because she thought commercial foods were (in her words) "poison." She had been feeding her dog basically a human keto diet - high fat meats, with added fat, and very few carbs or vegetables. She was posting here in Health & Medical because her dog was experiencing repeated bouts of pancreatitis, was rapidly losing weight, had horrible diarrhea, and was generally not thriving. She was upset because her vet was trying to get her to switch to a commercial diet, and was convinced that what she was feeding her dog was nutritious and safe because she found the recipe on the internet . She stopped posting here when most of us supported her vet, so we don't know what happened, but I can't imagine her dog survived much longer. A dog can be fed homecooked food, like a bland diet of low-fat cooked meats and a carb source, for many months, if you're trying to diagnose a food intolerance or allergy, or deal with some illness, but they do eventually need a source for trace chemicals and vitamins they need for a healthy life. Commercial foods labeled as a "complete diet" have all of those already added in. Most of the larger commercial food manufacturers also do extensive scientific testing of their food mixes to make sure they are nutritious and palatable, and do what they say they are supposed to do. Many of the smaller "boutique" food brands are capitalizing on human food fads or outdated feeding models based on incorrect and disproven theories from wild wolves and canids. Grain free and "fresh food" brands often don't give proper nutrition, even though they "say" they are better for your dog. There is very little long-term scientific testing supporting their claims. If you google Diet-Mediated Dilated Cardio Myopathy you will see a huge debate on commercial pet food diets and grain-inclusive vs grain free. No one really knows - including the FDA scientists researching it - why dogs fed grain free diets develop this life threatening heart condition. We do know that ones given proper medication support, and switched to a grain inclusive diet often completely resolve the issue in time. FWIW, some raw food diets are also implicated in dogs developing DCM. Which is something to consider when developing your prospective diet. One thing I will add here as my own cautionary tale - it's a lot different feeding a sedentary senior dog than a higher energy younger dog. I've done both. A younger dog needs a LOT more food per day to have good energy and maintain a good weight. When I was feeding home cooked to my year old greyhound puppy for a food intolerance test I was making a whole crockpot's worth of food every three days, while a senior could get by on every 4 or 5 days. It's *very* labor intensive, and I was never happier than when I finally found a commercial food that my puppy would/could eat and give her proper nutrition. So, long answer short, yes, home cooked diets can work for your dog, with the proper research, and making sure you are giving them additional vitamins and minerals. The website linked by Jerilyn below is a good place to start. You might also consider finding a certified canine nutritionist to develop a complete diet for your dog. But there isn't anything wrong with continuing to use properly researched and developed commercial foods. Also, there's no law or rule that says you *must* feed your dog kibble. If you can find an acceptable wet food it's perfectly fine to feed only that. Good luck!

Nothing wrong with a beautiful spotty cow dog!!! Congratulations!!! Thank you for always being the safe spot to land...

YOU GO GIRLFRIEND!!!!!!

I've been trying to think of what our vet called the thing that's wrong with Flizzie, and - voila! - I found it last night! Reflex Dyssynergia Yes, that's how all of her cystos have been!!

I was always a skeptic about a lot of "alternative" treatments until Lilly. Our regular vet recommended we give it a try before we began a more traditional (and harsher) treatment for her IBD symptoms. We liked this holistic vet who practiced acupuncture and chinese herbal medicine. Literally after the first treatment Lilly was less nauseous and able to eat better, and her car sickness stopped cold. We also discovered she had an intolerance to any form of chicken. The vet we used ended up being a crazy weirdo (seriously!! ), but by then we were done with our treatments with her. I wouldn't hesitate to use acupuncture again. So glad it seems to be a good alternative for Bobby!!

Do it. It's really the best way to get an uncontaminated urine draw. Felicity has had several and they were really no big deal for her. She's also had several US, and again didn't seem bothered. Since they have the US working on her already, see if they can do a quick shot of her kidneys/bladder just to see if there is anything big that jumps out at them immediately. If they see something suspicious, you can do a more in depth US later on if warranted, or rule things out if it's normal. The cysto is definitely easier with a full bladder, so ask about specific timing. If she's particularly anxious for vet visits, you might suggest an anti anxiety dose prior. And also remind them when you take her in to be super careful if they put her on her back so they don't twist her. Flizzie is on two drugs right now for some related issues that sound a lot like Punkin's in some ways. First, she was having urine leaking episodes all the time. Not just little drips, but a LOT of pee. We discovered - using US and a physical exam - that she has a weird sort of "dip" in her urethra, which creates a well where the urine pools and then exits the body when she lays down (since the defect is on the outside of the bladder sphincter that controls urine flow). She's on the hormone DES for this issue and it's helped a lot. It works by tightening up the urethra helping eliminate the well in the tube (if that makes sense). Secondly, we discovered that the aforementioned sphincter has a kind of spasming that happens irregularly. It's not particularly painful - we think - but the rapid spasms seem to cause her distress and she will have episodes of just laying there panting - like pain panting except she's not in pain and will act and respond completely normally. She's on a drug called Prazosin for this issue, which calms the spasming down. It's usually an issue for male dogs, but mine seems to have a-a-all the weird things!!! Good luck!!

From Ducky. You should ask her when these were last updated, but I think not too long ago.

She's got a greyhound big brother, and is a sighthound anyway!! Always welcome!!

Hahaha!!! My two have learned that delivery people often bring take out foods to our house. And if not, there might be a pet at the gate as a consolation prize! So, of course, every delivery person has to greeted vociferously and joyously!! We *ne-ver* miss a delivery.

I'm so sorry. It sounds like things are worse there than they are here. You might ask the referral vet if they have a list for cancelations to see if you can get in sooner. {{{hugs}}}