PrairieProf

Oh so very sorry.

If he was running in the yard he was happy enough and FAR from a dog who should be pts. You sound understandably overwhelmed but to kill your dog... return him to the group if you don't want to deal with him. It feels like you're projecting your own grief and exhaustion on him.

Beth will turn 8 this month, and seems to be in fine health -- outside of some seemingly non-painful arthritis in her remaining main toe on the foot where a toe was amputated and a tendency toward a range of so-far-benign skin bumps and little cysts, she shows no signs of ill-health or serious aging. Good eating and stable weight, good energy, no hind-end issues, hasn't needed a dental since the one before her adoption at age 2.5. My vet also sees her often and thinks she looks great. But it seems like I know an awful lot of hounds (in my greyhound circle, not just online) who have died around this age. And yesterday a friend's hound, a few months younger than Beth (and sharing similar bloodlines), had to go to the Bridge for a large tumor on his spleen that ruptured -- he wasn't even sick until yesterday and seemed perfectly healthy. All this has me thinking, besides general bloodwork, are there any tests that one might reasonably do on a healthy dog that might spot any problems early? I do know that xrays on all four legs looking for hidden osteo is totally nuts. But I was reading around and it seems like ultrasound would reveal an enlarged spleen early enough when a dog might be saved. Is there anything like that I should think of doing (or doing if I could afford it)? It is just so awful thinking that a seemingly healthy dog could be gone in a flash from something you might have treated if you'd known about it early enough.

I will just go on record as saying I adore I/D. Beth went on it several years ago when she came within an inch of pancreatitis and despite the price I've kept her on it for three years now because it's been so much better for her digestion than anything else we ever fed. And she has the best coat too!

I scrubbed a couple of Beth's nipples raw when they suddenly appeared dark. I thought it was dirt or secretion. ... it was just pigment change as more ticking came out in her coat.

I think she needs some special post-surgical frilly pink panties so she doesn't lick. To match her "Smooches" jammies, you know. Edited to add: Can't you just see her in this?? http://www.amazon.com/Wholesale-Princess-Ruffle-Cotton-Bloomers/dp/B00D2Z9BIC/ref=sr_1_25?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1393204008&sr=1-25 I guess the tail would be an issue, LOL. She and you will be in my thoughts!

I use Advantage Multi, not Advantix. Although my vet said it really wasn't an issue unless the cat was right up against the dog or something while it was wet -- mine don't do that, but I didn't want to chance it. I use Frontline Plus too during tick season.

Umm, why don't you just switch to a topical heartworm med then? I actually hate topicals (sticky icky vs a nice easy pill) but my vet said Advantage Multi (or I guess Advantix) is the best so that's what we use. But I also pill my dog directly the way Batmom describes and have from Day 1 (I come to dogs from years of pilling cats!), and roll my eyes at all the pussyfooting people do. Compared to pilling a cat pilling a greyhound is so freaking easy. And when you've seen them hork down a giant turkey leg you don't have any silly ideas that swallowing any pill is going to traumatize them.

Wow yikes. It's always something. Sorry you are facing a big medical thing so soon. I'd be interested to see a pic though I guess it's TMI!

You know he also might have gotten a stomach bug. The couple of times Beth had vomiting in particular, bad diarrhea, and seemed to feel crappy out of nowhere it was evidently a bug, not anything she ate. Anyway the important thing is he's better now.

I don't think you know it's broken until the vet xrays it. If it's seemingly stayed in place I'd guess it WAS dislocated.

Leash walk before bed until she poops. Problem solved. Leash-walking in general is your friend -- sounds like you're just letting her out in the yard and expecting her to empty herself. Lots of dogs need to really get moving and also be stimulated by new smells etc. to really do their business. I've had my dog 5.5 years and if she hasn't pooped her full quota during the day we walk late at night (like 10 p.m. -- I got to bed late) until she does, every single night. (Well we walk all the time anyway; I have a small yard but she doesn't poop in it at all.) Not always just what I feel like doing at that hour especially in the dead of winter, but I don't want her to need to go out in the wee hours. And yours hasn't yet learned to signal (or you haven't yet learned to read her subtle signals) that she needs to go out. Also agree she needs to stay where you can hear her if she starts to pace or whatever during the night -- restlessness is the typical signal for needing to go.

Welcome!

Very sorry for your loss.

I'm so sorry. What a terrible unexpected loss ... but you know she had a happy normal life up to her very last day, which I'd hope is a comfort.

Agree with the others, this is normal greyhound play. I will say that I am in your position of not having a yard, and yes I DO use the dog park and would be lost without it because I also believe my dog needs to run. However, you have to be VERY careful about circumstances -- greyhounds in chase/bitey mode are overwhelming and intimidating to other dogs and can definitely cause problems. I am not going to say do not go to the park, ever -- I am perennially pissed off at the privilege of those who have big yards to tell that to people like us. I will say: A) see if you can find some enclosed grassy area that is not the dog park to use, legally or not-so-legally (a lot of people use ballfields, though they all have numerous gaps in the fencing where I live); go to the park when few or no other people are there, like very very early in the morning, and if there's a separate area not being used, use that; C) over time, find some big confident dogs who play well with your dog -- there are such, and dog parks have different groups of regulars at different times; C) look to see if there are any greyhound playdates close enough to get to, or see if you can arrange things with other adopters in your area. Going to a busy urban dog park at a high-use time is the most dangerous thing, again unless there's a separate area you can use. (P.S., if you're going to stay around here you might want to avoid defaulting to the word "racing rescue" or "rescue" -- many of us are adamant that these retired athletes are not "rescued" from racing where the vast majority are carefully cared for and trained and loved. It's an issue that tends to get into controversy, but meanwhile "adopted" is a perfectly fine and neutral term.)

So sorry. He was such a part of your life and all your wonderful pictures of happy dogs.

Pawz disposable booties (www.pawzdogboots.com) are all you need to protect from nicks and ice/salt burn. Medium (blue) is the size for most greyhounds.

Beth is a crazed poop eater...and it happens at the dog park so no way to manage it. I confirmed with my vet and it is NOT a medical issue or a sign of nutrient deficiency. Some dogs just really see it as a super high value treat. Especially frozen. And some dogs' poop has a lot of fat etc. so it's alluring. Dogs also like rabbit, deer, duck poop etc. Any easy fix if it's your own yard. I really hope my next grey won't be a poop - eater but it's nothing to get all panicked about.

Several minutes is WAY TOO LONG if the dog is whining. You have to start with seconds or even just approaching the door etc. The point is you return BEFORE the dog starts reacting. Others can advise with more detail and there are many other threads.

Could you drive them/her someplace to walk? I do that all the time especially when there are problems with local sidewalks.

Absolutely fast for 24 hours, that's what my vet prescribes. If any further diarrhea you should take him to the vet for metronidazole or see if the vet will give it to you.

I give one large sardine often, not quite everyday. Fish oil triggered a near pancreatitis episode in Beth so I am careful with amount. No problems to date. I give it as a snack, not with a meal. Do NOT feed sardines in soybean oil as the extreme excess of Omega 6 in that negates the point of adding Omega 3 from fish. I like the tomato sauce or packed in water is fine. FWIW the folks with the deepest understanding of health and diet believe that fish oil does not have the documented benefits of real fish, for people either. I eat sardines often too!

I am so very sorry.

What were the voices/volume/body language/energy of a bunch of big men come to watch a fight? I imagine quite different than normal life at home.