Batmom

Sounds like you're actually doing very well. If she's awake when the cat approaches / looks at her, it will help things along if you "Good girl!" and yummy little treat BEFORE she growls. That will help her learn to associate the cat with good things. Same goes for booties if you get to a point where she *has* to wear them. "Good girl!" and yummy little treat for each boot or two. Dogbooties.com has some simple, inexpensive booties that are easier to get on than the Pawz. Probably don't fit a greyhound foot well enough for running but should be good for some protection on a salty walk.

Might not hurt to check around? Your low end is around what I paid at the specialty (VCA Aurora - your neighborhood) for dental + one extraction for my cardiac patient. Not including prelim bloodwork; believe they'll accept bloodwork done within 30 days. You'd need a consult first but that is just normal office visit charge. We saw Dr Hertz, whom I would highly recommend. Locally (Rockford) it's a lot less, $200-$300 I believe. Haven't had one done here for some years because cardiac patient needs specialty service.

You normally don't want to run a full panel while he is on thyroid medication. To get useful findings from a full panel, you'd normally take him off the medication for 6 weeks or so, then run your panel. Your vet might want to consult with the endocrinologists at MSU (Michigan State University) for their recommendations on testing and suggestions as to what's going on.

I'm so sorry for your loss. Never easy, even when it is so clearly the right thing to do. Godspeed, sweetheart.

If he was fine before the food switch, I'd go back to the chicken for a week or two until his gut settles down, then try a different food. Would also be worth taking a poop sample to your vet to check for parasites. Hope you can get to the bottom of things!

All the EPI dogs I've known personally -- once they started with the nasty stool and rapid weight loss, neither of those things changed until the EPI was treated. Which isn't to say she couldn't have it; just, her symptoms are different from what I've seen. I have noticed that some dogs with a food sensitivity or tendency to pancreatitis will be fine on the triggering diet for several days, then ... whammo again. If I have suspicions about something like that, I prefer to leave on a "this works" diet/meds for at least 3 weeks before introducing anything else. 'Course you have to find a "this works" diet/meds first .... Hope you can figure something else.

From what I can recall of your other posts, doesn't sound like EPI or other pancreatic issue. But if you're concerned, there are some quick and easy tests (cTLI, for example).

Glad she is doing well .

I'm so sorry for your loss.

If you're referring to the dark spot, I'm with tbhounds -- foreign body or puncture.

Could try a shirt or jammies with legs, if you have any that fit him. Would still investigate the Apoquel, but it might keep him away from the spot better than a bandage etc. Good luck!

I'm so sorry. Godspeed, Sophie.

Handsome boy! So glad he is doing well.

I too figure out food amounts by calories rather than manufacturer guidelines. You may be overfeeding, hence the stool output.

I'm so sorry. Godspeed, well-loved girl.

Aw, glad she is home and feeling better!

greysmom, I remember you posting that! FWIW, we have good luck with Pepcid (famotidine), and I like it because it interacts with so few things. When Pepcid isn't sufficient, cerenia (from the vet) seems to work best for us. Haven't had a chance to try ondansetron (also prescription).

I'm so sorry. I would be shocked and dismayed as well. Hugs to you and your boy.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your sweet boy. Godspeed, Joe.

Don't know galliprant. We have given rimadyl + tramadol + 900-1200mg gabapentin a day. So I would agree with others that you should speak with your vet. I will say that at a certain point, no combination of anything would control our osteo dog's pain. And the farther the disease progresses, the higher the risk of breakage. Hugs and best thoughts for you and your boy.

Were a CBC and chemistry panel also run (bloodwork)?

Yeah, for an Italian you probably do want to taper. I'm sorry your girl isn't well and hope you can get in touch with a useful vet.

5mg total per day is a very small dose,*** and he's only been on it short term. I am not a vet. However, at that level, I believe you could simply stop the prednisone with no taper; we have done so at a similar length of therapy / dosage level. If it worries you and you can't speak with a vet you trust, a classic taper would go something like -- give one dose a day rather than two, for 3 days; then half dose; then half dose every other day; then stop. *** assuming Iowa is a full sized greyhound rather than an Italian greyhound

You don't compare it to Dr Dodd's range. It's only valid to compare your value to the normals for the lab that ran the test.

Hugs to MoMo's momma.