3greytjoys

Small balls of canned ground meat dog food (some with hidden pills) can be a helpful also.

Oh goodness, he's adorable! Love those darling earsies! Thank you for caring for him. (Secretly hoping he might snuggle his way into your hearts forever. )

I agree with Neylasmom. If you're unable to get a more detailed diagnosis, perhaps a different test and/or second opinion could help(?). Our Greyhounds are very stoic, but they are smart in knowing when their body is not up to certain movement/activities. I try to watch and respect our hounds' physical limitations, especially when they're struggling with injury or illness. I probably wouldn't try to push the main staircase activity too much. Perhaps arranging sleeping quarters downstairs could help for a while(?). He might be feeling weaker due to reduced food intake, medications, and/or his illness. When our hounds are taking medications, I look up the veterinary side effects of each medication. Many medications affect appetite level, some increase drowsiness, cause ataxia (wobbly coordination), etc. If meds are supposed to be given with food, he might eat various flavors of canned ground meat dog foods more easily. If meds are given on an empty stomach, it can make them feel poorly overall, and reduce their interest in eating meals. BTW, a nice visual indication of healthy pet Greyhound weight is seeing the last two ribs (and hip points). Thank you for letting us know about Kentucky's update. Continued positive healing thoughts for Kentucky.

Congratulations on your adoption of Hanna! She's a gorgeous black beauty! May you have many happy, healthy years enjoying life together...

Are you able to please post a photo of your girl's paws? (I'll be off-line for a day or so, but a photo could help others respond too.)

I'm truly sorry about your sudden loss of Leia. What a terribly sad, tragic accident. I wish I could help take away your pain. I hope your wife will be able to release feelings of guilt, for her own health and well-being. This seems like a freak accident, no one's fault. (I knew another hound who passed away after sliding hard into a wall. I've heard of other dogs who exhibited a bolt of speed just prior to their passing.) Leia's crossing touches me in a unique way, perhaps because I've dreaded seeing her name in Remembrance. Your deep love for Leia has been reflected in your posts for many years. She always seemed to be your beloved special companion/family member. I hope, in time, that you will both be able to find some comfort in your happy memories of her. Leia will be remembered fondly on GT.

One cup of kibble is not enough food for a Greyhound considering any kibble I've ever seen. Caloric content varies greatly. Some kibble is in the 300(+) range vs. one example is Innova's 519 calories per cup (per Innova's current website). When we fed Innova (long ago) all our Greyhounds maintained healthy pet weight on approx. 3(+) cups kibble per day. Kibble manufacturers list feeding guidelines on bag for their specific food's caloric content, per AAFCO guidelines. Quoted below is from “Feeding” by Joan Martin (see pet Greyhound caloric needs chart in red bold): “A highly conditioned dog will have more muscle mass, which is both denser and heavier, than the same size dog that is out of condition. Age, exercise, stress caused by both heat and cold, and general health all influence the best weight for an individual dog. The following chart shows the calories needed to maintain weight for dogs kept as pets getting moderate exercise: weight (lbs) / calories 50 1,350 57 1,482 66 1,650 88 2,112 End quote. Source: http://www.adopt-a-greyhound.org/advice/general_advice/feeding.shtml

Ditto Batmom's suggestion. Also, even if King has a tiring power walk (including ample non-rushed potty stops) within an hour or so of your departure, ensure he has one more brief potty opportunity within the last 5-10 minutes before humans leave the house, Plus, please arrange for King to have a mid-day potty break, whether one of you go home at lunch, or hire a dog sitter/walker, or teach Greyhound safety to rely on a dog experienced adult neighbor. A full work day is too long for many dogs to be forced to hold urine and bowel, especially newly adopted dogs. (Our group requires potty outings every 4 hours during the day, especially important for young, newly retired, crated dogs.) Four months is still very early in the adjustment period. We see settling changes in Greyhounds well into the first couple of years, and beyond. If King has had repeating episodes of panic while trying to avoid messing in his crate for many hours, it could be a cause desperate barking, shredding bedding, etc. It may help to understand the timing of his restless activities. Remember to tall dog-proof any room/s to which he will have access. Okay to baby-gate him into the most family used room/s during the day (i.e., where he feels most comfortable while humans are home). Good luck, and please let us know how it goes in case additional options are needed.

Welcome to GreyTalk! First, I'm so relieved that Kentucky survived that 107 F. temperature! Wow, that was close. I can imagine how relieved you must feel that his condition is not from osteo. Poor boy, no wonder he's been feeling so ill. Glad you have his diagnosis now so he can be treated. Curious if your vet mentioned which type of tick borne illness(?). Great that you're already seeing a bit of improvement. My only TBD experience was 35 years ago with a different breed. My dog suddenly became completely paralyzed from a tick bite. I was afraid it was permanent, but the vet pulled him out of it with careful treatment. Thankfully, he fully recovered and lived a long, healthy life thereafter. The region had a lot of ticks, but we avoided future problems by avoiding tall grasses and shrubs. After leashed walks, he was inspected for ticks. A flea comb can be very useful to help find ticks also. I'm not clear if Kentucky's 70 degrees F. walk was in sun, or the duration of his walk, but many healthy Greyhounds can't handle very much walking over about 70 to 72 F, especially if in direct sun. Our hounds slowly begin melting at 70 F -- in the shade. Please let us know how things go with Kentucky. He will be in our healing thoughts.

Assuming Wally didn't further damage his spine or legs during his falls, in time, he may fully recover to his previous mobility. Our elder hound had a couple of slides this year (when I was nearby to help). She eventually recovered and retained her normal mobility thereafter. She's still independent, mobile, and playfully trot-runs briefly in the garden. The medical assistance harness (post #18) has been a huge help during recovery periods, and I carry it separately during outings and vet visits as a priceless(!) safety net. Seeh2o: IMO, Gabapentin could be helpful enough for your friend to discuss with a vet. Works for LP and LS hounds, as both involve the nervous system. A couple of our hounds have been on it successfully fairly long-term. It likely will not prevent the hound's hind-end from sinking but should reduce pain levels. Our vet starts dogs on a low end dosage for body-drug adjustment, and leaves room for dosage to be increased if/when pain worsens.

Similar situation here with a mid-teen hound (but she's not left alone). Agree with a human at home whenever possible, and nanny cam otherwise. I'd suggest isolating Wally in his most used, comfortable room with a baby-gate. If it doesn't already have wall-to wall carpet, borrow or buy the largest textured area rug you can find to fit that whole room. Carpet stores might have used scrap carpet from a recent install. Our LS hound needs to stand, walk around, and re-position periodically. (Can help relieve nerve pressure.) Thinking a crate might be a little too confining(?) for Wally, and more painful forcing him to stay in one position too long. I would not recommend an ex-pen in this case just because he could accidentally push it over, or collapse it onto himself while trying to stand up. I'm unclear how far off the ground his bed sits, but it helps to arrange floor beds in a semi-confined corner space, so when attempting to stand up, he can press his legs against a wall, or heavy sofa, if sofa is built solidly to floor level. (A wadded blanket blocks off the crevice under our sofa to prevent hound's paws from sliding under sofa.) Walk-a-bout medical assistance harnesses can be helpful for hounds with LS:"Airlift One" back-end harness works for males. (We have the "original" back-end harness for females.): http://www.walkaboutharnesses.com/collections/walkabout-harnesses (They have amputee slings too.) I'm so sorry Wally is having LS difficulty. He's probably much more sore now from his two previous falls. Hope the Gabapentin helps.

Yes, I give capsules daily. One of our hounds was prescribed 23 pills per day for a while. The pill popper device is made with two small slits at rubber end to accommodate flatter tablets or capsules. It's not meant to cover the capsule 100%, just enough to hold capsule in place.

Another option is using a pill popper: http://www.entirelypets.com/pillgun.html I couldn't live without pill poppers. I keep them upstairs and downstairs to use for cats and hounds. Best thing a vet recommended to me 3 decades ago.

Welcome to GreyTalk! How long has this hound been in your family? I'm a little confused about why he can't be in another room. Dogs repeat behaviors that work for them. Since your hound's behavior has been reinforced repeatedly by scoring human foods from your children, he needs to be redirected to an alternative acceptable behavior. Happily teach him to go to his "place" or whatever you want to call a thick, comfy dog bed in the next room(?) or near the same room entryway but not in traffic path. (He needs to see and feel as part of the family). Similar to the "crate" golden rule, also keep "place" as a happy, safe, undisturbed rest zone for him i.e., never send him there as punishment, and don't let children disturb him when he's lying down. Humans should wait until he's standing far away from his bed for affection. A baby-gate at your dining(?) room entryway could help block him out of that room until training is solidified. I assume he already knows "down" (to lie down). If not, capture his natural down, give it a verbal name "down", and be ready with treats to reward him immediately. Teach "place" or "bed" by tossing treats on that bed. Each time he touches the bed, happily reward with a treat mini-party. Then begin fine-tuning by rewarding only when he's lying down touching the bed. Then reward only when he's fully centered on the bed (vs. 1/2 body on bed and 1/2 body off bed). Thereafter, immediately before humans' actual meals, offer potty outing, then happily cue your hound to go to his place AND give him a safe, busy treat like a frozen food Kong to lick while children are eating in dining room. Make it a special, happy time for him too!

Glad she's better. What is beautiful Lola's age? Not sure about her ease of transfer in/out of car. We have this ramp that has horizontal ridges that greatly help our geriatric hounds grip the ramp's surface. PetSTEP ramp: https://www.amazon.com/PetSTEP-Folding-Pet-Ramp-Khaki/dp/B00006OALW(Initial practice sessions with ramp on flat surface first.) Our eldest teens were veterinarian authorized to stop vaccinations (due to terminal medical conditions + protected environment). Yes. physical exams become more important as they age into their teens -- annually at minimum, every 6 months is highly encouraged. Agree that mobile vets are great for this care. In a pinch, our regular vet has done exams on our hounds in back of the car, or hospital parking lot, but it's more challenging for vet to reach/exam hound in car, and less time efficient (retrieving items). Exam room allows for more thorough care. Not sure of your car type or it's set-up for hounds. We've filled open floor gaps between seats and hounds' cargo space with even level strong plastic storage box containers, or strong cardboard boxes filled with books. Comforters shoved in to fill gaps help prevent a leg getting caught. There are pet-friendly contraptions on market that hang across that space for sedans, but might be difficult for dogs in a moving vehicle(?). The back 2/3 of our SUV is flat with tightly fitted wall-to-wall dense foam mats, so hounds can grip and balance well if standing. I keep a list of all our area mobile vets + their work days/hours on the refrigerator. A priceless time saver!

Thought some folks might find the following 3 diagrams interesting: This basic nerve diagram illustrates nerves in the neck and throughout the body. (Head shown on second diagram; arteries on third diagram.) To enlarge: press ctrl and + key To reduce: ctrl and - key Nervous System of Dog Source: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/pethealth/dog_disorders_and_diseases/brain_spinal_cord_and_nerve_disorders_of_dogs/parts_of_the_nervous_system_in_dogs.html ---- Superficial Nerves of Head ------ Arteries Source: http://vanat.cvm.umn.edu/carnLabs/Lab25/Lab25.html As we can imagine, squeezing (or jerking) any length of metal chain on a dog’s neck risks internal damage. More risky for our thin skinned Greyhound breed who lacks fat, thick fur or undercoat. My understanding is the vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body, and connects the brain with all internal organs. Neck/throat nerve damage can eventually extend through the body through the vagus nerve, spinal cord, etc. One of our hounds died from complications stemmed from prior collar injuries that caused laryngeal paralysis, which later extended into nerve body paralysis. Sadly, another one of our hounds who arrived into retirement with LP will likely follow a similar path. Having lived with the daily struggles of our hounds’ diagnosis, in addition to five decades of personal multi-faceted canine experience, I agree with veterinarians, and other professionals who consider metal chain collars dangerous. I agree that full choke chains are much worse, but limited choke chains are risky too. (BTW, unfortunately, laryngeal paralysis and other chain-related neck injuries are very common in AKC show dogs.) Thankfully, fully webbed nylon martingales were invented as an improved soft collar option for gentle use on sighthounds.

We keep Clotisol at home to stop bleeding on more involved injuries of this nature. Clotisol can be squirted from afar if dog is feeling too sensitive for wound handling. Clotisol is used for tail docking, etc. One of our hounds was notorious for ripping off nails and dew claws. They grow back so slowly from that stage, it was easier to keep them dremeled/trimmed much shorter. Agree with stopping soaks, and leaving it open to heal, but try to prevent him from licking it. Good luck. Clotisol: http://www.entirelypets.com/clotisol2oz.html

Yes, you are correct. This is a primary reason having steel chain on martingales is not desirable. It's impossible to control how the collar rotates on the dog's neck at all times. The weight of the leash pulls the chain section downward towards the most delicate underside of the neck and throat. There is enough steel chain on the half chain/half fabric martingale to do permanent medical damage to the dog. Although not mentioned previously, the other issue with the half/half pink martingale collar (pictured above): The two extra D-rings (attached to the chain link) inadvertently invites owners to accidentally latch the leash to the wrong ring (i.e., attach leash to a stationary ring vs, the collar's control D-ring). This greatly increases risks of hounds escaping by slipping out of the collar. Agree with others that all martingales are meant for outings only. They should never be left on an unsupervised dog. That's why we recommend a separate flat I.D. collar to be worn 24/7 (without any built-in tag ring, and without any tags hanging off of the flat I.D. collar). Only exception is dog should not wear any collar while locked inside a dog crate. Martingale (with tags attached to the side hardware only, not the control D-ring) can be "parked" while still attached to the leash after outings.

I understand the differences between full chain choke collars vs. martingales with part webbing and part chain. I can appreciate your point about the half chain tightening to the same measurement as a regular martingale. However, any length of steel chain plus extra D-rings increase risks to dogs. Steel chain is painful when tightened and can damage a Greyhound's delicate neck and/or throat, etc. (Even gentle thumb pressure on a human's throat can be very painful and surprisingly long-lasting. Greyhounds' sensitive necks are similar to humans.) Per American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior: “Choke chains can damage the trachea, especially in the many dogs with collapsing tracheas or hypoplastic tracheas. They can also occasionally cause Horner’s syndrome (damage to the nerve to the eye). Some dogs, especially brachycephalic breeds, have developed sudden life-threatening pulmonary edema, possibly due to the sudden upper airway obstruction leading to a rapid swing in intrathoracic pressure. And dogs prone to glaucoma may be more susceptible to the disorder since pressure by collars around the neck can increase intraocular pressure.” Source: https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Punishment_Position_Statement-download_-_10-6-14.pdf ----- Per Positively.com, Victoria Stillwell: "Are choke collars safe? Even if used without corrections, choke collars can still cause pain, discomfort, and injury to a dog’s neck, head and spinal cord. If you feel your dog’s neck with your hands followed by your own neck, you will see how similar they are. The trachea, esophagus, thyroid gland, lymph nodes, jugular vein, muscles and spinal column are all located in similar places. The only difference between a dog and a human neck is that under the fur, a dog’s skin layer is only 3-5 cells thick, while the top layer of human skin is denser, 10-15 cells thick. What kind of injuries do choke collars cause? The thyroid gland lies at the base of the neck just below the larynx close to where any collar sits. Just one yank can cause injury to a gland that controls many of the body’s vital functions. Studies show that the gland gets severely traumatized whenever a dog pulls on the leash and becomes inflamed. When this happens it is 'destroyed' by the body’s own immune system which tries to remove the inflamed thyroid cells. The destruction of these cells leads to hypothyroidism, which causes loss of energy, weight gain, skin problems, hair loss, ear infections and organ failure. Choke collars also affect other areas of the body including the eyes. Another study reveals that when force is applied to the neck via a leash and a choke collar, pressure in the eyes is significantly increased. This type of pressure can cause serious injury to dogs already suffering thin corneas, glaucoma, or eye injuries. The same study was done with dogs that were wearing harnesses, which had no impact on eye pressure when force was applied." Source: https://positively.com/dog-training/methods-equipment/training-equipment/choke-and-prong-collars/ I understand the importance of gentle use of fully soft-webbed martingale collars for sighthound breeds (whose head is smaller than their neck). When I work with new fosters from the track, I use a harness as primary guidance; plus a soft, fully-webbed martingale collar secondarily to prevent escape. It's worked well for hounds who acted like wild stallions to frightened spooks.

Chain collars, and other metal choke punishment-based collars are specifically against the adoption terms of our Greyhound groups' contracts.

Welcome back to GreyTalk!

Dogs can choke themselves much more easily with chain, whether the chain catches on something (cabinet knobs, furniture, things in yard, car, etc.) or dog's own toenail gets caught in the choke chain while scratching his/her neck, ears, head, shoulders. Dogs have caught their own teeth in the chain, not to mention a playmate getting caught up in the chain by the second dog's nails or teeth during play. It would behoove business owners to have hefty liability insurance for selling these collars.

Martingales made with fabric only are safer for the health of the dog. I understand you don't want to use the martingale made with fabric and chain for training purposes, but I'd like to share this for other readers too. We've had two Greyhounds arrive with laryngeal paralysis, likely from previous collar/neck handling damage. (Paralyzed throat/larynx prevents dogs from breathing and eating normally. Throat paralysis progresses until it can eventually suffocate the dog to death from lack of oxygen, or dog can collapse suddenly during heavy exercise if paralyzed throat swells from excessively heavy panting.) I would very, very, very strongly discourage any use of metal chain materials that squeeze/choke the neck. The first thing veterinarians warn LP dog owners is to eliminate neck collars completely. Instead, it's safer to use a body harness (to prevent further damage to the throat and slow progression of throat paralysis). Greyhounds have extremely delicate and sensitive necks that should not be jerked or pulled (e.g. old training methods). Internal neck damage is often not seen immediately but worsens as the dog ages. We happen to have about 50 fabric martingale collars, and occasionally still use them (very gingerly) on our other healthy hounds (without LP), but prefer harnesses just to be safe.

Per most of my vets' suggestions over the years, I'd guess that 6 cups of fluid is fine if she's in a range of 60 pounds. IIRC, lower end of average is 1 cup per 10 pounds of body weight during normal temperatures, light activity, etc. Sorry you've endured such a difficult year.

That situation could be considered "predatory drift" in the dog world. Frisbee was an original target but live prey animal was instinctually irresistible. General rule for dog muzzles: If one dog is muzzled ALL dogs present must be muzzled. (Racing Greyhounds are required to wear muzzles during races for multiple reasons (competition; open mouth or body bump; pack issues, etc.) and during kennel potty turn-outs with multiple hounds inside fenced enclosure.) Here's a link to Greyhound muzzles in USA, (hounds can pant and drink water while wearing this type of open basket muzzle): http://www.gemgreyhounds.org/GEM-Store/kennel-muzzle/ Many Greyhound adoption groups advise adopters: no multi-breed dog parks for retired racing Greyhounds. (Aka: sighthound breed bred for racing/chasing/hunting.) It only takes one perceived underdog, or one squeal for an entire dog pack (all breeds) to join a fight.The safest option is as mentioned above: Greyhound (and/or sighthound) only play dates in a fully fenced enclosure where ALL hounds can be safely muzzled. Greyhounds have paper thin skin that rips wide open more easily than other breeds. Since fenced spaces are a premium in our area, we worked with the city to use a dog park very early on a weekend morning before the public usually arrives. One person stands by the gate to ensure no other dog breeds enter the enclosure. Since dog parks are public, if other breed owners have a problem waiting or returning later, all our Greyhound owners happily gather up the hounds and leave immediately. (Most non-GH owners are understanding since this arrangement protects their own dogs, and they get used to our weekly scheduled time.) We've also gotten permission to use a fenced ball field during off season. (Thorough poop clean-up is important.) Daily leashed jogs with a human are a great alternative, or friends with a fenced back yard who are willing to muzzle their own dog also or let you exercise your hound solo. There might be lure coursers nearby (must use artificial lures only), but if course is not fenced you run the risk of losing your hound, and your personal financial liability increases if dog is running-at-large (puts humans, pets, and wildlife at risk). Caution: Lure coarsing increases prey drive.( As a cat owner, I would not do any lure coarsing with my hounds.) Good luck. ETA: I disagree with using any leash or long drag line during frisbee runs. Huge injury risk of dogs dangerously tripping and flipping themselves.