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3greytjoys

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    Help With Sit And Down With New Foster.

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    As long as you're using a gentle, positive teaching method for hound to wait at door to let human pass through first, that's an excellent important and useful safety measure. Of course, hound should always be leashed unless open door leads to a fully fenced yard since racing Greyhounds are accustomed to bolting out of racing box doors at tracks, departing quickly out of kennel crates or vehicle haulers when door opens, etc.

     

    IME, Greyhounds learn more easily when their own natural action is captured and given a verbal cue, then reward/happy praise. "Down" is easiest cue for Greyhounds to learn (and for their humans to capture in mid-action). "Wait" can be practiced naturally before placing meal bowl onto their feeding stand, etc.

     

    Following snippet is one of my previous posts re: this topic:

    (Greyhound Jasper had already been through a prison program.)

     

    Quote: "Jasper might be more protective of his personal space because of previous training methods used. Also, some hounds that go through prison programs appear to lose their training in new environments with new people. Possibly from feeling overwhelmed by too many life changes too soon. They shut down from stress overload.

     

    You're right to avoid any physical force in training. Many dogs will bite if physically forced, and/or will lose trust in humans.

     

    Best to set Jasper up for success by watching for him to do things naturally. Capture desired action and teach the command word + immediate yummy meat treat with praise (special toy with praise, or whatever). It's easy with "down" and "stay". "Come" and "wait" are easy to practice at meal times (best when hound is hungry and eager). I use the word "release" to release dogs from a command exercise. Be clear using Jasper's name when calling him and keep command words clear: "Jasper come". If needed, use a leash to happily guide him when working on "come" to ensure he comes upon hearing the first "come". (Don't repeat a command multiple times before dog moves. That teaches dogs they can take their sweet time or come only if they feel like it; not good in an emergency.)

     

    Please be careful to not overwhelm him with training. I'd suggest waiting to teach sit until after you have more time to build Jasper's trust in you. It's not an important command for Greyhounds, and many hounds should not ever be expected to sit. That said, below is my post about teaching "sit" for hounds who don't easily respond to the treat-over-head method, or rising up from a down position:

     

    "I recommend not teaching sit to any hound who has any rear leg or spinal injury/discomfort. A straight sit is not a comfortable position even for physically healthy Greyhounds, and I don't expect them to stay in a sit for any extended length of time. (Greys are built for running or lying down, but not extended straight sitting like other dogs.) I don't sweat between a side sit or a straight sit. The Greyhound's physical comfort is most important. Keep sessions short (under 3-5 mintes), fun and happy. If frustration begins, stop immediately. Try again later or the next day.

     

    Method below is highly effective once hound trusts their human:

    Watch for hound to walk towards their bed (or carpet) to lie down naturally. Get ready with treat in hand, and quickly move closer to the hound. When hound's rear end touches ground/bed, calmly move over to stand in front of hound to block hound into a natural sit while preventing dog from lying down. Immediately say "sit" + treat, and praise, praise, praise.
    Practice periodically when the dog goes to lie down naturally, and the hound will learn "sit".

     

    A clicker can be used if you want to "click" immediately and treat when the hound's rear end touches the ground (or dog bed), but just treating with food works fine in most cases."

    End quote.

     

    Full thread: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/308895-teaching-the-basics-fast/?p=5735329

    Dental Questions

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    I'd suggest asking vet at least one week in advance for a 5-day prescription for aminocaproic acid (reduces bleeding). Then begin dosing on the morning of surgery, or the day before surgery and the following 4 days.

    Costco pharmacy is usually well priced for tablets, or you can get a beef flavored liquid form from a compounding pharmacy.

    Dental Questions

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Mobile vets can be great for a minor visit, but a mobile vet for a surgery requiring anesthesia would be ill-advised, IMO. I would not consider it for our own Greyhounds.

     

    Unexpected complications could require a full service veterinary hospital with a staffed recovery room with veterinarians and nurses on site throughout the entire recovery. Urgent complications during recovery won't wait for a veterinarian to drive back to a site, and some post-surgical complications may not be noticed by a non-medical professional. Additionally, animals coming out of anesthesia can be highly reactive and should be cared for only by professional veterinary nurses and vets. (Our vet refuses to allow non-veterinary medical people to sit with animals during post-surgery recovery.) Also, Greyhounds' body temperature should be monitored very closely both during surgery and through hospital recovery. I wouldn't imagine the operating room would be a very sterile environment in a motor home either.

     

     

    Broken Toenail

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Glad you posted a photo. It might still be a bit sore, but from what I can see appears very well into the healing process. I wouldn't worry about it. I would not be concerned about a vet seeing it at this stage, unless it begins bleeding badly, or begins looking very red/infected, or if Rory becomes obsessed with it.

    Tracker Seems To Hate Going For Visits

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    Interesting topic.

    We traveled a lot during the earlier years when we only had three hounds. Each hound traveled with their own gear (folding crates, ex-pens, etc.) All three hounds traveled very well, but when our male turned about 8-9 years old, he clearly became more of a homebody. He still enjoyed day adventures, car rides, and walks in new places, but no more extended weekend Greyhound events, or other multi-overnight vacation travels. He was always one to stand up no matter how long Meet and Greets lasted. He required an extra thick orthopedic dog bed during hotel stays, and restaurant outings. He taught his vets that a thick dog bed is a **must** during veterinary hospital stays (a towel, blanket, or comforter is not considered a decent hospital bed for Greyhounds).

    My Big Male Rarely Lifts His Leg To Pee

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    He is who he is...

    I keep a clean squirt bottle of plain water next to the door for quick leg/paw rinses, and a towel.

    It only takes a few seconds, and I consider it a special time to positively bond with our hound/s. :)

    Many male Greyhounds do not lift their legs to urinate because their kennel yards are limited size

    or due to old injury, or arthritis. If urine is rinsed off before it dries, there's no odor.

     

    Another option is to purchase a doggie construction cone, or doggie fire hydrant made with an elimination attractant.

    Weird, Nail Just Popped Off

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    I just found one of our hounds' nails on the living room carpet. It came off during our nearly 12 y.o.girl's runner rug capture play session that included zoomies.

     

    Two of our hounds occasionally lose nails during play times; however, they do not have SLO. They just have a lot of fun and get pulled off. They usually grow back fine, but sometimes grow more slowly than their other nails. (Fine with us!)

     

    Hard ground could have been enough to dislodge Felix's nail. I wouldn't worry too much unless it happens more often inside the house without other reasonable cause.

    Bowie Has Big D Induced By Antibiotics, Suggestions?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    One of our 13 year old hounds had a similar reaction to Clavamox (tolerated okay during earlier years). Lack of appetite occurred halfway through the treatment period. Then one tablet was administered without enough food (he suddenly refused all foods). That sent his body into a downward spiral with severe lack of appetite and diarrhea. Several days later, vet recommended Pepcid, which dramatically worsened his condition + more severe liquid diarrhea for 5 more days. We halted all medications to allow his body to recover. He improved on a bland diet (overcooked rice, potato, scrambled eggs, lean ground turkey, plain chicken, small amount of plain yogurt, etc.) The following week, we gradually reintroduced tiny amounts of soaked kibble until his appetite and stools improved enough to handle regular meals.

     

    Hounds in previous years improved with Flagyl (to control diarrhea caused by bacteria or parasites).

     

    Positive thoughts for Bowie's speedy recovery.

    Tooth Brushing Technique Tips Wanted...

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted · Edited by 3greytjoys

    We brush dogs' teeth when dog is standing up and away from his/her bed

    (e.g., soon after a meal or after coming in from a potty outing)

    or we go to the dog and happily lead dog into kitchen to brush teeth while dog is standing up.

    Reasons: Dogs' beds should remain their safe, undisturbed place.

    Dogs should never be called to "come" to their human for anything that is not fun for the dog.

    (Otherwise, dogs quickly learn to avoid responding to their owner's call to "come", even in an emergency.)


    Use a "dog toothbrush" (soft bristle with long handle); plus enzymatic toothpaste made for dogs.

    One example: C.E.T. poultry flavor toothpaste for pets.

    Pet toothpaste is made to be safe for pets to swallow. Do not use toothpaste made for humans.


    1. Run a new toothbrush under warm water to further soften the bristles before initial uses.


    2. Squeeze a small amount of pet toothpaste on toothbrush.

    (I allow hounds to lick a little pet toothpaste off the brush first to encourage a happy experience.)


    3. Lift dog's lip on one side to brush the outside surfaces of the teeth. Very GENTLY brush teeth in a circular motion.

    (If dog doesn't tolerate circular brushing on back molars, it's okay to brush molars horizontally until dog better adjusts to daily tooth brushings.)

    Brushing the entire mouth only takes a minute or so.


    I brush in sections (upper teeth first, then lower teeth): I start with upper back molars brushing 12-20 strokes (stroke# depends on dog's comfort tolerance; vets taught me to brush minimum 12 strokes).

    Then move to upper center section pre-molars, then front long canines and front small incisors. (Front upper + lower teeth can be brushed at once.)

    Let go of dog's mouth to allow a little break.

    Repeat uppers on other side of mouth, then lowers.



    Tips:

    - When brushing lower back molars, I gently place a thumb/finger in between center section (premolars) to slightly open dog's jaw 1/2" to 1" to gain access to lower back molars.


    To answer your question: There are 2 smaller molars (one molar on each upper side) at the back of the large molars.


    - A most common mistake is brushing too hard. Plaque is soft and can be removed with very gentle brushing, which also provides dogs a more pleasant brushing experience.


    - If a dog has a tooth that is a little sensitive, I wait to brush that tooth last.

    If trying to keep a sore tooth clean prior to an upcoming veterinary dental, a new, clean water bottle can be used to squirt a flow of water to dislodge food. (Helpful for dogs who eat canned food.)


    - Ensure your hound's brushing experience is friendly, positive, and happily praised when finished. :)


    ETA: Here's Virbac's tooth brushing video. It's the best I found in recent years (but I can't review it at the moment to ensure it's the same video): http://www.virbacpets.com/dog/category/dog-teeth-and-mouth

    Amicar Question

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Our hounds usually begin their aminocaproic acid (aka: Amicar) treatments beginning 1 day (or two for our more severe excessive bleeder) prior to surgery day. Our vet also requests that we give one dose on morning of surgery (even though hounds can't eat after midnight the night before surgery). I assume your leftovers are tablets that have not yet expired. (The liquid form has a greatly reduced shelf life.) Good luck with Miriam's surgery.

    Incurin Issues

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    I'm glad you posted. Your sweet girl's behavior is not normal. Please don't blame yourself. I'm hoping others with more veterinary experience will respond; meanwhile, I'll share a few thoughts:

     

    Generally, Greyhounds can be more sensitive to medications (and hot or cold ambient temperatures). Some vet medications are given at reduced doses (vs. full doses for other dog breeds of same size).

     

    Seems many of your girl's side effects could be caused by sensitivity to Incurin:

    She may be having seizures when she's collapsing with her eyes rolling back (possibly worsened by Incurin?). Since she had one before Incurin was started, other toxins could be considered also, anything from wild mushrooms in gardens to fertilizers/pesticides used on neighboring grasses, vermin bait, human foods (grapes/raisins/chocolate/onions/xylitol, etc.).
    A Greyhound's semi-collapse during a bath or shower is different from what you're seeing. They don't lose consciousness from being showered or bathing in water that is slightly too warm for them. As mentioned, once water temperature is corrected, they regain muscle control and stand normally. Once they are out of the water and towel dried, they're completely fine. If still damp, a light blanket could be placed loosely over hound while resting.
    If a hound were much, much too cold while walking outside you may see symptoms of hypothermia: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1677&aid=301

     

    Rhabdomyolysis is seen in some pet Greyhounds, but usually happens if a hound gets loose, especially during hot summer weather: https://www.vetstream.com/canis/Content/Disease/dis60304

     

    Again, most of your girl's symptoms appear to be sensitivity to Incurin. If you and a vet eliminate Incurin to get her general health on track, absorbent puppy pads, hospital bed pads or doggie diapers could help keep her bed and skin dry. Please let us know how it goes.

     

    Incurin Issues

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    These problems don't sound normal for a young grey, right?

     

    I'm not in the veterinary medicine field, nor do I have any experience with Incurin, but could you please elaborate a little more on the situation re: collapsing with unresponsiveness? That is not normal behavior.

     

    I will mention that Greyhounds are temperature sensitive. Many Greyhounds' bodies will semi-collapse down during a bath if the bath water is too warm for them; however, their muscle control bounces back immediately when water temperature is corrected, and they are completely fine after their bath.

    Ok. That Was Weird. Joe Just Growled At Me.

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    Just a guess since I wasn't seeing Joe in the moment: A couple of our hounds do that when they're feeling too full of urine or bowel. It's their way of verbally communicating discomfort just before they stand up to alert demand their need to go outside. (A couple of our hounds refuse to eat when they need to eliminate first.) Who knows why Joe didn't eat his second cookie, maybe a saver, hoarder, or simply not hungry. :)

    Muzzle And Perception

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    I don't even know where to go on this except to mention that when it says "newbie be gentle," it might be nice to follow the suggestion and word accordingly.

     

    Sometimes indirect subtleties without clear explanations are passed over without notice.

     

    Although I understand adoption groups work differently around the globe, we were thankful these safety issues happened to be clearly discussed by our Greyhounds' various adoption groups on adoption day (to all new adopters). My reply was for the longer retired hounds, but it doesn't hurt for the OP to understand more about canine pack instinct/behavior also.

    Muzzle And Perception

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted · Edited by 3greytjoys

    Quote: "About 2 months ago at the dog park, she saw a German Shorthaired Pointer running and she took after him. After that, she was constantly looking to see any dog that was moving and off she would go. After 5 or 6 of these races with various dogs - that she always won - she started nipping at her competitors. She didn't break any skin, but the GSBs, her fav competitors, howled when she did that. So I started putting a muzzle on her when we went to the park. It hasn't stopped her racing, but it did stop any nipping of other dogs."

     


     

    A general rule for muzzles is if one dog is muzzled, all dogs in the group should be muzzled. It is not safe for only one dog to be muzzled in a group setting. If a spat breaks out or if a dog gets hurt, the non-muzzled dogs could attack a muzzled Greyhound who would not be able to defend him/herself.

     

    A single muzzled dog is perceived by a dog pack as a "weak link". Weaker links are often ganged upon. Common canine pack instinct is if one dog squeals an entire pack could rush to attack the crying/hurt dog. (I've seen 20 dogs rush across a field to attack one crying dog.)

     

    All breed dog parks can be risky for many reasons. Since retired racers can be highly competitive sighthounds and are a hunting breed, a safer solution is to arrange Greyhound breed only play dates with other muzzled Greyhounds through adoption groups. An alternative is to visit a dog park during off hours when the park is empty of other dogs. :)

    Scary Bleeding

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    If the infection is eliminated and the wound happens to begin bleeding again, I wonder if your vet mentioned possibly trying a hemostatic gelatin, fibrin glue or thrombin, etc.?

     

    Perhaps not the best option available(??), but we keep Clotisol topical blood clotting solution at home to help stop other minor wounds from bleeding excessively. (I would not use Clotisol on a known dermal hemangiosarcoma wound.)

     

    I'm hoping Percy will be our beloved hound's fellow long-lived miracle twin!

    (Big time Percy fan here since he found his way into your family. :heart)

    Scary Bleeding

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Thank you for the update. Hope you aren't seeing as much breakthrough bleeding while the pressure bandage is in place. Poor Percy (and you as his nurse), seems that infection has been relentless. Maybe his body is trying to build a little new tissue by now.

     

    I understand the current lack of original surface mass as a FNA target, and vet #2's hope of reducing infection in this difficult situation.

     

    Not sure if Dr. Couto addressed Percy's ongoing wound bleeding.

    I'll add that our vet prescribes aminocaproic acid treatments to begin at least 2 days prior to surgery day for our hemangiosarcoma hound. Vet also keeps injectable aminocaproic acid in hospital's stock to use during surgery and hospital recovery. Our other hounds seem okay if treatment begins 1 day prior to surgery. (I understand T.A. is an alternative now.)

     

    Continued positive thoughts for Percy this week...

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