3greytjoys
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Teddy has been getting aspirin for years because of what we thought were small Tias.
What happened yesterday was different. His face was distorted, mouth hanging open, no use of legs. To see him removed from the van by a gurney and wheeled away was heartbreaking.
Results were 2 strokes in the front of the brain and something else in the back. I am waiting to get the full report from the radiologist.
Our hound had a similar event last year, but it was believed to be vestibular or possibly related to LP nerve damage which often progresses through the body. She had been moving and acting normally all day. That night she suddenly vomited large amounts, and became paralyzed in the rear half of her body including both hind legs. She had to be carried to the car, and was placed on a gurney into and out of the emergency hospital. Later, while recovering at home, she was fed and watered at her bedside, and carried outside for potty breaks with a canine neoprene sling aid. Slowly, her mobility began to normalize over several days. Her recovery happened to be complicated and extended by her poor reaction to medication used in the emergency hospital. The first few days at home she needed to be watched carefully since she had just enough mobility to pull herself into a different position by her front legs. I needed to intervene periodically to keep her in a safe position. She regained more mobility each day leading to her greater independence. She was fully recovered and eating normally within about 11 days.
Our sling happens to be a walk-a-belly: http://www.walkaboutharnesses.com/
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I'm sorry to see that Teddy had a mini-stroke.
One of our hounds had a TIA mini-stroke several years ago. IIRC, she was about 10 years old. It affected everything on her right side including right front and hind legs. She collapsed on the carpet briefly. She regained use of her legs the same day, and was fully recovered within a few days.
She remained stroke free for several years until last month when she had a brief mini-stroke overnight. Again, fully recovered. She's approaching 14 years old, still enjoys walks and playing with toys, but is medically restricted from running due to laryngeal paralysis. No vomiting in either mini-stroke case with our girl, but worth mentioning that she was inside resting in cool temperatures.
Positive thoughts for Teddy.
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Take baby steps and don't expect too much from him too soon. Learning obedience training is a completely new concept to a racer. You'll have better luck using the capture methods I mentioned in more detailed link/s above. (Two brief snippets copied below.)
First, he needs to learn the verbal cue by connecting the word to the natural action. Reward for his good behavior even if his action only lasts a second or two. In time, he will relax more and offer the behavior longer. Three years old is still young for a Greyhound. Since he's young and eager, he'd likely relax more after a little exercise. Keep training opportunities very brief (less than 5 minutes) and fun. If he struggles to understand, stop and try again another day.
Brief snippets of my training capture methods:
Teaching Down
Be ready with treats.
Watch for dog to do the action naturally (e.g., dog getting ready to lie down after standing for meals or potty breaks).
Capture the dog's natural movement giving it a verbal cue name "down" and immediately provide treat + happy verbal praise.
Practice only when the dog offers the natural movement during the next days/weeks, etc.
Teaching Sit
This is highly effective once the 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".I don't ask Greyhounds for sits on uncomfortable hard surfaces outside, or hard floors inside due to Greyhounds unique body physique, as they're not built for sitting. Some Greys should never be asked to sit due to previous injury.
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Assuming your boy is a retired racing Greyhound, he is preconditioned to leap forward (e.g. when the racing box door opens at the track, Greyhounds are supposed to leap forward to gain full racing speed within 3-5 strides). He is happily and appropriately responding to your call for him to "come".
Please read this recent post re: this subject: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/315030-teaching-to-laysit/?p=5868147
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Teaching Greyhounds "down" is often quite simple.
Be ready with treats.
Watch for dog to do the action naturally (e.g., dog getting ready to lie down after standing for meals or potty breaks).
Capture the dog's natural movement giving it a verbal cue name "down" and immediately provide treat + happy verbal praise.
Practice only when the dog offers the natural movement during the next days/weeks, etc.
A few cautions (and please see link below):
Dogs should not be physically forced during any training.
Many dogs will bite a human if trying to push down on the dog's rear end or physically forcing tuck and fold, etc.
Naturally, many Greyhounds only stand, lie down, walk/run. Greyhounds' bodies are not built to sit comfortably. Please do not expect a Greyhound to hold a sit for any lengthy time. You may notice Greyhounds' hind legs shaking if doing a straight sit (vs.side sit), or they may need to stand due to sitting discomfort. (Greys are not built like other breeds who can sit comfortably for longer periods.)
Some retired racers should never be expected to sit, especially if they've experienced a previous injury that may cause discomfort/pain.
Please read this post about teaching Greyhounds several obedience basics:
http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/308895-teaching-the-basics-fast/?p=5735329
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This would be relevant if someone had categorized the reasons the dogs were lost and if the dog was lost off leash, what training the owner had done prior.
I've searched for many Greyhounds who were "always perfectly responsive to recall" off-leash... until that day they took off.
There are also many senior Greyhounds who were well-trained, lived and hiked with their families for years.
A lost Greyhound is a lost Greyhound.
I do suspect that many of the folks who are so adamantly opposed don't fully appreciate what it's like for a dog to be able to go on a hike and be off leash.Respectfully, I would imagine many people who are opposed to off-leashing are speaking from personal experience, or understand the unnecessary high risks for the dogs, and owner liability.I spent many years hiking with (advanced trained) dogs countless times off-leash; plus, decades of all breed dog training, etc., etc. The irreversible, heart-wrenching pain of off-leashing that results in tragic fatality is perpetually haunting. I'm fairly confident that deceased dogs would have welcomed hiking while on-leash just to live a full, enjoyable life with their beloved family vs. an untimely early death on that one fateful day. It only takes one unexpected situation that could have been so easily prevented if the dog had been leashed.Independent racing sighthounds are at much higher risk off-leash than many other breeds (regardless of training). Those of us on search and rescue teams sacrifice greatly to travel (including hotel costs), and search for extended periods through challenging terrain in all weather in an attempt to rescue lost Greyhounds before they meet their early demise or disappear forever. IMO, it's unfortunate to see public encouragement of behavior that risks Greyhounds' safety, humans' safety, possible relinquishment, and/or a dog being euthanized due to animal control laws, etc. The fantasy of off-leashing looks alluring to adopters who have no genuine experience about the risks. Fortunately, there are other ways to let Greyhounds run, play, and exercise in safe areas without putting the Greyhound, other hikers, pets, or wildlife at risk. -
I allow him to be off leash because I know his personality and I trust him to not run away. And he doesn't. Except that one time...
I don't know why they are always treated like such big, helpless babies.
This GT thread link (below) might shed some light on this subject to help new readers understand. It includes eighty one pages of lost Greyhounds -- approximately one thousand six hundred and twenty lost Greyhounds have been listed so far.
This list only represents a very limited number of lost Greyhounds since many, many Greyhound owners are unaware a Greyhound Amber Alert even exists. Greyhounds' deepest instincts frequently overrule a human's call.
http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/forum/24-greyhound-amber-alert/
(GT members need to be signed in to access lost Greyhound posts.)
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Females are especially easy to train to use a specific elimination place. If you decide to try your initial plan, it should work well if your shower is large enough for a Greyhound to enter and turn around easily. (It goes without saying that this would only be for a safe, flat shower without any bathtub. A bathtub is too dangerous for a dog.)
During initial training, an old crate bottom or similar tray could hold either a doggie training pad, plain tumbled playground mulch (no toxic cocoa mulch or dyed mulches), a layer of lawn sod, or whatever surface she's used to when doing business outside. (I'd add a mesh screen + drainage holes to the tray.) Pre-soak the material with her urine and praise her with wonderful treats when she walks inside the shower. Leash escort her to her new potty place when you know she needs to urinate, and tell her your usual verbal potty cue. Have a happy praise party when she eliminates. Rubber-backed mats should be provided on the bathroom floor leading to/from the shower prevent any slippage.
(I've taught many animals to use a specific potty with great success. Just a caution: It's possible Ajax might attempt to follow Capri's lead.)
Just a thought: If Capri hasn't had a urinalysis recently, that would be first on my list. (Two of our hounds are approaching 14 y.o. and can still hold urine overnight, but they do require more frequent outings during the daytime.) Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
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I'm sad that your sweet Mirage has passed. Your shared loving and devoted companionship was a special gift.
Your thoughtful tribute remembering Mirage was read through heartfelt tears.
May his spirit remain close to your heart and those of your family.
Godspeed special Mirage as he joins Piaget and Maya already waiting...
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Besides feeling frightened of new noises, dogs often feed off of our own reactions to noises. It will take some time for her to get accustomed to those noises, but I would try counter-conditioning her by happily teaching her that upstairs noises are a good thing for which she receives happy, fun verbal praise, high value delicious treats (e.g., plain cooked meat - no spices, or liver treats, etc.) either gently tossed on the floor towards her direction or offer from your hand, and try redirecting her attention by playing with a toy (if she's not too scared to accept a toy). We happily say a word like "oopsie" when anything is dropped which helps all our hounds remain calm and relaxed. If she's too anxious to accept food or toys, simply act relaxed and happy as if nothing unusual happened, but keep trying to counter-condition her over time. Eventually, you'll likely begin to see positive results by repeating these baby steps.
Another option: "Calm dog" music by Through a Dog's Ear is wonderfully relaxing and is available in different formats: http://throughadogsear.com/icalmdog/
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Thanks for posting. What a relief that young Stretch survived, thanks to your swift emergency vet care! Many dogs don't survive. Glad it appears he wasn't paralyzed after being bitten.Hopefully your family will remain on alert for the baby rattlesnake's remaining live litter mates, and their mature mother. A rattlesnake mother carries up to 25 eggs, but typically gives birth to up to about 10 live babies.
Newborn Rattlesnakes (snippet quote):
"The newborn rattlesnake is about ten inches long and has a small horny button on the tip of its tail.
Rattler babies have venom, short fangs and are dangerous from birth. In fact, they are more pugnacious than the adults.
Although unable to make a rattling sound, the youngsters throw themselves into a defensive pose and strike repeatedly when disturbed.
Young rattlers are completely independent of the mother.
They remain in the area of their birth for the first seven to ten days, until they shed their first baby skin and add their first rattle. The litter will begin to disperse as they venture out in search of food." End quote.
Source: http://www.desertusa.com/reptiles/rattlesnakes.html
If others are interested, there is a rattlesnake vaccine available.Veterinary Partner's link about Dogs vs. Rattlesnakes:
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1717
An important reminder is time is of the essence. Immediate veterinary emergency care is needed to treat dogs for rattlesnake bites. (Costs may be different in different regions. Antivenin from horses may be cheaper than from sheep.)
Positive thoughts for Stretch's full recovery.
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Whether medical or behavioral, I agree with you to reduce the size of Winnie's world by holding off on walks until she's feeling much more comfortable in her own environment.
Aside from medical discomfort or injury, if you can't think of any other changes that happened during summer, a few possibilities:
Physical and/or mental over-stimulation while still adjusting to a new life.
(I assume her exercise endurance was built up very, very gradually during her first several months off the track.)
Stress
Fear
A different type of outside noise might have frightened her, even while she was inside the house.
A neighbor's dog barking could be enough warning (in dogs' language) for her to retreat back.
I assume your daycare doesn't have web video for their clients to view their dogs(?).
They may not recognize stress or subtle changes in sensitive Greyhounds. Many dogs, especially Greyhounds do not thrive in daycare or vacation kennel environments. Some Greys are not comfortable in mixed breed dog environments, stress when hearing vocal or play style differences (even if only hearing others play roughly near their kennel), etc. I'd suggest asking a pet sitter (preferably Greyhound savvy) to stop by your home mid-day to provide a yard potty outing and a few minutes of toy play in your fenced yard.
Stress level hormones can remain heightened in a dog's system for hours or days. Winnie might be so stressed after silently struggling through daycare that it affects her evening hours during your work week. If her car rides typically lead to being dropped off at daycare or to visit the vet's office, I'm a little surprised she's not dreading getting into the car. If that begins to happen, try planning more fun (for her) car ride destinations where she can relax knowing you'll have fun together. After you think she can handle a short walk again, you might try driving her to a quiet park to see if her demeanor improves while walking in a different setting (away from potentially scary triggers in your neighborhood or daycare center).
Hope Winnie feels better soon.
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Congratulations on your new adoption!
Good question. I understand views across the pond are different. This post might help explain some of the "never" replies. Our own highly trained Greyhounds are never allowed off-leash, except to run in fully fenced enclosures. As a search team leader in the U.S., I've seen too many loose Greyhounds meet an untimely death, become lost forever, and some were stolen. A hound's age, years of recall training, and duration with a family helps but doesn't always apply. A racer's deeply-rooted instinct to run/chase often outweighs their human's attempt to recall. Senior Greyhounds that have lived and hiked with their family for many years have suddenly taken off, never to be found, or sustained a fatal injury.
If interested, below are some reasons U.S. racing greyhound adoption groups include a *not permitted off-leash unless in a fully enclosed area* clause in adoption contracts. It helps protect the life of the dog, safety of others, and reinforces leash laws. Adopters may not realize that it helps them too.
- Dogs running-at-large are illegal in most U.S. states. Some are state laws reinforced by county/city/town laws, some are local laws. Any dog running-at-large can be euthanized.
- Owner liability: If a loose dog is responsible for the harm or death of someone's pet, child or mature human, costs can skyrocket, including hospital or medical costs; homeowners insurance rates increase (or insurance might be denied); animal control fines; if the dog isn't euthanized, costs to regain possession of dog; increased dog license fees; potential legal fees if the harmed party sues the dog owner. Depending on the laws and the judge, dog might not be allowed in public (except muzzled for vet visits).
- Dogs are not permitted off-leash in many parklands due to wildlife and human protection laws. Dogs are not permitted at all (even on leash) in some state park systems.
Adoption groups can require relinquishment of dogs whose adoptive owners do not abide by leash laws.
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Some general safety considerations:
Some common injuries for loose dogs in wilderness areas: broken leg/s, open wounds/skin tears (worse in thin-skinned Greyhound breed), lethal snake bites, tick borne diseases, tick paralysis, problems from thorned or toxic plants, a myriad of diseases and parasites dogs get given opportunities to snack on tasty wild animal excrement and/or from drinking water in puddles, creeks, lakes. (A young, large dog died recently from ingesting invisible toxic algae cells during a quick dip/drink in a river.)
Dogs don't have good depth perception; nor do they have any reason to think they can't walk on water. This can be risky since Greyhounds can run 45 mph (with tunnel vision and wind rushing over their ears) while chasing a wild animal or bird... right off a cliff, or fall into water. Racing Greyhounds have no swimming experience. Their lack of body fat/lack of buoyancy requires extra endurance to even attempt to keep their head above water. (Newly retired racing Greyhounds are brief 30 second sprinters, but not conditioned for swimming endurance.) A Greyhound chasing a river otter, beaver or goose can be swept away by a fairly mild river current. Many dogs drown in ocean rip currents and/or sneaker waves.
If a loose dog wanders into deep brush, up mountain sides, consider how a human might access injured dog, and carry a large, (possibly painfully resistant) Greyhound over challenging terrain. If a dog took off ignoring owner, how far/difficult would it be for owner to return to the area to search by foot every day (potentially for weeks, months, or longer).
Mountain lions, coyotes, bears, and other predators kill loose dogs.
Dogs think like 2-3 year old children, if running loose it's more difficult to prevent them from grabbing a poisonous snake as if it were a play toy. Especially dangerous if a large-hearted athlete like a Greyhound is bitten. Difficult (if not impossible) to slow their blood pressure during exercise to slow venom absorption.Loose dogs often cover much more distance (zig-zagging) during hikes than their owners. Greyhounds are medically sensitive to overheating during exercise, especially in warm temperatures. These are just some more common risk considerations, aside from urban traffic, etc..IMO, U.S. racing Greyhounds of today were bred to race independently, not to be biddable to humans like working breeds. In any event, I'd encourage you to build an extremely solid foundation of your hound's trust in you, and work on happy verbal recall (with a loud whistle and arm signals) in safely confined areas -- for years and throughout the hound's lifetime. Greyhounds change enormously within the first 3-5 years in their new forever home. No one can predict how your particular Greyhound would react in an outside environment with other people's beloved live furry distractions in these early years. (By the way, I would not use a squawker for on-going recall training purposes. Repeated squawker use (without extraordinary rewards that racing trainers provide) can desensitize racing Greyhounds to squawkers. Squawkers are better saved for a true one time emergency.) -
$600.00 is outrageous!!
I just called Costco's pharmacy (west coast).
My current price for aminocaproic acid (as a Costco member) is $88.56 + tax for quantity 15 tablets (500 mg. dose).
If I were to need to double dose the 500 mg. tablets, price for 30 tablets is $170.89 + tax.
Non-Costco members can use Costco's pharmacy, but price might be only slightly more.
If Costco's pharmacy happens to be out of stock, they said if it's ordered on a Monday, they could fill the order by Wednesday. If a weekend is involved, best to allow one week turn around.
Of course, Dr. Couto is the veterinary expert having done surgery on several hundred Greyhounds every year.
If I recall correctly, their recommended dose for Greyhounds post surgery used to be 500 mg. three times per day. Since your vet already has aminocaproic acid for treatment on surgery day, I wonder if 500 mg. tablets might be enough for your follow-up home treatment(?). If there were a problem at home within the first couple of days, you'd have enough tablets to double dose until you got to a vet hospital for further care; or perhaps you could taper dosage down on days 4 and 5. (Just thinking of potential options.)
BTW, just to answer your original post question: Oral liquid administered at home is the same dosage and same # of daily treatments as tablets. Oral liquid is given 3 x per day. It's my understanding/my experience that Chris' reply is correct; the liquid solution is typically absorbed faster than tablets. Either type has worked well for our excessive bleeders.
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Just wanted to add that the treats need to be extremely high value to the individual hound. Cooked meat (no spices; many are toxic.) usually works well, or something smelly like tripe.
You didn't mention if he appears to enjoy car rides(?), or if he feels stressed during rides. If he feels stressed during rides, take baby steps (so to speak) by keeping his inside car time very brief without moving the vehicle at first. Next few practices can include short rides down the street; next time drive around a couple of streets; gradually extending his ride time. Best if practices always lead to something positive in the hound's mind. Examples: Feeding several of his meals in the parked car but ONLY if car is very cool and shaded. Destinations that result in a fun, brief dog walk in shady and cool weather; a fun visit to a pet store (but only if he's very comfortable walking on hard surface store floors); or to visit another Greyhound friend, etc. All rides should be a positive experience so the hound connects that car rides = great doggie rewards.
Just a general caution for all new adopters: Please don't leave any hound unattended in the car during warm weather months. If doing a quick errand with a dog, if dog can't go inside with owner, please wait until after dark when temps cool down. Remember that pavement retains heat and can burn paw pads too.
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Male racing Greyhounds are typically housed in lower level kennels. Females in upper level kennels. Jumping into something is sometimes a foreign thought to males.
Here's a snippet re: teaching Greyhounds to jump into cars from one of my previous posts:
"1. Some people back their car up to a slight hill incline (in driveway or against low grassy hill next to parking lot) so car's rear-end is closer to ground level for dog to practice entering/exiting. Offer gentle, happy praise and treats for each action.
2. If you prefer to leave car in level parking space "as is"...
Some dogs prefer a running start to jump in. Open hatchback, toss in smelly treats, take 5-10 steps back, then jog with hound towards open car. Great if hound jumps right in.
3. Open side door of car.
Pull front seat forward (including front seat-back folded forward). Ensure the middle floorboard area is empty so hound has plenty of space to step onto floorboard of car to enter. Once he's inside, he will probably figure out to take another step up to main hatchback area.
(The car would appear more open (less like a scary enclosed box) by opening the opposite side door to the outside also.)
4. Open hatchback - Enlist help from a Grey savvy friend to hold your hound's leash while you get inside the car from front door (allowing hound full space in hatchback area). Call hound inside while friend jogs hound into open hatchback.
5. Enlist a friend's Greyhound to show your hound how it's done in your hound's car.
6. If all else fails, keep doing the front paws up, then back paws up until the "feeling" clicks in that he can do a running jump next time, or borrow a dog ramp or dog steps from someone.
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Practicing exits could be the same re: backing up to little hill or berm, or using a ramp or steps.
I keep old dense orthopedic dog beds to use as a landing platform when hounds are exiting the car. I'm careful to secure dog bed with my foot so it doesn't slide.
Keep sessions short <5 minutes so he doesn't over-stress. If he doesn't "get it," try again another day.
BTW, if you have loose bedding (like a blanket) in the back of the car that slides around, consider replacing it with something more secure for a moving vehicle. (Two orthopedic 4" thick dense foam beds wedged together fit perfectly wall-to-wall in our Subaru SUV crossover. The level, dense foam is fairly secure footing for Greyhounds.)"
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Just had a moment to read your link in post #7. Thanks for that info. The 500 mg. tablets I currently have on-hand were manufactured by Versapharm (the manufacturer that was purchased by Akorn last year).
Several years ago, our compounding pharmacy said they buy a large container of powder (or granular) form of aminocaproic acid from which they compound into the oral liquid, so perhaps a compounding pharmacy could help you better than standard pharmacies(?). It's a human drug used in hospitals too.
Three of our hounds are excessive bleeders, our largest male weighs approx. 78 pounds. He's always done well on the 500 mg. dose for dentals, minor surgeries, and home emergencies; however, I understand Dr. Couto now recommends a higher dose for larger hounds, especially if being treated for a major surgery like limb amputation. Prior to our vet using aminocaproic acid, one of our hounds nearly bled out on the operating table during several small body mass extractions, so our vet starts all our Greyhounds on aminocaproic acid at least one day before surgery and continues daily through Day 4 or 5 post-op. (The vet hospital stocks it for surgeries now.) Same hound started spontaneous bleeding 30 hours post-op recovery while at home. Now the largest emergency vet hospital stocks it as well.
I'll be interested in your reply from Dr. Couto.
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We get veterinary prescription (generic) aminocaproic acid in tablet form through Costco's pharmacy.
We get compounded liquid form through an independent compounding pharmacy. They add beef flavoring which the hounds love and consider it a treat. I administer the liquid through a plastic syringe into their mouth.
Costco's prices for tablets are cheaper than I've found elsewhere, but liquid form is usually less expensive. If time permits, I suggest people order it a week in advance of surgery since many other pharmacies need time to order it from their supplier (could take up to 3-5 days to restock).
If any owners need to keep it on-hand for known seriously excessive bleeders, the tablets have a longer shelf life (approx. 1 year) vs. liquid form (approx. 1 to 3 months).
We've ordered so much aminocaproic acid over the years that my local pharmacies (including Costco) try to keep it in stock for all the retired racers in the area.
If you can't find it, try contacting your adoption group's primary veterinarian/s to ask if they keep an easily administered oral form of aminocaproic acid in stock for owners' home administration. Good luck.
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Welcome to GreyTalk.
I'd suspect vestibular, neuromuscular, or heat exhaustion to near heatstroke.
Several symptoms of heatstroke are heavy panting, wobbly or uncoordinated gait, shaking, drooling, changes in mental status, muscle tremors, seizures, possible color changes in tongue/gums (red, purple or blue), collapse, eventual coma. These symptoms are considered an emergency, as they can progress to organ damage or death.
Greyhounds are more sensitive to heat and cold than other dogs. Their physiology including larger hearts, and lack of body fat, etc. contribute to higher core body temperature during exercise than other dog breeds. If warm temperatures are coupled with humidity, it becomes a double whammy in their lack of heat tolerance. (Racing Greyhounds are carefully cooled down after a 30 second race during warm weather.)
Considering your foster is 7.5 years old, she's at least 2.5+ years beyond physical racing condition. An out of condition Greyhound is even less heat/exercise tolerant. Greyhounds don't know when to stop themselves to prevent over exertion. Also, if your foster has the beginning of any airway problems (e.g., progressive laryngeal paralysis), heat + exercise could exacerbate heavy panting, throat swelling, and breathing difficulty.
(Side note: BTW, bloat is a risk for hounds who attempt to run within 2 hours of eating a meal.)
We live in a fairly mild climate, but our hounds don't handle walks well if the temperature is above 70-72 degrees. Our hounds with laryngeal paralysis don't even handle indoor "resting" well if air temperature is above approximately 75-78 degrees. (BTW, one of our hounds arrived with laryngeal paralysis at 6 years old.)
Please read this veterinary link re: heatstroke/hyperthermia: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?S=0&C=0&A=366
Please let us know how her vet visit goes and/or if you notice any other symptoms. Thank you for fostering this Greyhound girl.
ETA: Also, please ensure she is not nibbling or ingesting any potentially toxic plants (including mushrooms) either inside or outside. ASPCA's web site provides some good plant and food toxicity lists.
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All our Greyhounds vomit bright yellow bile if they go too long between meals. IMO, it's much easier to offer a bedtime snack vs. cleaning yellow bile out of carpets.
We hold back about 1/2 cup of kibble from their dinner portion to offer later at bedtime. A snack helps the hounds feel better through the night; they often sleep longer without needing a rooster call early breakfast; it saves humans' cleaning time and carpeting. The hounds don't become overweight since it's part of their normal caloric daily intake.
I do agree that Greyhounds prefer to sleep in the same room with their humans.
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I agree with Jen's posts. Chris' idea of a neurologist is an interesting option too. Understandably, if you can't afford a veterinary behaviorist (or neurologist) and your regular vet isn't experienced with these medications, perhaps your vet would refer you to another general vet who has greater experience working with canine behavior medications.
If interested in the meantime, here is an informative link about Prozac labeled for veterinary use called Reconcile: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=2742
One of our hounds was on generic Fluoxetine (Prozac) for severe separation anxiety. Vet started her on a low dose that was gradually increased over multiple weeks. Eventually, after reaching an upper-range dose for her size, her dose needed to be gradually reduced back to a mid-range level due to a reduction of appetite and lethargy. The lower to mid-range dosage worked best for her. The medication worked well to relax her anxiety enough to allow her mind to be receptive to alone training. Thereafter, the medication was slowly tapered down to full elimination. Post-treatment we welcomed her improved happy spirit and improved appetite.
Xanax increased her anxiety. Clomipramine did not work for her. My vet wasn't comfortable prescribing Trazadone for her at that time. As others mentioned, each patient is different.
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Consistency is key.
I would have your partner stop allowing the jumping during play. I would also put a leash on him whenever someone comes to the door and he is likely to jump up. You do not use the leash for a correction, the leash is simply there to prevent the jumping in the first place. What i mean by this is... you are not going to give him a jerk to the neck as punishment for jumping up on someone, you are going to keep the leash taut so that he CAN'T jump up on them. You can use this for yourselves as well by leaving the leash on the ground and stepping on it.
It is also incredibly important to reward for the behaviour you want - all 4 feet on the ground! This might just be for a split second at first! It can also be really helpful to train a command that is incompatible with jumping that is highly rewarding. Teach him to sit or lay down, and when people walk in the door ask him for that behaviour. ...needs to be highly rewarding though so that he wants to do that over jumping up.
You can also take "ignoring him" to a totally different level. There's just ignoring him and turning your back on him, and then there's completely removing yourself from his access (which is ultimately what he wants). I just turn around and leave the house again if they're uncontrollable.
This.
Also:
No fanfare from any humans during arrivals or departures. (Calm humans help dogs learn to remain calm.)
No jumping up during play.
Once hound is calm (4-paws on the floor), it's fine for a human to drop down* to the hound's level for a friendly greeting.
(Many hounds happily jump up in attempt to get closer to their human's face for kisses. If humans remember the goal of keeping dogs' 4-legs on the floor, a human dropping to dog's level becomes a better mannered greeting.)
Another option for hounds who haven't been taught a lie "down" cue, is to redirect the dog towards an incompatible action like tossing a valued toy or treats in the opposite direction away from the visitor.
Happily teaching a go to your "place" cue is helpful (to use before opening the door for visitors). Early in training, it helps if a second person can happily escort the dog to the dog's bed AND provide yummy treats for remaining calm. It's best if the dog can still watch visitor activity from his/her dog bed, so he/she doesn't feel removed from the family.
*Caution: Humans bending over dogs can feel threatening in dogs' language, so assuming dog is standing with 4-paws on the floor, a human slowly and erectly lowering down to the dog's level by the dog's side feels less threatening.
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Just guessing, but secluding himself could be due to higher air temperature or noise in his usual resting place, perhaps leftover surgery recovery discomfort or meds., UTI or other medical concern. Not sure how much Ewan typically drinks, if he gets water mixed with kibble, or his typical number of daily outings, but the west coast has had some extreme heat (and smoke from wildfires) recently, either of which could increase water intake and eliminations.
If I recall correctly, typical water intake averages approximately 5-7 cups of water per day for Greyhounds (depending on weight and activity).
Our hounds remain in a comfortable temperature inside the house. They're provided water in their kibble meals, and their water bowl is a large stainless steel bucket which they nearly empty daily. They drink more during the afternoon and evening which coincides with raised temperatures, household activity, and their awake time. They average 6-7 elimination outings per day.
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Assuming you mean your girl is sniffing and rubbing against watered, green lawn grass vs. drought dried grasses.
Best case scenario: She's simply rubbing on something smelly or hunting an underground rodent.
Have you noticed any other symptoms like reverse sneezing, drippy nose, pawing at nose, etc.?
Could be something like nasal mites, nasal worms, or a foxtail. Foxtail grasses are very common in CA. Foxtails work and wedge themselves more and more deeply into the dog's body. Foxtails can be deadly, so the sooner a vet is seen the better.
Lawn grasses are often chemically treated with fertilizers, pesticides, etc. so it's safest to discourage any face/body rubbing (or eating grass).
Are We Feeding Them Enough?
in Food and dietary discussion
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Greyhound specific weight comparisons between racing weight and healthy pet weight (including photos): http://greyhoundcrossroads.com/index.php?page=weight