3greytjoys

Just my experiences that the surgery, and/or Rimadyl is enough to cause excessive bleeding in some dogs. (Bleeding can be a side effect of Rimadyl.) Adding the Amicar (aka: Aminocaproic Acid), and removal of Rimadyl should begin to reduce excessive bleeding soon. If not, let your vet know. Hopefully, others will respond too.

Glad your arrangement seems to be working well, and that your mom is able to help during the day.

I'm curious where the crate is located? Greyhounds do have an easier time adjusting in a new home when sleeping in the same room with their owner at night. Many Greyhounds sleep very well inside their crate if the crate is located inside the owner's bedroom so the hound can see human/s sleeping. That is very different from him being left home all alone in a crate. (Greyhounds are used to sleeping with their dog "pack" in kennels.) If Aiden could sleep (calmly) inside his crate in your bedroom, the cats could still sleep with you, and both species would become more conditioned to one another while still feeling safe. I agree with keeping the cats in any safe room with a securely closed solid door when you're not home to supervise. Then try baby-gating Aiden in your most used daytime room. Dog-proof thoroughly and get an extra-tall baby gate. Aiden should be muzzled whenever there is potential for interaction with cats. Every dog is different but err on the side of caution when it comes to your cats' safety. As Aiden relaxes into his new home, he could become more brave. Greyhounds are faster than cats or humans. We install baby-gates about 5"- 6" above floor level so cats have an easy, wide escape route. (Some cats jump over baby-gates to get into a room, even if a dog is inside.) If left unsupervised, new hounds (or fosters) here are kept safely separated from cats for many months or longer. Please keep cat bowls and litter boxes out of Greyhound's reach now, and in the future. (BTW, I would not risk an open-top exercise-pen (aka: ex-pen) for this dog with cats in the home. Ex-pens can collapse onto the dog if a dog tries to push the gate open, or jump out the top.)

We have two senior Greyhounds with advanced Laryngeal Paralysis. Neither are candidates for surgery, so we manage them, and their environment very carefully. Each hound presented symptoms differently. The first hound showed signs of extremely heavy panting for a longer duration (than our other hounds) with more labored breathing after brief running exercise. I mentioned it to the vet long before the diagnosis. Months later, the vet heard raspy panting during a hot summer visit, and diagnosed it under light sedation just prior to a dental. Years later, another hound began inhaling more deeply with a slight change in sound whenever changing resting positions. We first thought possible lung mass (since symptoms were different), but hound #2 was soon diagnosed with advanced L.P. I think hound #2's symptoms were not as noticeable since he was already teamed under hound #1's careful LP life management (no running, harness walking only in cool air temperatures, no stress, etc.). When they are calmly resting/sleeping at home, both hounds' breathing still appears to sound normal and smooth. Both hounds have greatly reduced general "talkative" voices (but can still offer a hoarse whine). Hound #1 still tries to happily vocalize daily good morning conversations, but just can't project the sounds. She can still give an ear piercingly loud bark when serious about something. Her L.P. diagnosis was about 6 years ago. Thankfully, her disease progression has occurred very slowly. There is no medication for Laryngeal Paralysis to my knowledge, and some may aggravate this condition so I'd be apprehensive of using non-FDA approved drugs. Below is one of my posts about Laryngeal Paralysis symptoms with a good LP medical link. http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/308854-aging-and-heat-sensitivity-supplements-etc/?p=5734129

I'm sorry you haven't seen more improvement yet. It's common for S.A. dogs to become more hyper-attached when a family member is suddenly home much more often. A few more things come to mind: - Most importantly, I assume you're still very actively alone training within his comfort tolerance. Even if you don't see much improvement, please do keep it up. This transition time from working away from home to suddenly working from home is a key training opportunity that can set the pace for his future behavior. - If the urine scent is/was not completely removed (if he can still smell urine), he's more likely to continue the pattern. You might try contacting the manufacturer of your current product about their "product guarantee", and any additional cleaning suggestions their reps. suggest. Thereafter, if you haven't already done so, might be worth trying a different urine elimination product. Not all cleaning solutions are created equally. E.g., IIRC, Nature's Miracle changed their solution some years ago after the company was sold. BTW, some manufacturers won't guarantee their product if other products were used also; helps to ask first. - I'm curious if he's giving any signals when he needs to urinate when people are home i.e., walking to food/water bowl, pacing, sniffing the floor, approaching someone for "attention" (often misunderstood for petting attention), etc. His situation still points to S.A., but IF he's still having any accidents while someone is home, you might consider trying to teach him to ring a bell so he can communicate clearly that he needs to go outside to do business. (I know he's been vet checked, but if he has some sort of medical malfunction that doesn't communicate to his brain that he needs to urinate, a bell may not help him.) Here is one of my previous posts about teaching dogs how to ring a bell: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/309233-teach-to-ask-to-go-out/?p=5743290

Derek, I'm heartbroken for you and your family about your sudden loss of Brucie. You all gave him a wonderful life in retirement. It's been clear through your years on GT that your Brucie was an extra special, beloved family member. Thank you for letting your GT friends know about Brucie's passing, and sharing your wonderful video memorial of his life. (Well done, at least what was visible through oceans of tears.) I imagine Brucie is feeling lots of love beaming up over the bridge from his family (and GT friends) on his birthday today, and every day. Healing thoughts for you and your family as you journey through this difficult time. Extra kisses and birthday wishes to Bumper today. Brucie will be remembered fondly by many. (BTW, Derek, your presence has been missed on GT too.)

Yes. Dogs can ingest, and be affected by whatever the wild prey was carrying. Please consult your vet for their recommended treatment.

I'm sorry you are dealing with this situation. Bravo for your effort. Please remember that his reactivity could be rooted from his previous life experiences with humans, not necessarily stemmed from his current situation. It isn't uncommon for each life move for a dog to increase their stress levels. Humans in his previous life might have used inappropriate or forceful scary techniques that increased his distrust of people. I'm guessing your boy is likely feeling extremely fearful and acting out defensively in an attempt to keep himself, his space, and his personal items safe. Seems he's trying everything he can to protect himself. Many dogs can become more trustworthy of humans in time. One of our hounds has the potential to react similarly. We were able to respectfully earn his trust in his comfortable time frame. We followed the valuable adage: "Let resting dogs lie." We gave him space and did not approach him on/near his dog bed for almost two years. That helped him feel his new home would be safe enough to relax, and his new humans could be trusted. We only gave him petting attention from his side while he was standing-up after he came over to us. E.g., we affectionately pet his shoulder or stroked him in the same direction as his fur grows (not against fur growth). We were careful to not lean over him, or have close face-to-face or direct eye interactions, including arm over head petting, nor body-hugging, all of which is often considered threatening or aggressive in dogs' language. I only taught minimal basic obedience during his first year by rewarding with food and praise for his natural movements (e.g. capturing "down" as he's about to lie down and adding the verbal word, or "come" at feeding time, etc.) which is the best way to teach any breed of dog, especially our sensitive Greyhound breed. We doggie-proofed the house as if we had a very tall 2 year old toddler. No food or medicine bottles left on kitchen counter tops, no remotes, mail or checks on coffee table tops, etc. Quietly hand-holding bowls of kibble (without direct face-to-face/eye contact) is excellent for several days or a week. (None of our dogs have ever been allowed on human furniture in decades for many reasons, human safety being tops.) He's a wonderful senior now, extremely intelligent, and responsive when respectfully shown what we need him to do. E.g., we ask vet staff to gently guide him by leash to walk onto the weight scale or circle around to reposition him, instead of trying to physically manipulate/man-handle him into place. Many dogs don't respond well to their body being physically pushed into place. It took two years before he gave me his first kiss. He's been our loving "heart boy" ever since. The hounds that need a little extra time and care to adjust can become amazingly special family members. I'm not saying that every dog can adjust, but many can become wonderful family companions with experienced care. Many hounds who suddenly become more fearful of smooth floors had a scary experience. Even though you didn't see him struggle, he might have almost slipped at some point. Glad you have mats now. Rubber-backed rugs/mats or rugs with gripper mats underneath should enable him to feel more secure again (without grippers, the rugs can fly out from under them). "Trading-up" (as others mentioned) with higher value meat, like stinky tripe, or another valuable toy often helps resource guarders "leave it" for a better reward. Figure out what excites him. If you need him to move off human furniture again, try going into the kitchen to excitedly call him to you for special rare treats, or to the door for a dog walk, or other high value doggie reward. If he won't come, begin tossing him treats on the floor from a distance to happily lure him into another room (like you're playing a fun game with him). Distractions like this often prevent a growl challenge or a bite. Great that you're already knowledgeable about not reprimanding a dog for having an accident in the house, since it magnifies their confusion and fear. Like humans, when dogs feel fearful (S.A. is fear-based) many dogs physically need to do business more frequently than when they're feeling secure and relaxed. Even many non-SA dogs can't wait longer than 4-6 hours during their awake hours. If possible, try to place his bed in a far corner of the living room, or where he can see/feel as part of the family, but away from the human traffic pattern. Retired racers are not used to people in their resting space. Since he had previous sofa privileges, he may feel the narrow living room is like his own crate space. His new dog bed on the floor should eventually help that problem. Many hounds are "collectors" of things/toys, meaning they collect their treasures to keep safely on (or by) their bed. (Similar to hearing about dogs who bury their most prized possessions in the yard, so other predators won't find and steal them.) "Tuffie Toys" are one of the safer dog toy brands that are not as dangerous for dogs since they're less apt to chew them open to eat the squeaky. Our Tuffie Toys have lasted many years through our own Greyhounds and new fosters. They like the "ultimate" size ring shapes, etc. Growling is a dog's only way to communicate their discomfort or displeasure with a warning. If humans (in his past life) ignored his warning growl, and reprimanded him for growling, dogs often learn to avoid being reprimanded next time by skipping the growl and going directly to a bite to communicate. It's usually a warning air snap that can land on skin if a human is too close. Dogs have good aim when they really need it. I'm not clear on the timing, nor Al's weight in relation to his Prozac dosage, but I agree that 40 mg. of Prozac for a Greyhound is more like an advanced upper dosage. Many Greyhounds build-up a Prozac dosage very slowly i.e., 10 mg, then 20 mg., 30 mg., then top at 40 mg. so their system has time to adjust to the drug, and they can continue eating enough food. A side effect of Prozac is appetite reduction, but possibly less so in smaller graduations. Your vet may have started at a higher dose due to case severity. Prozac often helps relax dogs for more effective S.A./behavior training. Most of those drugs can affect bite inhibition, so the muzzle is important as you continue evaluating his reactions. IF his lack of growling happened to coincide with the Prozac, that could be "where his growl went". Re: his periodic limp. Glad the vets feel that he's okay physically, but please watch his limp closely. Even periodic limping usually equates to pain to some degree. Also, dogs are excellent at watching, reading and feeding off of humans' moods. I imagine you both may be feeling many emotions including some fear; please take care to reflect happy and relaxed calmness as much as possible. You seem to be doing a great job trying to help improve this situation. Please let us know how things go. We are wishing you much progress with Al.

Dr. Suzanne Stack's site may help if your hound is experiencing Lumbosacral Stenosis. Either way, it's an excellent Greyhound specific medical website to explore, and add to your bookmarks. http://www.greythealth.com/lumbosacral.html Therapaw boots fit Greyhound paws well, and may be better than no protection when your Greyhound goes outside. http://www.therapaw.com/thera-pawboots.aspx

Congratulations on your new girl, Rose. Below is a detailed snippet from a previous safety thread that elaborates about leash walking. 3Greytjoys quote, Feb. 2013: "Leash - Physically healthy/steady adult humans can place hand through leash handle loop on to wrist, then wrap leash around wrist and hand a few times. Important: Hold excess leash with the opposite hand as primary control of hound. The wrapped hand/wrist is secondary control. Always stay alert while walking any dog, especially Greyhounds. Your sighthound might see something to chase before you see it. Humans have far less control of any dog if leash (or arm) is fully extended. (Good for human's elbow to be in a naturally bent position, close to human's body.) Safest walking position for dogs is next to human's thigh (not far in front, crisscrossing). Heeling with dog's shoulder next to human's left thigh is standard walking position in U.S. (Helps keep dogs away from cars since U.S. laws require pedestrians walk against traffic vs. same direction.) - Slip knot can be tied in a leash handle loop so the loop won't fall off the wrist, helpful when picking up dog business too. (Again, for physically healthy humans who stay alert.) - Please NEVER use retractable leads. Very dangerous with Greyhounds (and other dogs). If hound gets spooked by an unexpected noise and handle gets dropped, hard plastic handle noise chases after dog - panicked dogs often run into traffic, dangerously trip themselves at high speed, and/or get caught on objects possibly breaking dog's neck, legs, etc. Cyclists have been seriously injured by not seeing a dog near it's person, then riding directly into a retractable lead. - Carabiner can be added as an extra safety clip (leash to collar) if needed for a questionable leash latch. IMO, circular claw-like "Trigger Snaps" are much safer than standard leash snaps. - A knot can be tied at halfway point on leash (or where an extra hand-gripping point is needed)." End quote. Just to reiterate, elderly or unsteady adults may not wish to wrap the leash around their wrist, but for most adults it helps keep a new Greyhound from escaping from an inadvertently dropped leash. (Children should not be allowed to control a Greyhound's leash during walks.) Hope some of that helps.

Our Greyhounds understand too many words to list. We resorted to spelling key words during human conversations, but they eventually learned their names, w-a-l-k, p-a-r-k, etc. Hand signals work well when we need to communicate with only one hound while others are sleeping; otherwise, the whole pack responds. Heck, our hounds seem to read our unspoken thoughts, particularly if food, a walk or car ride is involved!

I'm so sorry about Flying Hydrogen's passing. He was born October 17, 2003, so he passed just shy of his 11th birthday. He sired one of our broodie's wonderful litters. http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?d=flying+hydrogen&sex=&color=&birthyear=&birthland=

Just guessing GeorgeofNE meant to type "but it does need to be looked at." Hopefully Gypsy's bump is not malignant; however, two hounds in our Greyhound family have had malignant hemangiosarcoma. IMO, it is too highly aggressive a cancer to delay testing a questionable growth.

I am heartbroken for this terribly sad loss of Phoenix. Seems he did wait for you to be with him before letting go. Thoughts and prayers of strength to help carry you and your family through this most difficult time. Godspeed your heart boy, Phoenix...

I'd encourage you to please ask for the earliest veterinary appointment possible for Gypsy.

Costco pharmacy is an excellent source for pet medications, including Tramadol and Aminocaproic Acid (tablet form), etc. If your vet deems Aminocaproic Acid appropriate for Phoenix, another source is a (human) compounding pharmacy for liquid form (sometimes cheaper than tablets). Beef flavored liquid form of Aminocaproic Acid is considered a delicious treat for Greyhounds. Costco pharmacy is open to the public, and does not require a Costco membership, but members receive a greater discount. Veterinary study estimates >26% of Greyhounds are excessive bleeders. Excessive bleeding can occur beginning day of surgery and/or through approximately Day 4 of recovery. (We currently have three excessive bleeders. Our vet prescribes a 5-day supply of Aminocaproic Acid for all surgeries/recovery. One of our hounds was released post-op, but started internal bleeding while at home 30 hours post-surgery. Aminocaproic Acid has helped our hounds many times.) I'm not sure if you qualify for any of these helpful pet financial programs, but worth a look at all source links on this page: http://www.redrover.org/node/1199 Positive healing thoughts for Phoenix.

I agree with tbhounds. Beyond that, if interested, Greytalk members compiled a Greyhound savvy veterinarian list, located at the top of the Health and Medical section. Link to Canada region: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/14761-greytalk-vet-list/?p=4391195 I'm sorry you had such a difficult experience with your vet. Wishing the best for Corinna.

I'm unable to view the video now, but they could have unrelated causes. Gastric dilatation, or gastric volvulus (bloat) is worth a mention if Abby looks as if she's experiencing sudden abdominal pain. Signs of bloat vary, but some dogs look at their painful stomach, become anxious or restless, some begin to retch with mostly unproductive vomiting (possibly stiff white foam), swollen stomach might be noticed, etc. Bloat (stomach torsion) is seen in deep-chested breeds, and can occur when dogs exercise too soon (within 1 hour or so) of eating a meal, or drinking too much water too fast, etc. Bloat is an immediate medical emergency.

Bravo for his dry times, and your continued dedication to help him succeed! In his case, I agree that leaving a large piece of your worn clothing could feel comforting to him, but only if you're sure he will not attempt to chew or ingest it. (We often recommend using an owner's worn clothing when trying to capture/trap a loose dog. Also, when initially teaching tracking dog breeds, supervised dogs practice with items with their human's scent.) Assuming you have packing blankets for gigs, those blankets could help save your sofa. Better yet, pet stores sell flat plastic pieces with plastic spikes that deter pets from furniture or counters (same concept as an upside down desk chair mat for carpets, but sized for sofas). Many excellent reasons to teach new dogs to enjoy dog beds vs. human furniture. If ever needed in the future, carpet padding manufacturers have invented waterproof carpet padding which keeps subfloor dry. While you're teaching/praise party for good potty business behavior, I'd encourage you to also teach/praise with separate words for urine vs. bowel movements. Thereafter, it allows you to be completely clear about exactly what you're waiting for him to accomplish before going back inside. All of our Greyhounds do understand the difference between pee-pee and poo-poo. They often try to minimize their "business" outings to get back inside faster, but they respond immediately when told which action we're awaiting. I agree about leashing him to a human for a couple of days for immediate correction if you think he might try to urinate inside even though someone is home with him. Just be careful to not overdo the umbilical cord method for too many days because it could increase his dependence on his favorite human. Great to praise desired independent behavior while you're home too (e.g., teach him to lie on his bed across the room vs. underfoot, etc.). I agree that patience is an important key. Greys are so highly sensitive to humans' emotional states (and thoughts! lol) that they are much more receptive to learning when they feel all is happy and calm in their world. (Otherwise, they can shut down to learning, while building up longer lasting internal anxiety.) Great that he's had multiple dry times alone, that's wonderful progress! Fabulous photos of your handsome boy. He's clearly enjoying the love and fun of his new family life. Adorable pics of him snuggling with your shirt too.

I'll toss in two more possibilities. One of our Greyhounds arrived into retirement (from racing in central U.S.) with "nasal mites" (found in many areas of the world). Our local vets were not familiar with nasal mites. After multiple vet visits over 4-6 months, I was finally able to diagnose our girl's reverse sneezing problems through Merck Veterinary Manual. Besides suffering from severe bouts of reverse sneezing, her sense of smell and taste were almost non-existent, which contributed to her extreme lack of interest in eating meals. Merck's recommended treatment worked perfectly, and she's been free of nasal mites for seven years. Nasal Mites: http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/respiratory_system/respiratory_diseases_of_small_animals/canine_nasal_mites.html?qt=canine%20nasal%20mites&alt=sh Dangerous foxtail grasses occupy much of the western half of the U.S. region (often deadly to dogs). If you are not in this region, I wonder if your area may have other small plant seeds that could be inhaled and lodge into the nasal passages(?). Foxtails: http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/foxtail-grass-and-your-dog

You might try a liquid bandage or spray-on bandage if you happen to have that, or find a 24 hr. drugstore. Placing pressure on it with your own hand + bandage might help it clot. As a last resort, corn starch might help(?). We keep liquid Clotisol, and veterinary prescribed tablets of Aminocaproic Acid as emergency back-up for 3 of our most excessive bleeder hounds. Good luck!

Ohhh nooo! I'm SO deeply, deeply sorry that your wonderful Diamond has passed. May she have been greeted by her beloved angel momma and sister. Truly a special Greyhound family! Our hearts and thoughts are with you during this most difficult time. Godspeed sweetheart Diamond...

I'd suggest calling the group by phone. Three weeks is a long time to not hear anything back from an active group. It's possible their electronic system is malfunctioning. If you can't get any response by phone, then I'd suggest sending another email to let them know you're moving on to work with a different adoption group. (Many groups respond to applications within a few days to a week.) Good luck!

Your good intentions are admirable; however, the risk is too high for your cats' safety. Please consider asking your adoption group to place the hound in a cat-free foster home ASAP. (Maybe there's a more cat-friendly hound in need of your foster home.)

Our beloved boy frequently sprinkles golden showers on his lower front legs. We keep a squirt/spray bottle of water just inside the door, then towel dry. Just another opportunity to build a caring, trusting bond with our hounds. We're thrilled that he pees like a female dog in the garden (keeps plants from dying). He does enjoy lifting his leg on trees during walks to prove his high rank in the canine community.