3greytjoys
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Welcome to GreyTalk!
Rampage and Linden are beautiful Greyhounds!
I'm sorry to learn about Linden's diagnosis. I'll reply to your H&M section thread.
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Welcome to GreyTalk from the west coast! We'll look forward to reading more about London soon.
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3greytjoys, did you ever try Doxepin for the LP? It worked wonders for Percy.
I would have been eager to try it during earlier years with one LP hound, but learned about it too late. The other hound's LP was too advanced, plus other medical conditions and extreme reactivity to medications prevented it from being added to the mix. I'm so glad sweet Percy was able to benefit from it. (Memories of Percy still warm my heart.)
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I'm so sadly tearful to see your special Daisy girl has passed.
I knew she was a quite the little character from your previous posts, but your memorial tribute and wonderful photos are beautifully heartbreaking.
I'm thankful that you were able to offer her a second chance to enjoy her later life in a loving home.
Godspeed Daisy, your precious co-pilot. Hugs to you during this difficult time.
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The vet wrote after the procedure: they sedated him prior to anesthesia for the laryngeal exam. and then: "we did give him an injection of Doxapram to stimulate respirations. I did not see any asymmetry of laryngeal movement nor any collapse of the structure of his larynx. However, the movement I did see was less than what I would have expected. Tracker, as an athlete, has a very large trachea and larynx. It is possible that his windpipe is so large that there is not enough pressure to demonstrate the full range of laryngeal movement needed when he is exercising." She concluded he doesn't have severe LP, but maybe is in the early stages.
You wrote "If both flaps in the larynx are not moving normally under light anesthesia, it could mean LP". Now Tracker WAS under anesthesia, and maybe that makes for a totally different medical situation, but what do you make of his larynx not moving?
Perhaps the sedation/anesthesia/Doxapram levels might affect movement, but I lack veterinary surgical education and I was not in the operating room during our first LP hound's test. This Greyhound was as large as our male Greyhound with LP and I don't recall our vet mentioning our Greyhounds' larynx, trachea, etc. being much larger than other large breeds, nor do I know the "light anesthesia" levels used. Great that Tracker doesn't have structural collapse(!), and cartilage flaps appear symmetrical, but if Tracker were my boy, I'd continue to monitor him for symptoms, and check his gum color after exercise (should be healthy pink vs. dark red-purple, or bluish grey). Still seems like normal flap movement could have been viewed if LP were not a factor, but that's simply an uneducated guess.
Hopefully, a veterinary professional will chime in about how anesthesia levels might affect the cartilage movements, etc.
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So sorry about the hookworms. That makes things more challenging, but glad her stair freezes are lessening.
In addition to John's reply:
Please try to ensure both sets of stairs are very well lit. A brighter bulb inside might help considering the dark paint.
Wooden steps (without any safety texture added) can be extremely slippery and scary when wet.
A newly retired Greyhound statuing is usually fear-based. Often takes more time to adjust to unique muscular motions required for stairs.
A less common consideration is physical soreness while climbing stairs.
Many dogs won't eat treats when feeling uneasy about a task. Keep emotions happy, positive and fun. Your circle (game) to get her started is great.
If she realizes she's about to be left alone for an extended time, she might be thinking she needs one last elimination (hookworm bowel issues) before going inside.
Going down steps can feel more scary to some dogs.
If needed, take her to practice during daytime at a public place that has extra wide cement steps.
Newly retired hounds watching other dogs maneuvering stairs can be very helpful.
Good luck!
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If both flaps in the larynx are not moving normally under light anesthesia, it could mean LP (paralysis of those cartilage flaps means the normal nerve-to-muscle control for opening and closing the larynx is lost or nearly lost. Article with drawing: http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2012/june/laryngeal_paralysis_common_cause_of_respiratory_difficulties_in_dogs-26124
Upon my first hound's test under light anesthesia, one flap appeared completely paralyzed; the other flap moved only to a partial degree. She was immediately medically required to stop running outside (no more Greyhound play dates, but my common sense halted her intense running anyway after her initial breathing distress was observed). Throughout life, she continued breathing smoothly during our regular shady, cool temperature, harness walks, or an occasional very brief indoor zoomie. Her breathing at rest remained smooth. She was not a candidate for tie-back surgery, but we managed her condition fairly easily for nearly a decade in our mild ocean influenced climate. I keep all our hounds far away from smoke (whether neighborhood fireplace, BBQ, cigarette, or wildfire smoke).
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Quote: christinepi "... the incidents had become somewhat more frequent, plus he's become more heat sensitive and started having a somewhat rasping pant when hot.
She noticed, though, that there wasn't as much motion during breathing in the larynx as she expected."
Quote: LaFlaca "...there has been something going on in the region of her throat for some time now. While she is no longer coughing and retching frequently, she does occasionally retch for no apparent reason and sometimes after eating dry treats/food. There is also occasional hoarseness, sometimes followed by retching when she barks. Throat irritation of some sort is what it "feels" like to me.
I am unsure if the symptoms are worth the risk of even light sedation on a geriatric Greyhound. Thoughts, anyone?"
Our first LP hound's (advanced LP) symptoms were explained to regular vet after an out of town Greyhound play date (soon after adoption, age 6), but LP was not mentioned. The following year, same hound happened to have a summer vet appt.; vet heard LP symptoms. Dx was checked and confirmed during a (previously scheduled) dental surgery the following week.
LaFlaca: Hopefully Wendy's dx was limited to an infection that antibiotics resolved, but you know her best, and symptoms you describe are similar to LP. I would not do the light anesthesia test as a sole test for a potentially mild case that could be a different dx. I would ask vet to check her larynx movements whenever her next scheduled surgery occurs.
If any of these hounds happen to have early LP, it's slowly progressive, so I would remain observant, keep a dated e-record of symptoms (for future vet visits). I would be careful to keep hounds in cool, stress-free conditions; use harness instead of collar for walks; exercise during coolest times of early morning/night; and moisten kibble and treats with water to ease motility.
Hoarseness; voice bark change; raspy breathing; throat-clearing; coughing; gagging; heat/exercise intolerance; regurgitation, etc. become more apparent over time. Most important to monitor hound after exercising (especially if running) in potentially too warm conditions. Our first advanced LP hound's excessively labored, raspy, longer duration panting after running (cool season) raised a red flag when compared to our other normally panting hounds whose smoother panting calmed/stopped more quickly.
Side note: I'd update hound's accurate weight just before and immediately after Galliprant treatmant duration.
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Two of our Greyhounds (plus a foster) have had laryngeal paralysis (successfully managed carefully for many years). Both evolved into hind-end weakness that progressed from LP through the long vagus/sciatic nerves.
Greyhounds do normally have larger hearts than other breeds, but I'd question a comment re: a "huge trachea and larynx" as normal in Greyhounds(??).
Consider reviewing megaesophagus disease symptoms:
http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/digestive/c_dg_megaesophagus
Side notes: If early LP is even suspected, please use a harness instead of a collar for walks.
FWIW, since Arizona is sharing blistering heat with CA this week: LP dogs are extremely temperature sensitive. If moderate to advanced LP dogs overdo exercise in warm weather (e.g. above 60's to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, especially in sun); and/or appear extremely emotionally stressed; and/or pant excessively heavily in hot weather (heavy panting swells the throat which can partially block oxygen from reaching the airway), LP dogs can potentially enter a breathing crisis, which can quickly evolve into hyperthermia. Of course, if any dog suffers a breathing or overheating crisis, immediately transport dog in an air conditioned vehicle to an emergency hospital. Meanwhile, apply physical cooling techniques: use cool water to wet legs, neck, then gradually along body. (Avoid ice cold water which can shock the core body into retaining heat. Test hose water temperature with your hand first in case it's scalding hot.) Rubbing alcohol can be applied to dogs' paws/pads if cool water isn't available, but prevent dog from licking toxic alcohol. If a helper person is applying cool wet towels (e.g. during car ride), take a bucket of towels in cool water to change/refresh towels every 2-3 minutes (to prevent towels from trapping body heat); remain calm, and calm the dog's emotional state by removing dog from whatever the dog perceived as an excessively stressful environment.
Laflaca: I'm not aware of Wendy's situation before her life-threatening temperature spike, but if LP resurfaces as a possibility, her larynx (flap) movements would need to be examined while she is breathing under light anesthesia. (X-rays don't reveal LP.)
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Welcome to Greytalk! Congratulations on your adoption of Millie!
This may seem odd, but could you please try to explain the stairs to us from a dog's perspective?
Are they standard size, extra deep or wide, concrete or wooden steps?
Do all steps have risers enclosing the back of each step, or are they open/see through?
Are the indoor steps carpeted?
What is the flooring material between the patio door and the indoor steps?
How often is the dog using the steps, and how long are outings?
What is your state or general region of the country?
(Welcome and congratulations to Rusty too!)
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CET's best seller is poultry flavor. (Dogs' favorite flavor).
CET's beef flavor is a tarter control toothpaste. (More abrasive to tackle tarter periodically, but can be too abrasive to use daily throughout dog's life.)
CET's less-abrasive flavors (like poultry) are recommended for regular on-going use.
(Humans like vanilla mint, but it's not usually dogs' favorite.)
New dog toothbrushes can be run under hot water to soften bristles instantly.
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... He howls and whines and jumps in his crate (which I should say is actually an xpen with a top and fits his slumberball, so he can stand on his hinders when he's excited). I wait until he is quiet and sits down again to go and open his crate, he waits politely for me to say "free," and then he comes out to greet me and run a happy lap or two around the living room before settling down.
... So my question is -- do you think we are treading into separation anxiety territory with the loudness when I come home? It is all-caps LOUD and seems anxious and agitated to me, not just "yay you're home!" but perhaps I'm putting my human feelings on that?
Is it possible your boy could be ready to graduate to a tall baby-gate when left home alone to rest in one of your most used, and dog-proofed rooms (e.g., family room) instead of an ex-pen? If needed, baby-gate can be installed 4"-5" above floor level to extend height without hound going underneath gate. Ex-pens are great to use for calm, supervised dogs, but have been known to collapse onto dogs if dog knocks into the side or jumps up hitting the pen. While ex-pen tops may help, my understanding (previous years) is they don't provide enough stabilization to prevent pen collapse.
All our hounds are naturally very excited to see us return, but most importantly, they need to go outside to eliminate, pronto!
We also practice no fanfare during human departures/returns. While ignoring dogs for a few minutes upon a human's return is commonly taught, it is encouraged for a human to quietly take dogs outside to eliminate immediately. (Imagine how humans feel on the brink of losing urine/bowel control after holding it for an extended time.) Thereafter, when dog is calm, it's fine to reward with attention. (Generally, our healthy hounds maximum comfortable time without being offered an elimination outing during daytime is 4-5 hours. One hound can't wait that long during daylight hours.)Glad your boy is taking all the household changes in stride. He sounds like a great hound! Wishing you a healthy recovery.
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Agree with others. Another consideration is laryngeal paralysis, which can begin (but is often missed) in dogs' earlier years, or as noted below, GOLPP is geriatriac onset laryngeal paralysis polyneuropathy.
Quote:
What are the Signs of GOLPP?- Increased noisy breathing from throat (stridor), sometimes called “roaring”, most noticeable when panting.
- Distressed breathing, especially in hot weather, humidity, and when excited or stressed.
- Unable to exercise as much, may sit down or even collapse.
- Bark change / hoarse bark (in about half the cases).
- When severe, the gums may become pale or blue colored (not the normal pink color).
- Throat-clearing, or hacking, or coughing.
- Gagging with or without regurgitation (may or may not be associated with drinking/eating).
- Hind-end weakness and an unsteady gait.
- Loss of muscle mass.
Close quote.
If your hound shows any of the symptoms above, please read this source link: https://cvm.msu.edu/scs/research-initiatives/golpp/living-with-golpp
We've had two Greyhounds with LP; neither were candidates for surgery, but both lived many years with careful management.
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Please do everything possible to protect Snow from the high energy/unexpected movements of others in your home. Hope she had a thorough physical exam by the vet on Thursday. Seems she's in pain and likely needs X-rays to evaluate the severity of damage her falls may have caused.
Please look up dogs' side effects for all drugs Snow is taking so you will understand what to expect, and when to alert your vet that a different medication should be considered.
If you haven't already, please list each medication; supplement; fish oil; antacid; and anything else over the counter that Snow is ingesting for your vet to review contraindications. All drugs have side effects, which can be worsened if drugs are given on an empty stomach. The risk to benefit dosing decisions should be made by a licensed veterinarian. Consult a vet before starting or stopping any medications including over the counter drugs.
Plain meat baby food (no spices) like Gerber Stage 2 could help when you need to get food in her with medication.
Two of Galliprant's side effects are loss of appetite and diarrhea, among others. (One our hounds lost 3 pounds in one week on Galliprant, so a different drug will be prescribed next time.)
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Several of our geriatric Greyhounds have been on Gabapentin. Our vet starts with 100 mg. per dose. Gabapentin is a strong drug, so dosage increases are gradual when needed for higher pain. Even after the hound's body is adjusted to the medication, going from a 100 mg. to 200 mg. dose increases our hounds' sedation; lack of coordination; dizziness; wobbliness, etc., so they're more likely to need human guidance to help prevent falls when moving around while adjusting to the medication. As mentioned above, dogs build up a tolerance to Gabapentin and eventually need increased dosages just to get the same pain relief; also dogs' adjustment time to the drug are other reasons some vets prefer to begin in the lower dosage range.
In my experience, well secured long runner rugs and large area rugs with well-made rug-gripper mats placed underneath, or wall-to-wall carpeting is a necessity for Greyhounds' safety, especially for geriatric age hounds. Elderly hounds are notorious for dangerous slips/falls on surprisingly small areas of hard surface floors, and each serious fall can increase risk of future falls.
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Ah yes, free feeding at vet school could be the reason for her reduced appetite at night. I wouldn't worry too much, but it's worth a mention to the foster rep. May as well ask about a different coat too. Perhaps her current coat might be a rain coat(?). (Greyhound coats are usually a unique size compared to other breeds as seen in GT's member merchandise links section.)
Seems you're doing a great job fostering, and managing the house environment as well as can be expected (sans gate or large crate). I would continue to leave the Greyhound muzzle on Jumpy when she is resting on her bed, etc while your Min Pins are roaming freely in the house. It's still early in her new environment while developing new canine relationships, and depending on your Min Pins' respectful behavior (or not), better to ensure safety in this early adjustment period. You are smart to keep everyone separated whenever food is involved.v
Going to an empty dog park is really the safest time to go to a dog park.
Greyhounds have very thin skin which can tear more easily than other breeds during play. Also, their racing/chasing prey switch can turn on when running loose outside in a dog park. (Similar example: Cat-friendly Greyhounds can be fine with indoor family cats, but adopters are cautioned against allowing the cat outside at the same time their hound is running loose outside in their fenced yard.)Jumpy's reaction to seeing herself in the mirror may have been a good thing since it spurred you to reduce her roaming space. New fosters tend to do better learning a new home, family, and housebreaking in limited spaces before graduating to full house roaming. Her good behavior is an encouraging sign!
She appears to be a s-w-e-e-t-h-e-a-r-t !
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A veterinary stool test could be very helpful. Microscopic parasites/worms might be affecting your boy's internal health, stool quality and quantity.
If his kibble is high in fillers, it could be increasing his stool (and gas) output. A limited ingredient kibble could help firm and reduce his stool output.
(Upon adoption, while recovering from giardia treatments, one of our hounds' stools greatly improved with a single protein (happened to be lamb) and rice kibble. He had zero noticeable gas, which was a welcome gift after many months of smelly giardia. Our other hounds' stools also improved on the same kibble.)
Agree with above re: Nature's Miracle or Nature's Miracle Advanced Formula, if available in your region. Pet waste enzymatic cleaners greatly help eliminate leftover canine calling card odors.
If your boy is highly anxious while being left alone downstairs, he may not be able to physically hold his waste as long as usual when he's feeling secure and relaxed with his family pack, but struggling with a food problem and/or parasites would be my immediate concerns to address first.
Separate note: If Merlin is free of body pain, and if your stairs are a semi-normal height, built with solid risers, and are securely carpeted, perhaps a call to your adoption group could help? Consider asking them to visit Merlin with an experienced Greyhound who is comfortable walking up/down stairs to help teach Merlin how to maneuver stairs like a champion. Stair training sessions are much less scary for Greyhounds watching other hounds. Most of our Greyhounds and fosters have learned stairs within just a few tries. If he can learn stairs (to sleep with his family) he'll be able to alert a human when he needs to go outside.
Please try to keep up your understanding patience with Merlin while working learn the cause of his body's struggle. Circumstances are placing him in a difficult situation too.
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Welcome to GreyTalk!
Thank you for opening your home to help a deserving Greyhound transition into pet life. It can be great fun to watch them learn about pet life. Your foster girl seems like a sweetie!
- A secure baby-gate is a nice way to safely separate a new dog from a resident dog pack, especially during dog feedings, and human departures.
Many USA adoption groups loan metal crates for foster dogs (e.g., to keep house cats safe during dog's adjustment period, and/or provide dog a safe resting space from resident pets, young children. etc.), but a baby-gate can work well when cats aren't involved. If your Min. Pins understand "leave it" and/or your verbal direction to lie on their own beds, great; otherwise, I'd opt for a baby-gate. (I might try to avoid a crate in your foster hound's case since she might be crated much of the day at the vet school.)
- Dog-proof rooms: Keep items in closed drawers, cabinets, or closet -- like medicines, vitamins, food, remote controls, eye glasses, important mail/bills/checks/papers, socks, shoes, etc.
Greyhounds standing on their hind legs can reach similar heights as a person, so best to keep kitchen counters clear of any food temptations like butter, bread, bags of snacks, (toxic) chocolate and avocados, etc.
- Large, brightly colored Post-it notes placed at hound's sight level on low glass doors or windows help prevent new Greyhounds from walking/running into glass.
- Yes, it's safest to let resting dogs lie undisturbed on their own thick, cushy dog bed placed in or next to a well lived-in room, so the new dog feels included in family time, but away from traffic paths/space invasions. Dog's bed could be on the far side of a room or just on the opposite side of baby-gate. It's safest to wait for a dog to stand up and walk away from his/her dog bed before petting. Racing Greyhounds are not used to sharing their personal resting or eating space (both happen in their own crate), so it takes time to adjust to home/family life.
(Slightly different scenario: A growl is considered a polite warning in canine communication when a dog is feeling threatened. If a growl is a reaction to a human, best response is to stop the action causing the dog's discomfort and back away. If a dog is scolded for growling, some dogs learn to skip the growl and go directly to a bite to get his/her point across. If a human needs to take a potentially dangerous item away from a dog, go into another room and happily call dog for a high value (meat) treat. If dog won't "come", toss a walking trail of treats on floor near dog to distract dog away from dangerous item. A human can then retrieve the dangerous item the dog left behind. Another distraction (if human can follow-through immediately) is offering a fun walk, outing, car ride, toy play, etc.)
- Some new foster dogs take a while to feel comfortable enough to eat full meals. One of our hounds considers herself an omega (last of the pack). She often won't eat until after all the other hounds have finished eating and are back to resting on their own beds. Also, she requires an elimination outing shortly before meals. We divide daily kibble portions into 3 meals: breakfast, dinner, and a small snack at bedtime to prevent an empty/upset tummy before morning.
Low sodium chicken broth could entice your foster hound to eat. (As you probably know, safest to avoid excess fat and salt.)
- Shorter walks are fine (and preferred) for new foster hounds. It's better to gradually build up their paw pad toughness, and walking endurance. Racers are brief sprinters used to racing 30+ seconds on soft sand surfaces. Generally, dogs should have a minimum of 4-6 elimination opportunities per day, but every outing doesn't need to be a full walk, just a quick elimination outside the house is fine. (I offer new foster dogs outings every 2 hours during day and evening on very first and second days home to help teach good housebreaking habits. Following days, times are gradually extended by an hour. (Our maximum time between day/evening outings is usually 4 hours.)
- Greyhounds are temperature sensitive (lack body fat and fur undercoat). During warm seasons, we take walks in shade during coolest times of morning/evening. Also, dogs' paw pads can burn on hot asphalt. If in doubt, rest your bare hand on cement/asphalt for a minute to check if too hot for a dog's bare paw pads. (Our own Greyhounds' comfortable walking temperature is under about 72 F.)
It appears Remy listened well to your foster hound's canine warning; that's good (but sorry his feelings were hurt). I'm assuming (hope) your foster hound is already spayed since you have an intact male.
Best of luck. My foster hounds have been adopted fairly quickly -- too quickly for me sometimes!
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Quoted from OP: "I feel like most of the adjusting is being done by me"
Upon graduating from breeding farm life, imagine 50+/- Greyhounds living in one racing kennel, being let out in a sand-filled turn-out pen to eliminate, and being walked (as part a group of racers) from kennel to race track -- all within an enclosed protected compound. Now, imagine the adjustment for a single Greyhound to suddenly be dropped into a new life filled with the loud, busy city streets of New York. Greyhounds who could handle that environment could require more time and patience to adjust -- as would many other breeds transitioning to a new home, especially dogs reared in a kennel environment.
In many decades of being a dog parent (often to multiple dogs concurrently), I consider adopting any dog of any breed somewhat similar to adopting a child. Parents don't get to custom-order a perfect child. Imagine how scary it would feel as a young child to suddenly lose his/her only known family, move to a foreign environment, foreign language, new people, strange loud city, all while being flooded with frightening new experiences on a daily basis. It's stress overload for a child, or a dog. Yes, earning a new dog's trust can take time.
Even though professional racing Greyhounds are handled by many people, racers have not yet been provided an opportunity to form lengthy, affectionate relationships with trusted, devoted humans. Racers move from track to track throughout the country. As professional athletes, they haven't yet experienced the joy of playing with toys, etc. Watching their uniquely special gifts unfold are some of the most treasured early moments for devoted adoptive pet parents. Greyhounds are wonderfully respectful, gentle, sensitive dogs. Collectively, all of my Greyhounds (and fosters) have been easier than other breeds. That said, I wouldn't adopt any animal, especially a dog (i.e., pack animal) if I weren't able to provide adequate care, time, understanding, and loads of patience for a pet family member to thrive.
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Maybe he lived in a home previously and was discouraged from furniture, or could just be his natural reaction. None of our dogs get on human furniture.
Count yourself lucky!
It often takes newly adopted dogs several months (or more) to begin revealing their true personality. Good to let resting dogs lie undisturbed on their own dog beds, so they don't feel threatened by a human invading their space. Helps to wait at least 6 months before (if ever) allowing any newly adopted dog on humans' furniture. Some dogs don't like to share their personal resting space and may become protective, or have sleep startle reactions, or may feel physical discomfort jumping on/off human furniture.
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My heart aches for you, Jan. I'm shocked and saddened that Paddy has earned his wings. I can only imagine the void he left behind. After your teamwork together, I'm glad you were able to begin seeing him mature and transition into "Paddy McGreyhound". He was lucky to have landed with you.
Paddy ALVIN! Mayhem made a huge impact on his global fan community during his curious, adventurous, loving and learning forty eight months in retirement. Thank you for sharing your extra special boy with us. He will be greatly missed on GT.
May Paddy's bright spirit remain in your heart forever... as he lights up the heavens as founder of his newly formed "Bridge Camp (Mostly About Me) Mayhem". Surely Seamie and other camper angels are grandfathered in as priority members.
Rest well special Paddy.
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We take measures to keep our hounds from ingesting any wild animals, or their excrement, or walking through or swimming or drinking from wild animals' potential water sources. Too many potentially fatal diseases carried by wild animals. One example: Wild rodents can carry hantavirus (can be fatal to pets and humans). Veterinarians are warning pet parents about increases in cases of dog deaths from leptospirosis, etc. Heavy rainy weather also increases the spread of leptospirosis, giardia, and other zoonotic diseases.
Here's a short (incomplete) list of diseases seen in wild animals/rodents including rabbits in North Carolina: http://epi.publichealth.nc.gov/cd/diseases/zoonotic.html
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Any stair improvements with your boy?
Do your stairs have open or closed back risers?
Just wanted to add that if your hound experienced a slip/fall during your absence (even on flat hard surface floors), he may have hurt his spine, shoulder, hip, etc. He may have silently and stoically felt too much pain to attempt the stairs.
Our case is different, but one of our senior hounds suddenly stopped walking the fully enclosed main staircase (with wall-to-wall carpet) last year. I moved downstairs the same night. Post veterinary visit, she has never been asked or attempted to walk up or down that staircase again.
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You're welcome. I have several (unmarked) bright LED head-lamps (attached to stretchy straps) to use during night walks and for nail trims, etc. They can be found at general hardware stores, Amazon, or home center stores, etc. During use, please do not turn on a head-lamp for nail trims until your face/lamp is directed away from the hound's face/head. Some hounds might fear a glimpse of direct light. Begin by using a head-lamp during fun evening walks, dark yard poop pick-ups, etc. to help desensitize your boy to the light before attempting to touch him while wearing it.
BTW, many newly retired Greyhounds (sight hounds) freeze when trying to adjust to neighborhood walks. Sometimes it's a sign of feeling overwhelmed with too many life changes at once, or seeing a scary object even 1/2 mile away, or an unfamiliar noise scares them. When dogs highly stress or fear something, their typical reactions are to freeze, fight, or flight (trying to bolt away from the scary object or noise). If Greyhounds freeze during walks, it often helps to carry treats, happily and gently guide the dog in a circle or two then proceed forward. Sometimes it's best to simply turn around and take the dog back home, then reevaluate the hound's overall stressors and possibly take a few steps back to reduce the dog's world until he feels more confident to willingly expand. Greyhounds are independent thinkers and are notorious for "shutting down" if feeling overwhelmed/stressed or bored. Stress is cumulative and can build from odd things like loud TV movies, vacuum cleaners, loud voices, thunderstorms, etc. Also, the concept of learning family pet obedience is completely foreign to racing Greyhounds, thus my prior comment to watch for/catch their natural actions, teach a verbal cue with rewards for those desired natural behaviors.
As one who survived a life-threatening dog bite (different large breed) as a 5 year old child, I'd like to reiterate that your niece and other visitors should be separated from your dog by a baby-gate or crate, etc. Also, never let anyone place an infant baby carrier on any dog's floor level.
Good luck with your behaviorist. Please let us know how things go with your boy.
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This Greyhound most likely feels threatened, and is trying to communicate his extreme discomfort in all of these situations. Greyhounds are a highly sensitive breed. They need respectful, protected treatment from humans to even begin to slowly trust humans in a new home/family environment. Some hounds have had a more difficult history than others (possible previous injuries, emotional or medical struggles, etc.). BTW, a long duration with heavy infestation of hookworms can cause internal pain/discomfort.
Every dog (and human) deserves their own personal bubble space in which to live comfortably without fear of being bumped, stepped on, rolled over, etc. Try to catch and reward his natural behaviors: e.g., teach a "bed" cue by watching for him to walk towards his dog bed, then toss treats on his bed praising with "good bed". Later, when he gets underfoot in the kitchen or too close to humans' foot path or furniture, happily cue (+ reward) him to "go to (his) bed", so he can watch humans from a safe distance.
One of our hounds took me two years to earn his trust in me.
He was also extremely wary of having paws handled, minor injuries inspected, etc. I snapped a photo to enlarge on a computer screen to inspect minor wounds more closely. His ears were very sensitive to touch, so we were careful to avoid pressing against them when taking a collar or muzzle on/off. Nail trims were done while he was standing up in a different room. One person fed non-stop treats through his muzzle while I trimmed nails (lit with a head-lamp to avoid cutting a quick).
That hound's thick, cushy dog beds were placed in a protected FAR corner, away from all human foot traffic paths, in all the rooms we use most.
No one was allowed near his dog beds, as these were considered his "dog safe space zones".
The golden dog rule: "Let resting dogs lie undisturbed". This is especially important for recently retired racing Greyhounds; they've never had their resting spaces intruded upon.
We waited for our hound to stand up and walk away from his bed before even attempting to pet him. This respectful human behavior allowed our hound to understand that he had a safe place in his own home, and he could trust humans to leave him alone until he was standing up and ready for attention.
We use baby-gates to help keep all our hounds safely separated and protected from visitors.
Growls should not be scolded. Dogs growl as their communication warning that they are feeling threatened. If scolded for a growl, they quickly learn to skip a growl and go directly to a bite to get their serious point across. Humans should respect a dog's growl by backing away from the dog.
If human needs to retrieve an unsafe item (bone, toy, etc.) from the dog, try the following distraction techniques:
1.) Go to another room, shake a treat bag, or drop a scoop of kibble in dog's bowl, or start an electric can opener, or squeak a favorite toy while happily calling the dog to you. When dog arrives, offer a high value meat treats, toy etc. Someone can quickly retrieve the unsafe item the dog left behind.
2.) If dog doesn't budge from the original room, toss a path of meat treats out of dog's reach, just far enough so dog has to stand up and walk away from the unsafe item (to go eat the special meat treats).
3.) Another option: If you can follow through with a real walk, etc., get a leash and happily call dog to go for a walk, or car ride, or whatever excites the dog most.
Once you remove the unsafe item from dog's reach (including if hes standing up on hind legs), be careful to avoid giving him any overly prized resource that he's likely to protect (no bones or rawhide, etc.). Teach "leave it" and "drop it" cues with low value items.
Above all, please do NOT dominately challenge a dog. Dominance has been decades long proven to increase aggression, and/or create aggression where there was no previous aggression in dogs. Any training with Greyhounds should be using positive reward-based techniques. No physical force/manipulations. (Run fast and far away from any so called dog trainers who follow Cesar M.)
When leash walking dogs, safest walking position is with dog's right shoulder next to human's left thigh (if in USA since pedestrians walk against traffic -- this position keeps dogs farthest away from street and cars). Keep leash short enough so dog is not tempted to walk in front of human, or criss-cross in front of human. Leash should be held short but with slack, so dog does not feel constant neck pressure from leash. It's fine to give dog longer leash when stopping to sniff or eliminate.
All that said, if you're not willing or able to hire a professional certified animal behaviorist (using only reward-based methods), I'd agree with others to seriously consider returning this Greyhound to his adoption group. Honestly, considering your limited information posted, a Greyhound might not be a best or most tolerant breed for your family.
I wish you a speedy recovery. Racing Greyhounds are reared so differently than pet dog breeds, Greys are not for everyone. Good luck with whatever you decide.
Eye Removal And Nge
in Health and Medical discussion
Posted
I don't recall hearing about other Greyhounds with NGE, but I've known Greyhounds with pannus that wasn't caught in time to treat before complete blindness occurred. Those hounds were able to adjust remarkably well to life without sight. Caregivers can make a blind dog's life easier by avoiding furniture changes in the home, keeping traffic pathways open, add rubber (baby) bumpers on hard edges of coffee tables, and if needed, build a simple ramp (with solid sides) for dogs to go outside to eliminate. I've had geriatric dogs who lost much/most of their sight, but it was easy to help guide them as needed.
Perhaps consider contacting one of the veterinary schools in a racing state like Florida or The Greyhound Health Initiative https://www.greyhoundhealthinitiative.org/contact-us/ to obtain another contact opinion prior to surgery. Also, it could be important for your surgeon to obtain a supply aminocaproic acid or tranexamic acid for Linden in case of excessive bleeding during surgery and/or within 5 days post surgery.
If you're able to post a close-up photo or two of Linden's eyes, it could help.
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