3greytjoys

Wow, 6 cups of food is a lot. If I may ask, what is Bu's weight? Can you see the last 2 ribs and feel the 3rd to last rib? (That's what I've read is a general healthy weight for a pet Greyhound.) I haven't looked up TOTW's calorie count lately, but there are some other healthy foods that are a higher caloric content that could reduce Bu's stool quantity, and remain an excellent stool firmer. Less goes in = less comes out. One mid caloric range food we have is 430 calories per cup. Snippets from that food's feeding chart: 140 pound dog = 5 cups 90 pound dog = 4 cups 60 pound dog = 3 cups (Full chart increments of 10 pounds.) Another food is 510 calories per cup 140 pound dog = 4.5 cups Even when I'm trying to add weight to a new foster, I rarely exceed 4 cups of food from yet a different brand which is 468 calories per cup. Might be interesting to take a look at TOTW's caloric content per cup, and their feeding chart on the bag to see what they recommend for an adult dog at Bu's most healthy weight. I hope Bu doesn't have a medical problem. Good luck!

I am so very sorry Roselle. My heart skipped a beat when I saw this post about Grace, and my eyes filled with tears. Godspeed your beloved Grace...

Our hounds are crazy responsive to squawkers too. As another poster mentioned, we also keep a small squawker in the car's glove compartment. We take small and large squawkers when we travel, and we keep them handy for volunteering for lost Greyhound searches. Here, we don't squawk ours on purpose because we want to save them in case of an emergency escape. Our treat rewards at home are not nearly as exciting as their racing training rewards were, so I don't want to de-condition the hounds from that valuable training. Even though they haven't heard a squawker for years, they don't forget that sound... The other day, I dropped one in the garage by mistake and all the hounds nearly knocked the door down to get into the garage! As soon as I opened the door, one hound was standing up on her hind legs searching me from head to toe, while the others were eagerly bouncing behind her. Poor things were very disappointed that I was empty-handed. We do blow a whistle to train our hounds to "come" for special treats, and whenever we're going for a ride to a highly exciting doggie destination. A whistle can be tried in an emergency recall outside too, but a whistle doesn't work nearly as well as a squawker for a loose hound in a real emergency.

Any time there is a change in dog food, it's good to make a gradual change over 4-6 weeks. Then try to stick with the same food for at least 4-6 months to allow the hound time to adjust to the new food. Many dogs' systems don't adjust well to frequent changes. Transitioning from Original Kibble to New Kibble: Week One: 75% Original dry kibble with 25% New dry kibble. Week Two: 50% Normal dry kibble with 50% New dry kibble. Week Three: 25% Normal dry kibble with 75% New dry kibble. Week Four: 100% New dry kibble.

Oh no, I am so very sorry about Gracy's diagnosis. Here are a couple of links that might shed more insight. If there are any smokers in the house, it would be good to keep her far away from smoke with her breathing trouble. http://www.caninecancer.com/lung.html This is a good article about dogs' quality of life. Please keep scrolling down the page to read the full article. (There are ads that break up the body of the article.) http://www.petplace.com/dogs/understanding-quality-of-life-issues/page1.aspx Our thoughts are with you and Gracy. We are living with a hound with cancer too. We can try our best to manage their comfort, and value every moment with them until their disease becomes too much for them.

I'm so sorry you are going through this with Gracy. The only thing I can add is please try to call your vet's office as soon as they open on Monday morning. Some vets and their staff are so busy they may not get to their email first thing in the morning (or even that day). Positive thoughts are with you and Gracy.

Much excellent advice has been posted already in this thread. Here are a couple other ideas. Dogs often need their own dog-friendly, safe outlet for chewing. I'd recommend this specific Durachew by Nylabone below. Here is my snippet from another recent thread: " The safest Nylabone we've found for Greyhounds is the hard "Durachew," Bacon flavor, Souper size. Bonus: Greyt to help keep the teeth cleaner. (NOT the flexible gummy Nylabones that can break apart creating a choking hazard.) Our hounds prefer the fist with arm shape Durachew, which may be safer than others. Without question, BACON is our hounds' favorite flavor. I can smell bacon too. (Chicken flavor is okay but definitely not as desired by our pack, nor can I smell any chicken scent.) Durachew by Nylabone, Bacon flavor: http://www.entirelyp...dchwbcnfls.html " If interested in reading the GT thread, here is a link to "Safe Chew Toys or Bones": http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/274834-safe-chew-toys-or-bones/page__p__4986337__hl__%2Bchew+%2Btoys__fromsearch__1#entry4986337 "Bitter Yuck" spray may help. (Read directions for use and spot test a hidden area first.)

I agree with Batmom re: embracing the baldness. I do understand the feeling of wanting hounds to grow more fur, one of our hounds is much more bald than most other hounds. He tests healthy for Greyhounds, and has never grown a full body of fur (years). During winter, he gets a few extra small tufts, but that's the best we've ever gotten. I do give our hounds Melatonin for limited, heightened anxiety occasions (e.g. before fireworks). Personally, I would not give any drug/medication (including herbal) without a specific medical requirement, especially long-term. All medications have effects and side effects. I don't recall seeing any long-term studies on the use of Melatonin in Greyhounds, or other breeds. Among other effects, one of the side effects of Melatonin is drowsiness. I wouldn't want my dog to feel drowsiness on a daily basis from non-medically necessary treatments. The following is a snippet post from GTer "jjng" on June 12, 2011 addressing the use of Melatonin: --Quote by jjng in from a Bald Butt... thread --- "Melatonin is not a completely safe supplement. It's a hormone that is naturally produced by the brain and interacts with other hormones in the body. In healthy individuals, I believe that the brain/body systems are fully capable of regulating their own hormone production, and better able to do so and keep things balanced without outside influence. When we start supplementing with hormones that may not really be needed, we could potentially throw things out of balance and cause problems that weren't there before. Here's an article about use of Melatonin in humans. I couldn't find any veterinary articles that were as comprehensive, so there may be some differences in details, but as a natural hormone, most of the info likely applies the same to either species. I personally wouldn't supplement with a hormone that might have other effects on the body for a purely cosmetic reason. I'd consider Melatonin for anxiety problems, which affect the dog's quality of life. However, I know that many have had good results with it for BTS, so I wouldn't strongly discourage anyone who wanted to try it either." --End quote by jjng--- This is just IMO, but if anyone has been giving Melatonin long-term and wishes to stop, please ask your vet if it needs to be tapered off slowly vs. cold turkey. (I've never researched that specific question.)

Below is a link to the outstanding on-line source that helped me diagnose our hound with nasal mites. I entered her top symptoms in the search box and voila... I had my diagnosis and treatment. We did the Ivermectin treatments. First one at the new vet's office, and I did all following treatments at home -- easy, easy, easy!! This, after my girl went through many months (and maybe previous years) of suffering!! http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/121603.htm&word=nasal%2cmites ETA: My girl had some daily reverse sneezing, clear runny nose, major lack of interest in food (she couldn't smell food well enough to become interested in eating). I don't recall noticing much blood, but that could point to nasal mites also. Although, it's possible for nasal mites to spread, fortunately, our other hounds never showed any symptoms of nasal mites.

A pill gun is the best $2. ever spent. I use this type with great success for difficult cats and hounds: http://www.entirelypets.com/pillgun.html

I've never been bitten by any Greyhounds (our own or fosters). I find most hounds quite docile and more tolerant than many dogs when their space is respected. We have a senior hound that has always warned of biting during nail trimming, so he gets muzzled and his human dad feeds him non-stop high value treats while I trim nails. We have others that are unusually highly affectionate and frequently approach us to bury their heads in our laps (sometimes almost pushing us over). Nothing phases those hounds. One hound has very mild sleep aggression so we steer clear of her when she's sleeping. I did have a severely life-threatening large dog bite to the head from a DIFFERENT needle-nose breed as a child. Dog was sleeping in car, and the opening of the car's back door awakened him. He lunged and aggressively attacked in one instant. Also as a child, I witnessed one large dog kill another large dog over a bone (each dog had their own bone but one dog wanted both bones). My personal general rules of thumb for my behavior around most dogs: (There are exceptions within our own family pack who have lived together for years and know us well.) Always Let Sleeping Dogs Lie. (Especially Greyhounds who never had anyone scare them awake by getting right in their faces during in their years in racing kennels. They hear plenty of kennel noise to awaken them long before their crate door is opened in their pre-adoption life. Their crate is their safe place, best to respect their private personal space.) Avoid leaning over a dog. (It is a highly dominant behavior in dog language.) Avoid getting directly in a dog's face, and don't lock eyes. Look away often. Safer to approach from side to pet a shoulder before petting head area. My affectionate attention towards any dog is fairly brief, and I am constantly watching their cues. I stop giving attention before they feel uncomfortable. Thus, the need for more Greyhounds in the family! Took a year or so for our most reserved boy to feel comfortable with brief kisses on the head or cheek. When he begins to feel uncomfortable he will turn his head away, yawn, or lick his lips. That's when I stop giving him attention for a while. If he approaches me, he will hug me and is affection tolerance is longer. If I don't back away first, he can walk away when he's had enough. BTW, if anyone needs to break up a dog fight inside - good to grab a high-back chair to turn sideways as a shield between the dogs faces, or other wooden or solid divider (even an oversize pull-out cutting board). Whatever allows you to keep yourself at a safe distance. Do not stick your arms in the middle of a dog fight. If you're outside, a high pressure of water from a hose can help.

If you don't have a pill gun, it might help(?). I use this type with outstanding success for cats and hounds: http://www.entirelypets.com/pillgun.html I do have a hound with advanced LP but without the hind-end weakness. There are many others on the following LP forum that have experience with hind-end weakness associated with LP: Subscribe:LP-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or List owner:LP-owner@yahoogroups.com I was given liquid Torbugesic to inject in a dire LP breathing crisis. (Emergency only to relax her enough to get her to the ER for euthanasia.) Hopefully, one of the GT members who is a veterinarian will see and respond to your post. I agree that any required car rides should be limited to very early in the AM (Although, we don't know your state.) If you end up exploring tie-back surgery for Allie, finding a Board Certified Surgeon with whom to consult would be necessary. My heart goes out to you and Allie.

One of our hounds is super thin (exactly like you described). I've been trying to entice her to eat more for four years. She was 3 years old when she arrived. Vets have said there is nothing wrong medically, some dogs are just thinner than others naturally. (Not the answer I wanted to hear.) She's not losing pounds, she's just never gained enough to cover ANY ribs. I do believe our girl has a much higher metabolism than our other Greys. I've tried everything (including puppy foods). She limits her own quantity. Problem is if I do any short-term addition (like satin balls) to add a little weight for a week or so, it doesn't last because she'd have to eat it on-going. (Satin balls are too high in fat to be safe long-term.) Good to stick with a super high calorie, nutrient rich kibble long-term that your girl will eat. Warming kibble in the microwave slightly helps release food scent which often helps entice them to eat. Our girl was "reverse sneezing" a lot during her first 5-6 months. Local vets couldn't diagnose it. I finally diagnosed it myself: Nasal mites. (They're not common in CA.) We were finally able to treat successfully, and I believe she regained her scenting ability. After four years of pulling my hair out trying to entice her to eat, I've relaxed and just let her eat the quantity of kibble she desires. She does have an instinct to eat more about every 3 days, similar to a wolf in the wild. I jump on that opportunity by adding more kibble to her bowl on those nights. Our girl runs away from breakfast, but will eat late at night. I hope your girl has a better appetite. BTW, it's always a good idea to have a fecal test run, just in case her last fecal was taken during an "in between stage" of worm development, or if she has drunk from any natural outside water source - puddle, creek, lake, bird bath, flower pot, river, or pond that contains Giardia. A food sensitivity could show up in skin problems, a rash, excessive scratching, vomiting or diarrhea, etc. If stools don't firm up enough on TOTW, you could try CA Natural Lamb and Rice. 430 calories per cup. That food hardens up stools better than many, and it is on Whole Dog Journal's list of recommended foods 2011. (Innova is 504 calories per cup but has more ingredients, and doesn't have the same stool hardening result. TOTW may taste better to the dog than Innova, but I don't recall it's caloric count.) Good luck! I certainly empathize with you!

BTW, watch where you place your important mail... Many Greyhounds enjoy shredding any paper or magazines within reach! Shredded paper is sometimes used for bedding in Greyhound kennels so they are very comfortable with it.

Welcome to GreyTalk! Thanks for asking this excellent question! Here are my top 3 choices for Greyhounds. All for different reasons. The safest Nylabone we've found for Greyhounds is the hard "Durachew," Bacon flavor, Souper size. Bonus: Greyt to help keep the teeth cleaner. (NOT the flexible gummy Nylabones that can break apart creating a choking hazard.) Our hounds prefer the fist with arm shape Durachew, which may be safer than others. (No fractures here with our hounds or fosters.) Without question, BACON is our hounds' favorite flavor. I can smell bacon too. (Chicken flavor is okay but definitely not as desired by our pack, nor can I smell any chicken scent.) Durachew by Nylabone, Bacon flavor: http://www.entirelyp...dchwbcnfls.html I like Tuffie Toys best as a durable, softer "play" toy. I've never had to throw one away. They last for years! Our Greyhounds' favorite size is the "Ultimate Series" which is #9 (of 10) on the toy's "toughness scale:" Tuffie's informative link with pictures: http://www.tuffietoy...m/ultimate-ring (Toughness #10 toys are larger and heavier, maybe better for giant dogs like Mastiffs or extremely mouth-strong dogs.) We have a #10 Tuffie Toy, but all the #9 "Ultimate" size toys get played with much more frequently on a daily basis. Tuffie Toy's are also well-priced at Entirely Pets (less descriptive link): http://www.entirelyp...ffyringred.html I agree re: Kongs being excellent to stuff with peanut butter, and other dog safe goodies (even their kibble) to help keep a Greyhound busy, especially during alone training. Caution: If you consider Bully Sticks, please very careful. Our top Veterinary Emergency Hospital actually sold them for a limited time, but they were pulled from the shelf due to excessive choking and intestinal blockages. You may already know this, but please do NOT give Greyhounds tennis balls for two reasons: 1. Tennis balls are easily chewed into pieces and ingested, causing intestinal blockages. 2. Greyhounds' mouths are so large, a tennis ball can get wedged into the throat choking a Greyhound to death. Have fun with your new hound! Greyhounds are the best ever!

Our hounds do too. No matter what food our hounds are on, some will vomit bright yellow stomach bile when they go too long without food. That stain is worse than poop. Many high quality kibbles require less quantity of kibble per pound of body weight. A higher nutrition packed calorie of food may help. Our current multiple varieties of kibble range from 350 calories per cup up to 510 calories per cup. The ingredients have a lot to do with results. The lower 350 calorie food usually = larger quantity of food required per meal = larger quantity poop, and higher overall cost to feed each dog. Everyone should read their dog's food bag to ensure feeding proper amount per dog.

A bit of a different spin from "medical" empathy behavior, but when our brood mom's 2 year old daughter joined our family, she often roamed the house collecting bath mats, towels, etc. to "gift" only to her own canine mother. It made no difference that there were always other Greyhounds in the house, nor did it matter where her mom was lying down. Daughter always found her momma. This happened for many months and occasionally still happens. Great reading these empathy stories, and see everyone's amazing pictures.

Excellent, I'm glad to read this. You are right, since this is a public forum, many people new to dogs and Greyhounds read (and learn from) GT.

Awww, congratulations on your boy!!! Looks like you landed a greyt and well-loved boy!!!

No hounds are allowed on human furniture here. Just to share our reasons: it's not only because it's nice to keep some human areas undamaged and leaving space open for human use. Most importantly, "some" hounds can become possessive of "their" resting/sleeping space. This elevates a hound to your resting space, and your face / head level. This can raise the dog's perceived level in the family "pack". Not good to get up in the middle of the night only to have a growling, snapping large-mouth hound not letting a person get back in bed, or not letting a human sit on the only sofa in a room. If your hound happens to have sleep aggression, awakens from a dream biting whatever is close, your head could become the target before the hound realizes (or cares) that it's you. It never hurts to wait at least 6 months for a newly retired hound to settle into their new environment in a family home (1 month is not long enough to settle IMO) before inviting them on human furniture. Your hound still has a lot more of her temperament to reveal. This extra time allows new owners to watch their hound's personality unfold, can help the hound learn family pack levels, and to be respectful of the humans before letting them on furniture. Many retired racing Greyhounds' personalities are very slow to blossom, we see a variety of changes in Greyhounds within the first 2-3 years (mostly positive). I know many people have no problems with hounds on furniture, but many people DO have problems and later regret it. It becomes even more important if children are ever the house, or if they are expected in the coming years. "Let sleeping dogs lie." I don't mean to scare you, this is simply a safety caution to consider with all dogs. Edited to add - Congratulations on your new girl!! Greyhounds are truly the best ever!!

I agree with Batmom re: using treat as reward. I have used the method described in the highly respected site of the late, Kathleen Gilley for decades. It has worked for my other breeds, and for some of our Greyhounds and foster hounds, but I have had some Greyhounds for whom I would not try that that method. I would have been bitten by some less trusting hounds. That's why I prefer my method below which works with the Greyhound's daily natural movements, and rewarding with a treat for that movement.

You were lucky. Actually, dogs certainly will bite a person's body who comes between them! Much safer to grab a high-back chair (or any other preferably solid divider, or extra large cutting board, etc.) to flip over to create a shield between the dogs' faces. Use whatever object will allow you to keep yourself at a safe distance. Avoid sticking arms into the middle of a dog fight. If possible, try to avoid pulling the dog's tail or legs because the dog usually turns back towards the person and is still in full attack mode. I stopped 2 Greyhounds from fighting (while hounds were standing up on their hind legs like bears) by using something as small as a 1' wooden step stool turned sideways between their faces. As mentioned before, if you're outside, a high pressure of water squirted from a hose often helps break things up, or a pooper scooper placed between the dogs. If you're with a large pack of dogs outside, if one dog begins yelping, BEFORE things escalate, everyone should act immediately to remove the yelper from the enclosure (before the pack attacks) and remove every dog ASAP. Feed dogs separately. Two large dogs (who resided together for years) were eating their own private bone each in their yard. One dog decided he wanted BOTH his bone and his brother's bone. He killed his canine brother for that bone!!

When you leave the house, don't leave downstairs windows fully open. A male dog wouldn't hesitate to charge through a window screen or door screen.

I agree with Greysmom. I assume these accidents started suddenly in the new apartment. When dogs are feeling anxious, often they physically can't hold their urine as well as when they are relaxed in their long known comfortable environment. A move away from their old home is a major change even though their family is the same. You didn't mention how often she goes outside to potty, but I'd suggest being careful to increase her daytime potty outings to every 2 to 3 hours, and much sooner after meals and water - within approx. 15 minutes. Always make sure she goes potty right before you leave her alone, even if she just went 1 hour earlier. Dogs are much like very young children and it will take some time for her to realize that she's not going to be left alone forever by her parents in a strange new place. I second the Kong plan for your departures too. Good luck.

I am so very sorry for your loss of your beloved boy, Andy. What a blessing that he had these months with you this year... I hope he was escorted to heaven by his beloved angel sister. Godspeed Andy...