3greytjoys

I am so sorry for your loss. Godspeed your beautiful girl, Diamond.

My vet echoes jjng's message. Again, as long the dog is healthy without an underlying medical condition. After 4 years of pulling my hair out over one of our hound's lack of desire to eat, I try to feed a healthy, high calorie packed kibble. I do add water, especially at night when she's more likely to eat. Yes, there are days here and there that she completely skips all meals. Our higher calorie kibbles are 504 calories per cup and 468 cal. cup. She currently prefers a lamb and rice kibble (which probably has a stronger scent) at 430 calories per cup. They aren't particularly irresistible foods. I fed Wellness(?) puppy kibble but eventually went back to adult foods. I do change her kibble a couple of times a year, taking up to 4-6 weeks for a gradual change. Whatever the new food is generates more interest from her, even if I go back to the original food 6 months later... it becomes new again. Here's what I found with our low eater: She tends to skip meals until later in the evening. (I was told she may have eaten at night at her kennel but that was 4 years ago.) She needs to go potty before she eats. She eats less during hot weather. Her desire for food is reduced for a number of hours after exercise, even a walk (similar to people). That's fine since we're not supposed to feed 1 hour before or within 2 hours after hard exercise anyway (due to risk of bloat). She is the omega dog (last in our pack) and has severe separation anxiety. I don't know about Mafi's personality but for our girl, I've come to the conclusion that most of her eating challenges stem from being anxious. All the stars must line-up perfectly for her to feel comfortable to eat. I have to be sitting (relaxed) within her sight. All other hounds have to finish their food first and go back to sleep on their beds before she'll consider looking at her bowl. If she's in the mood to eat, great! She takes a few bites, then patrols the room for everyone's whereabouts, then goes back to eating. If she won't eat during that meal, the untouched soaked food is put in the refrigerator until the next meal time, then reheated. If another hound hovers near her full bowl she'll either eat or attempt to protect the bowl until I come remove it. I've also tried a high calorie gel substance from the vet, but didn't notice measurable weight gain. It was not a long term solution in our case. I think our girl has a super high metabolism on top of her anxiety. We've seen all her ribs ever since her adoption day almost 4 years ago, and no vets have found any medical problems in the past 3 years. (She arrived with nasal mites but those were treated successfully.) People who have dogs that do eat have no idea how fortunate they are!

Oh Robin, I am so very sorry about your sad and sudden loss of Phene. He was so fortunate to have lived out his life with you. I, too, am saddened that he wasn't able be with you longer. He will be missed and remembered by many. (Tears were flowing as I read your post.) In time, may your wonderful memories of Phene bring comfort to your aching heart. Godspeed Phoenix.

In our rare case, LP surgery isn't an option (combined with cancer and excessive bleeder). I just heard from another friend today whose dog (different large breed) just celebrated his one year anniversary of successful tie-back surgery. There are many others who have had success, but I understand you may wish to bypass that surgery. I am aware of "oxygen chambers" at E-Veterinary hospitals, and other tools and tips to try at home (mostly from an LP group forum noted in the following link). Here is a reply I wrote to another GT member recently. Hopefully, this link will help offer you more information. The LP group forum has every answer you can imagine: http://forum.greytal..._1?do=findComment&comment=4916439 Here is my original GT link about this topic: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/260111-laryngeal-paralysis-and-hemangiosarcoma/page__p__4662678__fromsearch__1?do=findComment&comment=4662678 Feel free to PM me if you'd like. I do have more information I can share with you.

That's heartbreaking, but It's so nice of you to take this little orphan in as your foster. After surgery, she'll likely be better off going outside for a short potty break alone. I walk 3 hounds quite smoothly on my left side. I keep them in a "heel" position by my thigh because I believe it's safer walking, and easier for me. It reduces the possibility of one hound crossing over in front, tripping me. I retain good control in case one hound gets excited about seeing a critter. I hold 2 adjustable leashes in the left hand and 1 leash in right hand. I prefer having males on longer leashes since they bulldoze their way to trees. If I walk 4 hounds, I have 2 on each side, all in a heel position until we stop for potty time, then it's whatever leash management I can keep straight! We walk more for exercise, and we only stop for sniffing and potty at certain points (usually away from neighbors' lawns). I will add that I don't hesitate to divide them up by their medical and energy levels, even if it means taking them out separately.

Yes, a sleep cycle regulator. I believe Melatonin tablets can affect people (and I assume dogs) differently. Following is a snippet from Web MD: "Melatonin does have side effects. But they will go away when you stop taking the supplement. Side effects may include: Sleepiness. Lower body temperature. Vivid dreams. Morning grogginess. Small changes in blood pressure. If melatonin makes you feel drowsy, do not drive or operate machinery when you are taking it." Full article link: http://www.webmd.com...atonin-overview

Most handsome boy! The shot angle of him with the ball looks like he could be a Greyhound Globetrotter trickster!

Welcome from the West Coast! We're happy you stumbled upon GT!

"No sign of metastases elsewhere" All things considered, that's good news. Let's hope the plump lymph node in her groin is limited to being reactive from the surgery. Please keep us posted. Good luck getting some weight put back on her and getting her surged area healed. Stella, and you all will remain in our positive thoughts.

I was cautioned by a vet to buy only "naturally derived" Melatonin for the hounds. (I give it occasionally for thunderphobic hounds.) It's used as a sleep aid for humans. 3 mg. is enough for grogginess to linger throughout much of the following day.

A warm GT welcome to Greydawg! We're glad you joined! Sure sounds like Alex loves his daddy! ( A comment below might help.) Dogs will continue to do whatever works for them. Some reluctant dogs are truly in pain, panic, or fear mode. Others are likely getting something out of their difficult behavior (like some children). Those dogs certainly benefit from your leadership. Behavior is secondary to any medical condition. You know your dog best. Greydawg: One of our hounds was handled by men for 5 years during his career. He was indifferent to women. During his first year in retirement, he adored his new daddy. If I needed this hound's attention for something important, I finally figured out that I needed to speak to him in a deeper "manly" voice. He basically ignored me before that! What an amazingly attentive response he gave me from that point forward! Years later, he a momma's boy. lol. Kathy, I hope you don't mind if I elaborate a bit for newbies with a similar problem... When a hound statues/freezes, my first response is to rub my finger across their paw pads to feel for any foreign body (glass, thorn, tree seed pods) and check for corns, cuts, etc. Then, I begin the exercises I posted previously. If the hound continues to stop in the same place on all walks, I begin jogging shortly before I get to the hound's stopping point. Hot summer temperatures heat up sidewalks and pavement very quickly. That can make a hound reluctant to walk. During warm weather, I put my hand down on the sidewalk or pavement to test the temperature before expecting my hounds to walk. (We don't walk mid-day, only early or late when cooler.) I'm careful not to stand around chatting with others too long. I've seen hounds (especially after a Meet and Greet) lifting up their burning paws when their owner was unaware of the scalding hot pavement. New hounds off the track have very tender paw pads. If they are walked too far/too long before their pads toughen up, their pads can be worn down very quickly and take a long time (without walks) to heal. If you have trouble seeing a problem, it helps to wet the pad to look more closely with a flashlight. Kathy, KsFrets' suggestion to get more hounds is easy: Fostering hounds is usually free! However, if there weren't enough hounds at Dewey to help keep Tequila moving! I just wonder if deep corns were still bothering her, or like you wrote, now she's just used to being treated like a queen. lol. Hopefully, others will offer additional exercises to help work through this behavior. A "search" within GT might help too.

You might try mixing up her routine. Try starting her walk from the opposite direction (if possible). If she stops at the same place from the opposite direction, it could be true fear at that point, even if something happened long ago. To help determine if she's still having paw pain on hard surfaces, try taking her to a park (or track bordered by grass) where her entire walks are limited to soft grass. (If she tries to bee-line it early towards the car, she might feel other pain in her body during walks.) Keep your communication excitedly happy and positive. I understand how frustrating it can be but try to keep good patience. Greys are so sensitive that they shut down quickly with unhappy communication. Try keeping an eye on where her head and eyes are pointed and what her tail is doing. Watch closely for what she might be trying to tell you. They are usually trying to communicate something and we humans need to figure out what it could be. Good luck and keep us posted.

Assuming there is no other medical reason. What is her body language doing when she stops? Have you tried driving to a different place to walk, and does she do the same? After 2 years you've probably tried most of these tips... Speed up your walks and teach her to heel right next to your thigh vs. giving her full range of her leash. When she tries to stop, try turning around to walk her fast in the opposite direction, and/or circle her several times (fast) then walk fast/jog her beyond that point. Don't encourage her to watch critters by stopping yourself to allow it in other places. Take high value treats or a squeaky toy on walks to distract and help her get moving. Change your walking route to see if something has scared her at certain points in her regular route. Find another local Greyhound owner to join you on some walks. Having another hound in front might help.

Welcome to the wonderful world of Greyhounds! I agree re: a good book to read prior to adoption: Retired Racing Greyhounds For Dummies, by Lee Livingood. You might try Amazon, there are other greyt books available also. Good luck and have fun with your future new hound/s!

I'm so very sorry about Stella's diagnosis. I like the layman's content on the following site of the more common canine and feline cancers with which we've dealt. The cystadenocarcinoma cancer they have listed is "renal cystadenocarcinoma." Might be different since you didn't mention renal(?), but might be something to ask the oncologist. If you have any interest in reading it, please continue scrolling and reading through the full page of text (skip ads in the middle). Click on next pages at page bottom. (You can close the annoying pop-up box too.) http://www.petplace....dogs/page1.aspx

We were able to bring in a 4th hound as smoothly as butter (however, the 4th was our brood mom's retired offspring). Our mix is 3 females and 1 male, all of whom are good with other hounds. The age span is 4 years difference between our 2 youngest hounds, and they have a blast playing with each other! Our brood is a perfectly tolerant mom hound. She and her baby girl are very closely bonded (two peas in a pod!). I am particularly careful to be "fair" with everything from food, attention, walks, etc. Good luck with your new addition!

One of our hounds is currently suffering from terminal, aggressive Hemangiosarcoma Cancer which is known to be caused by excessive sun exposure. She was almost 7 y.o. at adoption, and the excessive sun exposure would have occurred in her earlier life. She's always had a very full, thick body of fur (brindle with white). She's never had any balding. She has the thickest fur of any of our hounds. There are many different canine and feline cancers caused by excessive sun. Unfortunately, clouds do not block harmful rays. Per www.PetPlace.com: "Minimize your pet's exposure to the sun, especially for dogs that are poorly pigmented and have a sparse haircoat. Hemangiosarcoma of the skin can be caused by excessive exposure to the sun."

Holding treats with my teeth (like pieces of low fat string cheese) and doing figure 8's or unexpected starts, stops and turns worked well to keep their attention on me and keep them in a very close to thigh heel position. One of my hounds does a glued-to-my-leg heel frequently (even indoors) simply responding to affectionate praise. There are probably better methods but that's worked well for my dogs.

Carol is beautiful!! (She reminds me of my senior heart boy.) Great job getting her picture posted so quickly!

I am so sorry for your loss. My heart completely breaks for you... Godspeed Ramm.

Welcome from the West Coast! I'm so sorry to read you lost your first hound last January. My heart goes out to you. So glad you have your special senior girl, Carol. Yes, we love pictures...

It sounds like you already bought and tried 3 mg. Melatonin (maybe last night?). It's hard to say what reduced her interest in food this AM. Stress could certainly be a factor. Not sure if she appeared groggy with her reduced appetite. (I give hounds a light kibble bedtime snack, and I give food before giving meds. One of our girls is sensitive about eating when there are household changes. She'll skip breakfast and wait until dinner to eat.) There are a number of discomforts Pixie could have re: the A/C. The vibration (as you mentioned), the loud noise (dogs' sense of hearing is greatly magnified compared to humans), cold breeze circulating over/on her. I'd let her sleep where she feels comfortable and safe for at least the next week or so. Crated, baby-gated or ex-pen downstairs for her safety. She'll still hear the new A/C unit upstairs but will be able to get more used to the noise over time without being a few feet away from it in the same room. Greys are sensitive to temperature changes and it might get too cold for her too. As mentioned, if she follows you around a lot, she might follow you into the bedroom when you're getting ready in the AM. Eventually, when she goes back in the bedroom to sleep, if there's room for her crate, covering the back half of her crate with a sheet/quilt might help her feel more protected from the A/C unit for the first couple of weeks. Many hounds love the cave-like feeling of a crate. I'm not sure when you adopted Pixie, or where you are located, but if you haven't contacted your local Greyhound group yet, that would be a great step for one-on-one support. They'll likely be able to help with more information to help Pixie feel more confident in general, help with car ride tips, help her trust you when you have items in your hand, etc. It often helps if people move slowly, and don't make direct eye contact with the dog. Good to approach a dog from the side, and to pet her on her side, or shoulder (instead of head-on from the front). Good to search more specific topics here too. A couple of our girls (and fosters) were on the shy side early on...You'd never believe that now!

I'm not a veterinarian but I was told by a vet to find Melatonin that is naturally derived. (One example: "Nature Made" brand is naturally derived and easily available in CA.) As with most drugs, it's good to use the least amount that works for your hound's needs. You might try one 3 mg. tablet first to see how Pixie handles Melatonin. An average 60# to 75# hound can usually tolerate 6 mgs. without a problem. Be careful of your timing. It takes about 30 minutes to kick in. (Melatonin is frequently used for thunderphobic hounds.) Melatonin may help get your pup through the first few nights, but a better long term solution is to work through the program "Giselle" posted. She's right on target, and that method handles the root issue, paying particular attention to not pushing too fast, staying below your hound's fear threshold. Good luck with your new girl, Pixie. It will take some time to adjust to home life, but she'll improve with your gentle care and understanding. I bet she'll reward you tenfold.

Good question. I am sorry to read about these hounds (the OP's and the others in this thread). My positive thoughts are with you and your hounds for a long, comfortable life. We never found a dermal hemangiosarcoma on my girl after her late retirement. She did have a subcutaneous hemangiosarcoma removed last year. Margins were not clear. I've been sooo worried about her... I thought she wasn't going to live more than a few weeks to 1 (or 2) months max. To complicate matters, she also has advanced laryngeal paralysis, and a bleeding disorder. As of today, she's still very much alive, happy, and still appears comfortable (re: the cancer) almost ten months later. (Currently, her LP is much more restrictive than the cancer.) My point, in retrospect: I wish I had avoided the stressful mindset of her meeting her demise so soon. I absolutely feel that remaining alert to skin changes and seeking rapid medical attention is critically important. I simply wish I hadn't been so stressed and worried. Treasuring every day, absolutely yes, just like with every hound. However, the past ten months could have been much more pleasurable had I looked at her as living rather than dying. Please try not to worry about your hounds too much, stay alert, but enjoy their lives.

Jane, I'm so sorry to read about Twistmas' difficult medical condition. May you treasure each day with your girl. She's fortunate to have you as her devoted mom. You'll both remain in our thoughts during this difficult time.