3greytjoys
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Posts posted by 3greytjoys
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Although I haven't studied salmon oil mercury levels in dogs, I'd agree with the nutritionist on both counts. Saturated fats also cause pancreatitis in dogs.
The American Heart Association and other medical organizations discourage coconut oil because it's a saturated fat.
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Oh, that's sweet about Charley watching neighboring dogs pass by his house. I'm so glad you captured that photo. It's a lovely memorial of him.
I'm so glad Skyler is still part of your family. I hope she'll be able to adjust okay without Charley. Positive thoughts for your entire family during this difficult transition.
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I'm so deeply sorry for your shockingly heartbreaking loss of Cindy. She was clearly a very special girl, and was fortunate to have had her last year and a half feeling so well loved.
Thank you for sharing your lovely memorial with us. May her spirit remain forever close at heart.
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Good news, X-ray is clear. More then just clear. Everything looks first rate including the portion of spine that was captured. The vet simply could not get a pain response. Tried everything.
Just a thought: I wonder if Honor might have had some pain medication still working in his system which might have masked some of his pain during the vet's physical exam.
Great news that his X-ray was clear! Yea!
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The increased size of nodules must have been very difficult news to hear. I'm so sorry. You and Taylor have already been through so much together. Your devoted loving support will help him more than ever now. Wishing you and Taylor as much comfortable time as possible.
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Charley by Craig Brewer, on FlickrI'm so sorry for your heartbreaking loss of Charley. What a huge void he must have left after being part of your family for 12 years.
I especially love this photo of Charley. Do you recall what caught his interest outside of the window?
I enjoyed seeing your photos of Charley and Brandee. Do you still have Skye?
Our heartfelt thoughts are with you. May Charley's spirit remain close in your heart.
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Agree re: fecal test for worms.
One of our hounds suffers from a loud tummy if she doesn't eat enough during the day or night. If she goes too long between meals, she's less likely to eat the next meal because of now empty and upset tummy.
We keep yummy canned meat dog food as a special meal emergency back-up, which she usually devours since it's a rare treat.
Typically, our hounds eat breakfast, dinner, and a small portion of dinner at bedtime. Sometimes they need a mid-day snack too.
Please try to avoid allowing your hound to eat grass. Grass blades and/or sharp grass seeds or foxtails can cause problems moving through a dog's system. Also, most landscape grasses are treated with toxic chemical weed killers, insecticides, fertilizers, etc.
Good luck with Lily.
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Could it possibly be early onset of laryngeal paralysis? I went through this with Percy. Caught it soon enough that he did not need the tie back surgery. He was put on doxepin (also mentioned in the attached video). Might be worth trying a doxepin Rx for a week. Inexpensive and given twice a day. I could tell when it was time for another dose.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfwYgGdxWEQ
I wondered about LP too but early onset would be more difficult for GoingGrey to recognize.
(BTW, the vet in the video grabbing and pulling that poor Labrador's collar from the side was choking him further by cutting off his paralyzed airway! One of the worst things for LP dogs is wearing a collar, or having any other pressure on their throat from clothing or petting etc.)
GoingGrey: In addition to taking a video of Jammer during a coughing episode for your vet to see, it could be very helpful for us to see also. I've had two Greyhounds with LP and each one presented symptoms slightly differently. Laryngeal paralysis was the diagnosis to which I referred in post #4 above.
ETA: Dark red (or purplish) gums/tongue can also be a sign of increasing temperature while trying to breathe in oxygen during an LP flare up. Bluish gums/tongue are a lack of oxygen emergency.
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Since you mentioned apples, I'll just add to please be careful to avoid offering apple seeds, which are toxic to dogs. Not sure of your time zone, but a call to your vet before closing time could help. Please mention her overnight restlessness to your vet; her tramadol and/or gabapentin may need to be adjusted. Positive healing thoughts for Katie Bugs.
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If he's avoiding all his beds, he is clearly uncomfortable. I would take him in for X-rays ASAP. I do not walk hounds who are limping in pain, as that usually exacerbates their problems. IME, limps require rest. Considering his excessive exercise for a recently adopted 7 year old senior, It could be over usage or many other treatable possibilities. Please try not to assume osteo. until you have proof. If it happens to be osteo., he would need more complete pain medications ASAP.
Honor is in our positive healing thoughts.
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Congratulations on your long awaited adoption of Shiloh! Best wishes for a long, happy life together. 
ETA: How to post a picture: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/121707-how-to-post-a-picture/
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to GreyTalk!
Congratulations on your recent adoption of Vesper Lynd! Dark brindles are beautiful. Wishing you many happy, healthy years together.
ETA: How to post a picture: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/121707-how-to-post-a-picture/
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Our Greyhound was successfully treated for a heavy nasal mite infestation upon retirement almost ten years ago. The ivermectin treatments worked very well, and no side effects were noticed. Previously, she had been miserable from the nasal mite infestation, which also damaged her sense of smell, which negatively affected her interest in food. Ivermectin was a welcome treatment which resulted in her full recovery.
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Great relief!
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I'd vote earthworms from your photos also. Interestingly, CA has had so much rain this winter that earthworms are climbing up to higher ground to avoid drowning. They're finding their own way into homes through cracks in doorways, etc.
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Thanks for your promising update. Please don't hesitate to post questions. Retired racing Greyhounds are different from other breeds -- all questions are good questions. Many people experience similar situations, so your posts could help other readers too.
Please let us know how it goes with the other dog. Good luck!
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Nice to see your reply.
Yes, I agree with adding a runner rug type floor mat ASAP. Weather safe outdoor rug material manufactured with non-slip rubber backing is available to cut from rolls at home improvement stores. Cut to length depending on the length of slippery floor space. Thereafter, you may not need counter-conditioning through that space. It's nice when counter-conditioning works for slippery floors, but many, many Greyhounds are uneasy walking on smooth floors. It's common for them to long remember if they've had a slip/fall before, especially scary when their paws are wet after a walk. Their fear reaction is real with good reason. Slippery floors can be dangerous enough to break long greyhound legs, or worse. Good luck and please let us know how it goes. -
I'm so sorry for your terribly sad loss of your beloved Nattie. Our caring thoughts are with you through this difficult time.
Godspeed sweet Nattie.
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Why a greyhound is a dog breed I'm interested in? Their cuddly and couch potato reputation...
...the cuddle part is going to be a very important thing when I look for the dog. I just really need that. I love to cuddle and snuggle with the dogs.
Helps to keep in mind that racing Greyhounds are bred to be professional athletes. They are not reared in family homes, and have no experience being a cuddly pet.
They are accustomed to having their own private and undisturbed space. That undisturbed space becomes more important when racing Greyhounds are suddenly removed from the only life they've known, and dropped into what feels like a scary alien planet. Humans leaning over to pet, or attempting to hug/cuddle dogs is considered threatening behavior in canines' language. If adopting a Greyhound, I'd encourage you to not allow the hound on human furniture for the first 6+ months, and to wait until the Greyhound stands up and walks away from his/her dog bed before petting. Most important is for humans to focus on respectfully earning a dog's trust; then allowing enough time for the hound to reveal their true temperament, and potential desire for touch.
There are some Greyhounds who are medically limited to a lifetime of walking exercise only, which might be a nice option to consider.
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Will Ruby "get it" that this puppy is our family too, or is it possible she will see it as prey forever, if she is prone to thinking that way ?
I am wondering about turning them both out into the yard to play ?
How long do muzzles stay on ?
At what point will I know it is safe ?
No idea what to watch for. Ruby doesn't run around much any more, but will make an occasional loop.
What is Ruby's racing name?
If your adoption group is located nearby, consider asking them to provide a small, fluffy dog test for Ruby at your house (or their location, if needed).
Otherwise, Ruby's reaction to a young, fluffy, highly active, toy-like intruder in her own long-established house/family is unpredictable in advance. She might be fine with a small dog, or not. It could take work, but "small animal friendly" or "small animal workable hounds" usually learn to view small animals inside the house as family members, eventually.
It's possible Ruby might view a cat-sized fluffy dog as prey throughout her life, but if she's not highly prey driven chances for peace improve.
(All of our hounds are cat-friendly, yet our 15 year old hound still attempts to chase our 8 year old indoor cat.)
As the adage goes: Whenever Greyhounds are outside = game on!! It's like their sighthound chase-to-hunt prey instinct switches on inside their head. Any small animals outside could be at high risk including family cats or small dogs. Adopters with cats/small animals are cautioned to not let their hounds outside at the same time with small animals.
Even if Ruby were muzzled for every yard outing, the force of her size/body weight or zoomie/race propulsion could cause her to trip over or crush a small, darting dog causing both dogs significant harm. Some people get lucky with unusually gentle Greyhounds playing with small dogs who've lived together for a long time, but the accident potential remains, as does switching from play to prey.
Our rule is that all dogs must be basket muzzled whenever there is more than one dog in an outside enclosure large enough to run/play. (I'll never forget a young teen with a small puppy mistakenly entering a fenced enclosure during a "Greyhounds only" event. The instant she put the puppy on the ground, puppy yelped once (like a squeaky toy), and 18-20 Greyhounds FLEW from the opposite side of the enclosure to descend on that pup within 2-3 seconds.)
I'd treat small puppy safety similarly to kitten safety -- whenever Ruby and pup are supervised and roaming free in same room together, muzzle until you're sure Ruby won't chase or lose her cool with the puppy. It could take weeks, months or longer. Don't leave them free in same room together if unsupervised.
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Great stuff here. I'll second (or third) the advice about getting the puppy smell on a fabric first, and the introducing the dogs outside for the first time, and the x-pen or other means of confining the pup to a limited area (good advice for a pup alone even).
You may also want to gradually (and sneakily) reduce the number of toys and bones that may be laying around the house before bringing in the pup, if your current dog is even a little possessive. Our dogs have a play room, so we keep the new ones out of that area until we are sure how they get along.
Agree.
A similarity of fluffy puppies and kittens is that they run around quickly and look similar to a lure or squeaky toy. Safety measures will be your friend (e.g., muzzle; baby gate; crate; secured ex-pen); very close supervision; and please ensure the dogs are safely separated by a physical barrier before feeding time.
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Sounds good. Your initial extra effort should help set her up for long-term success.
As mentioned, each newly adopted dog's urine holding time limit is different due to their physical body; medical condition; environmental stress level; previous kennel schedule; food/water; etc. (Generally, our well-settled, healthy hounds' comfortable overnight limit has been about 7 (or up to 8) hours.)
If interested in a potential temporary solution until your garden can be fully fenced (if your hound is not high prey or a jumper):
For quick supervised elimination outings, a couple of 48" tall metal exercise pens could be configured into one larger U-shape surrounding a house door with the exterior house wall as one side of the enclosure. Ex-pens come with a ready-made gate, and can be secured to 5' tall metal fence posts (1' of post in-ground).
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Pet-Supplies/MidWest-Exercise-Pen-Door-48-Inch-Gold/B00063KG46
(We find our 48" tall ex-pens valuable as an indoor medical recovery space; dog enclosure inside hotel rooms; Greyhound events; air-lock safety surround for main fence gate or house door; to fence off a deep pond; separate visiting dogs while eating, etc.)
Good luck, and please let us know what ends up working best for your girl.
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A home video of Jammer coughing (dry cough and gagging water) could help your vet determine a diagnosis if Jammer happens to be quiet during the vet visit. It might be a from different cause.
(A couple of our hounds had a throat condition that I mentioned during a prior vet visit, but it wasn't diagnosed until the vet happened to see them performing the action during a later visit.)
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When bringing a new dog home, we ask very little -- start learning to potty outdoors, and don't bite the people even though they will probably deserve it at times. That's it. Most times it's well evident when they're ready for more.
This is a good mention for other adopters too.
A golden rule to remember for dogs:
Let sleeping dogs lie undisturbed, meaning humans should consider a dog's bed the dog's personal undisturbed "safe zone". Better for humans to wait for dogs to stand up and walk away from the dog's bed before approaching or petting the dog. Also, leaning over a dog's body or reaching over the dog's head is considered threatening in dogs' language. Gently stroking a dog's shoulder, side, or thigh (in same direction as fur grows) while dog is standing and away from dog's bed is much preferred.
Resource guarding:
If a human needs to take away something a dog is chewing, it's safest to "trade up" by happily tossing yummy meat treats or a toy of higher value near the dog (as a distraction) to encourage dog to stand up and leave the unsafe item behind. Thereafter, a human can quickly remove the unsafe item the dog left behind on the floor.
Please keep newly adopted dogs off of humans' furniture:
Safest to not allow dogs on humans' furniture. At the very least, please consider waiting at least 6 months or more before allowing a dog on humans' furniture. It often takes that long or longer for a Greyhound to begin revealing his/her true personality and personal space needs. Adopters with younger children would be smart to never allow dogs on humans' furniture.
These tips will help your new Greyhound settle nicely into his forever home. Hope your adoption went well on Sunday.
Congratulations on your long awaited adoption of Shiloh! Best wishes for a long, happy life together. 
Pancreatitis- Is Raw Safe?
in Food and dietary discussion
Posted
Considering my teenage Greyhounds' sensitive systems, I would not risk feeding raw meats. (The oldest is age 15.)
Have you thought about safely cooking the raw meat (without any toxic spices)?
If interested, the following professional veterinary organizations discourage feeding raw meat to dogs.
Dangerous organisms in raw meat that are shed in dogs' stools can survive for weeks or longer in the environment.
1. American Veterinary Medical Association
2. The American Animal Hospital Association
3. American College of Veterinary Nutritionists
4. National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians
5. U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention
6. U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Etc...