Time4ANap

I always walked in a couple of circles when Rocket did this. Usually a circle or two and he would just follow.

As far as the itching, are you in an area with a high concentration of ragweed? If so, this may be the issue. She may require a stronger allergy med, cleaning / wiping of the paws after walks and going outside. When we lived in Central IL, Rocket had a ragweed allergy that was so bad we had to use huge doses of Prednisolone to get it under control. The vet said that he had his lifetime limit of Pred that summer. You can check your zip code on pollen.com to see what is in the air and on the ground in the way of strong pollens and allergens at any given time. As for the other issues, I'm in agreement with the others that you most likely are still dealing with hookworms. Remember that a clear fecal test only means that one sample was clean, not that you are rid of the issue. The current hookworms are very resistant to treatment and are taking many months to get rid of.

There is most likely some testing that has to be done to keep the unit FDA Certified and to insure safety after a battery replacement. This is pretty common with all medical devices. You might want to stop by the nearest Batteries Plus Bulbs store and see if they can identify the replacement battery and can change it out or not. Just play the" I need a new battery for this" game and see where it goes from there.

I'm so sorry for your loss. It's been a rough week around GT. I LOVE the recliner story. Only a greyhound person would laugh about hat, and still be laughing all of these years later. That's what these hounds are all about. Run free Kala Blue.

I'm so sorry. We are losing too many of our GT pups. Run free Bella and Cleo.

If your hounds like to drive this might be an option:

Many people here like the Dodge / Chrysler minivans because of the lower floor and Sto N Go seats that fold into the floor. One of the issues we had as Rocket got older was his inability to jump into my Chevy Astro Van which has a floor height of 24 inches. Only in the last year was he unable to jump in, but by that time he had never used a ramp and would not use one when I bought it. We had to switch to exclusively using our 4 door sedan which he could still get into. As he had a little more pain or less strength in the last year, he was sometimes hesitant to jump into the car and would wait for me to lift his front legs onto the the seat, and then boost his butt to get in. if I was to buy another van or SUV, the floor height / dog access would be one of my primary considerations.

I'm very sorry for your sudden loss. We are losing way too many of our hounds this week. Run free, Arteria.

Thank you everyone. A special thank you to Sweep's Mom for updating Rocket's Greyhound Data page. To those of you who haven't been able to post for your own hounds, I get it. Believe me, I get it. I could not have done my post about Rocket if I hadn't started it early, and by the time it was done I was unable to even focus through my contacts. They were washed out from tears and sobbing over a 3 day period before he left. There have been even more since. I never realized how many people knew or followed my boy and loved him too. Between Chris' Facebook folks and my GreyTalk post, there have been over 1800 views / responses, etc on the 2 sites. In addition, the messages of support received from everyone here and through PM's, email and even a couple of deliveries that arrived unexpectedly at out house are truly humbling. Again, thank you each and every one. I am not up to responding to individual posts right now, but you can be assured that Chris and I have read every one several times and will continue to find comfort in them. The house is just way too quiet now. Almost eerie. We love our greyhound family. Hug your hounds. Don and Chris

Came here to suggest exactly what Greysmom suggested. Rocket loved the cold laser treatment and I did his Adequan injections at home which seemed to offer some relief from similar symptoms although his weakness was in the back end, he did occasionally have a slight limp on the front legs too. X-Rays unremarkable, nothing evident even on a second review by Dr. Cuoto, so we just did as much therapy as he would tolerate. Adequan is expensive, but works well until it sort of becomes ineffective over time. That, acupuncture and cold laser therapy are all worth a try to see if they offer some relief for your boy.

I'm sure that he and Rocket hoisted a glass or lifted a leg together last night to celebrate. Glad to know that you have heard from him.

Sadly, we had to help our boy Rocket cross the Rainbow Bridge today. I was able to write this over the weekend while looking at the screen through many tears, as I knew that once the scheduled time arrived, I wouldn’t be able to do this. To say that we are devastated doesn’t even scratch the surface. The boy who answered to a million nicknames and never met a French Fry he didn’t like started having mobility issues about 8 weeks ago, and thanks to his vet who came to the house to treat him, and others who provided help and advice, he was holding his own until last week. We started seeing a rapid decline in his mobility, and his daily routine with things such as strength, appetite and interest in being wherever we are every minute of the day. We each knew that the time was coming, but his decline over the weekend convinced us that a day too soon is always better than a day too late. His vet and her assistant came to the house and ensured that he left us the same way we first met, happy and with a wagging tail. He had a very peaceful crossing. We first met Rocket at a Meet & Greet in a Petco in Indianapolis, IN on a day where we drove for hours through two ice storms, passing a fatal accident on the interstate and constantly thinking that we should turn around and go home instead of going to meet dogs. We continued on, and met all of the hounds on our list of potential adoptees with no success. There was not a dog there who gave us the time of day. After meeting all of those dogs, a big brindle boy in a green coat walked in the door with his tail whipping like he owned the place, and eventually he walked over and leaned into me. He never left my side for well over two hours. We shopped for toys, we walked the store, went outside for a poop and a pee. I still remember the guys from GPA Indy laughing and asking if I had met any dogs of interest – while the big brindle boy was practically attached to my hip. He wasn’t on our list, and he wasn’t even supposed to be there, but his foster had gone out of town and Bev Creamer was keeping him for the weekend. She just happened to bring him to that M&G. That boy picked us. It was meant to be. The rest is history. We bought him a toy and plunked down the deposit to hold him until the home check could be done. He was already costing us money. Yup – he was ours. That day on the way back home, we hit another ice storm, had to stop to get a hotel for the night, and miss the Willie Nelson concert I had waited my whole life to see. He was already costing us more money. Yup - he was ours. (I still haven’t managed to see Willie Nelson in person.) He was brought to us a few weeks later by Shelby (GottaluvgreysIndy) and her husband Ben. They needed to do our home check and deliver him. The wind chill outside was 25 below zero, and the boy was not used to peeing while on a leash. After many attempts, he peed – on the artificial ficus tree in the corner of the living room. Yup – he was ours. That tree graced his turnout area for years. He quickly adjusted to home life, loving walks, car rides, toys, visitors and his established routine that 8:15 PM was time for ice cream. You could set your watch by him showing up at ice cream time. He was also the timekeeper of the nap clock. Almost every afternoon he would approach my chair and stare me down until I asked if he wanted to take a nap. He would then lead me to the bedroom. Again – like clockwork. There are way too many great times over the years to recount here. The biggest event of his life was the day that he and Lexie got married in a virtual wedding right here on GreyTalk with all of their friends in the chat club attending. A wild time was had by all, but what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. He and Lexie never got to meet in-person but he did get to meet his mother-in-law, Lexie’s Mom when she visited us here in Phoenix last year. Over the years he got to travel and was a road trip expert. He traveled to the east coast where he spent time with my family, and he took a big road trip when we moved from IL to AZ, stopping at the Greyhound Hall of Fame to have his picture taken with his Grand Daddy’s Hall of Fame Plaque (Gable Dodge). If the suitcase came out, he was waiting by the car. Sometimes if the car door was open he would get in and refuse to get out. He went to Kanab and other greyhound events such as group picnics. That tail would whip in circles when we would pull into a parking lot and he saw other hounds. Oddly enough, he rarely played or interacted with those hounds, instead preferring to hang with people, because people have treats. He also worked some Meet and Greets before he got older and a little cranky. He worked the Open House at University of Illinois Vet Med School like an old pro. He loved the hundreds of kids who came by to pet him during his shifts there. He also donated blood for a canine cancer study at the Vet Med School. Later, they repaid the favor by treating him a few times in their ER when he wasn’t feeling well. While we had our moments when he bit me and others due to being startled, those things weren’t his fault. Sometimes humans do stupid stuff. It didn’t make him any less “ours.” Rocket was a favorite of the neighbors and people well beyond the immediate streets when we were out walking. He has fan clubs in IL and here in AZ. He also knew every house on our walking route that might have a treat. He loved kids, because kids love to pet dogs. That tail would whip anytime he saw a kid coming his way. We are going to miss this boy beyond belief. He has been at my side, all day, every day for almost 10 years. I used to work from home, and have battled multiple types of cancer for the past several years. Rocket has been my office mate, walking buddy, nurse, doctor and most of all, my best buddy. I think you only get one “heart dog.” I got lucky and found mine on the first try. He was a character. There wasn’t a day of his life with us that he didn’t make us and many others laugh hysterically. Those who watched him or boarded him over the years always commented on how much he made them laugh. That’s probably his legacy – he was hysterically funny. DW also worked from home for years so he was our excuse to get out of the office and take a walk. He loved having his humans at home with him all the time. He was also smart. He didn’t miss any clue as to what was going on around him. If my hand went into my pocket, I must be getting the keys out to go for a ride. If we were talking about picking up dinner, the question “What do you want on it?” was his clue that there was probably going to be a ride to the drive thru. He didn’t miss a thing, ever. We will probably be taking a break from pet ownership for a bit, but the rest of Rocket’s greyhound family will be here to visit and get us through this. Trolley, Snickers, Conner, Val and assorted fosters will still be staying with us as needed to carry on the need for the toy box and all of these beds. We will also be checking in here with our GreyTalk family and maybe attending a few events and picnics in the future. It is going to be a rude awakening for a while to wake up in the morning and find a bare space on the floor, and not see 4 white paws sticking straight up in the air (which still makes me laugh). He had a great last few days. Last night, Trolley and Snickers and their Moms stopped by to see Rocket and brought him some French Fries. On Saturday morning he had his favorite fast food, an Egg McMuffin for breakfast. He had his ice cream that he loves. This morning he had his third favorite thing in the world behind fries and ice cream, Daddyman’s scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese. He made me feed them to him by hand. Not that he’s spoiled. We checked all of his favorite boxes. Run pain-free, Rocket. Go find your litter mate sister Katie Scarlett, your cousin Taylor, your friends Sallie, Boomer, Holmes & Cosmo, and your annoying little old lady sister, Allie. You will be well taken care of by them and all of your other GreyTalk friends who arrived there before you. Be sure to belly up to the French Fry and Bacon Buffet that Chef Seamie is preparing for your welcome party. I also heard that there’s vanilla ice cream on tap. You can eat all you want. There’s no more grumbling tummy. There’s going to be a new hound in a pimp hat at the Bridge Mixer tonight. Sorry girls, he's married. Love you, buddy. Save me some ice cream. I had to add this after the fact. : I got some great pictures the past few days and took this one yesterday when Rocket went outside to do outside things. It’s an awesome picture. He was in pain and having trouble getting up and down, but you would never know it. At the same time, a storm was coming through with the sun out – rain and sun at the same time. We looked up and saw this – double rainbows while Rocket was in the yard. I think his friends at the bridge were letting us know that he will be okay. Then, last night, we were outside saying goodbye to Snickers and Trolley. We looked up and saw of all things – a rocket. It was a booster rocket from the Space-X launch in California lighting up the sky. I guess the signs are just everywhere that our boy will be just fine. As for us, I’m not so sure. Rocket's Greyhound Data Page with a few good pics. If someone with access would add his date of passing I would appreciate it.

I'm very sorry for your loss. She was gorgeous! You are not alone in this. There are a number of people on this site who have lost hounds very suddenly. Like people, it just happens and there is never anything you can do about it except to know that you gave her the best life possible, and that you were her real forever home and family.

Kyle, I'm so sorry that you had to go through this again so soon. We always loved your posts about both Charlie and Stewie. Run free, Stewie.

Thanks. She is a little apprehensive about doing this on Rocket. Something about wanting to keep all of her fingers or something like that...

Thanks. Good info. Rocket injured his lumbar area while running in the yard about 8 weeks ago. I don;t know what he did as I didn't see it happen. Since that time his legs will sometimes go out (various legs - no rhyme or reason) but when it first happened he couldn't get up at all for about 6 hours. One of the issues we face is that he can no longer get in and out of a vehicle without aggravating that injury, so the vet who comes to the house is on his turf when trying to treat him. Given that he trusts her with the laser now, I think we may be able to try the acupuncture. He will end up standing the whole time as well. He does not like anyone getting hear him when laying down. He will snuggle up to me on the floor on his own terms once in a while, but more often than not he wants no one near him, especially trying to do something to him. Standing and leashed is the only way we get anything done without someone getting bitten or growled at. . We have also walked across the street to a neighbor's garage where he knows there are treats to get him off of his own turf and that has also worked, so we do have some options for trying. Just curious, how long do they leave Violet's needles in?

Remember that these hounds sometimes can be totally asleep with their eyes open. You may not be able to tell the difference between awake and asleep, so a sleep startle when she got close or walked by is entirely possible. Not aggression, but a startle. There is a big difference in using those terms. At this point it is something to keep an eye on so that you can figure out which it is and address it as needed.

Our Vet also does accupuncture. We haven't attempted it yet since Rocket is somewhat reactive to those who get in his personal space. The cold laser and Adequan have been working well until the last few days when he has been struggling a little more. I think he trusts the vet enough now to try it, but we weren;t even sure for a while that he was going to let her use the laser on him. We may try some accupuncture on her next house call depending on his mood. He loves the cold laser, so we may be able to follow that with accupuncture once he's kind of chilled out from the laser. Thanks. Will check it out.

Thanks everyone. The chews were going to be a temporary attempt to get some CBD in him until the vet gets back in town since I can pick them up locally. The vet is going to be prescribing a stronger product called HempRx that requires a prescription when she gets back in town. Rocket is starting to struggle at times, mostly when trying to get up from lying down. He is on Gabapentin and we are still doing Adequan injections along with cold laser treatments. Those things are still helping. We are at that weird stage where sometimes I think that he won't be here much longer and an hour later I catch him running a race in the back yard with a big smile on his face. I'm at the point where we will try anything that may help with pain or inflammation.

Rocket's vet has suggested we try giving him some chews called Treatibles which is a CBD treat although for marketing purposes they are called a Hemp Treat. She has had several patients who have seen some improvement in mobility and help with inflammation by using them. I know there are CBD oils and other related items, so I'm primarily looking for feedback on this particular product if anyone has used it. Thanks!

I'm so sorry for your loss. Rocket has been my nurse and primary caregiver for a few years now, so I know exactly what you mean about Ronee being your nurse. Run free, Ronee.

If it helps, we run into the same kind of thing when out walking on the sidewalks here. We are in a 55 plus community, so we get 2 kinds of people, those who practically cross the street when they see us, and those who come running up and start loving on Rocket. Anytime we see someone approaching, I put Rocket into a "Wait" having him step off the sidewalk on to the grass and tell the people to walk past us. As long as they see that you have control of the dog, most are cool with walking by a large dog.

Rocket has been having cold laser treatments for back end weakness. He loves it! He stands there while the laser is going, and if we have to take a break he goes right back to standing where the vet wants him so she can continue. We are also doing Adequan injections. Both have helped over the 8 weeks or so that we've been doing them, but he is starting to get weaker. I'm not sure how much longer either will be effective. I would do them both again because I saw the improvement in his mobility and the pain relief he experienced, even if it has only been temporary. He could also just be having a couple of bad days here, so we are keeping a close eye on the weakness daily.

There are a number of people here who have been battling hookworms for a year or so. The current generation of hooks seem to be more resistant to the meds as time goes on. It is a battle, and is not out of the ordinary with a new dog from the track or a group. You may have to re-dose regularly for a while. The whole thing with the meds is timing, and there is really no way to know if you got them or not until you have several clean fecal tests in a row. One clean fecal means nothing except there were no worms / eggs in that sample. You can easily have another positive sample in several weeks, so stay diligent, and be sure to keep the yard clean as well as pickup immediately when out for walks. The sources that LaFlaca posted have good info in them. Hang in there. You will get through it, but it takes some time.

I'm so sorry, Greg. As someone who had the pleasure of meeting both Ellie and my long time crush Bijou, I can tell everyone that they both only had eyes for their Daddy. They both barely gave me the time of day before wanting to return to their Daddyman. Run free, Ellie. You will be missed by many.