KF_in_Georgia

You should be able to specify which vet you want to do the dental, but you might wind up with fewer choices about which day your appointment falls on. My vet-of-choice does non-emergency surgery on Wednesdays, so I'm trying to find a Wednesday for Silver's dental. The problem is that I know she'll need extractions, and I have a bunch of therapy dog visits (with Tigger) scheduled for this month. I won't schedule a dental unless I'm sure I can be home with Silver that night and the next day, so her dental will wait until the therapy visits are less frequent. (It's exam time, and Tigger de-stresses college students...)

How old is he? And is he on anti-seizure meds? If not, I think he needs to be. I'm sure other folks with seizure dogs will chime in here. Epilepsy in dogs usually sets in between the ages of 3-7. If he was older than 7 when the seizures started, that might be why the vet is thinking "tumor." Why don't you post his age, and list any meds he's on. That'll give other people more info. Good luck.

It's available by prescription. Go to www.goodrx.com and put in your zip code. Search for amicar, and the site should tell you who carries it in your area and how much it costs. Watch for coupons that can reduce the cost a lot. (Some pharmacies may not have it on hand, but they can order it.)

I can't imagine a vet scale so far off that it would return a weight of 50 pounds on a male greyhound eating 5 cups of food a day. But I think he's the only one of his litter who never raced (so there's no "race weight" in the database), and I wonder why he didn't run--especially when his brothers raced at 67-80 pounds, and even his sister weighed 59 pounds when she raced. (And he weighed 67 pounds when you got him.) I'm guessing that he's got a problem with absorbing nutrients from his food, but beyond that I've got nothing. I hope you get some good ideas from the vet folks here on Greytalk. P.S. Your antibiotic probably was tylan.

If he's chronically producing poop you can't pick up, try following him around with poop bags and cheap paper plates. Just scoot a paper plate under his butt at the right moment, then bag the plate and its contents. (You can use newspaper, too, but plates are just stiff enough not to collapse when you're trying to curl them a bit to bag them. And I generally work with a clean poop bag over my hand--like a glove--in case one of us has bad aim. Just hold the plate with the "gloved" hand, then roll the bag down your hand and over the plate in one motion. Happily, it's been more than a year since I had to do this.) The paper plate method also is good when you need a sample for the vet. But if you follow Fusion around with the plate, you can prevent him from snacking on his own poop and you can keep the yard clean at the same time.

Talk to the vet about gabapentin. It's used a lot for cancer relief and to derail epileptic seizures. It interrupts pain messages to the brain, and it's not an opiate. For cancer, dogs often take as much as 900 mg a day. It comes in 300 mg pills or 100 mg capsules, but you'll want the capsules for better dosing control. It typically takes two days to get up to full impact in the dog. It also has a short half-life in your dog: you want to dose at least every 8 hours (rather than every 12). The capsules are available by prescription from traditional people-pharmacies. Another possibility is methocarbamol (aka robaxin), a muscle relaxer. This one is more likely to make her a bit dopey to start with, but if some of her pain comes from tensing up when her joints hurt, the methocarbamol may be a big help. (I had a boy I took to a chiropractor for back pain; she recommended the methocarbamol, and my vet agreed.) My almost-10 girl takes it occasionally, when she's having an ouch-day (the occasional squeaks when she's getting up or lying down). My angel Sam, who couldn't take NSAIDS, could take both gabapentin and methocarbamol.

I've got the detailed lab results from last year's test on my very healthy 7-year-old boy. His platelet count was 137 K/uL, but the reference range was 80-150, so Dino's 93 might not be that scary, depending on what else was going on at the time the two tests were taken. Yes, you want to talk to the vet, but I'm not sure Dino's current results warrant a diet change or too much worry.

Okay, then. When Tigger had "+1," they didn't put any comments on it or give a range. Sorry this isn't more helpful.

Okay. On the Microscopy page, I found an entry that just says "Bilirubin" with +1 for results, but doesn't list a reference range.

Jen, do you know what abbreviation they'd use on lab results? (because of course they wouldn't just say "bilirubin in urine") I have super-healthy 7-year-old Tigger's lab results from last year from IDEXX, and it lists their reference range. (And they knew it was a greyhound.) I can tell you what his test said, if you can tell me what I'm looking for.

Article here says refrigeration is best: http://www.petco.com/Content/ArticleList/Article/0/-1/1853/Fecal-Exams-for-Dogs.aspx Cleveland overnight might not be cold enough. (Most refrigerators are 40F or less.) When I took my girl in last week for her check-up and rabies shot, I got lucky. Both dogs donated samples in the short walk before I put her in the car to leave. (My guys are healthy--no worms. But they're both registered therapy dogs and they have to have a fecal exam annually to keep their registration.) ETA: But all reports say fresher is better. Collect a sample, then hope for something fresher before your vet visit.

Some vets are fine with going off the heartworm preventative in cooler weather, but that's getting to be less and less popular, largely because mosquitoes can hatch quickly and aren't really killed unless temperatures stay below 10F for three consecutive days or something like that. It's too easy to be caught by surprise when the bugs are back out. Besides, what if you want to travel someplace warm for a few days? Who's going to remember the heartworm meds before the trip? But many heartworm meds also prevent other parasites besides heartworms, and I want that extra protection for my dogs. Preventing hookworms, roundworms, whipworms, etc., is much cheaper than treating for them.

(Now that I've reread what you posted...) Did you take your dogs off heartworm preventative over the winter? If so, 1. Don't do that again. See here: https://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/heartworm-basics Ohio is way too orange on that incidence map... 2. Test one year from your last test AND test again 6 months from now. That link ^^ explains why, but basically, the common test they do in the vet's office only catches worms of a certain age. A local friend adopted a 9-month old greyhound from a farm. The dog was tested for heartworms and was negative. She got her meds faithfully every month, but she tested POSITIVE at 1 year and 9 months old. It turns out she actually was heartworm-positive at 9 months, but the worms were too young to show on the test. Her mom could have started treatment six months earlier if she'd known to do so. (And, just incidentally, the complete treatment protocol for a heartworm-positive dog takes 271 days. Imagine having to leash-walk a hyper juvenile greyhound for that long!)

Rob, the worm-startup concern is for heartworms, which are prevented with a year-round monthly heartworm preventative rather than by Frontline Plus (and are tested with a blood draw rather than a fecal exam). No pre-check needed for flea prevention, so you're good to go. If you should see worms--or if poop suddenly turns pudding-like for no discernable reason--then you'll want to take a fecal sample to the vet. But know that there often are false negatives, depending on what stage a parasite is in. If you have reason to believe the flea preventative isn't being effective--if you see fleas too soon after application--consult your vet before you double-up and give another dose.

It's not something to be concerned about, but you might want to use a harness instead of a collar if you can--just until the bruise fades.

Has your vet tested for tick-borne diseases? I realize they're more common in ex-racers than in IGs, but it's the first thing that comes to my mind.

Typically, the pulp exposure is receding gums--a symptom of gingivitis. And gingivitis is caused by a build-up of plaque. My girl is missing her two lower-front teeth, pulled by her vet when she was nearly 7 years old. She had another dental last year--a couple of months before she turned 9; nothing was pulled then, but I think she's going to need a dental soon and may lose something then. She's not eating as quickly as she used to (see below). Her breath is terrible--has been all along--and her gums bleed easily. My dogs haven't had a "typical" area of their mouths to lose teeth from: Silver's lost lower-front teeth, others have lost back teeth. I've tried raw, frozen turkey necks, which lots of people have success with; my guys have bloody gums even from the turkey necks--and sometimes have gastric trouble from the necks. I usually resort to rubbing enzymatic toothpaste on teeth and gums with my finger; at least that doesn't lead to bloodshed. I've also used various dental/breath sprays designed for dogs, but I haven't noticed any improvement. (I avoid sprays that contain alcohol.) If a dog eats more slowly, favors one side of its mouth or the other when eating treats, shies away from hands near its mouth--those are signs of a dog that may have mouth discomfort. Also, watch for a face that's suddenly a little swollen on one side, or a dog with an unexplained fever and a reluctance to eat: dogs can have abscessed teeth. I would say no to the Sensodyne--even in minute quantities. I think a very small quantity wouldn't help, and a larger amount would be dangerous. Dogs won't spit out the fluoride. Since dogs aren't eating hot or cold food, dental sensitivity isn't normally a problem for dogs unless there's an actual dental problem; if there is a problem, you need to address the problem rather than the sensitivity. I think the hound dental problem is acknowledged to be genetic in the breed, and greyhounds aren't the only breed notorious for bad teeth. Not every greyhound will have bad teeth, and there really isn't an average age for dental loss. It'll depend on dental care the dog has received, how the dog chews, whether the dog has damaged its teeth by chewing on inappropriate things (like the crate, or bones that are too hard, or things like that), and just the dog's genetic inheritance. Really, the only thing to do is brush--daily is best (plaque starts to form our teeth between 4 and 12 hours after the last brushing)--and hope that your dog has a winning ticket in the genetic lottery.

Check goodrx.com online. In my neighborhood, Publix and Kroger (grocery stores) beat Wal-Mart and Target, and all of them run less than 7 cents a pill with the GoodRx coupon. (The GoodRx quote was for 120 pills.) My vet and I consult GoodRx before he writes the prescription, and then he writes a quantity that gives me the best price for what we need.

No ideas on what the problem is, but a suggestion: ask the vet about methocarbamol (aka Robaxin). It's a muscle relaxer, and if Flashy stops tensing his muscles when he needs to get up, he may stop crying out. My angel Sam had some disk issues that showed up on x-rays, but he wasn't a good candidate for surgery (age and other health issues). We tried a chiropractor--didn't help and was very painful, and it doesn't sound as if that would be good for Flashy. But we put Sam on gabapentin, tramadol, and methocarbamol--no steroids of any kind, and Sam had an ulcer, so no NSAIDs--and that controlled his pain without making him groggy. (All three of those drugs can be obtained with prescriptions from people-pharmacies, which was much cheaper than vet-supplied. Check prices at www.goodrx.com to see what's available to you.) Also, what dose of gabapentin is Flashy on? Lots of vets under-prescribe this, and I think that's because it works differently in dogs than people. Dogs need to take it at least 3 times a day (it'll wear off in less than 12 hours), and vets often prescribe 900mg/day. I used to get 100mg capsules for Sam and would give him two capsules, four times a day, with a spare when needed.

In the state of Georgia, titers are not accepted in lieu of rabies vaccinations. (Most counties say to follow the state's recommendations. The state says to follow the recommendations here.) That document includes a list (in Part III) of how long the rabies vaccines by various manufacturers are expected to be effective; many require one booster at one year after the original vaccination, then triennially after that. We're in an area with a high risk of leptospirosis, so my dogs have that vaccination every year. My dogs are therapy dogs, so they get DHLPP every year, and the bordatella vaccination every six months because they're around a lot of other dogs at weekly meet and greets and other events. Also, I don't have a yard, so my dogs are going for walks in "public" areas; I don't trust my fellow dog owners to keep their dogs up to date on vaccines, so I make sure my guys are protected. My girl will be 10 in a few months, and I don't know how long she'll remain a therapy dog (it depends on her arthritis), but unless she has a real health issue, she's going to need the lepto vaccine every year, no matter what I do about the DHPP portion. Her next 3-year rabies shot is due this year, and she probably will not get another one because she'll certainly retire from therapy work before she turns 13. The boy will be 8 in a few months, and he'll continue to get DHLPP annually (and at least one more rabies shot, due when he's 10). When I schedule vaccinations, I avoid scheduling the dogs for more than one vaccination per vet visit, with a couple of weeks between visits. I also schedule my appointments for early in the day, and I make a point of hanging out in the waiting room for 30 minutes or so after the vaccination so that if one of the dogs has an anaphylactic reaction, I'm in the right place. So far, so good.

I think the "uncommon in males" thing is a myth. I wound up at the ER one Sunday morning when Sam was straining to pee and just producing a bit of blood. They did x-rays--no stones--and put him on antibiotics after an in-house urinalysis. I've owned three girls and two boys. Sam had the only UTI in the bunch.

Apparently there's no OTC equivalent of this prescription med. I just searched online, and PetcareRX charges $30 for 15 grams. But Foster & Smith has it for about $20: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=10024

If it repeats and you have to take him in, I'd suggest the full thyroid panel. Reportedly, thyroid issues have been known to cause seizures. But I'm not surprised your vet's mind went straight to the tumor possibility; in an older dog, that's often the issue. If the dogs are loose in the house when you're away from home, you might want to consider finding a way to separate Bart from the other two for his own protection. Sometimes, dogs turn on a sick/injured companion hound. Nothing happened today, but your wife was there, and Bart's seizure was on the mild side. But crating or baby gating the dogs apart might be needed if there are repeats of the episode. On the other hand, some dogs have one seizure--for a reason no one ever figures out--and never have another one. Fingers crossed for Bart.

My girl's a sheep fan, too, but she gets her jollies from wool: I had bought the wool for a knitting class, so basically--the dog ate my homework.

I think you'd better call your vet or poison control. Bag Balm has lots of petroleum jelly and lanolin in it. I don't know how much fat may be in the lanolin (pancreatitis risk?), and I don't know how safe petroleum jelly is when ingested in large quantities.