JJNg

Flipping a dog over, or any position change, during anesthesia can cause significant changes in blood pressure. It doesn't matter how long they've been under anesthesia. The concern about potassium seems to be an extremely rare issue that has only been documented in a few isolated cases. When asked about this, Dr. Couto said he'd never seen a case and had only heard about 2. At Ohio State, they anesthetized hundreds of greyhounds routinely, and as a teaching hospital, a number of the procedures lasted longer than 2 hours with no complications. As PatricksMom stated, most of the anesthetic complications happen while the pet is being put under, and during recovery. During the procedure, while the anesthetic plan is steady, you're less likely to have problems, especially if monitoring closely to ensure that vitals remain stable. So as long as your dog is doing well under the anesthesia, no reason to not complete the procedure and finish pulling all the teeth that need to be extracted.

Have you tried holding different parts of his front legs when you lift, like higher up on his legs so you don't squeeze his ankle/wrist? Also consider trying to teach him to put his front feet up himself by using treats. Is this a 4-door car and you're putting him in the back seat? Or a higher vehicle like an SUV?

This is how I've always lifted my boys into the van if they won't jump, and it doesn't hurt them. Where are you lifting from, and at what point does he cry?

Sounds like a perineal hernia? Not very common, and mostly seen in intact male dogs...I think this is the first time I've heard of it happening in a greyhound. Are your two dogs that were/are affected actually brothers? I wonder if there's a genetic component. I hope you're able to manage this for Bunny. And if you need to go the surgical route for him, I'd consider looking into having a board certified surgeon do it.

Any news on Polly? Did your vet suggest any additional testing to try to evaluate the anemia?

There are a lot of different possibilities that could cause this behavior. Especially since she's an older dog, I think snowpuppy's suggestion of pain/discomfort is worth considering. If it's low grade discomfort, it may not even be very obvious on a physical exam. A safe option would be to try a joint supplement that also has ingredients to provide immediate relief of pain/inflammation - such as Dasuquin or Phycox. I recently saw an 11-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who had started waking up in the middle of the night and panting. Nothing obvious on exam, except for a very mild stiffness around his hips. When we started him on Dasuquin, he started sleeping through the night.

With the only clinical sign being hair loss, I would also have to disagree that a T4 alone is adequate for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, especially for a greyhound. Lots of other reasons for hair loss. I find that with my dogs, their hair comes and goes depending on season, activity level, diet, etc.

Sounds like you had a full basic bloodwork panel run, but not a full thyroid panel. The only basic thyroid test typically included on a regular bloodwork panel is the T4. And you can't diagnose hypothyroidism in a greyhound (or definitively for any other breed) just based on the T4 value. Studies have shown that normal greyhounds can have T4 levels that are much lower than other breeds. To confirm a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, you need to at least look at the free T4, and the TSH (aka cTSH), in addition to looking at the other bloodwork results and clinical signs (see the article I referenced earlier in this thread). To be even more thorough, a full thyroid panel includes T4, free T4, T3, free T3, TSH, and thyroglobin autoantibodies (TgAA).

In the absence of clinical signs, I wouldn't be concerned about it. T4 levels can fluctuate widely from one blood draw to another in normal dogs. As greysmom mentioned, retesting after she's been on thyroid supplement for a month isn't going to tell you anything about her internal thyroid function. If you're concerned, I'd do the full panel, or even just recheck the T4.

Here's a good article you may want to print out for your vet. There's a good chance Sophie isn't really hypothyroid. http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/assets/pdf/hospital/bloodBank/wellness/newsletters/2010/ghwpNewsletterWinter2010.pdf

That's the best price I've been able to find too. But it's actually for 30 tablets, which is two 5-day courses for a smaller to average sized greyhound. Amicar is usually given at 500 mg 3 times daily for 5 days. For dogs larger than 75-80 lbs, Dr. Couto recommends 1000 mg each dose, so 30 tablets would only be one 5-day course. I looked into ordering it for my clinic a few months ago, and the distributor gave us a price of $754 for a 100 count bottle!

If Buca tested as having von Willebrand's disease, then that's completely different from the greyhound bleeding issue addressed by Dr. Couto's studies. Your earlier description of how "his blood would clot, but then his body would destroy the clot and he would bleed" sounded more like the greyhound bleeding issue and not von Willebrand's where the blood isn't able to clot normally from the start. Probably wouldn't hurt to give him Amicar too, but with von Willebrand's, he would definitely need to have a plasma transfusion for future problems. Here's a good article on von Willebrand's disease: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=1637 Glad to hear Ian's bruise has not gotten larger. Hopefully it starts resolving quickly.

greyhoundlady, von Willebrand's disease is a completely different condition from the greyhound bleeding issues studied by Dr. Couto. Was Buca specifically tested for von Willebrand's factor? It can be definitively diagnosed with clotting factor testing. On the other hand, greyhound bleeders usually have completely normal clotting tests, and normal von Willebrand's factor. Typical greyhound bleeders respond well to a medication called Amicar (aminocaproic acid) and don't need plasma transfusions. For the OP, any updates on Ian?

UTIs can sometimes cause a high pH, but in the absence of a UTI, a high urine pH itself isn't necessarily a problem that needs to be treated. If her signs have cleared up, and especially if you do a culture and confirm there is no infection, I wouldn't worry about pH. Lower protein diets can cause a higher pH. Urine pH also tends to run higher in the period after a dog has eaten. If she's asymptomatic, it may not be a problem. Also remember that grain-free, and even potato-free, dog foods aren't always low carb. Grain-free kibble still requires carbs for processing; they just use different sources (such as peas, lentils, tapioca, sweet potato, etc) and may be even higher in carbs than standard dog foods.

I think she's fine where she is. A little more of the hip visible than I usually like to see in the average greyhound, but given her bad leg, I wouldn't recommend having her gain even a pound or two (unless it's muscle). It's healthier to be a little on the light side, especially for a dog with orthopedic issues.

Any way you could post the x-rays? If they're digital, you could ask the vet to send them to you or copy them to a disc. Or if on regular films, you can take a digital photo of it (best done in B&W and with the macro setting). If he's going to need another surgery, I'd have to agree with PrairieProf that proceeding to a complete amp may be the best option to prevent future problems. If it's a bone spur, simply shaving it off won't address the underlying issue, and the bone spur will likely just regrow again.

I hate questioning the conclusions of another vet without all the information, but I have to second tbhounds questions of what additional tests were run, and what kind of cancer is your vet suspecting? The CBC results you posted earlier look pretty normal for a greyhound. How is he feeling now?

I've used Trifexis for my own dogs as well as many patients at my clinic. The primary vet that the greyhound adoption group I volunteer for uses gives it to every new foster that comes in. I've seen very few problems, and the ones that I do see have been limited to GI signs (vomiting, diarrhea, inappetance) and lethargy, all of which have cleared up within a few days without needing any treatment. I'd be cautious about believing Internet articles that make lots of claims and accusations without citing any case references or providing any details. Here's a previous thread with links to a couple other ones on this same topic: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/305160-trifexis-not-safe-news/

What exactly did the other dog do? It's pretty standard to let your dog off leash as soon as you get into a dog park. Having a dog on leash can sometimes create more problems because the dog feels trapped when other dogs approach. As long as the dogs have stable temperaments and are well-socialized, it's often better to let them meet and greet each other uninhibited. The problem with public parks is that you never know if the other dogs are stable and well-socialized.

Not all dogs are good candidates for dog parks. And even with dogs who are secure and well socialized, there are always potential risks to a setting where unfamiliar dogs interact with each other. IMO, it's much safer and predictable to schedule playdates with a consistent group of dogs belonging to people you know. Regarding the specific incident, what exactly was the other dog doing when Fanny snapped at him? It's also possible that you holding her by the collar actually contributed - many dogs are more likely to act defensive if they are on a tight leash, perhaps because they feel trapped or are sensing tension from the owner. Without knowing more about the details, Fanny's behavior may have been completely appropriate and normal canine communication, as krissy mentioned. Also, I don't think there's a specific time frame after which it's ok to take a dog to the dog park. It depends on the dog's personality, how well you know her, as well as how experienced you are at reading canine body language to be able to assess and supervise her behavior (and that of other dogs) while at the park.

He may just not be drinking as much because he's getting more moisture in his food. Canned or cooked food (like boiled chicken & rice) contains a lot more water than dry kibble. If he's eating well and acting normal, I wouldn't be too concerned about it. Instead of continuing to try to coax him to drink, just add water to his meals as macoduck suggested. Too much coaxing and making a big deal out of drinking can be stressful and actually make him not want to drink too.

This topic has come up a couple times before. Here's a link to the last thread where I posted links to a couple of the earlier threads as well: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/305160-trifexis-not-safe-news/

Agree with the other responses. One additional point is that I definitely wouldn't start her on meds for incontinence unless you can confirm that she's incontinent (ie. involuntarily leaking urine). Check for wet spots after she's been lying down or sleeping in one place for a while. Also best to check, or even treat, for a possible UTI before proceeding to incontinence meds.

Whether pamidronate builds bone or slows down cancer has gotten mixed results in studies, but I'm not sure there's been a definite consensus. Opinions probably vary between oncologists. However, there are studies that show it does help with pain management as part of a palliative protocol.

Are you just doing a single dose of Panacur now and again in 2 weeks? Everything I read says that you have to treat with at least a 3-5 day course of Panacur. In persistent cases, you can use Panacur and metronidazole together. And apparently it's not unusual to have chronic cases that don't clear with treatment, and there are parasitologists who believe that Giardia can almost be normal flora in some dogs. If no symptoms, some recommend treating once or twice, and then not worrying about it even if the dog continues to test positive.