OwnedBySummer

The most straightforward way: Photograph the X-ray while it's up on the light box (they photograph really well with a decent camera) and then attach it to an email to Dr. Couto's office. If Dr. Couto then wants the actual X-ray, you can deal with that next.

I have read in numerous places that greys shouldn't get SOY oil. Many sardines in oil are packed in soy oil. So you'll maybe want to check that.

Aw, the Monster made it into Momma's heart! My sympathies on your loss.

A bit hard to celebrate through my tears for you and Rippa. What a beautiful, happy girl! My condolences!

I have a snood in preparation for winter but I haven't tried it yet. Summer, luckily, is a very tolerant type of dog and I doubt I'll have a problem. Because she WILL be wearing it, it can get really cold here even without the windchill factor. I want her to keep her cute little earsies intact.

This will be my first winter with Summer, so I'm not 100% sure about how everything will go. But I know she won't be habitually wearing stuff inside. The lowest I've ever kept my house is 69F (67F for sleeping). But since I've lost all my excess weight and I'm able to feel the cold once again... I've currently got it at 70F day and night (i.e. I'm not running the fancy thermostat program). I don't think I'll ever have it lower than 70F again and I don't think, at 70F, that Summer needs indoor clothing. But just in case!... she does have a pair of jersey jammies.

Besides being excellent quality, Chilly Dogs ships very quickly. They are very efficient and professional. You'll have your coat a lot faster than from anywhere else. Good choice!!!!!

Our thoughts are with you in this very difficult time!

I'm so glad the lure pole idea is working for you and Reve. Summer and I have an incredible amount of fun with it.

She is a gorgeous gorgeous girl! And that last picture is calendar worthy! Or at least, print it big and frame it. I love all the pictures but the 2nd picture also stood out to me -- it looks like she's giggling at you! She's so happy.

Hi, Blankdog! I know what you mean about the bald little thighs, LOL! I've seen some incredibly bald thighs this summer and I wonder about those dogs in the winter. As to the coat... I have a coat with a thick fleece lining and a wind/water resistant exterior. If it's deep cold, there is a matching fleece 4-legged "jogging suit" that I can layer underneath it. I got my snood from a company called Chilly Dogs. They also have nice coats and raincoats. I have their rain slicker, the chilly sweater and the head muff (snood). I got my winter patch coat and jogging suit mentioned above from Dog-E-Designs, however, I find the fit of the Chilly Dog products better for Summer's figure.

I have no intention of buying boots for Summer. I don't think her feet and legs are particularly different from my previous non-grey, although they are most definitely much longer. But that said, she won't be walked on salt. If I was walking her on salted surfaces, I would definitely get boots. Not because she's a greyhound but because walking on salt is awful for a dog. PS Blankdog, is your Violet actually "Jiminy Violet"?

Here's my lure pole. I think both Xan's and mine and everyone else's serve the same purpose but the difference from using the lunge whip to other things like PVC pipe is probably the weight. The lunge whip/stuffie is very light and you only need one hand to operate it. Definitely very well suited to women! PS Ignore the stupid expression on my face, I'm concentrating.

Wow! That's one heck of a tight ball! I guess Summer hasn't been truly cold yet. She'll curl a bit and bury her nose but nowhere near that tight. And after a bit of that, she'll unfold and stretch out. So I'm guessing it's just one of her sleep positions and has nothing to do with temperature.

Not sure and don't want to unnecessarily alarm anyone but try this video and look for similarities. Or look up other ones. I am thinking Kennel Cough?

Summer is happy and healthy and eats a lot less than that. She gets 2 cups of TOTW in the morning. Dinner in the evening is 1/2 can of dog meat (11 oz. or thereabouts), with a teaspoon of salmon oil. She gets treats but not too many. I don't really know how to tell if a greyhound is active or not however, she runs with other greyhounds 3 or 4 times a week, does almost daily zoomies in the back yard and plays about every other day with her lure pole.

Summer just passed her evaluation the other week. Although I can't help you with US certification, I can give you a link where you can see the evaluation test that Summer had to do, which may help you. I've noticed, FYI, that the US therapy dogs all seem to have their Canine Good Citizen certification -- perhaps it's mandatory down there? It isn't in Canada. Here's the link to the Therapeutic Paws of Canada evaluation exam: TPOC Evaluation. In preparation, I took Summer everywhere I could. I've always taken her into pet stores but I started taking her other places. Our local Home Depot has always allowed dogs, so in we went. I also took her into Staples and, much to my surprise, Bed Bath & Beyond allowed it. Summer had to overcome a bit of shiny floor phobia and she's really good now. While in Home Depot, I tested her reaction to loud noises by having hubby "accidentally" knock over things like ductwork, LOL. And in Staples, I would deliberately set her up to be startled at the end of an aisle by someone whipping around the corner with a shopping cart. Good luck and I think greyhounds are wonderfully suited for therapy work. Such gentle, loving, calm souls! (well, most that I've met, anyway). Oh, and your dogs will need to have toenails of a reasonable length, clean coats, clean ears... not too difficult for a grey! And they absolutely must NOT put their feet on people. If you are doing the nursing home with disabled seniors who require nursing care... then make sure your grey doesn't lean on them. Your pup could knock them over! Good luck again! Edit.: Regarding the sitting... our local therapy groups excuse the greys from that. Our groups do not test for obedience per se but for temperament. As long as greyhounds stand quietly whenever the sit command would normally be used, greys here are passed. And since they are NEVER to be unleashed while on the job... there is no test for recall (thankfully!).

Poor baby! Glad everyone is optimistic.

I thought about tying it on but went the velcro route instead, so that she can "catch" it and proudly run off with it to "kill" it. I didn't want her taking the whip with her. How do you find it works with it permanently tied on instead of removable?

Okay, on their way!

It's horribly terribly hard... but I made that same decision this past April. One went to the Bridge on Monday and I helped the other one on Thursday. My sweet big boy was at the end of his time and we had discussed euthanasia with the vet a few weeks before. But once he lost "his girl" on the Monday (she was diagnosed with spleen cancer on the Saturday and went in for hopeful surgery on the Monday and was euthanised on the table, the cancer had spread)... he was so sad. He already couldn't climb even the one step on the front porch and now he didn't even want to try. So... I understand where you are at. You will know in your heart what you should do. It will break you down and it's the hardest thing I've ever done. I still cry about it and I'm crying right now as I type. My biggest regret, my so-far-impossible-to-get-over-guilt was NOT staying with my girl, my heart dog, for the half hour or so prior to the surgery. I didn't know I could and I didn't think to ask and the vet never suggested it. My reason for mentioning that is to tell you NOT to do anything that you will feel guilty about afterwards. The pain and the loss is terrible enough without the added guilt. If you decide to let them go together... be there, hug them, love them, wet their fur with your gentle tears, kiss their muzzles, smell their ears. Take a picture at home that day or the day before. I did and, although I can barely look at it, I'm glad I have it.

Where can I buy one of those? Do you drag it across the floor or through the air? Sorry, I need more directions... Would it be better to get a different color to use in the snow besides white? I chose white for the stuffie solely because every picture of a mechanical track lure that I've ever seen... seems to be white. But I'm sure another color would be fine. Just make sure it's a very light stuffy, barely even stuffed. Mine also has a squeaker. You can get the lunging whip at any equestrian supply store. I got mine at a Greenhawk. They are in both the US and Canada and you can also order online, if you can't find either a Greenhawk or any equestrian supply store in your area. Here's the link directly to the whip which I bought: 5' Whip As to how to play with it... I drag it on the ground in really big circles. I also flip it around in the air. I change directions, too. You can get a little dizzy with all the spinning! I have pictures of me using the lure pole, if you PM me your email address I will send them to you. And if you need a closeup picture of any part of it, I'm happy to take one for you. Ed.: I see you don't have too many posts, you might not be able to PM me. Perhaps you can post a "throw away" email address that I can use?

I made a lure pole at someone's suggestion! Great fun, great exercise! And you don't have to leave your back yard! Just buy a 5' or 6' equestrian lunging whip (a cheap one, I only paid $10 for mine), tie the hook side of a strip of velcro to the end of the lash, buy a cute little white stuffy, stick it to the velcro and voila -- instant fun! They play really really hard with this so only do a couple of minutes the first time. Yup, literally, just a couple of minutes. Your pup will be panting by that point. It was also suggested to me, if your pup still has dew claws, that you may want to vet wrap them before playing with the lure pole to prevent any accidental leg slashing. I just made sure that Summer's are blunt and haven't had any issues.

What a hard thing! And so scary! Our thoughts are with you. Run free, sweet Driver!

I feed a grain-free kibble: Taste Of The Wild -- High Prairie flavor (bison and venison). I don't know if this is beyond your budget but it is a more premium food. You'll find quite a lot of greyhound people feed this brand. It's available in various flavors.