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What an awesome trick! I'll definitely keep it in mind for next time- hoping there won't be a next time, though.

I should mention, I do have a Tick Key in my first aid kit that I tried to use, but it didn't really work. I think it was because the tick was dead and not engorged? I ended up having to pull it off with tweezers. Also, I called the vet, and she asked to see a photo of that red ring. Because it wasn't bigger than 2" in diameter, and it had already gone away, she didn't think it was necessary to run a course of Doxy. I can get a 4D test in 45 days if I want to.

Yes, that red circle was from the tick. That was taken immediately after I pulled it out.

Crap, I flushed it already. I wanted to get rid of that sucker ASAP.

This is all I can find... I suppose he got the last one 6/7/14.

I found a tick on Truman. He gets Nexgard and had the Lyme vaccine. Anything else I should do?

Wendy, so sorry for your loss. What a special boy he was. Thanks for sharing your tribute.

So sorry for your loss of beautiful Effie.

Wow, he looks great. Fingers crossed for continued improvement.

Try not to overthink it. It's a pretty natural progression, and you kind of learn as you go. Congrats on your new addition. Will her name be Elaine? Or perhaps Estelle Costanza?

Chase... Sending good thoughts that he can turn it around.

Out of curiosity, how are Kili's teeth? Do you have any issues with hers vs. Summit's? I have a much harder time with Truman's, and I wonder if it's those AKC genes.

If you decide to take out a policy with pet insurance, and you do it through HP, let one of us know. Their affiliate program lets referral source get some perks and discounts.

I always tell people the same thing on GT... When my Henry was diagnosed with an aggressive fibrosarcoma tumor, he required extensive treatment (including a hind limb amputation and six rounds of chemo). At last count, his expenses were over $12,000. My insurance policy with Healthy Paws covered 90% of those costs, minus our $100 deductible. If all I had was a savings account (say for example, $100 a month), it would've taken me TEN YEARS to save that kind of money. Had it not been for the insurance, I would've had to tell the vet, "No, we can't afford this... we'll have to put him down." Me personally, I couldn't sleep at night if I had to make that kind of decision. So to answer your question... Absolutely, I would never go without pet insurance. Yes, some companies suck. But if you do your research and choose one that is reputable and has favorable customer reviews, it's worth its weight in gold.

Good thinking, guys. Not that I want anything to go wrong with him that would require surgery, but that's definitely something to consider.

Zip zero on dentals, unfortunately. It's considered "preventative."

Of course not! Thanks for weighing in. I always value your advice. When it comes down to it, I do trust my vet. Given my relationship with them and my pets, I just wonder if they're used to me saying always "yes" to EVERYTHING without regard to cost... that they would recommend a procedure that is good preventatively, but isn't necessarily urgent. I'll give them a call and ask her how soon we should think about having it done. Then maybe I'll schedule them both together, and kill two birds with one stone.

Tracy, she did not suggest doing the rads. I think she was more interested in doing a cleaning and trying the SANOS sealants on him. I don't know how effective they are, but they're supposed to provide an added protection for a year. I guess my thought was... in an otherwise healthy 3-year-old... in a home where we take dental care very seriously... and I was able to easily scale off the tartar that was the original cause for concern... is this something we need to do right now? Oh, and I did inquire about February being dental month. They offered a whopping $50 discount.

At Truman's annual wellness exam last month, his vet said we should start thinking about scheduling a dental. Most of the teeth look fine, but his molars and canines have a bit of hard, brown tartar that didn't seem to be going away. Even though he's only 3, she said she's rather get it done more prophylactically, and "nip it in the bud" before any major problems begin. They aren't anticipating any extractions. The dental itself costs about $500 (although it's expensive, the price the same across the board for most vets in our area). It will include pre-anesthetic blood testing, scaling, sub gingival pocket cleaning, polishing, SANOS sealants, as well as the anesthetic and any sedatives, pain meds and antibiotics he'll require. I'm confident that they'll do a great job. But I'm just a little reluctant to go through with the stress and financial commitment if it's not 100% necessary yet. As most of you know, he's a very anxious and does NOT get along with other dogs. I worry that this could be traumatizing to him. Considering Henry's multiple, extensive, health issues, I usually agree to whatever the vet suggests and sign the bill. But this is one time I'm not so sure. Is it worth it to put him through this whole ordeal? I should add that I am completely OCD about both dogs' teeth. We have a daily routine of brushing, 2x daily application of Petzlife (gel and spray), Dental Fresh water additive, daily Dentastix, and twice weekly RMBs (Primal brand buffalo marrow bones). I know this is might be somewhat controversial, but I also started doing "standing dentals" with a dental scaler from time to time to chip off the tartar that builds up (mostly molars and canines). Over the last few weeks, I have gradually been able to eradicate all the surface tartar, so that the teeth do look nice and white now. Breath seems fine. I've discussed this with the vet, who is still recommending the dental. She said that removing the tartar is mostly cosmetic and doesn't do much for periodontal disease that might be lurking under the gumline. Opinions on whether I should schedule him, or wait? Or get a second opinion with a veterinary dentist? I don't know what to do.

So glad he came through the surgery okay. Zander, I have a message for you from Henry. He says that being a tripod is not that bad, because people always give you more attention than four-legged dogs. They give you more scritichies and more cookies, AND you can also be a pirate for Halloween. Hang in there, buddy!

Aww, no one told you about zoomies!! Look up "greyhound zoomies" on YouTube, and you'll see it's a very normal, playful thing that greys do. It does look scary the first few times they do it, but it's nothing to worry about. As for the SA, it's a process that can take days/weeks to remedy. If that's not something you are able to deal with due to your housing situation, you may want to contact your adoption group and discuss a backup plan. Considering that greyhounds have never been alone in their entire life, it can be a really difficult transition for some dogs. As adopters, we kind of just expect to put them in a crate and leave the house for hours on end. Even under the best circumstances, though, it can be a very traumatic experience for both dog AND new owner. There are lots of helpful threads on here if you search for "alone training." Best of luck! It's very normal to have the "OMG WHAT HAVE I DONE?" moment. But after you get past the initial roadblocks, I promise, it does get easier.

This is the one we use. I just put it in an empty parmesan cheese shaker and give them a few shakes on their kibble.

Henry was amp'ed in December 2013, so we have about 15 months under our belt. It's been a journey, to say the least. So sorry you're going through this. Best wishes that you get a lot more quality time with your boy.

No flames here. I recently went pesco-veg, and I couldn't be happier about my decision. There was someone on here who tried V-Dog, but if I'm remembering correctly, the dog didn't do well on it. He was fine initially, then got pretty sick, and was subsequently switched back to kibble. If you're concerned about a dog food company's ethical practices, a lot of that research is available online. Instead of a full-on veg diet, you can find companies that are locally sourced, avoid factory farming, and don't take part in animal testing.