Anne

Pam I am so sorry, my heart hurts for you.

I'm so very sorry for your loss. My heart hurts for you, I wish I could give you a hug. As bad as it hurts, the memories will be there for you when you need them, and some day you will be able to think of those wonderful memories without crying, and you'll even smile.

Many years ago I had adopted a Pug who had an artificial hip that was made of steel. When she was outside in the winter, she often held that leg up and didn't use it and the vet that put her hip in said that the metal gets cold and she could feel it. Vet also said that was totally normal and to be expected. Her hip was put in at OSU, so great program that did it. As she got older, some of her other joints got some arthritis in them, but her artificial hip never ever gave her problems. I know it's not the same as pins and plates, but still internal stainless steel fixture.

Welcome, from the SE corner of Arizona!

I'm so sorry Diane. Our hearts are tough and even though it hurts, we do it over and over and over. I didn't know you had one of Darlene and David's dogs. My Sugar was one of their dogs too, though not related to your girl.

I was able to pick up her cremains yesterday. I always feel a bit better when they come home for that last time. It's been very very quiet this past week. I've slowly picked up all Sugar's "stuff," toys and beds and such. I keep thinking I hear her turning around and getting comfy in her "room" (aka my closet!!) I thank everyone for their kind comments, they brought tears to my eyes, but were so good to read. I think once a few months have passed that I will offer to foster a greyhound for the group nearest me in Sierra Vista, it's been a very long time since I've had foster hounds around.

I'm so sorry, for you and for your kids and your parents. Asti was such a lucky girl to be loved by so many people. I love her name, I never put Asti together with the Spumante before, that was such a great name for a wonderful gal!

When I moved out here to Arizona, I brought 6 retired racers with me and a standard poodle. As of Sunday they are all gone. Sugar left this world for the next about 8:30 Sunday evening. I had to take her to Tucson, it was pricey, but it was one of the best experiences I had with having one of my pets leave this earth. Sugar came to me as a foster dog when she was two. She remained my foster for 10 months, no one ever inquired about her. She was a severe spook and had some medical issues as well. I finally gave up and just adopted her. She was so scared of people. In the beginning she could barely be in the same room with people. After a while she got more comfortable and would at least stay in the same room with me. Then she'd "sneak" up behind me and poke me with that long nose of hers and then run! It was adorable! Then she got mouthy with me. She'd stand across the room and make noises at me, and bark and roo at me. Eventually I could actually touch her in the house, I could usually (not always!) walk up to her and pet and love on her. Still to her last days, I could only rarely touch her outside unless I cornered her. Her "spot" in the house was my closet. For the last 13 years I have not had a closet in my bedroom. That was Sug's place where she felt comfy. When the thunder would be loud or something frightened her, off to the closet. My Lulu slept with her in the closet. Those two were pretty much attached at the hip. It was hard for Sug when Lulu went to the bridge more than 2 years ago. Her hearing was going, her sight was going, her back end was very weak. Sugar looked at me on Sunday afternoon and I knew it was time. She's been going down hill for a while now. My heart is broken. Who's going to get me up in the mornings? Who's going to bark at me and demand food or to go out? Hopefully her ashes will be home soon. I have been so lucky, I have had the most wonderful greyhounds in my life. Each one of them wonderful and unique. I don't know if I will have another greyhound or what, but for the moment I just need to get over losing Sugar. This is Sugar this past May.

Back in 1998 when I moved my parents in with me due to their Alzheimer's I brought their freezer too. It was FULL. And much of the meat in it was more than 10 years in that freezer. I didn't eat it, but I did thaw it and feed it to my dogs. The texture was a bit off, and it was freezer burnt, but the dogs didn't care about that. None of my dogs got sick from it. Just last fall I cooked a turkey that I'd had for 3 or 4 years in my freezer. I didn't eat it, but fed it to the dogs as an added extra to their dog food, a little bit at a time. Froze the cooked turkey in bags that would give me about 3 or 4 days of meat at a time for the dogs. The dogs REALLY loved it! I really hate to waste food, especially when the dogs can benefit from it. I wouldn't give them a large piece of raw turkey if they are not used to it, small bits as a snack or a bit added to their dinners would probably be safer.

One other thing I remember being told by the eye specialist who diagnosed Lynch, the younger the dog is, the faster they go blind. It took less than 1 year for Lynch to become totally blind, he was just under 2 at diagnosis and I was told this had been going on for a while. It's also usually genetic, so that if there are other pups in the litter, your dog may have blind litter mates. Lynch's Mom was totally blind by the time she finished having pups, and I know that several of his litter mates also had issues with blindness. I wouldn't do dog parks either, too much possibility of him running into a tree or fence or another dog and it could end tragically. Lynch never went to the dog park with us. Good luck, I think you'll find that 95% of the time the blindness isn't really an issue.

Lynch rarely ran into another dog while they were up and moving around. He would get close to them if they were sleeping, but still rarely stepped on another dog. I did keep the yard fairly empty of stuff. I chopped down a bush and took the center of it to about 5" underground because I was afraid he'd hurt his foot on the stump or he'd trip over it. They know where they are going for the most part. We moved across the country and to a new house and within one day he knew his way around the house. The ONLY time I can remember that he ran into something hard enough to hurt him was when he was still on the track and he didn't negotiate a turn and ran straight and into the rail. I've had quite a few dogs with issues, and blindness is the least of the ones I've dealt with! Seriously, the dogs just don't miss their sight like you or I would.

My sweet and wonderful Lynch had PRA when I adopted him at age 2. He was the only greyhound I've ever had who jumped a baby gate and he did it blind. Siilly boy. PRA isn't all that to a dog. They are amazing at how they acclimate to being blind. I treated him just like the other dogs. IF I had to move furniture or something in the house, I made sure to show him what I had done. He pee'd and pooped in the same place every day. He ran in his yard and he trotted up and down the steps like a pro. In fact, I had more trouble with some of my sighted dogs and the steps than I did with Lynch. He rarely stepped on another dog. The other dogs (I had 7 dogs) learned to give him a warning if he got too close. Lynch also had a number of other eye issues through the years... He got pannus, and had glaucoma and cataracts. But in all he did very very well. What you will notice is that their pupils dialate trying to let light in until they no longer ever get small again. In the mornings when I would let all the dogs out, the sighted ones ran to do their business. Lynch would go to the middle of the yard and stick his long pointy nose into the air and turn a full circle, smelling and checking out what had happened in his kingdom over night while he was sleeping! It was so cute to watch, and he did it every single morning. I was Lynch's seeing eye person. He counted on me to watch where he was walking and alert him to anything in the way or tell him step up or step down, or jump up (to get into the car) or jump down to get out of the car. He was very smart and learned quickly. He was a bit spooky before the blindness happened, and he was a lot more spooky afterwards. I didn't let anyone rush up to him and grab him or pet him without letting him know that it was coming. This is him running in the snow back in Ohio... very blind!! This is what his eyes looked like years later.....

I always thought it was a dominant thing in dog body language. But I guess there is always an exception!

Ipecac is rarely used in humans anymore. You'll have a hard time finding it in a pharmacy as well. I personally would use peroxide. Actually I have used peroxide twice for my greyhounds (they ate tylenol once and thyroid pills once) with good success. Some info on Ipecac: IPECAC · Ipecac is derived from the roots of certain plants. It belongs to a class of drugs known as emetics. Similar drugs include apomorphine. · Ipecac acts by irritating the stomach lining and stimulating the impulse to vomit. Vomiting will generally occur within 30 minutes of administration. · Ipecac is available over the counter but should not be administered unless under the supervision and guidance of a veterinarian. · This drug is not approved for use in animals by the Food and Drug Administration but it is prescribed legally by veterinarians as an extra-label drug. Brand Names and Other Names · This drug is registered for use in humans only. · Human formulations: Ipecac is supplied by numerous drug companies with a variety of trade names and various generic preparations · Veterinary formulations: None Uses of Ipecac · The sole purpose of ipecac is to induce vomiting. · Ipecac is primarily used to induce vomiting after ingestion of a toxic substance or a foreign object. Precautions and Side Effects · While generally safe and effective when prescribed by a veterinarian, ipecac can cause side effects in some animals. · Ipecac should not be used in animals with known hypersensitivity or allergy to the drug. · Ipecac should be avoided in animals with heart disease or breathing difficulty. It should also be avoided in an animal that is minimally responsive, convulsing or comatose. · If an animal has already been vomiting, ipecac should not be used. · Do not use ipecac to evacuate corrosive ingestions or toxins that can lead to aspiration pneumonia. · When used properly and vomiting occurs, there are little adverse effects associated with ipecac. · If vomiting does not occur, there is a potential for serious heart toxicity. For this reason, other emetics may be recommended. How Ipecac Is Supplied · Ipecac is available in a 15 ml or 30 ml syrup. Dosing Information · Medication should never be administered without first consulting your veterinarian. · To induce vomiting, 0.5 to 1 ml per pound (1 to 2 ml/kg) is recommended. · If no vomiting occurs, a second dose can be administered. · If there is still no vomiting, examination and treatment by your veterinarian is recommended.

Trudy and Jeff, I am so very sorry that Jet had to leave you. It just seems like she'd been here for so long that she's always be here.

Miss Lulu unexpectedly came into my life when she was 2 years old. She was goofy. She was a HUGE barker. She was an instigator. And she got into lots of trouble! But most of all she was a love and she was beautiful and so sweet. She never raced, she was too busy doing other stuff to be bothered to race! She came to me and fit right in. She bonded with Sugar pretty much from the get go and they were buddies all her life with me. And did I mention that she barked.... a lot? Often? Frequently? And that she had separation anxiety? She was a garbage hound too, always into the garbage. I almost never came home without finding garbage all over the place! I know I mentioned that she barked, did I mention that she howled? When I'd leave the house she would howl. But I miss her so much and would love to hear her barking and howling right now. I'd love to pick up the garbage. I'll miss her cold nose in the mornings, checking to make sure I was aware that she was awake and that the day was beginning without us being awake! My beautiful blue baby girl is gone. I have one greyhound left. I also have a little cockapoo that Sugar loves and they are doing well together without Lulu. But we all miss her very much.

Anyone eat deer meat from an animal that was killed by a car and then a hunter got it and had it dressed and butchered? I have. That's one of your "D's" right there, and me and my family are alive to tell about it. Dogs will eat a dead squirrel in a heart beat and live to tell about it. I refuse to serve my dogs better and more expensive food than I eat. I'd have to agree with Jey who said that there isn't enough 4D to go around to put into dog foods.

If it were my dog, I wouldn't be very upset. I'm guessing here that they were filled with some kind of cream? I don't think milk chocolate is nearly as bad as dark chocolate or cocoa. You can always look it up on google or call the pet poison control or the ER vet.

I have one whose belly growls so loud that it wakes me up! She won't eat, so I give her a pepcid as soon as I hear it. Sometimes then she can eat breakfast a few hours later, sometimes not. When Phantom's belly would growl, I kept crackers in the bedroom and he'd eat a couple of those and it would stop and he and I would both go back to sleep! Gosh, I miss that boy.

Years ago when I had a chocolate lab, the ONLY time in her life when she wasn't bouncing off the walls was the evening and night after her spay!

I'm so sorry.

I am so very sorry. What a wonderful story of Bella and her life with you. They just never seem to be with us long enough, but then unless it's forever it would never be long enough.

Oh Cheryl, I am so very sorry to hear this. I've had one of your pictures of Elvis on my computer for years now and always thought he was such a handsome devil and loved him from the moment you posted the first picture of him here. Godspeed Elvis.

Diane, I'm so very sorry.

I have used it in SMALL doses. My dogs have taken it in 5mg and 2.5mg doses. Most vets recommend WAY too much. My dogs sleep on 5mg of it, and if needed, they can get up to eat and go outside if it's not storming. Now having said all that, some dogs don't do so well with it. I've never had a dog have an adverse reaction to it. Some people hate ACE, but for me for very severe storms it works very well in the 5mg range. My original vet recommended I think 20mgs of it, and that was WAY WAY too much, my dog slept for hours and hours and wouldn't budge for almost 15 hours. So I would never give that amount unless we had worked up towards it and it was a life and death situation or vet controlled situation. I don't use it often anymore. I tend to use benedryl or the generic form, diphenhydramine HCL. My dogs take 100mgs of this. The average dose is 1mg per pound of your dogs body weight. Most greyhounds fall into the 50mg dose. And it helps a lot for storms and for separation anxiety here. My dogs take 100mgs and that was approved by their vet, in fact, they can have that up to 3 times a day. At first it tends to make them really sleepy, but after a while, less so. My dogs got no help from various other recommendations, including herbal meds and drops and such, nor the plug in things or the herbal collars. But my spook has horrific thunder and wind phobia along with other noise issues. And even after thyroid testing and thyroid meds, it made NO DIFFERENCE at all in her phobias. WE tried and I prayed that it would help, but it didn't. In her old age, a new vet and she's been weaned from thyroid drugs and is doing so well with good levels. But that's another whole ball of wax. Edited to add thyroid stuff.