XTRAWLD
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Posts posted by XTRAWLD
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I have fed kibble and I have fed raw. I prefer raw and still feed that solely, and use kibbles as treats/training. I switched because my pup had big time allergies, and this alleviated it. Also alleviated the gas! I find they do much better on raw all around, less poop to pick up as more is absorbed by the body since kibble often has fillers. Their eyes are brighter, coat is nicer, just all around happy dogs.
Go cold turkey and switch to raw from kibble. If you still want to feed kibble, feed kibble on one meal, and raw on the other. Don't mix.
The amount of raw depends on your grey's body condition. 2% of the bodyweight a day if overweight, 2.5% of the bodyweight for maintenance, 3% if underweight. http://www.raw4dogs.com/calculate.htm
To get the ratio's right can be tricky, too much bone and the stool is really hard, too much organ and stool is soft. I often found one chicken heart (as they are so small) was enough organ per meal. One pig rib was often enough bone for a day. The rest was all meat. However I have since gone to a fully ground version, no messing with large parts of animals and taking up space in my fridge. I buy from this place, maybe there is something similar where you are. Often pet stores that have a refrigerated section should have something like this prepared version for you. http://www.bigcountryrawstore.com/Signature-Blends-s/1817.htm
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Kasey broke the same one twice by torquing it during zoomie runs. If it's stopped bleeding, and he's not favouring his foot that's good. Stopping the bleeding and preventing it from bleeding again can be tough. Krazy Glue actually was put on by the vet the first time it happened, stops it from bleeding and keeps dirt out. Keep it clean, the regrowth is super super slow. File off sharp edges with a nail file as it grows, just be gentle. Keep him off his feet if you can for the next bit. I have soaked the paw in the past in epsom salts once a day or so, because the whole toe can smart quite a bit for a few days, and I find it helps soothe it, as well as clean out any dirt from outside.
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I free fed Kasey until Ryder showed up since Ryder was a chow hound. I was cinvinced he would never have enough if left to be free fed. With that said Kasey was never big on food, and would often leave a portion of his kibble when he was meal time and Ry would always go over and finish it off. It was not until we switched to raw that Kasey never turned his nose up to food and Ryder didn't have anything but the scraps to lick. Kasey, the dog that was always lean finally picked up some pounds with being fed raw. Stinky gas also went away.
Also, if you aren't already, give him a bedtime cookie or two to tide him over so he might not be so famished in the am.
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Looks interesting for sure. I think Ryder would behave the same way as Katie in the pawing department Will think about getting something like this...maybe Amazon will have a Cyber Monday deal!
Edited to Add: Holy moses - $165 + $60 shipping CAD for the 3 starter set from Amazon. I'll have to pass on this idea.....wow expensive! You certainly got a good deal for $46 USD (That would be $62 CAD)!
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Keep us updated! I'm sure he'll enjoy his time at home. What's great is that he'll likely begin treating his room like he did his crate, and then you can transition him to the rest of your home when he's ready.
Kasey just hated his muzzle too - would scraped his face along the walls or bricks if he was outside....so I totally know where you are coming from
Ryder could care less that it's on. Everydog is different. -
I've used Dermoscent to get resilient skin and luscious fur. It's not cheap and you can get it through your vet, but I haven't had luck with anything else.
If your pup is new to you though, it's rather normal to have some flakey skin until they get used to their new digs.
Edited to add: I forgot to say, you can try to bathe him in an Oatmeal based shampoo to help as well.
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Would doggie stairs leading up to your bed be useful instead of a large leap? Perhaps a bunch of stable pillows stacked up to give her a bit of a step up?
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Have loved Fenway on this forum. What great pics and memories. I'm so sorry.
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I was through this before in 2009 with Diamond. So I don't understand why I'm more upset this time around.
Because no one (man or beast) should have to go through this all over again. Also, don't doubt yourself. By the sounds of it, everything is going as best as reasonably expected.
Thank you for the update. I'm sure you'll be happy to have her home again soon.
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Start with leaving the kennel door open and he can choose to go in there or not during the day. Follow the same routine as giving him the kong before you go, just don't close the door.
How does he react when you are home and he's not crated? Does he get into things? You might find out that he loves socks if you leave them out, or he might like houseplants, etc. Try leaving him for a time before you go straight away into a full work day, for example go out to the store for a half hour, or an hour and see how things are.....
You may find he just settles on a bed and waits for you to get home. If you are really hesitant, you can pick up a webcam and watch while you are not home to see how he behaves.
Good luck!
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What about a third vet? Give as little info as possible and let them come up with their own conclusion from their physical exam and review of rads.
Sounds like you are definitely in a difficult place....but could both vets also be right?
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Kasey took about a year, yes a full year, until he blossomed and showed me who he really is. Ryder took about a month.
Some pups take longer than others, but it sounds like she's behaving like a greyhound behaves! A year later now and looks like what you got is what you'll get. She sounds well rounded.I took in a foster for a very short time about a year after getting Kasey to see if Kasey would have liked to have a buddy, and he told me kind of quickly that nope, this two dog thing isn't for me. He didn't even look at her, or engage her. He was great as a single dog. Then I got Ryder many years later as he aged, and while they weren't best buddies cuddling and everything, they appreciated eachothers company, but really that was it. Ryder benefited the most from that relationship, not Kasey. So, my feeling is that your dog seems to be just fine right now as a single. Take her out to some greyhound events to socialize with some other greys, or consider a foster to see how she does, or maybe dog sit for a weekend for a grey. Other dogs that interact with greys are likely too much energy and in your face as you've experienced. A mellow old lab might work!
Like many though that have posted above, seems like your house dynamic is changing so holding off on any changes for a bit seems like a smart thing to do. With you being home too, she'll have the company she needs.
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To soak, grab a tall container, a big yogurt one for example, and mix some warm water and a fist full of epsom salts. Have dog stand as comfortably as possible in the tub for about 5 mins. If he can handle more, great. Offer treats and a diversion.
Keep towels close by in case he changes his mind. When done, remove paw from tub and just dry off the fur and the paw enough so its not dripping and have him lay down and not let him disturb the paw until it dries on its own. Frequent soaks help to alleviate pain from corns and help get foreign objects to the surface. -
Hugs! She's home and she's with you.
Keep us updated with her progress! I have nothing to offer but sympathy and hope. That sounds like an awful infection. -
Kasey cost me very little up until age 8. Then he had allergy issues and then cancer. He cost me a small fortune, but I would have done anything for him and still would.
Ryder has had a limp that seems to get aggravated from over-exertion and he's had this ever since I've had him, 2 going on 9. So far I haven't had to put much money into him other than dentals, x-rays and trips to the chiropractor. That's not to say I'm expecting not to, I'm already saving up just in case because they don't stay young forever.
So from my experience, neither of my boys really had any major issues until their 8th or 9th year. I am fortunate though to have some disposable income to spend on them. They are my kids, and my hobbies are few, so really a lot of my money gets poured into them. If it's not for their care, it's for their comfort - the best beds, the best food, the best toys.
Both my boys were leash walked since 2008 as I moved to a place without a fence at that time. In complete honesty I think this alone cut down on perhaps more trips to the vet because Kasey was just a crazy runner and a klutz. I'm certain he would have broken a leg in his older age with his maneuvers. Ryder too would have likely have had a worse injury and worse limping, but I can never be sure.
So, I think like most dogs, you have to expect SOMETHING to happen. An upset stomach, puking, the big D, a busted toe, dentals - but this truthfully can happen to any dog. Are greys more susceptible? Perhaps. Sighthounds in general are built a little differently than other breeds. I'm sure in your experience from other dogs, a trip to the vet for something out of the ordinary must have occurred.
To paint the breed with a bad brush and say they are unhealthy based on the Health and Medical board everyone turns to for advice might not be fair, but I do get where you are coming from. It's very easy to see that the breed is unhealthy when the main focus is "how do I help fix this" or "what do I do here" . Turn to the Cute and Funny board and you might say "aren't greyhounds the most aloof creatures" ....
They are prone to cancer and they are prone to having bad teeth, some more than others. They have been breeding however the best to the best hoping for the best, so genetically, major ailments are actually few when looking at other breeds. And their longevity, for their size, is unmatched. I will take the risk of cancer later in life over other common breed ailments, but that's just me. The breed itself completely suits my lifestyle: quiet, tolerant of minimal exercise, all around low maintenance (to a point)!
I hope that your research points you in the right direction and you are already becoming quite the responsible owner by doing your due diligence! Go out and meet a couple more in person and ask all of these questions to other owners you have an opportunity to meet. Everyone has a different experience and perspective. Owners here have been through so many greyhounds and some not an issue and others constantly an issue! Some of it is luck and some of it is prevention and some you just can't prevent. Continue to be excited and do what's right for you and your lifestyle! You might not end with a grey but whatever you do, it will be right for you I'm certain!
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My little card says:
Total T4 (nMol/L) should be 8-20.
Other breeds is 20-33.
I don't know what units those are in.
The source of this card is www.greyhoundhealthinitiative.org
My other little card says:
T4 should be 0.5-3.6.
Other breeds is 1.52-3.60
Also says if clinical signs of hyopthyroid are present, consider testing T4 with cTSH.
The source of this card is www.greythealth.com
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As long as she's eating and comfortable, just try to focus your ebergy on getting her well and don't worry about what comes after. The first two or three weeks are the hardest things you'll ever do, but you will get through them.
I totally agree.
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T4 being undetectable is strange! I have a little card at home that has "proper" thyroid levels for a greyhound, which are usually in a totally different realm for other dogs. I'll be sure to post later when I get home unless someone will beat me to it, but sounds like if they are undetectable that a course of some meds to get them on the radar might be in order. I also agree that it can take a minimum of 6-8 weeks and up to 3 months before they will show up again on a test but perhaps only a few days of being on it to already see a physical improvement.
To be honest, I don't know that you will notice signs of hypothyroidism (this is a human with it speaking from experience). The most symptoms I've felt was difficulty sleeping, and you know greyhounds are champion sleepers!
Also on the same note, iron levels play a part in thyroid levels (again from human experience). Sometimes treating an iron deficiency for example might help alleviate a thyroid problem. Something to think about for a canine, I'm just not sure if it's the same as a human situation..... Did they test iron levels? I don't know if they usually do?! Interestingly, female (humans) typically experience iron deficiency more often than males (well because we have our dreaded monthly gift) so again I'm not sure how that translates to canines but worth considering?
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My understanding is that Crananidin is supposed to be effective - it makes it harder for e-coli bacteria to stick to the bladder wall, so helps prevent UTIs that are caused by that type of bacteria.
What I have heard from human use is that drinking cranberry juice (increase fluid intake in general) just encourages you to pee more, thus pushes the infection or bacteria out (and more often). Interesting to hear about the less stickiness angle.
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Out of curiosity, I checked the two kibble bags I have on hand which I feed as treat/reward only as Ryder is fed raw, and as a mineral additive copper is certainly added, but I didn't see a breakdown of it specifically (% wise) - only included on the ingredient list. Would an LTD kibble have a lesser content of minerals too? I know they definitely keep a more definitive ingredient for those particular kibbles....
Very interesting to say the least and you guys are in my thoughts. Please continue to keep us updated.
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Interesting. I've never thought of that, however I do tend to focus on raw foods that include more of the anti-oxidant berries in them, like cranberries and blue berries, so I guess why not?
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I think you totally missed my point Xdrawl. Or your one of those who simply disagrees with anything I say...
Once you do it a couple of times, the dog realizes that NOT going in himself is not an option, and they just do it.
I didn't miss your point, however your proposed solution might not be a realistic fix for everyone. Henry might not even catch on like George did, and then the OP has a broken back and a dog that won't budge as a result.
No need to start a fight.....
Last night we were outside the door for about 30 minutes it felt like haha. I was trying to lure him in with treats. This morning he walked halfway in the door by himself so I think its helping! I had to nudge him in the rest of the way. Then he still ran really quickly up the stairs. But it's progress!
I wish I could just pick him up and move him, but he does weigh 75 lbs. Too heavy for me. Fortunately, my apartment building is only 4 apartments so standing in the doorway hasn't been a problem yet.
Hoping for more progress tonight!
Sounds like progress!! You can also upgrade the value of your treats, let's say cut up hot dog, and hopefully things will continue progressing!
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Many of you might have seen this, but it's the first time I've come across it so I thought I'd share:
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I'm a bit more straightforward with dogs. I'd just pick him up and lift him over the threshold and tell him how awesome he is.
I used to live in an elevator building. George was afraid to go in. Trust me. In a building with 110 apartments, you CANNOT just stand there coaxing your dog with treats. It was one and done--lift dog, put dog dog down. Problem solved.
After a day of being lifted, he realized it was inevitable he was going in, and started walking in.
Same issue with shiny floors.
I for one am not going to repeatedly be picking up a 75 lb dog for a few outs in one day and many people aren't capable or willing to do that either. I also highly doubt a sitter would want to do try....
Epsom Salt Soaking
in Health and Medical discussion
Posted
Take the tub of water to an area he's comfortable standing in. He might actually not like the vessel you have selected. Sometimes starting with a small tupperware container is better than a big yogurt one for example. Bring towels and paper towel with you and in reach. Crouch down or sit on floor while he puts his paw in the water and just sit there and pet him the whole time, amd reward with treats. Tedious but that's how I've always done it. When hes done, take paw out, just lightly dry the top and praise like no tomorrow!