LBass

What a really beautiful girl. The thought of her sadness makes me so sad for her. I hope on some level she felt the love her new family had for her. Run free sweetheart.

Donna, in my email I know I was taking about seizures--I see them everywhere because of Piper --but reading again and reading your update I think it does not sound so much like a seizure (the physical recovery would normally be quicker) as a stroke perhaps or something else. What a nightmare for her foster Mom! Sending prayers and warm healing thoughts to both of them. --Lucy

Run free, sweetheart. You were well and truly loved and that is a precious gift.

Oh gosh, Chris, do I understand! I remember how horrified I was when I dropped Piper's Phenobarbital and Soloxine and the ball of dog food containing them was grabbed and gobbled up by little 25 lb Winston. Didn't seem to phase him at all and the e-vet (phone call) didn't seem too worried. How's 00 Dude doing today? --Lucy

From what I've read in trying to understand and manage Piper's epilepsy, it sounds as if something triggered the earlier seizures (the ones when he was 4-5)--perhaps meds or something else. Once a dog has had a seizure/seizures there seems to be an increased risk of future seizures. People refer to this as a lowering of the seizure threshold. It may be that his brain is now more susceptible to triggers that start the uncontrolled electrical activity that is a seizure. Certainly brain tumors are a possibility with late onset seizures but when discussing that possibility for Piper 2 different vets said that in that case we would soon begin seeing other neurological signs of brain cancer. I wish I had something more concrete to offer than good wishes that his seizures remain few and far between and mild. --Lucy

My instinct is that this is not behavioral and that the first step is looking for a physical cause. Piper had several week of dribbling pee, just as you describe. His was related to the dose of Potassium Bromide he was taking for seizure control. That medication tends to create hind end weakness and ataxia that, for Piper, afected his bladder as well. While scoping out what may be going on with your boy you might want to invest in a belly band and/or waterproof pads to use in his beds and on the couch. Those tactics helped as the vet and I tried to figure out what was going on with Piper. --Lucy

Donna, you may remember that Spirit came to me with a history of being very timid and way too frightened of people, etc. to race. He had really responded to lots of TLC at the racing kennel farm but was still skittish and afraid in new situations and very leery of men. I had his thyroid level tested because of his hugely flaky skin and indeed his thyroid level was quite low. As soon as the thyroid meds got on board I noticed subtle but distinct changes in his personality as well as his coat. He is currently not a dog I'd call skittish at all. He handles walks in very public areas like a champ and even lets men pet him. It might be worth having Buffy's thyroid tested. --Lucy

Tracey, what a timely post. I've been trying to frame the same question about Spirit. These very words have come out of my mouth! Several times over the ~9 months I've had Spirit I've heard him growl--not a groan, not that charming eargasm noise, but a real low throaty growly growl noise. Yet his body language looks happy, peaceful, content, relaxed. He growls while lying on the couch, alone, with no human or animal anywhere near him. He growls while lying in his bed--again with no one anywhere near him to deserve a warning. He recently growled while he was up on my bed. I was standing by the bed petting him (leaning over and loving on him because he always seems to love that) and he growled. I immediately backed off a bit to give him space and he immediately waved his front foot at me trying to catch my hand in his time honored "pleeeeease don't stop!" plea. I was so confused. Reading these responses, perhaps it is a contented vocalization for Spirit. Way to keep your confused human on her toes, Spirit. --Lucy

What a wonderful positive update to read for Jake!

Individual personalities can vary so much. Piper, my first grey is not a snuggler--won't get on the bed, just discovered the couch after 6 years--but he makes it clear that he loves it if I come sit with him and pet him. Spirit is rather undemonstrative--seldom wags his tail, doesn't kiss--but it is always a safe bet that if I reach down, he'll be right there beside me. He loves being attention and will wave a front paw at me if I stop. After several months, he will now sometimes hop up on the bed and curl up beside me. MoMo, my girl, is a snugglers dream! She hops up on the bed, plasters herself across me and I try to go to sleep with Mo breathing in my ear or on my neck. She eats up any and all forms of attention. I think you have to take your hounds as they are--after all, their preferences are half of what makes the relationship work. Having said that, 2 months is a very short time for her to settle in to home life and get to know and trust you. Don't despair and don't rush her. I'll bet she ends up being a great snuggle buddy in a few short months. --Lucy

So many good observations and suggestions--thank you all so much. I do recognize that I am going to have to be extra vigelant and careful in the future with both supervision and muzzles. I do think that sweet gentle Piper can go out safely with Winston and Piper might appreciate a respite from the young'uns too. Cathie, don't apologize for Spirit. I think he is such a handful because he is also such a smart boy. That also makes him a terrific dog and a wonderful character. It just means that I have to step up to the challenges he presents. Winston is a little old lovable grump and I will need to take extra care of and for him. --Lucy

Winston was not barking or fighting back. He was just lying down in the grass. In the past, that is how he typically deals with any dog who bothers him or plays too roughly. I am remembering a neighbor JRT who wanted to play but was rougher than Winston liked--Winston would just lie down until the unpleasantness went away. He tends to be a bit of a Drama King. It is certainly possible that he got stepped on and cried out at the beginning of last night's episode. I would likely not have heard that and yet it might have excited the greyhounds. I saw no evidence either before or after this incident that he'd had a seizure and he has no history of seizures. He had a full senior checkup within the past month. I have noticed in the last week that he avoids the greyhounds in ways he has not done before--stays up on the deck in a corner by rocking chairs rather than going on down into the yard with them, gives them a wider berth than usual. I am, of course, wondering if he has felt threatened by them before over the last week. --Lucy

I have 3 greyhounds and an elderly Cavalier King Charles spaniel. They've always gotten along well. Winston, the Cavalier, doesn't play with the big dogs, tends to stay out of their way, but is very willing to stand up to them if he has a toy or food, and has never seemed afraid of them. Other than occasionally getting stepped on in the crowd, I've never worried about Winston and the hounds. Last night all 4 dogs were into the back yard for their last potty trip before bed. I heard a lot of barking and went out to investigate. All 3 greys (but mostly the 2 younger ones, who were muzzled) were cluster around something in the yard, barking and poking at it with their muzzled noses. I thought they'd caught something but, as I got near, I realized it was Winston. He was fine, other than being a little wet from lying in the grass. I think the ring leader among the hounds was Spirit, who continued to try to dominate/intimidate Winston--based on posture (tail up) and stance (standing over Winston). Now, I am not angry with the hounds for acting like dogs. However, I am interested in promoting peace, harmony, and safety for all 4 dogs. I'd appreciate suggestions for managing this kind of pack dynamics and keeping Winston safe. At this point, I am making him go out alone or with me so he doesn't get ganged up on again. The only thing that has changed recently is that Winston had a dental about 2 weeks ago in which he lost 7 teeth, poor thing. He was rechecked Saturday by the vet and everything was healing well. I'm not suggesting that he ever had to use those missing teeth to defend himself, but I had wondered if the healing wounds in his gums played a part in exciting the other dogs or making Winston somehow seem vulnerable. --Lucy

I too have a hound who, with health issues, really needs a dog door. I knew that my cat would go out the dog door. but I'm committed to keeping my cat indoors. I decided to confine the cat to one part of the house (the bathroom with his litter box plus 2 bedrooms) so he would not have access to the dog door. I only leave the dog door open (and therefore the cat confined) when I'm away from home. When I get home, I latch the dog door, release the cat and assume my role as door person. This has worked out very well for about 5 years. --Lucy

I'm so sorry that Iceman had to leave. The picture you posted of him is wonderful--his look of bliss is charming. What a beautiful, special boy. --Lucy

A course of doxy sure sounds like a good thing to try for your poor boy. Prayers heading Jake's way, for sure. --Lucy

One of my favorite descriptions when I was researching Cavalier King Charles several years ago was "not for robotic obedience". I think that phrase holds true for greyhounds too and it is NOT the same as being untrainable. My greys (and Winston, the Cavalier) all know basic commands that make them civilized and a pleasure to live with. They easily learned "go lie down", "leave the kitchen", "hop up" and other basic commands. I've dealt with some things that they didn't want to do and, with some patience and persistence on my part, we've gotten them done. Piper, my first grey, and getting a bath is an easy example. He pulled back on the leash, bucked, hopped, and generally threw a panicky fit when I tried to get him in the bath tub. He was my first really big dog and it sort of intimidated me. I gave up for the moment and thought through it, decided how to approach it and now Piper gets a bath whenever I decide he needs one. He gets firmly but gently lead into the bathroom, scooted across the slick floor, front end lifted into the tub, back end lifted into the tub, and then there is the soap and water and its all done. --Lucy

What a relief that this time it was not a seizure. Part of living with a dog who has seizures seems to be the ability to go from zero to full speed in a moment! It always takes me a while to settle down after a scare like that. Hugs to you and Ez.

Deb, I'm so sorry that wonderful girl didn't make it to her home with you. She made it into your heart and into the hearts of the Chat Club. I believe that she felt that love. --Lucy

Welcome to GT, Molly and Arthur and the kitties! Arthur is a very handsome boy and your cats are lovely. I'm lucky to share my life with 3 greyhounds, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and an Oriental Shorthair cat. I hope that you'll find this site as helpful, fun, and welcoming as I have. --Lucy

Karen, what a lovely post you've written about your dear Tess. I love the picture of her covered with mud and also the one where she is leaping so high. A wonderful larger than life character. Hugs to you for Tess and for your Nanna too. --Lucy

Just a comment about the intelligence and adaptability of dogs: I have a dog door leading into the fenced back yard. It is open when I'm not home. As I leave, I confine my cat to 3 rooms so he can't get out the dog door. When I am home, the dog door is shut and the car is free in the whole house. The dogs ask to go out the deck door--a completely different exit than the dog door--and they know to ask to be let in the deck door too. I don't think you need worry that the dog door and also potty walks will be too confusing. He'll soon get the hang of all this. The only thing I'd think of adding is a potty opportunity just before bedtime. My 3 seem to like that and use it, too. Potty, cookies, tucked up in bed is our nightly routine. --Lucy

I have really struggled with this issue. I'd like to have everybody safely buckled in with harnesses. I got one of the good looking recommended harnesses (Ruff Rider, I think) for Piper. It fit nicely and looked as if he had enough slack to move around. We didn't even get out of the driveway before Piper got himself tangled up in it and panicked. I just gave up on using it. He road in the back seat of my Forester. Now that I've got 3 hounds and have gone to using harnesses for walking, I load everybody up in the far back of the Forester, with the seats down, and hook leashes to the seatbelt. That will keep them from running away if we have an accident but provides little safety for them. I'm going to add a barrier, which should contain them a bit and add a little more protection for them. I wish I had a vehicle that would accommodate 3 large crates, but that is not going to happen any time in the foreseeable future.

I'm so glad the news is benign! MoMo had a laproscopic spay. Her spleen was lacerated by the camera and she ended up having to have a regular spay and and her spleen was removed. Not what we'd been hoping for at all, as you can imagine! My vet--who was not the one who had performed the spay/splenectomy-- said that the spleen probably weighted about 4 pounds. This was in a discussion of all the weight Mo had lost. Her recover was not terribly prolonged or difficult--a bit longer than a more uncomplicated spay but nothing alarming. In reading about longterm issues with the splenectomies, it seems that the main functions of the spleen are to make red blood cells and to help with immune system functions. So, I'll need to watch Mo for infections so that I get her straight to the vet since her immune system my not be at 100%. Best wishes to Booker and to you. --Lucy