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RedHead

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Everything posted by RedHead

  1. Hmmm...perhaps she fed him a lot of treats on the side (??). One cup doesn't seem like enough to sustain a healthy weight, even on a high calorie kibble. Every dog is different though, obviously she doesn't look too thin so something is working.
  2. Another thing you can do is try to slow down the regular meal eating. Some dogs just scarf down their food in two seconds and immediately want more. You could try putting it into a kong, or better yet, one of those puzzle toys. You can even just scatter feed it around a room so your pup has to sniff and search it out (this is a natural behaviour and they love it!). That way, the eating process actually tires them out (and is mentally stimulating), so they seem more satisfied afterwards. If you don't want your pup to gain weight, I personally wouldn't add too many starchy foods (i.e. sugars) in as extras..
  3. Teague is a pill spitter too and the only thing that works here is goats cheese. It has the perfect texture to mould into a ball too which is great. The key with Teague is to give a few freebies first, so that he doesn't suspect anything Once he gobbles a few down, he stops thinking and then he eats the pill one without hesitation.
  4. I wouldn't bother right now if it makes her that upset. How cold does it get where you live? Mine doesn't need a coat in any temp around the freezing mark, but he does need one when temps go well below. In the meantime, you can always work on desensitizing her to the coat. Use something really tasty as well...not dry treats, but real meat, cheese, or whatever she loves. A lot of dogs with these issues are generally fine once the coat is actually on them and they are outside on the walk. You may want to try taking it along with you on walks and trying it on when she is more distracted. There was a recent thread here on nail trimming and fear of nail clippers. Not the same thing I know, but the same basic principles to desensitization. There is a good video at the bottom that Krissy posted that might help. It shows how to begin by simply rewarding for visually seeing whatever object is scary to them. http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/319424-trimming-nails/
  5. No advice really (I've only used metacam short term after dentals, etc.) but hoping you can get some answers at the vet.
  6. Another factor to consider is the temperature. If it is even "warm" out (not overly hot) my grey just kind of lags behind and just wants to go home after 15-20 minutes. Whereas now that it is cold, I jog with him and he is perky and he runs 6-8km every day. I find the heat makes a huge difference.
  7. My dogs have gotten their tags in the heat vent too and ripped it right out of the floor (on a buckle collar)! Honestly, I really don't think there is a big difference in chain vs. fabric in a martingale. Both do the exact same thing, and assuming you aren't leaving it on in the house unsupervised, you can go with either. I prefer fabric myself just for the look, but I have used chain martingales in the past with no problem. I wouldn't use a choke chain, but a little chain loop on a martingale is no different than fabric imho.
  8. Your dog most likely ate some kind of kibble/raw mixture on the racetrack. Most greyhounds do very well with this. A lot of sources say to not mix kibble and raw (due to different digestion rates, etc. which is not really true btw ) but most dogs do fine. Of course you can feed separate as well, but it is really up to you, I wouldn't really worry. Your dog will appreciate the fresh food!! You can choose to mix whatever amounts you prefer, and chicken wings are okay as long as your pup chews them and doesn't gulp them down (if so, try a bigger bone like thighs). I personally would not add extra carbs like pasta and potatoes if you are doing kibble as most kibbles are at least 60-70% carbs already. That's just my opinion, though everyone finds what works for their pup.
  9. I have no idea how much mine drink, I refill their bowl once a day and the water level hardly goes down. As mentioned, there are a lot of factors: temperature, exercise, diet, etc. Mine don't eat any dry food, which is likely why they hardly drink. If you add water to kibble you may notice less water consumption as well. If a dog is drinking excessively (due to illness) they would likely start having pee accidents, and/or need to go outside way more than usual.
  10. My guy is 9.5 and has never needed a vet visit other than checkups and his dentals. I will say he has been my most expensive dog though, purely because he needs a dental every year no matter what I do. They are also prone to certain cancers, but so are a lot of other purebreds. On the flip side, I don't find they have a lot of problems that a lot of other large breeds do (for example my friends with labs and retrievers deal with hips, thyroid, acl tears, ear infections, hotspots, etc. all the time). Pet insurance is your friend though in case of accident or emergency
  11. Wow, your pups will just eat the plain pumpkin guts? I don't think my pups even consider it a food item. lol I am always amazed at what everyone else's pups will eat with my picky guys.
  12. I can relate. Teague's teeth are naturally just very bad (they were worn and ground down when I got him at 3), and he has deep gum pockets everywhere. Therefore brushing and chewing only helps the outside of the tooth but the pockets eventually smell awful as I can't reach them. I feed raw (he eats no starches and chews bones daily), brush every day, and use a dental gel from the vet. I am sure these things certainly help (he has no visible tartar on his teeth), but I am at the point where I just need a yearly dental to stay on top of things. One thing I do really like is my vet puts these tiny antibiotic beads (Arestin..it is used for human gum disease) into all of the problem areas under the gum after a cleaning. They are long lasting, and do seem to help for a bit.
  13. Oh no, I am so sad to see Corina's name here I am so sorry for you and your family. She made a big impression on you and your kids and I am sure your daughters will always have special memories of her. It is so hard when they leave unexpectedly like this.
  14. So happy the raw seems to be working! Primal (or any petstore raw) is ridiculously expensive if you have a large dog. There are a lot of local companies and distributors nowadays that sell premade ground raw. I get some from a great company here and it is also way fresher than commercial brands (plus way cheaper). I just feed messy bones outside or on a giant plastic table cloth indoors. Where are you located? There may be some cheaper options close by.
  15. Dogs bred for work purposes, actually tend to be a LOT healthier dogs. Greyhounds do not have a lot of hereditary problems (hip dysplasia, etc.) that most large breed purebreds have as they have been bred for a sound body (not looks for the show ring). Working sleddogs and sheepdogs tend to be quite healthy as well. Greyhounds are unfortunately prone to things like osteo, which could be more prevalent in some racing lines. As a whole though, I am thankful that greyhounds have not been bred large scale in the pet/breeder industry.... it has ruined a lot of breeds.
  16. Dogs don't have the sense to spit out their toothpaste like humans do. They swallow it, which is a big reason by human toothpaste is a no-no. I make my own dog toothpaste, and use a bit of peppermint extract if you like the "minty" smell
  17. I agree, I would go back to what worked before (the Diamond kibble) just to see what happens. Homemade options often work well too if you are up for that. BalanceIt (https://secure.balanceit.com/) is one company I know of that does specialized homemade diets for various health issues. I personally love raw, but I would be hesitant to give it to a dog who's system and gut bacteria is completely out of whack. Sometimes the additional bacteria load can make things worse. It would be better to try once the system is calmed down (although other times people switch cold turkey and have great results...). Also, you mentioned you fed the raw with kibble. I would feed only one type of food for a few days (not mixed) to better be able to tell what is working and what is not. Good luck!
  18. My grey has always had dark urine too. He is completely healthy....may be a greyhound thing?? I wouldn't worry about protein unless your pup has a medical condition (Proplan isn't that high in protein compared to a lot of foods)
  19. Outside vs. Inside prey drive are totally different things, so I wouldn't really worry too much if he chases things outside. Your grey sounds completely workable with cats, I would just give it some time. There are some greyhounds who completely fixate on cats and want to lunge and chase them right away. If your dog doesn't do this, he is probably very trainable. The whining could just be a mix of anxiety or excitement. With daily exposure the novelty will probably wear off and they will get used to each other. Everything is so new for your dog, so he is probably just a bit overwhelmed. Keep the muzzle on for now but try to have them together a lot (supervised of course). Be careful what you are correcting your dog for...curious sniffing, watching the cat (in a non-fixated way) and whining are likely just your pup being curious or trying to figure things out. If your cat hisses and swats back that takes care of most of your training lol Most dogs quickly figure out who the boss is. Try to relax and breath and give it a good few weeks before worrying too much.
  20. If worms aren't the problem, you will probably have to experiment with different kibbles if you go that route. A lot of greyhounds don't do well on the higher fat kibbles. People here seem to have more success with lower protein/fat foods. My dogs do awful on most kibble but Taste of the Wild seems to always work, if you want to try more grain free options. I have always fed raw (well mostly raw, with a bit of kibble or homecooked when I run out). All of my dogs have done well on it but you need to research. The big name petstore brands are insanely expensive and they have a weird odour/colour imo. There are a lot of small companies that have good ground mixes/rmb's though. You could also just try feeding some chicken quarters for a few days to see how things go. Before making any big food switch (especially to a bacteria food like raw) it is good to settle the system down for a few days. I have never had luck with cooked beef, I think the higher fat causes issues when cooked. I would try rice and chicken for a few days and maybe add a bit of pumpkin or sweet potato in for fibre. Hopefully that will get the gut flora back into better shape.
  21. Aw, I am so sorry about your boy I hope you are able to manage a little more quality time together. Hugs!
  22. No idea, but sorry this is happening to Ry. I think a second opinion with your other vet is a good idea (Dr. John?) so you can decide next steps. Glad he is feeling a bit better.
  23. If you want to go the easy/no worry route, there are a few companies who offer vitamin powders + simple recipes to make homemade food. I know BalanceIt works with a lot of veterinarians to make homemade diets. A friend uses it and she just has to cook some meat, quinoa and veggies to mix with the powder. Pretty easy but not sure how expensive it is. https://secure.balanceit.com/tools/ez2/# Dogaware has a lot of good info too http://dogaware.com/articles/wdjhomemade3.html
  24. If she is eating chicken, why not try a simple homecooked diet? You can buy supplements from a few companies and prepare a very simple diet with only 2 or 3 ingredients. Sweet potato has a decent amount of nutrition, even a mixture of that with some rice or pasta and chicken would be fine to try for a few weeks. Eggs are great too.
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