feemandvm

We call them "recessed" vulvas but htey are not all that uncommon. The real problem is recovery as many dogs will try to lick or scoot out sutures. It can really benefit some dogs that have chronic UTIs if medial management is ineffective.

If he won't eat it... you can take it back to your vet. 100% guaranteed for palatibility. Doesn't mean 100% of dogs will eat it... just that you can take it back for a full refund if he won't! : ) If you want to try homecooked. I know Hill's SD used to have recipes that you could make at home. I am not sure if they were meant for longterm or not though. You could contact them and ask: http://www.hillspet.com/zSkin_2/_refacing/...D=1182737675509

1. The "mark-up" on food is very low so vets are not making very much money selling food. Actually if you look at the amount of room that food takes up in a hospital... it is hte lowest revenue producing area in every hospital. If prescription diets were sold OTC with a prescription... no vet would ever carry food. We carry no maintenance diets and only prescription diets. 2. Plenty of studies have shown that feeding low protein diets are better for dogs with a protein losing nephropathy (the type of kidney disease Alan has). 3. There are alternatives to Hill's SD K/D. Purina, Eukanuba and Royal canin all make kidney diets that would be comparable.

Again, I am quoting Dr. Stack and also Dr. Beckett who both have a lot of experience in tick borne diseases. Also, these figures from tick states are what works--not in text books, but in real life. If you do not do the 8-12 week dosing, you end up with problems. You know I think a lot of Dr. Couto and Ohio State. However, I will debate this to the ends of the world. I have seen too many dogs with unnecessary tests and die and almost die from TBDs, and no, not all are diagnosed. As Dr. Miller here in Houston calls at least one of the unknows the "Lone Star Tick disease" after a TBD panel was done at North Carolina State, came up negative, and yet the dog was given doxy and he responded. This may be a difference of opinion among veterinarians. I support the larger dose and longer duration based on the experience of veterinarians and my experience. Show him Dr. Stack's article. If this is a TBD, you will see results in as little as a week. 5 mg per # of body weight twice a day. Please join the tick list Do you consider Texas a TBD state? Your own vet school does not support your recommendation. I can promise you that they see more TBDs in a year then your vet does and yet they still don't support your protocol. Don't you find that strange? Why are no other experts finding the same complications that you are? The top TBD lab in the US hasn't had a problem with lower Doxy dosing. The vet school in your own state hasn't had a problem with lower Doxy dosing. OSU and Florida who see tons of Greyhounds and have internists that also see TBDs haven't had a problem with lower dosing of Doxycycline. If we are talking about real life... then why is it that no-one else seems to have these complications? Why is it that all the experts that see more TBDs then anyone else are not seeing these same complications? Again... when you post about Doxy dosing... people need to know that your Doxy dosing is your OPINION and based on zero published information or any study at all. It is based on your "real world knowledge" that is in contrast to the opinion of every top TBD expert in the US. When you only state the "correct dosing is 5 mg/lbs. BID x 8 weeks" people are going to take your word as fact when in fact it is an annecdotal opinion only.

Next time you are in the clinic... ask to see the size of the needle used for microchipping. It is NOT small and nothing like an immunization!!! Does the chip warrant general anesthesia? No... I wouldn't say that. But I wouldn't play it off like it was nothing either. I personally wouldn't chip my dog awake. I'd simply wait until they were out for some procedure and do it then. If it were an emergency and I couldn't wait... then I would use some sort of local anesthetic to ease the discomfort.

OK... this is a topic that Diane and I differ GREATLY on. The standard treatment for Ehrlichiosis is generally considered to be: Doxycycline 5-10 mg/kg twice daily for 21-30 days. Diane supports the use of 5 mg/lbs. which is roughly 11 mg/kg twice daily for 8+ weeks Now... why is there such a contrast? Honestly I can't answer that. What i can tell you is that Dr. Couto and The Ohio State University (who probably does more Greyhound work then ANY other institution) recommends 5-10 mg/kg twice daily for 21-30 days. Dr. Rick Alleman and the University of Florida recommends the same dosing and he is a TBD expert. North Carolina State's veterinary school recommends the same dosing and they have the top TBD lab in the US IMHO. Texas A&M which hosts hte veterinary school in teh state that Diane lives in uses 5-10 mg/kg twice daily for 21-30 days. These recommendations are based on published data and YEARS of experience. The idea of 5 mg/lbs. twice daily for at least 8 weeks is completely random and not based on fact. Why stop at 8 weeks? Why not make it 8 months? Or even longer? I've asked if any vets that are openly recommending this protocol to join the GreytVets list group and share why they believe this and to open teh topic up for discussion. This has yet to happen. So why am I making this a soap box issue? Is 5 mg/lbs. a wrong dose? No. But presenting it as the only right answer is at best misleading and is plain and simply WRONG. It should be phrased as "The commonly used dosing is 5-10 mg/kg every 12 hours for 21-30 days but I believe in using 5 mg/lbs. twice daily for 8+ weeks". That would be an honest answer... it gives medically accurate information and allows her to give her OPINION on Doxy dosing. Just remember that the 5 mg/lbs. for 8+ weeks is NOT supported by any major TBD experts yet is often listed on GT as the only right dose. Is it possible that some dogs may need 5 mg/lbs. for 8+ weeks to treat an infection? It is possible... but then I would wonder if they had a concurrent bartonella infection ro something else that made it more resistant. Some urinary tract infections may require treatment with injectable only antibiotics for several weeks... but I would never dream of treating every dog this way "just in case".

Ask your vet if you can have some Rimadyl to keep on hand for use at home on an as needed basis for injuries. Most won't have a problem with it.

Baytril is another treatment option for RMSF. If it is truly RMSF... most dogs respond very quickly to meds!

I think the term "hot spot" is actually quite descriptive and normally refers to an area of infection that is red, moist and often painful. If someone says their dog has a hotspot I know it isn't just some red bumps on the skin. I think its use is very appropriate.

Doc, can you confirm that MSU is back to testing via dialysis? When we went to re-test one of our greys, we were going to submit to MSU again and there was some problem with them losing the license on the test they preferred. So, I sent it to Dr. Dodds instead. It'd be nice to know if MSU is back to testing via their preferred technique. (I don't know because it turns out our grey's numbers were fine, so we don't have a need to re-test just right now.) It wasn't that they lost their license... it was the company that provided one of their reagents was on backorder. It has been a bit of a mess there as it was out for a period... then back... then back out. I'd have to call to get the absolute latest. As for Dr. Dodd's group... she and I just see things differently regarding thyroid levels so I just elect not to use her lab. Again, not saying I'm right and she is wrong as she is considered a "specialist"... but we are on different sides of the fence on thyroid levels.

Certainly worth a try. One added bonus to Acepromazine is that it does have some anti-nausea properties. However, it does have the drawbacks I listed previously. The main drawback of Xanax is that it has a short duration of action and a HUGE dosing variance. You may have to repeat it every few hours and it may take awhile to figure out exactly what the "best dose" is. A Dog Appeasing Phermone (DAP) is something that could help, although like Rescue Remedy, is only going to be mild in effect.

Out of curiosity, what are some of the significant symptoms? They can be VERY hard to diagnose in a Greyhound. 1. Lack of energy or lethargy. Most Greyhounds are pretty happy to just lay around the house, go run some sprints and lay around the house some more. 2. Hair loss. Bald buns does NOT count in this case. Patterned hairloss along the sides or top of the chest or abdomen. 3. Cold intolerance. Most Greyhounds are not fans of the cold. 4. Unexplained weight gain despite appropriate exercise and diet. Those are just a few.

Acepromazine is a drug that we know Greyhounds are sensitive to. You generally have to use a much lower dose then you would use with otehr breeds. It is really not a good medication to use for fear induced problems (thunderstorm phobias, etc.). The drug is strictly a sedative. The idea of using it for thunderstorms is that it makes the dog too sleepy to care about the storm. It can work great wtih very mild fears. Think of it like if you were watching a scary movie but were erally tired... you may fall asleep b/c the movie wasn't so scary to keep you awake. Now imagine you are very sleepy and get dropped into a pit of snakes/spiders/scorpions/whatever REALLY scares you. No way are you falling asleep. Now... imagine that you were drugged so you are scared out of your mind but you can't make yourself "wake up"... you feel almost paralyzed to get away from your fear but you are every bit as scared as if you were not drugged. This is why it is not recommended to be used with fear induced behavior... you can actually exacerbate the fear. Drugs like Xanax are better options as not only are they lighter sedatives but they also reduce anxiety. For really bad fears... dogs are best treated with a combination of drugs like prozac or clomicalm with Xanax.

Several thoughts: 1. Many people here seem to like Dr. Dodd's group regarding thyroid testing. I prefer MSU (see below). For me, a Greyhound has to prove to me that it is hypothyroid to get supplemenation. In my experience with Dr. Dodd's lab... a dog needs to prove that is isn't hypothyroid to not get supplementation. 2. I only use Michigan State for thyroid panels. They also have endocrinologists on staff with extensive knowledge of Greyhound normals and are available for consultation. They also do T4, free T4, T3, free T3, TSH, T3/T4 autoantibody and one other test that is evading me. MSU is hte gold standard for thyroid testing IMHO. 3. Dogs can be hypothyroid and have a normal TSH so a TSH test is not perfect. : ( 4. If my dog had no signs of hypothyroidism (and bald buns is not a clinical sign) then unless the bloodwork was CLASSIC (high TSH, very low T4/free T4) then I wouldn't supplement my own dog.

Was the heart rate just fast? If the EKG was normal it may well not have been an arrhythmia at all... it may have just sounded fast b/c she was stressed. You'll have to ask your vet what he thought he heard that made him want to work it up in the first place.

First let me extend my sympathies on your loss. In this case the fever was not the cause of death. Whatever caused the fever obviously was, however. There really is no way of knowing what may have caused the fever in retrospect but could have been anything from immune mediated disease to cancer to a TBD to a myriad of other things. Bloodwork, x-rays, etc. may have helped to determine what it was but certainly cannot change things. : ( Fevers above 105 I consider very significant and will hospitalize. A fever of 104.3 I would certainly work-up with labs as the exam indicated but would likely treat as an out-patient if the dog felt OK.

The cause is unknown... but we are pretty certain it is NOT hypothyroidism. They've done biopsies and tested various hounds for a variety of things but failed to identify a common cause. Bald thighs for me would NOT be a reason to start thyroid supplement. Just my $0.02.

It isn't dangerous to not do the full treatment... but maximum benefit is achieved by following the schedule. We generally do 2 injections/week for 4 weeks and reaccess at the end.

OSU and the oncologist will need to know what grade of mast cell tumor it is. That should be reported on the biopsy report. Send/fax all bloodwork and biopsy results to both the oncologist or OSU for the most information. Grade 1 MCTs need nothing more then surgery. Grade 3 are MUCH more aggressive and generally require additional treatment. Grade 2s can act either like grade 1 or grade 3s and are harder to decide. The oncologist will be able to guide you though.

I agree. ASAP. I wouldn't spend your money on another recheck... I'd just go see the ophthalmologist. Then you'll know for certain!

Thyroid Function Testing in Greyhounds Sm Anim Clin Endocrinol 12[1]:4 Jan-Apr'02 Review Article 0 Refs C.B. Chastain, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM (Editor) & Dave Panciera, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM (Assoc. Editor) Sm An Clin Endo Gaughan KR, Bruyette DS.; Am J Vet Res 2001; 62:1130-1133 BACKGROUND: Thyroid function tests are frequently evaluated in greyhounds because of alopecia, infertility, and poor race performance. In most cases, hypothyroidism is not present, despite the finding of decreased serum total thyroxine (T4) concentrations. Sight hounds, including greyhounds and Scottish deerhounds are known to have serum T4 concentrations lower than other breeds of dogs. This can result in an erroneous diagnosis of hypothyroidism. SUMMARY: Basal serum T4, free T4 (fT4), and the serum T4 and fT4 response to thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) administration were evaluated in a group of healthy pet dogs and in two groups of healthy greyhounds. All pet dogs and 56 greyhounds had serum T4 and fT4 response to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) administration evaluated. Serum concentration of endogenous canine TSH (cTSH) was measured in 18 pet dogs and 87 greyhounds. The pet dog group consisted of 19 dogs of various breeds (no greyhounds), with a mean age of 5.2 years. One group of greyhounds consisted of 37 female dogs with a mean age of 1.4 years that were actively racing and currently receiving testosterone for suppression of estrus. The second group of greyhounds consisted of 61 dogs with a mean age of 4.9 years that were not receiving testosterone. Greyhounds receiving testosterone were significantly younger than those not receiving testosterone and pet dogs. Of the greyhounds not receiving testosterone, none of the females (n = 35) were racing, while 10 of the 26 males were actively racing. No dog had received thyroid supplementation, glucocorticoids, or anabolic steroids with the exception of testosterone within 3 months of study. The mean basal serum T4 concentration was significantly lower in the greyhound groups than in the pet dog group. The mean basal serum fT4 concentration was significantly lower in the greyhound groups than in the pet dog group. The mean serum T4 response to TSH was significantly greater in pet dogs than in greyhounds either receiving testosterone or not. Greyhounds receiving testosterone had significantly higher serum T4 concentrations post-TSH than greyhounds not receiving testosterone. While there was no difference between the mean serum fT4 concentration after TSH administration in pet dogs and greyhounds receiving testosterone, the fT4 concentration in greyhounds not treated with testosterone was significantly less than the other groups. The mean serum T4 concentration in response to TRH administration was significantly lower in both groups of greyhounds than in pet dogs. The mean serum fT4 concentration after TRH administration was significantly lower in greyhounds not receiving testosterone than in greyhounds treated with testosterone or pet dogs. Mean serum cTSH concentrations were not significantly different between any of the three groups. The reference ranges for all greyhounds were established as basal concentrations of T4, fT4, and cTSH were 2.1 to 37 nmol/L, 1.3 to 32.2 pmol/L, and 0.03 to 1.3 ng/ml, respectively. The authors concluded that greyhounds have a lower reference range for serum T4 and fT4 concentrations than that of other breeds. CLINICAL IMPACT: This study shows that serum T4 and fT4 concentrations in greyhounds are considerably lower than in non-greyhound dogs and clearly demonstrates the difficulty in diagnosing hypothyroidism in this breed. The lower limit of the reference range for T4 and fT4 concentrations in greyhounds is near the lower sensitivity of the assays. Therefore, it may be impossible to establish a diagnosis of hypothyroidism based solely on these hormones. Because the serum TSH concentration was similar to that of other breeds, an elevated cTSH combined with T4 and fT4 concentrations at the low end of the reference range combined with appropriate clinical signs is necessary to diagnose hypothyroidism in greyhounds. Dynamic testing using TSH or TRH stimulation testing may also be useful, but less practical. Testing when appropriate clinical signs are present is of particular importance in greyhounds. Caudal thigh alopecia, common in greyhounds, is not caused by hypothyroidism, and infertility is likely to be only infrequently caused by hypothyroidism in female dogs. Exogenous testosterone used to suppress the estrous cycle does not appear to alter basal serum concentrations of T4, fT4, or c-TSH, but responses to TSH or TRH stimulation may be increased by testosterone administration. Thyroid function testing in Greyhounds. Am J Vet Res 62[7]:1130-3 2001 Jul Gaughan KR, Bruyette DS OBJECTIVE: To evaluate thyroid function in healthy Greyhounds, compared with healthy non-Greyhound pet dogs, and to establish appropriate reference range values for Greyhounds. ANIMALS: 98 clinically normal Greyhounds and 19 clinically normal non-Greyhounds. PROCEDURES: Greyhounds were in 2 groups as follows: those receiving testosterone for estrus suppression (T-group Greyhounds) and those not receiving estrus suppressive medication (NT-group Greyhounds). Serum thyroxine (T4) and free thyroxine (fT4) concentrations were determined before and after administration of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid-releasing hormone (TRH). Basal serum canine thyroid stimulating hormone (cTSH) concentrations were determined on available stored sera. RESULTS: Basal serum T4 and fT4 concentrations were significantly lower in Greyhounds than in non-Greyhounds. Serum T4 concentrations after TSH and TRH administration were significantly lower in Greyhounds than in non-Greyhounds. Serum fT4 concentrations after TSH and TRH administration were significantly lower in NT-group than T-group Greyhounds and non-Greyhounds. Mean cTSH concentrations were not different between Greyhounds and non-Greyhounds. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Previously established canine reference range values for basal serum T4 and fT4 may not be appropriate for use in Greyhounds. Greyhound-specific reference range values for basal serum T4 and fT4 concentrations should be applied when evaluating thyroid function in Greyhounds. Basal cTSH concentrations in Greyhounds are similar to non-Greyhound pet dogs.

I've not had a "deep corn". I guess I am having a hard time picturing it. Can you see it superficially on the pad? If so, then I would think it could be hulled (I have seen some that are not as "protruding" as others but as you manipulated them you could separate the corn from the healthy pad just the same as any other corn). If not, how are you sure it is a corn?

Panacur is effective against taenia species tapeworms, but most dogs will have a different type, diplydium. Can't find any reference to any meds other than praziquantal (Drontal/Droncit) being effective against diplydium. See for example: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=1596 Exactly!

I haven't seen many recessed vulvas (I assume this is what you are referring to) in Greyhounds although I've treated many in other breeds. Here is how I handle them generally: 1. Check a urine sample for evidence of a UTI causing the licking. 2. Check the anal glands for distension that may cause the licking. 3. If the area has a bad infection, consider a culture as I've seen several dogs develop nasty pseudomonas infections in the folds that required specific antibiotics. 4. If the area is not ulcerated, considering cleaning daily with a medicated product like a Malaseb pledgette instead of a baby wipe. 5. You may want to consdier some short term anti-histamines or possibly even a very short course of steroids to control the itching if there is an infection to get the area to heal initially. 6. Oral abx as needed if a true infection is present. 7. Consider a fatty acid supplement. I like to use these in almost any skin problem. I can generally clear up the inflammation/infection with oral mediations and once it is no longer ulcerated I begin using the Malaseb pledgettes once or twice daily. If I can't keep the area looking good with the pledgettes then I will recommend surgery. The recovery period is the tough part of that b/c it is uncomfortable and some dogs will scoot out the sutures. Pain management is a MUST following the surgery!!!!!!!!

I've not had to go to that extent w/ one of my own dogs or one of my patients... if it got to that point I'd likely refer to OSU to make sure that was the best option.