dmswartzfager

It looks like GreytHounds of Eastern Michigan (GEM) still has them in their online store. I usually pick up a couple from them at Dewey and Gettysburg. Our current hound loves squeaky toys but doesn't quite seem to know to do with the screaming monkey! https://gemstore-185419.square.site/product/screaming-monkeys/61?cs=true&cst=custom

I think I saw your post on the ALP facebook group. Congrats. He's so handsome. I love those big black boys.

I can't access the full article, so I'm not quite sure how good this study is (and it is a relatively small sample size), but this article was in this week's internal medicine news round-up email that I receive: https://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/abs/10.2460/javma.259.7.749 Seems to indicate that starting chemo within 5 days after amputation significantly improves survival time. Something to consider and discuss with your oncologist.

Thank you; I saw that you followed the page this morning. I just finished posting what we do for safety on that page.

I actually fulltime travel with currently two hounds in a 37' fifth wheel trailer. We sold our house and got rid of almost everything we owned two years ago and have been on the road ever since. Before that, we had a pop-up camper for 12 years, and before that, we were tent camping, both with either 3 or 4 greyhounds. All 13 hounds over the years have been good travelers. I dunno if I'm allowed to post this, but our facebook page is Traveling with a HitchHiker (https://www.facebook.com/TravelsWithAHitchHiker)

The first greyhound I lost was a similar situation. He had been coughing the night before overnight, so I dropped him off at the vet for chest rads the next day. Rads seemed to be clear. He collapsed when I went to pick him up from the vet. His BP was all over the place and he seemed to be struggling, so we let him go. I strongly suspect he threw a clot in his lungs (pulmonary thromboembolism) knowing what I do now (meaning after years of greyhound experience and vet tech experience). I have since lost two more greyhounds to blood clots, more than I've lost to osteo. Greyhounds are prone to strokes/thromboemboli so it's important to keep an eye on their blood pressure and protein in the urine since one of the first proteins lost in the urine is antithrombin III, a protein that prevents clots from forming where they shouldn't. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Pics of cart: https://photos.app.g...GrfWRzXAZooA976 https://photos.app.g...gn72fYjvhbzxPW7 https://photos.app.g...yQPSPnzAtFoHFQ8

I will be at GiG on Saturday, and will be looking to sell my greyhound cart. We are getting rid of everything and traveling in an RV full time, and the cart simply won't fit in the RV. I will have the cart with me at GiG on Saturday, April 27 (only day I can go), and would very much like to not go home with it. Cart is 2' wide and 4' long and fits even the largest greyhound comfortably. Crib bumpers, canopy, and crate pad are included. Canopy/netting is removable. Feel free to PM me for more information. https://photos.app.goo.gl/fQGrfWRzXAZooA976 https://photos.app.goo.gl/5dgn72fYjvhbzxPW7 https://photos.app.goo.gl/vqyQPSPnzAtFoHFQ8

I am looking to sell my greyhound cart (as seen at GiG last year). We are getting rid of everything and traveling in an RV full time, and the cart simply won't fit in the RV. I will have the cart with me at GiG on Saturday, April 27, and would very much like to not go home with it. Cart is 2' wide and 4' long and fits even the largest greyhound comfortably. Crib bumpers, canopy, and crate pad are included. Feel free to PM me for more information.

We (neurology) put patients on it for the rest of their lives (which is often at least several years) for a specific condition called COMS/syringohydromyelia.

Silverhawk Tyler goes back to Old Blue

Be aware that if it is diskospondylitis, the average time for antibiotic treatment is 54 weeks, since treatment is continued until the radiographs are clear. The neurologists I work with use C reactive protein (CRP) to help with diagnosis and then to help them determine when to stop the antibiotics; generally our patients can stop antibiotics after about 4 months based on the CRP value. C reactive protein is a blood test - about 0.5 mL of serum is sent to Jorg Steiner at Texas A&M GI lab. A value of over 7.6 g/dL is considered abnormal, and indicates inflammation. The CRP is not specific to diskospondylitis (it can also be elevated in sepsis, steroid responsive meningitis arteritis, cancer...) but it does give a good indication that inflammation is present, and also when it's gone, which will significantly shorten treatment times versus waiting for radiographic resolution. Our neurologists also use a combination of carprofen, gabapentin, and tramadol or codeine for pain relief in the first week or two after diagnosis. I've attached a link to our information sheet on disko: http://bvns.net/conditions-treatments-2/disease-conditions/diskospondylitis/

http://www.geac.ufv.br/n52006-Neuromuscularmanifestationsofhypothyroidism.pdf http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/hypothyroid-associated-neurologic-signs-dogs http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2006.tb00752.x/full http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1939-1676.1994.tb03245.x/full In my brief glance through those articles, I'm not seeing anything that specifically mentions a link between hypothyroidism and what you are describing, but I'll keep looking, and if we have time between appointments tomorrow, I'll ask my neurologists.

From NeuroPetVet, written by Dr. Mark Troxel, one of the big names in veterinary neurology... HypothyroidismHypothyroidism is one of the most common endocrine disorders encountered in dogs. The reported incidence ranges from 0.2 to 0.8% of the canine population. Clinical hypothyroidism results from low triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), the active thyroid hormones produced by the thyroid glands. Primary hypothyroidism accounts for 95% of cases and is most commonly due to lympocytic thyroiditis or idiopathic thyroid atrophy. There are many other reported causes, but the incidence is very low. For an in-depth review of this condition, please consult an endocrine textbook or see the articles listed at the bottom of the page. SignalmentHypothyroidism is most common in middle-aged to older dogs. Approximately 1/3 of patients have onset of clinical signs between 4 and 6 years of age, while approximately 22% of cases each occur from 2-4 years of age or 7-9 years of age. Congenital hypothyroidism is rare in dogs. Clinical hypothyroidism is also uncommon to rare in cats. Clinical signsHypothyroidism causes a wide range of clinical signs affecting multiple body systems. Common clinical signs include weight gain, lethargy, mental dullness, skin disorders (hyperkeratosis, symmetric alopecia, thin hair coat, seborrhea, hyperpigmentation, etc.), gastrointestinal disease (e.g., esophageal hypomotilitiy), cardiovascular dysfunction (e.g., bradycardia), neuromuscular disease, reproductive problems and many others. A cause-and-effect relationship has not been established for most of the disorders listed below, and some of the conditions that have been “linked” to hypothyroidism are controversial. PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DYSFUNCTION ASSOCIATED WITH HYPOTHYROIDISM Cranial nerve dysfunction Hypothyroidism has been associated with peripheral cranial nerve dysfunction of several cranial nerves, most commonly the facial nerve, vestibulocochlear nerve, and sensory branch of the trigeminal nerve. Facial nerve paralysis has been reported in up to 70% of dogs with clinical hypothyroidism and nerve dysfunction. Clinical signs of facial nerve paresis / paralysis include drooping ear, facial droop, inability to blink, and decreased tear production. Peripheral vestibular dysfunction Peripheral vestibular dysfunction has been linked to hypothyroidism. Clinical signs include head tilt, horizontal or rotary nystagmus, and vestibular ataxia. The vestibular signs may resolve in time, but recovery may take several weeks after beginning thyroid hormone supplementation. Laryngeal paralysis Hypothyroidism can be a cause of laryngeal paralysis. In one study, 30 of 140 dogs with laryngeal paralysis had concurrent hypothyroidism. There is little information in the veterinary literature regarding treatment and recovery from laryngeal paralysis in hypothyroid dogs. Most consider laryngeal paralysis to be a surgical disease, but hypothyroidism should be treated nonetheless. Megaesophagus Hypothyroidism is commonly listed as a possible cause of megaesophagus in dogs. However, recent studies suggest this may not necessarily be true. Myasthenia gravis Concurrent myasthenia gravis and hypothyroidism has been reported in dogs. In human medicine, approximately 10-20% of myasthenic patients have concurrent thyroid disease. Some speculate that there is cross-reactivity between anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies and thyroid antigens. Polyneuropathy Hypothyroidism has been associated with a generalized polyneuropathy in dogs, most commonly in large and giant breed dogs. Clinical signs are typical of a generalized neuropathy, including generalized weakness, postural reaction deficits, hyporeflexia, decreased muscle tone, and muscle atrophy. Electrodiagnostics and nerve/muscle biopsy are occasionally performed, but laboratory testing often negates the need for these tests. Clinical signs often improve quickly with thyroxine supplementation and many dogs recover fully within 1-2 months. Myopathy Hypothyroid dogs may show signs of a generalized myopathy, including generalized weakness, stiffness, and muscle pain. The incidence in dogs is uncertain, but up to 40% of humans with hypothyroidism has skeletal muscle weakness. CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DYSFUNCTION ASSOCIATED WITH HYPOTHYROIDISM Central vestibular dysfunction Hypothyroidism is most commonly associated with peripheral vestibular dysfunction, but it has also been reported in dogs with central vestibular dysfunction. There are only a handful of cases described in the veterinary literature, with several of the dogs having an infarction Seizures and other forebrain signs It is unclear if there is truly a direct cause-and-effect relationship for hypothyroidism as a cause of seizures. It’s been hypothesized that hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis that occurs with hypothyroidism may be the cause of some patients’ seizures, as well as other forebrain signs, such as mental dullness, behavior change, and compulsive circling. It is also possible that hypothyroidism exacerbates seizure activity, making it more difficult to control seizures, rather than being a direct cause of seizures. In one retrospective study of 96 dogs with metabolic or toxic causes of seizures, only 3% of the dogs were hypothyroid. This finding, however, is limited by the retrospective nature of the study and the fact that there was little information provided about the hypothyroid dogs. Myxedema coma in a Labrador Retriever with severe hypothyroidism. Note the edematous lips and eyelids. The dog was stuporous upon presentation to the hospital. He improved quickly after being given IV levothyroxine and returned to normal over the following 2 weeks with oral levothyroxine supplementation. Myxedema coma This is a rare manifestation of severe hypothyroidism in dogs that may be the result of abnormal neurotransmitter release/uptake or failure of thyroid hormone to enter the brain. Common clinical signs are thickened skin due to accumulation of mucopolysaccharides and hyaluronic acid, which bind water leading to pitting edema of the face, bradycardia, and stupor to coma. DiagnosisThe “classic picture” of hypothyroidism is low serum total T4 and free T4 levels and elevated TSH levels, especially when combined with compatible clinical signs. Nonregenerative anemia and hypercholesterolemia help further support the diagnosis. Screening total T4 is commonly performed, often as part of a “package” including a CBC & biochemical profile. Normal total T4 means that the patient is almost certainly euthyroid. However, low total T4 may be due to hypothyroidism or euthyroid sick syndrome, a condition characterized by low total T4 and/or free T4 secondary to non-thyroidal illness or stress. Free T4 is the most accurate test of thyroid function if only one test can be performed. If the TSH level is high in patient with low free T4, hypothyroidism is likely. However, TSH alone cannot be used as an indicator of hypothyroidism as 20% of hypothyroid dogs have a low free T4, but a normal TSH level. TreatmentHypothyroidism is treated by supplementation with levothyroxine. The starting dose is 10-20 µg/kg (0.01-0.02 mg/kg) PO q12hr. The T4 level should be measured 4 weeks later 4-6 hours post-pill. Myxedema coma should be treated intravenously (5 µg/kg IV q12hr) since levothyroxine may not be well-absorbed orally in these patients. PrognosisThe prognosis for recovery is generally good, but it may take several weeks to months to recovery fully.

You got it. I'm heading out for the day, but I'll start working on it later this evening.