jenn8

I am going to try all these great suggestions. Onyx is easy to give pills and vitamins to. I just put them in his food and he gobbles them up! He wasn't too excited about that kiss from Holly though. Jenn

That is where I am getting it from. Good to know I picked a decent place, I guess. Maybe the fact that I can get Tramadol for 4 bucks at Target is making me think I can find the same deal for Rimadyl. Target wasn't going for it though. Jenn

Isn't Carprofen the generic version of Rimadyl? Kennelmom, I was thinking about trying a different supplement. Which one do you use? I'll check out the Duralactin too. Thank you BleusysMom. Jenn

I mentioned Onyx's moaning a while back, which has steadily increased over the past several months. He has not shown any other signs of pain but a vet visit confirmed that he has arthritis. So I just wanted to run some things by you all and see if you have any suggestions. We tried Previcox, then Metacam without any improvement and finally got some relief with the combination of Rimadyl (+Pepcid) daily and Tramadol when needed. Now, he gets his bloodwork done every 6 months. I have been supplementing his diet with Longevity from Springtime, glucosamine, chondrotin & msm. I tried increasing the dosage and that maybe, kinda seemed to help, but just guessing on that since I only have the vocalization to go by and no limping or anything else. We have dropped some weight which can only be good in his case. He is also learning to let me help lift him in and out of the Jeep, as he is nearly blind and shouldn't jump in on his own anymore. He is being such a good boy about this. I can tell that he wants to jump but I say "hold on" and he waits while I put his front paws up and then waits again til I have hold of his back end, then he pushes off the ground a little to help his momma hoist his big butt in. Through the indignity of it all, he still manages to make things easier on me however he possibly can. Anyway, the vet also recommended limiting his stair climbing (all I can do is slow him down) and a harness for walking, which we will work on next. So my first question is where are the good deals on Rimadyl?!! Best price I can find is $58.50 for 60, 100mg pills. Any other medication or arthritis advice? Am I missing anything? Doing something wrong? Don't hold back. You won't offend me. Aslo, am I the only one who has an arthritic dog without any other outward signs? Just wondering about that. I know it may seem like I have read too much into his vocalization but there really is more to it in Onyx's case and it has all been discussed with his vet. Also, the fact that the pain meds made a difference was what finally convinced me he wasn't just being an old man. On a side note. It has been difficult to figure out what, if anything, was behind Onyx's moaning all this time but I don't want everyone to instantly assume their their dog has arthritis too. Moaning can easily mean contentment or comfort or other good things as well. I would only be concerned if there was a noticeable difference that continued to increase over a short period of time. I think there are also different types of moaning that may be more distinctive of pain. Especially with the frequency. If you hear it enough, you may be able to recognize the difference. With Onyx, over time, I now can. Jenn

After all her pillow thieving, she must have thought she struck gold! Will a single pillow ever be safe in that house again? Jenn

You did a beautiful job caring for your special girl. I am sorry you had to say good-bye. Jenn

It could also be that folks with spooky and shy dogs are are more likely to open this thread. I should have named it "The Dog Behavior Poll" or something like that. I met a true spook the first time I visited an adoption rep's home to learn about the breed. Actually, it was the first time I ever saw a greyhound up close. She had about a dozen greys scattered all over the living room, playing with stuffies and sticking their noses in my forbidden zone. We were sitting at her kitchen table and she took out a big bag of milk bones and all the dogs came running in to get theirs. Then finally, this tiny female poked her trembling little head in the door just far enough to get her treat, then back out to her safe place in the yard. I was dumbstruck. What little I knew though, for some reason I just had the feeling she was going to be okay. Maybe the fact that she had the will to do it, as hard as it seemed. I will just never forget that sweet little face. Jenn

We need Kennelmom in here to fill in some of those blank spots. Jenn

I am no expert and have never had a spook but for the purposes of this poll, I would describe one has the type of dog who cowers in the corner, trembles, won't look at you or let you touch them, runs and hides from everyone, seems afraid of nearly everything and takes a long time to even begin to relax in the home and let you approach them.... things like that. I would describe a very shy dog as the type who has more than just the typical apprehension of new things and people when they first come into your home. They retreat but can be coaxed out with some extra effort. They do come out of their shells to a degree but it usually takes them longer and they may always have some difficulty facing certain things and just need a little help getting past them. I think both types have the potential for being just as happy as any other greyhound and they possess all of the qualities we love so much about the breed. I don't think I will ever find another dog as good as my shy boy, Onyx. So I don't want to give the impression that this poll is implying anything negative about shy and spooky dogs. I am just curious about how many there are and anything else you want to share about them. Jenn Edited because I spelled my own dog's name wrong. Sorry, Onyx!

Yep, you can also kind of press the eyelids together a little to make sure it doesn't just fall off the edges. Jenn

Oh Flashy, Onyx can certainly understand how you feel about going to the creepy vet! Jenn

Your vet obviously has no idea how many people are waiting for news on dear sweet Riley. Hang in there Lucy! Jenn

Heather, You and Ken are in my thoughts. Take comfort in knowing that Elvis left knowing he was loved. Jenn

Really sorry to hear the bad news, Heather. Jenn

Lucy, I would check back with the vet and see what they suggest. Jenn

Riley, get well soon so your mommy won't have to worry. Jenn

When I had Bullet put to sleep, I was alittle surprised when a technician came into the waiting room to take him first, without me. I immediately said that I wanted to be with him and the tech said he was only going to put the catheter in. I cannot tell you how difficult it was for me to sit there waiting while they did this. Finally, they had me come into the room and I asked the vet what the catheter was for. He said it was necessary for the solution to be administered directly into the vein. There was no sedative and it appeared that he passed away pretty easily without any pain. The one thing that bothers me a little about this was the possibility that inserting the catheter can be quite painful and that is probably the reason they did it without me being in there. Does anyone know it this is true? The pain I mean. And I am sorry to hear that you had the bad experience. Try to focus on the fact that it's over. To put it into perspective, just imagine the last time you were in pain, like a broken leg or something. Does it bother you now? Heck no. It's in the past and you aren't feeling bad about it at all, right? I hope that helped. Jenn

When I got my first grey, I was away from home 12 hours a day. I actually left the decision up to my adoption group, whether or not a greyhound would be happy in my home. I had a very secure yard and a doggy door but probably the most compelling reason they said yes was that my long work schedule was only temporary and would be getting back to normal within a month. By normal, I mean 8 hours away. So there you are right in the middle! Not much help, am I? Anyway, I cannot stress how important it is to lay it all out on the line during the application process, just like you have here with us. It's always tempting to fudge a little here or there when you know a certain answer will not be in your favor but honestly, these groups want to make things work out for the most part and only need your honest input to find the right dog for you. They have so many different personalities to choose from. From what you have said, I think a greyhound should work out in your home but may require some extra effort up front. I am not sure about building up crate time and then weaning off again. My personal preference is to get them acclimated to their new home without a crate if they don't show a particular fondness or need for it..... which none of mine have and they all did very well. (Had to get my 2 cents in there). Well, okay, my point being that things are more likely to work out, the more flexible you are on issues like this as the greys can differ like night and day on how they handle crate time alone. You would definitely want one who seemed the best suited and don't let your group ignore this fact or tell them to come see me! Greyhounds are wonderful dogs and the perfect choice for a best friend, brother, son and soulmate. So sorry to hear about Echo. Losing them is the worst. Good luck, Jenn

Ditto. It's not always obvious, if the problem is further down in the ears. Jenn ETA: Wax build up can also cause problems with equilibrium (i.e. dizziness).

I would try to get any information they had on his injury and whatever treatment he received. But if I had a special fondness for this pup, I wouldn't let the injury affect my decision to adopt him. It just helps a lot to know everything, so you can fix him up right if he needs it. Jenn

Does your cell phone have a video camera? If you catch it on film, you could show the vet. Jenn

Some shy or spooky Greyhounds are more prone to developing hyperthermia from being under anesthesia. This happened to Onxy during his last dental. I don't believe he was thrashing around or anything like that but his temp. did go up to 105. The vet had to give him a muscle relaxer to help calm him down and the ride home was very scary. His eyes were bulging and he was shaking so bad, I thought he would have a heart attack. He had gone under a few times before that without incident. At least not that I am aware of. There could be a few different factors that trigger the reaction. Without seeing the environment they keep your dog in or knowing exactly how long they sit there before their surgery, it is hard to tell if this might be an underlying cause. Even though I made a point to tell them Onxy was shy (and I even asked if they could get him in and out as quickly as possible), I am not sure if they took what I said very seriously. They probably hear it all the time! But bringing him in at 8:00 AM and not being able to pick him up until after 4:00 PM leaves a whole lot of time for him to get all worked up. Next time, I will just make sure I can bring him in right before the surgery and/or stay with him until it is his turn. Jenn

Make sure his temperature is okay. If he is still acting funny in the morning, I would give the vet a call. Especially if he still won't eat. Jenn

Go Flashy! Jenn

I think the problem was that you didn't use the proper terminology. Hoo-hoos or grapes or something along those lines and we'd all be having a party by now. Jenn