AndysMom

I've done this too (inner bag inside giant garbage bag), but Tribute is TERRIFIED of garbage bags and he refused to lay on the bed because it crinkled. Heaven forbid! So much for that plan.

Thanks to all of you. We were so lucky to have spend these last few years with Ecstasy. I didn't go looking for her, but we found each other anyway! Lois

Thank you, everyone, for your kind words of comfort. I had a pretty sleepless night last night, but I know she's having a blast bossing everyone around at the Bridge. I just updated her tribute above to add a line about the day she tried to gut a full-grown raccoon, despite being semi-toothless. (Oh, and before you ask, the raccoon survived to tell the tale.!) Lois

In July 2004, our former GPA/Louisville President drove out to St. Louis to meet a dog hauler who was bringing a load of dogs east from farms and tracks in Kansas. On the load were a number of "Golden Greys" and Kate Bressler convinced Linda to take "just one more dog" and to bring a little brindle "broodie" back to Louisville. That little dog was CB Ectasy -- a daughter of Greyhound Hall of Famer Dutch Bahama; 1998 Naples Marathon finalist; finished in the money 30 out of 93 races; ran at Flagler, Mardi Gras, Naples-Ft. Myers and Southland race tracks; mother of at least 36 racing Greyhounds; grandmother of at least 7 pups; 9.5 years old and newly retired from the breeding farm. http://www.greyhound-data.com/d?i=289520 Her Royal Highness, Queen Ectasy, stood all the way from St. Louis to Louisville. Apparently there was nothing suitable for her to lay on! Linda delivered Ecstasy to the vet for spaying and removal of 22 teeth and called me to see if we would foster this little "add-on" dog. I said yes and our first foster was delivered a short time later. Truth be told, I think we flunked fostering within 30 minutes! As for Her Majesty, she took one look around and muttered, "This will do." A few months later, we broke down and made it official by adopting CB Ectasy, though we held off signing the papers until Christmas Day because she was my Christmas present that year. The oldest in our pack, Ectasy (yes, that's the way it's spelled on her papers) ruled the roost, though always quietly and firmly, with great dignity. She knew she was royalty and that she was special. If she wanted something, she would come over and stare right into your eyes. Now, this could mean a lot of things . . . "I need to go out", "I want a biscuit", or, heaven forbid, "Somebody is laying on my bed!" I tried to change her name to Stacy, but she wasn't having anything to do with that. I worried that she would get loose and I'd have to run up and down the street yelling, "Ecstasy!" And, then my neighbors would come out saying, "You buying or selling?" So, Ecstasy it was! Losing half her teeth was never an impediment for Ecstasy. She could enjoy the biggest biscuit or pizzle with the best of them. It took her a little longer because she had to use her paws to maneuver things to a spot where upper and lower teeth could meet, but she always got the job done. "X" was quite a trooper. She was never sick a day in the nearly 5 years she was with us. She was on no meds and appeared to have no ailments. Her blood work from her annual dentals came back picture perfect. She always had a hearty appetite, though she kept an eye on her figure. She didn't start to go white in the face until she was about 12. Ecstasy was absolutely fearless. You could hit her in the head with a vacuum cleaner; she would not move. I've literally vacuumed UNDER her a dozen times. No reaction whatsoever. I watched her snatch a full-grown raccoon out of the mouth of the biggest dog in our back, put it on its back, put her foot on its chest and try to gut the raccoon. (We rescued the raccoon from X's semi-toothless grasp and he was fine, though he is wearing a toupee now! She came away with a mouth full of fur.) Until recently, we hauled her around with us all over the country to Greyhound gatherings everywhere when we were vending as GreyhoundMagnets.com. She never was a bit of trouble, though once she peed in a hotel room 30 seconds after we checked in. I learned on that trip the little darling preferred to pee in threes. If you rushed her and didn't let her pee three times, you could count on her going on the carpet when she got inside. She learned quickly to expect a treat every time she came in from outside. (Is "demand" too strong a word?) She rarely made a sound and tolerated the parade of dogs who came through our doors over the last five years. Yeah, she peed on the carpet from time to time, but it was never a huge deal. Otherwise, she was an exceptionally "easy" dog. Last year, we realized X was getting really frail and we stopped taking her on the road with us. She never liked being left behind and sometimes we had to sneak the other dogs out of the house. She'd go to the front door and would refuse to move unless she got to go too. A few months ago, we couldn't get out the door without her to go to a Meet & Greet, so she came along with us. When she got there, she laid down and did her "coma dog" impression until the treats came out. Ecstasy was a beautiful and sweet old soul! I loved her with all my heart. But, lately, it had become a tremendous challenge to maintain her weight and to get her to eat at all. For a long time, we were able to keep her weight steady (though she'd lost 10 pounds and was down to only 55) by supplementing her diet with Ensure liquid. For several months, she really enjoyed her evening "milkshake" and would come over and STARE at me if I forgot to give it to her. I started cooking for her, making ground beef and rice or "homemade dog food" from chicken, rice and vegetables. For a while, that worked too. But then, the last couple of weeks, it got harder and harder to get her to eat, though she always wanted to eat dog biscuits and treats. On February 20, 2009, we celebrated Ecstasy's fourteenth birthday. She had a cake and everything. This past week, Miss X really seemed to lose her "spark". She was moving slower and slower. She started turning down treats and refusing to eat altogether. She acted like she was just too tired to get up and move around. I kept thinking of a friend of mine who died several years ago at age 97. She'd say, "Lois, I'm just so tired. I'm tired of living." I was waiting for X to "give me a sign" that she was ready to go. I worried that we would wait too long and she'd be in pain. I worried that the next time she stumbled while standing up to eat she might break a leg and suffer. I worried that she was just being stoic and that I wasn't recognizing the signs of pain. Someone once said, "I'd rather let them go a day too early than a day too late." I didn't want to make that mistake. Yesterday, we took X for a tiny walk (about 20 yards from the house); she acted really tired and we came back. She balked about coming back in the house, but I think it still tuckered her out. Earlier in the day, I'd offered her a chicken foot, which she had always loved. She mouthed it for a few minutes and then dropped it in front of Tribute. This morning, she wouldn't eat at all. So, today, after church, Mike and I took CB Ectasy for her last ride. We went to Shively and Dr. Joyce got us in right away. We were only there about 15 minutes before they called us back. Dr. Joyce believed her liver was failing, felt that she was extremely frail and agreed that it was time to let her go. I was with my Baby Girl when she slipped off this mortal coil. She knows how deeply and passionately I loved her. She also knows how profoundly she will be missed. There is a hole in my heart today, but I know she is not suffering and that she's running free at the Rainbow Bridge tonight. CB Ectasy February 20, 1995 - March 8, 2009 R.I.P.

I was watching an episode of "It's Me or the Dog" that deal, in part, with a blind Mastiff. Victoria Stilwell made a good suggestion -- to put a textured mat or runner down at the spot where the dog approached a single step down into a different area of the house (like a sunken living room). This was a signal to the dog that there was a step ahead. That seemed like a good idea.

Our 2-year-old (Abby) came from the breeder just a few weeks after her 2nd birthday. That was back in January 2008. She'll be 3 in December 2008. We brought her in for a couple who insisted they wanted a YOUNG greyhound. We told them she was shy. Long story short, they kept her ONE WEEK. Couldn't catch her. Couldn't get their hands on her. Said that when they let her out in the yard, she wouldn't come back in. Their solution was to chase her until she was so exhausted that they could catch her. I fostered her a second time for several weeks. Found another home for her with a couple with experience with young Greyhounds. Thought it would be a perfect placement. They kept her two weeks. Same scenario. If they let her loose in the yard, she wouldn't come back in. They had to corner her to put their hands on her. So they brought her back to us. Mike and I figured she had made up her mind and wanted to stay with us. Sure, there were times we couldn't easily put our hands on her, but I learned that the trick was not to make eye contact when I was trying to catch her to put a leash on her, etc. As for the back yard, we figured out the problem was the door and trying to catch her before she comes in. Plus we had a glass sliding door, so she could see inside. If she's covered with mud, I put up a barricade at the other side of the kitchen and let her in, which confines the mess to one room instead of the whole house. We've learned that we have to figure out ways around her "issues". We've had Abby about 9 months now. She's always going to be extremely shy, but everyone who knows her says she has come a LONG way. I take her to M&Gs about once a month. She's much more confident when other hounds are around and she is not a bit "dog shy". As she matures and her confidence grows, I think she'll grow out of a lot of this, but it will always be a factor for her. She just needs a LOT of patience. Lois

I'm hopeful we caught this early on as he had only two sores on Friday and it has progressed from there. He's got a good coat otherwise, so maybe the follicle damage won't be too much.

Mike and I are fostering a dog who came in from track on Thursday (3 days ago) with what our vet describes as "bacterial dermititis". This is my first experience with this, so I have a question. The day we brought him in, he had two lesions on his back, about the size of a quarter, near his spine. The vet checked him over and put him on oral antibiotics. The two sores were just starting to heal and were drying up. We brought him to our house on Friday and, by Saturday morning, he had at least two new bumps. This time, they were swollen, pussy and the hair came off in circles leaving nasty, red, oozy sores. This morning (Sunday), there were several more bumps. I believe he's got 7 or 8 of them now, mostly on his back, on one side of his spine or right along the spine itself. He's also TERRIBLY thin. He has a really hearty appetite so I'm hoping he'll put some weight on really quickly. We're giving him yogurt a couple of times a day because of the antibiotics, but the last two days I've fed him three times a day. His stool was kind of soft, but that was probably just nerves and change of diet; seems much improved today. Our vet says the dermititis is absolutely NOT contagious to dogs or humans. I called her today (Sunday) and she said that she's not surprised that there are several new lesions, that this was the normal course for this condition. She recommended we bathe him twice a week with Chlorhexiderm shampoo twice a week, which we started today. He's getting antibiotics 3x a day. We're putting antibiotic ointment on the lesions 2x a day. I'm hopeful his condition will start to improve now. Tomorrow will be third day on antibiotics. So here's my question: Is it likely his hair will grow back on the spots where he's had these lesions? Thanks for any advice you might have. Lois

Big question: Was it a SCENTED candle? I'd be more worried about the fragrance oil than the wax itself. The wick anchor issue could be a problem too. But not all pillars, tapers and votives have them. Lois

A couple of years ago, we (GPA/Louisville) bought 50 microchips from HomeAgain. I processed all of the registrations myself, inputting GPA/Louisville as the primary contact and the adopter as the secondary. That way, if the dog bounced back to us or if the adopter failed to keep us updated on address changes, etc., we would be the first contact if the dog was found and scanned. We were very happy with the program. BUT, last fall, when we had used up all 50 chips and were interested in more, the rep explained that program was being phased out, that we would have to pay more for the chips, that the registration fee was going up and that they were trying to push us toward buying lots of "premium" services (uploading medical records, poison control contact, etc.). These were all fine services, but we didn't want to have to jack up our adopters' initial costs by so much. About this same time, a dog was picked up running loose. No tag, no collar, no nuttin'. Through the dog's tattoos, we were able to track the adoption group in Florida that had placed him and eventually tracked down the owner in Kentucky. We persuaded the owner to release the dog to us. Our vet scanned him and it came back with a number. I called HomeAgain and they informed me it was NOT one of their numbers, but gave me the number for 24/7 Petwatch (the makers of the chip). I called them and they transferred the chip to our group after we faxed the release form to them. No problem at all. I was so impressed with their service and pricing that I ended up ordering 50 chips from them for implanting in future dogs. BTW, you can register ANY chip with them. No fee at all. See http://www.24petwatch.com for more details. Lois

I, too, encourage giving yogurt to dogs and humans on antibiotics. BUT, if they won't eat it, try give acidolphus tablets. Available in the nutritional supplements aisle at any pharmacy. Works really well to re-establish beneficial bacteria in the gut. Lois

B.J., I have got you and Black Jack in my prayers! You may know we lost Andy (our first Grey) to Osteo a few months ago. I will continue to send you best wishes. There are so MANY other things this could be. You need to remain hopeful. Call me if you need to talk. Lois

This is so sad! She broke both front legs after coming in second and they put her down on the track. Run free!!

HomeAgain (the microchip people) have a new enhanced service available. If you have the service and have a medical emergency, they have veterinarians who can give you first aid advice and, if you are traveling, they can refer you to a vet in your area. www.homeagain.com

Update on Miss Charm (12/12/2007): The news isn't good. However, the panting and shivering seem to have subsided. Took Charm back to the vet today. I noticed she's been licking her "hoohoo" lately. Vet found a vaginal infection, which is the cause of that problem. Put her on antibiotics. She has lost 2 more pounds (in about 2 weeks time). The vet did a full blood workup and called me about 10:30 P.M. last night with the results. Charm (who is 12-1/2) is in liver failure. I don't have my notes on the telephone conversation at hand, but her ALT (which should be something in the range of 12 to 20) is at 2000. Another level is dangerously high. We are going to put her on a couple of meds (I'm picking them up today) to see if we can bring her levels down. To put it quite bluntly, we don't anticipate Charm getting better. She doesn't appear to be in pain or distress, so we don't have any plans to put her to sleep at this juncture. And to make things worse, we had found a home for Charm! Now, I've got to tell the adopter the sad news that the dog is not likely to be with us for very long. The whole thing just breaks my heart. Lois

Shannon, I'm VERY sympathetic to your dilemma. We've got THREE 12-year-olds in our house at the moment. One will be 13 in February. Another was returned to our group after 8 years in a home because the adopters were divorcing and neither of them would/could take her. We have the exact same problem here, just not to the degree you describe. Have you tried canned green tripe? We use the one from Solid Gold. Tripett also makes this stuff. It's the lining from the fourth stomach of a cow. The "green" tripe includes the contents of the stomach, all essentially digested. YES, I know this sounds absolutely disgusting, but the dogs go NUTS for it. Beware, it does stink to high heavens. It contains lots of digestive enzymes which may help with your dog's appetite. I found Solid Gold Green Tripe at a pet specialty store that carries a lot of natural and holistic pet foods. You might want to check with natural food stores in your area. Check out: http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/ and http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/products/sh...60&code=260 Acidolphus tablets (very similar to yogurt culture) might be helpful too. The culture may help with her nausea. Lois

"Baby Girl II" is doing pretty well tonight. Thanks for all your advice!!! I plugged in a DAP diffuser last night and I swear she started improving right away. It might be my imagination, but I think it is helping. We're taking Charm back to the vet next week. I want to check her weight to see if she's putting on a couple pounds and also get her teeth cleaned right away, just to be on the safe side. Plus, we're sure it hasn't been done in a couple of years, at least. We also put a single-weight fleece coat on her this morning. I think it might help with the shivers. Will post an update soon. Thanks AGAIN! Lois

We had a dog returned to us after 8 years in a home. They were getting a divorce and neither one of them could take her. Can you imagine? She's 12.5 now and looking for a home! For now, though, she's here with Mike and I and our three dogs. So, here I am with THREE dogs over 12. Known as "Charm", this little darling is just as sweet as she can be. When the adopters surrendered her last week, she spent the night at our vet and got checked out. Our vet, who is VERY grey savvy, tells us she's in good health, though she needs to get her teeth cleaned soon. IMHO, she's very thin. She has an excellent appetite and is keenly interested in food. I'm hoping that she'll put on a few pounds soon as her hips, spine and ribs are quite prominent. Charm is settling in here pretty well . . . maybe too well. She's bonded very closely with Mike, who's home most of the time. She's happy, bouncy and enjoys running in the yard with the other dogs. Nothing to make me think she's in pain. The only problem I've noticed with her is that she pants a lot. Not all the time, but, for instance, for the first hour or two that I was home this evening, she panted almost non-stop. Yesterday, we were home most of the day and she was pacing and panting most of the afternoon. This evening, she was glued to my hip the whole time I was cooking dinner and cleaning up. She has free access to water. I let her out three times the first hour I was home this evening (they were only alone about 2 hours this afternoon). Right now, she's laying on the floor, resting; but not panting a bit, so it's not a constant thing. In addition to the panting, she has a tendency to shiver. I don't believe she's cold. It's about 70 degrees in here. Sometimes when you pet her you can feel her trembling. There's also a lot of flatulence, presumably coming from Miss "Charm". I have been giving her acidolphus capsules, which seem to help significantly. This, I suspect, may also be stress. She's on the same food as in her former home (they delivered her with about 20 pounds of Iams kibble, her blanket, a homemade crate, one stuffie, a can of Iams and a half box of Iams biscuits.) She has been sneaking samples of our dogs' food, so that may attribute to the gas clouds. What's your opinion? Do you think the panting and the shivering are just signs of stress? Are there any medical conditions you can think of which might cause the panting and shivering other than stress? OBVIOUSLY, we're going to take her back to the vet for another check-up but I'm asking for sage advice from my friends on Greytalk to help prepare us for the next visit. Lois

That's a relief, BJ. Don't forget to give him some yogurt or a few acidolphus tablets every day so his tummy doesn't get upset. Lois

A taper candle is long and thin, no metal "sustainer tab" on the bottom; has to be burned in a candle holder. A tealight is about 3/4" tall and 1.5" across, in an aluminum or plastic container; might or might not have a sustainer tab; about 1 oz. of wax. A votive is about 2" tall, chunky, no container but intended strictly for burning only in a tight-fitting container; think of it as a container refill; should have a sustainer tab; two or three oz. of wax; votives are NOT miniature pillars. A pillar is a tall (2" or more), usually wide, freestanding candle meant to be burned without a container or holder (though I'd recommend a plate underneath to protect your furniture from melted wax); pillars usually have sustainer tabs, but not always, especially with imports; you need to "hug" pillars as they burn to prevent wax blow-outs where the pool of melted wax goes through the outer shell and pours onto the surface below. HTH. Lois

I'm a chandler (candlemaker). My first question is whether it was a SCENTED candle. I think the fragrance oil would be far more dangerous than the wax or the dye. The wick could be an issue, but will probably pass naturally. Lois

Dear Jennifer: I'm so very sorry to hear the sad news about Scooter, but I'm happy that you were able to spend these priceless years with him and especially that you were able to take him to Dewey one more time. Bless his heart! He's running free now. Love, Lois

I second Dr. Radcliffe! Greyt guy. Lois

Jim, you might want to check out GPA/Indy. They have a very active group and might be a wonderful resource for you. Maybe you and your wife could volunteer to foster for them on a short-term basis till you're able to get your fence up, etc. Lois

Seems awfully early for Lumbar Stenosis, but has that been ruled out?