Jump to content

Valencia

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    412

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Valencia

    Questions On Rooing

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    Two of my three greys have rooed...I taught them how to do it on command (the command being, obviously, "roo".) They rooed spontaneously for every meal, treats, people coming over, me coming home, anytime they were having a good time. A very vocal foster has even gotten the chinese crested to chime in. :lol

    Sitting In Obedience Class

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    I agree with finding another trainer if this one doesn't get it. Greyhounds just are not natural sitters, and a trainer that requires it over a down stay is stuck in rote expectations mode. There are many trainers who recognize how perfectly suited greyhounds are for therapy dogs and who have adapted their training to overcome the sit issue. Don't be afraid to interview the trainer ahead of time to find out their feelings about this!

     

    On a personal note, my previous partner had a severe traumatic brain injury that wiped out most of her memory, including her memories of our pets. :( If questioned, she would say we didn't have any dogs, nor did she really like them. (Not true, and so sad on so many levels.) As soon as she moved out of ICU and into an acute rehab facility, I made arrangements for the therapy dogs to visit. Our first visitor was a standard poodle that was so sweet, and it was a nice visit. But our next visit was incredible. Not only did two greyhounds come into the room, but the person holding the leashes was one of my own adopters. My partner immediately recognized and bonded with the greyhounds. The joy on her face was priceless. I can't even express the emotions I felt to this day. I think therapy dog people know it's a cool thing to do, but I don't think they know how much of a lifeline it is for some people. My next grey will be specifically selected to be a therapy dog, so that I can return the gift that we received. Don't give up your dream, find a different trainer.

    7 Staples In My Head

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    Thank you all for the feedback about Faye. After much heartache we decided to return Faye to the group, but she was placed back with her original foster family, who assured me she'd stay with them until she was re- adopted. They already have 2 Greyhounds and a husky so I know she's being cared for. They even have a lady who's interested in taking her as a "foster-to-own", who's had twitchy Greyhounds before. When we first were looking for a dog, we read a lot and thought we were getting the perfect dog for us. The group did warn us about not touching a hound when they're sound asleep, but I never knew I was not supposed to pet her at all when she was in her bed. That being said, I had petted Faye a lot in her bed and she was fine. I know more about Greyhounds now than I ever knew before. I wish I'd known about Greytalk before adopting. I don't blame her at all and I know she's very sweet and playful and will make someone very, very happy. This was a awful experience that no one should ever have to go through, I felt like I was sending my child away. We're going to wait before getting another dog, and will look long and hard before we adopt again, and unfortunately it won't be a Greyhound. Once you see those teeth coming at you it changes your whole perspective. Staples coming out this afternoon.

     

    My greyhounds have all slept in bed with me, and other than the sleep aggression dog, I haven't had any issues. I regularly sleep with and cuddle with my female greyhound, and she would never in a million years react. I also cuddled with (well, mauled might be a better word :lol) my male greyhound, and while he had fear aggression, he didn't have any issues with cuddling in bed. I've even cuddled all of my fosters when they were in their beds (after carefully testing them and their boundaries.) I think the rule of never touching a greyhound when he/she is in his/her bed is way too strict, it should be a warning to approach cautiously and let the dog decide if they wanted that or not. My last broken leg foster loved nothing more than spooning while in her bed. I STILL miss doing that with her, and I adopted her out several years ago!! But I totally understand your hesitance in adopting again. My advice to you is to find a placement rep and foster home that will test a dog to make sure he/she is bomb proof for you. I've done that for several of my fosters and their perspective adopters, and have told some that the placement would not work if I thought there was any chance of issues (on the people side or on the dog side.) You had a very horrible experience, and I so understand your fears, but I am very sad that you would forego the opportunity to pursue adopting a 'bomb-proof' greyhound, they really are the most amazing dogs. :grouphug

    7 Staples In My Head

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted

    Some fosters will push the dog a bit in order to check out those sorts of things, and some won't. Depends on the purpose of the foster period, how long the dog was there, and experience as NeylasMom mentioned.

     

    Also, some dogs are very specific about these things. You may be able to lean over the dog and wave your arms in one way, dog is fine. Use a slightly different angle of approach, and dog freaks. Or time of day, how tired or stimulated the dog happens to be at that moment, etc. So it could even be that the foster home *did* check out some of these things but didn't quite arrive at the same button, so to speak.

     

    Most of the dogs I've known fairly well -- my own and others' -- I'm confident I could make snap without doing anything abusive or outre. I've only had/known a few that I was pretty sure I couldn't.

     

    I push my fosters to find out what their limits are, so that when I adopt them out, I can choose parents who have the ability to deal with that particular dog's behaviors. I do this because I've been bitten by two of my own dogs; my first greyhound had sleep aggression, and my second had fear aggression. I did a lot of work with them to get them to be less unpredictable, but I don't believe that a dog that responds with biting will every be 100% trustworthy to not do so again. For an experienced adopter to choose a dog that has limits, that is one thing; but to expect a new adopter to deal with biting and advanced training techniques to try to handle it is another thing, and I believe that sets both the adopter and the dog up for too much potential for failure.

    Missing Link

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    I put my kids on Missing Link before I found out Stewart's limp was from osteo, not arthritis; the difference in him and my female greyhound even after a few days was incredible. She started acting like a 2 year old, and she is 10. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not. :lol

    Osteo With Enlarged Lymph Nodes?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    You can't miss the sub-mandibullar ones on a greyhound if they are swollen; they are small lumps under the jawline, below the ear. Humans have them too; you can feel them on your neck, under your jawline and forward an inch-ish from the bend of your jawbone. (Well, at least I can feel mine, maybe that's not normal :lol )

     

    I'd snap a picture of the sub-mandibullar ones on a greyhound, but the greyhound is roaching on the couch with his feet up and I can't get a good shot. :lol

    Osteo With Enlarged Lymph Nodes?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    My vet called back, since both sets of lymph nodes are swollen, it's likely something more serious than a run of the mill infection (which would be hard to come by anyhow, since we don't see other dogs or go anywhere). She said it was mostly likely either the osteo metastisizing or lymphoma, but would require a fna to diagnose. But, since he has the osteo, it's not like testing will change the course of treatment. I'm going to keep an eye on it over the weekend. i just didn't know this could happen, and I guess I've been in a state of denial. :(

    Osteo With Enlarged Lymph Nodes?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted · Edited by Valencia

    My boy was diagnosed with osteo in his front left shoulder in December. He is on pain management only, and is doing okay so far. I noticed last week that his axillary lymph nodes (by his armpits (do dogs have armpits? legpits??)) were swollen. At first, I only noticed it on the side with the osteo, but after watching and looking at him, I could tell both sides were enlarged. Today, I noticed his sub mandibular lymph nodes are also swollen; all four of the nodes are easily visibly swollen. I'm reasonably sure he wouldn't be so unlucky as to get lymphoma on top of osteo, right? I read that osteo can metastasize to lymph nodes, but it doesn't appear to be very common (~5% in humans). I have a call in to my vet about this, but was curious if anyone here had experience with this.

    Lymphoma, So Fast...

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    My Sydney Sue, who I lost to Lymphoma, first started acting a little off; then I noticed the lymph nodes in her neck suddenly swelled. Within about a week, she was bleeding from the nose. I got her into the vet first thing in the morning after the nose bleeding started; the vet almost immediately guessed lymphoma. We started doxy that same day in case it was something other than lymphoma. The fna results came back within two days, and I started her on prednisone immediately. I lost her just shy of 8 weeks post diagnosis, from side effects from the prednisone, but the lymphoma had definitely become active again, so I'm guessing the difference would have only been a few weeks at best. So it was about 10 weeks from very first symptom (not recognized except in hindsight) until I let her go. I don't know what type of Lymphoma she had.

     

    In some ways, it can be a blessing if they go faster, even though it's harder on us. I knew Syd wasn't always doing so well, and it was as if she knew it, and my trying to prolong things would have just been horrible for her. At the time I made the final decision, I was really not sure if I should keep trying things, or just let her go; in hindsight, it was definitely time, and the right decision.

     

    We can't see every little change, or every little pain or discomfort that they have; nor can we assume worst case scenario every time something is off with them. We do the best we can do with the tools we have at the time, and we have to learn how to be okay with that. :grouphug :grouphug

    Cost Of A Dental ?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    I've had dentals ranging from $450 to $1000, depending on extractions. I think my average is close to $800. One dog was only $450, I paid the bill and ran out the door before they could look it over. :lol :lol My first greyhound had crappy teeth, and had her first extractions at 4 yo. She acclimated me to the cost of dentals. On a side note, I took my little Chinese Crested into the vet for a dental, all his shots, anal glands expressed, bloodwork, and whatever else they could do to him, and it was only $298 out the door. I have never been happier to pay a vet bill in my life. :lol

    Older Female, More Frequent Urination, Possible Causes?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Well, the test results are back; the urinalysis shows no sign of infection, but her calcium level is low, and there was protein in the urine. The specific gravity was slightly lower than normal. Everything else was pretty greyhound-typical. Her creatinine and BUN are greyhound normal and normal, and no elevated WBC. So, the vet advised to do a follow up test in a month to see if it changes in either direction. She said it could be the very early stages of kidney disease, or possibly something with the spleen, but that was less likely. The good news is that if it is kidney disease, this is so early on (creatinine and BUN don't normally show elevated values until the disease has progressed and the kidneys are more significantly damaged) that catching it is a total fluke. So, I guess I'll buy more potty pads and look into herbal bladder and kidney support supplements. I'll take this over osteo any day.

×
×
  • Create New...