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Valencia

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Posts posted by Valencia

    Greyhound Color And Ticks

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    My father and sister in law, both pinkish beige in color, have each contracted Lyme's disease from tick bites--not off the dogs, just out of the bushes. My brother got Babesia, also from a tick. He is freckled.

     

    I'm being silly here--but you can get a tick with no dog involved at all, so picking a companion based on color as a means of preventing a treatable ailment seems a little much to me.

     

    My brother and his wife don't even OWN a dog--my brother was in the hospital for several days when he got Babesia, and he never even SAW a tick on his body. My sister in law's tick bite was on her "plumber's crack," and all they ever saw was the rash--the tick was long gone and she was infected before they ever saw it. Deer ticks are tiny. A regular tick you'd see on the dog, I suppose, if it was moving and the dog was light colored. A deer tick could EASILY be missed even on a white dog.

     

    :lol :lol You just made the OP's paranoia much, much worse. :lol

    Greyhound Color And Ticks

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    A tick has to stay attached for about 36 hours (long enough to feed on blood) for you to become infected with Lyme disease. According to the Lyme Disease Foundation, there have only been 21,582 cases of Lyme disease reported to the CDC for the year 2009. That makes it, even if you double the amount, not nearly as common as many other things you could contract just through normal living. I say use Frontline, and don't pick your greyhound by color, but by personality.

    Riley

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    I missed that you did have xrays done. What exactly was x-rayed? If it was his foot and leg, I'd have the shoulder and spine looked at. You know your dog best, and if he is acting strangely (hanging out in the yard by himself) that is a sign that something is really off. Between that, the panting, and other obvious signs of discomfort, I would be looking a little deeper.

     

    Stewart was in a dog fight 4 years ago; his front leg was pretty mangled. All soft tissue injuries. He is a BEAST to deal with when he is in pain. He fought even when he was partially under anesthetic to get the wound debrided and stapled. They wrapped him up, sent us home. He was in pain, he was so stressed out, he was a wreck. I gave him tramadol, put him in my bed, and he sacked out for hours. Whenever he would get a little fussy, it was usually time for more pain meds, and that would keep him calm. So that's why I find it really surprising that Riley would be continuing to show such strong pain / anxiety signs this far after the initial injury, when normally he seems like a pretty stoic dog, and if this is a run of the mill soft tissue injury, the pain meds you were giving him should have knocked that back quite a bit. That's why I think there is something more going on. You would know better than anyone else, though, because you know Riley. I'm just so sorry you are going through this, I know how horribly stressful it is on both you and him. :grouphug

    Riley

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Previcox is an anti-inflammatory, and the bandage, heat and ice should keep the circulation going to promote healing. That said, there is no way my Stewart would tolerate any of that kind of care. Is he using the leg at all? I'm curious to hear what the orthopedic doctor has to say, I think xrays are in order if he still isn't using the leg or showing any signs of improvement. Poor Riley. :(

    Riley

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    I thought icing was better, too, but my group has also used warm compresses for less than fresh injuries where the blood is pooling. Both work to increase blood flow to the area. Ice does numb the area a bit and reduce swelling and pain, both of which would lead Riley to pant. Usually, ice is recommended for the first 24-48 hours while the initial healing takes place, and then you switch to heat to increase blood flow and healing. If I were you, I would try icing, I think it will make Riley feel better. It certainly will not hurt.

     

    I just read something that makes sense: fresh injuries get ice to reduce swelling, inflammation, and bleeding / bruising. Once the acute stage of injury is over (48-72 hours) heat can be used to relax stiffness, and ice can still be used to remove pain and swelling. So I stick with what I said, use the ice until you hear from your vet, unless you think his joints are getting stiff.

    Riley

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted · Edited by Valencia

    Lucy, don't panic. I do think you need to get back into a vet. If you don't want to go to that evet, keep icing his leg and shoulder, keep him calm, and get him in Monday am. Hopefully someone else with more experience can weigh in. Is there another evet you can call ahead to talk to before you take him in?

     

    eta :grouphug :grouphug because I have been thinking about you and Riley all day. I HATE the feeling you are feeling right now. :(

    Riley

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    He is so beautiful.

     

    His left shoulder is dropped forward, does he always lay like that? It looks like he is trying to shrug away from pain. Can you pick up his leg and manipulate it? Does it stretch out like it's supposed to? If you set the paw on the ground on his knuckles, will he turn it the right way? What is his posture like when he is standing up?

    No he never lays like that, he has been laying very differently since this happened.

     

    I was able to stretch his leg out all the way. He did not turn his paw.

     

    Here is a video of him walking.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTtE8dfmkcE

     

    Thank you so much.

     

    Oh, I can't imagine how hard that is to watch. :grouphug

     

    There is something going on. I would make sure complete x-rays have been done on his entire front leg and spinal area. His leg should not do that from a simple soft tissue injury. His foot is barely responding, and the top of his foot is touching the ground, and he doesn't seem to notice - that means he probably isn't feeling it due to a pinched nerve. Can you talk to your vet, and find out exactly what xrays were done, and what nerve function tests were done, and what exactly she thinks is going on? What does she think the recovery period is? When we get greys in our group that knuckle under, they go directly to the specialist. Do you have any specialists around you? I'm so sorry, Lucy, I know how hard this is to go through. :grouphug

     

    How is he otherwise? Does he seem to be in pain? Uncomfortable? Is he still staying outside? I hope he (and you!) get better sleep tonight.

    Riley

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    He is so beautiful.

     

    His left shoulder is dropped forward, does he always lay like that? It looks like he is trying to shrug away from pain. Can you pick up his leg and manipulate it? Does it stretch out like it's supposed to? If you set the paw on the ground on his knuckles, will he turn it the right way? What is his posture like when he is standing up?

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