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Annette

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Posts posted by Annette

    Vaccine For Cancer In Dogs, And Possibly Humans

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    I'm glad they're trying. I would volunteer my dogs.

     

    I actually contacted Colorado State University when I first saw that this study was going to be done because they only wanted specific breeds and greyhounds weren't one of the breeds they wanted.

     

    When I asked why they weren't included, they said that only wanted dog breeds that are at "higher than average" cancer risk, and greyhounds don't fall into that category.

    Medical Or Behavioral?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    She does not seem to be in pain. If anything now that it is a bit cooler (in the low to mid 70's) she has more energy and occasionally does some doggy break dancing in the apartment. Miriam has never been the energetic type. She takes retirement very seriously, if she doesn't have to move, she won't.

     

    Is she in pain?

    Medical Or Behavioral?

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Miriam will be 11 at the end of the month. We have had her 7 years and we tell people that she is a recovering spook. When she came to us as a foster she seemed to be just shy and we attributed that to just getting off the track and adjusting to the human world and suffering from "information overload". We had her for two weeks and then she was to go to her adoptive home but that fell through. Dixie immediately adopted her as a sister from the day she walked into the house as a foster so we couldn't send Miriam down to Milwaukee when the adoption fell through, and as they say: "the rest is history".

     

    Once she realized that she wasn't going back to her old home she became extremely shy and spooked. The worst event was when it was in the low single digits and she was too afraid of us to come in the house. I think we were outside (fenced in yard) trying to coax her into the house for about 1/2 hour. Dixie couldn't even convince her to come inside. I was almost to the point of tears afraid that she would never come into the house and she would freeze to death. To this day I don't remember how we got her into the house. After that, we kept a 15 foot rope attached to her collar that she dragged around the yard so we could reel her in. We kept that rope attached to her collar outside for 2 winters and randomly for one summer before she wasn't afraid to come into the house. The vet techs at our veterinarian's office commented once to the new vet that was checking her over how much she changed over the years.

     

    Medically she has copper storage disease which is under control. Her liver values were normal at her last blood draw in June. She doesn't need another blood test till December. It took more than 1 year for her liver values to get back into the normal range. Recently a urine test showed bacteria so we had her on antibiotics for 2 weeks. She had 3 peeing accidents in the apartment. She is on a homemade diet for her copper storage disease 95% of the time. The other 5% is when we feed her a prescription diet food.

     

    Now that everyone has her "back story", on to what is making us worry.

     

    Miriam has always been a whiner, but in the last few months she has really increased her whining to the point that we are unable to sleep. Our first thought always has been thinking that she needs to go out. Only on a couple of these occasions did she actually have to go outside. Her increased whining started several months ago, so I cannot imagine that it relates to antibiotics she was on for the last 2 weeks. We did give her pepcid to help settle her stomach because she doesn't do the best on antibiotics.

     

    We don't know if it is her age as a cause for whining? Is it medical? If it is medical, what do we need to be checking her for? Is she getting doggy dementia as she ages and that is why she is whining?

     

    Anyone have any ideas?

     

    Thanks.

     

     

    Need Help - Osteosarcoma, Uncontrolled Hyperthermia

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    So good to see that Jeff is improving. When Pogo had his leg amputated he came home but would not eat. We could not pill him. He actually clamped down pretty hard on Roy's hand and we were surprised that he did not draw blood. When we took him back to the vet school he was running a fever of 106. Pogo ended up being at the vet school for a total of 9 days. When he finally recovered it was like he never skipped a beat. He hopped onto our bed (where he was not allowed) so we put the plastic desk mat back up there to keep him off. We didn't think he would jump on the bed as a tripod. Pretty soon he was running more that he ever did as a "4 on the floor".

     

    Sending gentle hugs and healing thoughts your way.

     

    Annette

    Thinking Of Greyhounds

    in Introductions & Biography

    Posted

    We fostered a few times. My husband won't let me anymore because it is too hard for him to give the pups up.

     

    We have always had cats and greyhounds. Our cat, Lefty, was the true test of a cat safe greyhound. She was 6 pounds of cattitude and dynamite. Someone he worked with left her on the side of the rode to die and told my husband about it (knowing he would try to save her). He thought she was dead when he found her and headed back to his car and for whatever reason he looked back and she lifted her head, so he rushed her off too the vet.

     

    Lefty had to have her front left leg removed so she was a tripod so she easily could have made a greyhound think she was handicapped. She never let that happen. The first thing she always did upon meeting a new greyhound was to slap the snot out of the poor dog. She struck fear into 90 pound greyhounds. I remember a big, black boy we fostered - we heard the slap across his nose, it was hard. When Lefty wasn't paying attention to the foster, he gave her a big wet kiss. He had a look of pure satisfaction on his face and Lefty was completely stunned.

     

    Kitties and greyhounds can get along. One thing that is very important though: a cat-safe greyhound may be fine inside the house, but outside the cat can easily turn into prey for the greyhound. So being aware of critters around your greyhound is very important. It is advised that you do not let your greyhound outside at the same time that your cat is outside.

    Alt Liver Values

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    Miriam's ALT started climbing in March of 2016. We started her on Denmarin and Vitamin E supplements hoping this would help bring down the values. We also added Milk Thistle. For two months her ALT came down slightly, but not into the normal range. When they finally were twice what was considered normal we took her to the UW Vet School for a biopsy. Through the biopsy it was determined that she had Copper Storage disease. She was on penicillamine to chelate the copper from her liver for 9 months then we switched to zinc for another 3 months. In October of 2017 her ALT finally came into the normal range. We continue to give her Denosyl, Milk Thistle, and Vitamin E. She will have to be on a low copper diet for the rest of her life. We also checked the copper levels in our water. We knew they would be high because we have copper plumbing.

     

    Miriam is now on a home cooked diet that was initially created by Veterinary Nutrition department at the University of Minnesota Vet School. We have prescription diet food in case there is a reason I can't get some homemade diet made.

     

    She now only goes to the vet for blood work every 6 months. Her next visit will be in June.

    Low Protein Diet Recipes

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    If she's in her upper 80s, it would be a LOT easier to just put the dog on Purina NF. My dog would not eat science diet's kidney food, but he loved Purina's. Most vets sell it as an alternative since so many dogs won't eat KD!

     

    FYI, I grew up with English Setters!

     

    You would think it would be easier for her to just buy a prescription diet but she most certainly is the person who is not my natural born mother. She has far surpassed the stereotype long before she became my mother-in-law and any other description would have to be in the Soapbox section of the web site.

     

    I will tell her about the Purina even though it will fall on deaf ears.

    Low Protein Diet Recipes

    in Health and Medical discussion

    Posted

    My Inlaws' Setter is in the early stages of kidney disease (Ralphy is 11 years old) and needs to be on a low protein diet. I believe they have spoke with the vet (their daughter, who is an ACVIM vet) about diet. Ralphy has always been a picky eater and my MIL is looking for low protein diet dog food recipes. Anyone know where she could find some? My MIL is in her upper 80's so we are looking mostly for books. If you have links for some good sites with recipes, I could forward them onto my sister-in-law.

     

    Thanks

    Fear Of Cat

    in Training and Behavior discussion

    Posted · Edited by Annette

    We had the true test of a cat safe greyhound. Her name was Lefty. She was 6 pounds soaking wet and was missing her front left leg. She slapped the crap out of every single greyhound who ever entered our home. Some were always leary of her and others gave her no mind. Our Scarlett girl who was an alpha female came to an agreement with Lefty. Lefty could be alpha over every hound and kitty that entered our home but her. Still miss that kitty. She was about 19 or so when we had her put to sleep.

     

    All our hounds and kitties learned to live together with Lefty.

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