Mystella

Wow Chris, what a roller coaster few days you've had, I just saw this thread and read through it all holding my breath and so very happy to get to the 'all went well' message. Sending big hugs to you hoping for some good news.

Glad to hear she is going to be alright

Oh no I lurk in here sometimes guys, wishing I could think of something, anything to say that might be the least bit helpful, but there isn't anything so just know that I am thinking of you and your sweet hounds

YAY here is a weird statement for you - Jeffy has Giardia and I am so happy last fecal didn't catch it but we did a 3 sample one this time and it caught it. I am going in today to get his meds. Doc said it doesn't often cause the kind of weight loss and excessive hunger Jeff is displaying, but that sometimes it does so 'lets treat the horse before we worry about the zebra'

Thanks Beverly, I am not yet completely convinced he has it, although he seems to have every symptom, except the main one, poop issues. He gets mush poop sometimes but not always and though somtimes yellowish not the cow plop or owl pellet descriptions I've seen as typical EPI. Can they have EPI and not have I am still hopeful that the fecal will turn up something instead. Also she gave me a new food for him and wants me to give him that with no treats (oh the horror, this will be really hard on me) for 2 months.

Took Jeffy in for his rabies vaccs this week. I had been having some minor concerns over a few seemingly unrelated issues, 1. my previously picky eater is suddenly scarfing down everything and begging for treats and food. 2. He has been scratching and had some little bumps on his fur. 3. He's been getting an audibly growly tummy, can hear it across the room. No real poop problems but lots of flatulence (yeah I know, he's a greyhound ) I hadn't got to my list of complaints yet other than the bumps when my vet said 'he looks thinner to me, let's go weigh him' Turns out he is losing weight, and he didn't have extra in the way of padding to start with. She said she suspects Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency but wanted to do a 3 day fecal to rule out any beasties and also a food switch to rule out any allergies, though he is on his 3rd food and all of them have been grain free and premium, with differing protein sources. It is an enzyme added food or something. I feel bad that I didn't notice he was losing weight and I am worried (yeah, that is my nature anyway ) Anyone here have ane EPI experience they would like to share with me?

Oh Jen I am so sorry, I've never met your supermodel Neyla, but because of you and the bar chats, I feel like I know her and you. Neyla has had a fantastic, fun life full of love and given you lots of great memories to hold in your heart, in the end, that is all any of us can ask for. Know that we are all thinking of you! C.

Oh Meg I am so sorry See you later sweet Strider

Oh Donna, I am so sorry!!!! I just opened Jeffy's secret santa package this morning and was showing DH the pics of your gorgeous babes. We will see you later Logan

Hey Beth, I know nothing, but chiming in to send a hug and some good thoughts for Isis

Just popping in to see how all the pups are doing and to let you know I am thinking of you Jen - sending a cyber smooch for Neyla

My Stella looooved to be warm, just like me and would join me in front of the fireplace and loved to snuggle under blankies. Jeffy leaves the room if I put the fireplace on and his favourite place to lay is right in front of the patio door where he can catch the draft. Crazy boy.

Hi everyone. I popped in here just to give you all a big hug, I hope no one minds the intrusion

That sounds like what my Stella was like, quiet, calm, sweet, lazy as all get out, incredibly affectionate. She had NO prey drive, completely ignored other dogs as though she couldn't see them, and didn't play with toys of any type. I miss her like crazy and wouldn't have changed a thing. Jeffy on the other hand, oh boy. This morning he woke me up at 430 a.m. I thought he needed to potty but he actually just wanted to play 'tug of bunny' with his stuffed rabbit. He will randomly leap up from his bed throughout the evening and bark at me or Craig or Faith if he gets the sudden urge to play and don't seem to be getting his hints (bowing and helicopter tailing). He also will eat food if I let it get to close to the end of the counter and he will follow me every place I go and cry if I close a door, this is especially fun when I have to use the bathroom He is goofy, silly, noisy, clumsy, affectionate and I love him like crazy and wouldn't change a thing.

Stella was a smiler, big goofy grin, and a 'talker' Jeffy doesn't smile but he chatters all the time. He also only wags his tail in a complete circle, when we first get home and he is excited chattering and tail going like crazy. My daughter calls it his 'helicopter tail'

I am totally guessing here but maybe it is age related. I adopted Jeffy in January and he had just recently come from the farm. He had fluffy soft bunny fur :wub He also was just under 2 years old. When spring hit his fur started blowing out dramatically and he had bald butt, thigh patches, neck patches. I too panicked a bit, took him for blood work and all was well. Maybe it is just losing that puppy outdoor fur?

I let Jeffy (and did with Stella too) pick which direction we go, short walk or long and I also completely let him stop and sniff and mark at will. We have a fenced yard for 'purpose pottying' and we go to my inlaws fenced in acre for 'opening it up' so the routine walk is purely for his enjoyment so if he wants to sniff every tree en route, eh who cares. That being said I did have to convince him that he cannot pee on the neighbours basketball net stand nor on the lawns/gardens we pass by, has to stick to the city curb area and hydrants and utility boxes

It'll come back for months every time he gets wet. Try the peroxide mix it is what we use on our patrol dogs when they get skunked, the officers keep the premeasured ingredients in a bag in their trunks to be ready

Jeff Gordon is a morning whiner too. He sleeps in our room on his own bed on the floor but when he thinks it is time to get up (which started out being 445 am and we have now, 8 months later, progressed to 655, which is MUCH better) he starts whining. He likes to stand on my side of the bed, rest his chin by my face and whine. I have to pretend to sleep through it because if I even open an eye he starts hopping and tail wagging and banging his clumsy oaf self off the side of the bed as he runs back in forth in 'yay it worked, she's up' mode.

Jeffy now knows the difference between his toys and Faiths (my child is stuffed animal obsessed, it is what she plays with) He has his own basket of toys and Faith either has hers with her or in her room. For the first few months it was a nightly game where he would run into her room grab a tiger and bolt to his bed with it. I would say 'uh uh' retrieve it and give him one of his own. Repeat about 20 times per night. He also seems to have grasped that shoes, belts and DH's jeans are also not chew toys It is a good thing Jeff Gordon is smart because training my fam to be neater was a losing proposition!!!! Now he will wander into Faiths room, lay on her floor, sniff her stuffies but leave them alone and when he wants to play he grabs one of the many that belong to him. Have you tried those skineez animals? they have a squeaker but no stuffing? Jeff Gordon has a couple and he loves to throw them around

Whining? I don't believe it I didn't realize cute little girly was sick, hopefully the antibios get er done and without too much tummy trouble. Give her a smooch for me. PS I am still giggling over the fact that she has a middle name and it is elizabeth

Oh Jen I am so sorry to see this post, I have been away and just got back to GT (because I needed some advice) and did a double take when I spotted your name here

My fuzzybutt Jeff Gordon has been shedding his soft fluffy bunny like coat for the past month or so, but in the last week I have noticed a couple bald patches, a fairly large oval one on his rear haunch and now two smaller ones on his neck. The ones on his neck the skin looks pink. Could it just be his tag collar rubbing there or is there something more going on, ideas?? He has had his revolution and I have checked him over for ticks/fleas. No recent diet change.

I decided to try to work on recall with Jeff, just because it is a good idea. I get out treats, he runs to his bed and lays down (this is where he likes to take his treats) I call him back to me, he comes and gets treat. Now we go downhill. I walk across room and show him treat and say 'jeffy come' he runs to his bed across the room and gives me the 'bring me the treat' look. I don't. I repeat 'jeffy come' he roos at me. Dh begins to laugh. I move to a new spot midway between his bed and the wall, Jeffy come, he roaches, stands, lays down and begins to bark at me. We definitely need more work on this