Booker_Aye

Thank you! My vet called after I posted, and he also rather doubts that this could be tick related. I went to college near Cleveland, so I am familiar with the drive out on Route 80. It's quite a stretch, but for Dr. Couto, if this does not resolve, I would certainly make the journey. I will investigate tomorrow. Thanks again!

Henry spiked a bit of fever on Monday, just 103, and his vet did a snap test for tick disease that was negative; a urinalysis that found blood in his urine, but a negative culture, and a finding of neck and spinal pain. Metacam, robaxin, and antibiotics while it appeared that a UTI might be at fault. Now, on Sunday, Henry is afebrile, but much worse, hunching his back like a camel, walking with a heavy, almost drunken gait, toeing under, especially on the rear legs, not eating at all -- he is 7 years old and never raced. I would like his tick panel to be run by the gold standard lab for that, but cannot remember where that is now - the last time I needed it it was in the southwest, but now I believe it is the southeast? Could a helpful Greytalker point me in the right direction, please? Any other ideas would be most gratefully appreciated.

I've been using Chewy.com for kibble and canned food for about a year, I think. Their shipping is unbelievably fast -- I get their shipments the day after they ship, without fail. And, because they are not in NY State, I save the cost of tax, at least for now. My only complaint, which is growing to be more and more of an issue, is that the canned food often contains several badly mashed cans, and it's clear that these were crushed before shipping. I am worried that one of these crushed cans will have been compromised and that if I use them they could poison the dogs. I have been meaning to contact the company about this, because it has been a conitnuing problem over several months. I have generally found their customer service to be awesome.

My three share a tin of sardines every evening. They love it, and there hasn't been a runny poop problem. I do give them a spoon of pumpkin with their morning and evening meals, though.

Our worst nightmare. I am so sorry to hear this news. Healing thoughts for Henry.

If you are not overfeeding him, have you checked for worms, particularly hookworms, which are very hard to eradicate? He has been with you for a relatively short time. My Booker struggled to rid himself completely of the hookworms he arrived with for at least a full year, and the hookworms really hurt his intestinal system. He would not eat when they got bad. Since Booker, I prophylactically deworm my hounds when they come to me on the schedule my vet recommends, three days in a row, then 3 days in a row a month later, then three days in a row three months later, with Panacur, and they also get a Droncit dose at their first vet visit. The problem with the hookworms is that they can become encysted in the dog's muscles, and reemerge at later times, after we thought they were all gone. It's a difficult situation.

Well, I feel like the world's biggest idiot, and a neglectful parent, to boot. On Monday night (the night before Henry pulled up lame) I found that he was bleeding from rear right leg when I saw splotches of blood on the floor. So I wahed the affected foot and applied pressure until the bleeding stopped, and promptly forgot about it completely. So there I am this morning, tell the vet that I have NO IDEA what could have happened. She checks his leg from foot to hip, manipoulating all of his joints, and worried because the Metacam from the nighyt before didn't assuage his pain. But Henry is perfecttly fine with her manipulati0ons and doesn't mind anything that she is doing. Then she starts to examine his paw, and sees the cut in his pad from Monday night. It is a deep slice, and it is really badly infected -- it even smells terrible, which is what led her to it. And she tells me that these heal better if they are seen IMMEDIATELY for surgery, which is not appropriate at this point. So imagine how I felt! Henry got his foot cleaned, had a laser treatment which will hopefully improve his ability to granulate, and then the foot was packed with antibiotics and wrapped in a lovely tiger stripe vet wrap that matches his tiger collar. He also got an antibiotic injection and will be taking Metacam for 4-5 days at night, and an antibiotic in the morning. Thy wanted to see him again tomorrow, but it was not possible for me, so it will have to be Friday morning, when I can punt my caseload. And Henry was SUCH a good patient. Now he is home, wearing a BiteNot collar, just in case he thought of licking or deconstructing his bandage whiloe I am away, and he cannot get the bandage wet, so he has a medipaw with a tie and velcros at the wrist and knee for when he goes out in the yard; no walks with Kimba and Fred. Henry is being so good, and I feel like a true moron. A forgetful moron. To make matters worse, while we were at the vet, a couple came in with a little brindle girl, so very, very thin, that I thought she must have just been rescued. But it turned out that I knew these people, and I knew that greyhound. It was meeting her, Gracie, and her brother greyhound Ace, that introduced me to the wonderful world of greyhounds in 2004, I believe; had I not met Ace and Gracie, I would never have known what wonderful companions greys can be. Gracie, who was now 14 years old, had come to the vet for her last journey. Her mom and I shared a heartful hug; Gracie's beautiful big brown eyes were so gentle and sweet, and I was in tears. Go in peace, beautiful Gracie girl.

Thanks! I wish I were at home already so that I could give him his pain med, poor doggie. He is just as cheerful and boisterous as ever, though.

Oh, I am so glad to hear that! Thank you! I will definitely sleep better tonight. I have Metacam at home from a previous incident with one of the hounds. I called the vet, and they said Henry could have it tonight with his dinner, so hopefully that will help him a bit.

This morning Henry the AKC Hound started limping on his right rear leg. He was fine when he went to sleep last night, and at first I thought he might have injured his leg jumping out of bed. But in my experience with my diva hounds, after a limp or two they are fine. Henry has still not put weight on that leg after two walks today, so I scheduled a vet's appointment for him in the morning. My vet is good, but not particularly greyhound savvy. What should she be looking for? Naturally what I fear most is that Henry might have pain due to osteo...

How did Goose reveal his disgruntledness about his visitor? Did he growl at Finn? Fred is most likely to act out when Henry is jumping around wildly, like when I get home, or on the deck after running around in the yard.

I just had an e mail exchange with my dogwalker, Tara, about muzzling the dogs when they are in the house alone. She said that today Fred was cranky with Henry and Miss Kimba when she arrived. Her arrival is always a reason for great joy throughout the household -- they all love her. It may just be jealousy, but I am starting to wonder if Fred might have an underlying condition that is predisposing him to grumpiness. I remember when my Dalmatian was diagnosed with stomach cancer (back in 1979) he went through a very grumpy phase before we realized how ill he was; in retrospect, I realized that he was grumpy because he was in pain. I am wondering if something is hurting my Fred. Guess it's time to make another major payment to the vet.

Henry is "Mariki's Black Swan." His dad is Southwestern Lord Henry, and his mom, Lorricbrooke Graceful. She is Canadian born, but both parents are in the USA, where my Henry was born on March 13, 2009. As far as I know, he doesn't have any Swedish connection. How sad for a 4 year old to be at the Bridge. Why did you want to know?

Batmom, why would I have to muzzle Kimba, too? She is extremely gentle.

Sounds like muzzling at home when they are alone is the general opinion. Poor doggies. And Kimba too, who is gentleness personified? My house has an open floor plan, so an x pen or or baby gate will not really work. Muzzling in the yard, in the minivan, and when they are home alone. What a pity. I agree with Susan; Henry doesn't have the background that retired racers have, and I bet he is committing faux pas all day long.