calif_chaz

I'm so very sorry for your loss of your Storm.

I did not want to be posting here again so soon, just a few months since I told you all about Sam's passing. Yet here I am again, losing the second of our old boys. Graham was a bounce who came to us (with Phoebe) April 15, '12. They had lived together since '07 but needed to move on to a new home. We had just lost Maggie and even with Sam the house felt empty. We had already decided on taking Phoebe but I asked that they bring along Graham just to see him. He was a big boy, around 80 lbs of light brindle. He was not the prettiest greyhound I had ever seen but we were oh so glad we included him in the adoption. He was so full of love, so playful, and one of those that always wanted to know where you were, what you were doing, especially my husband. Graham was the first at the door when we came home anytime, bouncing, spinning, tossing a toy. Sometimes the homecoming (even after an hour!) was so much he just "had" to go outside and run some laps in the yard. He had arrived from his first home with a stuffed mallard duck and even tho we had a basket of toys the duck was always his buddy. He would sleep with it, toss it, have DH throw it for him to run and get. Maybe it was a memory of someone he loved before because he definitely had a lot and needed a lot of love. He loved his walks, fritos, laying outside on the screened in deck, neck rubs, and of course his duck. He always seemed, and vet would comment, what good shape he was in and how good he looked for 12 plus. But by late summer this began to change and he began to fail. He turned 13 and we knew we had very little time left with him. He had always had a certain dignity, a quiet majesty (when he wasn't being silly) and as his body failed him more and more it was not the way he would have wanted to live I know. My husband keeps glancing behind him because that is where Graham usually was and I swear I have seen from the corner of my eye him going down the hall . He was so incredibly loyal and focused on his people, maybe he still is here just a bit with us. I hope so.

My husband once had our girl at the vet's and was standing (with a short leash) at the counter when a tech walked behind them with a small white dog. In a micro second Phoebe had turned and picked up the dog in her mouth! I am not sure who was the most shocked, DH, tech, or small white dog! Luckily she dropped it immediately when told but this also told me to never, ever trust her with small dogs or cats. Maybe she would be fine, maybe she thought this was an extra special treat for going to the vet...who knows.

Prayers for you and Sneaky Pie that things will work out . She is so beautiful~looks very much like my Phoebe.

I'm so very, very sorry you have lost your Beth. I lost Maggie very suddenly 3 years ago and I know it is just devastating. You must have had a wonderful bond together. Healing thoughts for you, and run free, Beth.

Sam deserves a tribute. He was a gentle soul, an undemanding (well, maybe for cookies), boy who came to us in August of 04 when he was just barely 2 years old. Sam did not race at all, instead headed straight for "retirement". He was a leaner, a guy who would flip your hand off the computer keyboard to get pets, a lover of ear scritches. He had his health issues over the years with a toe amp for a growth, hypothyroidism, and a stint of slo. He was a champion eater and sleeper and when he shook himself I swear all four legs cleared the ground, he adored the snow until the last couple of years when his balance wasn't so good. He lived with Maggie from Dec. 04 to her death in April 12 (and it was not always easy for him to live with her~she could be snarky and ruled the roost), and after Maggie he was completely at ease when our two bounces (Graham and Phoebe) moved in later that April. Altho Sam and Graham bonded and always slept near each other, Sam's real buddy for play was my daughter's lab who adored him. When DH carried him to the car on Thursday because of the swollen foot and unable to walk with it, I never thought he would not be coming home. As I stood by the car window and petted him I did not know it was actually good bye. There were so many things I would have told him had I known. First of all thank you for being such a good boy all these years, for being ok with the other dogs coming in, with being a good camper when we traveled with our trailer for several years, for loving us and trusting us unconditionally, even to the end. Run free, Sammie! Even tho you never raced, you were a champion to us!

We had to let Sam go. It was not what I had hoped, an infection, instead the paw had begun oozing fluid and blood because there was a blockage further up. This all due, the vet suspects, to a tumor beneath the spine which had grown and was cutting off the circulation to the leg. He had enlarged lymph nodes in the groin area as well. He was definitely in stress and altho the vet said we could try some meds but he thought we would be back tomorrow or certainly in a week. It would have been selfish to put Sam through another day or week knowing what was happening. He was a sweet boy and I will post in remembrance in the next day or so.

Last night on our way to bed Sam, who is 13, had trouble walking and had to be helped. He has very shaky hind end even at a good time but this was more. Looked him over and his left hind foot swollen and above to the joint (I would call it ankle in us maybe). This morning still very swollen, but on examining it the pain is not in the paw where I thought it would be but further up like a 2-3 inches above the paw. Waiting for vet to open, hoping it is an infection. Does osteo sometimes present like this? Any thoughts? He cannot put weight on that foot.

So very sorry to hear of the loss of the your granddaughter's Nita. Many of us are sending hugs to your granddaughter and all the rest of the family. Run free and fast, Nita.

I am so sorry you have lost Timmy. He was so beautiful and you had a wonderful relationship of love. Hugs to you, and to Timmy run free sweet boy.

Prayers and good thoughts for Cody that all will be well.

Irene, I am so very sorry to hear about Fuzzy. Losing these wonderful family members just breaks our hearts. I know he had a good reunion at the Bridge. Hugs.

I'm so sorry your Hattie is gone. She sounds like she was a wonderful girl and I know you loved her very much. Run free, Hattie!

Regarding the poop guards~~all 3 of mine have them now and we no longer cringe when one gives us a big open-mouth happy look. This is gross, but we didn't know a long time ago that Sam was a poop eater. He had a habit of many nights getting us up to let him out (we thought a potty run). However, it turns out it was (here it is going gross) snack time!! So for a long time we were enablers of a poop eater!! Now, having been identified, he no longer troubles us to let him out during the night. After the first few tries of snacking while poop guarded, everyone gave up so no nasty clean ups to do . I love poop guards!!

Wonderful years together. Run free and fast, Baron!

I'm so very sorry your George, and ours too, is gone. Thank you for sharing his adventures with us.

Irene, I was so very, very sorry to see this. I know you feel his loss deeply, the Auden poem says it so well. Hugs to you, Len, and Fuzzy. Run like the wind again, Paul.

Several years ago our first greyhound began to limp on one foot. We were newbies at greys and feared the worst, took him to our vet for xrays, etc. No conclusions after much examining, etc and they finally suggested taking him to U of PA where he would, they thought, probably need surgery on his hip. We were very upset and started researching with greytalk, google greyhound limping, etc where the corn possibility came up. Sure enough he had a corn, verified by a very greyhound savvy friend. Went to the website of the animal hospital that specialized in corn removal (think it was Grassmere), changed vets and our new vet watched the video and hulled Sam's corn. Now, several years later, Sam still gets corns, still has them hulled by vet or DH, and wears therapaw boot(s) when in the yard or on a short walk. I get chills when I think of putting Sam through something that was not necessary. Greytalk has been an immense help and support with various issues through the years.

I'm so sorry for your loss of Petyr~he was a very good friend to you. My daughter had a pet rat when she went off to college and of course took him with her. She actually smuggled him on her plane trips to and from college while she had him. He too was a very good friend to her and I think made her happy having him with her while she made the adjustment to living at college.

As a 71 year old with 3 senior greys this remembrance of Carol and her Mom breaks my heart. I find that at this point in my life and my dogs' lives there is something very special in aging together. Run free, Carol, and good thoughts and memories for her Mom.

One of this kind became my heart dog. she is gone now but through the many difficulties in the beginning became one so very special to me~we were tuned in to each other. People think that when you talk of the great loves of your life it means a person but it can also mean a dog.

I'm so very sorry for your loss of Scotch. He was well loved.

I'm so very sorry for the loss of your sweet boy.

Some friends of ours in our neighborhood had to send their girl Lynne to the bridge last week due to lymphoma. She was 12 in November, a dainty, sweet dark brindle who liked everyone and all dogs of all sizes. She was with them for over 7 years and they miss her. Lynne's people are not on Greytalk but I wanted to give her a tiny send off by letting all the GTers who love their hounds know and join me in saying "run free, Lynne".

I have one who isn't easy to pill and he has to have thyroid meds twice a day. I found velveeta to be a good "pill pocket". It is like glue so the pill doesn't come out, and is pretty slimy when in his mouth so it slides down easily. I use a small 1 inch piece across and maybe 1/2 inch deep since his pills are small. I always give the other two a tiny piece of the cheese at the same time so it seems like treat time to everyone.