gryhnd_adoptee
-
Posts
382 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Gallery
Store
Articles
Posts posted by gryhnd_adoptee
-
-
hi guys,
thanks for checking in. I just fed him about a 1/2 hour ago and he's sleeping now, which yesterday he was extremely restless, panting and in pain. I upped his gabapentin to 200mg 3 x day (who was that lady that said she wouldn't self-medicate her dog????
) and gave him a single 50mg tramadol at about 12:40 (he'll get the other 2 and the 2 Gab's at 1:30pm), hoping the overlay might help some. Not sure if that's the best thing, hoping it will help bridge the dose gap but worried will lessen the regular dose and cause issues that way, I don't know. 
he was SO bad yesterday, when he got like that last Monday and Tuesday (before we changed the Gab dose and frequency) he at least settled back down by 2:15pm or so -- yesterday, he was panting and in pain past 7pm!
he never slept, just lay there panting or kept getting up and being restless.poor guy doesn't get a breakfast tomorrow morning
his appt is at 10:20am and they said not to feed him (in case they want to do a procedure). I can't give him his Rimadyl since that has to be taken with food but he can get the Gab's and Tram's, so hopefully that helps enough.I just keep PRAYING that SOMETHING helps, somewhere. It is just too painful to see him only get worse. I don't want to have to have him go under but if they suggest radiation, they'll have to do that but if it helps some.....I don't know.
hugs to all.
I have been in your shoes and know just how hard this is. I wish we never had to worry about this awful disease anymore with our sweet babies. We chose the same route with our Lulubelle at the time and realized it was all a matter of staying on top of the pain. It took us three different combos of meds before we finally found what worked for her. Now is not the time to worry about how many meds you are putting into your pup...bottem line is pain management before the pain can get a grip. It's easier to stay ahead of it, than to try to quell it once it grabs hold. Our vet explained to us how there would be up days, and down days, with some worse days than others in the down days. It is when there are more downs than ups that a decision needs to be made on quality.
I wish you all the strength in the world to get thru this; it is one of the hardest things we have to go thru!
-
Mine are obsessed with Cheerios! We started out giving them to my lab mix as a low-fat treat (he has a bit of a weight problem) but now all my other dogs love them too and go nuts when I pull the box out
Have you tried the new Peanut Butter Cheerios? I have created two monsters at home with our girls with them! Kare Bear will patiently stare me down for more, while Tessie tries to nose the box out of my hands.
-
Gosh he's georgous!
It looks like he might have been poked by something while out an about. Mine will occassionally get nicked up by sticks from the Sycamore tree which can be pretty rigid. Something this minor on the foot I soak in a warm epsom salt bath. I fill a deep pot and have them stand in it for as long as they will allow me to keep them there for (I try for 10 to 20 minutes). Belly rubs are a big bonus. While they stand in the mixture, I use an old turkey baster put down into the water to keep it moving between the toes by squeezing the bulb...kind of like creating a mini whirlpool bath. The epsom salts cleans and debrades the wound, and speeds healing.
-
When my dog needs any vaccinations I go through my holistic vet and get a titer first. More expensive for a titer but if the dog's system is still high with the vaccine then you do not need to get it and the vet will write you a certificate saying no vaccination needed as the titer is still high.
Yep...I do titers too. Their numbers are off the charts still four years post inocculations. Rabies are the law in NY, so that they get every three years without question.
-
hi guys,
Nube continues to worsen. We're bringing him in tomorrow morning so they can sedate and x-ray. I am so worried -- not only about the outcome and the sedation, but that he does so badly with other dogs, that will only stress him out more. I have a bad, bad feeling about all of this, I can't explain. He is not himself, seems very sad and looks to me like he's lost weight (although he's eating like a champ, thank God -- if he wasn't that would be the WORST sign, he's a total food hound).
we're bringing the crates down tonight so hopefully they do ok with that, they are very used to their routine -- but I'm sure they'll figure it out ok.
thanks again for all the prayers, I hate to ask for more but he sure could use them
His Daddy loves him as I do, more than anything in the world. He is the BEST boy and super snuggle bunny.
Is it possible the vet can take him in through a different door at just the moment they are ready for him. We did that years ago with our spook girlie who was such a fright. It helped for her to not have to wait in the office with all the extra stimuli.
Good thoughts coming your way for a good outcome. I have been there with the same worry and it's very diffucult.
-
Sometimes the definition of "walk" differs from one hound to another. I had one hound that would get right down to the business of a brisk walk right away with only breaks to do business. Another grey's definition of walk may be to stop and sniff every 5 feet / and or to mark everything. And don't think a female will not mark like a boy....I had a female who would give a boy a run for his money. She would back up against anything and raise a leg to mark it, even if she didn't have anything left in her to mark with
-
So, the new lump was his microchip.. yes, I feel silly. Has this happened to anyone else?
We are still at a consistent one meal per day, in the evenings. His weight is steady, so that is good. He still has neck pain and something is wrong with his backend, his rear right leg especially. He has been biting at the right hip and today I noticed he has been biting/licking at the same leg, behind the knee.
His walks still start off well and then by the end he is slow and 'wonky'.. it appears to be less coordination and wobbly.. not as sure footed. Yesterday he took a few steps hunched up like he was walking and pooping.. so we added Pepcid AC (vet thought maybe the RImadyl, his poo has been normal, no diarrhea) and he has been ok so far since. I think we will be visiting North Star.
Our first greyhound developed calcium deposits on the tips of several vertebrae of her spine, and also had some disk degeneration going on. Her symptoms started out where she would not give me a good ear shake because she had pain in her neck. She would also bite at both her front legs as if she had bugs crawling all over her. Turned out that all that was going on affected the nerves all down her spine and legs. She also developed shaky back legs and got very tired after standing for any length of time. The vet said the biting she was doing was likely nerve pain radiating down her legs which may have been very much like when we get pins and needles if we sit on a leg for too long. That was her way of reacting to the odd feeling she was having when the nerves were pinched.
We restricted her to just short leash walks, changed her collar up for a harness to take any strain off her neck, and would not let her jump up on the furniture any more. She was on Synflex (liquid glucosamine) and deramax was given on her worst days to help relieve the pain and inflamation. She also got acupuncture and chinese herbs on a regular basis which helped to relax the back muscles and increase circulation.
This was all many years ago. Fast forward to today where we now know much more about the health issues of greys, and hindsight being 20-20, I would have also taken her for a chiro consult after her x-rays were done. I take my two girls to a chiro now and the results have been amazing. A chiro consult might be worth a try.
-
I went to VitaCost.com & ordered a 54 oz jar of extra virgin certified organic coconut oil for 20.99.
However I saw nothing about "cold pressed." What the heck does THAT mean?
Cold Pressed means it was not heat treated during processing. This preserves all the good qualities about the oil. Heat processing would destroy them.
-
I got very lucky that Kare Bear will let me brush her teeth with an electric toothbrush. I do it for as long as she allows me to.
-
We just finished a week of Tylan Powder here and it is pretty amazing stuff. Kare Bear came down with the D seemingly overnight and a 32 hour fast did not help her so off to the vet we went. Not sure if it was the TOTW recall, or whether she picked up something from grass eating on walks, but the Tylan seemed to work before the second dose was administered. Tylan is very bitter though, so I mixed it in with some soupy canned food and she took it just fine.
Feel better Rocket!
-
05/07 update - bottom of post 1
-
I highly agree with the acupuncture. Our first Greyhound developed degenerative disk disease in her neck and back and we opted for acupuncture. She came home a different dog after treatments. She was so relaxed and pliable. It really helped her.
-
Our Kare Bear has been diagnosed with an injury in her mid-back
. Not certain how it came about as my other half gets home from work much before I do when the girls are most prone to being very overly excited. Tessie and Kare Bear often play very hard together in the house, charging up and down stairs like a herd of elephants, playing spinnies on the beds (we no longer own any nice bed linens!), and can just be maniacs sometimes. It began over a week ago, Karey became very reluctant to go upstairs. We have a small tri level with 7 carpeted stairs to the second level, and 7 carpeted stairs to the upper level. It wasn't until a Saturday evening when she actually let out a squeak coming up one flight, so we had her into the vet the following Monday for a look see. After checking her over real good, and finding sensitivity to her mid back when she was pressed along both sides of her spine, we were sent home with a round of Rimadyl. That same evening while loping to me to come in from being in the yard, Karey screamed, stopped in her tracks and looked back at her rear leg which she had never done before. My heart sank being as we had lost our Lulu to osteo a couple years back at a young age.
Called the vet right away the next morning (Tuesday) and was advised to leash walk only and continue the Rimadyl. Two days later (Thursday), I got another scream, this time prolonged, followed by hunching and shaking…my heart just broke. Called the vet again first thing Friday morning, insisting something was going on which had me really sick to my stomach and she was admitted immediately for x-rays.
Many views were taken, her ankles, knees, thighs, hips, and ¾ way up her spine. All looks clear, no favoring of any of her legs, full weight bearing on all limbs, but still much sensitivity in the muscles along her mid back. The only slight abnormality is a little narrowing of one disk about where she is showing sensitivity. Changed med from Rimadyl to Prednisone, and recommended continued leash walk and rest. While talking to someone from our group, she suggests soft tissue injury with her behavior and symptoms. Given the way Karey and Tessie play together, it's a very strong possibility she could have lost footing and twisted herself somehow during running or play.
So we are treating as such. I have been researching soft tissue injuries online, and it looks like this could be a long recovery process. We are strictly leash walking, carrying upstairs, gating the stairs off so she cannot go up on her own, supervising play, and putting a lid on if there is any excitement. She is very confused because the whole daily routine has been totally turned upside down.
So.....given this background, have you dealt with a soft tissue injury? How long did the healing process take? Tips? Recommendations? Supplements to aid the healing? The girls are on a regular diet of 50/50% Taste of the Wild Salmon and Eagle Pack Holistic Large Breed. Evening snack consists of a handful of Core Wellness (they just think this is the cats meow!) They are also on Springtime Joint Supplements and Fresh Factors.
05/07 update: Kare Bear continues to improve. She is done with all meds, and continues to get carried upstairs for dinners and bed at night. When we are home, she and Tessie are gated off on one floor so there is still restrictions to allow her to continue to heal. We also have a nice new ramp off the back deck so if her "elevator" (Tim) is away for work, I can at least get her into the house on the second level without having to lift her. We took the girls to see a canine chiro (who also is a Reiki Master!) to get treatment. He was amazing because he found the disk which is giving her problems even without seeing her x-rays. (My own chiro can do that on me, and it always amazes me). Treatment was wonderful. It was very gentle and he was so good with the girls (we had Tessie done too as long as we were there). By that night, Kary was already getting a deeper squat while doing business. Today is day 4 post treatment, and she is very nippy again; happier than I have seen her in a while. She is play bowing, and being her goofy, vocal self again; definately feeling better overall. I was told to expect relapses between treatments as the healing process progresses until all the kinks work themselves out. Next treatment is 10 days away, and she will continue for as long as needed. This doctor is long past retirement, and travels many miles to our area every other week to do treatments on various patients. We are lucky to have been referred to him!
-
When our girlie was sick and refusing food, a few things worked, but seemed to be they only worked once each. Here are a few things we tried:
Fat meat balls.....slightly nuked
Melted peanut butter on really crunchy toast
Baby food meat jars....was an expensive alternative and they are really small - I think turkey was her favorite
Deli roast beef
Boiled chicken livers
Boiled beef liver
Raw nuggets - don't remember the brand name but know I got them from the freezer at the pet store - Chicken and beef were her favorites. Took a few out every night to thaw for her to eat.
Yogurt
Vanilla Ensure - cold was best
I know there had to me more, but for the life of me cannot remember any more at the moment. All I remember was how I would spend about four hours a day to coax her to eat. It was soooo hard.
-
Our Tessie came to us with ACE from her former vet becasue she did not ride in the car well. We have since worked with her a LOT and she now rides wonderfully without more than a Dramamine for really long rides.
Anyway, our vet said not to use ACE going forward because it can raise blood pressure , which would cause a whole set of new issues of its own.
-
I have a row of running greyhound decals on mine which work well. The same decals we buy for our car windows.
-
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some sort of battle."
I like your quote
I like it too....so much so that I am stealing it for my FB. It just says so much in so few words.
-
This thread reminded me today that I needed to call my vet for a new supply of Interceptor. I asked them about shortages, and they told me they haven't noticed it yet, however that may change once Spring comes around and more people administer it to their dogs for only part of the year. They also said the patent is due to expire which will mean cheaper meds...woo hoo!
-
Our girls looove the long loaved french bread when it gets extra stale. It's really hard and crisp, and they always come back looking for more. I figure the extra crunch is always good for a little extra teeth cleaning too.
-
I also got mine from Best Bully Sticks and are so hard I can't break them. They also stink to high heaven.
Get the odor free ones...they are much better! The difference is they are dried longer to eliminate more of the smell. They still have a smell, but will not stink up a room like the original ones will.
-
Yup...normal here too. I even find myself removing them from other peoples dogs which aren't even mine if I am out and about. It's just such a habit that I don't even think twice about doing it
-
It's osteo and it's inoperable. We are devastated beyond words. We thought we had our share of cancer for the year. How do I explain to a 5 year old that his beloved will be leaving us?
I am sooo sorry. I have been where you are, and you're absolutely right...the devastation is beyond words. Love her senseless, and give her everything she wants no matter what. Will be thinking of you often as you all walk this path.
-
Yep...burps here after every meal too.
I am always on DB about not feeding extras to the dogs, they gain too much when he feeds them extras. I was out one day and left him spaghetti dinner to eat. When I got home he proudly said "And no....I didn't share one bit with the pups". Two minutes later Kare Bear came to me and burped in my face....GARLIC burps. It was pretty obvious he had given her garlic bread from his dinner. He still denies it to this day
-
It could be something in his neck or back. We had the same with one of our greys as she got older. Try to get him to bend his neck for you by holding a good treat in front of his nose and moving towards his side so he has to follow you with his head. If there is pain in his neck, he will be reluctant to go all they to one side or the other to follow the treat.
) and gave him a single 50mg tramadol at about 12:40 (he'll get the other 2 and the 2 Gab's at 1:30pm), hoping the overlay might help some. Not sure if that's the best thing, hoping it will help bridge the dose gap but worried will lessen the regular dose and cause issues that way, I don't know. 
Hole In Between Toes
in Health and Medical discussion
Posted
One of our girlies had the same thing. She stepped on a really stiff weed stalk in the field during a walk, and we didn't notice until she started licking it a lot. The vet said he could stitch it, but it's a hard spot to sew, and he would need to cut the wound for clean margins first. All we did was a round or two of antibiotics, frequent epsom salt soaks to clean and debrade, a boot to keep it clean outside, and a sock indoors. The biggest concern will be infection, and a round of antibiotic will clear that worry.