ahicks51

How long has Sugar been off the track? If she's pretty new to home life, it's possible she's still on the track schedule, with turnouts every 6 hours. (Don't know if this is universal to all greyhounds at the kennel.) Minerva has episodes where she's like this, except she's not zoned out- it's just as if she has to go do her business, which she sometimes does. Normally she just bounds outside and looks for cats! This will continue for a few weeks or months, and then back to sleeping all through the night. Then back to the 3 AM wakeup calls. Sometimes I think it's because they get to sleep all day, they don't have the need for 7-8 hours of contiguous sleep like the chimps that walk and feed them. "Oh BOY! 3 AM! I get to go outside and chase cats!" Hoooboy.

When we started Coco on synthetic thyroid, we were informed that there were no negative side effects- no problems with withdrawl, etc. It's a no-lose situation to just try it and look (objectively!) for improvement. Also note that the thyroid numbers we get on greys are very close to the detection limits- meaning that accuracy and precision are problematic. Assuming the test wasn't botched (a very real possibility), ANY blood value is a snapshot at the time taken anyway. Skepticism!

I read a study not too long ago where bites that were from a known agent (widow, recluse, etc.) were shown to physicians who were asked to determine the organism that caused it. There was virtually no correlation between the two; identifying the cause from the bite was not possible. Recluse (Loxosceles) bites tend to be quite severe, as you've probably seen from the images, forming deep necrotizing wounds that continue to progress, often until the flesh is debrided well into healthy tissue. I don't know how dogs react to recluse bites. The Merck Veterinary Manual has some good words on the subject: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.js...mp;word=recluse Among other notes: Widow bites: "Unless there is a history of a widow spider bite, diagnosis must be based on clinical signs, which include restlessness with apparent anxiety or apprehension; rapid, shallow, irregular respiration; shock; abdominal rigidity or tenderness; and painful muscle rigidity, sometimes accompanied by intermittent relaxation (which may progress to clonus and eventually to respiratory paralysis). Partial paresis also has been described." Recluse bites: "Systemic signs sometimes accompany brown recluse spider envenomation and may not appear for 3-4 days after the bite. Hemolysis, thrombocytopenia, and disseminated intravascular coagulation are more likely to occur in cases with severe dermal necrosis. Fever, vomiting, edema, hemoglobinuria, hemolytic anemia, renal failure, and shock may result from systemic loxoscelism." True recluses may or may not exist in your region; can't quite spot Austin on the map found here: http://dermatology.cdlib.org/DOJvol5num2/s...al/recluse.html There are ten species in the genus found in the United States, with varying degrees of potency among their venoms. I do know widows quite well; when I find them, I capture and store them in jars to prevent further problems. The scorpions I round up occasionally using a black light, and contain them in a similar manner. The tarantulas, on the other hand, are generally not native, and it's only when they escape that Minerva tends to find them. (OK- that's only happened once, and it was a small guy!)

The chip is implanted with a large-bore needle, usually between the shoulder blades. Supposedly issues with migration (the chip moving elsewhere) have been resolved, but who knows. If you adopted through a group, there's a good chance your pup was already chipped before it left- or, at least, it *should* have been. It's a very good idea. In the event of loss, an individual or a shelter can have the animal scanned (at a vet clinic, for example, in case some good Samaritan finds and tends to your lost dog), and contact you directly through the chip manufacturer. It is imperative that you fill out the paperwork and register your dog; we lost a "Scottish deerhound" (probably not what it was) at the pound because the owner didn't bother to register the dog. They paid $300 at a Mexican clinic- the furthest I could track the chip- so someone loved it very much, but never registered it. While waiting for a new owner at the pound, it caught a respiratory infection and was destroyed. A chip has another benefit: if your dog goes to animal control and is considered "unadoptable" for whatever reason (fear biting, for example- even if it never bit anyone, but got squirrely when noosed upon capture), it will be held the absolute minimum amount of time (72 hours in this state) and destroyed without going to adoption. If chipped, they will make an effort to contact the owner- assuming they don't screw up the long numeric string belonging to that chip, and get an invalid number. Chips aren't foolproof, but they're another layer of security- arguably the strongest one available. Chips are also very useful if you travel with your pet, and there is any chance your dog gets loose during a pit stop- and you can't stay for days or weeks waiting for capture.

Don't know about fleas, but for ticks it was 48 hours afterwards that we saw peak mortality. There are two components to Frontline- fipronil and methoprene. Methonprene is a "slow kill," an insect growth regulator (IGR) that prevents proper moulting. The critters die in a shell too small for their existence (good riddance). Fipronil is a bit different; it blocks the uptake of chloride through specific nerve channels. It is favored in ant baits as it takes so long to work; the workers carry back the contaminated bait to the colony, wiping it out in many cases. With canines, some (15%, although highly variable between individuals- which is presumably the cause of it being poorly tolerated in some dogs) is absorbed systemically. It ends up in the hair follicles- probably some from absorption, some from skin transfer- right where the critters of interest hide out.

Sounds like an environmental allergy- almost like it's a grass allergy. Sudden onset with something like that is possible. If she tolerates it, you might try putting a bootie or a sock on one foot whenever she goes out- and see if that foot gets any better relative to the others. A pack of 12 kid's socks runs $3 at Target; put them in the laundry after every use. Hold them on with one piece of tape around the top of it.

It does take a while for the dietary changes to kick in. Peanut butter in the ol' Kong in the morning helps (mix it in with the breakfast kibble if desired). We've found that after a bath with a suitable shampoo (easy on the detergent- just enough to clean!), using the Kong "Zoom Groom" while they're still a little damp really helps get the dander out along with loose hair. Works great!

I think there's an extra charge of $4.50 or something like that for interpretation of thyroid results from MSU; just tack it on to the analysis, and they have a staff endocrinologist who can interpret the results specifically for sighthounds. Don't know if it's too late or not, but you can always give them a call.

You know, there's a group in the UK studying greyhound alopecia. They are not interested in all with the problems we Yanks are having, but when I requested a copy of the survey form (not knowing they were only taking British dogs), they were kind enough to send along a copy by email and let me know they sent it as a courtesy. Anyway- you might be able to reach the folks working on the problem there to see if they have any suggestions. http://www.rvc.ac.uk/Hospitals/QMH/Referra...tology.cfm#alop There's an email address for their nurse; they might be good enough to pass along an inquiry to the vets at work on the problem.

We spent $200 to figure out the unilateral asymmetry in the lymph node on Minerva was probably because of the lower canine tooth that had been removed a week or two earlier because she'd chipped it. Vet swore up and down it was the thyroid gland (I think it was- it's been a while), while I was convinced it was a lymph node. Aspirate showed it was lymph tissue, perfectly normal but inflamed for some unknown reason.

Here ya go- the Stack article on hypothyroidism and greys: http://www.greyhound-data.com/dir/396/Hypo..._Greyhounds.pdf If in doubt, try synthetic thyroid hormone. There are no risks associated with trying it, and it's relatively inexpensive. Soloxine is considered the gold standard by some- including Dr. Stack- while other claim the generic is fine.

Let me know if you need canned tripe. Our greys would chew through a wall to get to canned Tripett!

Having been bit by almost every sort of ant- including red imported fire ants (RIFA, as they charmingly call them), the little pi$$-ants out here are nothing in comparison to RIFAs. They leave this wonderful whitehead several days after the bite in many cases. Interestingly, the drought has been tough on them in Texas; Wall Street Journal had an article saying ranchers are asking for ways to improve their numbers. Seems fire ants keep down populations of the other stuff- chiggers, ticks, mites, fleas, and other nasties. Seems to me a few years ago some genius came up with a portable steam generator that had a lance attachment to it. You'd tow it around like a deranged little red wagon, fire it up, and use the steam lance to penetrate the nest. Just stick it in there, and keep working it around to a depth of several feet and cook the ants alive, aiming to kill the queen. No pesticides, low cost, and cheap entertainment! Of course, no residual pesticides, either. ETA: For cheap entertainment value, nothing beats a block of dry ice on a harvester ant mound. The CO2 sets off something in them- presumably that an invader is attacking the nest, breathing out CO2- and they go after it in massive waves. The dry ice freezes them and asphyxiates them, while their cohorts climb over the bodies of the dead to attack the block of dry ice. I never tried this on fire ant nests, but BOY I'd love to know if it works the same!

Fixed it for ya! Plastic surgery courtesy GIMP 2.0.

Greys can be pretty intense when they exercise, and they have certain characteristics that allow them to shed heat more quickly than other dogs. Sometimes these don't keep up with the rate of production. As with heat stroke in humans, a dog that is in danger of its life will probably not be standing upright. Most likely they will collapse and their state of consciousness will be altered. The crash cooling (not TOO "crash-y") is the best thing for them. With the reverse proposition- normal temperature dog, warm or hot water- collapse is possible, presumably from a rapid drop in blood pressure. Cool water- with emphasis on the legs, abdomen, and feet (plug up the drain)- will help reduce body temperature quickly. Spraying the underside of the body- where the fur is the thinnest- will remove heat quickly, as will getting the legs and feet which are rich with blood vessels. Given how many 110F+ days we have out here, I've given this a lot of thought. In a true heat emergency, I'd be willing to bring in at least some ice or packs of frozen vegetables to reduce body temperature along with a cool shower. Part of this is that the "cold" water here in Phoenix comes out lukewarm for 2-3 months out of the year. Good luck with your pup. It sounds like your dog will be just fine!

Sorry to hear about your dog. Sodium pentobarbital (often under the charming trade name Fatal Plus) is frequently used for euthanasia. Depending upon the timing of events, i.e., cardiac arrest prior to complete sedation, some struggling can result. Not saying that's what went on at your vet's office, as I really don't know.

If you skip the dish detergent, and use diluted baking soda and hydrogen peroxide- not enough to stimulate the barf reflex (Dr. Stack advises that a few mL of hydrogen peroxide down around the gums is often enough to inspire vomiting- no need to drink the stuff)- maybe that'll be enough if used as a "breath spray." Mix some of it up, maybe 1/4 regular strength, and put a couple of small squirts into the mouth once an hour or so until it goes away.

I don't know if this'll help or not, but Luluaz's little girlie Gypsy had what was either an NLH or pseudotumor of the spleen: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php?showtopic=168472&hl= It stumped the pathologist for several days; I dug up the paper on pseudotumor (which mimics NLH), and although I never looked at the tissues, it certainly sounds similar. So- lots of potential causes with respect to swelling of the spleen, but Gypsy is still with us, last I heard!

There was a bit in Celebrating Greyhounds- I forget if it was the most recent or the one before. And there's this one online: http://www.grassmere-animal-hospital.com/corn_hulling.htm

If Kimmie is fortunate enough that she can be kept under conditions in which there are no more bars or fences for her to keep banging her tail on, there's a chance it may resolve on its own. As others have noted, the primary difficulty is preventing re-injury at the site. This is made more difficult in that shielding on the tail MUST be lightweight and durable, and can somehow be secured. Greyhound fur can be pretty slippery- good tape is a must. But- if the injury isn't so bad, and there is no need to crate, there is a good chance the tail injury will resolve itself. Some caution is to be called for whenever the dog manages to get somewhere that she's going to whack her tail on a wall, appliances, hard furniture, etc., and it wouldn't be a bad idea to wrap it for cushioning just in case.

Are they pimples, or blackheads? How dense are they, i.e., how far apart are they? Any chance it's an environmental allergy- like to grass?

Just a stab in the dark here- but aside from the comparatively low cost, there really isn't a drawback to putting a dog on synthetic thyroid, IIRC. It's not like prednisone or some other drugs which casual administration really isn't a good idea. In other words, it would seem to be a good idea to put the dog on Soloxine ("accept no substitutes," according to Dr. Stack), and see if there is improvement. Some feel quite strongly that Soloxine is superior to other forms of synthetic thyroid hormone; others say it makes no difference.

It'll probably come off too fast for practical use, but "paw wax" can make the pads less prone to slipping: http://www.handsnpaws.com/product/DOHLTH370101

I'm not sure I quite get where the injury is- I don't think it's the pad, but it's either the webbing or the skin to the side of the pads? We had what looked like a very bad cut on one of Coco's feet. It was in such an odd area that I had no idea if they could even stitch it. I washed out the area with about two ounces of diluted Betadine, and then padded the wound with a rectangular piece of non-stick dressing that was covered in "EMT Gel." I then wrapped the two toes with waterproof tape (the really thick stuff), just lightly enough that there would be little rubbing between the toes. I covered the foot with a kid's sock (size 4-5), and taped that on with more waterproof tape, and folded the top down so he couldn't get to the tape. Every day, I removed and discarded the whole thing, and started over again, starting with the Betadine wash. After 4-5 days, I stopped with the toe-wrapping; if you use good waterproof tape, the "tack" strength needs to be reduced by putting the tape on some denim or other cloth, and pulling off- otherwise it's difficult to remove from the fur. It's now a week into it; the wound closed after 24 hours, and it looks much better. I'm going to give it enough time that I'm out of socks (12 days at one sock per day), since these things tend to re-open at inopportune times.

Have you or your vet determined if lumbosacral stenosis may be responsible for the weakness and urinary incontinence? http://home.comcast.net/~greyhndz/lumbosacral.htm Dr. Stack's article on the subject is very good. The treatment is straightforward and diagnostic to boot.