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I've just turned my attention to this vacation and I'm so excited! Thank you to Jen and Laura for being cruise directors.

We pulled the trigger and went with Healthy Paws for Rally Roo. Thanks for the stories.

Just opened my email, thanks!

searching for the rescue button now.... Thank you for these stories. It's nice to see it's a bit more clear what they will pay. It is always a craps shoot knowing what our reimbursement will be from VPI. Researching when the rates start to go up, at what age to.

I know we hash this topic out every few months but I'm gonna start this topic again anyway. And no, I'm not interested in starting a savings account for her rather than buying insurance. I have used VPI for years and we've had no major issues with using them. It's time to insure our newbie and everyone sings the praises of Healthy Paws. But I mean why is it $10 a month better than VPI. Do they have a better pay out for claims? In doing my reading it seems Healthy Paws basically asks no questions once you get past the $250 deductible. Is that for real? They must have price limits to procedures and such, especially in the DC area. I'm just used to what I'm used to but I want to fully understand why Healthy Paws gets such high reviews. Thanks all!

I also caught my breath when I saw the title. So glad he was treatable and has come through it so well. Look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

We had a situation similar to yours. I'm not one to freak out over things but it isn't a bad idea to at least start contact with the Lexus Project to get ideas for handling the situation, not because you need to get Charlie out of there. Glad you are taking him to the vet because cats bites are ugly. What we did: We took our grey to the vet immediately and he had to be sedated to clean up the wounds. (They joked his entire life that he was attacked by a cougar rather than that he picked up a house cat). We checked out the laws in our jurisdiction and even though he was on lead and the cat was free ranging the laws were not written in our favor. Cats have very few limitations in our area. Animal control asked for a statement and I asked a friend, who is a lawyer, to edit my statement. He made sure we told just the facts and there were no emotional words used anywhere. Definitely get help if you need to submit a statement. After we submitted our statement we never heard another word about it. I have no idea what else would happen. I was nervous for a while so we did walk with a muzzle on, but I slowly got over my fear. The most important thing though is we never treated Inu any differently at home. He was still the center of our lives and loved immensely. And though we felt bad for the owner and he verbally abused my husband, we never once apologized for the incident. We said we were sorry for his cat but never admitted culpability. Love your boy and protect him legally, just in case.

I think you're right. I just need someone to say that. I've had old dogs for so long that a misstep looks like LS immediatley.

nope, let me check that now.

My slightly over 2 year old hound is a wonderful healthy spry girl. She never was able to grade into a track and race professionally. Her back toes don't seem to spread out as much as normal greyhound feet. To my untrained eye it's like her webbing isn't long enough so the toes never fully extend. That is the preface to: In the past month or maybe a bit more I have seen her drop her back leg as she's walking. It happens very randomly and will only happen once (that I see) and then it won't happen again for days or weeks. It looks like a hip drop and she drags her toenail. Because I've had old hounds I immediately made sure she corrects her feet, which she does. Any thoughts on a young dog with this issue?

Oh no. I'm just seeing this thread. I'm so sorry to see this. Hugs to you and Meg and kisses to Declan.

I was going to stay out of this, but your dog is beginning to sound like one of my dogs. She was fostered in an active young adult home. No other dogs or animals but lots of activity and comings and goings and house guests. She started showing signs of anxiety by biting at a hand that approached her while she was on her bed. It progressed when this wasn't addressed to her jumping off her bed to snap at a person as they walked by her bed. It culminated in her jumping onto the couch and biting a house guest who startled her while she was sleeping. He went to the ER. The thing about this story is that her anxiety and behavior was never really addressed in the house so she continued to escalate. I took her into my very quiet home and after months of work she became a fabulous pet. You need to give him his own space now where people aren't bothering him or you need to talk to the group about spending a weekend in the kennel to relax or simply return him. This does not get better by ignoring it.

What a wonderful story, Wendy.

Have you thought about it being in his head? Psychogenic Polydipsia?

My girl Salem was B-12 deficient. The vet suspected IBD. The thing is his body isn't processing food or absorbing food correctly to get the B-12. There is probably something underlying. Not trying to scare you at all but ask why he is deficient. The shots do seem to help them feel better.

I had no suggestions so I stayed quiet. Glad you're having success.

There is a prescription appetite stimulant that the vet prescribed for our girl who was sick with intestinal cancer. I'm sure when you talk to your vet you can decide about using it. I wish I could remember the name to give you somewhere to start, but it's gone.

we're here with you.

I highly recommend you join a Yahoo group called IBD dogs. It was very helpful. Good luck finding your right cocktail.

totally, Donna. I have no idea what has been said in this entire thread.

I think you have successfully shocked me more than almost any other post on GT. A corn is minimal in the pain department and very manageable. To even suggest putting a dog to sleep over a corn makes me angry. Give your dog back to your group! Pains meds and booties do work. Take time and read about treatments by searching! There are pages available with ideas on this forum.

So glad you are using a trainer and hope the trainer is only positive (as mentioned above) and the sessions are in your home. Parts of your story resonate with me. I'll briefly share my story. My girl came to me a reactive mess (not aggressive and I think your boy is reactive not aggressive as well) three years ago. She was an only for over four years in an adoptive home and was returned when she "went after" the boyfriend one night when he was walking down the hallway. She had other reactive episodes that were off and on reported in those four years. She then bounced around between three foster homes and one failed adoption in the next year and a half. In each of the foster homes and adoptive home she was reported having at least one episode involving a nip (often on the butt). The last straw was a weekend biting binge where she bit three people sending one to the ER. During that "binge" she was reported moving off her bed to charge people and the ER person was sleeping on the couch when she went to lay down there too. He went to push her away and then... It was pretty much my house or the end for her. Today she's my snuggle buddy and welcomes people with a happy wag and a relaxed body. What I have come to believe as I look back on the last three years is that consistency, patience, love and drugs can do a lot. The first six months were not easy for us. She was jumping off her bed to charge people and bit my FIL and at least one friend. We stayed consistent even during the bad events. She had her own space. She stayed in an xpen when guests were in the house. She still goes to her own space when we are hosting parties, even though I believe she would do fine. We had friends come over when she was in the xpen and hang out on the couch and every once in a while throw a treat and always toss a treat at her the minute they walked into the room. We slowly graduated to letting her out of the xpen to sniff them while they stayed on the couch. NO ONE approached her outside the xpen, she initiated any contact. Her walks were off peak so we wouldn't run into anyone on our walks. If we did, I would cross the street or change direction with a high pitched "wee this way" to get her excited to go with me. After doing this for a while we then stepped up to the "look at that" game on walks. We also only walk her in our neighborhood. She is uncomfortable and stressed when in a new place. The major point of these two situations is that we never had contact thrust upon her. She made the decision to interact or not. What I think your boy and Zoe share is major under confidence. The under confidence becomes reactivity and when she stress sticks around it gets worse. I know someone on this board can talk about the theory about continuous stress on dogs and their serotonin (or something) levels. She was also on 40mg of Prozac a day for two years. She's now down to 20mg. Oh and to add, when we had to hire a dog walker we did the meeting in our home with my husband and I there and only after she had graduated to meeting people without the xpen. It's a long long road. She's still not perfect, but she hasn't bitten a human or been reactive outside in a year and a half maybe two years. I'm happy to talk to you more about what we did.

I find the xanax doesn't help much.

Jen used one for Neyla. I think she had a whole set up to modify a regular kids diaper.

Nope, performance anxiety.