A Small Concern Is Becoming A Much Bigger Concern

[Guest canagreyts]

Our little girl Maggie will turn 9 years old in July. She has lived with us for five years. I'm sure some of the "older" GTer's will remember her and her "brother" Nebraska (Nebby) well. I haven't been on GT a great deal for the past couple of years so many of the newer members won't know us.

 

Maggie has always been somewhat of a mischevious girl. Very shy outside her home, but a bundle of fun and laughter and the most amazing snuggler within!

 

Two weeks ago she stopped eating in the routine way she has been eating for years. She gets 2 cups of kibble morning and night. It's often mixed with gravy, sardines, jack mackeral etc. I am lucky now if I can encourage her to eat 2 cups per day. If I mix it with anything, she just picks out what she wants, and leaves the rest.

 

To be honest, she's a little on the spoiled side - but when it came to eating, she has always been very regular. At first, I thought that maybe she was just being picky and would eat when she got hungry. This does not seem to be the case and I'm getting very worried.

 

She has been on medication (Stilbesterol - 1mg twice a week) for about two months for incontinence. She had one blood test 2 weeks after starting the meds to check all her levels.

 

She is going to her vet tomorrow for a complete exam and more blood work.

 

My question is, is there anything specific I should get her vet to check? She seems to be a bit more quiet than usual, but that could just be my over active imagination.

 

I know she's getting older at 9 years, but up til now, you would have thought her to be a much younger greyhound than her years.

 

Any advice that you could give would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Patti and Maggie

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Batmom]

Take a good look at her teeth/mouth, and check her weight.

 

Hope it's nothing much!

[RobinM]

Hi-

 

I don't have any advice. I just wanted to say that I will be thinking about you and I do hope it's nothing serious. I too have a "spoiled" 9 year old and I know I panic when she doesn't eat well.

 

I do know that 2 out of my friend's 3 hounds who normally eat like PIGS have not been eating well lately.

 

I sometimes wonder if the dogs are somehow getting into or onto checmically treated lawns eating it and feeling sick?

 

Anyway, hugs to you both, please update. I hope someone has the silver bullet for you.

[HopeForHounds]

Patti, I'm thinking good thoughts for Maggie. Other than her teeth, I'd ask if any of this could be a side affect of the meds she's on.

 

Let us know what happens.

[Guest MomofSweetPotatoes]

Oh Maggie...

 

I would check, teeth/mouth and have her thyroid levels checked and drop a urine off. Believe it or not, whenever yardman's appetite wanes, it means he has a UTI. Weird, I know, but it's happened 4 out of 5 times.

[HopeForHounds]

I thought I would add this - 3 of my 4 are not eating very well. Seems to happen every spring here, although I worry about it and try to get them to eat anyway.

[Guest canagreyts]

Thanks so much for all your concern/advise. Her teeth seem fine to me, but I'll certainly have her vet give them thorough check. And I'll collect a urine sample for them to look at.

 

I keep telling myself it's just the change in temp from Canadian cold to very warm, but that little niggling concern just keeps niggling . . .

 

We just went for a walk with our neighbour and her "honourary greyhound" and she asked why Maggie was being so quiet and well behaved

[Guest boni923]

Hope it's nothing worse than the meds she's on. Good luck on trying to find something she'll eat.

[Guest Winterwish]

Sending good thoughts out for Maggie Patti,hopefully it's something very easily taken care of.

Could it be that maybe she's ready for a change in the kibble? Has she been on the kind she's on for a bit?

 

[patricia]

Sending prayers and good thoughts your way that she is just being a picky princess! Our Angel LaceyLaine became picky and did not finish her food at the very start of her illness which was SO not her. Have her lymph nodes checked.

[Guest canagreyts]

Hi Guys, we're back from the vet's. Both M & N had full annual physicals, bloodwork, manicure/pedicures and ouchy - rabies shots (their 3 yr).

 

Our vet Dr. G. checked Maggie over from stem to stern. Maggie has not lost any weight (Nebby gained 4 lbs the big pig), her teeth and gums look great, her heart murmer is the same old heart murmer she's always had - no change, her temp was normal, eyes good, ears cleaned out, poop fine - no worms or disgusting things (other than the poop itself) and her coat and skin are great.

 

Dr. G. has sent off her bloodwork, they'll do a full panel with a thyroid check and I'll get results on Tuesday. Her vet felt that as Maggie is very suseptible to weather changes it could be the difference in temperature. Certainly nothing stood out as a glaring possibility.

 

We'll just keep our eyes wide open for any changes but I'll still feel more relieved when her bloodwork comes in on Tuesday.

 

They had their first ride in our PT Cruiser and it has been given the greyhound seal of approval ! We also have a pick-up truck with a cap which they've always travelled in but Maggie never liked it as it was too noisy for her. The cruiser meets with her deepest approval. The neighbours were laughing when we pulled onto our street at her little grey face sticking out the window, big smile on her face and ears flapping in the wind. Now that she has a "happy car" we can take them to all sorts of places as she won't be a nervous wreck when she gets there!

 

Nebraska checked out just fine. He's such a good boy ! Our vet wants to steal him .

 

I'll let you know about Maggie's bloodwork.

[patricia]

Sure sounds good so far! Sending prayers for wonderful blood work results. Happy rides are in the future!

[Jackandgrey]

for her bloodwork. Here's to many happy car trips!

[Guest MomofSweetPotatoes]

Well, that sounds good! Hopefully it is just weather changes. So glad the PT gets 8 paws up

 

Keep us posted. Poor Nebby, picked on for gaining 4 pounds. Glad to see they both fared well.

[Guest canagreyts]

Well, that sounds good! Hopefully it is just weather changes. So glad the PT gets 8 paws up

 

Keep us posted. Poor Nebby, picked on for gaining 4 pounds. Glad to see they both fared well.

 

 

Oh yeah poor Nebby, and about the black eye he gave me jumping out of the Cruiser . . . well, right now its purple, blue and swelling. As he jumped out (in a hurry, not being used to the car) he side-swiped my eyeball with his still muscular a*s as I was bending down to grab his leash.

 

I'm supposed to be flying on a trip with my husband to Hanover tomorrow (my first as a licensed pilot) and if this eye keeps puffing up he'll get to do all the piloting !

 

But the good news is, Maggie ate her second FULL meal of the day at dinner time for the first time in two weeks. The weather is cooler here today, so I'm really hoping that has been the issue .

Edited April 27, 2008 by canagreyts

[robinw]

hi patti,

 

good to see you . i would keep checking for a "hidden" UTI. they can be really hard to diagnose sometimes. both Loca and Linus had the same symptoms as Maggie and after much digging aroud, they both had UTIs.

[GeorgeofNE]

Just a thought--my five year old male doesn't get that much food.

 

Maybe you're just feeding her too much, and she isn't hungry?

 

 

[Guest canagreyts]

Well, we've got some bloodwork results today and I'm hoping someone here can help me decipher them!!!

 

They're creatinine levels have both risen in the past year. Last year at this time Nebby's was 157 and is now 174. Maggie's was 142 and is now 169. This portion of their bloodwork was measured in micro mol/litre. I have been told to watch their protein intake. Their urea - kidney function test was Nebby 9.9 and Maggie 7.1. Nebby had one elevated liver enzyme. I will be taking in urine samples for both of them this week to check for protein levels in the urine.

 

I will also have them both restested in 6 months.

 

As Nebby is 9 now and Maggie will be turning 9 in July, do any of you with "senior hound" experience, perceive this to be concerning or have any advice concerning their intake of protein and how this could affect their overall health?

 

Thanks,

 

Patti

 

Edited to add I understand "normal greyhound" values for creatinine are 30 - 140.

Edited April 29, 2008 by canagreyts

[Burpdog]

What is the BUN and creatine in US numbers, or post the range of normal for Canada

 

Do their teeth need done?

[Guest canagreyts]

I believe the normal Canadian numbers for creatinine are between 30-140. I'd have to ask about the BUN.

 

Our vet did an extensive check of their teeth and gums and neither of them needed a dental this year. Nebby has had three dentals over the past three years and lost about 25 teeth over that time. Maggie has never had a dental and has very healthy teeth and gums.