Guest BUNNYFOOFOO823 Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I adopted my beautiful girl Sibylla 2 years ago, she was 5 when we got her and will be 7 in November of this year 2008. A few weeks ago she just tumbled in our living room and we were so concerned. But she got up, we called the vet and brushed it off to just a fall. A few days ago she woke up with an aweful limp, we took her to the vet they checked out both her front legs and found nothing, we figured maybe our male grey Walter stepped on her (he always does!) or she slept on her foot wrong (she sleeps oddly). But now, we're reading all these blogs about cancer in Greys and I am so scared! I love my greys theyre my children, Sibylla is also my Therapy dog as I suffer from PTSD, I know one day all little animals must leave to the rainbow bridge, but we're not ready to part yet. How do we know if our dogs get cancer? Are there tests we can do each year or every 6 months so we can know if they get it? I read 44% of Greys get cancer, is this true? Im so sad right now... the thought of this is devastating and the fact that she is not being as peppy as she normally is and that she is limping is sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lotsahounds Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Did the vet xray her leg or just feel around? Get the leg xrayed if it has not already been done. welcome to GreyTalk by the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BUNNYFOOFOO823 Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Did the vet xray her leg or just feel around? Get the leg xrayed if it has not already been done. welcome to GreyTalk by the way! Thank you so much for the warm welcome. My vet only felt around, no x-ray. Is that the best way to know? through X rays? Not blood work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bevd Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 If she's still limping, I would certainly ask for an x-ray to be done Welcome to GT! Quote Deerhounds Darcy, Duffy, Grace & Wellington, Mutts Sprout & Buddy, Lurchers Ned & Jake plus Ella the Westie + cats. Remembering Del, Jessie, Maddison, Flo, Sally, Stanley, Wallace, Radar, Mokka, Oki cat, Tetley, Poppy & Striker. Please visit our web store at http://www.dogsndubs.com for our own range of Greyhound related clothing for humans! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FullMetalFrank Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Xrays seem to be the way most cases are first diagnosed. I hope your girl just has a little sprain or something; but go get her xrayed ASAP. Welcome to GT, and I hope everything utrns out to be OK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patricia Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 If it were me...I would have x-rays done. Please kiss your beautiful girly girl for me and keep us posted. Quote Patti-Mommy of Lady Sophia 7-28-92 - 8-3-04... LaceyLaine 8-2-94-12-5-07... Flash Gordon 7-14-99 - 8-29-09... BrookLynne...Pavé Maria... and 18 Bridge Kids. WATCHING OVER US~SOPHIA~QUEENIE~LACEY LAINE~ CODY ANGELO~FLASH GORDON. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyDoodle Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 First thing, remember to breathe. I know it sounds trite, but it's easy to forget to do when we're worried about our babies. Next, I'd ask for x-rays of the limbs and if those are clear, ask about the spine near those limbs (front/rear) as well as other structures (esp. shoulders). Blood work would also be done to confirm cancer, if the films are suspicious. It can also be done if films are clear to detect if other problems are present. There are tick-borne-diseases (TBDs) that can cause lameness. Do you know where your dog came from, and/or raced? If she lived in the desert, there is a TBD that is prevalent there that can be linked to lameness. I'd get your vet to do these things above, then send the results to Dr. Couto at Ohio State University. He does research on greyhounds and has a group that will review your dog's records free of charge. He and his team will also give you suggestions if other tests are needed. Quote DonnaMolly the Border Collie & Poquita the American-born Podenga Bridge Babies: Daisy (Positive Delta) 8/7/2000 - 4/6/2115, Agnes--angel Sage's baby (Regall Rosario) 11/12/01 - 12/18/13, Lucky the mix (Found, w 10 puppies 8/96-Bridge 7/28/11, app. age 16) & CoCo (Cosmo Comet) 12/28/89-5/4/04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 I would have an x-ray of the affected limb only. I certainly would not do full body x-rays. I assume you're worried about bone cancer? From what I've read, any competent radiologist should be able to diagnose bone cancer. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbotaina Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Do you know where your dog came from, and/or raced? If she lived in the desert, there is a TBD that is prevalent there that can be linked to lameness. Regarding the desert, it's not a TBD, but a fungal infection,Valley Fever (which can actually look like OSA on rads). TBD (tick borne disease) testing is never a bad idea, however, particularly when you get "shifting lameness" (lameness that seems to move from one limb to another). Quote Meredith with Heyokha (HUS Me Teddy) and Crow (Mike Milbury). Missing Turbo (Sendahl Boss), Pancho, JoJo, and "Fat Stacks" Juana, the psycho kitty. Canku wakan kin manipi."Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaisyDoodle Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Do you know where your dog came from, and/or raced? If she lived in the desert, there is a TBD that is prevalent there that can be linked to lameness. Regarding the desert, it's not a TBD, but a fungal infection,Valley Fever (which can actually look like OSA on rads). TBD (tick borne disease) testing is never a bad idea, however, particularly when you get "shifting lameness" (lameness that seems to move from one limb to another). Woops, thanks for the correction. I guess I crossed up two different problems. Quote DonnaMolly the Border Collie & Poquita the American-born Podenga Bridge Babies: Daisy (Positive Delta) 8/7/2000 - 4/6/2115, Agnes--angel Sage's baby (Regall Rosario) 11/12/01 - 12/18/13, Lucky the mix (Found, w 10 puppies 8/96-Bridge 7/28/11, app. age 16) & CoCo (Cosmo Comet) 12/28/89-5/4/04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pipi5 Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 I would have the leg that she's limping on xrayed. It could also be just a bruise or it could be a blood clot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BootsyCollins Posted August 5, 2008 Share Posted August 5, 2008 (edited) TBD (tick borne disease) testing is never a bad idea, however, particularly when you get "shifting lameness" (lameness that seems to move from one limb to another). I admit it. I've never had Argos tested for anything, including tick things. But he does seem to have lameness that moves around. I always assumed he pulled something or that his arthritis was acting up. Egads, maybe it's something with a name that I can't spell or pronounce??!! What EXACTLY do I ask my vet for? Leaving work now to rush to vet...ok, I'm really just callling the vet, but I want to leave. sorry to hijack Edited August 5, 2008 by CMoon75 Quote Christie and Bootsy (Turt McGurt and Gil too) Loving and missing Argos & Likky, forever and ever. ~Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to. ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tennesseegrey Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Bone cancer will need to be xray'd since it is not a blood disease. My prayers are with you that it's nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ChasesMum Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 I think that the only reason is seems that more greys get cancer is simply that we are all adopting a type of dog that is "special" and we seek to network with others with the same dogs. I know there are forums for other breeds, maybe I just like to think that there are more greyhound owners looking to chat about our special dogs. I don't think that there is any drastically higher prevalence in greys than in other breeds, we are just a more vocal and tight-knit community...if that makes sense. We had our xrays cleared by our vet but it was spotted by the oncologist she sent them to for consult. I don't think there is any test that can say "yes, your dog is going to get cancer". Maybe one day (but what a thesis!)... but it would take a special person that would adopt a dog that they KNEW would get cancer and die too early. I don't know that I could put myself out there like that and I will be going back to school to be a vet! All you can do is rule things out, so I too recommend you get xrays dome and go from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valtoy Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 My greyhound, Ham, was limping for a week, took him to the vet, figuring it was just a sprain (he was digging a big hole) They suggested an X-ray right away and it came back with a "grey area" that they said could be bone cancer, so they gave him some pain meds and told me to get another X-ray in two weeks to see if any change. It did show more grey area, so sent me to a Cancer specialist who also took X-rays and also suggested bone cancer. His leg was not getting better. If it was just a sprain (no breaks showed up in X-rays) he would be improving, but the pain was getting worse, so after 3 opinions, I went for the cancer surgery (about a month after his limp started) he was in terrible pain. Valerie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeh2o Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 I adopted my beautiful girl Sibylla 2 years ago, she was 5 when we got her and will be 7 in November of this year 2008. A few weeks ago she just tumbled in our living room and we were so concerned. But she got up, we called the vet and brushed it off to just a fall. A few days ago she woke up with an aweful limp, we took her to the vet they checked out both her front legs and found nothing, we figured maybe our male grey Walter stepped on her (he always does!) or she slept on her foot wrong (she sleeps oddly). But now, we're reading all these blogs about cancer in Greys and I am so scared! I love my greys theyre my children, Sibylla is also my Therapy dog as I suffer from PTSD, I know one day all little animals must leave to the rainbow bridge, but we're not ready to part yet. How do we know if our dogs get cancer? Are there tests we can do each year or every 6 months so we can know if they get it? I read 44% of Greys get cancer, is this true? Im so sad right now... the thought of this is devastating and the fact that she is not being as peppy as she normally is and that she is limping is sad Welcome to the website! I don't know where you are going to the vet, but I use Berkeley Pet Hospital in North Hollywood. Dr. Krivoy seems to know a lot about greyhounds (one of his vet techs even had two of them) and I've been very satisfied with him and his care for Carl. I've been using him for years with my other dogs and with Carl in the past year (Carl has been with me since Aug. 17, 2007). The number there is 818.763.6221. If he doesn't suggest xrays, I would mention it to him - he's good with suggestions. Quote Sunsands Doodles: Doodles aka Claire, Bella Run Softly: Softy aka Bowie (the Diamond Dog) Missing my beautiful boy Sunsands Carl 2.25.2003 - 4.1.2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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