Guest OPointyDog Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 (edited) Hi all! I wanted to thank everyone for this amazing resource - I've been using it daily since we adopted our girl Zoe back in April. It's amazing how much collective wisdom there is on this board!! Zoe (formerly Franchised: http://www.greyhound...chised&x=23&y=8) has been through a lot and yet has been a tremendous trooper and maintains a very cheerful, happy attitude. She loves everyone and everything, and people are constantly telling us how she's not at all what they expect a greyhound to be like. Though I think most people just haven't met one! She was retired from racing at age 2 in November 2011 with a fractured hock, and they did surgery then to repair the break, and put in a pin and spring. Somewhere along the way either the surgery was done incorrectly or the hardware came out of the bone, and she was quite still quite lame when we got her in April. Our vet immediately thought she was way too lame for a dog who was 6 months post-surgery, so did x-rays and found the hardware was basically floating around in the soft tissue in her leg, and referred us to an orthopedic surgeon. So we'd had her less than 2 weeks when she had corrective surgery to remove the implants in early May. The boards here and our local rescue group provided so much help at this point - we were frantic when she would not wear the e-collar so we ended up following the suggestion to put duct tape on the end of her muzzle, which worked perfectly!! The surgery went well and the hock is completely healed. She's currently in physical therapy to rebuild the muscles in the atrophied leg, and also to alleviate some of the pain/spasms in the hip and groin area. Her physical therapist described it this way - "imagine holding up one of your legs for 6 months and see how you feel!" Zoe has been amazing through the whole thing. So relaxed that she fell asleep during the initial evaluation at the therapist's office. I need to add her to the "my dog is so bombproof" thread. She slept through the 4th of July. She roaches during her obedience class. She naps during her physical therapy sessions and during car rides. She loves her crate and zooms in there every night at bedtime - no signs yet of any SA. It's amazing to me that she has been through so many changes and just seems to roll with it. She is such a joy - we are happy to have her in our home and in our lives. Getting a bath when she got off the trailer.... zoe2_sm by Abizeleth, on Flickr Love these floppy ears! zoe_sm by Abizeleth, on Flickr Roaching! hmd_zoe by Abizeleth, on Flickr So many toys... zoe_toys_sm by Abizeleth, on Flickr More roaching! zoe2_sm by Abizeleth, on Flickr Edited July 20, 2012 by OPointyDog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busderpuddle Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Welcome Zoe...............You Are Gorgeous ! Quote Karen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrAlexTheDog Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 lookit that face and ears! welcome to GT! Quote Steve, owner/photographer Crackerdog Photography, writer of ShutterHounds. Follow me on Instagram.Alex (Sanja Black Eyes [1989-2003] - Sanja Superfrank x TH's Fandango), Nikki (Ein's Ardonis [1995-2008] - Farmer Wilson x Legs Polly),Sadie (Carla Tar [2002-2014] - Coldwater Guv x Canatar), Katie (Leading Home [2003-2013] - Iruska Excalibur x Impress Me Much),Bean ([2013-] - DJays Octane x O Ya Cranberry), and Billy Bob (O Ya Billy Bob [2011-2020] Dodgem By Design x O Ya Cranberry) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Beautiful, beautiful dog.... welcome! My last one, Angel, had a shoulder injury (small unfixable crack in the actual joint that healed rough) and she had a leg with an amount of muscle mass missing until we got her running again. They learn to cope remarkably well. Look: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Great screen name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BooneTia Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Welcome, she's a cutie!! Love the roaching Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwnedBySummer Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Your story makes my heart happy! Welcome! Quote Lisa B. My beautiful Summer - to her forever home May 1, 2010 Summer Certified therapy dog team with St. John Ambulance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieProf Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Congratulations and welcome! Zoe is so beautiful and great and thanks for all you've done for her. (Love your screen name too!) I see she's a DK's Prime Time girl ... I know a bunch of them out here in Iowa (all brindles!). Quote With Cocoa (DC Chocolatedrop), missing B for Beth (2006-2015)And kitties C.J., Klara, Bernadette, John-Boy, & Sinbad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CherylB Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Welcome! Zoe is a doll, and I love her ears! Quote Cheryl, mom to Remy and Woot. Always in my heart Haley, Henry and Sheba. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DMBFiredancer Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 She is absolutely goreous!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZGreyGirl Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Welcome! What an amazing girl you have! She seems so easy to love - what a cutie! Quote Qui me amat, amet et canes meas...et felem. Olivia (RDs Merrygoround, b. 4/6/07, Gotcha 12/19/11 Chloe (PAR Candice, b. 5/22/08, Gotcha 12/18/12) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GreytPlains Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Oh, she is beautiful!!! Congratulations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houndtime Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Welcome from lower Delaware. Quote Irene Ullmann w/Flying Odin and Mama Mia in Lower Delaware Angels Brandy, John E, American Idol, Paul, Fuzzy and Shine Handcrafted Greyhound and Custom Clocks http://www.houndtime.com Zoom Doggies-Racing Coats for Racing Greyhounds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FastDogsOwnMe Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 She's a beauty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OPointyDog Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Thanks for the warm welcome everyone! We think she's gorgeous, too, but we might be a little biased. We owe a lot to her foster family, who did most of the work with socializing her and teaching her some basic manners. Yay for foster parents!! We did have to teach her not to chase our cats - always a temptation when they run, but after 3 months everyone is settling down pretty well. We have baby gates up and the cats have learned to leave the room when the zoomies start. The other trial was 6 weeks of limited activity after the surgery. The orthopedist wanted us to leave her in her crate 24/7 except for short walks to relieve herself! I just couldn't see doing that to a 2 year old dog in a new home. Fortunately, both of us are college professors, so we were able to be home during the summer and watch her to keep her from chewing on the sutures or zooming around. Once she started to feel better, she was ready to run so keeping her from doing that has been hard! But we've been trying to introduce activity gradually to keep her from re-injuring her groin, hip and shoulder. I think the physical therapy is helping. She definitely has a stubborn streak. She does not like to go for walks if we come back the same way we go out, so it's been interesting trying to find short loops in the neighborhood while we build up her stamina. If you try to take her in a direction she does not want to go, we end up with the dog statue pose - she digs in her heels and refuses to move until you change your mind! I sometimes feel terrible when she walks home so slowly and stiffly - like she's in terrible pain. But then we walk through the door and she grabs a toy and goes zooming around the house, and I know that it was all an act. We're still adjusting to a young, energetic dog. Our last dog, Star, was almost 13 when she died of cancer and her last year or so she was very subdued. We think Star was half greyhound, half German Shepard, which is what drew us to the greyhound breed. Star was pretty remarkable but had a lot of issues (afraid of loud noises, afraid of storms, moderate SA) and a lot of health problems at the end. Though one of the great mixed blessings in Star's life was when she went deaf at about age 10 and then wasn't afraid of storms or noises anymore! It's been a year and a half since we lost her to cancer and we miss her every single day. Zoe is definitely helping to ease the heartache. Here's Star: our star by Abizeleth, on Flickr Yes, of course I want to go out. Why do you ask? by Abizeleth, on Flickr Star goes on a W-A-L-K by Abizeleth, on Flickr And one more of Zoe: Zoë by Abizeleth, on Flickr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OPointyDog Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I see she's a DK's Prime Time girl ... I know a bunch of them out here in Iowa (all brindles!). Forgot to say, yes, she is! I was shocked when I saw that she has 2,225 registered half-siblings! And 7,699 aunts and uncles! Her father and grandfather were busy guys! And JohnF, I'm glad to see that your Angel recovered so well. She looks fabulous on that beach! The orthopedist said that Zoe has quite significant arthritis in her bad ankle - so she'll likely always have a limp. We're just trying to help her live as pain-free as we can. She definitely WANTS to run, and we look forward to the day when she can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DeniseL Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 She is gorgeous! Looks just like my Thyme! I love brindles... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyPoopon Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 Congratulations! Zoe is clearly enjoying her retirement. I hope her leg feels stronger soon. Quote Standard Poodle Daisy (12/13) Missing Cora (RL Nevada 5/99-10/09), Piper (Cee Bar Easy 2/99-1/10), Tally (Thunder La La 9/99-3/10), Edie (Daring Reva 9/99-10/12), Dixie (Kiowa Secret Sue 11/01-1/13), Jessie (P's Real Time 11/98-3/13), token boy Graham (Zydeco Dancer 9/00-5/13), Cal (Back Already 12/99-11/13), Betsy (Back Kick Beth 11/98-12/13), Standard Poodles Minnie (1/99-1/14) + Perry (9/98-2/14), Annie (Do Marcia 9/03-10/14), Pink (Miss Pinky Baker 1/02-6/15), Poppy (Cmon Err Not 8/05-1/16), Kat (Jax Candy 5/05-5/17), Ivy (Jax Isis 10/07-7/21), Hildy (Braska Hildy 7/10-12/22), Opal (Jax Opal 7/08-4/23). Toodles (BL Toodles 7/09-4/24) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryJane Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 She's so cute in the roaching pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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