Old Greyhound Support

[Finnsliz]

Wink is my first greyhound I have had the privilege of seeing through her twilight years.

At 13 she is developing some issues with mobility, vision and mild confusion., She remains her ever sweet self.

Mobility-

She is rapidly losing control of her back end. Progressive atrophy of the muscles in her hip area makes her very ungraceful when traveling in any direction, but straight ahead. Some knuckling under of her rear feet has started although she can stillslowly correct them at this point. Her tail doesn't wag anymore She can still hop on and off her couch and has no elimination issues.

 

She has this "barking in my face" behavior, (this is NOT out of character ) which escalates to several times in the evening. It has always meant "I want to go out" so I continue to let her out when she does it but I know she is not needing to go out as often as she is telling me.

 

It seems she needs more calories to maintain her weight. She has never turned her nose up to any food, but started walking away from her kibble especially her AM meal. She has dropped some weight and I don't want her missing any meals at this point so I added wet food to her kibble and she eats that. Yesterday AM she managed to eat around all her kibble, I didn't want her missing any calories so she got the entire can of wet food in the AM and at her normal half and half mixture for supper.

Woke up this AM to a huge mess in the dog's room.... even after letting them out at 2:30 this AM because she was barking. I am hoping it is just because she had too much wet food yesterday. I have cooked up a huge pot of rice and meat which she will be eating for a few days.

 

She is still happy and her regular sweet self. Had her annual physical in July with no issues noted.

 

Anyways.. I guess my point of all this is ...Any advice from those experienced in the elderly hounds?

 

She will go gracefully and with dignity. I pray God tells me the day before she experiences any pain or the anxiety of not being to move on her own to let her go.

[robinw]

Hi Liz,

 

The webmaster harness by Ruffwear was invaluable when Loca was having difficulty walking. It has a nice handle and my vet said it was anatomically perfect for a greyhound.

 

http://www.ruffwear.com/Web-Master-Harness_2?sc=2&category=1131

 

I added chicken soup to meals which seemed to encourage eating.

 

Glad that Wink is still around. Do you have any pics? She and Finn will always been immortalized on Loca's collar

[Brindles]

I'm sorry It's hard to watch them get older. Echo had similar symptoms. My only advice is to keep an eye on her like you have been. She'll tell you when it's time. That, and enjoy every day you have.

[Remolacha]

I second the Ruffwear harness! Also, you may have to continue being creative with her food, just be careful to add new things in small amounts (as you found out!). Strong smelling and tasting stuff is good, Bill's Shaky Cheese (aka grated Parmesan), sardines, stuff like that. Also plain vanilla Ensure will add some calories and most dogs like it. Mostly, just make the most of every minute

[Fiona3]

Tasha is 12 now and is beginning to show signs of muscle loss. She has always been finicky but is more so now, especially in the morning. I have to be careful adding the canned food for the reasons you discovered - too much can lead to diarrhea. To encourage her eating I add a handful of shredded boiled chicken on top of the kibble. She eats 1/2 of the meal, then I throw on a little bit more. This usually works but if she needs a little encouragement to finish the bowl, I put a tablespoon of plain, whole milk yogurt on top of what is left. That seems to do the trick and she finishes her meal.

 

At the evening meal, I add a packet of Forti-Flora probiotic to her kibble and mix it with some water. It makes a gravy and I never have any problems with her evening meal.

 

I also give her a bowl of yogurt around noon and at night. It's been hard to keep her weight up but finally I see her putting back the few pounds she had lost.

 

I hope this info helps a bit. A harness as suggested would do wonders for walking her outside.

 

May you have lots of wonderful time with your beautiful girl.

[Finnsliz]

Here you go Robin. These were taken at my sisters getaway (Maine) in May. Thanks for the link. Wink and Loca will forever be associate in my mind as well.

 

Wink and Loca circa 2004

[Burpdog]

Is she on Fresh Factors? That and some acupuncture or chiropractic will help tremendously.

 

Boiled chicken I bet she'll eat it!

[TheFullHouse]

I was having the same problems with two of mine and I too started adding canned food to their kibble, I also mixed in some nutritional yeast and the combination has the two of them eating like champs! These two were missing breakfast two or three times a week and now they can't wait for meal time. I think it's a combination of the nutritional yeast and the canned food. I mix it up really well so they basically have to eat the kibble to get the canned food off.

 

Thanks to Diane who sent me some Fresh Factors, Valentino who had been falling on his rear end was running in the yard this morning!

[Guest 2dogs4cats]

I have had several seniors and high doses of liquid vitamin e helped greatly with the hind end and chinese herbs helped with the kidneys and apetite. My vet suggested the E and I found the liquid worked the best. Kiss your senior for me. I am a sucker for them! The youngest houndie I have ever had was 6.

[macoduck]

Hi Liz,

 

The webmaster harness by Ruffwear was invaluable when Loca was having difficulty walking. It has a nice handle and my vet said it was anatomically perfect for a greyhound.

 

http://www.ruffwear....2&category=1131

 

I added chicken soup to meals which seemed to encourage eating.

 

Glad that Wink is still around. Do you have any pics? She and Finn will always been immortalized on Loca's collar

What size harness did you use? Harold measures 31-32" at his widest girth. I've emailed the company for advice on the sizing.