Longclaw

There's a thread in General - I think it's one of the ones about dog parks - which includes a great post about what constitutes 'good' play and what is unacceptable. I'll see if I can find it. edit: Ok, pages 2 and 3 of this thread - have a read of the info posted there and it might help you differentiate between playing and fighting.

Interesting. I wouldn't have thought a sore back leg would cause such lethargy. I've had dogs with sore legs, a broken toe, and a puppy with a hip joint that just flat out didn't work and caused major pain occasionally... none of these injuries caused them to be particularly flat edited for a bit of clarity.

Going to the vet tonight would certainly be preferable, but if that is not possible, do you at least have any painkillers you can give him tonight? It would be horrible if he's left in so much pain overnight. If the vet didn't give you any painkillers, please at least ring an emergency vet and ask if you can give him aspirin (NOTE: NOT panadol or disprin or nurofen, but pure ASPIRIN) to get him through until tomorrow.

That's great that you've already helped her shift nearly half a kilo! Just to put it in perspective, that's like a 70kg person losing 4kg in 3 days, so that's actually quite a huge loss over such a short period. Personally I'd be feeding her half in the morning and half at night, but if what you are doing is working, great Off topic - I was reading this thread just before I got a call about the greyhound puppy we're adopting. She weighed in this morning at 3.2kgs! My first thought was OMG she's less than half the size of that chi!

you can make it more stable by banging in stakes or tent pegs. That's a great idea, and I'll definitely do that if I use them outdoors, but I've set mine up in the sunroom and had a giggle about banging tent pegs into the carpet

Thinking of you and your family. edit: agreed completely with Erny's post below - I can just never find the words to express it as well as she has.

We got the Bunnings panels (Garden Waste Crate) yesterday. The panels are roughly 70cm x 90cms and you can attach as many or as few packs as you like. I currently have 11(!) panels attached together but I have decided that is too many, it becomes a little unstable. I'll probably ramp it back to 8 or 9. Oh, and you can have them on either end, so 70cms tall or 90cms tall - bonus!

Sorry for your and your friend's loss NAO. Rest easy, pretty girl

Oh Moops, I'm so very sorry What a beautiful boy he was, and what a wonderful age! And yes, it sounds like his condition came on so rapidly that he would not have been in pain for long. Run free Scamp, watch over your family who are missing you

Wonderful news

Next time you go in for a vaccination, or anything really, ask your vet: a) what kind of things you can expect to see as a normal reaction; and b) what are the signs of an adverse reaction which will need treatment. I'm really lucky in that my wonderful vet will tell me all these things without asking, but sometimes with routine stuff it just doesn't occur to them that they could save you a lot of stress just by telling you that puppy will be a bit sore and flat for the next day!

How did he go last night Shmoo?

Yep, even if he's diabetic at least you'll know WHAT it is and that there's something you can do to manage it. Not knowing sucks. Jeeze he's a cutie, what gorgeous eyes he has!

God I love it when I see a worrying thread for the first time... when the most worrying part is over and there's good news! Shmoo I'm so glad your little man is on the improve and can come home today

Heidii, I am so sorry What an awful accident. Run free little Portia

This little one might bring back some memories for you Ashanali :rolleyes: Just to make this more in keeping with Dog Breeds 101, I'll have a go at answering some of the questions: QUESTIONS 1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc) Owner, sometimes foster carer and devout fanatic of the breed. 2. Where and why was the breed first developed? Greyhounds are a very old breed and I've heard many theories at to where and when they originated. The only breed mentioned in the bible, if that means anything! They were originally hunting dogs but in Australia they are bred to race, being the fastest dog breed. There is also a small but enthusiastic show-bred community growing in Australia. 3. How common is it in Australia? Racing greys are very common. Unfortunately there aren't nearly enough people who realise how brilliant ex-racers are as family pets. 4. What is the average lifespan? I've heard 12-14 years. I'm hoping Tommy is happy and healthy well into his 30s. 5. What is the general temperament/personality? Greys are generally very calm creatures. They are affectionate without being needy. They love to have company, human or canine, but many are also fine spending long periods on their own (eg, during the week when you're at work). They are extremely trusting and will let you do just about anything to them (with the possible exception, in some dogs *cough*Tommy*cough* of clipping nails) without fuss. They make a noise known as the Greyhound Scream of Death - such big lungs make a very loud noise! This is usually reserved for things they think are going to hurt. When they are actually in pain you most likely only hear a small whine. I roll my eyes when I hear the GSoD, and panic when I hear the whine! 6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? Not much. A short walk each day to stimulate the mind is usually all they need. If you miss a day or two here and there they won't punish you by destroying the house - they probably won't even notice they haven't been walked. Adults will also release their physical energy in a short burst of madness. 2 minutes of racing around the yard, or up and down the hallway, or from one room to another, or sometimes just spinning in circles on the spot. This is 'zoomies'. 7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? Yes, definitely! Greyhounds are a very easy introduction to dog ownership, especially if the dog comes from GAP or a similar reputable adoption group. They may try to test a new owner's leadership skills, but will quickly accept their place when very simple techniques, such as Nothing In Life Is Free, are implimented. Each individual dog is different, naturally, but generally speaking ex-racers aren't known for barking or biting or chewing or digging or any of the bored/destructive problem behaviours people think of dogs doing. This makes them ideal suburban animals as they rarely upset the neighbours! 8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? Yes, but again is depends on the individual dog. Some don't do well at all without canine or human company, but others couldn't care less. Adoption groups like GAP will be sure to match a dog to your circumstances - if you work long hours and have no other dogs, they will match you with a dog who will be happy with those arrangements. 9. How much grooming is required? Grooming? Umm.... A quick brush with a zoom-groom glove or similar is enough to remove loose hairs. I think Tommy last got a bath in... December? last year. He smells lovely 10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? Some will be too boisterous, but generally not. Again, GAP etc will match you up with the right dog for you. 11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of? Puppies are rarely available to pet owners. Ex-racing greyhounds will be thoroughly health checked before being made available for adoption, and GAP etc will be totally honest with you. Common-ish conditions seen are pannus (an eye condition easily and quite cheaply controlled with medication), bad teeth in older dogs, and thyroid conditions. Some ex-racers will also have scars/dints from running accidents. They may develop some arthritis in their later years. Conditions normally associated with large breeds are almost unheard of in greyhounds - things like hip dysplasia and other structural problems are very rare. They are bred to be elite athletes. 12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? (eg what health tests have been done (if applicable) and what is an acceptable result to those tests so the buyer has an idea of what the result should be) Oops - I think I have combined my answers to 11 and 12 above.

I'm on a farm. My grey has the run of the house yard (about 2 acres) in which he can really stretch out running, but I won't let him run around the paddocks off-lead. I know some people might think that's being over-protective, but there are just too many ways he could get injured for me to be comfortable with it. Their speed is phenominal - one foot down a hidden rabbit hole at full speed, or slipping off a patch of uneven ground, could mean broken limbs or death. My grey doesn't chase rabbits. Or he doesn't appear to... he's in the yard all day and every day we find fresh rabbit activity! But I still won't let him loose in the paddocks, even though sometimes I think it would be pretty cool to have him potter along beside me like a regular 'farm dog'. But I'd never forgive myself if something went wrong. I don't know about whether it's different if they've never been racing dogs - I would think that would come into it, but also very important would be the dog's innate level prey/chase drive, which varies so widely in intensity from dog to dog. Another GREAT reason to go through an adoption group like GAP, who assess each dog and can find a dog that suits the circumstances of individual adopters.

Oh no I'm so sorry Dusty and Snowy. I was so sure she would pull through We'll be thinking of you - let me know if there's anything we can do. Rest easy Ellie girl

I'm so very sorry for your loss smish What a handsome little man Snoopy was. He must have been very happy to have found a home with such love, companionship and fun. Rest easy Snoopy

I'm so very sorry for your loss Pandii Rest easy Tyson, you lovely boy

Beat me to it I'm sure a lot of people will mention reputable registered breeders so instead, my best piece of advice would be to treat the dog like a dog, even when it pains you to do so. For example, it goes against every instinct to ignore a dog that is scared of thunder, but comforting it will only reinforce that there is something to be afraid of, and the behaviour will likely escalate over time. As much as we love them dearly, our dogs are animals and they do not see the world the same way we do. I don't care if you call them your 'fur-kids', but treating them like little furry people is terribly unfair to them.

Yep, I understand that pannus requires ongoing treatment. If Clyde's eyes are red and weepy (gunky weepy stuff?) I'd be more inclined to think it could be conjuntivitis, possibly from some kind of mild allergic reaction. Tommy had that same thing (red, very weepy eyes) which needed a relatively strong medication (it was a paste applied to the eyeball) for it to clear up. He's fine now - no ongoing issues.

...double post

Oh rex... I'm so very sorry Sam

Mr Longclaw and I would like to thank everyone for their messages, PMs and e-mails. Your kind thoughts have been very much appreciated. We still 'see' Ruby out of the corner of our eyes and say her name absent-mindedly when calling our to our other animals. It still hurts, but we can now talk about the funny, beautiful things she used to do without getting too upset. I have posted these photos in the greyhounds thread but I love them so much I wanted to share them with those who don't usually visit there.