Dog ownership is a total rollercoaster....

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especially when they are elderly! Hoover greyhound is 12 and has been losing a bit of weight for a few months now - cue dilemma about whether it was simply his age (I know they lose weight AND muscle as they get older) or whether there is something more. He is quite intolerant to dry food since a major digestive upset a few months ago when I tried putting him on metacam for his stiff/soreness, so he is currently getting 4 cans of tinned Chappie a day

After I consulted with my fabulous amazing wonderful vet via Facebook (long story, he is no longer in a mixed practice and only does large animal at the moment) I decided we needed to investigate. So registered with a new practice yesterday, and took him down last night; they were brilliant and took bloods

Got a phone call today with the results, all borderline but possibly impaired liver or gut function :( Being me, an instant panic and crisis - the vet explained that they couldn't be sure until they had tested a urine sample to see if there was protein present, so I left work early to go home, get the sample and take it to the vets tonight. I am so very very impressed with the new vets - there was a senior partner who happened to walk up to reception at the 'right' moment, and bless him he said he would test the sample then and there! He did so, and came out to confirm that there was no protein in the urine so no impaired liver function and all is good :) :) :) :) Massive relief for me, I was given yet another specialist dry food to try him on so fingers crossed he will tolerate it and put some weight on.

Sorry, I had to let out my relief somewhere! The boy is totally unimpressed..... :D

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twiggy2 said:
Glad there was nothing scary showing up, I have a lameness issue going on with my current lurcher which is looking serious.
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Oh no twiggy that is my worst nightmare - yes, I DID take Hoover to my lovely vet last year fearing just the same, only to be told he had tweaked something hooning around the garden and stop fussing! I really feel for you :(
 
Lévrier;13840479 said:
Oh no twiggy that is my worst nightmare - yes, I DID take Hoover to my lovely vet last year fearing just the same, only to be told he had tweaked something hooning around the garden and stop fussing! I really feel for you :(
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She has from legs that bow out and very flat feet, I knew when I took her on that those front legs would most likely be her downfall, what I did not know then was that she cannot take any meds and she does not cope with rest or reduced exercise. Her front legs are far worse in every respect, she had a chase about 5 weeks ago and was three legged lame for a few days then got a lot better but it is getting steadily worse again now and after just 15 mins walk she is very lame. She is also very grumpy if touched when resting- I think she is bilaterally very lame and sore.
It's rubbish she is only 5.
Home for a flying visit this week and will pick some old work brains in person whilst I am there. I had one visit a couple of weeks ago and she did say the dogs legs look at lot more bowed and one joint in particular is huge and has been since the chase.
Hopefully hoover will get on with his new food and things will settle back down for a while longer.
 
No idea if its suitable or not but when I couldnt keep weight on Dylan he had goats milk. He had some in a bowl to drink and more mixed in with his raw food. It did seem to help and he put weight on and we scaled the exercise back and hes been fine since.

Sorry to hear about your girl Twiggy :(
 
Yeah dogs suck! Im still a bit touchy about loosing my old staffy last year (in the week between xmas and NYE) and after she died my rescue lab/lurcher/shepherd thing went downhill into a depression, and a bit later after a vet check he had a little touch of arthritis (they said cause he was not moving about as much with the other dog it became more obvious) He was put on loxicom which helped and hes still on it. Last vet check showed his spleen (possibly) was larger than normal and he has developed a very slight heart murmur, but vet said at his age there is always going to be something and nothing is too alarming - so right now its a day to day give his pain meds, monitor for anything bad and treat as seen fit. He also has eye drops. Can't say his actual age but estimated about 13/14? Hes still a happy chappy though, and even though i loved my staffy WAY more than him i still love him a bunch. Esp now he is the last dog we will have ever cause we decided not to get another after him. How anyone could have abandoned him at 9yo after having him from a pup ill never know...

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I'm right there with you! Boots is 12 next month and is being a fussy eater atm and kibble is sometimes delicious and sometimes the work of the devil no matter what I mix in with it, he isn't underweight and is full of beans but we're popping to the vet next week for a checkup anyway (he had lymphoma last year so I like a checkup at regular intervals)

He has also suddenly decided he doesn't want to sleep upstairs with me anymore and is getting more and more of a stubborn monkey lol!

Pic from lat year as he is handsome <3
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Is there any way you can get him off metacam.?i would try to ween off and get him on yumove advance ( make sure it&#8217;s the advance) I&#8217;ve seen some unbelievable results with it. I think an even better one yumove 360has just come out but the results I&#8217;m getting off the advance means my dog doesn&#8217;t need an op on both legs and he&#8217;s on no anti inflammatory or pain killers. X
 
Old dogs are so special but they certainly put us through the mill! Glad Hoover is ok Lev.

My 10 year old shepherd is giving me cause for concern at the moment &#9785;&#65039;
 
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