In Loving Memory of Winnifred

Winnie came into our lives shy and timid.  We adored her even when she didn't trust us that first year.  As she began to trust us, she became even more precious to us.  She blessed us with seeing her happy and playful side that has brought so much joy, and pain during her passing.  December 8th, 2014, we lost our little girl.  We lost her so suddenly it didn't seem real at first.  She was lively and energetic when we got home from work.  It wasn't until later in the evening that I heard her yelp in our bedroom while she was sleeping on our bed.  When I went to check on her, she arched her back and looked very uncomfortable on our bed.  She pushed her head into my chest and didn't know how to help her.  My husband knew she needed to go to the emergency vet when she continued to walk around very stiff with her back arched.  When we arrived at the vet she started walking in a circle dragging her paws on one side of her body.  I picked her up and handed her to a man at the vet who took her back.  I felt relieved that she was in good hands, and they would be able to help her.  When they asked us to go to a back room I expected to see her.  They gave us a clipboard to sign giving them permission to do CPR and take other steps in saving her life.  I felt numb.  Jon signed the paper. I asked if I could go back and they said no.  We waited.  When they came out and said they would be doing CPR I begged to go back, but they said I needed to stay there.  I fell on my knees and cried.  They finally told us we could go back where we saw them continuing CPR.  I started rooting for her to pull through, but the doctor explained that she was gone and asked if we could stop.  I begged him to continue and they did for a while longer.  Then he touched her eye to show me her brain was dead.  It was horrible.  She was gone.  They brought her out to us in a room and we held her.  Her foster mother, Giovanna came to say goodbye and comfort us.  We stayed for several hours.  They couldn't explain what had happened to our baby, and it was very hard to leave.  They suggested freezing her body so we could take it to Colorado State University to have a necropsy done.  We just wanted to know what happened, so we let them take her, and went back to get her the next morning.  We drover her a painful 3 hours to the veterinarian college at CSU and gave them her little cardboard coffin.  That drive was so painful, and we grieved silently together.  Later that night we got an email explaining that they found an enlarged heart during the necropsy.  Everything else seemed fine.  They couldn't say exactly what the cause of death was, but suggested that she may have had a seizure, and the enlarged heart caused fatal complications.  We miss her so much.  She will forever be in our hearts.

Type O- Hero!

A woman who works at HemoSolutions approached me to see if we wanted to donate Winnie's blood about two weeks ago.  HemoSolutions is a for profit dog blood bank.  I called my vet to see if it was a good idea.  She said it was a great way to get free blood work done, and after a year of donating we can earn monetary incentives that will be sent to the veterinarian of our choice.   Today we took Winnie to get a blood screening to see if she can donate in the future.  I've added a picture of Winnie's blood test indicating that she is Type O Negative.  The photos below show off her pink bandage.  She is wearing it to apply pressure to the spot where they took blood.  Greyhounds are commonly known for bleeding easily.  Winnie also didn't react well to the needle when it pricked her, making it a bit more traumatizing.  Especially for mom and dad.  We gave her a lot of treats during the car ride home, and she enjoyed the attention.  When we got home she slept soundly for about two hours.  Greyhounds sleep a lot, but I couldn't help being worried about her.  Now that it has been five hours, she is back to herself.  She's getting a lot of attention tonight, and even some home made ginger flavored dog biscuits.  Despite a draining day, she can't get enough treats.  She definitely earned them!

Here is a recipe for ginger flavored dog biscuits

3/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

3/4 Cup Unbleached Flour

1 Tablespoon Ground Ginger

1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon Cloves

1/4 Cup Water

2 Tablespoons Canola Oil

Preheat 350 degrees.  

Mix up ingredients.  

Add water if the dough is too stiff. 

Roll out dough and cut cookies.  

Bake for 25 minutes.  

Rainy Day Fashion

Greyhounds get cold easily.  Good enough excuse for me to buy our girl some cute outfits.  Isn't she dashing in her raincoat?  She sometimes seems reluctant to tinkle while wearing her coats.  There are plenty of websites to purchase greyhound clothes.  Greyhounds have very different body types than most dogs, so it is best to buy from a website with clothes specifically designed for greyhounds.  Luckily, Winnie is very small so she sometimes fits in large or X-large clothes.  There are also ways to take your dogs measurements, and sew your own clothes.  I have fabric, but haven't worked up the nerve to attempt to sew a coat yet.  

KONG TO THE RESCUE

Days like today are hard for Winnie.  We've had a pretty rainy week, and that usually makes our handful of walks a bit brief.  The grass has been wet the past couple days, and I worry she might slip on it, so we haven't taken her for any runs at the baseball field either.  This makes for one frustrated fur ball.

Winnie loves her Kong.  I used to give her the Kong every morning before we went to work, but now I give her a Denta Stick.  Because it's a daily thing, the Denta Stick is better for her teeth.  On rare occasions, when she is really bored and whining, I pull out the Kong.  It's a powerful weapon to combat a frustrated and hyper dog.  Just for the record, after about seven treats hidden in her Kong, she's out like a light.  Although greyhounds can become restless at times, it doesn't take much to wear them out.

Quality Food & Meal Routines

Feeding Time and Treats

There are many benefits to buying a premium dog food.  If you spend a little extra on dog food, you can feed your dog less, and they will have smaller and fewer bowel movements.  Avoid too many fillers, and go with food made in the U.S.A.  Unfortunately, the news has shed light on dog food and treats made in in other countries that have caused major health issues for pets.

Thanks to Winnie's Foster mommy, we had a heads up about a great pet food store located very close to our home.

Mike's Natural Pet Food Store

You may have to research a good natural pet store in your area, but it's worth the effort.  Grocery stores and large pet food chains are very limited in quality food.  Some pet stores do have organic and natural foods, so do a little research before you go.  NutriSource has a rewards program that will give you a free bag of food after buying a certain number of bags.  At Mike's, I believe you get a free bag after buying ten bags.  You do need to ask the store manager about these programs to make sure they are participating.  When buying a premium food, it's a good idea to save money when you can.

We were gifted half a bag of NutriSource Super Premium Pet Food, Large Breed Adult Chicken & Rice Formula.  The key is to look for a food that has roughly 5% fiber, 10-15% fat, 22% to 27% Protein.

 It's important when switching your dog's food to mix it with a brand that it's used to at first.  This can cause potty problems if a change is made too soon.  We decided to stick with the brand Winnie's foster mom had been feeding her, and she hasn't had any digestion issues.

Adding Meds & Supplements 

Winnie's foster mom also gave us a can of wet dog food to mix with Winnie's pain medicine she took after her spay.  I wasn't sure what kind of canned food she used, but we bought Newman's Own, Chicken and Brown Rice.  

Dry Skin Treatments

Winnie is still getting acclimated to Colorado's dry climate, and she has a lot of dandruff.  I've been adding fish oil to her food once a day to help her dry skin issues.  After two weeks it has really made a difference.  I have been sharing my own Fish Oil Supplement Capsules with her.  I just pierce the capsule, and mix it with a table spoon of wet food, before mixing it with her dry food.  Dry food is better for her teeth, so we only add a little wet food to her meal.  

Healthy Treats

We trust Newman's Own for dog treats.  They are a little crumbly, but we're not worried about the massive treat recalls being made right now when we give Winnie her Turkey and Sweet Potato reward.

Food Storage

We purchased The Vittles Vault Prime Pet Food Container.  It holds 40+ lbs of dog food.  It comes with a little scoop to measure 1 1/2 cups of food at a time.  Once you own a dog, it becomes a greater challenge to keep your place clean.  This is a must have to keep dog food smell to a minimum, and it makes feeding time tidy.  We can empty the food directly from the bag to this container, clip the proof of purchase from the bag, and then dispose of the stinky, bulky bag.  

Meal Routines

Greyhounds love and depend on routines.  If planning a walk or hike, it is important to schedule strenuous walks an hour before or after meal times.  Greyhounds are susceptible to Bloat, the second leading killer in dogs!  

Info about Bloat

Winnie's Daily Schedule

(Even on the Weekend)

Wake Up Time: 6 am

Breakfast: 6:30 am

Dinner: 5:30 pm

Bedtime: 10:30 pm

We have given up sleeping in on the weekends for our new little furry dependent.  We are actually enjoying how great it feels to have an early morning.  Goodbye weekends that fly by.  Waking up early really helps your day feel longer.  We need routines just as much as our furry friends.

Hope this helps give a realistic idea of a greyhounds meal routine.      

Dog...Toothpaste?

Greyhound Dental Care

 Just an update, and some information for anyone considering adopting a greyhound.  When Winnie was rescued, the adoption agency took care of her first dental visit.  She had a tooth extracted because of an exposed root, which is very painful, and can cause a lot of problems for any living creature.  Greyhounds need to have their teeth checked once a year at minimum.  They have a unique snout and mouth that can cause food to become trapped in their teeth.  This breed requires a little extra care in this area.  Thankfully I was informed about this need well before we met Winnie.  I started collecting items for our future dog about five months ago.  I visited a Petsmart, and asked for help picking out dental hygiene products for my future greyhound.  I recommend spending a good amount of time in pet stores, chatting with people who work there well before you bring your dog home.  The toothpaste I chose is a Nylabone Advanced Tartar Control Paste with Denta-C.  I was informed that the main thing to look for is a tartar control toothpaste.  There are also liquids you can add to your dogs water to help strengthen teeth.  The worker also told me to just buy a soft toothbrush at a dollar store, rather than spending extra money on the expensive ones they sold.  The assortment of products can be quite overwhelming.  If you can't decide, ask for help.  Most pet store workers have a lot of knowledge about the products, and are usually pet lovers themselves with firsthand experience.

Dog Teeth-brushing Tips 

Force brushing is not the way to go.  I gave Winnie two days to get used to me before I introduced the toothpaste to her.  The first time she just got a taste of it, and I was only able to swipe a bit on her long front teeth with my finger.  I kept the experience short and sweet.  She licked a lot, and didn't seem traumatized by it, but I didn't want to push her.  She received a lot of praise, and then I left her alone.

I waited two days later and tried again. This time after she licked some toothpaste off my finger I attempted to get more toothpaste smeared on other teeth further back, and in the front.  This was difficult because she just wanted to eat the toothpaste, and lick the air until the taste was gone.  Dog toothpaste is made to taste yummy I guess.  I spent less than three minutes this time, and then praised her and gave her space.

Tonight I let her spend some time licking the toothpaste off my finger, and just enjoy it.  After she was done, I put more toothpaste on my finger and used my other hand to gently open her mouth, praising her for letting me.  I tried to get toothpaste on a small section of her teeth at a time, and then gave her a moment to lick and just enjoy it.  Then I reopened her mouth to try to spread more toothpaste in a different part of her mouth.  I was a little nervous about sticking my finger back into her mouth to reach her molars, but I was successful.  It took about five sessions of opening her mouth, rubbing the paste on a section of her teeth, and then letting her relax and lick it off.

Once she becomes comfortable and familiar with my fingers rubbing the toothpaste on her teeth I will try the toothbrush.  If she has a negative response I will go back to using my finger.  The important thing to remember is patience and consistency will bring about the best results.

Here is a link with more information about dental care for greyhounds.

 Greyhound Dental Care Information

Winnie in the back of the VWBug. Our first day with our sweet little girl. She was so shy.