had one accident in the house.
Stuart built some swing gates across the end of the hall leading into conservatory so our bed and breakfast guests can wander in and out the house and we don't have to worry about them leaving the door open and one of our Greyhounds going out through it. When our guests go in the hall Jane, and the others are there wanting to say hello and for a stroke. Jane this afternoon stood there for ages being stroked by our guests and each time they stopped she looked at them with her very pretty face saying 'don't stop, I like that' - she would stay there all day getting that sort of attention - she is just so sweet. People are surprised when we say she is only 18 months old as she acts quite mature for her age and doesn't appear to have that giddy element Greyhounds of that age often have, or anyway not yet!
16th October 2008
This morning we took Jane to the vet to be spayed where she weighed in at 60 lbs (27.35k). The vet checked her over then gave her the routine injection prior to the operation. Jane did not like that injection and fought against it. After the second time of trying we put a soft nylon muzzle on her because she was waving her head about trying to get away and we didn't want an accidental nip. It also meant I could hold her close to my legs whilst the vet gave her the injection very quickly.
The vet phoned at 1pm to say the operation had gone well and we could collect her at 4.pm. I was about to leave at 3.20pm to pick her up when the vet phoned again saying they wanted to keep her in a little longer because when they stood her up to check her prior to us collecting her they found blood dripping from the wound. It wasn't a lot but the vet wanted to keep her in a little longer to monitor the situation.
At 4.20 pm the vet phoned again to say that because Jane has such a low pain threshold they'd topped up her pain relief medication and the bandage that had been on her the past hour was still filling with blood. It wasn't a lot, just dripping but enough for the vet to request they put her back under anaesthetic to open her back up again to see what the problem was. An hour later the vet phoned again to say that the area where she was spayed was all okay and the bleeding seems to be the area they cut as they went in to do the operation. The vet was concerned there may be a clotting problem because when they tested a blood sample, which should have clotted after 5 minutes it still hadn't done so after 10 minutes. The vet took a sample of blood so if there was a problem with her during the night they would have a sample to test against.
It was thought the best place for Jane was here at home tonight because of what she'd been through so we collected her at 7.45pm with instructions to watch the bleeding in the pad and to keep an eye on her gums - they should remain pink. If they change from pink then she is loosing too much blood and may need a blood transfusion so we were to ring the vet straight away if we were worried. The vet also suggested that when Jane is re-homed her new vet may want to do a 'clotting profile' before any operation he or she does to reduce the risk of this happening again.
When we collected Jane we walked her over the road to the grass to see if she wanted to relieve herself before driving home but she didn't want to do anything. She stood in the car all the way home then remained standing in the living room until about 10pm when she finally lay on the floor a while before getting up again.
17th October 2008
Last night went well until 4 am when Bobby woke us with a bark wanting to go out. Jane followed him and to our relief did a wee on the gravel. Back inside Bobby went back to his bed but I couldn't get Jane to settle as she wouldn't lay down and kept pacing the place so I woke Stuart who scooped her up and lay her down on her side on her bed then we covered her with a light blanket.
18th October 2008
Jane slept well last night and ate a good breakfast this morning with her Metacam on the top after standing watching me prepare it with those beautiful eyes of hers. She's really patient as she waits for her meals, never tries to steal anything and knows that her dish goes on the step in the kitchen. She's a really good little eater!
The plaster over her stitches was very red with blood and she keeps trying to scratch it with her back leg so we were glad to be taking her to the vet at lunch time to have it checked. In the vet's waiting room she said hello to a young labrador and they were fine. Thankfully, we saw the same vet who operated on her so she knew the history. Even though the vet used a special spray to help remove the plaster Jane wasn't happy at all whilst it was being removed so we put the soft nylon muzzle on her and, because she wouldn't stand still to have it removed Stuart scooped her up and lay her on the examination table where I held her front end, Stuart held her back end and the vet took the plaster off. Although the plaster looked full of blood we were gratefully surprised to see the wound nice and dry and healing. I remember the vet telling me about the plaster with another Greyhound we took in. It is a special plaster that absorbs the fluid and retains it (it holds about 5ml in total before it starts seeping through the seams) but the surface remains dry so as to assist the healing. The vet said to give her Metacam for five days then half the dose for a couple of days after that. She also mentioned the reason Jane wouldn't lay down last night was because with dogs who have a low pain threshold they are frightened to move in case it hurts them so they remain standing until their legs almost give way under them. We didn't realise this before but I think in a way we worked it out and hence the reason for Stuart lifting her and laying her on her bed. Jane is very bruised in the area of her wound but around her stitches were beginning to heal nicely. She seemed much happier at having it removed but during the day we had to watch she didn't try licking it. However, a firm 'leave' did the trick each time but if I went upstairs and Stuart was outside we put the muzzle on her so she didn't try licking it when we were not around.
After tea this evening she and the others had about half an hour walk which she seemed to enjoy then settled in the living room for the rest of the evening.
22nd October 2008
This morning Jane's new owner came to adopt her and has already mad an appointment next Monday with her vet for her stitches being removed. As we expected She fell in love with Jane the moment she saw her and when it was time to take her to her new home she walked by my side along the drive to the car and I lifted her in the back as the vehicle was quite high. It was very sad to see her going so soon as she is such a beautiful little girl but we are sure she will have a long and happy life with her new owner in the Haverigg area and, hopefully we shall see her at one of the Greyhound events in the future.
23rd October 2008
This lunch time we phoned to see how Jane was and as we expected she's been no trouble at all, Slept well last night, is eating well and she's already met some of the dogs in the area and said hello. The grandchildren have fallen in love with her and taken pictures of her into school to show everyone, she's met her new owner's daughter's Collie called Pip and she's been for a long walk along the beach.
28th October 2008
Jane has now been renamed Jen because her new owner has a daughter called Jane so it became confusing. She went to the vet yesterday and had her stitches removed and was microchipped. Fore warned about the problem our vet had trying to give her an injection the vet did it quick before she even knew it had happened. She loves the beach (still on the lead), met loads of dogs, is admired by everyone - they all want to take her home and everyone loves her to bits! She runs with Pip in her owner's daughter's paddock but she doesn't quite know what to make of the chickens!!
6th February 2010
We've just heard the sad news that Jen's owner suddenly passed away on the 17th January 2010 and since then Jen has been living with her owner's daughter's family and their dogs. However, Jen has been suffering separation anxiety from her owner's sudden departure, is not being accepted by one of the resident dogs and she's not been eating properly. Although the family wanted to keep Jen they decided it was in Jen's best interest to go to another home.
The lady who adopted Jack, who was sadly died following an illness twelve months ago and who has a whippet called Millie and two greyhounds called Major and Skye heard about Jen and wanted to adopt her and we have just been told she arrived yesterday morning.
Jen apparently walked in the front door and had an accident on the rug then she wandered around looking for food and found some the others had left. Major and Skye were out walking when she arrived so she said hello to Millie the whippet and then to the greyhounds once they returned. They gave her a bowl of complete chicken greyhound mix at about 1pm then a another meal at 7pm. Because of all the recent upset Jen apparently looks a bit on the thin side, which was an earlier concern and her new owner was worried that she was unsteady on her legs, but when she phoned today to let me know she had Jen she said she was fine this morning so it was probably nerves. However, an appointment has been made with the vet for Monday to register her and have a check up. They tried coaching her onto the settee last night but she wouldn't go and during her walk she did her toilet, which was a good sign and she asked to go in the garden again later on. She has met Faun the greyhound from across the road and Lucy and Peggy from down the road so she will have plenty of friends to go walking with. They were hoping to get Jen upstairs with them all last night and the only way they managed was by leaving a trail of Hobnob biscuits into their bedroom, however, this morning she was on her own bed downstairs.
This morning when her new owner phoned me she said Jen seemed less stressed today so the problems yesterday were probably nerves. This morning she has been following Major like a shadow but they had a small problem when she was fed because she gulped it down so fast then was sick, so they are going to feed her smaller portions four times a day for a couple of days, then three times a day for a couple of days to brings her back to her normal two feeds a day. With Major being the laid back greyhound that he is it won't take long for Jen to relax and become her happy self again and with her not being far from us we hope we shall be able to see her again before too long.
10th February 2010
Jen's new owner brought her, Major and Skye over to see us. We haven't seen Jen since she was rehomed in October 2008 so it was lovely to see her again. She had a toothmark on her chest where last night she walked past Skye in her bed and disturbed her. Skye being woken all of a sudden jumped up and caught Jen. Jen needed a trip to the vet who said that although it was dripping a bit it would be okay and put her on antibiotics to be on the safe side. Skye knew she had done wrong and has been looking sorry for herself ever since and keeps going to Jen for a lick, but Jen was keeping away from her today, which is understandable and wil only be temporary.
18th February 2010
Received an email this evening letting us know that Jenny's new owners have taught her to give them a paw when she gets a treat, and since she's learnt it she's sat on the chair waving her paw around all day hoping she'll be constantly fed treats!
29th May 2010
We received a surprise visit from Jenny and her owners this afternoon while out in their new car, which they purchased because they struggled to get all the dogs and children in their other one. Although they didn't come in Jenny, Major and Skye got out the car and said hello. Jenny looked well as did the others and Millie their whippet stayed in the car on the back seat.