Pointy hounds thread! For new, old and prospective owners!

[SpaghettiTwirlerAndProud]

Share stories, advice and ask for help if you need it! There are a few resident hound experts (myself not included) in the doghouse, so, feel free to share! :)

Sprocket's suddenly got a limp on his back left leg, started this morning. He doesn't appear to be in pain or anything, no yelping, whining etc, but he'll limp along, then start hopping, then limping, then hopping and so on and so forth. . . . I've no way of getting him to the vets either as I don't drive and it's about a 25 minute walk. Can't go out either as I'm waiting for the building inspector!

We took Billy when his had gone on for a couple of weeks tbh. I don't know if this was too long though. Have you checked his pads on that foot too? We were told to muzzle him then look carefully between each toe, passing your finger gently around between each pad and over the surface and then squeeze each pad gently to see if there's a reaction as there could be something embedded or a corn growing. Apparently a corn looks like a circle on the pad.

Oh no, poor you! Would some bed rest help him? Whippetty had total bed rest and anti-inflammatories when he was limp.

Oh dear, poor Sprocket. Firstly, check to see if he's got a nut, seed pod, etc stuck inside his paw. If he has an open "hare foot" (like Andy) he will often pick these up. See also if you can see any cuts or grazes (lots of broken glass around). Feel the paw very, very gently and try to identify if any part of it feels very hot or if Sprocket is particularly sensitive when you touch it. If you think he may have a corn (greys and lurcher are the ONLY breed to get them, wouldn't you know ) come back to us - lots of options.

If he's eating and drinking normally then I wouldn't immediately rush him to the vet. Give him a couple of days and see how he gets on. To be honest, if we took ours to the vets every time they had a limp I'd be bankrupt! We know for instance that Andy has a vulnerable back left leg - if the ground is very hard or he's been overdoing it, this is always the leg that he's likely to limp on a bit (we affectionately refer to his "war wound").

If he's not better in a week, then I'd be thinking about the vet, but very often they will just prescribe rest (so different of course to normal greyhound life ), with poss some anti inflammatories.

Andy sends him salutations to a fellow wounded warrior...

Oooh scuttle, Andys back left you say? Sprockets back left too :o he has mostly open toes, except between 2 toes on his front left, they look webbed. I'll have an inspection and report back.

Tbh now I think about it, he's probably got a crumb in it his bed is rather crumby, I always leave him a biscuit on his bed at night so when he gets up the stairs to his bed there's a bonio waiting for him. Kind of a 'congratulations on getting up the stairs' prize :o

Ok had an inspection, there looks to be a cut or sore bit on the bottom of a toe, in between the main pad and the toe pad iyswim? Can't tell if it is a cut or a sore though, I think it's a cunt.

Have uploaded 2 pics to fb, so you guys can see it too. The one of the cut/sore is a bit blurry but the best I could get, the one of his paw is good though, the reason for the one of the paw is there is a circley thing there but I'm not sure what I'm looking at :o

CUT!!! I think it's a CUT! Not cunt

Looks like, ahem, a CUT!!!! Arf at Spag's spelling!!!

Warm salt water, dip his paw in, and lots and lots of TLC. Keep an eye on it and as long as he's healing cleanly all is well. Any sign of heat, or infection, off to the vet for the dreaded silver spray

Am also impressed at the idea of a greyhound being such a wuss as to get an injury from a biscuit crumb - that's quite amazingly high maintenance!!!

Andy says "Chicks love scars" so once it is healed you will be able to tell lots of stories about your adventures...

Well between your toes would be an awful place to get a biscuit crumb stuck. Especially if your inbetween bits are as deep as a greyhounds are :o

He keeps giving me sad eyes and 'woe is me' looks. Bless him. He's had one or two extra treats slipped to him today. Will bathe his paw first thing tomorrow, he's all snuggled up in bed now.

He'll have a good story to tell to the pretty brindle girl round the corner then, she's 9, he likes an older woman :o

Ha ha. Just as well it appears to be a cut. Going to the vet with the other on his foot really would be an eyebrow raiser!!

Dog behaviour question. We met a Staffy today on our walk - the owner saw Billy on the lead and put her on. As we got closer I gave him a wave and said thank you and we stopped for a chat. He told me how his girl was v friendly but as a courtesy he'd put her on the lead (nice.) Billy looked quite interested, quiet and friendly but started growling and barking at her as he got closer. Obviously she wasn't pleased. We said our goodbyes!

Given his first reaction, do you think he wanted to say hi but just didn't know how? It's as though he wants to approach other dogs but doesn't quite know the friendly thing isn't to bark and growl? His play with us is very barky and snappy but all playful.

Oh, and look. ^ Not wanting to be an anxious organiser we are, err, approaching thread limit.

Haaaaa, well this is the last thread I thought I'd here language like that Poor puppies with their sore paws.

Goodness a whole thread already, people will accuse us of being a quiche.

I love brindle pointys, didn't think I would until I saw a puppy and nearly ran away with he was so cute.

NotMost I was sooo embarrassed for that reason. What a cliche, the dog eating the Easter chocolate, probably think I'm an idiot owner. Actually I probably am

If it's a wee cut or sore then washing it with a bit of hibscrub then drying it carefully should help. I love Hibiscrub as it seems to help all sorts of wee cuts, grazes and scratches heal on the whippet and the child. Also good for those tiny blisters they get on their tummies sometimes after running in long grass.

Hibiscrub is avaiable in most chemists, Boots etc if you ask and should imho be part of every lurcher owners 1st aid kit.

Hibiscrub? I'll find some if I manage to get in town today, we're expecting building inspector again and building materials at some point today. They can't be more specific than at some point

So. As we're on 941 posts, ideas for new thread titles are now being accepted :o

Wtf is a quiche? Apart from the pastry thing with egg amd other stuff in.

Scuttle you mentioned your girl is small yes? Small enough for this? it might take you to the mobile site though as I did it on my phone.

Ooooh they do bigger ones too if you fancy some for the boys :o

Ooh, Spag, yes, that does look v promising.... And I could make a nice cover for it too.

How is Sprocket this morning? No more confectionary based injuries? I told DH about him last night just as he was taking our three out into the garden for their last wee before bed - I could hear him roaring with laughter as I went upstairs.

Quiche is from out there (wafts hands in direction of main MN) it's what they call cliques because they are all very witty . You've got the wolefs and the nobdies, all that sort of thing.

I don't think whippety pup is ever going to grow into his ears. If anything they appear to be growing faster than him. I suppose I could use him as a radar dish if the zombie plan ever need implementing. I gave him half a lambs heart this morning (raw) and he loves me even more than ever. No biscuit crumb related incidents here, he can be very snooty about dried treats (I have created a monster ) Hope the sore paws are feeling better today.

I can't help feeling that a quiche isn't a very pointy sort of clique to have. The best collective noun I can think of for a group of pointy lovers is a "cushion" . Or possibly a "martingale".

Lost, I love the idea of whippy as radar dish.

Spag, I have discussed your cunning plan of the memory foam offcut with DH (who is away working this week) - he likes the idea, and thinks this is worthy of progression - thank you! This also gives me the perfect excuse to go and buy some nice fabric. I was thinking of some Amy Butler (as here )

Sprocket seems very well today, very slight limp and no hopping. He's been very brave.

Scuttle You're very welcome wrt the foam, and I thought that as it's literally just the foam you can have any kind of cover you want! I'm going to get Sprocket some soon if I get a refund, his £24.99 bed off ebay has a hole already, just sent the company some photos of it and they're going to decide what to do. I'll have to chat my grandma up to make a cover for it though :o

How about a pointy sofa?

Lovely fabric btw :)

Glad to hear Sprocket is feeling better

I love love love the idea of the collective noun for pointies being a cushion... Or perhaps a sofa?

Like the fabric Scuttle, lovely

A cushion of pointy lovers, perfect.

Well I am reaping the rewards of giving whippety pup a lamb heart as a treat

The first time I gave whippetty heart for a treat, he literally shook in anticipation! He was hyper for a couple of hours afterwards (and I think that takes some doing from a lazy pointy).