FOO News

[davidc4430]

As can be seen in the photo, Foo has had a blood test done today.

i noticed a swelling on his snout on friday morning so took him in to the vets friday afternoon.

the swelling is thought to be a tooth abcese.

whilst at the vets the vet noticed looking at Foos weight he had lost over 2 kilos since last december and about 5 kilos in a year!

hence the blood test, i will get the results tomorrow afternoon.

hes on anti biotics for his swelling and its allready gone down since friday.

the vet his holding off on the tooth problem until she gets the results from the blood test.

hes 11 years old, i'm not panicing but i am worried.

fingers crossed its not what it might be, cant even say it.

[not_for_sale2024]

David, it may not be a bad idea to keep notes on the changes you make to Foo's diet. This would allow the vet to calculate if any change in weight since the last visit may be to due to the changes. It might also assist the vet to formulate an opinion on a balanced diet for Foo, given his age.

While I know it is apples and oranges, my cat is the same age as Foo and developed a problem with food containing grain just a couple of years ago. He lost weight too. After switching to grain free food, he put the weight back on and his health improved out of sight. So dietary needs can change with age with some cats and dogs.

[davidc4430]

true, maybe a change in his diet is required, hes been on pretty much the same food for years as i was under the impression that dogs are best on a diet without change to keep they system from getting upset.

unlike cats who get bored with the same food all the time. i know with rosie she would 'go off' a partcular food if she had it too often but since i started changing it every meal, i rotate 3 different flavors. shes been a happy camper at both ends.

when i first got Foo i was giving him something different often and he would have the runs often too! so somewhere in the literature i recieved from the greyhound people i think it said keep him on a pretty same same diet. maybe ive taken it a little too literal?

he has the same kibble 'Supercoat Large Breed' and 'Pedigree Lamb Pasta and Veg' tinned. every meal

with treats in between, Smakos Beef strips (i have to break them up into small bits now cos loss of teeth)

and pieces of roast chicken meat, or some meat things called 'chunkers' you get in the pets meats section at the supermarket, looks like little meat balls.

when he goes outside for a pee he gets a treat on coming back inside, thats several times a day.

[davidc4430]

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@imastawkawrote:

I see Petbarn is offering up to 30% off for pet food.

That science diet food is still an arm and a leg though

https://www.ebay.com.au/rpp/sales/Petbarn-Pet-Supplies-11042018/food

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it would be handy if one of these large pet stores opened up near here as delivery is very expensive to country areas.

[davidc4430]

https://www.petcircle.com.au/product/hills-canine-adult-large-breed-mature/10338hg

this is the best price i can find with free delivery if you spend over $29

[davidc4430]

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@davidc4430wrote:

https://www.petcircle.com.au/product/hills-canine-adult-large-breed-mature/10338hg

this is the best price i can find with free delivery if you spend over $29

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of course its unless he must go an a wet diet only.

[not_for_sale2024]

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@davidc4430wrote:

true, maybe a change in his diet is required, hes been on pretty much the same food for years as i was under the impression that dogs are best on a diet without change to keep they system from getting upset.

unlike cats who get bored with the same food all the time. i know with rosie she would 'go off' a partcular food if she had it too often but since i started changing it every meal, i rotate 3 different flavors. shes been a happy camper at both ends.

when i first got Foo i was giving him something different often and he would have the runs often too! so somewhere in the literature i recieved from the greyhound people i think it said keep him on a pretty same same diet. maybe ive taken it a little too literal?

he has the same kibble 'Supercoat Large Breed' and 'Pedigree Lamb Pasta and Veg' tinned. every meal

with treats in between, Smakos Beef strips (i have to break them up into small bits now cos loss of teeth)

and pieces of roast chicken meat, or some meat things called 'chunkers' you get in the pets meats section at the supermarket, looks like little meat balls.

when he goes outside for a pee he gets a treat on coming back inside, thats several times a day.

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Again, I realise I am referring to my 'cat', but when he was 8 - 9 years old he developed bad mouth, throat and dental problems and started to lose weight. The vet eventually explained that with ageing he had developed a kind of allergy to any food with grain in it. The problem was that most of the really tasty foods in supermarkets are full of grain. Eventually I tracked down a number of grain free foods that he likes and now he is healthy and happy. The main thing I learned is that like us, our pets' tolerance to certain food incredients can change with ageing.

[davidc4430]

Foo's teeth were not great when i got him.i think maybe the diet he was on during competition wasnt the best for teeth but why would trainers worry about teeth when they will not have the dog if and when troubles start.

i think at past 4 for a racer is quite old. its a very hard life.

he has a large spot on his side where there is no hair, i'm guessing from a serious racing misshap.

plus lots of little scars on his legs.

battle wounds?

back then was well before the 'live baiting' scandel and for a racer to be rehomed was not as common as today.

i know Foo was at the south australian veternarian training school before GAP SA got him and then i got him.

i cant be sure but had it not been for his absolutly placid nature he may well have been put to sleep and used for training.

i think someone said 'this dog is too good to do that to'.

and so he was handed to GAP and i was lucky to be next in line.

its amazing really he got to this age before requiring major extractions.

he had a couple of teeth removed about a year or 2 after i got him and its been under control until last year when he got an abces around late october. thats when it was decided to remove quite a few in december. they had planned on removing one of his canines then but decided to leave it until he healed.

the one giving problems now is actually the one on the oposite side, but all going well they will remove both this time.

not many left in there now.

[not_for_sale2024]

It seems to me that you two were destined to be with each other. It's nice to share ageing with a true friend.

[lyndal1838]

I hope Foo gets a good report from the Vet today David.

Please come in and let us know as soon as you can.

[davidc4430]

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@lyndal1838wrote:

I hope Foo gets a good report from the Vet today David.

Please come in and let us know as soon as you can.

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Just got home from dropping FOO off for his dental work.

had a good talk with the vet about his weight and i will be changing his diet once hes recovered from the teeth out.

ive ordered a bag of ADVANCED ADULT MATURE dry dog food and will be going off tinned food to a prepared mince veg mixture.

the vet says there is no signs of anything beyond diet for his weight loss so a diet with more 'body' in it should help.

time will tell.

the stuff you get at supermarkets is fine for young/middleage dogs but very young and very old require better quality.

anyway, pick him up after 2pm unless i get a call with any other news.