Fife Greys Forum
This is the place to chat about your rescued Greyhound.
Today I received Booker's ashes and the autopsy report posted below, both the translated and original version.
I quite liked the little wooden box it came in. Somehow it was less sad than if it had been a more traditional urn. I can't explain it.
Rest in peace Booker
Again I had a long conversation with the head vet, Esteban. They have been very good throughout this. The report is somewhat inconclusive in the sense that they cannot confirm the exact cause of death, only speculate. His heart was in good health and they did not find toxins that would have cause this. There were liquid in his lungs causing the breathing problems and eventually respiratory and heart failure, which points to an allergic reaction to the anaesthetics, but again, this was not confirmed or ruled out.
I told him that I could not shake the feeling that had a better job been done during the first consultation, he would still be alive today. He said that had it been him, he would have cut out more of the damaged skin around the wound. In fact, Greg says that nothing was cut off at the first visit, just stitched together. I was also told that the vet who performed the second procedure, was one of their most experienced and best vets at this clinic. She had used a different anaesthetic than what she would normally have used. I think it was of a lesser quality, but I cannot be sure. Nevertheless, it is not an usual drug and it should have been save, especially given that the dosage was fairly low for a 40kg animal. (according to my vet in Glasgow who operated on Tula)
When asked why she had chosen to use this drug, she said that it was the same drug that had been used the first time and as it had been no indication of any reactions, she had decided to proceed with what was thought to the safest option. By all accounts it should have been and we do not blame here for this. I can only speculate that maybe the smaller dose the first time as he was only sedated was not enough to trigger a reaction big enough to detect.
It is never just one thing that causes an accident or incident. This one started with a dog off the lead... My only advice to everyone, including me, is that no matter how tempting it could be to let your dog teach an attacking/annoying dog off the lead a lesson, don't. The end result could very easily be the same as with Booker. In our case it was unpreventable, but we still can't help to wonder if we failed in our task to protect him.
Here is the report:
Translation
Medical record
He Comes in for a bite wound in right forelimb. These conventional manner. Subsequently therapy requires additional local wound complications. Is anesthetized (0.3 ml IM Sedastart Turbogesic +0.4 ml +5 ml IM IV midazolam, propofol and isoflurane IV 5 ml). After 15 minutes of intervention awakening comes slow and irregular breathing, oxygen remained intubated until recovery, after which remains hospitaliazed. Metacam administered. About two hours after entering tachycardia, respiratory distress and two cardiac arrests.
Macroscopic study
External review: animal in good body condition. Present-subcutaneous skin lesion in right humeral region.
The subcutaneous tissue examination reveals no significant gross abnormalities.
Abdominal cavity: congestive general appearance of various abdominal organs. A gastrointestinal opening is
observed absence of stomach contents.
Thoracic cavity: incomplete retraction of both lungs, congestive appearance and content of tracheobronchial
sparkling clear. No abnormalities are seen cardiac profile.
Cranial cavity: no significant gross changes are seen.
Microscopic study
Histological examination of various organs and tissues only reveals varying degrees of congestion and edema,
especially in the lung parenchyma and small foci of petechial hemorrhage diapédica,
primarily in kidney, lung and thymic area, in the absence of evidential vasculopathy.
The humeral region reveals skin dermal necrosis and inflammatory infiltration with cavitation intense neutrophilic type
degenerate and histiocytic reactive.
Diagnosis
Acute cardiorespiratory failure.
Observations
We did not detect focal or generalized primary lesions themselves justifying the death.
Discarded possible illnesses relatable to an adverse reaction to anesthesia (heart,
liver disease, systemic disease), the cause of death would likely idiosyncratic adverse reaction, no
Predictably, to the anesthetic.
On the possibility of sepsis or endotoxemia derived from the skin lesion as triggering or aggravating
the clinical picture, it is not possible to confirm or deny it. In sudden death processes with time evolution
is often very small tissues reveal no significant or specific pathological changes.
Informe Necropsia
SALA GORON
C/ Espalter, 22
08870 - Sitges (Barcelona)
Fecha de entrada Especie
Edad
Nombre animal
Historia Clínica
Tel: 938940108
Fax: 938945600
Email: hvsalagoron@telefonica.net
13/09/2012 Canina
5,5 años Booker
Informe no Raza Sexo Propietario
A/46275 Grey Hound Macho {C} Greg Moore
Acude a consulta por herida por mordedura en extremidad anterior derecha. Se trata de forma convencional. Posteriormente requiere terapia adicional por complicación local de la herida. Se aplica anestesia (0,3 ml IM de Sedastart+0,4 ml IM de Turbogesic+5 ml IV de Midazolan, Propofol 5 ml IV e Isofluorano). Tras 15 minutos de intervención el despertar se presenta lento y con respiración irregular, manteniéndose intubado con oxígeno hasta su recuperación, tras lo cual se mantiene hospitaliazo. Se administra Metacam. Unas dos horas despues entra en taquicardia, dificultad respiratoria y dos paradas cardíacas.
Estudio macroscópico
Examen externo: animal en buena condición corporal. Presenta lesión cutánea-subcutánea en región humeral derecha. El examen de tejidos subcutáneos no revela anomalías macroscópicas significativas.
Cavidad abdominal: aspecto general congestivo de los diversos órganos abdominales. A la apertura gastrointestinal, se aprecia ausencia de contenido estomacal.
Cavidad torácica: retracción incompleta de ambos pulmones, de aspecto congestivo y contenido traqueobronquial espumoso claro. No se aprecian anomalías del perfil cardíaco.
Cavidad craneal: no se aprecian alteraciones macroscópicas significativas.
Estudio microscópico
El examen histológico de diferentes órganos y tejidos revela únicamente diversos grados de congestión y edema, especialmente en el parénquima pulmonar, así como pequeños focos de hemorragia petequial diapédica, principalmente en riñones, pulmón y área timica, en ausencia de vasculopatía evidenciable.
La región cutánea humeral revela necrosis dérmica con cavitación e infiltración inflamatoria intensa de tipo neutrofílico degenerado e histiocítico reactivo.
Diagnóstico
Insuficiencia cardiorrespiratoria aguda.
Observaciones
No detectamos lesiones primarias focales o generalizadas que justifiquen por sí mismas la muerte del paciente. Descartadas las posibles enfermedades relacionables con una reacción adversa a una anestesia (cardiopatía, hepatopatía, enfermedad sistémica), la causa de muerte probable sería una reacción adversa idiosincrásica, no previsible, al anestésico.
Sobre la posibilidad de una septicemia o endotoxemia derivada de la lesión cutánea como desencadenante o agravante del cuadro clínico, no es posible confirmarla o desmentirla. En procesos de muerte súbita o con tiempos de evolución muy reducidos es frecuente que los tejidos no revelen cambios patológicos significativos o específicos.
firmado:
Citopat
Citopat Veterinaria - www.citopatveterinaria.com - C/ Font del Remei 28-30, bjs. - 08023 Barcelona - Tels: 93 213 68 13 , 93 285 20 91
Hi
I hope you all enjoyed todays walk. I am just in from a 45 min moring walk with Tula. She had her breakfast and now she has gone back to bed.
Yesterday we went to an annual dog show in Barcelona hosted by animal welfare organisations. SOS Galgos was present there which is why went. We wanted to make "seek out new life forms" and "make first contact".... And before you ask, we did not come home a Galgo.
We thought about bringing Tula along, but decided against it as not only did we not know what to expect, but she generally does not like too much commotion and loud noises around her. And I am sure she would not have liked train and Metro we used to get there. As it happened, it was the right decision. It was absolutely chock a block with people and their dogs, many small ones.
Thee were quite a few Galgos there. They are tiny compared to Booker and Tula, except for one. I could not decide if he was bigger than Booker or not. he was there with his owner. It was the fattest Greyhound/Galgo I had ever seen. Looked like a Barrel... He was a happy dog though, wagging his tail and saying hello to everyone.
The one that broke our hearts was 4-5 year old brindle taken from a Gypsy camp. It hid in the corner behind a 2 year old from the same camp. They were from different families, but recognised each other. He was terrified and constantly shaking, trembling every time someone lifted their hand.
I think in little over a week, when I get back from my next trip away, we are going to take Tula there to meet some of the Galgos and see how it goes.
We got home about an hour and a half after her normal feeding time, needless to say, she was happy to see us. In the middle of our bed was big nest, still warm... There were no accidents inside. Booker was the one who could never hold his "liquor"... 
Tomorrow I will be back home after a few days away again. Greg has kept me posted about Tula. She spends her time in bed with him or alone, or on the couch with her head in his lap, usually on her back getting her belly rubbed. She does not take kindly to any interruption in the belly rubbing...
On this trip I have spent a lot of times in the evening reading through Booker and Tula's thread. All the memories has been poring in. It has been good and sad at the same time. I have also read through the article in the Sep newsletter a few times. I like reading it all as the memories are so great.
It won't be too long before we have another companion for us all. 
WOW, 20000 hits on this thread. Thank you everyone for all the interest in our stories and of course all the support over the last few weeks. I have not written for a while because not only do I get overwhelmed with emotions, but I also do not want to bombard you all with it either.
That being said, Booker is still very much part of us and we talk about hime every day, although the manner in which we do so is slowly changing. My screensaver is the photo album of the two of them. The other day I had the computer hooked up to the TV when it came on and I found myself just sitting there watching the slides go by, glancing over at a wooden box on the shelf. I can't help but wonder how a small wooden box is all that's left of him and everything that he was. But then I realise that it is not. It's only a representation. Booker and all that he was, his happiness, cheekiness, and love of life and us is all contained in our hearts and memories.
As I said before, when we walked them, it just so happened that I walked Booker and Greg walked Tula. Now we share of course. But as Tula is now the only dog I walk, I constantly notices small differences in their behaviour during the walk. Things you would not notice when walking both together as that was another different scenario. Small things, like walking past a pole. Booker had a tendency to panic when the lead pulled him back unexpectedly, like walking past a pole. He very quickly learned to make sure he passed the pole on the same side as we did. To the point where he would stop and hurry back around if he had gotten slightly ahead and saw me passing on the other side. He got very skill full at this. Tula has not really developed that tactic to the same degree, but she was never as panicky.
Tula seems to have fully recovered. She does not seem to mind having all the attention to herself. She has created a big fluffy nest from the two duvets on their "double" bed. The nest gets moved around and reworked every night... During the night she prefers to stay there rather than in our bed with us. A good thing I suppose although I am always a little disappointed when I try to call her up and she just goes to her own bed... When I am away she stays all night in bed with Greg.Not that I am jealous or anything... 
The other day she spotted a squirrel outside. She was out in a flash and stood up against the tree where it was. I must try to get a pic of this sometime. Three days ago I walked her at 0600 in the morning before leaving for work. She spotted a cat and that was that. The rest of the walk she was in "hunting mode" and she almost got back home before she finally did was she was meant to do. So much for fresh morning air...
Remember the little dog that we found in our garden a while back? About a week ago we came across her again right after we had left house for a walk. She wanted to go straight up to Tula. Tula behaved, but her ears were perked up and she did this quick lick around her nose, telling us that she was "weighing" her options...
The dogs name is FLORA and she is a gorgeous and sweet little thing. I took her back to the house to get a lead while Greg stayed with Tula. That was a mistake that I will come back to. We then walked her up the hill to her own house and the 5 hunting dogs she lives with. The guy was apologetic and told us that she runs away all the time and then the various neighbours bring her back. He then proceeded to ask us we wanted her.... As it turns out, he had rescued her from the street where she had been abandoned. Shortly after he rescued her, she had 8 puppies... He was able to give them all away and he had Flora spayed and given all the vaccinations.
Yesterday afternoon while Tula was upstairs sleeping Flora suddenly came walking in to our living room. Greg told me he was surprised when she suddenly came walking in. We have no idea where she came in to the garden as I walked the perimeter after the first time we encountered her and plugged what I thought to be the only place she could have come in. Greg quickly took her out and closed big window door to the front where she had come. Tula must have heard something because she came downstairs. Greg said it was a sorry sight as Flora was laying outside in the rain , but under cover, and looking in at them. When Tula saw Flora she was straight to the window with a wagging tail. We don't know if it was because she was exited or if she was happy to see Flora.
I think Flora came back to the house because I had taken her back there to get the lead a few days earlier.That was my mistake.
When Greg left Tula at home and walked Flora up the hill, Tula was Howling away, not happy to be left home while Greg walked off with another dog. He said he could hear her howling half way up the street, about 200 yards away. The owner said to Greg as well that we could take her if we wanted to...
We don't think a terrier is right for Tula. We don't even know if it would be safe. At the moment we think not. Besides, Flora already have a happy home where she is well looked after. We would rather take in a homeless dog, but now we have to be on constant alert for when she comes back again as we are sure she will. We have decided that when I am back we will have to do a proper supervised and controlled introduction between the two of them , do a couple of walks together and see how they get along. At least this minimise the chance of a violent encounter next Flora comes strolling unannounced in to our house. 
Mike, my boyfriend, has a Jack Russel (the lovely Charlie), and we had to be careful when he met Bryn (who already had an ASBO when he came to us) and Foxy (who is just a minx and will 'nip' any dog that she considers deserving of such punishment). They are now just fine together and can be left in the car or in the house with no concerns. As you say, the answer is patience until the 'interloper' is recognised as one of the pack.
It seems to me that Flora may have designs on joining your family, even if you don't currently share them, and terriers can be very determined little characters 
I shall follow developments with interest - you can always have a homeless hound as well!
Good luck with the introductions,
Marion
Don't get too exited. The title is misleading. We have not adopted Flora, nor has she been introduced to Tula yet.
Flora showed up again at our house and was very exited when I opened the door, jumping up on my leg, wagging her tail and licking my hand. She is adorable. I walked her up to her home, but there were no one home, so I lifted her over the fence and sat her down in their garden. 5 seconds later she was out and I was unable to stop her from following me back home...
Celia recently said to me that we would not find another dog to adopt, but that a dog would find us... I wonder...
We left Flora in our garden (Tula was up in bed sleeping) when we left the house for a couple of hours. When we came back, she was gone. We have not seen her since, but I am sure that will change. We have laid Tula's mussel out "in the ready" so next time she shows up we can do the intro. It might be Greg as I am away today for another 6 days.
I did manage to get a couple of pics of her:
Tula has settled in to the quiet life and likes to spend her time either on the couch or on the bed. She gets up for the morning walk and breakfast, but then she is straight back to bed. Sometimes she will lay down on the floor like here were she is resting in front of the fire place. Booker did not like the fire at all, but Tula is not bothered at all.
Tula has found a new way of signalling when she wants something, the question is what. Go out, play, give me a treat...
Usually it's when she wants to go out. It starts by the usual restlessness. The she "assumes the position", always in the same spot, she sits down and just look at us with this very penetrating look. She can stay like this for some time before she gives up and lays down. Normally we take her out when she does this. You all know hot it is: When you got to, you got to go...
Here is the pic:
The house we are inn cools down a bit at night. We tuck her in at night when when we go to bed as well. She seems happy in her bed and generally prefers to stay there until morning when she come up in our bed.. Booker hated to get tucked in and would stand up and get out of the covers before laying back down. Tula on the other hand seems to like it and stays under the cover for most of the night. Here are two pics, one when she was in our bed and the second in her own bed:
And then finally in her own bed. I think she was more comfy here:
She has also gotten in the habit of sticking her head behind our back on the couch. Does she knows she is risking getting crushed?....
Great pics, as ever. Hope you are all well 
I already told you all that we have decided to have another companion for Tula and us. It is only a question of when?
The time is near. I think we are all ready, but will probably wait to the end of the month when I have lots of time off to dedicate to this new task. Anywhere between 1-12 months.
With this in mind we have started the process. Yesterday, on the 18th anniversary since we met, we took Tula to meet on of the possible candidates.
I mentioned him before. It was Nubis from SOS Galgos in Barcelona. He was a lovely and playful gentleman. Veeeeeeery skinny compared to Tula... But ever so slightly taller. He got on well with Tula. She appeared quite happy to be able to socialise with another Greyhound.
We all liked Nubis, but will look at some more candidates before we make a final decision.
SOS Galgos, do not have Kennels. All their dogs are in foster homes until they get rehomed.
Here are 3 pics from our meeting:
Who's the Mama?...
Thanks Steve.
Yes we are well. Hope you like the pics of Tula and Nubis as well. Whoever becomes our new family member, it will be a welcome change. The house is still a quiet place without Booker. We still think about him every day.
The night before we went to see Nubis, I could not sleep, just kept thinking about Booker all night and how the following day represented a change.
I am sure we will love the next one as much, but Booker will always remain "my big boy". Big, strong and fragile at the same time.
Has any else's Greyhound reacted to this years TV advertisement for Sellotape?
It has a dog with squeaky toy in it...
Tula certainly reacted to it, perched up at first then off the couch to look all around the TV:
What was that noise?
Where is it hiding?
As you know, we always give Tula a treat after we have finished our dinner. It will be a couple of small parts of the meat from our dinner. No sauce etc, just the meat, cleaned of for spices etc.
The problem is that she swallows it whole and probably don't taste much. Booker was the same way, so we made them work for it and made sure they got a taste first.
We hold the meat in a loose fist, making them fish it out with. When they got a hold of the bite, we resist a little, so the get more taste while pulling with their front teeth.
Obviously there is only Tula now, but the tradition continuous. Here are some pics of here getting that bite. I wanted to capture how her nose curls up backwards as she presses it against my hand trying to get that peace of meat. I didn't quite get it right.
And finally:
