Frequently Asked Questions

Greyhound Newsletters  

Serving areas
throughout California
and Las Vegas

Toll-free 1-877 GR8TDOG
(478-8364)

Greyhound
Adoption Center
P.O. Box 2433
La Mesa, CA
91943-2433

Barbiturates
Due to their low percentage of body fat, greyhounds cannot tolerate barbiturate anesthesia. Talk to your veterinarian about anesthesia before your greyhound's first surgery. Most modern veterinary hospitals will be using the anesthetic gases Isoflurane or Halothane. These are safe for greyhounds, as are most other non-barbiturate anesthetic drugs.

Andes, the greyhound, adopted after his recovery.

Hyperthermia
A rare and potentially lethal condition related to anesthesia is hyperthermia, which seems to affect mostly extremely shy or nervous greyhounds, but can happen to any dog. Following routine anesthesia, an affected greyhound will develop a high internal body temperature. If this goes untreated, serious complications can arise. The veterinarian may need to treat such a dog with I.V. fluids, corticosteroids, muscle relaxants and external cooling in order to return the dog to a normal body temperature. Owners of greyhounds may want to mention this possibility to their veterinarian prior to surgery, so that the greyhound can be monitored carefully after the procedure.

Acepromazine
Acepromazine is a tranquilizer commonly prescribed by veterinarians to help with anxiety caused by travel, thunderstorms or fireworks, and often used with anesthesia. Again, because greyhounds metabolize differently, they may overreact to a dose that another breed might handle quite well. The oral dose that most veterinarians give for a cat -- about 10 milligrams -- will easily keep most greyhounds woozy for up to 12 hours. (A German shepherd who weighs the same as a greyhound might be given 25 to 50 milligrams.) A little Acepromazine goes a long way with most greyhounds, and veterinarians need to know that in order to use the drug safely.

Hypothyroidism
Many greyhounds are low in thyroid hormone output and will need thyroid supplementation for the rest of their lives. The condition is diagnosed through blood tests. We have found that the best medication to use is the brand-name drug Soloxine, as some greyhounds will not respond well to generic thyroid supplements. Any dog who needs thyroid supplementation will need periodic retesting to make sure the blood levels are remaining stable. Hypothyroid dogs who do not receive their medication can be slow to heal, have poor appetites, get more infections, and even have trouble with decreased ability to clot after being cut or having surgery.

Bone cancer
Bone cancer, or osteosarcoma, can be seen in any breed of dog but seems to occur more frequently in greyhounds than in many other breeds, particularly as the dogs age. While we do not have statistics or hard facts, our anecdotal experience tells us osteosarcoma in greyhounds is an all-too-common occurrence. Pain and unexplained lameness or limping are early warning signs. Obviously, many things besides cancer can cause these signs, but a persistent lameness will warrant an examination by your veterinarian and, most likely, radiographs.

Dental disease
Racing greyhounds generally have had no dental care and the track diet encourages the build-up of tarter. While our program does cleaning, polishing, and extractions before a greyhound is adopted, it is important that you follow up with regular dental care. Some greyhounds will have great teeth when they're adopted, while others will have ongoing problems. Talk to your veterinarian about the best way to maintain your greyhound's dental health.

Skin tears
Greyhounds are famous for their thin, elastic skin. What starts out as a small tear or dime-sized puncture wound can quickly become many times larger. Known among owners as "The Broken Zipper Syndrome," sutures are often needed for cuts that, in another breed, would be treated with love and Neosporin.