Category: 2017

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Epilepsy and a Normal Life

I love science. Most of all I like learning about the brain. I am interested in both the psychological and neurologic aspects of the brain. Because dogs learn so quickly and adapt to us I am very interested in applying my human neuroscience knowledge to my dogs. I relish seeing their minds work when I ask them to complete a task.

I became very involved in canine neurology, not by my choosing, a few years ago when Darla was diagnosed with a seizure disorder also known as epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a chronic condition and affects 2.2 million people in the U.S.(4) Working in a neurology practice I encountered patients with epilepsy. I understood the basics but epilepsy is not my passion.

I felt very frustrated when Darla had her first seizure—I knew that we were headed down a long and twisting road, not quite sure what could trigger her next event.

Seizures are caused by deregulation of neuronal activity—Just like our heart; the brain has an electrical circuit. When this circuit is disrupted it can become hyperactive causing deregulation of cellular signals and produce a seizure. This deregulation can be secondary in nature meaning that there is something in the brain causing these changes such as a lesion in the brain, irritation from blood (hemorrhage), increased pressure in the head, infectious, toxic, and metabolic causes. Most often we have no idea why a patient is having seizures and they are diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy or primary epilepsy. The pathophysiologies of canine and human epilepsy are very similar. (2)

I remember the first night Darla had a seizure. She was in the living room lying on the sofa—her normal spot. About 2 AM I was awoken to a loud crash followed by repetitive banging. I jumped out of bed and ran to the noise. I found Darla in-between the sofa and the coffee table having a tonic-clonic or grand-mal seizure.

I am not sure what I felt at that time. I am sure that many other medical providers would agree with the following statement: you don’t feel, you do. I immediately moved the coffee table to keep her head from hitting it and I began to time the event. Her first seizure lasted about 70 seconds. She lost control of her bladder function and created a large amount of foamy saliva. Like most epileptics, Darla was out of it after her seizure. She had no memory of her name and she was very confused—she could barely put one foot in front of the other without falling.

I called the vet and they stated that she did not need to come in immediately as the seizure stopped and as long as her seizure did not last over 2 minutes and her temp remained normal her episode was not an emergency.

In the following days Darla continued to have more seizures—I was terrified that her food, treats, and certain activities were triggering her seizures. I was obsessed with figuring out triggers so I never had to see her suffer from these seizures again.

After Darla continued to have events I knew that she needed an intervention and my vet agreed. I knew that the antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) available to dogs at her time of diagnosis were not nearly as advanced as human drugs and these agents have terrible side effects. I hated to put Darla on one of those agents but I did not have a choice. You see, epilepsy is not just a chronic condition without a cure but it comes with risk of death. (1)  Darla had to receive treatment.

We tried phenobarbital and Darla did not do well with it. She was very lethargic and had some ataxia. I was talking with a training friend when she mentioned a herbal supplement that had been very helpful for other dogs. Fortunately the supplement worked well for Darla. She was able to gradually stop phenobarbital and was very well controlled for about two years on herbs with little to no adverse effects. I was so happy for her.

After having such a good run with herbals Darla deteriorated a few weeks ago. I had been out and came home to a flipped over crate and a post-ictal dog that was acting fruity. She had 4 more seizures over the next 24 hours, some at the vet’s office. While she was at the vet’s office she had one of her worst seizures. They were unable to stop it with Valium and she had to have phenobarbital. The phenobarbital worked to stop her seizures. When Clint picked her up she was so drugged and still post-ictal—she could barely walk.

My vet is really great. She knew that I was not interested in phenobarbital again as a daily treatment and was happy to prescribe us a newer AED. We landed on Keppra. Keppra is more expensive than phenobarbital. We were able to find a coupon that makes it very affordable. It also has to be dosed three times per day, which is hard, but we have a very good dog walker that can come in and give the afternoon dose if we are not home. Even though the dosing is hard to remember and it is an expensive drug we are so happy with how she is doing!

After about one month on Keppra, Darla is back to her fun-loving Sashi-biting self. At first she was a little ataxic but I am not sure it was due to the Keppra. The ataxia could have been from the large dose of Valium and phenobarbital she was given for seizure abortion, this cleared up about three days after she started the Keppra. She did have some loss of appetite at first but after about 2-3 weeks she was back on her food. Otherwise she has not had any issues. She does have to go back to the vet for blood work but so far so good!

I am so thankful that there are more drug options for Epileptic dogs and that because of these great medicines Epileptic dogs can live an exceptionally close to normal lives!

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Devinsky O, Hesdorffer DC, Thurman DJ, Lhatoo S, Richerson G. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: epidemiology, mechanisms, and prevention. Lancet Neurol 2016;15:1075–1088.
  2. Pitkänen A, Lukasiuk K. Molecular and cellular basis of epileptogenesis in symptomatic epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav 2009; 14 Suppl 1:16.
  3. Koestner, A. (1988). Neuropathology of canine epilepsy. Problems in veterinary medicine, 1(4), 516-534.
  4. Epilepsy Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved May 17, 2017, from http://www.epilepsy.com/learn/epilepsy-statistics
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Yes, even Greyhounds need exercise!

We all have certain parts of our day that we look forward to. I look forward to the mornings. I love my first cup of coffee and my walk. Exercise is very important for me. Exercising keeps me upbeat and energetic.

When I adopted Jethro I was told that he would need hardly any exercise and that Greyhounds are lazy. I remember hearing that a few good sprints per week would be plenty for him. This was a foreign idea to me. I had only owned terriers prior to owning Jethro and they required a lot of exercise or they were impossible to live with. But hey, Clint and I wanted a low maintenance dog so maybe my instincts were wrong.

Life with Jethro started off on the wrong foot. Jethro was a creature of habit and the lack of structure in his new environment was overwhelming for him. Prior to adopting Jethro, I had read an article that suggested waiting to start obedience with a retired racer so that they would be more bonded to you when you started. I felt that I should start training his ASAP but wanted to follow the advice of other more experienced Greyhound owners. Needless to say, Jethro became a very frustrated Greyhound that needed a routine and an outlet for his energy.

After a month of struggling with our new situation, I registered Jethro in obedience class. Our local obedience class was filled with small, yappy, fluffy dogs and big barking dogs in need of some manners. Jethro was freaked out. Fortunately, the trainer knew a thing or two about Greyhounds and hooked up us with another couple that adopted a Greyhound. The humans and the dogs hit it off! Jethro and Champ would get to work in a smaller group that was quite. I picked up some training techniques and felt that I could get Jethro where he needed to be. We started practicing at home.

I stopped reading about Greyhounds and started searching for articles on training headstrong independent dogs. Jethro’s life became very structured. We walked every morning and practiced training exercises at night. I realized Jethro and I both needed a routine if our relationship was going to work out. Walking and training Jethro was great! It stimulated our bond and also helped to alleviate some of his anxiety!

I added Darla to the mix and she loved exercise. I would often walk Darla alone to help with her leash manners when she did something good, I would run with her as her reward. She loved this and we still use running as a reward!

When Sashi came home I was not sure what to expect. I heard that Greyhound pups were land-sharks and difficult. However, I found Sashi’s puppyhood very enjoyable, as long as he was exercised. Sashi had an affinity for chewing on high-end leather goods. I learned quickly that a tired pup with nice meaty bone doesn’t eat your leather accessories. Sashi needed a lot of exercised. My nightly routine included making a vodka and tonic, sitting in a lawn chair, and throwing a ball until Sashi was pooped!

Exercise makes us all feel good, even dogs. Exercise recommendation for dogs varies by breed. Generally speaking, dogs need 30 minutes to 2 hours of exercise per day. It’s hard to say that all Greyhounds need the same amount of exercise per day. As dogs physiologically adapt to exercise—At first, the Greyhound may only be able to walk for 20 minutes but gradually adding time is important to achieve a balanced exercise program. While Greyhounds do enjoy lying around they still need exercise. Exercise is important to their physical and mental well-being.

Even if your dog doesn’t have behavioral problems and isn’t overweight there is nothing like smelling where the neighborhood cat has been and the pee of all the dogs that peed on that scrub before yours!

Southeastern Greyhound Adoption (SEGA) hosts an annual Athletes helping Athletes 5K—this year is our 10th anniversary! In addition to the 5K we also have a fun one-mile walk that you can bring your Greyhounds on. There is nothing simpler or sweeter than getting out and walking with your Greyhound. I hope to see all you Metro Atlanta Greyhound lovers at the 5K!   If you are planning to attend the 5K register here and use the code RUN4FUN17. The first 10 people to use the code will get 5$ off their race registration! I look forward to seeing you and your Greyhound at the 5K!

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It’s Not the Dog

The other day I was walking with Sashi. We were on a trail close to the lake that offers great photo spots, easy access for swimming, and nice smells to keep the dogs interested for hours. Sashi was off leash. This path is safe and in a secluded area away from cars and Sashi is a huge fan of his people and doesn’t like to wander far from us.

We had stumbled on a nice spot for a photo. I stepped back from Sashi to start shooting him. I saw him alert through my viewfinder and then I heard someone coming toward us yelling for their loose dog.

I asked Sashi to come closer and I grabbed his collar and my mace that I keep handy when we go out for a walk. We stood there and watched the owner continue to yell for her dog to come while the dog was coming closer and closer to us.

The dog stopped about 20 feet from us—I guess we were boring to her standing like statues.

The dog’s owner approached the dog and leashed her. The entire time the dog was coming closer to us the owner was yelling, “don’t worry, she’s friendly.” When the owner got control of the dog, she looked up at me and asked, “Are you scared?”

This exchange reminded me how clueless many people are to their dog’s cues, behavior, and how a well-managed dog behaves.

Sashi is a well-socialized dog. But he is not allowed to greet every dog and person with the enthusiasm that he greets Clint and me. I have firm expectation of what Sashi should do and he complies—Of course Sashi disobeys sometimes and he is punished appropriately for his crime. The freedoms Sashi so much enjoys are not rights but privileges for his behavior that can be taken away at any moment.

The dog approaching us was probably not a “bad dog.” Actually I do not see the dog as a problem at all. The problem was the owner’s complete lack of concern for her dog and its behavior. The loose dog’s owner had no idea of Sashi’s temperament, no clue if he is vaccinated; she basically had no clue about anything in the situation. She put her dog at such a huge risk. I was amazed by her response to my calm collected hound.

This idea that many people feel their ill-behaved dog is simply friendly is too common and places additional burdens on pet owners who believe in having a balanced dog with manners.

The problems displayed by many dogs’ lies with the pet owner. It is our job as pet owners to be responsible for our pets. Included in the umbrella of responsible pet ownership includes managing your dog and teaching them basic commands.

By no means am I saying that all dogs should be classically trained in obedience. But I do believe it is our responsible to keep our dogs safe—either by training or making sure the dog is safely and properly contained. By following these principals this minimizes the risk of accidents.

Pet owners simply must get over the idea that all dogs are friendly, want to socialize, and are allowed to socialize as they please.

As pet owners were must demand a higher level of respect for our dogs. Respect for each other’s dogs can be achieved by properly containing our pets, training our pets, and not accepting bad behavior and stamping it with the label, “friendly.”

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Wounds: Healing from the Inside Out

I love wounds. My love for wound care began when I was a brand new nurse working in the ICU. Wounds are challenging to care for. Despite many innovations, wounds can be difficult to heal. I like a challenge it seemed natural for me to find wound healing fascinating. I am always amazed by the body’s capacity to heal itself. But more than the challenge of wound healing, I enjoy the always-advancing treatment options in wound medicine. Wound treatment continues to look for more effective and efficient methods for wound healing.

In human medicine, we have sophisticated options for wound treatment.  These technologies are being utilized in vet medicine as well. Dogs do seem to have an upper hand on us humans–they are better a healing. Their bodies seem well prepared to deal with wounds and more resistant to infection. However, dogs can get some nasty wounds that need intervention.

Today I want to talk about topical agents that are most commonly used in wound treatment.  By now we have all heard of honey and sugardene dressings and antibiotic dressings but how do the work? How do these treatments advance wound healing and are there any other options to help wounds heal?

First, let’s talk about wounds. There are many different types of wounds but the pathophysiology is similar in all. The first stage of wound healing is the inflammatory stage. This is when inflammatory markers are attracted to the wound through vasodilation. These cells are working to stop the bleeding and rid the body of any infections. In the second stage of wound healing, collagen fibers are forming. These fibers need oxygen and vitamins to create granulation (new) tissue. A wound must have granulation before epithelialization or the connection of epithelial cells occurs. In the final phase of wound healing, the body continues to lay down college fibers, creating a scar.

02/07/17 prior to Zinc treatments
03/03/2017 after one month of zinc treatments

One key part of wound healing is oxygenation of tissue. Generally speaking oxygenation of our tissue comes from our blood via the arterial system. The same thing occurs in wounds. The goal of wound management is to dress the wound with a material that will aid in oxygenation. That seems easy enough but there is one problem, necrotic tissue. The necrotic or dead tissue is kryptonite for wound healing–sometimes this has to be manually removed or debrided. The goal of wound care is to select a dressing to cover the wound that will prevent tissue death, keep the wound bed moist, and support healing.

Now let’s talk about antimicrobial dressings. Antimicrobial dressings generally contain iodine.  Iodine prevents infection. Sugardene is a mixture of sugar and iodine and an example of this. While these agents prevent and treat infection, they do little to aid in re-epithelialization. Antimicrobial dressings would be great for an abscess or dirty wound. This dressing aids in healing by preventing infection.

Another popular dressing that has gained a lot of attention is Manuka honey. Manuka honey is a raw honey made by bees that pollinate the Manuka bush in New Zealand. This dressing is thought to both be antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. There are some that reports that suggest wounds do heal faster with Manuka Honey than antibiotic mediums.  The use of honey as a wound dressing has been practiced for many years and considered an effective treatment. Honey is also cost effective.

The last dressing that I want to mention is Zinc. Zinc is not an antimicrobial it is a trace element found in the human body. Zinc is an antioxidant that helps with oxygenation of the wound bed. This increased oxygenation in the wound bed is thought to help with re-epithelialization, aiding in wound healing.

03/18/17 six weeks after zinc treatments

I have used all of these topicals for wounds at one time or another. I am a fan of zinc for pressure ulcers in Greyhounds. As you can see in these photos above, Zinc increased granulation tissue, allowing the wound bed to close.  Zinc was a game changer for us.

All of these dressings have their purpose. It is hard to compare them head to head as their properties are different, what might work for a large leg ulcer may not help a minor abrasion or infected wound.

Wounds are challenging. The points to remember when dealing with wounds is to keep the wound bed oxygenated by preventing/removing necrotic tissue—selecting the appropriate wound dressing is essential. When in doubt or if a wound is not healing see a soft tissue vet. I have been blown away by the knowledge of our soft tissue vet as well as their continued patience for wound healing.

In addition to using the best wound dressing for the wound at hand, ensure that your Greyhound is using an appropriate bed. If pressure ulcers are a concern make sure bony prominences cannot be felt on the underside of the bed, I am a huge fan of these beds to prevent pressure sores. Finally, ensure that your Greyhound is receiving the best nutrition possible as wounds heal from the inside out!

Here is a video of Jethro’s bandage change. I hope you all find it helpful. And yes, Jethro is a very good boy!

Broughton G 2nd, Janis JE, Attinger CE. Wound healing: an overview. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2006 Jun. 117(7 Suppl):1e-S-32e-S
Gupta, M., Mahajan, V. K., Mehta, K. S., & Chauhan, P. S. (2014). Zinc Therapy in Dermatology: A Review. Dermatology Research and Practice, 2014, 709152. http://doi.org/10.1155/2014/709152
Sood, A., Granick, M. S., & Tomaselli, N. L. (2014). Wound Dressings and Comparative Effectiveness Data. Advances in Wound Care, 3(8), 511–529. http://doi.org/10.1089/wound.2012.0401

 

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Why You Should Adopt a Greyhound

By now I hope you all have heard that April is Adopt a Greyhound Month. I have been racking my brain over what to post to best advertise for these amazing creatures. It’s hard to pick out one thing that sets the Greyhound apart from other dogs—they have so many lovely traits. But as I am sitting here typing with Darla’s head in my lap it came to me. 

Greyhounds get us. Greyhound-type dogs are one of the oldest dogs. They have lived with humans for thousands of years. Genetically speaking the Greyhound understands humans probably better than we understand our Greyhounds.

The fact that the Greyhound has been around humans for so long plays into why we are attracted to these dogs. I think that we cognitively recognize Greyhounds as the dog prototype. Due to our long years getting acquainted the physical aspects of the Greyhound they feel natural to us. Greyhounds are also good at following our cues making us feel like they truly understand. And who doesn’t desire to be understood—Darla gets me better than any human!

The ability of a Greyhound to place their head in your lap, you tussle their ears and they look up at you with innocent loving eyes speaks to our heartstrings. Couple these traits with their ability to co-exist well with other Greyhounds, easy upkeep, and temperament and you have the ultimate dog-living companion.

In addition to the Greyhound’s long history of living with humans they are also independent fearless dogs (generally speaking). I have posted on how difficult this independence can be when training but it is nice to have a dog that can entertain itself and not be constantly underfoot—unless you are making dinner, breakfast, a snack, lunch, or if the refrigerator door opens!

But don’t mistake their independence for being aloof. Greyhounds have a passion for life, their people, food, and for running. Greyhounds are passionate creatures. I love this passion. I love that I can fire up my Greyhound and he will prance like a pony, jump, and then do zoomies! There is nothing better!

Some folks think that Greyhound just lay around all day and I have to say that Greyhounds do enjoy lazy afternoon but most of all they enjoy showing off that big passionate heart. Just watch a Greyhound run in an open field; anyone can see the passion the Greyhound has for running and being in the countryside!

Video Credit: David Lowery

I wish everyone could experience how great it is to own a retired racer. These low maintenance dogs are all around amazing but when they are showing off their passion there is simply nothing sweeter on this planet!

I hope you consider adopting a Greyhound. If you are in the Atlanta area please check out Southeastern Greyhound Adoption, by clicking here.

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The Fate of the Racing Greyhound?

When you mention Greyhound racing in a conversation you are likely to receive an emotional reply. No matter which side of the argument people are on they are steadfast in their opinion—it seems to be a topic similar to religion and politics that is more enjoyably discussed with like company. I fall on the pro racing side of the argument. My journey to shape my opinion was based on facts and my personal experiences.

Many people love racing Greyhounds. Greyhounds are a social media sensation; for example, #Greyhound currently has 1.2 million posts on Instagram. People find these dogs charming and want multiple in their homes due to their exceptional temperaments. At the same time many of these Greyhound lovers want to end Greyhound racing.

If you have been around different types of Greyhounds you can see that there is something different about a retired racing Greyhound. It has to be from their raising. Racing Greyhounds are raised on farms and stay with their mother and littermates longer than most other dogs. Once they are about 12-16 months they are trained for the track and spend months learning how to maneuver an oval track. I own both retired professional racing National Greyhound Association (NGA) greyhounds and a NGA Greyhound that I raised. I love all my dogs, but there is something special about the retired racers, something that I have aimed to recreate in my pup.

Some Greyhound lovers have bought into the propaganda that animal rights (AR) groups promote about Greyhound racing. However, ending Greyhound racing has not been an easy task for these groups. AR groups began focusing on legislators and legislation with their emotionally compelling but inaccurate information. Many AR groups lobby for decoupling of Greyhound tracks. What is decoupling? Decoupling is splitting the Greyhound tracks from casinos. In certain states casinos cannot operate unless they are connected to a racetrack. This allows the Greyhound track to share revenue with the casino to help with their payouts.

Without the revenue from casino sharing profits it would be difficult for Greyhound tracks to pay out their purses—tracks get a small percentage on the dollar from casino revenue. Meaning that this legislation would essentially end Greyhound racing and breeding in states with decoupling.

It seems that in our quest to do the best by our dogs we have missed the big picture.  We have begun to only see the Greyhound as just a social media phenomena couch potato and not the lord of all hounds.  Phenomenally fast and efficient hunters, we have forgotten the Greyhound’s roots. In our slip of memory we have effectively sensationalized inaccurate propaganda about Greyhound racing.

Without the standard of performance professional racing achieves, what do we breed to? What happens if Greyhound racing completely ends? Suggesting that someone would buy a Greyhound from a breeder not committed to the training or the performance standard the racing Greyhound is held to is a misinformed statement. The racing Greyhound is unique and something that is extremely difficult to recreate.

If you admire Greyhounds for their athletic abilities, personalities, and abilities to co-exist with other Greyhounds easily and you are anti-racing you may want to rethink your position. Dogs like retired racing Greyhounds are not easy to come by and there is a reason why. Raising a racing Greyhound takes a lot of work and does not happen overnight but is an ongoing process throughout the Greyhound’s professional career. Greyhound farmers, breeders, and trainers put a lot of work into that special hound on your couch.

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Is my Greyhound Dumb?

Have you ever tried to get your Greyhound to pay attention to you and he simply continues with his activities as usual? I have and it is annoying.

As I have mentioned, Jethro is recovering from an epidural hematoma in his back and subsequent hemi-laminectomy. Most of the time Jethro is happy and willing to participate in his recovery; other times he is not interested and has more important things to do like lie in the sun and act like a statue.

Jethro is not stupid and Greyhounds are not stupid dogs but they are not biddable.

There is a reason why Greyhounds aren’t biddable. Let’s think about the history of the Greyhound and what our racing Greyhounds are currently trained to do. Greyhounds, by way of nature and nurture, are independent thinkers. They are able to chase after something catch it and return it. They are able to position themselves on a track and successfully outmaneuver seven other dogs. The path that the Greyhound must plan to be successful requires some thinking that is not driven by a human. There is more to our Greyhounds than just raw speed!

This skills associated with racing and coursing are somewhat learned but also bred into the Greyhound. Genetics play a huge role in the Greyhound’s ability race on an oval track or course. That is not to say that training does not impact the Greyhound’s learning, but he has to have the capacity to think independently first or use his instincts.

Greyhounds are actually rather smart dogs. However, their independence can really be frustrating and create a negative environment for training or rehabbing.

So how do we make our Greyhounds as successful in rehab or training? It starts with knowing your dog and having your head in the game, so to speak!

I am a high-strung person with a touch of OCD, so I don’t do chill very well. This can be difficult when training dogs. While rehabbing Jethro I found myself very frustrated with him at times because he was not doing what I wanted and I couldn’t check that set of exercises of the list for the day. I found myself dreading his PT sessions, and I could tell that he dreaded dealing with me. After a very unsuccessful morning of trying to do PT exercises and Jethro impersonating a Greyhound statue, I knew something had to change.

Guess what, folks?  I needed to change. In the process of not completing his exercises for the day, I was becoming very nervous thinking about the possible terrible outcomes that lack of PT could lead to. I was focused on getting him better but not on Jethro or what Jethro needed in a trainer. I was a deranged anxious lady that he wanted nothing to do with; I was not his calm collected owner.

Now I make sure he is doing something daily but that can vary from increasing the time he stands, the number of sit-stand reps, or going on a 15-minute walk with Darla and Sashi.

Knowing my dog and where he is in his recovery has been essential to his improvements. Knowing your dog and where they are from day to day is essential in any type of training not just physical therapy.

Getting to know your dog opens the door for biddability. We must understand that there is more to our Greyhounds than raw speed – that big stubborn dog also has a lot of brain power.

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Greyhound Anatomy: Feet

If I were asked what is the most important physical attribute of a Greyhound, without a pause my answer would be feet.

Often times we take our feet for granted forgetting that they support and balance us throughout the day. Feet are essential, just about every action we do involves our feet. One of the most important features of a Greyhound is their ability to run. So it would make sense that a Greyhound must have good feet to run through terrain after a hare or chase a mechanical lure on a sand track. Greyhounds need an exceptional base for them to perform at their best.

If you have ever studied a dog foot, it is complex structurally. There are multiple small bones that make up the carpus (wrist), foot, and toes of the Greyhound. All of these tiny bones have a purpose and even a small fracture can cause issues. In addition to the multiple bones in the Greyhound’s foot there are also ligaments that attach bone to bone and tendons that attach the Greyhound’s muscle to bone. And remember the feet need to be well innervated with nerves, sending and delivering messages between the brain and foot. It is essential that the Greyhound have excellent proprioception or know where its feet are and how to move its feet to achieve a task.

I believe that some dogs are born with superior feet. When considering breeding Greyhounds you have to weight out the pros and cons of both parents.  I am sure feet are considered as a toe or wrist injury can put a dog out of work for weeks to months. I grew up in Appalachia and one old wives tale was that a double dew clawed (dew claws on both the front and back feet) dog was a lucky dog. Dog people have always paid attention to dog’s feet.

I want to talk about a common injury that many Greyhound owners may encounter—a dislocated toe. A dislocated toe or luxation of the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) or distal interphalangeal joint (DIP) joint occurs when the ligaments that hold either the PIP or DIP  joints together can no longer tolerate the external stress on the joint and they give out. Generally speaking the joint will dislocate dorsally or upward. Oftentimes the joint will pop out of place and the ligaments still having integrity, will pull the luxated portion of the toe back into place. The toe will appear very swollen and sometimes will have a knife like cut where the luxation caused a break in the skin. However, the ligaments can completely lose their integrity and the joint will be displaced. Generally the Greyhound will be lame and you will be able to see the displaced toe. Often times the joint can be reset but this can be painful—I highly recommend against doing this on your own the first time unless you have experience resetting joints. In most cases with either presentation, the likelihood of the luxation recurring is high.

In addition to recurrence being high, successful treatment can be difficult to achieve as well. A trip to the vet is indicated to get an x-ray and make sure there is not a small fracture. For most pet owners the toe can be set and splinted for a week then rested for 2-4 weeks. Then pray the next time your Greyhound runs that the toe will stay in place!

Often times performance Greyhound owners will opt for intervention. Evidence for these types of procedures is variable. But certain orthopedic vets will complete the procedure and they can be very successful. Jethro severely dislocated his toe in March 2014, had stabilization with suture material in March 2014, and he continued amateur-running sports until December 2015 without any toe issues. If you were going to proceed with an intervention the vet would place a suture material or sclerotic material in the affected area to stabilize the joint then hope that the Greyhound’s inflammatory response will create arthritic changes to further stabilize the joint. If this fails amputation would be a reasonable next choice, especially for a non-weight bearing toe.

On the subject of amputation, I am not a fan or removing parts of the body that are not causing issues; however, as soon as trouble strikes and reasonable treatments have failed, remove the problem. Dogs don’t care about how many toes they have but they do care about pain!

There are also plenty of alternative methods to try in these cases. I am a believer in acupuncture, turmeric, and fatty acids (Omega QD). Some people really like a cold laser as well. I have used the cold laser many times and I feel that it does not hurt but I have not seen as much improvement with cold laser as other alternative treatments.

Greyhound feet are vital to our dog’s daily doings. Understanding the foot and where possible issues could arise is important so that you will be better prepared when an accident strikes.

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The Perfect Pair

After writing my post, Yes, I Own a Racing Greyhound and No She Isn’t a Rescue, I was delighted by the support from readers and that so many readers related to my experience. This post engaged a lot of people and a lot of comments. The comments I received were very positive. However, in many of the negative comments there continued to be a theme, using old information to justify the anti-racing agenda and the idea that Greyhounds are “rescued” from inevitable death.

I have been a part of the Greyhound world for four years and the dog world since birth. My Greyhound learning curve has been steep. You could say that I am obsessed with expanding my Greyhound knowledge, if I am not out photographing my Greyhounds in a beautiful field, I am learning more about the breed and why performance is so important.

I entered the Greyhound world at a very good time. The racing industry and adoption charities had created a successful relationship with the welfare of the racing Greyhound at the forefront. It was not an easy journey and took a lot of hard work from both parties.

In the late 1980’s Greyhound racing was the sixth most popular sport in America. There were multiple tracks throughout the country and there was high demand for racing Greyhounds. Greyhound breeders were breeding and whelping to fill the demand for racing Greyhounds.

With the increase in supply of Greyhounds, there was always a newer faster dog in the wings. Unfortunately these racing kennels could not house excess Greyhounds. This was a huge issue. Greyhound adoption was catching on in the mid-1980’s but there were some obstacles. Many people opposed Greyhound adoption stating that these dogs were vicious, trained to kill, and should not be rehomed as pets. The racing industry and the adoption charities developed a symbiotic relationship, hosting meet and greets at tracks and encouraging the publicity of unmuzzled Greyhounds interacting with people. Adoption groups continued to sprout up throughout the country re-homing racing Greyhounds.

In the meantime, The AR lobbyists were trying their best to end Greyhound racing by 2000.  The racing industry continued breeding Greyhounds to the performance standard, albeit fewer Greyhounds per year.  But there was a big change, no longer were trainers having to search desperately to place retired racing Greyhounds. The racing Greyhound had an abundance of people wanting them in retirement. The improved publicity and relationship between the racing industry and adoption charities increased the adoption rate of retired racing Greyhounds to 90%.

Due to the work of adoption charities and the Greyhound racing industry, I do not feel that today’s racing Greyhound is a rescue. There is a high demand for retired racing Greyhounds as pets.  If one adoption group cannot take a dog another will. However, decades ago, when trainers were desperately searching for groups to take their Greyhounds, knowing there was no more room in their kennel, I can understand why some would refer to the Greyhound as a rescue. But times have changed.

The racing industry has a commitment to the performance standard of the Greyhound and with the assistance of adoption charities the industry has been able to further their commitment to the welfare of the racing Greyhound throughout their lives on and off the track.

 

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A Day of Lure Coursing

 

Blogging can be a challenge. I get bloggers block and have trouble coming up with interesting Greyhound topics when this happens I turn to my husband for inspiration. He suggested a chronicle of a day in the country lure coursing. I thought that he was onto something. I hope that you all enjoy this post and folks who haven’t been to the field decide to come out for a day of fun in the country.

Lure coursing is a weekend event. On Friday night I begin packing the van. I feel more organized this way. To aid me in my OCD organization I bought plastic bins that are organized with first aid supplies, leashes, blankets, and other lure coursing accouterments. I have crates for all the Greyhound set up in my car. I have learned my lesson about having loose Greyhounds in the car after Jethro locked me out of the car and jumped out through the sunroof!

I leave my house with plenty of time to get to the field. I generally pick up breakfast as oftentimes I am very busy at the trial and have a hard time bringing myself to eat.

The trial begins with inspection and check-in usually around 9AM. At large trials like the International Invitational, inspection can start before the sun is up! This is when the inspection committee watches your Greyhound’s gait and checks for lameness. They also check the bitches to make sure that they are not in season.

Photo Credit: Cindy Frezon

After inspection, the field secretary completes the “draw” or the running order of the hounds. This is a blinded draw of the coursing hounds with a separate draw for each stake, open, field champions, and veterans.

While the draw is going on I usually walk my hounds. It is important to let your hound poop and pee prior to running—just ask Sashi – when nature calls, it calls.   I also like to stretch the hounds and warm them up, and the walk helps with this.

After the draw is posted the trial begins to get underway. I take a photo of the running order because I will forget—it is not fun to be at the line in the wrong blanket! I then head back to the van to get the hounds ready for their run. If the hounds are running on continuous loop I will wrap vetrap around the Greyhounds’ legs up to their stopper pad to prevent line burn. Also, if the ground is hard and dry I will tape their pads with elastikon to prevent a blown pad. When it is our turn I head to the line with my hounds in a slip lead and regular lead. I get in position, holding the slip lead with my right hand and place my left hand under the Greyhound’s tuck. Some people do not like to hold a Greyhound under the tuck but I find that it gives me more control of the dog. The lure starts to move and the Greyhounds lose their minds! The hounds are not released until the hunt-master says “Tally-Ho” when the lure is far enough in front of the dogs.

Photo Credit: Cindy Frezon

I let the Greyhound go as soon as I hear “Tally-Ho.” Then I get to watch my most favorite thing: a big beautiful Greyhound doing what they are best at, chasing.

The Greyhounds are moving so fast it seems that the entire course only lasts seconds.

Once the Greyhounds are back at the line, I grab mine and hurry back to my van to remove any tape or vetrap and check them for any lameness or tenderness. Once the vetrap is removed I use a pressurized sprayer with water to rinse out their nail beds. When dogs run on turf they can get a build-up of debris in their nail beds. This can be painful and a potential cause for infection. If there is a little blood in the nail bed, that is okay and it should be cleaned with the sprayer. I do not give water at this time. After they appear to be sound I walk them until their breathing becomes more normal and they are able to close their mouths. Then give them a small amount of water.

Photo Credit: Cindy Frezon

After all the dogs have ran in prelims the entire process is repeated, generally after lunch, which gives a nice break for the hounds. Once all dogs have run twice, the top hounds will run for best of breed. After best of breed is completed, all the breed winners are able to run for best in field.

Once all the running has been completed, awards are given out and photos of the winners are taken. Most often the placing dogs will get a toy (my hounds are very pleased with this).

After socializing with friends and some photos, we pack it up, head home, ready to repeat the following day.

 

Feature image credit: Cindy Frezon