jjsmom06
Posted : 12/10/2008 12:47:49 AM
Meg,
I know I answered most of your grey related question in the
pm you sent me, but I wanted to add a few things based on now seeing this
thread.
I haven’t known anyone, including our rescue who has had any
issues with bloat. As long as you take some precautions like you would with
bloat prone breeds, you should be fine.
I think I mentioned the gassiness issue that seems to be so
very common among greys and again, all 4 of mine have actually done better (gastrointestinal
speaking) on diets with proteins only in the 20% range. I belong to a greyhound
walking club and so I see poop from 20 different greys on one trip and the one
thing that so many have in common is soft stools. For me, the firmest stools
and less gas seems to come when I actually reduce their protein level down from
the 30% range into the 30’s. This has been the case for the current pair I own,
as well as the last pair we lost a few years ago.
Osteosarcoma can be common in the breed and we ‘think’ we
might have lost our first grey to that, though now we question that and believe
it might have been something that track greys can get called valley fever that is
a human disease and while not curable, is actually treatable with a pill a day. THIS UNCERTAINTY is why I HIGHLY recommend
getting a grey savvy vet. It may cost a tiny bit more, but it is worth it to
know that the correct anesthesia and recovery after surgery is taking place and
they will be able accurately diagnose your pet (which we now believe was not
the case with the dog we put down several years ago due to “osteosarcoma”).
As stated in an earlier post, Greys do really need dentals
annually. Track greys have crappy, crappy teeth most of the time and do not hesitate
to have the vet pull every dang tooth in that dogs mouth if need be. A GOOD
greyhound savvy vet who has been around the breed long enough knows that you
just get rid of the problem ones before they become major problems for the dog
and you do what you need to in order to manage the dental issues. This is where
the breed can get costly… in dental care.
There are specific things about the breed that may seem like
a pain, but they are totally worth it. One of the goofiest, silliest, sweetest
breed out there.
I think you mentioned you have been browsing a greyhound
board which is good to do. The adoption process, should you eventually decide
on this breed, can be lengthy and frustrating for some people, but WELL worth it.