How Often Do You Take Your Hounds To The Vet?

[Guest caro]

Sometimes it seems to depend on carma, solar flares, the alignment of the starts and some good New Orleans voodoo mojo... Or it could have something to do with the age of the dog...

 

When Huggy Bear was younger he went once or twice a year just for vaccinations and dental cleanings. In the last 3 years of his life he was there increasingly more often. In his last year I'd say I took him probably 10 times. If he sneezed I got worried and took him in. But I always felt better knowing that I at least checked it out.

 

As long as there aren't any major health problems I anticipate that Igby will be the same way... knock on wood.

[Guest Heep]

Eden went once, immediately after I adopted her & again in December, to try to determine if her diarrhea was due to parasites allergies, or whatever. I'm bringing her in for a yearly this weekend.

[Guest LynnM]

As needed. Louis was in every other week while his leg healed (he's not the most user friendly patient, so splint changes involved 3 people and sedation). Joplin usually gets a good once over if he goes in to donate blood. He's getting a bit old for that, though. The last dog he donated blood to is younger than him!

 

Lynn

[Guest Tigonie]

I picked 2-4, because a dental is almost always a seperate well-visit from a regular check-up, and those are our 2 basic yearly visits. Sometimes we have to go in again for something or other on top of that. Diagnosing this kidney thing, we went 3 times on top of her regular check-up in the past year, but no dental (due to bloodwork out of whack, plus her teeth were not too bad this year).

[Guest oldNELLIE]

I chose 4-8 although it was our first year with Nellie and between us being a bit paranoid, and all the adjustments she was going through I am sure (knock on wood) that we won't be going so often this year. Aside from her annual visits (1 right after we got her, and one this fall) she went once for a pinched nerve in her neck and quite a few times to try to figure out her digestive issues. Now that that is resolved (stress colitis) she is a very healthy pup!

[RobinM]

asking me this question at this point in our lives changed a greyt deal from the last time we answered it.

 

We currently there at least 3-4 times a month.

Edited January 13, 2009 by RobinM

[Guest HoustonGreys]

It really is hard to put a number on this. We always go once a year for a wellness but then if one doesn't eat, we go. If I think one might have a UTI I take a sample. We seem to have a lot of foot injuries from tree roots and pine cones even though we try to keep the pine cones picked up so that's a visit. I chose 4-8 but I'm pretty quick to go to the vet.

[Guest myjazzy]

I answered once a year, because they go to the vet at least once a year for their wellness exam and whatever vaccines they need, but they also go any time there is a need. So, it may be just once a year, or weekly depending on whether they are sick. Since I have multiples, sometimes the staff starts to seem like family I end up at the vet's office so often.

[Guest Grhndad]

I checked 4 -8 times a year. Not so much that they need to go, by and large they are a healthy bunch but the vet does their nails for me. Don't take the time to do that myself so I take them in for that.

[4greyhounds]

Mine fo once a year if they don't get hurt in between time.

[Beautybabe]

Geez oh man! Between regular visits and dentals, broken toe (Martin), UTI (Martin), corns (Emmet), lacerations (Emmet, Yogi and Martin)---every month and often twice a month for three hounds. Thank DOG for pet insurance!!!

[Guest Maire]

I should look into insurance!! What is a good one?? I can't imagine not having a grey, but I have to admit I've been to the vet more with them than any other dogs I've had....but I can't resist this wonderful guys, either..........

[Guest DebR]

Mine go to Petco for the reduced price shots and heartworm tests. I also get the Heartguard there as well, as it is much cheaper. My vet knows I do this to help save some money, and they are fine with that, just said as long as they get the dogs shots, they didn't care where they got them. I take them to the vet if there's a problem, otherwise there is no regular schedule for vet visits. This past year I was there seemingly constantly because we had a major health issue with our Bloodhound. Other years, I may not even see them at the office. The vet at Petco gives them a quick wellness exam and mentions it if there is any problem. It's worked well for us this way.

[Guest Cris_M]

You know how they say that one kid out of several will be the accident prone one. None of the others will ever see the pediatrician for injuries/poisonings/etc. but that one kid will show up regularly.

 

That is the way it is with greyhounds. My first, Gabriel, was on the accident a month club plan. Then, he became mortally ill and went almost every day until his death. Duncan, however, is the epitome of health.

 

I expect that vet bills will go up as Duncan ages, but Duncan has already outlived Gabriel so age isn't the whole kit and kaboodle.

[rascalsmom]

It depends. Rascal, for example, has seen the vet only once in the last year for a physical, then she went to get her teeth cleaned a few weeks later.

 

Ruby has been about the same.

 

I have lost track of how many times Buddy's been to the vet(s), just since October. He got a scratch on his eye and we went from vet to specialist for that; then he ends up with LS, we went from vet to specialist to acupuncturist vet.

 

It just depends. We do seem to have fewer "injuries" (except for the eye, that is) since they've gotten older.

[Guest RocketDog]

One wellness visit for HW and vaccines, and Cassie had a followup visit with an orthopedic specialist last year after hurting her foot.

[KF_in_Georgia]

I voted 2-4 times a year, but I now realize I should have clicked 4-8.

 

My two go twice a year for wellness visits. February (or so) is shots, bordatella; August (or so) is bordatella and lab work (both dogs are hypothyroid, so we do T4s annually).

 

Both dogs also had dentals last year. This year, Sam won't need one, but Jacey probably will.

 

The other times are "problems": last year, Sam had the UTI from hell, requiring an ER visit (he was peeing blood...on a Sunday morning); he also slipped on the stairs and jammed his foot under the riser, needing an ER visit (on a Saturday night) and staples. (Sam doesn't know how to get into trouble during regular vets hours.) Sam then needed follow-up visits at his own vet. So Sam had 7 or so visits in 2008, Jacey had 3.

[DocsDoctor]

I voted once a year - that would cover the annual healthcheck and booster jabs. I've had Doc three years, and the first year we did have a couple of additional visits which I would put down to 'new owner inexperience'. One was relatively serious (cleaning up and stitching a dogbite received after we failed to read an offlead dog's body language quickly enough), the other trivial (soft poops which led to me wanting a faecal test for giardia, but the test was clean and I think it was just that he was still settling in and we had not yet found the right food for him!)

 

He is seven now and does seem to be in the pink of health always. He has a robust digestion, is not accident-prone, and I have become more confident I suppose about sorting minor things out myself - e.g. when he ripped off the nail of a dewclaw, we just kept it clean and it soon healed up. He does have health insurance and I wouldn't hesitate to take him to the vet if need be - there just hasn't been the need.

 

On the whole I would say ex-racing greyhounds, having been bred for athletic performance rather than conformation, are usually very healthy dogs. The thinness of their skin ('like tissue paper' as my vet puts it) and issues with some anaethetics do need to be taken into account always. Other issues which seem to crop up a lot on this board are bad teeth (Doc's are fine thank goodness, but I brush them everyday anyway), delicate digestions (but that may be due to the changeover from a track life and diet) and, most seriously, osteosarcoma. That seems to be more frequent in the US than here - I believe the current thinking is for genetic reasons (the prevalent use of particular sires)? But other large breeds like Great Danes get it too...

 

...and whatever the breed you can be unlucky. A friend of mine went to great trouble recently to obtain a wirehaired fox terrier - a charming little dog, from a highly reputable breeder. At the age of 8-10 months Delphi developed a persistent limp, and this week after x-rays it was determined she has something called Legg-Perthes disease, which is making her hip socket crumble away. She is to be operated on next week, and the prognosis is good though her hip can never be quite as good as new. The vet told my friend that he had another operation of the same kind to carry out the same week, but then didn't expect to see another case of L-P for the next 20 years...

 

[CaliforniaGreys]

Until we stabilize Misty, we're there every 4 weeks

[seeh2o]

I voted 4 - 8, but it feels like it is weekly (it's not).

[Guest Che_mar_Cody]

Yep tough answer and it really depends on the hound and your activities.

 

Routine wellness 1 x per year. Like another stated, its as needed. If your into activities that expose your hound to more issues it could be more, such as lour coursing.

 

When in doubt I go. The most ever was 3X's per year

[Guest IrskasMom]

Once a Year for Regular Checkup and if necessary Shots. Morty has been pretty Healthy ( knock on Wood ) otherwise.

Should there be a little Stress or some kind of Pain , Rimadyl will take care of it.

Edited March 30, 2009 by IrskasMom

[Guest valtoy]

My previous 2 greyhounds seemed perfectly healthy, so only once a year for shots and check up was the schedule, but then Ham got bone cancer and my life fell apart last August. Now I have a new greyhound, Red and I'm an anxiety ridden, overprotective mom. He gets diarreah and I'm a wreck. I hate antibiotics as they never helped Ham, so I'm phoebic about giving him any meds.

 

After a dog dying a horrible death at home with a blocked urinary trac and being prescribed antibiotics for an infection (even if he does have cancer) I just can't feel they help, so maybe I'm hurting Red, as now his problems are slightly better with a diet change, but not much and now he doesn't want to drink any water...duh...but he is still active, lively and playing...go figure.

 

I changed vets as my other one was the one I went thru the cancer thing with and I just can't go there, so I'm off to a new one to change the scenery. maybe that will help me to stop this overprotective stuff.

I somtimes just sit and watch Red to see if he is breathing or acting normal.

Valerie

 

[kickchick2000]

We usually have 2 wellness visits a year for Milky Way but we always end up there more for little things.

 

 

With Sweet Pea our bulldog I swear it's at least monthly. So many folds and wrinkles= so many problems.

 

 

[Guest Energy11]

Always good to go Once a year for bloodwork., ... over seven, and a good check up!