Need Help

[patricia]

Poor babe. Feel better soon sweetie.

[Guest Hokiebuck]

Ok...I checked my trusty "Care of the Racing and Retired Greyhound" and here is what it says (abbreviated)

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There are several types of cramps, hence several types of remedies:

 

-Dehydration Cramp: Caused by a loss of body fluid and electolytes over a period fo days or weeks. Diagnosis is based on cliinical signs and blood tests.

 

-Clacium deficiency cramp: caused by a fall in blood calcium levels due to mineral deficiency in the diet or deficiency of Vitamin D in the diet. Excess spinach or silver beet can decrease the calcium available for absorption from the GI system. This is disgnosed by a blood test and medication or dietrary history.

 

-Metabolic cramp: caused by an upset in the enzyme systems inside muscle fibers due to trace element deficiency and/or acidosis. Diagnosis is based on clinical exam, history, urine test and a blood test for enzyme level changes (creatine phosphokinase).

 

-Circulatory cramp: caused by damage to or spasm of the small arteries and veins supplying blood to the muscle. This followas knocks, bruises, scarring, and anything that results in poor oxygen supply the working muscle. Diagnosis based on examinationa and history.

 

-Nervous cramp: caused by damage to the nerves controlling the action fo the muscle. This may be local damage following injections or deep bruising.

 

TREATMENT:

-Dehydration Cramp: Administration of electrolytes and fluid either intravenously by vet or orally in the food or drinking water using standard commercial electrolyte prepartions.

 

-Calcium Deficiency Cramp: Ten milliliters of sterile 10% calcium gluconate solution given IV by your Vet is the most effective. Especially if administered 2-4hours before a schooling run. Additional oral treatment with cacium, phoshorous, and vitamin D will help correct a mineral deficiency.

 

-Metabolic Cramp: responds well to injections of Vitamin E, selenium, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and sorbitol. Several commerical preps are avalable. Additionally the diet can be supplemneted with 200-400 mg alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) given orally with food once a day.

 

-Circulatory Cramp: Treament is aimed at increasing blood supply ot the muscle utilizing peripheral vasodilators. Nicotinic acid is a compoent of vitamin B2. It is a natural peripheral vasodilator primarily affecting skin but is also beneficial to the muscles. A 25mg tablet given twice a day for 2-4 weeks has helped some GH prone to this type of cramp.

 

-Nervous Cramp: Treatment of this type is most difficult. I doubt your GH has this type, so I won't go any further.

 

 

So that being said, I think insuring that your GH has enough to drink (remember the Dehydration cramping was from days and weeks of loss of fluid and electrolytes). So like I said earlier, I don't think electolytes is the problem. A vet I spoke to about my GH said that yes they sweat or lose heat thru their feet and panting, but its not like Humans. Its not enough to affect the eletrolytes (again unless it is for days/weeks). I think you should try a tablet of calcium 2x a day and white vitamin E powder (you can get this from KVvet.com) 1xday, and see how that works.

 

I hope I didn't cross any copywrite issues by using the Care of Racing/retired GH, but I thought it summed it up pretty well.

 

Hope this helps, and please excuse the misspellings....too much text!