World's Most Fragile Greyhound?

[Brooker914]

Delta doesn't get to run much as I don't have a fenced in yard. She gets to run in my friend's fenced yard about twice a week usually. Almost everytime, something ends up bleeding. Her tail, webbing between toes, tops of nailbeds, etc. My friend's yard is well kept, maybe some sticks and stuff, but otherwise a great place to run. Delta is a healthy girl, no other problems. Does happen to anyone else? Is it because she isn't getting to run much, so when she does she overdoes it, or is she just ridiculously fragile? Anything I can do to help this? I don't want to stop letting her run, she loves it so much, I just don't want to bring a bleeding dog home, even if they are just little scratches!

[Guest BlackandBrindle]

Greyhounds have thin skin. Things that don't affect other breeds, you can see much easier with greys.

 

 

Spud is very accident prone. He's usually got a scab on something I don't freak out about it anymore, but when we first got him, I was constantly worrying.

 

 

Sadie has a much thicker coat than Spud does, and she doesn't have nearly as many nicks and scratches as he does.

 

 

Spud is the reason I have so many first aid kits in the house

Edited October 29, 2007 by BlackandBrindle

[Guest Moebaaviva]

As long as they are minor nicks in the skin that stop bleeding quickly I wouldn't be overly concerned. Bella has 4-5 scabs on her at any given time from doing laps in our yard. I'm starting to think she could cut that thin skin of hers on a cotton ball if she was running fast enough. I don't know if our fosters haven't been as exuberant in their play or if they just weren't as delicate, but they never got scratched as often as Bella.

[greyhoundlady]

Yes, I have one too. She is like a fine crystal glass. I actually asked the vet (at one of our many visits) if she had unusually thin skin - it is like paper. The answer was... greyhounds have thin skin. Cheyenne has had two very large tears that required many stitches, and she nicks herself constantly when running like the wind in the yard. When she gets into her 'run' she is oblivious to anything she is doing to herself. The latest blood letting was when she missed the step onto the deck and hooked both her back legs on it. The result was the skin being ripped down about an inch, on both legs. She just stood there with the blood running down. Stitches were not possible, so I spent a good two weeks with neosporin, antibiotics from the vet, sterile pads and vet wrap. I even ordered every color vet wrap - that stuff is the best invention - so she walked around like a ballerina with her leg warmers on.

My other grey (male) doesn't get nearly as nicked - but he is also more cautious.

[Guest LynnM]

No biggie... my Louis is my accident prone boy. Even moreso since he broke his leg. That goofy leg has rendered him similar to an early muscle car: BIG engine, CRAPPY brakes and handling. He's great on a straight line in dry weather. Stopping and turning are a WHOLE other ballgame. When he first started free-running after he came out of splints, he got quite a few nicks, holes and dings.

 

Lynn

[Guest FireHorse]

Sounds like she's related to my Jet. I swear, if that boy were a skin kid, I'd be buying stock in Bactine and Bandaids. It's always something! It seems like Jet's always healing from *something*. None f it major (so far!) thank doG.

 

My grampa used to tell me that scars were the story of your life and proof of a live lived full-tilt. That's Jet (Grampa too, incidentally ) so I just check him over when he comes in, and clean and keep an eye on any new booboos.

[Guest CyndiW]

It does seem like some greyhounds have thinner skin than others even though they all have thin skin. One of our boys has lots of accidents. Just walking him around the lake behind our house last spring almost proved fatal. Somehow a piece of straw growing in the grass punctured an artery and several veins in the lower part of his leg. I had my cell and called for my husband as I yanked off my socks and started applying pressure. He ran out with the emergency kit to bandage it better. We rushed him to the vet (thank goodness it was still during business hours because the closest E vet is over an hour away) and he went under for emergency surgery to repair the damage. He is covered in scars from his little accidents over the years. It does seem like greyhound owners probably see a lot more blood than other dog owners!

[Guest Hollys2hounds]

Ditto to just about all the responses! My Gunner and Lexy play in the same yard, and Lexy is always having little skin tears. Gunner is running the same yard, and not even a scratch on him.

I have learned not to get too upset, and I have bought stock in EMT gel!!

 

Good luck!

[Guest chaoran22]

it helps to keep the nails short to cut down on bleeding nailbeds and webs. i dremel my boy's and get it really really short right to where the quick is and that really helps. otherwise, some of them just get cut up. mine always gets cuts on his legs, little scrapes and such and they heal quickly (and white hair grows in where they were cut so it's funny, you can actually look at his legs and see where all the white hair spots are and that's where he's been cut at one point). cuts won't hurt your girl at all, just be careful of toe injuries by keeping her nails short.