Symptoms?

[Guest Latch]

Ok, I have noticed that Latch pants very heavily when we go for walks...

 

We are only walking for about 15 - 20 minutes and the pace is a quick walk (sometimes I slow down to a slow walk because he seems to be dragging toward the end). He starts out great (excited to walk, etc.), but shortly after we are walking he begins panting so badly.

 

I usually walk him around 3:00 in the afternoon (it was about 80 degrees today) - is this too hot for him? I do notice that he does it more when it is hotter outside, but he pants more than any dog I have ever seen.

 

When we come back from the walk, I am not tired at all and am barely sweating, but he continues to pant for about 10 minutes afterward. Sometimes his pants are quick and shallow too.

 

Some other things that I have noticed are when we walk for a while, he seems to be limping a little on his back leg. Not a distinct limp, but a very tiny one (one of his hips sits lower than the other anyway so I could be imagining it), but he never limps otherwise. There are no sores on his paws or anything.

 

One other thing that is probably totally unrelated, but I am wondering about is in his back, there are two or three small spots that were scab like and then came off and created a bald spot in his hair. Basically the scab caused a spot of hair to come off with the scab. I hadn't noticed any sores there before these came up (under the hair). He got two of the sores about two weeks after we got him (December) and he hasn't had anymore until this third one I noticed today. They aren't open oozing sores or anything like that...it's almost like a little skin irritation that formed a scab and pulled the hair off with it. I was thinking the hair would grow back, but it still hasn't in these spots.

 

He is four years old and he had a full vet check up before he left the kennel. I called the vet today about the panting and he said most of the tick borne tests were done, but there were a few rare ones he could test for if I wanted. Problem is - it will probably cost a couple hundred dollars for a thorough work up and further testing.

 

My DH thinks I am paranoid but I wanted to see what you all thought. Any of these symptoms sound too alarming?? He is fine otherwise - eats normally, poops and pees normally, etc.

 

What do you think? Am I paranoid?? Thanks!!

[Wonder]

How long have you had him?

 

How long have he been walking this routine? I mean, did you get just him and maybe walking too much?

 

I don't walk when it's over 80 but that's just me

[Guest Latch]

How long have you had him?

 

How long have he been walking this routine? I mean, did you get just him and maybe walking too much?

 

I don't walk when it's over 80 but that's just me

 

We have had him since Dec. 1st.

 

His routine is fairly regular, but it has been a little off since my schedule has changed recently. We are basically walking down the street and back so it just seemed like such a short distance to me.

 

I am afraid that as it gets hotter here (in FL) even if I walk him at night it's still going to be 70-80 degrees out.

 

 

[nancy14]

Maybe you should just walk him for a shorter period of time. Twenty minutes might be too long for him. Start small and increase it a minute a day. See if it works.

 

If he's been in the kennel for any length of time, he just may not be as well conditioned as you are.

[Guest HeatherDemps]

I think that greyhounds have to build up to a "distance" walk. At least this was what I found to be the case with Dempsey. He could run really fast for a couple of minutes but take him out for a walk and he was a tired pupper. I also noticed that when I don't let him stop to sniff and pee on stuff enough he will really drag his feet.

[4greyhounds]

They do have to work their way up to a distance walk, but I have also found out it depends where they come from and how thick their coat is, we got Jasmine from Oaklahoma and when we got her, she had a very thick coat of hair from being in the freezing cold and then coming to SC, she is starting to do better as she is losing her coat. But when we first got her she was panting like crazy. We thought it was because she was nervous coming to new surrendings and this may have also been true but she kept panting and as she is losing her coat she is doing better. Good Luck, sorry if I was not a lot of help, just telling you my experience.

[CaliforniaGreys]

One of my dogs came from a kennel of 180 blood donors and he didn't receive much exercise at all. They have short turn-outs but no walks.I live in Palm Springs so I know what it's like in the heat.80 is warm for them and my boy pants a lot so we make walks shorter when it's that warm. Plus we have to be careful for the heat of the pavement. When I first adopted this guy, our walks had to be 10 min and I would take him a few times a day.It took quite awhile to work up to a 20 min walk for him. And if you're in a climate that has high humidity....I would think 80 is tough for the dogs.

[ahicks51]

No coughing with exertion, right?

 

You might consider taking a slightly more scientific approach, and measuring the pulse at set periods after the walk, and see how his recovery rate improves over time. For example, measure it one minute after you get him home and inside, then in another 5 minutes. Chart it, and see if it improves over time as his stamina improves.

 

Although it's not normally difficult to find the pulse on a greyhound, it's *really* tough to miss the femoral artery (about the size of a pencil!) down inside the groin. I can post some images if it'll be helpful. Just time it for 15 or 30 seconds, quadruple or double it (respectively) to get the rate per minute, and write it down. Repeat in 5 minutes. Use for comparison!

[GeorgeofNE]

If you haven't taken him to YOUR vet (you said he was checked out by the "track vet"), you really should. In fact most adoption groups specify in their contract with adopters that you will take him to the vet within 10 days.

 

The paperwork that came with my dog from the "track vet" didn't even have the correct ear tattoos written down, so I'm a bit skeptical how through the "check up" was.

[Batmom]

If you haven't taken him to YOUR vet (you said he was checked out by the "track vet"), you really should.

 

Ditto that -- should have a basic look-and-listen visit.

 

That said, my dogs will drag after @ 15 minutes if they are going the same old place. Turn down a new street and they're ready to roll again! Sneaky weasels .

 

If it's sunny as well as warm, that will make them pant, as well the excitement leading up to the excursion.

[Trudy]

If you haven't been to the vet with him yet, that would be step 1.

 

Before Ryan got sick, he was a cold weather dog. He did not like walks when the temps were over 60 - it was too warm for him, so he'd be hot. Walk when it was 40 or 50 out and he was a happy dog.

Now... if we can do a mile at a normal pace, it is a good day, regardless of temp. But we are back down to only being able to walk around the block again due to his leg issue. Soon we'll get back to that mile again and work up from there.

 

 

As it gets hotter there, you are going to need to adjust the time you walk him so you are doing it when it is cooler out or do short walks when it is too hot and humid out.

[ZoomDoggy]

I agree that a "well check" is in order with your own vet. To establish a baseline for future reference, if nothing else. I also want to point out (tho I don't know the color of your dog) that black dogs tend to feel the heat more intensely than lighter colored dogs, particularly if walking in the sunshine. That shiny black fur just absorbs the heat very effectively.

[Guest Latch]

No coughing with exertion, right?

 

You might consider taking a slightly more scientific approach, and measuring the pulse at set periods after the walk, and see how his recovery rate improves over time. For example, measure it one minute after you get him home and inside, then in another 5 minutes. Chart it, and see if it improves over time as his stamina improves.

 

Although it's not normally difficult to find the pulse on a greyhound, it's *really* tough to miss the femoral artery (about the size of a pencil!) down inside the groin. I can post some images if it'll be helpful. Just time it for 15 or 30 seconds, quadruple or double it (respectively) to get the rate per minute, and write it down. Repeat in 5 minutes. Use for comparison!

 

Great idea!!

 

If you haven't taken him to YOUR vet (you said he was checked out by the "track vet"), you really should. In fact most adoption groups specify in their contract with adopters that you will take him to the vet within 10 days.

 

The paperwork that came with my dog from the "track vet" didn't even have the correct ear tattoos written down, so I'm a bit skeptical how through the "check up" was.

 

I believe this was a vet aside from the track (a regular vet in Jacksonville, FL) - where he got neutered and got all his rabies and bloodwork done. I am planning to take him to my vet, but we live in a really small town and the vet here says they are familiar with greyhounds, but I'm kind of afraid to take him to a vet that might not be as greyhound savvy as some - I live in Kingsland, GA - anyone ever heard of it??

[turbotaina]

I believe this was a vet aside from the track (a regular vet in Jacksonville, FL) - where he got neutered and got all his rabies and bloodwork done. I am planning to take him to my vet, but we live in a really small town and the vet here says they are familiar with greyhounds, but I'm kind of afraid to take him to a vet that might not be as greyhound savvy as some - I live in Kingsland, GA - anyone ever heard of it??

 

When they go to the vet pre-adoption, they're there to get neutered and get shots. It is not a thorough exam (they tend to do bunches of dogs at a time) and you absolutely should go to your vet for a wellness check. As others have suggested, do some bloodwork for baseline reference.

 

Exercise intolerance can be heart related, heat related, thyroid related or just physical conditioning related (i.e., gotta build up to it). Good idea to find out which you're dealing with

Edited February 7, 2008 by turbotaina

[Guest trevdog]

He probably needs to build up stamina. He raced in FL, right? He will be somewhat used to the heat, but we usually go later in the day when it's above 80 on a regulare basis when it's cooled off a bit. his pads may also need to be built up, if he's walking on pavement, it's pretty warm at that temp, perhaps try walking him in the grass which also can have issues, little pebbles and such can become imbedded in the pads. The scabs may be from bug bites, my guys will sometimes have them in the summer, not many but once and awhile a couple will be there.

 

I'd still find a vet and get him checked, just so there's a baseline and the vet gets to know him.

[Guest greyfiend]

We adopted our Greyhound last July when we had days over 80 degrees. Initially I walked him when the temps. were 80 or so (we have very little humidity here) and he panted like crazy. Part of it was the distance I think (1 mile) and part of it the heat. So after a few times of heavy panting I cut out the walks if it was even near 80 and I also kept the distance much shorter. Good luck.

[cmc333]

When we had Gypsy tested for thyroid, one of her symptoms was skin infection. She had bits of hair that would just pull out with a little scab on the end. She also used to lay down on her walks (and trust me, they were not long nor in heat). That would be my first guess??