My Grey Ran Too Much At The Dog Park And Is Sick...

[Guest Hawkeye]

I took my two year-old greyhound, Nadia, to the dog park this afternoon. A few minutes in a bird began flying very low and Nadia chased it full speed. It was cool to see for the first minute or two. A few minutes in I decided she needed to rest but I couldn't get her to stop. I could see her tongue was white and she finally collapsed. I watered her paws and body to try and cool her down. She was raspy and breathing very, very hard.

 

After about 20 minutes she leveled out with her breathing. Another 10 minutes and I was able to get her to get up under her own power and walk to the car. Her paws are pretty tore up thanks to the terrain. Her breathing is fine, but she's in pain. I don't think it's bloat as I'm very careful about that. However, when I took her out I couldn't tell, but there might have been blood in her urine.

 

I'm very worried. I'm hoping she's just exhausted and it's nothing more serious than that. I want my dog to be healthy but I need to avoid vet bills unless they're absolutely essential. It's not that I don't love my dog, it's that I can pay the vet only if I don't pay other essentials, like the mortgage. I was divorced over the winter and things are pretty tight.

[ZoomDoggy]

Heat exhaustion and/or heat stroke are nothing to take your chances with. I'd take her in ASAP.

[Guest KyGrey]

I would take her in now.

[gazehund]

Heat exhaustion and/or heat stroke are nothing to take your chances with. I'd take her in ASAP.

 

Agreed.

 

[ZoomDoggy]

And I don't mean tomorrow, I mean right now.

[HopeForHounds]

This can be very serious. She needs to be seen by a vet ASAP if it's what I'm thinking it could be. Better be safe than sorry.

[Tallgreydogmom]

I agree with ZoomDoggy. Our adoption group has lost dogs to heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Check her gums, if they are pale or white take her the vet right away. She might need fluids to rehydrate.

 

I have learned to keep the vet bills down by not letting them run at a dog park and muzzling. They are retired, a walk or short jog in the back area will satisfy them.

 

 

[Guest Hawkeye]

I got a volunteer through the adoption group to check her out. She's okay so far. He said there are no signs of bloat and she's not dehydrated. It was only 63 degrees out so the only heat is what she generated, though I know that's still substantial. The restlessness has subsided and she's sleeping peacefully. I'm going to stay up tonight to monitor her. If anything changes or she shows any duress I will take her to the 24-hour vet near my home.

[robinw]

has her tongue colour returned to normal?

[macoduck]

Did you take her temperature?

[Guest Hawkeye]

has her tongue colour returned to normal?

 

Yes, it's back to normal. It was white from her saliva frothing from breathing so hard. Once I hosed her down and gently cleaned her mouth up with moistened fingers her tongue was pretty normal. Once she calmed down even more it went back to normal.

Edited June 3, 2009 by Hawkeye

[HopeForHounds]

Keep an eye on her unrine output. If it seems red it could be that she is suffering from exertional rhabdomyolysis and should be checked out further. Also if she seems really sore down the sides. It can cause rapid kidney failure.

 

 

[Guest TheDoggfather]

Keep an eye on her unrine output. If it seems red it could be that she is suffering from exertional rhabdomyolysis and should be checked out further. Also if she seems really sore down the sides. It can cause rapid kidney failure.

This was my first thought... and the outside temperature would have little if any bearing on her suffering from this. One of our pups had this happen to him w/in 3 weeks of going to the farm. He got terribly sick, lost his back and was a shell of himself for weeks. Fortunately, we were able to get him back into good health ad now he's a strapping young 90lber.

 

But, yeah... things to keep an eye for now that she's cooled down and is seemingly back to normal: is she sore anywhere, particularly on her back? Does she seem stiff? Is she arching her back? Is she slow to move from one spot to another? If she's exhibiting ANYTHING like this, you really do, indeed, need to get her into a vet.

[ahicks51]

The "blood" in the urine is almost certainly rhabdomyolysis; a recent article on it in The Straight Dope is pretty informative, albeit otherwise irrelevant to greyhounds.

 

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2...-you-piss-blood

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

Any update? I hope she is doing OK...

[Guest LindsaySF]

The "blood" in the urine is almost certainly rhabdomyolysis; a recent article on it in The Straight Dope is pretty informative, albeit otherwise irrelevant to greyhounds.

 

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2...-you-piss-blood

That's what I thought too. Thanks for posting a link.

 

I hope she is ok.

 

 

[Guest knitkass]

how's she doing today?

[Guest KennelMom]

Exertional Rhabdomyelosis was my first thought too....that is not a wait-and-see condition. http://www.gcnm.org/heatstroke.html (article about rhabdomyelosis and heatstroke in greyhounds)

 

Hoping for an update....

[NeylasMom]

Exertional Rhabdomyelosis was my first thought too....that is not a wait-and-see condition. http://www.gcnm.org/heatstroke.html (article about rhabdomyelosis and heatstroke in greyhounds)

 

Hoping for an update....

 

Agreed. And like Chris said, outside temp has very little to do with it. My dog overheated trying to get at a ball through his muzzle. It was around 7:30 in the evening, in my friend's completely shaded yard on a not particularly hot day. His temp was up to 107 when I took it.

 

I hope she's okay.

[Guest eaglflyt]

Please update when you can and let us know how your dog is doing. I pray everything is OK.

[Tallgreydogmom]

Checking for an update. Pray all is well

[Guest Hawkeye]

Checking for an update. Pray all is well

 

I stayed home from work with her today. She's lethargic but responsive. She still wags her tail when I talk to her and she'll drink water that I bring to her. She's by no means super active, though. I checked her gums and her belly for any soreness and she seems to be doing okay. She lets me touch her chest and belly without any signs that she doesn't like it. She let me put ointment on her feet for a while but eventually got fed up and "frowned" at me.

 

Other than that I'm just keeping a watchful eye on her. Thanks for the well wishes!

[Guest Energy11]

I took my two year-old greyhound, Nadia, to the dog park this afternoon. A few minutes in a bird began flying very low and Nadia chased it full speed. It was cool to see for the first minute or two. A few minutes in I decided she needed to rest but I couldn't get her to stop. I could see her tongue was white and she finally collapsed. I watered her paws and body to try and cool her down. She was raspy and breathing very, very hard.

 

After about 20 minutes she leveled out with her breathing. Another 10 minutes and I was able to get her to get up under her own power and walk to the car. Her paws are pretty tore up thanks to the terrain. Her breathing is fine, but she's in pain. I don't think it's bloat as I'm very careful about that. However, when I took her out I couldn't tell, but there might have been blood in her urine.

 

I'm very worried. I'm hoping she's just exhausted and it's nothing more serious than that. I want my dog to be healthy but I need to avoid vet bills unless they're absolutely essential. It's not that I don't love my dog, it's that I can pay the vet only if I don't pay other essentials, like the mortgage. I was divorced over the winter and things are pretty tight.

 

THESE ARE SIGNS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION, and this can KILL your dog! As everyone else said, PLEASE vet ASAP, NOW! I am retired Paramedic, and Vet Assistant, and we covered this very thing at a recent seminar we did at Mt. Hounds. PLEASE, if you love your dog ... see the vet. Good Luck! D

[Guest Spencers_Greyt]

To be honest with you - the people on greytalk are very experienced and I would follow their suggestion to see the vet. The other volunteer you had check out your Grey might not be as savvy as the people here on greytalk.

 

[NeylasMom]

Checking for an update. Pray all is well

 

I stayed home from work with her today. She's lethargic but responsive. She still wags her tail when I talk to her and she'll drink water that I bring to her. She's by no means super active, though. I checked her gums and her belly for any soreness and she seems to be doing okay. She lets me touch her chest and belly without any signs that she doesn't like it. She let me put ointment on her feet for a while but eventually got fed up and "frowned" at me.

 

Other than that I'm just keeping a watchful eye on her. Thanks for the well wishes!

 

I REALLY think you should take her to your vet. REALLY. REALLY. It's possible for a dog to "recover" from the initial stage of a heat episode or rhabdo, but have done damage to their organs. A simple exam and blood panel will tell you whether she's okay or not. She should not still be lethargic at this point. Please take her in. You've already taken the day off of work.

 

ETA: The soreness would be in her muscles, particularly along her back, not her belly or chest, but lack of soreness is not an indicator that she's okay. It would just be one sign that she needs medical attention.

Edited June 3, 2009 by NeylasMom