Guest grey_dreams Posted January 10, 2010 Posted January 10, 2010 (edited) My friend (who isn't a member of GreyTalk, so I'm asking for her) has a female greyhound-galgo mix, about 5 or 6 years old. Lately, when she runs hard she has blood in her urine. After she pees 3-4 times the blood is gone. I don't know everything that has been checked, but so far the vets haven't found the cause for the blood to appear after running. Now my friend is limiting the dog's exercise to leash walks. Any ideas on what might possibly cause blood in the urine after running? I remember there was a condition where blood can appear after hard exercise, but don't remember the name of the condition. Thanks in advance Edited to add: Update in post #8 Edited January 11, 2010 by grey_dreams Quote
JAJ2010 Posted January 10, 2010 Posted January 10, 2010 Rainy gets this when she plays too hard at the park. Not sure if it's blood but her urine is dark brown/redish. I've never really worried about it too much. Quote ------ Jessica
Guest Lovey_Hounds Posted January 10, 2010 Posted January 10, 2010 Basically it called baing "tied up" ( a term i learned from a friend who raises and races greyhounds) it happens after hard execise, if they bleed for too long you may need a vet but it no big deal for a short period. I give my boy an asprin after he has ran hard and i make sure to walk him lightly after to "cool" him off. Quote
Chicocat Posted January 10, 2010 Posted January 10, 2010 The condition is Exertional Rhabdomyolysis. There are three categories hyperacute, acute and subacute. Hyperacute can be fatal. What you described is probably subacute. Quote Ann
ahicks51 Posted January 10, 2010 Posted January 10, 2010 Rhabdomyolysis. Don't do that. http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2848/can-playing-the-bongos-make-you-piss-blood Quote Coco (Maze Cocodrillo) Minerva (Kid's Snipper)
Guest GreysAndMoreGreys Posted January 10, 2010 Posted January 10, 2010 Is the person sure it's blood? Sometimes after a good hard run these hounds can have dark urine. It's not always blood. Sometimes they are not properly hydrated before a good hard run and the urine is concentrated, causing dark urine which some will take as blood. Best bet, if in fact it is not blood, make sure the hound is well hydrated. Even if it takes some sweetened condensed milk in the water a good hour before the run. A dog that is "tied up" will have problems peeing. They will squat or leg lift for a fair amount of time with just dribbles coming out. If that is the fact along with the dark urine the aspirin is a good idea along with making sure the hound is properly hydrated before the run. Quote
Guest FullMetalFrank Posted January 10, 2010 Posted January 10, 2010 We also make sure to provide some electrolytes after hard exercise; some pedialyte mixed in with their water helps. Also a tbsp. of molasses (for the potassium) is good. I would probably ease up on the amount of hard running, and maybe try working the hound up to it gradually (I see your friend is only leash-walking now.) Quote
Guest grey_dreams Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 Thanks everyone for your replies and advice! I got more information from my friend and wanted to see if you think these symptoms are similar to hyperacute or acute rhabdomyolysis. The episodes occur when the older female dog (Kaatje) is competing with their 1.5 year old puppy to see who is the fastest. They are both running like fanatics in those competitions. Then Kaatje sort of collapses. She gets put back onleash and seems to be in pain, bowing her back and keeping her head low, but will walk slowly. If she gets let offleash again though, she and the puppy are back at it and she will run like hell again. The urine was tested and indeed there was blood. There were also calcium oxalate crystals, which obviously shouldn't be there either. They did an ultrasound of the entire abdomen and bladder and it showed nothing out of the ordinary. They are now waiting for some blood test results (I guess blood chemistry). I greatly appreciate any further advice and opinions about what this might be. Thanks in advance! Quote
Chicocat Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 Thanks everyone for your replies and advice! I got more information from my friend and wanted to see if you think these symptoms are similar to hyperacute or acute rhabdomyolysis. The episodes occur when the older female dog (Kaatje) is competing with their 1.5 year old puppy to see who is the fastest. They are both running like fanatics in those competitions. Then Kaatje sort of collapses. She gets put back onleash and seems to be in pain, bowing her back and keeping her head low, but will walk slowly. If she gets let offleash again though, she and the puppy are back at it and she will run like hell again. The urine was tested and indeed there was blood. There were also calcium oxalate crystals, which obviously shouldn't be there either. They did an ultrasound of the entire abdomen and bladder and it showed nothing out of the ordinary. They are now waiting for some blood test results (I guess blood chemistry). I greatly appreciate any further advice and opinions about what this might be. Thanks in advance! What you described would scare the hell out of me if it was my dog. Quote Ann
JAJ2010 Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 Thanks everyone for your replies and advice! I got more information from my friend and wanted to see if you think these symptoms are similar to hyperacute or acute rhabdomyolysis. The episodes occur when the older female dog (Kaatje) is competing with their 1.5 year old puppy to see who is the fastest. They are both running like fanatics in those competitions. Then Kaatje sort of collapses. She gets put back onleash and seems to be in pain, bowing her back and keeping her head low, but will walk slowly. If she gets let offleash again though, she and the puppy are back at it and she will run like hell again. The urine was tested and indeed there was blood. There were also calcium oxalate crystals, which obviously shouldn't be there either. They did an ultrasound of the entire abdomen and bladder and it showed nothing out of the ordinary. They are now waiting for some blood test results (I guess blood chemistry). I greatly appreciate any further advice and opinions about what this might be. Thanks in advance! What you described would scare the hell out of me if it was my dog. Me too!!! Quote ------ Jessica
Guest grey_dreams Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 What you described would scare the hell out of me if it was my dog. Me too!!! Yes, my friend is extremely worried. That's why I'm asking for advice here Any more ideas about whether these symptoms might be hyperacute rhabdomyolysis? Thanks in advance! Quote
silverfish Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 Thanks everyone for your replies and advice! I got more information from my friend and wanted to see if you think these symptoms are similar to hyperacute or acute rhabdomyolysis. The episodes occur when the older female dog (Kaatje) is competing with their 1.5 year old puppy to see who is the fastest. They are both running like fanatics in those competitions. Then Kaatje sort of collapses. She gets put back onleash and seems to be in pain, bowing her back and keeping her head low, but will walk slowly. If she gets let offleash again though, she and the puppy are back at it and she will run like hell again. The urine was tested and indeed there was blood. There were also calcium oxalate crystals, which obviously shouldn't be there either. They did an ultrasound of the entire abdomen and bladder and it showed nothing out of the ordinary. They are now waiting for some blood test results (I guess blood chemistry). I greatly appreciate any further advice and opinions about what this might be. Thanks in advance! Yes, it does sound like exertional rhabdo, and if there is indeed blood in the urine I'd be even more worried. I doubt it's the hyperacute form though, since according to this article, "Dogs with hyperacute signs usually die within 48 hours from renal failure. " Kidney damage, could explain the blood in the urine. Mostly what you see is the breakdown of muscle resulting in the brown colouration, which is not blood, but just looks like it - the 'myolyis' part of the name means 'muscle breakdown' in layman's terms. The blood is even more scary - although if she has calcium oxalate crystals, that confuses the picture somewhat. Walking slowly as if she's in pain seems to confirm the suspicion of rhabdo. The head down gait with an arched back is typical, and is because the fibres in the long muscles each side of the spine are breaking down, producing myoglobin and causing the muscles to swell. Myoglobin can and will damage the kidneys. Here's a very short piece which explains the process very simply: "Rhabdomyolysis is the breakdown of muscle fibers resulting in the release of muscle fiber contents (myoglobin) into the bloodstream. Some of these are harmful to the kidney and frequently result in kidney damage. When muscle is damaged, a protein pigment called myoglobin is released into the bloodstream and filtered out of the body by the kidneys. Myoglobin breaks down into potentially harmful compounds. It may block the structures of the kidney, causing damage such as acute tubular necrosis or kidney failure. Dead muscle tissue may cause a large amount of fluid to move from the blood into the muscle, reducing the fluid volume of the body and leading to shock and reduced blood flow to the kidneys." Sorry, I meant to add the link for that second quote and I've lost the page. Quote The plural of anecdote is not dataBrambleberry Greyhounds My Etsy Shop
Chicocat Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 What you described would scare the hell out of me if it was my dog. Me too!!! Yes, my friend is extremely worried. That's why I'm asking for advice here Any more ideas about whether these symptoms might be hyperacute rhabdomyolysis? Thanks in advance! This is from Care of the Racig Greyhound: Hyperacute - The greyhound exhibits distres with generalized muscle pain. The muscles appear swollen and tense (blown up over the back). Initially they are hot to the touch as a result of the acute inflammatory changes and diminished heat dissipation by the locally restricted blood flow. The greyhound resents being touched, particularly along the back and over the hindquarters. When the dog is walked, there is a tendency to drag the hind legs and scuff the nails along the ground. Changing position from standing to lying down or vise versa is extremely difficult and painful. The urine has a pronounced red discoloration (ie myoglobin in the urine) -- myoglobin being that cellular protein found in muscle. Myoglobin in excessive amounts forms a precipitate or jelly-like mass in the acidic urine produced by the kidney. This tends to block the kidneys and causes them to fail and cease functioning. As a result, death is common within 48 hours from acute kidney (renal) failure. Treatment - Therapy for the hyperacute form of rhabdomyolysis needs to be administered as soon as possible after recoginition of the clinical signs. Firstly, IV fluids (45 ml/kg body weight) are essential to prevent shock and to aid the kidney in flushing out (by diuresis) the myoglobin pigments. The fluids used should be balanced electrolyte solutions that do not contain lactate as the affected muscle cells will already contain exessive amounts of lactic acid. The preference is for Ringer's Solution or an equivalent. Care must be taken to avoid Hartmann's Solution (Lactated Ringer's Solution) in these patients. At the same time, it is absolutely essential to neutralize (buffer) the lare amount of lactic acid (hydrogen ions) in the muscles and general circulation to prevent precipitation of the myoglobin the the kidney tubules. These mandates can be achieved by the IV administration of sodium bicarbonate solution (4.2%) at a level of 20 mi/kg body weight. These two IV infusios are given into separate limb or jusular veins via an 18 gauge hypothermic needle or indwelling catheters. These fluids should be repeated daily or 3 to 4 days. There is much more but this will give you an example...this describes the full blown case of hyperacute rhabdomyolysis. I wouldn't even guess if your friend's greyhound falls into hyperacute, but it certainly sounds to an uneducated ear that certainly could be approaching that condition. There is no online substitute for a vet opinion, but it would be worth her mentioning rhabdomyolysis to the vet. Quote Ann
Guest grey_dreams Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 This is from Care of the Racig Greyhound: ... There is no online substitute for a vet opinion, but it would be worth her mentioning rhabdomyolysis to the vet. Thanks so much for all that information Ann! And silverfish, thank you too! I did ask her to mention rhabdomyolysis to the vet. I think she will talk with them today and maybe get the results of the blood tests back. I'll update when I can. Thanks again for your help! Quote
Batmom Posted January 11, 2010 Posted January 11, 2010 Hopefully she knows not to let the older dog run with the younger anymore? Sending best thoughts for your friend's dog. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.
Yorkiemom Posted August 1, 2020 Posted August 1, 2020 Hi Guest grey_dreams, Hope all is well with you. How is your dog? My Yorshire is going through the same thing your dog experience. This is his 2nd round of antibiotics. Vet says it can be kidney stones. Need your input Thank you Worried dog mommy. Quote
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