Ez Was Zapped When He Was Racing

[6greyhounds]

Read on another message board that EZ rain into the rail and was zapped when he was racing and the operator dropped the power long enough for him to get off the rail. The scars he has both myself and his vets thought were from a header but they are not they are from burns. It was also posted he was one lucky dog. I am now wondering if this is the cause of his seizures. His neuro vet is interested to see when his seizures started. How soon after this accident. Also, a radiologist where I work told me that is could be the cause of his seizures. Wish I knew when he started having seizures

[TheFullHouse]

It's possible. A lot of seizures are caused by brain damage and being electrocuted could cause some sort of brain damage. I'd be curious to see if he started having seizures after the incident and to know if he continued racing. The only way to find out would be to talk to the trainer of the kennel he was in.

[6greyhounds]

The person who posted this information is a member of this message board so I hope she sees this and gives us some additional information.

 

I wonder if the owner would know, I might be able to contact her through NGA.

Edited May 12, 2010 by 6greyhounds

[ahicks51]

If I have my neurology correct, all seizures belong in the brain. Unless the voltage traveled through the head, I doubt it could affect the brain; electricity takes the short route through the body- although higher voltages travel through the skin (the so-called "skin effect") as electrons repel. Normally the thing to worry about is kidney failure- rhabdomyolysis from the muscles being "cooked."

 

However, it is conceivable that the mechanical action of the electrical current caused convulsions and thrashing, which could cause organic brain damage, same as any other mechanical trauma. So, while it might be related to the electrical shock, unless current traveled through the head, I don't see how it could be caused by electricity directly.

[6greyhounds]

As of right now do not know what part of his body hit the rail but I can tell you that he has scars on his chest and front legs.

[6greyhounds]

Here is an e-mail I received this am about EZ

 

No, he didn't race again after the fall. The first seizure that I know of

was about 6 months after the fall, but that's not saying that he didn't have

one before that.....he was in a race kennel and he could of had one there

without being noticed,especially if it was at night.

 

I don't know what happened to his front teeth.

 

He never had the ear infection when he was at the kennel, but he had a

pretty bad one going on when he got out of his first adoptive home.

 

RE: Ear infection still had it when he came up to MD was treated there and here. It came back in a few months and it was determined to be a yeast infection.

[TheFullHouse]

Well that's a little more information than you had before.

 

Saint was having seizures in the racing kennel and the adoption kennel at night so there's no telling exactly when EZ started having his seizures.

[6greyhounds]

I know what you mean about at night and that is usually when he has his seizures. that is why I am so fearful having him in a kennel which I had to do when I was hospitized.

[LaFlaca]

Hunh...Wendy has several small, roundish scars that look like burns. I often wondered if she had been burned by a cigarette. Don't know if finding out the electrified rail might be responsible makes me feel better or not.

[6greyhounds]

Vets and myself first thought that EZ's scars was from a fall on the track injury, he has no fur on his chest and numerous other scars on his front legs, etc. Will try and check his out further to check those scars.

 

I wonder how many of the pups do hit that rail.

[silverfish]

Wow. Your racetracks have an electrified rail?? What is that for? So sorry to hear it caused injury to your dog.

 

Hunh...Wendy has several small, roundish scars that look like burns. I often wondered if she had been burned by a cigarette. Don't know if finding out the electrified rail might be responsible makes me feel better or not.

 

Usually, these little 'cigarette burn' scars are from puppy nails when they're all playing together as youngsters, so I've been told.

[6greyhounds]

Silverfish

How does the lure operate in the UK? BTW I came to the States from the UK as a young child

[Guest KennelMom]

Hunh...Wendy has several small, roundish scars that look like burns. I often wondered if she had been burned by a cigarette. Don't know if finding out the electrified rail might be responsible makes me feel better or not.

 

I doubt it was the rail or a cigarette...as mentioned earlier, the little scars you see are usually from puppyhood. If a scar was small enough not to need stitches and as it heals, it doesn't shrink enough to be covered by fur, the skin often looks like it was "burned" when it really wasn't. Just the natural healing process.

 

Dogs coming in contact with the rail has to be pretty uncommon...I've only heard of two occasions, this one and one that was fatal. Maybe one of the more experienced racing folks can weigh in....

[6greyhounds]

EZ was the first one I heard of with contact with the rail I have heard of pups getting hit with the lure and causing injuries.

 

Wish I could find out more information on EZ as to when his seizure started but I guess I never will as he was in a kennel and there is no one around at night. Also, would love to find out how he lost all those teeth in the front and what happened to his ears.

[TheFullHouse]

Wow. Your racetracks have an electrified rail?? What is that for? So sorry to hear it caused injury to your dog.

 

Hunh...Wendy has several small, roundish scars that look like burns. I often wondered if she had been burned by a cigarette. Don't know if finding out the electrified rail might be responsible makes me feel better or not.

 

Usually, these little 'cigarette burn' scars are from puppy nails when they're all playing together as youngsters, so I've been told.

 

The lure is electrically operated in the US and travels along a rail around the track.

[LaFlaca]

Wow. Your racetracks have an electrified rail?? What is that for? So sorry to hear it caused injury to your dog.

 

Hunh...Wendy has several small, roundish scars that look like burns. I often wondered if she had been burned by a cigarette. Don't know if finding out the electrified rail might be responsible makes me feel better or not.

 

Usually, these little 'cigarette burn' scars are from puppy nails when they're all playing together as youngsters, so I've been told.

Aaah, o.k. That makes me feel much better. Thanks you!

[Guest Samantha]

Wow. Your racetracks have an electrified rail?? What is that for? So sorry to hear it caused injury to your dog.

 

Hunh...Wendy has several small, roundish scars that look like burns. I often wondered if she had been burned by a cigarette. Don't know if finding out the electrified rail might be responsible makes me feel better or not.

 

Usually, these little 'cigarette burn' scars are from puppy nails when they're all playing together as youngsters, so I've been told.

 

 

I don't know what you mean 'your race tracks have a electrified rail?'

 

Rails in the UK are elecrically powered too, same as the US.

[silverfish]

I guess I'd never really thought about how the hare gets pulled around. If I'd been asked I'd have guessed 'on a wire?', but thinking about it, our local track uses a 'monorail' type hare, so ... it's this monorail that's electrified? Like tube trains? Doesn't seem that safe to me, but if only two dogs are known to have been injured, I suppose it's as safe as anything.

[6greyhounds]

We realy don't know if only two dogs were inujured. I will have to ask more questions and see what I can find out

[Guest IrishGH]

This is a photo of the motor and lure arm, power is provide to the motor from a pick-up at the bottom of the motor. It's hard to see in this photo but the pick-up is at the bottom of the motor on the left side.

[Guest Samantha]

I suppose wide runners would have more of a chance of hurting themselves, but they have preventatives in place.

 

Your poor boy must be one of the only ones to have hurt themselves running into the hare rail x

[6greyhounds]

Who know Samantha but I have heard that some have run into the rail but not as bad as EZ and one that was fatal. It was posted that the was a lucky dog.

[6greyhounds]

Still trying to find out more information on EZ. I am going to ask questions on another board about pups hitting the rail and see how often it happens.

[Guest KennelMom]

We realy don't know if only two dogs were inujured. I will have to ask more questions and see what I can find out

 

I'm sure there's been more than two in the history of greyhound racing. I was just saying I'd only heard of two instances. I would be curious to know how often it happens...I can't imagine it's a common occurrence though.

[Guest houndog990]

My girl had those scars too, right on her backside only never saw them anywhere else on a grey(?). Thought about puppy nails... until a farmer friend saw them and remarked on how her scars are exactly the size of a cattle prod.

…Funny she never did like being on the deck at mom’s house when the bug zapper went off….