Playtime Turned Horrific!

[3greytjoys]

Below are suggestions (for owners, and ideas to discuss with veterinarians) that I've learned from Greyhound veterinary experts across the country that might help reduce risk for hounds who experience rare hyperthermia episode(s). This focus is primarily for "non-malignant hyperthermia" (stress related anesthetic hyperthermia) vs. the very, very rare genetic malignant hyperthermia. (MH is even more rare and unlikely to be seen in Greyhounds that have made it through even one spay/neuter surgery and into an adoptive home.)

Things that Greyhound owners can do:

 

Schedule vet appt. (or drop off) as close to actual surgery prep. time as possible.

(This reduces time for hound's stress level to build up while waiting in a hospital kennel before surgery.)

If you don't have a digital thermometer, ask vet/vet tech for a recommendation, buy one. Label it: "Dog use only."

At the very least, pay attention and "feel" your hound's "normal" (relaxed) temperature for a few days before your hound's surgery appt.

 

We can help our hound/s stay calm and relaxed by doing the same ourselves before/while driving hound to vet hospital for appointment. (We know our hounds are very sensitive and pick up on our moods.)

 

Stay "on-call" ready to pick up hound as soon as the vet is comfortable allowing your dog to go home.

 

Remember after any surgery to take hound outside vet's office to urinate before getting inside your car.

 

Once home, take your hound's temperature (if you can do so safely with hound muzzled).

At very least, "feel" hound's body temperature frequently during recovery for 2-3 days (until you're sure hound is not having any lingering reaction to anesthetic).

Greyhound's normal temperature: 101 to 102 degrees. (May be lower in certain cases, cold weather, etc.)

If temperature begins to rise during recovery, contact vet immediately. Hound may need to be rushed to vet pronto!

A hound's temperature can rise to a dangerous level very rapidly.

(One of the vets might chime in with "emergency" temperature, but I believe the dog should already be in the vet's office if temperature is 104 degrees.)

 

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Things to discuss with your veterinarian (in advance, that might help reduce risk of hyperthermia before it escalates):

 

Important: Monitor hound's temperature very closely before, during and after any anesthetic surgery.

(Meaning: During surgery, have temperature monitored as constantly as possible, seconds/minute. Early temperature detection is essential to saving the hound.)

 

When preparing for surgery on any Greyhound, have a large, clean bucket of ICE water safely near the operating table with towels soaking in ice water. If a hound's temp even begins to rise slightly, ice water soaked towels can be placed on dog immediately while dog is on the operating table.

(Very limited emergency option: If winter snow is available outside vet hospital, hound could be placed in snow bank.)

 

(It's my understanding that vets routinely give IV fluid line(s), respiratory and cooling support, can readily stop administering gas anesthesia in an emergency, and have medical drug interventions to help keep temperature under control.)

 

If your vet doesn't already do this, ask for your hound's temperature to be taken (and reported to you) immediately before hound leaves the vet's office with you to return home.

 

Edited November 4, 2011 by 3greytjoys

[Dawnnziggy]

Sorry for bringing this thread around again, I just need some advice. My vet wants to do some blood work to see if Dawson's kidneys are functioning as they should. I told them that I could not afford it until after I get paid. I still do not know how much I owe them for the 10:30P.M. visit on Monday night.

 

THE QUESTION: If I take him for this blood test and they find out that his kidneys are not functioning as they should, is there anything we could do to help them start to function again? He drinks and pees every walk. I just don't want to spend money on a test that may just make me worry more and let me do nothing about.

 

I hope I made sense there. Please don't get me wrong, if I can save my big cow dog, I'll spend any amount. He is such a sweet, gentle soul.

[Batmom]

Those are good questions to ask your vet -- what test is it, why are we doing it, how much it will cost, and what would we do if his kidneys were impaired?

 

If his kidneys were impaired, AFAIK what you'd most likely do would be encourage good hydration, perhaps some temporary diet modification, perhaps something like Azodyl.

 

 

 

[JJNg]

What's going on that is causing concern about his kidney function? Is he drinking/urinating significantly more than before this whole episode (this could also be stress-related)? How's his appetite?

 

I'm suspecting the concern is that the high temp may have damaged his kidneys? Since that was an acute episode, if there was any damage to his kidneys, it should be stable now and not progressive. So if he's doing well clinically (eating well, acting normal), it may not be critical to pursue this immediately. If he's not doing well or having any problems, it would be more important to do the testing asap. Just my thoughts with the limited info presented here. I would definitely discuss this further with your vet before making any decisions.