Does Anyone In This Group Have A Greyhound That Has No Health Issues?

[Guest Leilla1956]

I'm not quite sure how to word what's on my mind so I will simply do my best and hope that I'm not misunderstood or get flamed.

I have been hoping to adopt a greyhound since I met my first about 10 years ago. The time may be around the corner as I will be moving into an apartment which has a weight limit of 80 lbs (not the usual 20), and although I'm getting as excited about this as a child at Christmas, I'm also beginning to have some concerns. Although I've heard it said that a greyhound is a vet's nightmare as they are so healthy they rarely need a vet's care; I'm getting the impression by what I've been reading on this site that they are a breed that are prone to cancer, ailments (digestive) and a lot of injuries that require visits to the vet. I'm not sure how to politely ask this, but...must you be wealthy to own and properly care for your hound? I'd love to hear some words of encouragement from those who have been blessed with very healthy hounds). I am not wealthy by any means but that has never kept me from properly caring for dogs that I've had in the past (never a hound). Please give me your honest thoughts about this.

thank you in advance.

Edited November 11, 2016 by Leilla1956

[Houndtime]

I am sure that there are many on this board with healthy dogs. What you see is when people have an issue, and, need advice, this is where they would seek answers.

 

If I wrote and said, "hey, my dogs are healthy", what would you respond?

 

Good luck with your greyhound adoption efforts.

[40MphMom]

My MacKenzie is 6 years old and very healthy. We have had a few accidents and a broken toe. She prefers to walk instead of use her own backyard as a potty stop.

 

We tried to feed her more raw food and we made her sick. Our fault again.

 

She has a simple diet, walking, playing with us and of course sleeping is her career. She is retired, that is for sure.

 

The only regret I have is that we did not consider a Greyhound in our youthful years.

[Scoutsmom]

Hey, my 2 greys (8 and 10 years old) are healthy. The only problem I have had is when the oldest somehow swallowed a sewing needle and needed surgery to get it out. Yes it was expensive, but with CareCredit it was manageable.

[Hubcitypam]

Honestly, As much as I love them I'll probably never have another grey. Mine almost bankrupted me. Maybe it was a bad luck of the draw.

Little Girl - AIHA

Buck - Osteo

Rex - GME

Buddy - lymphoma

Bella - spine issues

We were frequent fliers at the specialty vet. In contrast Poodle went to the vet once a year until he became diabetic. Barkley the Mutt has been here six years and other than annuals has had an ear infection and a sprained back.

I am sure there are many healthy greys out there and as Irene stated, no one posts about their healthy dog.

[RedHead]

My guy is 9.5 and has never needed a vet visit other than checkups and his dentals. I will say he has been my most expensive dog though, purely because he needs a dental every year no matter what I do. They are also prone to certain cancers, but so are a lot of other purebreds. On the flip side, I don't find they have a lot of problems that a lot of other large breeds do (for example my friends with labs and retrievers deal with hips, thyroid, acl tears, ear infections, hotspots, etc. all the time). Pet insurance is your friend though in case of accident or emergency

[greysandmollie]

I have had 4 greyhounds....one expensive due to some odd health problems..one died of cancer young and the other two were very healthy...Cody lived to be 14 and Dylan is going strong at 12 1/2....

 

It is the luck of the draw...

[KF_in_Georgia]

First, look where you are: Health and Medical discussion. It's like asking why all the guest stars on House played sick people. Other forums aren't as dark and intimidating as this one is. I hang out here a lot, though--not because my dogs are sick, but because I want to know about ailments and potential problems. (I'm like the person who watches House so she can check off the symptoms a friend has...)

 

Second, greyhounds have thin skin and move fast. Running into trees, bushes, fences, and other dogs' teeth at speed will cause damage. But I live in a condo (no fenced yard), have owned a couple of medically challenged older ex-racers (mostly, foot trouble), and I don't let my guys tear around at speed (because of those foot troubles) and have had just two greyhounds need vet care for an injury. Silly Sam tried to run up the stairs, slipped on the carpeting, and wedged his foot under a stair riser. Three stitches. And Oreo once cornered Sam near his food dish (in my early days of dog ownership--I learned better), and he bit her to get away from the bossy bitch. Four stitches.

Something will eventually kill every dog, and for about half those dogs, it will be cancer. That's "dogs"--not just "greyhounds." All long-boned dogs have higher rates of osteosarcoma than little dogs have, but the usual warning list of dogs prone to osteo names Goldens, German Shepherds, Dobermen, etc. Greyhounds are further down the list. But meanwhile, you're not likely to have to operate on a greyhound to fix hip dysplasia: greyhounds generally aren't bred until they've proven to be healthy runners. (The old joke is that if your vet says your greyhound has hip dysplasia, you need a new vet.)

Other ailments such as vision problems or digestive issues affect greyhounds about as frequently as they affect other breeds. You hear about a lot here, but if you ask a vet's office, they've got poodles and labs and goldens and mutts on special diets, deworming meds, etc. Walk into the waiting room of any veterinary dermatologist: you'll see cocker spaniels, shih tzu, basset hounds with allergies or skin problems--but you'll probably have the only greyhound. Ask your vet (1) what trouble does he see most with greyhounds, and (2) does he see more illness with greyhounds than with other breeds?

One thing to keep in mind: you're getting an adult dog. That means you'll have fewer years with one you adopt than you'd probably have if you adopted a puppy. That's just math. But those of us who love the temperament of the retired racers are going for quality time with our furkids, even if it means less quantity.

I've owned 7 greyhounds since I adopted my first in November 2001. I've lost 5 of those, three of them at the early age of 8, one at 11 and a half, and one at 13. Lots of people have older greyhounds; some people have lost greyhounds very young. (I had my 13-year-old for 10 years, 10 months; I lost an 8-year-old to osteo after just 2 years, 4 months in my home.) None of the dogs I've lost have been sick for more than a month. At present, I have an 8-year-old ex-brood mom (she's been here one week) and a 4-year-old boy with a screw in his foot (a racing injury; he's been here since April). Losing one can be financially devastating--but not more expensive than losing any other breed. No matter what kind of dog you get, look into pet insurance (there are threads on Greytalk that discuss insurance; I'm about to put the new girl on Healthy Paws). And steer clear of dog parks.

[Riverhound]

Brees (7) is healthy as a horse. She gets hurt plenty, but that's because she's crazy and chases anything that moves.

 

Joe has had hind end problems since we got him at age four (he's ten now). Insurance covers the x-rays he gets when I worry too much, and meds when he needs them (which isn't all the time, even now). He had a major stomach upset problem about 2 years ago that required overnight care. I think it wouldn't have gotten that bad if I'd taken him in earlier, but I was busy with work and blah, blah, blah.

 

Anyhow, you want to get insurance, but you would likely want that for any dog.

[Guest goofydog]

The breed is actually very healthy as a large breed dog. As Irene stated you don't see many posts stating 'my dog(s) are healthy.' I believe if you were to look at any of the forums for other large breeds you would see similar postings about similar health issues.

 

Please don't let the 'Health and Medical' thread dictate whether a greyhound is a good mix for your lifestyle and family interests. As with any breed of dog you do need to take in to account how a grey would fit in your families lifestyle and also about possible vet, grooming, boarding and travel events.

 

Personally I currently have my second grey. My first boy, Get Em, convinced me that this is the only breed I will have going forward. Even though I lost him to non-osteo cancer, the 10 years he was with me were worth every bit of sorrow I had when it was time to let him go. My current fellow, Morrie, does have arthritis is his left fore wrist. Would I have not adopted him knowing this in the beginning? It wouldn't have made a difference. He is an athlete who had a wonderful first career as a racer and is now enjoying his second one as a part time athlete and full time companion!

 

Best wishes in your search for the perfect pet to fit in your life, hopefully a wonderful greyhound!

[Guest Leilla1956]

Hugs and a huge thank you for the responses!! Reading these really put my mind at ease. I'm not a kid, I'm a woman older than dirt, but being owned by a greyt is on my bucket list...laid back couch potato (like me), not a yappy little dog...i think it's a perfect match all and all.

thanks again!

[Beachbum1]

I am sure that there are many on this board with healthy dogs. What you see is when people have an issue, and, need advice, this is where they would seek answers.

 

If I wrote and said, "hey, my dogs are healthy", what would you respond?

 

Good luck with your greyhound adoption efforts.

This.

[Jerilyn]

Lila is 10 and has no health issues. She had a dental when she retired at 3 1/2 and when she was 8 and will probably need one again in the next year. She had one incident of tummy upset that I took her to the emergency vet for, but it probably wasn't necessary. Other than that, she's only been to the vet for her annual check ups.

[palmettobug]

Johnny shows signs of wear and tear from his racing days, but so far, so good at the age of 5.

 

My Lab was a working dog til the age of 6, she had hip dysplasia, spinal arthritis, chronically bad ears, larangyeal paralysis, and incontinence and UTIs in her later years.

 

My biggest expense has been my Siamese mix rescue cat. He's survived so many things, but he's so worth it.

 

[FiveRoooooers]

I adopted Trevor a year ago when he was 10.4 yo, and now at 11.5 he is the healthiest of my four campers. No meds, only Kirkland's Glucosamine/MSM to help keep him comfy.

[XTRAWLD]

Kasey cost me very little up until age 8. Then he had allergy issues and then cancer. He cost me a small fortune, but I would have done anything for him and still would.

 

Ryder has had a limp that seems to get aggravated from over-exertion and he's had this ever since I've had him, 2 going on 9. So far I haven't had to put much money into him other than dentals, x-rays and trips to the chiropractor. That's not to say I'm expecting not to, I'm already saving up just in case because they don't stay young forever.

 

So from my experience, neither of my boys really had any major issues until their 8th or 9th year. I am fortunate though to have some disposable income to spend on them. They are my kids, and my hobbies are few, so really a lot of my money gets poured into them. If it's not for their care, it's for their comfort - the best beds, the best food, the best toys.

 

Both my boys were leash walked since 2008 as I moved to a place without a fence at that time. In complete honesty I think this alone cut down on perhaps more trips to the vet because Kasey was just a crazy runner and a klutz. I'm certain he would have broken a leg in his older age with his maneuvers. Ryder too would have likely have had a worse injury and worse limping, but I can never be sure.

 

So, I think like most dogs, you have to expect SOMETHING to happen. An upset stomach, puking, the big D, a busted toe, dentals - but this truthfully can happen to any dog. Are greys more susceptible? Perhaps. Sighthounds in general are built a little differently than other breeds. I'm sure in your experience from other dogs, a trip to the vet for something out of the ordinary must have occurred.

 

To paint the breed with a bad brush and say they are unhealthy based on the Health and Medical board everyone turns to for advice might not be fair, but I do get where you are coming from. It's very easy to see that the breed is unhealthy when the main focus is "how do I help fix this" or "what do I do here" . Turn to the Cute and Funny board and you might say "aren't greyhounds the most aloof creatures" ....

 

They are prone to cancer and they are prone to having bad teeth, some more than others. They have been breeding however the best to the best hoping for the best, so genetically, major ailments are actually few when looking at other breeds. And their longevity, for their size, is unmatched. I will take the risk of cancer later in life over other common breed ailments, but that's just me. The breed itself completely suits my lifestyle: quiet, tolerant of minimal exercise, all around low maintenance (to a point)!

 

I hope that your research points you in the right direction and you are already becoming quite the responsible owner by doing your due diligence! Go out and meet a couple more in person and ask all of these questions to other owners you have an opportunity to meet. Everyone has a different experience and perspective. Owners here have been through so many greyhounds and some not an issue and others constantly an issue! Some of it is luck and some of it is prevention and some you just can't prevent. Continue to be excited and do what's right for you and your lifestyle! You might not end with a grey but whatever you do, it will be right for you I'm certain!

Edited November 12, 2016 by XTRAWLD

[Busderpuddle]

Ruby is 9 and is very healthy. She has always been a picky eater, but has never had any tummy issues except for one diarrhea blow out when the sitter fed her raw beef, which we knew she didn't tolerate. We were told she has a heart murmur, but then we were told she didn't. I normally take her in once a year for a yearly check up. She does have some anxiety when left alone, but that can happen to any dog. We have had her teeth cleaned once. She still does zoomies around the back yard, but they are fewer than when she was young. She has never had worms.

I love her and she has not cost us nearly as much as some other dogs we have had. Just routine care. She also has never peed or pooped in the house, never. Perfect from the start.

Good luck with your new pup.

[Guest DarkHorse]

Mine have all been fairly healthy up until the end (for my two bridge angels). We've had two actual health issues prior to the final descent - Dexter's eye and KB's teeth. Dexter's eye was a cataract probably caused by an injury. It wasn't a problem until last winter, even though he had it the entire time we had him. And KB's teeth may (hopefully) only need a single cleaning and then general maintenance.

 

Otherwise, it's been yearly check-ups and then a week or so of tests just before the end. It's not any more or less than I would expect for pretty much any pet.

[juliemac]

welcome to Greytalk!

 

Consider spending time over in the Cute & Funny threads rather than Health & Medical for some brighter stories about our lovely hounds.

 

And if you'd like to participate in Secret Santa (maybe as an Elf since you don't yet have a hound to spoil?), start posting (you need 50 posts to send PM messages and/or join in Secret Santa).

 

Looking forward to seeing your first pictures and hearing about your first days with your new greyhound once s/he arrives!!

[greysmom]

Medical issues are pretty much the luck of the draw, no matter what kind of dog you get. The advantage with a purebred is that you have a better idea of what to watch for as far as problems. And, as someone above said, every dog has to die of something.

 

We've had 8 greyhounds and they have all had *something* going on, mostly because that's the kind of dog we look for. We have experience dealing with medical issues that a first time adopter wouldn't, so this list will have a higher percentage of medical problems.

Libby - mild seizures (no rx for 6 years), died of kidney failure

Dude - no issues from 2yrs old until he was diagnosed with osteo at age 9

Copper - healthy for the 7 years we had him except for nasty teeth, died of a stroke at 12

Cash - healthy until diagnosed with liver cancer at 11

Toni - multiple health issues, but going strong at 11

Whiskey - healthy at age 9, we've had him for 5 years

Lilly - rx allergies and IBD, under control, she's 5

 

The last three have never had a dental since they've been with us (Whiskey is probably going to need one soon-ish).

 

Pet insurance can really help, and is quite affordable if you only have one dog. There have been multiple threads here on GT discussing the best ones.

[kolarik1]

Out of my current 3, my "middle" child aka Marble is completely healthy (knock on wood). My youngest, Noah is essentially healthy, as long as I keep him on his salmon/pea recipe from Sam's Club, with limited treats. Every couple of months, his belly will gurgle and I give him a Zantac twice a day for a couple of days.

 

You have to remember, as everyone ages, they will end up with issues. My oldest, Zelda, has had Arthritis for about 5 years now, along with seizures...I get her meds from Sam's Club as it's much cheaper. She gets pills twice a day, but other than that, easy peasy...she and Marble are on Eukanuba Senior and are loving it.

[KF_in_Georgia]

Hugs and a huge thank you for the responses!! Reading these really put my mind at ease. I'm not a kid, I'm a woman older than dirt, but being owned by a greyt is on my bucket list...laid back couch potato (like me), not a yappy little dog...i think it's a perfect match all and all.

thanks again!

 

This is exactly how I wound up owning my first greyhound--and first-ever dog--at the age of 49.

[Neighsayer]

I just adopted a girl who will be eleven in January. I have all her vet records. She had a UTI about three years ago. Nothing else. She had great teeth, never needed a dental!

[ramonaghan]

Sweep just turned 7 last month. She had a long bout of limping over the past year that was eventually determined to be an old racing injury that she kept re-aggravating, leading to tenosynovitis and some arthritis in a toe. I won't lie: it was expensive because it took so long to figure out what was going on and then to treat it with drugs and physical therapy. But now she is off meds and totally healthy (knock on wood). She has never needed a dental or stitches or even had a bout of diarrhea last longer than a day or two. As someone suggested above, having a fenced yard can be both a convenience and a liability. It's possible that we'd never have dealt with the toe issue if we were still in the townhouse we lived in our first two years with her, where she had no area to run. We still leash-walk every day, but she takes full advantage of the yard for zoomies and that means a higher chance of injury.

[GreytHoundPoet]

There are a lot of healthy Greyhounds out there. No matter what the breed of a dog is, they will always encounter some health issue at some point. People don't post on forums about healthy dogs being totally ok but they do ask for advice when things go wrong. Greyhounds are healthier than many other dog breeds but they are still going to encounter issues.

 

That being said, my husband doesn't think that he wants more Greyhounds due to general lifelong soundness concerns (our Ibizans are much hardier as a breed) and losing our boys and several former fosters/extended family all to osteo in the 8-11 age range in less than a year. The pain is too fresh right now to even consider another. We have also found our hearts drawn and committed to another breed so that factors in as well. I haven't given up on Greyhounds yet though, so we'll see. Right now we have 2. One is healthy other than soundness issues that are off and on.The other has SLO, lost 3/4 of her teeth, and eye issues. One of my boys battled arthritis most of his life, and a crooked hock, but was overall healthy other than that. The other had LS and chronic back issues and joint issues in his front legs. Neither broke the bank with vet bills but they did have medical stuff from time to time.

 

 

And their longevity, for their size, is unmatched.

 

I wouldn't make that claim without strong, unbiased data, though I completely understand your sentiment. Compared to Great Danes and other tall, heavier, common breeds, yes. However, looking at other sighthound breeds of similar sizes, typical longevity is pretty much the same. Rarer breeds from reputable breeders suffer less from "show ring syndrome" and benefit more from genetic health testing prior to breeding and careful consideration of health and temperaments in pedigrees. I'm proud to say that in my primary breed, Ibizan Hounds, there have been a lot that live 14-16 years and some still lure coursing and in amazing shape around 10.

Edited November 12, 2016 by GreytHoundPoet