Greyhound Sick

[Guest MartyB]

I have a serious Mystery on my hand what could be causing my Greyhound to have issues. My Greyhound came from the racing tracks in Florida his racing career ended in Oct. He was rescue and I adopted him from that rescue group, I've had him for 5 months now.

 

The first month was pretty good, a little stress full for us all because I adopted him with a hurt tail, he was a super trooper about his tail. He had to have tail surgery done.

 

Second month was when the trouble started. The beginning of the month he didn't want to eat for a whole day. All he wanted to do is eat grass. ( I didn't think too much about this because he is positive for hookworms and has medicine for that and also he is still adjusting to his new life). He bounced back and eat the next day- all is well. Then again at the end of the month- same thing doesn't want to eat only 1 day. He bounce back and began eating the next day.

 

Third month he was on and off like this for a while. Now two things have change- his stomach was making terrible noise and it was 2 days he wouldn't eat. He would wake me up at 2 am and 4 am to eat grass, I wouldn't let him. After a whole day of not eating his poop was a liquid black mess. After those two days his stomach would settle and he would be back to his normal self, eating, playing. It was like magic. Still thought it was the hookworms and the hookworm medicine.

 

After a lot of sleepless nights and the end of last (June) month we went to a vet and had started all over. Start fresh to see if it's really the hookworms. (Fyi we've been to the vet through out all this). After the test came back, he is in pretty great health. Expect his blood count is low because he still has hookworms, and his stomach is pretty raw from acid. We came up with a great plan and new hookworm treatment.

Complete new dog, he stopped having diarrhea/ poop is normal and solid. Eating and has a good amount of energy for a Greyhound. New food plan. All is looking up.

 

A whole month goes by and then the 2 days of not wanting to eat happens. Took him back to the vet made a few adjustments- bounces right back- full of energy, very play full. I actually had never seen him want to play that much, I had high hopes, but it only lasted a week.

 

We are now to present time- again 2 days of not eating. Again back to the vet. Crazy...... He testes negative for hookworms (yes I am aware that he can have a false test), his blood level is almost normal for a Greyhound, he looks good on paper. We thought it could be Addison's disease because he match a lot of the symptoms, but he tested negative for that.

Also to add a few things. He doesn't have bloat.....we've checked many many times

The black liquid- doesn't have any blood in it- could be from blueberries

He has thrown up a few times during the time he doesn't want to eat

 

Please help with ideas

 

 

 

 

 

[macoduck]

Hookworms can test negative and still be present. There seems to be a more resistant to treatment crop of them now. Do a search in our Health & Medical section and there should be a post for the newer recommended treatment protocol. Treatment should be done for several months and then some.

[macoduck]

MartyB, this was post on the Greytalk Health and Medical Facebook page (not associated with this Greytalk forum). Jennifer Ng is a veterinarian. I thinkn this protocol has been working better for some dogs rather than the Drontal protocol by Dr Couto.

 

My current protocol is to start with a 5-7 day course of Panacur, with a dose of pyrantel (Strongid-T) given on the last day. Panacur and Strongid work synergistically, and a greyhound breeder I spoke with has been having good results with this. At the same time, I start them on Advantage Multi as their monthly HW and flea control. Advantage Multi reaches steady state after 3 doses and essentially provides continuous deworming. Even with all this, a lot of dogs will take 6-8 months or longer to clear.

 

The FB page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1565140613545174/search/?query=hookworms

[Guest MartyB]

The pryantel wasn't working for him, the hookworms were just getting worse. We did switch to the Advantage Multi and that actually worked and came back negative, he felt better and things seemed to be getting better. I know that they can come back false negative we will run more test. Our Vet said that it would take at least 4 months and more. He has been on it for 3 months now (Multi Advantage).

[macoduck]

Here's a pdf from the Prison Greyhounds on their protocol: http://prisongreyhounds.org/Hookworm%207-2018.pdf

[tbhounds]

I would ultrasound him at this point. (FWIW-Jennifer’s hook de-worming protocol worked like a charm for me).

[Time4ANap]

My money would still be on hookworms or some other worm since it's only a couple days at a time. That negative fecal test really doesn't mean a whole lot and seems to mean less and less every year that I've had a greyhound. Sometimes it takes months of trying to hit that worm hatching cycle just right with the meds. Hope your pup is feeling better soon.

[greysmom]

I'm with the others on this - probably still the hooks. They are insidious and very drug resistant, especially this strain coming from Florida. It took us 6 months of constant treatment to get rid of them.

 

My vet says you need *three* clean fecals, not just one - one three weeks after the last treatment, one three months, and one six months before you can really feel you've knocked them out.

 

And you will still always have hooks in your yard or the area where he's been pooping, so you need to keep that area immaculately picked up all the while he's in treatment or else he's just reinfecting himself. My dogs all wear a kennel muzzle with a stool guard to keep them safe and hook free.

[Guest kimmi592]

I have the same problem with mine. Still trying to figure out what the problem is. Mine tested negative for hookworms after going through 4 treatments. I changed his food to a gastrointestinal Putina one prescription. It helped with the solidity of the poop, but he still every once in a while wants to go out and eat grass and his stomach will make loud gurgling noises. We are going back to the vet next week.

[Guest MartyB]

I have the same problem with mine. Still trying to figure out what the problem is. Mine tested negative for hookworms after going through 4 treatments. I changed his food to a gastrointestinal Putina one prescription. It helped with the solidity of the poop, but he still every once in a while wants to go out and eat grass and his stomach will make loud gurgling noises. We are going back to the vet next week.

Hi Kimmi592

It sounds like are in the same boat! I hope he is doing better or gets better!!

Thank you all for the responses! So far this August he has been doing really well. If I can get him through the end of the month we might be turning a new corner. It will also be the first month where he hasn't been sick since I adopted him!! He usually starts getting sick on the 19th and then it's on and off of not wanting to eat, then he just snaps out of it and is fine.

Wish us luck!

[RaineysMom]

Hi Kimmi592

It sounds like are in the same boat! I hope he is doing better or gets better!!

Thank you all for the responses! So far this August he has been doing really well. If I can get him through the end of the month we might be turning a new corner. It will also be the first month where he hasn't been sick since I adopted him!! He usually starts getting sick on the 19th and then it's on and off of not wanting to eat, then he just snaps out of it and is fine.

Wish us luck!

does the 19th coincide at all with a medication, like his heartworm pill? seems weird it's the same time every month. Or a lawn treatment, or?