Did Your Grey Come With Parasites?

[Guest SmilingSara]

Gordon's still battling off-the-charts Erlichia (1:81,920 - not a typo, but 13 multiplications past 1:80), and will decide about Berbesia treatment (1:320) after that is under control; we tested after a nosebleed.

 

Gracie tested positive for hookworm (treated both dogs even though Gordon on Interceptor), and we're now seeing tapeworm! I ordered her Interceptor within the first week of having her, and we're expecting it to arrive any day; I know it doesn't get rid of worms already there but it can't come soon enough!

[Guest shiningstar]

Star was fostered by a really greyt lady who takes care of all of the greys she is finding homes for in a really big way.

Not only that but she was trained in house manners, which we have pretty much suceeded in spoiling out of her!

No parasites of any kind!

[Guest ProudGreyMom]

Jake had fleas and ticks really bad, no disease though. Andy had ticks, also no disease (thank goodness!).

[Guest btamarin]

Cali came with a terribly high burden of hookworm. It took months to get rid of it.

[Houndmom]

Hayley battled multiple internal parasites and I'm sure she had ticks and fleas when she arrived at her foster home.

 

Merlin had been in foster care for 10 months so he was clean when I adopted him.

 

Willow had a couple ticks..that was it.

 

Trace had ticks and a nasty case of roundworms.

 

Most of my fosters have had ticks, fleas and worms when they came off the track.

[Guest Guest]

One of my greys was fine. The other had worms, ticks and fleas.

[Guest 2GreyGirlies]

You might want to add intestinal infection-parasites. Both my girls were sick when we got them. The vet said it was intestinal parasites from the track food..........Took Cinny over 2 months and several antibiotics to get well, Harley was more fortunate in that it only took a month for her to recover.

[silverfish]

I voted none of the above, but Jim came with parasites - demodex!

 

His treatment was well under way, though. They knew about it and were treating him properly.

[fritofeet]

Diesel came to us with tapes, ringworm and Babesia.

 

Lucy came to us with tons of sand in her ears.

[cathys01]

I've adopted three greys in the last 2 1/2 years. One was in the kennel for almost a year, one came from being in foster care for two months (although she did spend a little time in the kennel before I got her), one came from a brood farm (was also at the kennel for a little while). I've also had about 8 fosters that have all come from the kennel and fresh off the track. (BTW, my adoption group is GPA Houston)

 

I've never had any of these dogs come with parasites of any kind. Maybe we have a great kennel, maybe I was just lucky...I tend to think it's the former. Our kennel dogs are pretty well cleaned up, I've never had one come home with a tick, fleas, or anything else.

[Guest rockingship]

Neither of mine came with anything other than curiosity about the cats.

 

Before getting all head-up about intestinal parasites----which all have a LIFE CYCLE....it is a good idea to familiarize oneself with the various parasite's life cycles, so that you might understand just how difficult----sometimes impossible, in certain climates----it is for the trainer, no matter how astute he of she is----to BREAK that parasite's life cycle....which is the only sure way to completely eliminate the parasite.

 

For example, hookworm and whipworm eggs can penetrate the pads of any greyhound who steps in infested stool, or who steps on ground where there are hookworm or whipworm eggs. It is virtually impossible to break the lifecycle of these parasites in any situation where canines are kept in great numbers and share a common ground----such as common turnout areas and/or a racetrack grounds where cooling out is done.

 

Tapeworms require an intermediate host for an infestation to occur, and viscera (meat) is a prime intermediate host of tapeworm eggs.

 

Fleas are another carrier of the tapeworm parasite, and if a greyhound ingests a flea, most likeky he is ingesting tapeworm eggs as well.

 

Adoption kennels who are receiving greyhounds from racing kennels, are not exempt from the lifecycles of these parasites, either.

 

You can religiously worm your greyhounds, every 21 days for intestinal worms, such as hooks and whips-----but if you do not completely rid the common ground of the parasite eggs----which are passed in stool, to the ground----by breaking the life cycle of the parasite----then you will certainly have a reinfestation, and will always have to take prophylactic, periodic worming measures.

Edited December 29, 2003 by rockingship

[Guest SmilingSara]

Neither of mine came with anything other than curiosity about the cats.

 

Before getting all head-up about intestinal parasites----which all have a LIFE CYCLE....it is a good idea to familiarize oneself with the various parasite's life cycles, do that you might understand just how difficult----sometimes impossible----it is for the trainer, no matter how astute he of she is----to BREAK that parasite's life cycle....which is the only sure way to completely eliminate the parasite.

LMAO about "just interest in cats".

 

And thanks for explaining the rest. Somebody else explained it to me a couple weeks ago, how often a low parasite-load at the track can quickly get out of control during the stress of the transition period to the adoption kennel & pet home. And the fact that the vet had us worm Gordon despite him being on prevention, also shows me how non-100% any prevention efforts are. I also know parasites are tougher to control in some areas of the country than others (maybe that should've been part of the poll).

 

EDIT: Though Gordon's extreme Erlichia numbers and Gracie's 2nd case of worms concern me, I'm more trying to find out how many other grey parents had to deal with these things than getting "all heads up".

Edited December 29, 2003 by smiling sara

[Guest LynnM]

I fight worms on a daily basis. My fosters get a strong dose of wormer every 10 days until they go to their home. It's a tad overkill, but I've yet to have one come down with worms soon after going to their home.

 

Tapes are easily taken care of by a single dose of Droncit (don't let your vet sell you two rounds!) It *IS* very important that you realistically evaluate your flea situation if one of your dogs comes down with tapes.

 

Ticks are my albatross this year. All the rain has made them a real pain to deal with, to the point that once this summer I had to go to the local nursery and get really old school in how they were dealt with (suffice it to say that it was a product not normally regarded as "grey-safe".)

 

Lynn

[CleosMom]

Both Cleo and Cole came home with worms. Nasty creatures!!! But that seemed to be the extent of the problem. (Fingers crossed!)

[robinw]

Phoenix came with babesia.

[Paula]

Dash had a few dead ticks on him, but that's it.

[Sighthounds4me]

I voted "none of the above," but that doesn't exactly answer the whole question. Naples did have intestinal worms(tapes, if I remember correctly) that were treated by her foster family. We had to get her stoll tested one last time after adoption, just to make sure no "hangers on" were present. Otherwise, she was fine.

 

I think most, if not all(my own opinion..nothing based in fact.) Greys have parasites of some variety at the track. As Rockingship says, it's very difficult to get rid of them where any high concentration of dogs is located.

[Trudy]

both of mine arrived critter and disease free

[Guest SmilingSara]

Wow, I guess I'm kinda unlucky, then. Double tick disease and double worms not typical, then? I thought I was gonna have a new answer to health issue questions I get at m&g's. I know Gordon's from Florida; still don't have Gracie's papers and yes I understand that things can multiply & spread at adoption kennels too. And I shouldn't say unlucky b/c I'm thankful they have no worse health problems (knocking on my desk). Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

[ElizabethGPAPS]

I don't think we've gotten a truckload of dogs in 6 years that didn't have ticks and hookworms present in varying levels. Occasionally giardia, sometimes fleas, sometimes tapes or other worms.

[Guest FullMetalFrank]

Neither of my greys had parasites of any sort when we got them; both had already been in homes, although I don't have a whole lot of information about those homes, I do know they got regular vet care and neither were treated for anything that shows up on the vet report other than routine worming, after leaving the track. One thing I did note; neither of my dogs was on current HW preventative when we got them! I had them tested and started HW meds right away. My vet says HW is very uncommon where we live; and has even discontinued supplying the preventive; but we still keep Frank on it although my vet has to call in the prescription to someone else.

[Guest SusanP]

3 greyhounds, 3 sets of worms, multiple types.

[Marian]

Both of mine were clean when I got them, but they also lived in foster homes for a few weeks prior to me getting them so I don't really know. Rosie had been hospitalized for heat stroke when the hauler transporting her and others from Plainfield was stuck in traffic with no a/c.

[Guest argolola]

Lola tested positive for heartworms, and we were told of the risks. After 3 opinions from vets, we decided to go with the less evasive (and slower process) of HeartGuard Plus. She must be re-tested every 6 months.

 

We knew she was sick, but we wanted her anyway!

[Guest topoftheline]

They all come with ticks and some with fleas too. Those ticks are tough little buggers to get rid of.

 

Terri