Frequently Asked Questions

Greyhound Newsletters  

Serving areas
throughout California
and Las Vegas

Toll-free 1-877 GR8TDOG
(478-8364)

Greyhound
Adoption Center
P.O. Box 2433
La Mesa, CA
91943-2433

New arrivals are immediately bathed and dipped for ticks and fleas. Vaccinations are given, including DHLPP, Bordatella, Corona, Giardia and Rabies. The dogs are treated for some of the most common intestinal parasites, including tapeworms. Each dog is tested for heartworm, and has a complete blood count and thyroid test. Older dogs may receive a complete blood panel. Once the heartworm test results are back, each greyhound receives monthly heartworm-preventative medication and medication for other parasites as needed.

All greyhounds adopted through the Greyhound Adoption Center are spayed or neutered before adoption. At the same time, the greyhound's teeth are cleaned and polished and, if any extractions are necessary, those are also done. The dog's ears are checked and, of course, treated if infection is found, and the nails are clipped. We strive to send these dogs to their new homes in the best physical condition possible!

Greyhounds are pretty healthy, all things considered.  Dog books will tell you they can live to be 12 or older. However, there are important things to know about greyhounds medically before you decide if this is the dog you want, and certainly once you adopt one.

Parasites: fleas
In spite of their short coats, greyhounds get fleas like any other dog. The modern products, Advantage and Frontline, are safe and effective for fleas. Greyhounds should never wear flea collars. Not only are they not effective for controlling fleas, but they may make greyhounds violently ill. Greyhounds can generally be bathed in any shampoo that is safe for cats and kittens, but don't rely on shampoo or dip to keep your greyhound flea-free. Beware of products marketed to look like Advantage or Frontline. These do not contain the same ingredients, can be dangerous and do not work to kill fleas. You must get Advantage or Frontline from your veterinarian.

Intestinal parasites
Greyhounds can be exposed to large numbers of worms and other intestinal parasites during their racing careers. Although all dogs adopted through the Greyhound Adoption Center have been treated for some of the most common parasites, you will want to have a stool sample examined by your veterinarian when you first adopt and any time your dog is having persistent diarrhea.  It is a very good idea to maintain your dog on the monthly heartworm preventative called Interceptor. Interceptor not only prevents heartworm, but also acts to treat several of the common intestinal worms with each monthly dose. If you live in an area with fleas, you will also want to check your dog's stool for the presence of tapeworms, which look like little moving grains of rice. These are easily treated by a veterinarian, but no over-the-counter "worm" medications will kill them.

Our medical director, Dr. Candy Lewis, examines a greyhound newly arrived at the center.

Capillaria
Capillaria bohemi is a worm that lives in the upper respiratory tract. It can cause dogs to make a snorting sound called a reverse sneeze, a sound more commonly associated with allergies and upper respiratory diseases than with parasites. Most veterinarians will not have encountered this parasite before unless they see a large number of ex-racing greyhounds.  To complicate matters, the eggs of Capillaria bohemi look very similar to a common intestinal worm, the whipworm. If your greyhound has a reverse sneeze, take a stool sample in to your veterinarian. If whipworms are diagnosed, and especially if treatment for whipworms does not clear the stool of the eggs, your dog probably has Capillaria bohemi. Your veterinarian is likely to need to use the drug Ivermectin to treat the problem.