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As your Partner in Pet Health, the team at Hillside Animal Hospital would like to provide you with as much information as possible regarding your role in keeping your dog happy and healthy. With this in mind, we have developed new Breed-Specific Wellness Programs. These programs are intended to increase your awareness on health conditions that have been found to be commonly associated with your dog's breed. While many dogs live a long, healthy life without facing major health issues, we feel that educating pet owners about possible health conditions is the best way to be proactive in detecting health issues before they become a problem. You'll find important recommendations for scheduling physical exams and diagnostic tests which we encourage you to discuss with the doctor throughout your pet's care. Please contact us at 480-391-7297 if you would like further information or to schedule an appointment.
Greyhound - Specific Wellness Program
Dermatological Conditions
 Pattern Baldness
About the condition:
- Pattern baldness is a hereditary condition in which a dog is born with a normal coat of hair, but signs of the condition will most likely appear before the age of one.
How to detect this condition:
- Symptoms may include crusty, oily or scaly patches on the skin, small red bumps, and/or loss of hair.
Ventral Comedone Syndrome
About the condition:
- As greyhounds are so deep-chested, it is common for their chest to touch the ground when they are lying down. Due to this contact with the ground, it is easy for debris and bacteria to irritate the skin causing "blackheads" or occasionally pustules.
How to detect this condition:
- Observe the skin on the deepest part of your pet's chest for any irregularities. If pustules are present, they may be the result of a bacterial infection.
Musculoskeletal Conditions
Exertional Myopathy (Rhabdomyolysis)
About the condition:
- Although this condition is more common in greyhounds that still race, it may occur after intense periods of exercise. When this occurs, there is a reduced supply of blood to the muscle tissue causing weakness, pain and swelling. If it is left untreated, the condition may lead to renal (kidney) failure.
How to detect this condition:
- The symptoms usually include muscle pain and swelling. In severe cases, the symptoms may also include stiffness, collapse and rapid or deep breathing. If you notice any of these symptoms following an intense period of exercise, your pet should be seen immediately.
Ocular Conditions
Pannus (Chronic Superficial Keratitis)
About the condition:
- A bilateral progressive inflammatory disease that affects the cornea. The cornea is the transparent, shiny membrane which makes up the front of the eyeball. You can think of it as a clear window. As pannus progresses, vision loss occurs.
How to detect this condition:
- An annual eye exam should be performed to check for signs of pannus.
This list is not intended to cover all possible diseases and/or conditions found in Greyhounds, but instead lists those that we have found to be most common at Hillside Animal Hospital. Please let your doctor know if you have further questions regarding these or any other conditions.
Wellness Recommendations
An annual physical exam is recommended for the life of your pet so that any problems can be detected. In addition, we recommend the following diagnostic evaluations in order to provide more thorough veterinary prevention and care:
| Annually |
Full eye exam |
| Age 6 |
45 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis |
| Age 8 |
55 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays of chest, abdomen and hips if needed |
| Age 10 |
66 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays |
| Age 12 |
77 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays |
| Age 14 |
88 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays |
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