Greyhound owners - advice please

[Acolyte]

I have a rescue greyhound who is 11 this year - up until 2-3 months ago she has never looked her age, been very sprightly etc. More recently she has lost condition, become very lethargic and seems to be losing the plot mentally - when I take her for a walk and let her off the lead she just stands there with a 'where am I and what I am I doing here' expression

My last dogs were whippets who lived to 15 and 13 respectively, so I was expecting greyhounds to get to that age too. My girl has all the look of a dog which doesn't have that much longer to go

- so I wondered how long do greyhounds usually live to?

She was booster-vaccinated in December, the vet checked her over thoroughly and could find nothing physically wrong with her except a heart murmur (which I would expect at her age). I'm taking her back this week, but I am expecting that it will be like one of those intermitent lameness things in horses - I shall say 'she isn't quite right' and he won't be able to find anything

 

[JaneSteventon]

Hello, I can't speak specifically for greyhounds (although I do have one) but I know that large dogs don't have as long a life span as smaller ones and also kennal dogs generaly have a shorter life span than house kept ones so if he has been kept kennelled when in racing perhaps this has aged him. One of my whippets had symptoms similar to the ones your greyhound has and she was going deaf. Lived a good few year after this but we had to keep her close on walks as we couldn't shout to her to come to us if she wondered off and she kept getting lost. Hope this helps.

 

[Acolyte]

I never even thought of that

I will do some 'testing' to see whether it might be the case - I am not sure now whether she is OK at home because she can see things rather than hear them. I will keep my fingers crossed, I couldn't bear to lose her so young

(She was kennelled when younger by the way, she was an Irish racing greyhound who probably was used as a brood bitch before I had her)

Thank you

 

[misspoppy]

My grehound lived untill he was 14 he passed away last year he also lost condition towards the end i had to have him PTS due to loss of use in his back laegs that happened over a few days

I am almost in the same postion again with my whippet he is 13 this year and lost a lot of weight just ambles along he also has a heart murmur and i do wonder how long we have left with him

Good luck with your lad hope all goes well at the vet.

 

[rema]

My uncle used to race greyhounds and has recently lost his last two ex racers they were both 14 years old.Jim the big irish dog his back legs went in the end and Rosie the english dog well she pined for Jim.From what i remember most of his dogs lived to thier early teens.He never sold a dog from his kennel,They all came into the house when they could no longer race and became sofa ornaments.

 

[Acolyte]

Mmmm, I lost my last whippet 7 years ago and I had forgotten how hard it is when dogs start getting old and frail - do they still have quality of life, are they enjoying themselves etc etc

Jura (my greyhound) has always been a poor doer and won't eat much - at the moment she looks like an RSCPA rescue case after a 24-hour stomach upset, I feed her Hills Science Diet and raw tripe to put condition on but it doesn't seem to do much good for her - nothing does

 

[Acolyte]

What a lovely description - Jura has been a sofa ornament since I have had her, it is her idea of a good life

 

[Oneofthepack]

It's one of thiose unpredictable things, some greys will live until they're middle teens and some live less long but just as happy lives. Think quality not quantity and she will tell you when it's time to go. Maybe try more but smaller meals to get the weight on? I now give Indie my elderly decrepit lurcher 1/3rd more food divided into 3-4 meals a day and she's picked up well. Good luck at the vets.

 

[lucylemon]

for a greyhound/lurcher sized dog, 12-14 is a decent age to expect.

although some greys do age very quickly once they get into double figures.

i hope she is ok

 

[Cop-Pop]

Not grethound but our goldie x went like that - we've upped her joint supplement and oils and she got better. She's 13 now.

 

[whippet]

Bless her.... maybe now, if she's looking a little lost, she'd be more secure and happy to stay on lead for her walks? She could have years left in her, but at a slower pace....average ages are a guide, but like humans, our dogs are all different.

Good luck, and love to your girlie xx

ps, one of my greys, and 2 of my 3 whippets had heart murmers from early to old age...don't worry too much.

 

[Acolyte]

Thank you very much

To be honest I am already tending to leave her on a lead when we go for a walk, we can wander along slowly while my lurcher dashes about chasing things and getting very muddy

Her appetite has picked up since her steroid injection - she asked for more tea last night

- so I just hope the tablets work to improve her liver function too.