Stress

Stress: what is it? What does it cause and why? To be stressed is to be fatigued and close to breaking point. Stressed and fatigued metal breaks, and in the biological sense this is also true of the body. However, because there are so many processes involved in normal body function, a fatigue or breakdown in one or more of these processes, or the excessive stimulation of others, totally throws the whole system out of balance.As these progresses beyond a certain point, the ability of the body to function normally is reduced, and the first thing to go out the window is the ability to perform exercise at a high level.All body processes are interrelated, and depend on enzymes or hormones produced by other body processes.Which in turn depend on available fuel (food), and also on what functions they have to perform. This controls what levels of enzymes and hormones are produced, which governs body processes that trigger other body processes etc. etc.Biology is an extremely involved subject, and many people have spent a lifetime unraveling some of its complexities.Therefore, any greyhound trainer who believes they can control and influence the way a greyhounds body functions, by the addition of chemical additives to the diet in various quantities, or the injections of various substances, are really kidding themselves.In the short term it may get the results they are looking for, in the long term, it causes more damage than can possibly be imagined.The same applies to unsuitable training techniques, they simply over stress or fatigue some body processes. This causes progressively worse imbalances, and further reduces the ability of the body to cope with stress.You must keep in mind that all greyhounds are different, and have different tolerance levels. What will be an acceptable routine for one may totally destroy the next greyhound. Excessive protein or the wrong type of protein in relation to the required protein-carbohydrate balance, and this depends on the level of exercise. May cause the body to burn protein for energy instead of carbohydrate, and so increase the quantity of waste it has to get rid off.Excessive quantities of vitamins and additives in the diet may also increase the amount of waste the system has to eliminate.It is also worth noting that the manufacturers of the huge quantities of food additives available to the greyhound trainer are in the business of selling products, and selling more is the name of the game.Many of these products are extensively advertised with, if not direct promises, at the very least with hints of possible improvements in performance. Most of the food additives I have examined, have a recommended dosage up to twice as much as I believe is required for good health, when they are added to the greyhounds normal diet.If the advertising convinces the trainer that they are giving the greyhound something that may improve the performance, there is no doubt that many of them will increase the dosage even further, thereby causing the dogs system even more wastes to cope with.It is all good and well to say that food additives are easily eliminated from the body, however, in many instances this involves the dogs kidneys, and in most greyhounds these are already a much abused organ, and not necessarily capable of functioning at an optimum level.Vegetable oils, when added to the diet may reduce the absorption of essential fatty acids normally obtained from a meat diet, and this reduces the body's ability to synthesise some essential steroid hormones.The daily use of alkalising agents, chemical kidney flushes, or so called acid neutralisers, cause major problems with normal body processes by increasing the elimination of some of the essential electrolytic ions and buffering agents from the body. It is also important to note that acidic urine does not necessarily indicate that the greyhound’s body is over loaded with acid waste products; in some instances of acidic urine the plasma is in fact alkaline, as in intra cellular acidosis.When we start a greyhound in training, the whole program is aimed at slowly improving the health and fitness of the greyhound, thereby allowing it to cope with progressively harder runs, until it attains peak fitness.However, if you examine this a little further, you realise that it's not only the heart, lungs, and muscle system that need to increase in fitness, but also the system that stores energy in the body, and most importantly the system that eliminates toxic wastes from the body.It only stands to reason, that if you provided a large quantity of glucose in the diet each day, and so provided the body with instant useable energy, the part of the system that stores energy will never attain its full potential.The same applies to providing the greyhound with an alkalising diuretic or acid neutraliser after each and every run. It not only stops the waste removal part of system learning how to cope with a hard run, but may also destroy the health of the dog by stopping the kidneys from doing their job, increasing fluid loss, and the possible loss of potassium from the system.Take the situation where you have a greyhound that plays up in the kennels prior to a run.The barking and panting the dog does in the kennel or dog trailer is likely to cause respiratory alkalosis due to excessive carbon dioxide removal by the lungs.On top of that, when you have a greyhound that gets over excited before a race, it is also extremely likely that after 6 or 7 runs, this dog will also be suffering from some degree of Hyperadrenocorticism, that is an over stimulated adrenal gland.Let’s examine this greyhound’s likely condition at this point in time just prior to the run.Possible respiratory alkalosis due to panting and barking. Possible intra cellular acidosis due to the potassium loss caused by the hyper- adrenocorticism.It is also extremely likely that the greyhound will also be anaemic to some extend, because haemoglobin is destroyed in the process of the body's attempt to buffer the toxic waste that is being produced.Now give the dog his race start or a trial, and then lock the dog up in a small space, such as a racetrack kennel or a dog trailer, and let it pant some more. Then take the dog home and give it a good dose of an alkalising agent, which will further increase potassium and fluid loss.You now have a greyhound where the biological system is so far out of balance, that no matter what you give it, recovery is extremely slow, and if the greyhound is raced or run again in three or four day's time, the problems are simply aggravated.Or worse still, the trainer may decide that this greyhound needs resting for ten days, and then runs it over the same distance again.Soon you have a greyhound that starts cramping, or suffers from increased muscle soreness, and muscle damage that is slow to repair, no matter how hard you work on it.Next up is the increased pain in the nerve pathways due to spinal muscle spasm or muscle contraction, and the increased levels of wastes in the body due to what is by now poor kidney function.By this time off course the dog will be on two Potassium tablets a day to combat the Potassium loss, and then it will need Anabolic Steroid injections to combat the muscle damage and muscle wasting. This will aggravate the already depressed Thyroid gland due to the Hyperadrenocorticism. That means the dog will have to go on Thyroxine tablets to offset the depressed Thyroid gland. This will unfortunately cause some imbalance in the Calcium absorption rate, which means you will have to increase the Calcium intake to avoid hairline fractures. You will also have to watch the dose rate of Thyroxine as overdosing has been suspected of causing heart muscle damage in racing greyhounds. At this stage it is also a good idea to start feeding some lard, as this may help the dehydration you’re trying to keep under control. But if you do that, you should also put the dog on a Methionine supplement to try and avoid fatty liver problems. And heaven forbid lets not forget the Electrolyte supplement, this must of course be given in extra large doses, because lets face it this is supposed to fix the dehydration. By now you are well into the veterinary treatments, and the dog will have had at least two blood tests, and one or two courses of antibiotics. Because stress causes an increase in the white cell count and alkalising agents increase the likelihood of urinary tract and kidney infections. Then of course it will also have had a treatment for the anaemia, and a treatment for a depressed immune system, which is damaged by the Hyperadrenocorticism, which is caused by the stress, that was caused by the training methods.Sarcastic? Maybe so. Far fetched? Certainly not! This is exactly what happens to far too many greyhounds, greyhounds that showed lots of potential, but never had a racing career.Some greyhounds suffer from stress problems more than others do, and it is the excitable over keen hard chasers, that require the most amount of patience in race preparation.As a general rule, for this type of greyhound it is best to consider the time spent running, rather than the distance covered.Because it is the amount of energy the greyhound is capable of using before it becomes stressed, is the only important consideration, and this should include the energy it wastes prior to the run by barking panting and shaking.From experience, I have found that even an extremely unfit greyhound that has had only one weeks worth of solid walking, can handle a 14 second run behind the lure, and one 14 second run improves fitness enough for an 18 second run.However, it then takes a minimum of two runs over each distance, before increasing the next run by an additional 4 seconds.Until such time as the greyhound starts running over two turns, this increases the stress factor considerably.If for instance, the last two runs of the greyhound were over the 25-second distance on a U turn track; the run over two turns should not be more than 25 seconds, such as a hand slip at Sandown.It may then take two or three hand slips before the greyhound is allowed to run the full distance, depending on how well the greyhound recovers from each run.It is also extremely important, not to increase the distance or time spend running, until the greyhound runs the current distance, and pulls up reasonably sound and free of stress. Many trainers run their greyhounds on straight tracks in the belief that this is not as stressful as circle running. If this is done as an easy hit out between circle runs, it is a great idea.However, the overuse of a straight track brings its own problems, particularly in relation to increased breakdown of the muscles in the left hind leg.When the greyhound is allowed to spin around quickly at the end of the straight, without the benefit of soft sand in the catching pen, this may also result in injury to the lower spine, wrists or right hock.The next factor is the time spent resting between runs; the general rule is a minimum of two clear days, but not more than five. If for any reason the time spend off is longer than five days, you should reduce the greyhounds next run by two seconds for each additional day’s rest counting from the fifth day.The next item to take into consideration is the amount of energy used by the greyhound prior to running, and this may be difficult to judge. However as a rule of thumb for a highly excitable dog I reduce the time spend running by 5 seconds for each half-hour the dog has to wait.There have been a number of occasions when I've taken a greyhound back home from a trial without running it, simply because the wait was to long for the dog. There have also been times when I have taken a distressed dog out of the kennels for a late race, and have been concerned enough by its condition to request that the greyhound be scratched from the race.There is a real chance of causing permanent health damage by racing or running a dog already suffering from severe stress.However if you do get caught out, and the greyhound has a harder run than you anticipated, there are some things you can do to minimise the effect on the dog.First of all cool the dog down properly, and then walk him around until he stops panting before re-kennelling or making the trip home. All of which should be standard practice at all times for every greyhound after every run.As soon as the greyhound is home in his own kennel, provide a drink of one cup of milk one cup of water and add 40 ml of Vitrate liquid concentrate or an appropriate dose of Recharge, then provide his normal evening meal.There are some injections that may be of some benefit to the greyhound at this time.My preference is for a product called Tridenosen manufactured by Nature Vet; inject 2 ml into each back leg. If this not available, you may substitute with 1 ml of DADA 250 + 3 ml of a product called Tripart distributed by Equipharm, Tripart and DADA 250 may be mixed into the same injection.Provide the same drink again the next morning, and monitor the greyhound’s condition carefully during the day; at any sign of stress repeat the injections again that night. If there is no rapid improvement by the next morning, or the greyhound’s condition deteriorates, in particular signs of excessive water drinking and or excessive amounts of clear urine, seek urgent Veterinary attention.

Iron deficiency

Iron deficiency is the thief of performance and
potential will never be realized unless deficiencies are
corrected.
After dealing with the problems that cause the
deficiency, two products which stand out as blood
building supplements are Ironcyclen and Blood Food
Tablets.
Ironcyclen is a tried and true formulation containing
three organic forms of iron together with other blood
building co-factors essential for red blood cell and
haemoglobin production.
Blood Food Tablets are a first rate, short term blood
booster with vitamins and minerals for the treatment and
prevention of iron deficiency in dogs.

Potassium is the electrolyte most likely to become
depleted by hard exercise, traveling, barking and panting
particularly in nervy dogs.
Low blood potassium can result in dehydration and
poor performance in racing greyhounds.
Adequate levels are vital for normal nerve and muscle function.
The best form to take is Beta-K tablets, specifically
for the greyhound, designed to gradually disintegrate,
releasing potassium for maximum absorption.
Trainers should resist the urge to use human type
products which at first glance seem to be the same, but
they are not.
Beta-K is the best form to take, by far, so stick with it.

Vet notes

Stress

When the greyhound is severely
stressed either physically,
or psychologically, for any length of
time, there is a release of the hormone
Adrenalin from the inner segment of
the Adrenal Glands (called the
Adrenal Medulla) which are located
on each side of the body adjacent to
each kidney.
In actual fact, there is a range of
Adrenalin Hormones e.g. Nor-
Adrenalin and others - which are
grouped into a category referred to as
the Catecholamines.
If this Catecholamine release
continued for too long, the greyhound
would die from stroke or heart attack
caused by the enormous rise in blood
pressure resulting from these
hormones.
However, the body avoids this, by
reducing the effect of the Adrenalin
and its related hormones, with another
hormone known as Hydrocortisone
which is produced by the outer coating
of the Adrenal Glands (called the
Adrenal Cortex).
Again, there is a range of
Hydrocortisone related hormones
grouped into the general category of
Corticosteroids - all with similar
effects.
The main effects of these
Corticosteroids are:
* To reduce the heat, redness, pain,
and swelling of any inflammation,
whether it be from bruising or other
damage to muscle, bone, or nerve
fibres - as seen for example in Track
Leg, Metacarpal Periostitis, or even
allergic symptoms – and
* To combat the effects of severe or
chronic stress within the body by
producing a feeling of well-being and
relief from anxiety, together with a
renewal of energy by raising blood
glucose levels from body stores of
glycogen.
There is an interesting side effect of
prolonged Corticosteroid release in
chronically stressed greyhounds, and
that is a suppression of other types of
hormones that are produced by the
Pituitary Gland located at the base of
the brain.
These include:
* The Follicle Stimulating Hormone
that aids sperm and egg production
and available as Folligon.
* Leuteiniing Hormone that aids
release of eggs from the ovary and the
maturation of freshly generated sperm
and available as Chlorulon
* Reduced Testosterone produced by
the Testicle causing reduced libido -
and -
* Reduced Thyroid Hormone from the
Thyroid Gland resulting in Bald Thigh
Syndrome, Anaemia, and a feeling of
lethargy.
DIAGNOSIS of the Stress Reaction,
(which is really an – HYPERA
drenocorticism), is based on:
* The recognition of the signs shown
by the patient, AND, a recognition of
the prevailing stressful circumstances.
Remember, what stresses one
greyhound may have no effect on
another greyhound!
* A Blood Test to confirm the
problem.
This test, if positive for the problem
will characteristically show a fall in
the Total White Cell Count to around
2500 or less per cu ml, also, a rise in
the ratio of Neutrophils to
Lymphocytes (normally averaging
2:1); a fall in Lymphocyte count
below 1000 per cu ml to around 650-
800 per cu ml; often, a rise in
Cholesterol levels and Glucose levels ;
an elevation in Total Protein due to
some degree of Dehydration but with
a fall in Globulin Proteins which are
produced by Lymphocytes, and which
are the greyhound’s antibodies against
disease and infection – that is why
these patients are so prone to recurring
minor infections requiring antibiotics
from time to time.
* Another sign of Hyper-
Adrenocorticism is a slow healing rate
for skin and other wounds, and a
tendency for freshly healed wounds to
open up again. Remember those
recurring Track Leg skin splits?
* Caution must be exercised when
interpreting blood tests taken from
Hyper- Adrenocortic patients as many
of the changes seen in the blood cell
figures are similar to those seen in
virus infections - so be guided by your
veterinarian’s clinical examination of
the greyhound, as well as the blood
test results.
THERAPY for
HYPERADRENOCORTICISM
- 1 REDUCTION OF THE
STRESSFUL ENVIRONMENT -
In acute situations such as travelling
by car or airline, this may not be easy,
although rest alone may be adequate.
Medication before travelling for the
reduction of anxiety and tension
should be considered employing a
Tranquilliser such as Acepromazine
(3mgm into muscle), or, Reserpine
(0.25 mgm into muscle) - but do note
that these medications may give a
positive post-race swab for 5-7 days
after the injection.
Alternatively, one may prefer to
administer Tryptophane in doses of
500mgm, orally, together with 10 ml
of Aminolyte 34X orally, twice daily
for the 5 days before travelling,
including the day of travel, This
will produce a reduction of anxiety
and nervousness without any problem
of a positive swab.
Restrict exercise to walking,
swimming, free running for 3-7 days
after arrival.
In chronic situations of stress such as
very hot weather, aggressive kennel
mates, excessive workload for that
particular greyhound and so no, it may
be best to rely on the use of
Tryptophane (500mgm) plus the
Aminolyte34X (10ml), both orally,
twice daily, indefinitely - and that
there is no risk of a positive swab.
In all cases do your best to minimise
the stressful situation or circumstances
for that particular greyhound.
Remember, you may have six
greyhounds in your kennel, but only
one with a spooky, nervous
disposition leading to Hyper-
Adrenocorticism resulting in reduced
or variable performance - so learn to
recognise the signs and employ
appropriate measures to restore this
greyhound to normal.
Another medication to reduce the
stress reaction is Glutamine, given in
doses of 500 mgm three times daily
for 14 days, then twice daily for as
long as required. Glutamine &
Tryptophane work well together.
2 TREAT CHRONIC STRESS
SYMPTOMS -
* Dehydration may be detected or
suspected using the “skin pinch test”
over the backline.
Lift a fold of skin and release it - if it
snaps back there is no dehydration - if
the fold of skin stays there, or, returns
slowly, then there is a degree of
dehydration roughly equivalent in
severity to the speed of return of that
skin fold.
Treat with electrolyte supplement -
especially Potassium (K Salt, Slow
K), to aid retention of fluid, and be
aware that high levels of
corticosteroid causes a loss of
Potassium which predisposes to
Acidosis after a hard run. Medication
with Florinef Tablets (Florinef,
0.1mgm) using half a tablet twice
daily for 5 days, then half a tablet
daily for 7-14 days may be indicated,
but you must keep up the Potassium
supplement with this medication,.
Also be advised by your veterinarian
regarding the implications of a
positive swab with Florinef.
* Check the skin at the back of the
thighs for hair loss, indicating “Bald
Thigh Syndrome”.
If detected or suspected, request a
“Free T 4” blood test to determine the
extent of suppression of Thyroid
function.
This will provide the information
necessary for calculating the dose of
Thyroxine (Thyroid Hormone
Supplement) needed by the patient (=
Oroxine, or, Thyroxine Tablets).
* The Hormone Serotonin is produced
naturally in the brain of greyhounds,
and is associated with rest and
reduced tension or anxiety. This is
destroyed by the Adrenalin
& corticosteroids of the stress
reaction.
However, brain stores of Serotonin
can be improved by administering the
amino acid Glutamine, in doses of
500mgm three time daily for 14 days,
then twice daily indefinitely
throughout the period of stress
reaction without any problem of a
positive swab too!
* Maintain a good general Mineral/
Vitamin Supplement in the food daily
- especially including at least 50 mgm
of nonacidic Vitamin C daily (=
Sodium or Calcium Ascorbate).
* Watch the workload - keep the
greyhound fit but fresh with walking,
swimming, free runs, handslips and
straight runs rather than regular
weekly trials. Space the circle runs to
10-14 days apart for these patients.
* Keep on the lookout for minor
infections by conducting a simple
blood test once a month.
This will show up any anaemia as
well.
Most trainers will be aware of any
major infection affecting a greyhound
by the obvious signs of illness, but
minor infections can be much more
difficult to recognise, especially in
their early stages - so, early prevention
is better that a delayed health risk and
lost performance or time out of racing.
* Anabolic Steroids will prevent loss
of muscle, weight, and performance.
Try Stanazol, .5ml into muscle once
each 5 days, or, Nandoral, one tablet
twice daily for 7 days, then one tablet
daily.

Vet notes

Acidosis

Although severe acidosis, or rhabdomyolysis, is not a common problem, it can have a devastating effect on a greyhound’s future racing career. Symptoms include depression, inability to walk or stand, muscle seizure with pain and swelling along the back and hind limbs and extreme dehydration with weight loss of up to 1-2 kg in 24 hours.
It is considered to be a form of severe cramping, occurring most commonly in unfit, highly-stressed, excitable dogs or those that over-exert themselves following a collision or fall in an effort to catch the rest of the field.
Affected animals pass small volumes of urine, which is extremely dark due to muscle breakdown and this should alert trainers to the severity of the condition. Although electrolytes and fluids, with supplements of potassium are useful in mild cases, in all cases it is best to seek vet advise. Dehydrated and collapsed dogs must be given intravenous fluids, vitamins and metabolic aids and be monitored over a 24 to 36 hour period. If not treated quickly, the affected greyhound can dehydrate severely and will die within two to three days due to kidney and liver shutdown.
However while fluid therapy under vet supervision is helpful in overcoming the immediate life-threatening problem, many greyhounds are left with extreme muscle wastage along the back, which hampers return to their future racing career. Physiotherapy and exercise to rebuild wasted muscles, including measured doses of anabolic steroids and an adequate protein diet are useful. But recovery from the more serious forms of the disease can take two to six months and the greyhound is unlikely to regain its previous speed or class of racing.
Acidosis can be divided into 3 categories depending on the symptoms seen.

Hyperacute Acidosis – this form tends to be seen after an unfit dog is raced or trialed. When an unfit greyhound is subjected to excessive fast work there is an enormous production of lactic acid in the muscles. The intracellular buffers in the muscle cell are unable to neutralise such a large amount of lactic acid and acidosis develops. In this situation the dog needs to be treated with intravenous fluids and electrolytes by a vet

Acute Acidosis – this form also follows a race or trial. Greyhounds that are either highly-strung or tense or racing under hot and humid climatic conditions can develop acute acidosis. These greyhounds spend a lot of time barking and panting and this can lead to loss of the electrolytes that buffer (neutralise) lactic acid. The greyhound is primarily a non-sweating animal and when the environmental conditions are hot and humid it has an increased difficulty in getting rid of heat. A veterinarian should also treat acute acidosis.

Subacute Acidosis - it is thought that this form of acidosis is due to a deficiency in potassium that can develop in greyhounds that are trialing or racing too frequently. The immediate treatment of subacute acidosis is aimed at minimising any damage to the kidney from the myoglobin in the urine. It is also important to keep the urine alkaline. For this you can use Neutradex This is a special formulation of buffering salts designed for use after racing to flush the system and aid recovery. Anabolic steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs can be used as necessary to aid recovery. These dogs should also be trialed or raced less frequently.

vet notes

Cramping


Greyhounds are particularly prone to
developing cramped muscles if they are not
fit enough for the speed or distance of
racing, or if their diets are imbalanced or
lack physiological salts such as potassium
to counteract increased losses.
Cramping is the failure of a contracted
muscle to relax so that it remains
contracted and appears hard or “knotted
up” when examined.
Studies indicate 10% of cramping
occurs in the shoulder over the front triceps
area, 30-40% in the back line muscles, and
more than 50% of cramping involved the
larger hind limb driving muscles.
Cramping can occur before a race,
during a race, or within 60 minutes after a
race.
One major muscle, such as the
semitendonsis, or a group of muscles
may become knotted as muscle
relaxation is prevented.
In hard walking, excitable greyhounds,
or those that become stressed when
travelling or waiting in the kennels or
starting boxes prior to racing, cramping
can severely affect their performance.

Feeding a high starch
diet, such as more than two slices of bread
or a high starch, low protein dry food or
biscuit, can increase the risk of cramping in
some
greyhounds.
A lack of vitamin E, calcium and
electrolytes such as potassium and
magnesium in the diet can also increase the
frequency of muscle cramps.
Subclinical cramping
Up to 40% of greyhounds that finish
poorly in a race and slow down in the
home straight are likely to have developed
a less acute form of muscle cramping, often
referred to as subclinical cramping.
Affected greyhounds do not show
obvious signs of restricted stride, hunching
in the back or dragging a leg as is typical in
more severe forms.
However, they will react to pressure
applied over the muscle groups involved
when caught and examined immediately
after racing.
These symptoms often disappear by the
time the greyhound is rested and walked
back to the kennels, as walking will often
relieve the knotted muscles and restore

Often this form of cramping is confined
to the hindlimb driving muscles in then left
hind leg, which tire more quickly in an
unfit greyhound, or one that is suffering
from dehydration and reduced blood
profusion or body salt imbalances in the
blood.
If these greyhounds are not examined to
identify the subclinical muscle cramp, the
underlying reason for repeated poor
performances may not be recognised.
Severe cramping
Greyhounds are most likely to cramp
up after the first 300 metres of a race.
In an unfit or an anaemic
greyhound, this is thought to be
caused by oxygen debt in the rapidly
contracting muscles during the
gallop.
Cold conditions, particularly at
night race meetings, also increase the
risk of cramping, especially in
greyhounds that have been kennelled
for long periods waiting for later races.

Nervy, excitable greyhounds,
especially bitches, are more likely to
cramp if not warmed up properly by a
brisk walk or muscle massage prior to
being boxed.
The cramped muscles feel firm, hard
and knotted, and if cramping occurs in the
hind limb driving muscles, the greyhound
will be reluctant to walk because of the
pain and restriction in stride.
Exercise hyperthermia
This is associated with heat stress from
long distance travel, over-excitement in the
kennels, and can also be due to inherited
risk of cramping referred to as Exercise
Induced Malignant Hyperthermia in certain
bloodlines.
Lactic acid levels in the muscles and
body temperature reach their peak
immediately after a race.
This condition can lead to severe pain,
distress and internal damage to the affected
muscles if a greyhound overheats during a
race or gallop.
Cramped muscles virtually break down
in their structure, with protein loss and
pigment excretion, leading to dark urine,
dehydration and loss of body weight and
muscle mass in severe cases, often referred
to as exertional rhabdomyolysis.
Hot weather, dehydration and build-up
of lactic acid in the driving muscles can
result in an acute acidosis syndrome caused
by physical stress due to an extreme effort,
often combined with dehydration or
electrolyte imbalance.

cancer cures could work for canines and humans

One of the major issues associated with longer life expectancy in man and his best friend is an increase in the incidence of cancer. Even though they cannot talk it seems dogs might be able to tell us why and how certain cancers develop. In turn that could lead to better treatments for both canine and human cancer patients. An expert from the country's newest Vet School will tell a symposium in London that studying tumours in dogs and humans could give us a better understanding of their shared pathogenesis.Dr Ali Mobasheri, an Associate Professor from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science at The University of Nottingham, is attending the one day symposium on 12th July, 2007 entitled 'Curing Canine Cancer – Human Cancer Benefit'. The symposium has been organised by the Colorado based Morris Animal Foundation and is the first event of its kind to be held in this country. As well as addressing the cause of canine cancer, it will explore areas of translational cancer treatment research as cancer cures for dogs are now being successfully applied to humans, in particular children. Cancer is the single biggest cause of death in dogs over the age of two. The incidence of bone cancers, skin cancers, and lymphomas is increasing in humans and dogs and there are significant similarities between certain types of human and canine cancer – such as breast and prostate cancer. Dr Mobasheri says we are all mammals with similar genes and studying the bioenergetics of canine tumours will allow us to gain a comparative understanding of human tumour metabolism. He said: “We are using high throughput screening techniques to identify new biomarkers of prognostic significance in cancer. The approach involves using clinical samples from a tissue bank to carry out hypothesis driven immunohistochemical studies to look at tumour metabolism”.Certain breeds of dog are known to develop certain types of cancer. For instance Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) is common in the Greyhound and the Rottweiler. It is also the sixth most common cancer seen in children. Research into canine cancer is easier because of the dog's extensive pedigree information. Experts say this could be crucial in identifying the underlying genetic causes of cancer in dogs and humans and finding treatments that could be to the benefit of both.Dr Mobasheri said: “The benefits of taking a comparative approach to cancer research will be of mutual benefit to humans and companion animals. That is because cancer is cancer. It is a similar disease in animals and humans”.

Vets notes

HEALTH CARE
Let’s look at a few of the easily overlooked items that can
make all the difference to a greyhound’s race performance,
and post-race recovery.
THE FEET
Nails should be filed just to the level of the pink “quicks”.
Avoid clippers close to race day as it is so easy to cut into
the “quick” and cause pain bleeding, or infection.
Nails that tend to split or break can be reinforced by
painting with “Hard As Nails”, or clear nail polish.
Either will protect the nail surface, but neither will swab.
Protect the pads from cracking or excessive wear by
massaging with Lanolin, Neatsfoot Oil, or Lard.
These are animal fats that will soak deep into the pads to
make them supple and pliable.
ANAL GLANDS
These can cause the greyhound to miss the jump from the
boxes if they are impacted.
This is equivalent to infected haemorrhoids in people, so
trainers can understand that any pressure on the tail area
when boxing, will cause discomfort and could well result
in loss of speed when leaving the boxes.
Gently express the Anal Glands each race day.
If unsure how to do this, see your vet or veterinary nurse
for a brief tutorial on raising the tail and using your thumb
and finger to “milk” the anus with a gentle squeezing
action.
SKIN PINCH TESTING
Should be conducted on every greyhound upon arrival at
the track.
Gently take the skin over the middle of the back, in your
thumb and finger, and lift it up.
The skin should snap back like elastic.
If it stays in a folded position, or, returns very slowly, then
the greyhound must be dehydrated from travel, and/or, is
suffering from anaemia.
Either way, performance will be reduced.
Try supplying a drink of water or electrolyte mixture and
walking around for ten minutes before kennelling to allow
absorption of the fluid, and an empty out to void any
excess.
Also, have a simple PCV blood test, but no sooner than
48-72 hours after the race, to check out any degree of
anaemia after the post-race blood changes have returned to
a normal resting level.
POST-RACE COOLING
This is important to prevent that eye disease Focal
Multifocal Acquired Retinopathy (FMAR) which leads to
night blindness and degeneration of vision.
So, cool the whole head area when washing the face and
eyes to remove the sand.
There is also some misunderstanding about cool hosing
along the back and general body area with the belief that
this can “cook” the greyhound in some way.
This is not correct, but any greyhound that has developed
a full or partial bout of Exertional Rhabdomyolysis
( A c i d o s i s ) during the race will have heat, pain,
and discomfort when the muscles along the backline are
touched or pressed. It is not the hosing that has caused the
problem, but rather the trainer becomes aware of the
symptoms when applying the hose, rubbing down, or
drying the patient, and tends to incorrectly relate the
hosing to the cause of these concerns along the back.
The application of cool water to any section of the body
after the race can only lead to minimisation of heat stress
and a return to normal body comfort with less chance of
kidney, lung, or muscle damage.
MUSCLE TEARS
These are a constant problem with the racing greyhound,
but your very first action upon returning the greyhound to
the wash area is to apply cold hosing to the swollen,
reddened section of muscle.
This is important both to minimise the bleeding and
swelling by constricting the damaged blood vessels, and,
to aid recovery by reducing the subsequent scar tissue
formation within the injured muscle. After receiving
advice and possible emergency treatment by the track
veterinarian, purchase some ice from the local cafT or
garage and ice-pack the injury for another 30-60 minutes.
This will be time and money well spent in the long road to
a good recovery.
FLY WORRIES
Can be a problem around the ear tips and any abrasion or
wound on the body, but now, at last, a new product called
Septicide has been developed by Virbac for treating these
areas.
It contains an efficient antiseptic, plus anti-parasitic
compounds that will repel flies and insects while
promoting healing of superficial wounds.
It should be a good adjunct to any greyhound medicine kit.
By Jim gannon