A Couple Things to Keep in Mind with a Greyhound in the City
Living in the city with a Greyhound can be a rewarding and crowd pleasing experience. However, there are a few things you should keep a lookout for when going for a routine walk.
A sweet but deadly chemical can sometimes be on the streets: Antifreeze. Anitfreeze contains glycol, which tastes great to dogs, but it is quite damaging. Pay particular attention to puddles in driveways. Even if they are small, they should be avoided. If your Greyhound licks up some of this, it will quickly be absorbed into the bloodstream. The body then attempts to detoxify it. Eventually, the glycol ends up in the kidneys and urinary tract which creates crystals. This causes damage to filtering tubules. Poor pup!
You can figure out if your Greyhound ingested this substance if they act drunk and off balance. Diarrhea and vomiting will also occur along with excessive water drinking and urination. The best time to get your Greyhound to the hospital is during the early phases where they appear drunk. Usually, the hospital will successfully treat your Greyhound within 36-48 hours.
The other thing to watch out for: cars. Greyhounds are well known for bolting and most will get out at least once in their life. In fact, we made an article recently on how to catch a loose Greyhound. The number one rule in an urban environment is that if your greyhound is bolting, try your best to avoid oncoming traffic. Once you catch your hound, you might want to consider putting a blanket or heavy coat around them for assistance in transport. A nearby board can also serve as a stretcher if serious injuries are evident. After you get your Greyhound back to your car, you should call an emergency veterinarian and let them know you are on your way. That will give them plenty of time to prepare. Even if your Greyhound looks fine, they should be examined to be sure as they might be in shock. If your Greyhound is in shock, it is something serious and must be treated quickly.
These are two BIG dangers that you should consider when living in the city with your Greyhound. Of course, you should also take your Greyhound out for plenty of exercise. We wrote an article on that last week about how to handle your Greyhound at a dog park. Check it out!