Do Greyhounds have any special medical requirements?
Greyhounds have been carefully bred for thousands of years and as a breed are one of the healthiest, having no inbred genetic physical problems, like most other large pure breeds do. Greyhounds are however, very sensitive to certain chemicals and drugs. Their liver metabolizes drugs more slowly, and it is also thought that their very low ratio of body fat (10-15%) is another cause of this sensitivity. In general, the levels of some drugs in a dog’s system falls (gets metabolized) by going into its fat. The less fat a dog has, the longer it will take for the drug blood level to fall. For a detailed list of safe and unsafe chemicals, drugs and anesthesia procedures for the Greyhound, please read, Adopting the Racing Greyhound (3rd edition) by Cynthia A. Branigan. This fully updated 3rd edition (published July 2003) features ground breaking veterinary information not available anywhere else. It provides newly updated information on medical conditions in Greyhounds and the latest in tests
