Care of the Racing Greyhound
A Guide for Trainers, Breeders and Veterinarians

By Linda L. Blythe, James R. Gannon and A. Morrie Craig reviewed by Kate Bressler
$40 paperback; $60 hardbound.
Available from the NGA, PO Box 543, Abilene, KS 67410, (785) 263-4660.


While the Foreword states, "The purpose of this book is to help Greyhound trainers and breeders in the care of their Greyhounds," it is also an invaluable resource to pet owners and to veterinarians who treat adopted Greyhounds.

Published in 1994, Care of the Racing Greyhound was commissioned by the American Greyhound Council. Their directive was, "Take the anatomy, physiology, medicine, and surgery as these disciplines relate to the Greyhound and put them into layman's terminology." But, make no mistake, this book is heavy on medical vocabulary and it assumes the reader has a fundamental knowledge of what these terms mean.

Although it leans heavily on the medical side, it has more than enough illustrations and photographs for any pure layman to understand what is being said. For example, there may be a photograph of an injured leg, an x-ray showing the injury and a written explanation of the injury and possible treatments.The

authors of Care of the Racing Greyhound divided its almost four hundred pages into three parts.

Part I. Anatomy, Function and Dysfunction of Major Systems in the Greyhound

This section is quite technical. It contains in-depth discussions of each bodily system, down to naming each bone in each foot. There are either photographs or illustrations of most systems to further explain these descriptions.

Every few pages you will find a wonderful piece of information, like the "Three Minute Examination for Muscle Injury." Where with photographs and text you can learn to quickly examine your dog. Later in the book there is a more comprehensive examination, which covers ten pages.

A particularly interesting part of the "Digestive System and Nutrition" subsection contains a detailed clarification of the most common worms and other intestinal parasites.

Part II. Age Related Care of the Racing Greyhound

In addition to the wealth of information contained throughout this book, Part II includes 24 pages of 4-color photographs and illustrations depicting many of the more common conditions. While some of these photos are extremely graphic to the layman, they show diseases we have all heard of, e.g., pannus, pneumonia, mange, happy tail, etc.

Fractures are discussed at great length. If, in the past, you have been baffled by looking at x-rays, you will find these radiographs very easy to read. The radiographs chosen for this book are clear and contain arrows pointing to the part that is being discussed.

Part II closes with individual chapters on metabolic disorders, care of juveniles and geriatric care.

Part III. Therapeutic Medications

Antibiotics, NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), corticosteroids, poultices, etc. are outlined. Their effects, use and disadvantages are discussed.

This chapter, more than the other two, has a decidedly medical slant. Pet owners should rely on their veterinarian for advice as to which drugs are appropriate for which symptoms.




Since this book is written specifically about greyhounds, you won't find a better resource. Although a little on the pricy side, it is well worth every cent. It might even be a good idea for adoption groups to donate one to their veterinarians.

Reprinted with permission from Celebrating Greyhounds: The Magazine, Winter, 1998.
© Kate Bressler