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Do you have questions regarding the health of your greyhound? Do you need tips what you should feed your dog? Or do you need advice in curing an injury?
Miriam S. v. de Ponce Argentina (Team Member) Posts 82 Dogs 728 / Races 15 07 May 2013 18:19
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Having done many different veterinary consultations we have reached a crossroad regarding Hematocrit level that would to have a dog in competition. Once we have a dog with 52% and we was recommended to try to increase it because the dog was on the edge of the anemia. Then with another issue with a level of 58, we were told to lower it as he had a power level of oxygen in his blood and this fact can change his performance on track and could produce choking and lower level in high distances. Currently we were recommend to maintain the hematocrit level near 50% and never above 60%. What do you think about this? Can you tell us please the right hematocrit values for dogs to run an average of 200/300 meters considering we look for a high speed in short distances? Thanks a lot to all of you!
Carole Brown Australia (Verified User) Posts 32355 Dogs 185 / Races 2 07 May 2013 20:18
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Miriam, the generally accepted optimum level for the haematocrit, or PCV, is 58-60, for a fit, healthy racing dog. This will allow the dog to perform at its best. However, if your dogs only run that short distance, you may be able to get away with the reading a bit lower, such as 55/56. You do not want the reading around 50, as that is an anaemic reading, which will put them under more stress than usual when racing, and your dogs will probably end up with problems such as cramping. The haemoglobin level should be around 19.5-20 for optimum performance, but as I said, you may be able to get away with it a bit lower for the shorter distances.
Miriam S. v. de Ponce Argentina (Team Member) Posts 82 Dogs 728 / Races 15 07 May 2013 20:23
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Ok Carole. I understand what you mean.
Thank you so much for response! We are really very confused with the different ways our vets follows the racing dogs ...
There is a great discussion here about this matter and all your contributions are very important for us, bcs you have a lot of experience we don't ... we are walking the way and trying to do the best for our greys.
Carole Brown Australia (Verified User) Posts 32355 Dogs 185 / Races 2 07 May 2013 20:29
Here's a question in regards to this. Can ... When you have your dogs blood drawn, make a difference in the reading ? Meaning , time of day compared to feeding or working. Carol, what is your recommended time frame ?
Miriam S. v. de Ponce Argentina (Team Member) Posts 82 Dogs 728 / Races 15 07 May 2013 23:20
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A good question Doug,
We ever make the blood analysis during the morning, the dogs usually eats a light breakfast and they train during the afternoon.
Chris Carl Australia (Verified User) Posts 778 Dogs 20 / Races 0 08 May 2013 00:24
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dehydration can effect the reading so not within 72 hours of a hard run
Kevin Wright Australia (Verified User) Posts 5708 Dogs 1 / Races 1 08 May 2013 00:36
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Miriam..You are a gold member use the ASK THE VET ....They have some great articles there as well.
Miriam S. v. de Ponce Argentina (Team Member) Posts 82 Dogs 728 / Races 15 12 May 2013 21:23
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Yes Kevin, you're right, I'll do it.
Thks for your suggestion
Julie Grindley Australia (Verified User) Posts 679 Dogs 39 / Races 0 12 May 2013 22:10
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Hi Doug. We have done blood tests on the same dog 4 times during the day,and got 4 different readings. Before exercise,after exercise,after a meal,and after 4 hrs rest.Found every reading to be different. We have found the first test,before any food or exercise to be the most accurate. (most of the time when people have blood tests,you need to fast for 8 hours for a correct test result,so why not the dogs)
Kevin Wright Australia (Verified User) Posts 5708 Dogs 1 / Races 1 13 May 2013 00:05
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julie grindley wrote:
Hi Doug. We have done blood tests on the same dog 4 times during the day,and got 4 different readings. Before exercise,after exercise,after a meal,and after 4 hrs rest.Found every reading to be different. We have found the first test,before any food or exercise to be the most accurate. (most of the time when people have blood tests,you need to fast for 8 hours for a correct test result,so why not the dogs)
Spot on Julie ...Best thing to do with any dog is to get a blood test two days after a run .
Get a blood test after the dog has had a win or when you think he has ran a good trial pin it up on the wall and use that as your guide.
Hi Doug. We have done blood tests on the same dog 4 times during the day,and got 4 different readings. Before exercise,after exercise,after a meal,and after 4 hrs rest.Found every reading to be different. We have found the first test,before any food or exercise to be the most accurate. (most of the time when people have blood tests,you need to fast for 8 hours for a correct test result,so why not the dogs)
I too Julie, have found early in the morning as well before they eat and drink.
Many years of having blood tests on dogs and few things can be more frustrating.
Some observations that may help. Blood should be taken on a empty stomach a minimum of two days after a hard run,race or trial. I find mornings after being allowed out to empty and walked before breakfast to be optimal. PCV levels should be 58-62. This point is one that has tripped me up on more than one occasion, if the machine used is one used to give full blood profiles it must be regularly serviced and calibrated. A hemocrit machine that spins the blood provided the operator knows what there doing should be fool proof. While in Aussie I spoke to a/the leading trainer about blood tests, 20 years ago, he told me, waste of time he had nearly gone mad trying to follow the tests he was having done, at the end of it he took blood from one dog in one syringe and put it in five different vials to send away,he got back five different readings!!!. I could relate many stories as above. Blood testing it can be a mine field. Regards Geoff Parnaby
Kevin Wright Australia (Verified User) Posts 5708 Dogs 1 / Races 1 13 May 2013 11:14
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Geoff you are spot on with your comments.
Its great to get some positive posts about Blood readings and for so many years people have been misguided about HOW and WHEN to test.
Graeme Beasley Australia (Verified User) Posts 3265 Dogs 27 / Races 5 13 May 2013 11:27
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You guys seem to be talking in a different language to what my bitches readings say. Her haematocrit level is 0.52 and her haemoglobin is 180. Is it just a different scale being used? Could the 0.52 mean 52% or 52 and the haemoglobin be read as 18?
Also her T4 was 24 but that doesn't seem to be on the same scale as others mentioned elsewhere.
William Quirke Ireland (Verified User) Posts 15 Dogs 1 / Races 1 13 May 2013 14:16
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Graeme,
The are the same concentrations, just some countries report the units slightly different to others
Hematocrit or PCV 52%=0.52 Haemoglobin 18 grams per decilitre = 180 grams per litre
Same results
Carole Brown Australia (Verified User) Posts 32355 Dogs 185 / Races 2 13 May 2013 20:41
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Graeme, your bitch needs B12/folic acid and iron injections to bring her levels up. She is anaemic with those readings. See my first post on this topic.
Graeme Beasley Australia (Verified User) Posts 3265 Dogs 27 / Races 5 14 May 2013 03:55
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Thanks William and Carole. I thought that might be the case. I'll get the injections organised asap.
Ricardo Moreira Portugal (Verified User) Posts 74 Dogs 46 / Races 0 24 May 2013 12:24
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The level of hemoglobin and hematocrit in dogs track and coursing are different?
Ricardo Moreira Portugal (Verified User) Posts 74 Dogs 46 / Races 0 28 Aug 2013 11:41
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My dog has 64% hematocrit. The evidence here in Portugal are similar to the coursing (run 250 meters per day during the playoffs). 3 to 4 trials per day. Their blood will be good?
Do you have questions regarding the health of your greyhound? Do you need tips what you should feed your dog?
