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In
addition to the greyhound itself, the adoption fee includes:
-
A
special greyhound collar and matching leash
-
A
greyhound muzzle
-
Renowned dog behaviorist Patricia McConnell’s booklet
Leader of the Pack
-
An
excellent dog training DVD
-
A GPA
numbered ID tag identifying imprinted with our emergency number
-
GPA
adoption manual
All
greyhounds adopted from GPA Houston have been spayed or neutered, had
their teeth cleaned if required (necessary in almost all cases), are
current on their vaccinations (including rabies, DHLPP, and bordetella),
have been tested for heartworms and are on preventative, and have been
dewormed (regardless of the results of the fecal test which are not
always reliable). GPA Houston orders presurgical blood work on all
the dogs in our care. The adopter will receive copies of all records
of medical treatment of the greyhound while at GPA. If the
greyhound is due for heartworm preventative within one week of the
date of adoption, the adopter will be given a preventative tablet.
In
January 2008 GPA Houston began testing our dogs for tick-borne
diseases. While many people are familiar with Lyme Disease and Rocky
Mountain Spotted Tick Fever, there are other similar diseases spread
by ticks which represent a danger to dogs and humans. Unfortunately,
these diseases, which in the past were confined to limited areas of
the country, are spreading. Because greyhounds move around the
country during their racing careers, tick-borne diseases represent a
threat to the dogs’ long-term health. Greyhounds, of course, are not
the only dogs at risk of infection. Dogs who spend a great deal of
time outdoors in areas where ticks are prevalent – for example,
hunting dogs or dogs who spend time in the country– are also at risk.
Periodically there is an explosion in the tick population even in
urban areas where there are lots of trees and vegetation.
Ehrlichia canis
and babesia canis are organisms which are transmitted to a dog
from an infected tick. In racing greyhounds the initial infection is
most likely to occur in the racing kennel. Initially the dog
exhibits flu-like symptoms. As the dog’s immune system is activated
to cope with the invader the dog appears to recover and becomes
asymptomatic. The dog’s immune system and the organism reach an
equilibrium, which explains why an infected dog does not appear to be
ill. This condition may continue for many years unless and until the
dog’s immune system becomes weakened, perhaps as a result of an
unrelated illness or advancing age.
Since
most vets who practice exclusively in urban areas have never encountered a tick-borne disease they are
often unfamiliar with the very wide variety of symptoms which the dog
can exhibit, often confusing a tick-borne disease with another
condition.
Fortunately, tick-borne diseases are treatable. WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE
THAT A HUMAN BEING CANNOT CONTRACT A TICK-BORNE DISEASE FROM A DOG.
THE ONLY WAY A HUMAN BEING CAN CONTRACT A TICK-BORNE DISEASE IS FROM A
TICK.
Most
racing greyhounds adopted in the United States are not tested prior to
adoption; but we feel that these diseases represent a sufficient
threat to the long-term health of our dogs that we have made the
decision to test and treat prior to adoption. You will be provided
with literature at the time of adoption that explains these diseases
in greater detail, but you can rest assured that we have gone to
considerable effort and expense to provide your new dog with the best
start in his or her new life.
Thank you for your interest in adopting one of these
wonderful dogs. We look forward to receiving your
application and
perhaps soon to seeing your picture with your new loving friend on the
Recent Adoptions page. |
