GREYHOUND RACING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 November 1939, Page 7

GREYHOUND RACING

BIG TASK TO KEEP DOGS FIT NO RISKS TAKEN WITH HEALTH. STRICT VETERINARY SUPERVISION. During the parade at any greyhound race meeting many are the remarks that can be heard on all sides concerning the appearance of the animals. Such ejaculations as. "Don't they look wonderful!" "Don't they look fit!" "Aren't they beautifully sleek!" are the types of remarks that are made by many present —mostly, need it be said, by the fair sex! Few. however, give a thought to the magnitude of the task of keeping 65.000 or so greyhounds registered with the National Greyhound Racing Club in racing trim or to those who devote their time to this end. writes Dalt Bourn in the "Field." Being as susceptible as young children to illness and disease, and their value, or potential value, being what it is. it is obvious that no risks can be taken with their health. The collection of many hundreds of greyhounds in one kennelling establishment creates a grave danger to the spread of contagious diseases. Again the hazards of the race itself are responsible for many unavoidable accidents. It is small wonder, then, that the N.G.R.C. insists upon very strict veterinary supervision over all the many racecourses licensed by them. Since the advent of greyhound racing veterinary surgery and research work has taken enormous strides forward. The big racing companies have utilised advantageously many thousands of pounds to further this great work.

Each racing kennel has a resident veterinary surgeon and one or two assistants attached to its staff. A racing establishment such as that owned and operated by the Greyhound Racing Association at Northaw is equipped with an up-to-date hospital, laboratory, operating theatre. X-ray apparatus and ultra-violet ray room. PROTECTING KENNELS AGAINST DISEASE. Research and investigation have proved that diseases may be imported into the kennels from an outside source. These may be introduced by a newcomer or by food contamination, and many are the safeguards used to protect the kennels. For instance, isolation quarters are provided, and into these go all new arrivals for a fortnight and remain under observation during this period. Any symptoms of contagious diseases will have manifested themselves within this time and can accordingly be treated in order to prevent infection or contagion to the rest of the kennels when they are transferred into regular training quarters.

So strict are the measures taken in this respect that those visiting observation kennels are made to dip the soles of . their shoes in disinfectant before entering and again on leaving.

Infection due to food contamination is guarded against by regular veterinary inspection and analysis of the food prepared for consumption. The milk they drink is analysed at definite intervals and is regularly tested for purity and fat content. It is part of the vet’s daily routine to inspect all kennels to see that they are scrupulously clean. What is probably most remarkable is the revolutionary discovery made by veterinary officials of greyhound racing companies in the treatment of the two most serious canine maladies —distemper and hysteria. Distemper—the bugbear of all dog breeders —is rather akin to a virulent form of contagious gastric! influenza, resulting in high fever and causing the animal to waste away until it dies. Hysteria, on the other hand, is a nervous disorder—the origin of which is as yet undiscovered. It is the prevention, rather than the cure, of these two deadly maladies with which the vets at the big racing establishments are concerned. Modern veterinary research work by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in cooperation with the laboratories of the big pharmaceutical companies and those of the greyhound racing companies has resulted in the discovery of an anti-toxin which has completely defeated this distemper. In recent years at Northaw mortality from this cause has dropped from 53 per cent to less than 1 per cent, or practically nil. No death from this cause has taken place at Northaw for three years. Nowadays puppies are inoculated with this antitoxin serum between the ages of one and three months.

HYSTERIA AVERTED BY CHANGE OF DIET. .

Hysteria, it has been found, can be counteracted by a complete change of diet. Thus a dog showing the' slightest symptoms of this malady is immediately switched over to an entirely new diet. If the animal has been used to :: preponderance of vitamins, it i> straight-way changed to proteins, and vice-versa. Complete rest and quiet in a darkened kennel is a further necessary part of the treatment.

Modern kennels being constructed draught and damp proof as they are as at Northaw, and having central heating and air-conditioning installed, have obviated such ailments as cramp and rheumatism, but when a greyhound—usually passing the prime of life—is attacked by a bout of either of these, treatment by infra-red radiant heat or ultra-violet ray is at hand. Other complaints, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, enteritis and gastritis, although most rare nowadays, do occasionally occur, and the vet immediately has all such cases removed to the hospital for treatment and nursing.

How often does one read in the Press that such-and-such racehorse broke a leg in some race or other and "had to ■ destroy Not ■ s grey'

months of treatment the dog is once more on the racecourse. FRACTURED NECKS MENDED. Even broken or fractured necks are not necessarily fatal if taken in hand in time. At the present moment there is a puppy at Northaw who. while oul exercising, fell and broke its neck. In past years this would have been fatal—the dog would have died or have been put down. The vet. however, took this pup in hand immediately, and by skilful surgery was able to set it. After months in plaster of Paris, followed by treatment and massage, the puppy gradually recovered and is now romping about as usual. A miracle of modern veterinary science. The puppy's life was saved, and it remains to be seen whether complete recovery takes place. To paraphrase Gilbert and Sullivan, "A Resident Veterinary Surgeon's life is not a happy one." He is “on the job” all day, and sometimes a lot of the night. His daily routine is like that of a surgeon at a hospital. First thing in the morning he receives the report of all the trainers and visits or prescribes treatment for all new “patients.” Then, if necessary, X-ray photographs have to be taken of injuries. ray treatment given to convalescent animals and special diets prescribed. He has to inspect the food and do a round of the kennels. Each day he sends in a report to the racing managers of all new “patients" and their various ailments.

By a rule of the N.G.R.C. all greyhounds have to be kennelled at the racecourse at which they are racing at least one hour before fhe first race. The vet has to attend to this and inspect the dogs and pass them fit for racing or not, as the case may be. Again he inspects them as they leave their kennels for their respective races, and is in attendance the whole time in case of injury before they are transported home to their training kennels. As most meetings do not end until after 10 p.m. it can be easily understood that the vet has a full-time job. Even then he may be called out during the night to some emergency case.

ACCIDENTS AT HIGH SPEEDS. "Accidents will happen” is a trite saying, but nevertheless very apt when applied to the racing greyhound. Whereas diseases are now. thanks to modern veterinary precautions, most rare, accidents and injuries still continue. Up-to-date veterinary surgery saves the lives of many an animal that would in the olden days have been “put down.”

It is not to be wondered at that these animals suffer injury from time to time when it is realised that they may be racing once and occasionally twice a week on "going" that may be anything from hard to slippery and soft, according to the weather. Travelling a they do at about 40 m.p.h.. injuries are bound to occur at times.

These injuries may be of the minor type, easily got over, after treatment in a few days. On the other hand, they may be extremely serious and practically fatal. The most common injury to a racingdog is "track leg." which is met with in other sports. It is more prevalent m greyhound racing, and one of its causes is the strain on the leg involved in negotiating bends. It is a strain of the tendon in the muscle above the hock and inside the thigh. A cure inever certain, but treatment with hot and cold fomentations and rest go a long way to alleviate it. Knock-up toe is another injury fairly common on the racecourse. It is an injury to the second joint of the toe and is a severe strain. It is treated by firing and blistering. Various other minor injuries such atorn nail beds, fractured toes and split toes are sometimes serious enough te warrant amputation. These operations which are performed painlessly undei anaesthetic by the resident veterinary surgeon, in some cases have no effect on the greyhound's running, and ii others very little, so that a valuable animal may not necessarily be hampered in its racing career by any such injury. Indeed, there are many greyhounds racing today without a dewclaw. toe or toe-nail, which run just as well as if they still possessed them.

Hurdlers arc, of necessity. more prone to serious injury than flat racers, but even with them the amazing development of modern surgery has ■e wonder - nd j! ' to be a very ’ ! ch keeps a