March 2017
NEWS & NOTES
A monthly newsletter to keep you informed.

Rescue Results for February
In February we had 19 adoptions, and 16 new arrivals - 9 TGIE 4 track dogs and 3 greyhound mixes (lurchers).  This makes our year-to-date totals 32 adoptions and 26 rescues.
Upcoming Foster Opportunities
cricket
 
Spring brings many changes.  Aside from the seasonal changes, this spring will be bringing about some BIG changes for retired racers! March 18 brings a group of fosters from Florida. We are still working out the logistics in this haul, and if you would like to change a life, it's not too late! If now is not the time, we will also be bringing in a group of TGIE and track hounds on April 20 -two upcoming opportunities to make a difference in the life of a greyhound that needs you. Don't forget, American Greyhound covers all veterinary cost, provides any necessary medication (including heartworm preventative), and supply a crate as well.  If you have any questions about fostering or would like to learn more, contact Nicole at foster@americangreyhound.org.

Finding Teddy
In February a new foster dog, Teddy, escaped from the confines of his home. Immediately, his foster family phoned other volunteers within the organization and everyone assembled to begin the search party. Local authorities and other organizations were called and informed to keep an eye out. Teddy lived a wild life for one night, but fortunately was returned to safety the next afternoon.
 
This event was an unsettling realization for American Greyhound. In the past, we had a phone chain set up to enlist volunteers to search. Over the years, we have added many volunteers as well as lost a few. In addition, we discovered that this is not the most efficient way to communicate what may be happening minutes apart. For instance, if the dog is spotted or the focus of the search changes, it's impossible to inform all searchers in time to lead an effective effort.
 
To help combat this, American Greyhound has set up a text alert system for lost dogs. This applies for both dogs in foster care as well as ones adopted through American Greyhound. You may have seen this type of system on the radio or TV. You will text a keyword to a specific number. From there, our system will use that keyword to sign you up on the message distribution list. In the event that a dog is missing you will be informed of text message as well as receive updates as the search progresses.
 
Signing up is easy:
 
Text LOSTGREY to 24587 to enroll in the text alert system. If you need assistance or have questions, contact David Graves at admin@americangreyhound.org .  With your help, we can work together to bring every lost dog home safely! 

A Tribute to Cam Wildride
Earlier this week AG tragically lost one of our foster dogs. Cam Wildride, lovingly known as Cam to her foster family, suffered a cardiac event during her spay/dental surgery and despite the veterinarian's very best efforts, they were not able to save her.  Cam needed extensive care in regards to her dental health (including extractions). While we do not know what exactly happened, it can be speculated that Cam had an unknown underlying condition due to the concerns with her teeth. Cam was in foster care just a few days shy of one month. What a difference one month can make in the lives of both human and canine. Here is a short tribute to cam from her foster dad, Timon:
 
Cam was a great dog, shy, gentle, and loving. She spent her afternoons finding the sun spots on the carpet and laying in the warmth as it streamed through the front windows. Even though she was shy, she loved to explore. She was always a little apprehensive of strangers but after a little attention it was hard to separate her from her new friend. I am glad I was able to spend the little time I had with her.  Here is a quote that really touched me. "It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them, and every new dog who comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become generous and loving as they are." - Anonymous
Greyhound Guardians: Changing the World One Greyhound at a Time


Greyhound Guardians, our monthly giving program, began a few years with slow but steady growth.  Over the past six months or so, we've slowly begun a campaign to emphasize the importance of the program, and the result is some increase in the rate of growth.

And, this new emphasis has come along for a very good reason; we are actively working toward the purchase of land upon which we will build a facility to process incoming dogs (and if you've ever been involved with processing dogs at the end of a haul, you know what work is involved, and that work is more difficult when you are doing it in a garage or back yard instead of a facility designed to handle this task), kennel those dogs which are in excess of our available foster homes, and to store our equipment and have it ready at a moment's notice.  And, with that facility will come regular monthly bills-Utilities, mortgage, upkeep and maintenance-exactly the kinds of expenses that the regular monthly income from Greyhound Guardians will allow us to cover!

For as little as $10 a month, you can help make that facility become a reality.  And, what's more, you'll be helping American Greyhound maintain that facility and keep the wolves away from the door (figuratively of course).
             
To join Greyhound Guardians, go to our Greyhound Guardians web page ( https://www.americangreyhound.org/support/greyhound-guardians/) and fill out and submit the application.  If you'd feel more comfortable speaking with someone in person, you can give me a ring at (219)771-0892 and we can set it up right over the phone.
 
Greyhound Guardians is going to play a very important role in securing American Greyhound's future.  I hope you'll consider joining us in securing that future.  And, if you ever have any questions about our operations, our finances, or how together we can help more and more hounds, please don't hesitate to give me a ring.
 
Jeff Coggins
President
 
PS-In addition to helping secure our future, one of the benefits of joining Greyhound Guardians is a $15 discount on seats to our upcoming Winning Hearts, Not Races benefit auction coming up on April 1st.  We hope to see you there!
 
PPS-I am not only a proponent of Greyhound Guardians, I am a member and have been since the program's inception. 
2017 Winning Hearts Not Races Auction

You're invited to American Greyhound's 7th annual Winning Hearts, Not Races benefit auction on  April 1, 2017  at the Avalon Manor in Merrillville, IN.  This greyt evening begins with a silent auction, followed by dinner and live auction.

So many greyhounds are counting on you!  Online ticket sales are now open (http://agreyhound.corecommerce.com/winning-hearts-not-races).  

We are also in need of silent and live auction items - gift cards, gift baskets, sports tickets or memorabilia, vacation stays, etc.  To donate or volunteer, please contact Nicole Roth at  nicole.roth@yahoo.com  or  708-828-6810 .
Remus
 
Less than two weeks ago we were shocked by the loss of Remus, our second foster failure. We are still adjusting to life without him, still waiting for him to come down the stairs or run to the door to go out and play. Hopefully by sharing our experience someone, somewhere, may recall reading this and be able to save someone's faithful companion.

Late last Saturday my wife found Remus in the bathroom trying to get inside the shower, which he never does. Early Sunday morning my wife woke up to find Remus burying himself in the bottom of her closet. We didn't notice anything else out of the ordinary at that time and went back to sleep. We woke an hour or so later and found him breathing heavily and heard noises coming from his stomach. We decided at this point to take him to the emergency vet at Purdue in Lafayette.

While we were preparing to leave, Remus vomited up some white foam and clear thick liquid. He behaved normally on the trip down to Lafayette except his breathing was still heavy and some occasional noises from his stomach. When we arrived he happily hopped out of the car and went inside. While checking him in we also noticed he had broken a nail and that was bleeding. We told the staff of his breathing heavily, vomiting, stomach noises and the broken nail. While doing this he vomited again with the same foam and liquid. We also noticed thick drool around his mouth at this time.

They quickly moved us to triage and were seen by a vet tech. Soon they came and took Remus back to see the doctor. After about twenty minutes the Doctor came in and told us that he had checked Remus out and that they were going to bandage up his foot where the nail was broken and that the pain from the broken nail was causing anxiety and stressing him out. A few minutes later they brought him in with his foot bandaged and said the doctor would be in again shortly.

While we waited for the doctor we gave Remus some water which he drank and then promptly vomited up. When the doctor came in I questioned him about the vomiting and he examined Remus for a few minutes more and said everything looks and sounds good, his nerves must be causing it and explained how sight hounds have very low pain thresholds. He seemed confident and knowledgeable and we left assured that our friend would be fine after some pain medicine and antibiotics he had prescribed.
Remus seemed glad to be gone and on his way home but refused to eat his plain hamburger he always gets after a trip to the vet. We took him home and he acted about the same for the rest of the evening, refusing to eat or take his pill but drinking small bits of water appearing to keep some down. We went to bed hoping he would feel better in the morning and instead woke up to him climbing into bed near my wife. We moved over and allowed him to lay with us and he appeared to calm down. An hour or so later we again woke up to him moving about and found him wanting to go outside. After going outside he came back in and laid in the hallway. We sat with him for a few moments and he calmed down and went to sleep.

We awoke an hour later when our son got up for school and found him lying on the living room floor not moving. When we checked he had passed away. We have lost pets before but never this suddenly. Remus had always been a quirky dog and in the past shown extreme sensitivity to pain so never after the vet visit the day before did I think something like this would happen. Our disbelief promoted us to look into having a necropsy done to see if a cause if death could be determined. I loaded him up and took him to Purdue's Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab. While awaiting the results we had posted about our grief on social media and were alerted to some articles about a condition called GDV (Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus) commonly referred to as bloat.
As soon as we began reading about GDV we knew that this is what stole Remus from us. He fit the textbook definition of the type of dog that is most susceptible to GDV. Further his symptoms lined up almost exactly with what we were reading. GDV can be fatal in a lot of cases but nevertheless there is surgery that can be done if it's caught soon enough. The results came in the following day and confirmed our fears; his stomach had rotated 360 degrees. Not a day has gone by since that we don't think of him and wonder what we could have done differently. We are angry, with ourselves, with the doctor's and with the hospital.

Had any of us done something different maybe he could have been saved. As painful as it has been to write this we jumped at the chance when Jeff asked us to write about it. Hopefully someone somewhere may be able to save their Remus...
 
Dogs at increased risk include Greyhounds, other sighthounds and any dog who has a deep chest and narrow waste. Warning signs include change in behavior, vomiting foam or think liquid, not eating, unproductive attempts to go to the bathroom, gas and bloated stomach. Prompt diagnosis is the key to getting them into surgery quick enough. Every second counts, if you notice any of these symptoms and your dog fits this description get them to the vet immediately. Learn more here.
Hauling Hounds in Your Own Backyard 
On a number of occasions, we have mentioned our need for people interested in helping with our long distance trips to Arkansas, Alabama, Kansas, etc.  As we've mentioned, we want to have four licensed drivers on each haul to allow everyone to get some rest and make our hauling operation as safe as it can possibly be.  And, a good number of you have contacted us to have your name added to the list of those contacted when we are setting up these hauls and are already receiving these messages.

But, we also have a need for hauling help right here in our own neighborhood. 

We couldn't be happier with the recent expansion of American Greyhound's operations in new areas (ie, Central Illinois, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Warsaw, Indiana, and the South Suburbs of Chicago).  This growth is allowing us to present our dogs to an ever growing number of people, many who may have never had the opportunity to experience greyhounds up close and personal, which translates into our ability to help even more dogs than ever before!

However, with this expansion come new logistical headaches.  Suddenly, the adopter who sees us in Champaign, Illinois, applies to adopt, but chooses a dog that is being fostered in the South Suburbs.  Or maybe, on TGIE graduation day, when we bring the dogs down from Coldwater, Michigan and start distributing pups to their new foster homes, we have dogs going to homes in areas from Fort Wayne, Indiana to Joliet, Illinois to Charleston, Illinois, to St Joseph, Michigan.  We suddenly have a need to move dogs relatively short distances (when compared to hauls to southern states).  But, those relatively short distances, when added together with all the other tasks associated with preparing greyhounds for their forever homes, starts to become a little overwhelming.

That's why we are creating a new list of transporters to help move dogs from a foster home in one area to an adoption event in another area where that dog may meet a potential new family.  Or to help move the recent graduates from one area to another.
 
Now maybe you aren't able to foster greyhounds, but you want to help make a difference.  And, just maybe taking a short drive on a Friday night or Saturday morning is something that will fit into your schedule.  Just get your name placed on our list and when we have a need for someone to help move a pup around, we'll send out an email, just like we do when we are organizing a long distance haul.  We'll explain the need and ask if there is someone available to help.  Just like with the long distance haul notifications, just let us know if you can help and we'll get it set up.  If you aren't available, well there's no obligation.
 
To get you name on this new list of transporters, just send me an email at president@americangreyhound.org , and I'll get your name and contact info added to that list.  And, if you'd like, I can add you to the list of long-haul drivers as well.  Just let me know.

Thank,
Jeff
Brushing Teeth
Are you brushing your dog's teeth correctly?   Click here for a video to learn proper technique.

Community Events
The weather is starting to warm up, and American Greyhound wants to be sure you starting getting out and about! Here are some things happening at some of our sponsors or other charities in the area this month or coming up!   Be sure to swing by one on your way to or from a Petco event!  Extra points if you wear an AG t-shirt!
 
Event
Location
Date
Time
Cost
Hound Friendly
Valpo Kiwanis Pancake Day
Valpo High School, Valpo, IN
March 11
6:30 AM-12:30 PM CST
$6 pre-sale/$8 at the door. First responders and toddlers free.
No.
Beer Laser Tag
Zao Island, Valpo, IN
March 14
6:00 PM CST
$10 for unlimited laser tag and one Ironwood beer
No.
Valpo K9 5K Run and 1 Mile Walk
Central Park Plaza, Valpo, IN
May 19th
6:00 PM CST
$20 for ages 13 and up; $13 12 and under
Yes!!!
Dream Spay 5k
Riverfront Park, Niles, MI
May 20th
9:00 AM-2:00 PM EDT
$25
Yes!!!
Kent's 5k Run and Pancake Breakfast
Boone Grove High School, Valpo, IN
May 27th
8:00 AM CST
$25 for race; pancake breakfast only TBD
No.
 
  Is there a fun community activity in your neck of the woods that's hound friendly or showcases one of our fantastic AG sponsors?  Email me about it and I'd love to try to feature it in my new monthly column-Around Town with Your Hounds!  You might even catch me and one of my schmoopies there!
Sarah Gasienica
Do You Have a Story or Photo?
Do you have a story to share about your own experiences with greyhounds?  Do you have something you want to see in an upcoming newsletter?  Do you have a picture to share?  Please feel free to contact me at newsletter@americangreyhound.com

I'd be happy to include pictures of your dog and share your adoption story.  American Greyhound is YOUR group and I'd love to feature your story.

-Corrie G.
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