do greyhound bites have any unique bacteria ?

[duke]

Dear all

I am hoping someone can help. My sisters grey escaped from their holiday rental whilst she was on holiday and nipped a bichon . The dog had a trip to the vet and was apprently fine. This was in november. She has now had a call saying that the bichon is very ill, high temp and skin issues and is on the verge of being euthanised. Through a third party she has been asked to find out if greys carry any unique bacteria in their mouths as the vet is stumped , my bosses dog got mrsa last year and from what shes been told it sounds similar but I thought one of you clever people may know . Thank you sister is very upset.

[julies]

I can't see (tho not a vet) that the Bichon would suddenly become ill from a nip in November, not having shown any signs up till now and presumably the vet visit in November would log antibiotics given, the dog getting the all-clear from that vet etc etc.
Presumably your sister's insurance company is involved? When my lurcher grabbed a neighbours cat all her bills were paid by my pet insurance so did your sister involve her own pet insurance and keep a copy of the vet bills she paid? If so I'd be asking them to take this on cos I'd suggest it'd be more a claim of negligence against the vet who saw the Bichon at the time ... did he miss something, give the dog the all-clear too early if there is a valid claim (don't want to sound sceptical but ... )

Hope it works out ok

[andywillow]

I'm vet either but that sounds ridiculous! How can they blame the greyhound for a bite over 2 months ago?

[Letty's Mum]

My two penneth worth:
Whatever is wrong with the poor little Bichon is nothing at all to do with your Sister's dog.
The Grey nipped the Bichon, the Bichon was fine after visiting the vet. Did it have stitches etc.?
And all this time later it has problems?
It just can't be connected.
Is someone after an insurance payout?

[greybeard]

Horrible - and especially for your sister and so worrying.Agree with the above - something would have shown up sooner.Our previous grey and lurcher once took bitey games too far and did damage each other,but once cleaned up and treated were fine.Sounds like clutching at straws,same as people - something horrible happens and you try to find something that might explain it.Cath

[duke]

Dear all thank you so much for your supportive replies. Shes mortified after the call yesterday but is somewhat reassured by your replies. Thanks again. Her insurance have declined to get involved as they say shes not covered for animal on animal incidents so she has already paid out an awful lot of money. Its the bichons breeder that has made the suggestion that greys have a "dirty bite" apparently.

[julies]

Is that pet insurance ? I was well cross as Charlie's Petplan insurance did cover all the cat's vet bills (over £1200) but with an excess of £250 I checked with my house insurance company and they would have covered the bills as a third party claim (with NO excess) but said Petplan was the more appropriate insurance so I had to claim from Petplan ..

Maybe your sister could see if her household cover will pay for the original injury?

J

[vickyb]

I've never heard such rubbish, why should greyhounds be any different from other dogs who all have a 'dirty bite'? Our mouths aren't too clean either are they! They can contract MRSA like we can but it's very rare.
I think they're trying it on personally.
Over the years we've had various holes where they've they've caught each other but never had a major problem.

[gazer]

IMHO I'd say there was something much more involved going on with the Bichon than a greyhound bite from last November.  I have never heard of a greyhounds mouth having any more or less bacteria than any other dog.   I'm thinking if the original bite was treated properly when it occurred, then this current problem shouldn't be related, should it ?

[elmuervo]

The only thing I'd add (and I'm sure this was a general 'manky teeth and gums' issue rather than anything greyhound specific) is that we have to be really cautious about Twirl ever licking little cuts on herself or the others, because they invariably go infected and vile and are very hard to clear up.

So I imagine that some dogs - of any breed - probably do carry worse pathogens than others in their mouths ... as would any animal dependent upon the state of their dental hygiene.

Long long time for there to be any causative link in this case, though. I think the greyhound has been tarred with the 'all ex-racers have rotten teeth' brush, which is a complete red herring in this case.

Jo
x

[duke]

Jo you couldnt be more right ! Sisters grey had been in for a dental clean up 6 days before the unfortunate incident !!! I have passed on all your kind info and she should now also have signed herself up to this forum !

Many thanks

[duke]

Jo you couldnt be more right ! Sisters grey had been in for a dental clean up 6 days before the unfortunate incident !!! I have passed on all your kind info and she should now also have signed herself up to this forum !

Many thanks

[tinar]

Our friend's bichon came down with similar symptoms, and without apparent cause. The vet has taken biopsies and found nothing, tried various antibiotics some worked and others didn't. The vets found nothing specific, but the condition is currently under control.

The vet treating this condition was David Bentley of Bell Brown and Bentley, in Leicester. In his 25+ years of being a vet he had never encountered this. It might be worth your sister's vet having a chat.

Other than that, i just hope the poor little mite gets better soon.

[duke]

Thanks tinar I will pass that on. Fingers crossed for the little fella x

[julies]

I must admit that I'd heard that that's why greys have a tendency to tonsilitis (they have a dirty mouth) but in this case I think that's irrelevant and wouldn't confuse things by telling them When my grey had a recurring infection the vet swabbed and cultured it so she knew exactly what antibiotics Tig needed to kill it off so shouldnt that have been done for the poor Bichon?

J xx