Muscle Cramps

[Cathrine]

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Mac is suffering from muscle cramps. I give him electrolytes (salts) every day, and sometimes liquid devils claw. Have anybody got any experience with this problem?

The devils claw seems to work, because he has been symptomfree for a while now, but I have ran out of D Claw and he had small cramps a couple of times. He is very stocky and muscly and is growing at the moment (he is 8 months)

 

[fallenangel]

this mat sound stupped but it works for cramps tinned tomatos for my greyhounds its 1/2 a large tin a day so a 1/4 should do a whippet or even less just mixs in with food its brill

 

[hellybobs]

Inca gets muscle cramps from time to time and the vet gave me some Homeopathic medicine for her called Rhus Tox 30c and it really does the trick :thumbsup:

 

[wild whippies]

I've got a stocky 10 month old pup (non ped racing whippet) and he was plagued with cramps. A lot will say stuff like the dog isn't fit which although is usually correct, for some they are just prone to cramps especially if they are larger stockier dogs with a large muscle mass. The larger the muscles, the more demanding it is to the blood supply to keep them rehydrated following exertion. This also is more likely following eating as blood flow is directed to the stomach to aid digestion along with an insulin spike at this time which can then cause a cramp.

I tried tomatoes, and I still give them to him but from my experience they weren't enough to control it. I know use a combination of things to keep it under control, I give him Betacel (electrolyte powder) in his feed along with recharge (electrolyte drink) before and after hard running. I'm also trying to get his weight and muscle mass down so that there isn't such a strong demand on his blood supply as in his case this is probably a big factor.

I've also tried Ty-gard but I strongly suspect that the high sugar content within the product was causing an even greater insulin spike so I've split the dosage over two meals. The latter product helps in conditioning muscles and improving efficiency. All these items are available from greyhound suppliers and they're all NGRC approved.

Also cannot stress importance of warming up muscles before exertion with muscle rubs, massage and of course brisk exercise.

If you do get stuck with a bad attack and have nothing to hand, you can make a weak solution of Bicarb or Andrews salts which although you will have to syringe orally does have an immediate effect.

Thanks to the Non-ped folk for their advice and tips for me as I cannot take credit for all this info as a lot of what I've learned about this has been through them or studying biology papers. :thumbsup:

Here's a pik of the stocky culprit aptly named Dobber! :- "

 

[Cathrine]

I've got a stocky 10 month old pup (non ped racing whippet) and he was plagued with cramps. A lot will say stuff like the dog isn't fit which although is usually correct, for some they are just prone to cramps especially if they are larger stockier dogs with a large muscle mass. The larger the muscles, the more demanding it is to the blood supply to keep them rehydrated following exertion. This also is more likely following eating as blood flow is directed to the stomach to aid digestion along with an insulin spike at this time which can then cause a cramp.

I tried tomatoes, and I still give them to him but from my experience they weren't enough to control it. I know use a combination of things to keep it under control, I give him Betacel (electrolyte powder) in his feed along with recharge (electrolyte drink) before and after hard running. I'm also trying to get his weight and muscle mass down so that there isn't such a strong demand on his blood supply as in his case this is probably a big factor.

I've also tried Ty-gard but I strongly suspect that the high sugar content within the product was causing an even greater insulin spike so I've split the dosage over two meals. The latter product helps in conditioning muscles and improving efficiency. All these items are available from greyhound suppliers and they're all NGRC approved.

Also cannot stress importance of warming up muscles before exertion with muscle rubs, massage and of course brisk exercise.

If you do get stuck with a bad attack and have nothing to hand, you can make a weak solution of Bicarb or Andrews salts which although you will have to syringe orally does have an immediate effect.

Thanks to the Non-ped folk for their advice and tips for me as I cannot take credit for all this info as a lot of what I've learned about this has been through them or studying biology papers. :thumbsup:

Thank you for interesting advise! I had never heard of the tinned tomatoes before, will try that. I will also try to increase the electrolytes when I know he has been doing a bit more. He is a fitter dog now than he was when I got him, but he is still very stocky. Strangely enough he appears to be slimmer, but when I checked his weight he's put on loads!

My little(?)lad.. :wub:

 

[Vicky]

Extremely stocky dogs like yours do tend to have much more muscle cramps than your average whippet, Michelle and Tony had a bully whippet that used to cramp in her head muscles.

I find the fitter they are the less they seem to be troubled by cramps, i also add tinned tomatoes too, have never had to resort to tonics to control it.

 

[Cathrine]

Inca gets muscle cramps from time to time and the vet gave me some Homeopathic medicine for her called Rhus Tox 30c and it really does the trick  :thumbsup:

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Thanks! :thumbsup:

 

[Mark Roberts]

You need to 1st find out whats causing the cramp.

A lot of Greyhound lads use Ascorbic Acid (Vit C ) this helps to stop dogs from cramping.

 

[Cathrine]

You need to 1st find out whats causing the cramp.
A lot of Greyhound lads use Ascorbic Acid (Vit C ) this helps to stop dogs from cramping.

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Sometimes he gets them when he eats to fast. Other times he sleeps a bit awkward and cries out suddenly. But they seem to losen up quickly now. When I first got him he had some really bad ones. But they usually occured when he was cold and tired. He was used to spend all his day in the sofa, and suddenly he had to spend all day (nearly) outside with me. He used to be very tired at night time. Luckily he copes better now, but I wonder if the cramps can be caused by growing?

His condition improved as well when I changed his feed. He was fed Pedigree Pal tinned food only when I got him. I have him on James Wellbeloved. I add an egg now and then, some oil for his coat and leftover meat from our dinner. He also get a bit of bread, rice and pasta, depending on what we have in the house.

 

[Cathrine]

You need to 1st find out whats causing the cramp.
A lot of Greyhound lads use Ascorbic Acid (Vit C ) this helps to stop dogs from cramping.

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His breeder said to me about the vit C, will look on the net now to find a good product :thumbsup:

 

[Mark Roberts]

if you look up the greyhound mega store they sell the 500mg tablets a whippet needs about 250mg to be effective for cramp.

 

[jezza]

I had heard the tomatoes thing too, tomatoes are high in vit c.

Also wanted to say to Vicky what a gorgeous little pup you've got in your signature :wub: looks just like Molly when she was younger (sorry to change the subject of the thread for a minute :b )

 

[tlewis]

You need to 1st find out whats causing the cramp.

Seems to me that there is a gene at work here that pre-disposes some dogs in particular lines to-wards the "Bully" attributes. The Bully types being far more prone to cramping.

This phenomenum has started appearing in some lines of US pedigree race dogs. Where did it come from? Is it a gene mutation or has it always been there?

How do you identify that particular gene? Along with this gene there seems an increase in speed in litter mates who do not exhibit the "Bully" characteristics.

Never saw it in years gone by.

 

[weabe]

You need to 1st find out whats causing the cramp.

Seems to me that there is a gene at work here that pre-disposes some dogs in particular lines to-wards the "Bully" attributes. The Bully types being far more prone to cramping.

This phenomenum has started appearing in some lines of US pedigree race dogs. Where did it come from? Is it a gene mutation or has it always been there?

How do you identify that particular gene? Along with this gene there seems an increase in speed in litter mates who do not exhibit the "Bully" characteristics.

Never saw it in years gone by.

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Tony, I don't think this is a new phenomenon in the USA. Think back to the '80s-Flyer of the Crackerjacks X Besap's Cockeymoor Geenie. Some of that litter cramped big time as have others since them. And the bullies are nothing new either. Remember Badger? His grandparents were your own Lyth Djon and Besap's Cockeymoor Queenie. First bully I'd ever seen. I'm really not surprised that we're getting these problems because we have a height limit , no weight limit, and we tend to select for the most dog we can get under the wicket, ie heavy musculature. Our racing gene pool has become increasingly small and we are without the advantage of being able to breed to Greyhounds...we need new blood but from where? Unfortunately, an influx of European blood hasn't seemed to stem the tide so...?

Adrienne

Weabe Whippets

Oregon, USA

 

[ja jumper]

::

Inca gets muscle cramps from time to time and the vet gave me some Homeopathic medicine for her called Rhus Tox 30c and it really does the trick  :thumbsup:

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:thumbsup: rhus tox is exellent use it with our horses use a low dose like 30 c

 

[tlewis]

Tony, I don't think this is a new phenomenon in the USA. Think back to the '80s-Flyer of the Crackerjacks X Besap's Cockeymoor Geenie. Some of that litter cramped big time as have others since them. And the bullies are nothing new either. Remember Badger? His grandparents were your own Lyth Djon and Besap's Cockeymoor Queenie. First bully I'd ever seen. I'm really not surprised that we're getting these problems because we have a height limit , no weight limit, and we tend to select for the most dog we can get under the wicket, ie heavy musculature. Our racing gene pool has become increasingly small and we are without the advantage of being able to breed to Greyhounds...we need new blood but from where? Unfortunately, an influx of European blood hasn't seemed to stem the tide so...?

Adrienne

Weabe Whippets

Oregon, USA

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Well you may well be right.

Seems to me it's more prevalant and that's quite likely because of the concentration of bloodlines for the faster race dogs. A concentration of the gene pool with the concentration of the bad as well as the good. Not sure what the answer is. The European imports have not done much on the track, possibly because they are bred to be competitive over a longer distance. Still they haven't done well on the bends either. English peds are too slow, even at the top end of the weight scale. They used to be conparable, but they seem to have not progressed over the last twenty years, if not gone into reverse!!! (Not that I expect many English breeders would agree!!)

That leaves the non-peds that are out of bounds to us unless the AKC were to open the stud books to allow the use of un-registered dogs.

What to do? What to do?

Personally I'm off to chase the Easter Bunny for a couple of weeks in Idaho and Wyoming!!

 

[weabe]

Tony, I don't think this is a new phenomenon in the USA. Think back to the '80s-Flyer of the Crackerjacks X Besap's Cockeymoor Geenie. Some of that litter cramped big time as have others since them. And the bullies are nothing new either. Remember Badger? His grandparents were your own Lyth Djon and Besap's Cockeymoor Queenie. First bully I'd ever seen. I'm really not surprised that we're getting these problems because we have a height limit , no weight limit, and we tend to select for the most dog we can get under the wicket, ie heavy musculature. Our racing gene pool has become increasingly small and we are without the advantage of being able to breed to Greyhounds...we need new blood but from where? Unfortunately, an influx of European blood hasn't seemed to stem the tide so...?

Adrienne

Weabe Whippets

Oregon, USA

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Well you may well be right.

Seems to me it's more prevalant and that's quite likely because of the concentration of bloodlines for the faster race dogs. A concentration of the gene pool with the concentration of the bad as well as the good. Not sure what the answer is. The European imports have not done much on the track, possibly because they are bred to be competitive over a longer distance. Still they haven't done well on the bends either. English peds are too slow, even at the top end of the weight scale. They used to be conparable, but they seem to have not progressed over the last twenty years, if not gone into reverse!!! (Not that I expect many English breeders would agree!!)

That leaves the non-peds that are out of bounds to us unless the AKC were to open the stud books to allow the use of un-registered dogs.

What to do? What to do?

Personally I'm off to chase the Easter Bunny for a couple of weeks in Idaho and Wyoming!!

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I agree. The gene pool has become way too small here in the U.S. and I have no idea what we can do about it as none of us want slower dogs. If we could somehow circumvent the AKC (we don't need no stinkin' AKC!) we might make some real progress. Yeah, and pigs might fly.

As for the bullies, I'd say it's a definite gene problem; it may be a polygenetic trait which would make it a bugger to pin down and eliminate. Good thing bullies are such sweethearts.

Muscle cramps. I've had reasonably good luck with putting these dogs on a raw diet and supplementing with calcium, potassium, vit E, B and C. A low protein kibble seems to help for those who don't want to take the plunge into raw feeding.

A

 

[hellybobs]

The reason my vet gave for Inca getting muscle cramps was because of the density of the muscles and not enough oxygen reaching them properly whilst exercising.

Thats why he prescribed the Rhus Tox 30c as this helps the oxygen circulate.

I also find massaging the muscles helps.

 

[tlewis]

The reason my vet gave for Inca getting muscle cramps was because of the density of the muscles and not enough oxygen reaching them properly whilst exercising.
Thats why he prescribed the Rhus Tox 30c as this helps the oxygen circulate.

I also find massaging the muscles helps.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

I don't know if the above potion is available in the USA. What's in it.

I refuse to feed eye of newt!! Just joking. I used a herb mixture to overcome a bitch's failure to come into season.

One question that occurs ro me is if this is a problem of muscle mass, do the Bull breeds suffer also from cramps in weight pulling contests etc?

 

[tlewis]

The reason my vet gave for Inca getting muscle cramps was because of the density of the muscles and not enough oxygen reaching them properly whilst exercising.
Thats why he prescribed the Rhus Tox 30c as this helps the oxygen circulate.

I also find massaging the muscles helps.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

I don't know if the above potion is available in the USA. What's in it?

I refuse to feed eye of newt!! Just joking. I used a herb mixture to overcome a bitch's failure to come into season. Seemed to work.

One question that occurs to me is if this is a problem of muscle mass, do the Bull breeds suffer also from cramps in weight pulling contests etc?

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