We prepare newly retired racing greyhounds for life as cherished pets.

To prepare newly retired racing greyhounds for life as cherished pets and to care for special needs and senior greyhounds

Our High Standards of Care for the Retired Racing Greyhounds in our Program

We find that many of the recently retired Greyhounds have digestive and skin problems, parasites including fleas, ticks, and intestinal worms, ear, dental or urinary tract infections, and may have skin wounds, orthopedic injuries or heart murmurs. Most all of these problems are treatable with good quality husbandry and medical intervention and once treated, do not impact on a retired racer’s ability to be wonderful pets and companions.
As soon as the retired racers enter our program they are immediately bathed, and any parasites are removed. They receive top grade veterinary approved flea and tick prevention, and intestinal de-wormers and are started on a bland diet, then slowly transitioned to a high quality food and nutritional supplements for their skin, digestive system and joints. Shortly after arriving at NEOGR, Inc., the dogs are brought to our vet, Dr. Amy Wolfgang at Brightwood Animal Hospital for a full physical exam, bloodwork, parasite tests, and any vaccines needed. On physical exam, Dr. Wolfgang looks for evidence of fleas, ticks, ear or skin infections and checks for problems with the eyes and looks for evidence of dental disease. She listens to the heart for evidence of a murmur and examines legs to look for orthopedic injuries. We test at the minimum of one fecal sample to look for intestinal parasites that are infectious to other dogs and people and also run a heartworm test and start them on heartworm prevention if negative, or treat for heartworm infection, if positive. Finally, we draw a blood sample to check their blood cell counts and organ functions and to see if they are affected by tick borne diseases. This is very important since Greyhounds are exposed to numerous parasites which can affect blood counts and we need to make sure that their liver and kidneys are functioning well before undergoing anesthesia for spay/neuter surgeries and dentals. These blood tests allow us to check for serious, yet asymptomatic, undetected health problems that could make anesthesia more risky and cause a retired racer to become sick at a later time. By doing this bloodwork, we can not only be more confident about doing anesthesia, but can also screen for and treat diseases early before they become more serious. At the time of their spay or neuter, we use only anesthesia that is safe for Greyhounds and human grade monitoring systems, including EKG, blood pressure, and pulse oximetry to ensure their safety while they are asleep. They also have a tube placed into their throat to assist breathing if needed and an IV catheter where they receive fluids to prevent dehydration and keep their blood pressure regular during the procedure. We also clean their teeth while they are asleep. If we discover that a retired racer has a medical issue, we preform additional diagnostic tests, treat the problem and do frequent follow-ups with Dr. Wolfgang to insure that the greyhound is recovering properly.
While waiting for their forever homes, the dogs in our program receive regular grooming, which includes frequent nail trimming, ear cleaning, and teeth brushing. They are kept current on heartworm/intestinal parasite prevention 12 months of the year, and are given exercise and socialization with other dogs and people. We give each of the greyhounds in our care basic training and teach them house manners (stairs and housebreaking, etc.). We firmly believe that providing a stable home environment is best for all newly retired greyhounds. All of the available dogs are treated as members of our family until they are adopted and we can focus on each dog's needs and provide individualized care as well as a detailed description of each dog's behavior and temperament.
The procedures outlined above are generally not the standard of care provided by shelters/rescues and veterinary hospitals. However, it is important to realize that without the proper preventive care (thorough physical exam, parasite screening, bloodwork) and without the proper anesthesia and intra-operative monitoring, the risk of undiagnosed diseases and surgical complications is very high. Early detection of diseases through the health screening not only saves money for the new owner, but prevents unneeded suffering for the retired racers as well. Giving a newly retired racer individualized care, training and attention makes the adoption process easier on both the dog and their new family.
While this type of care is more costly, we are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure the dogs are as healthy and safe as possible while they are waiting to find their forever homes. We do our best to keep adoption fees as low as possible and rely on donations to help pay for the top quality food, supplements, veterinary services and other items needed to run our rescue the right way.

We are a non-profit, tax-exempt organization under section 501 (C) (3) of the IRS code and all donations and mileage are tax deductible. One hundred percent of all donations are used for the vetting, feeding and welfare of the greyhounds in our care.

Our Special Needs Sanctuary
Senior and Special Needs dogs have a very special place in our hearts. We have recently created a sanctuary program, taking in seniors and special needs dogs that are not easily adoptable due to advanced age and/or medical issues. These dogs are given all of the standards of care outline above and will continue to get the best care possible. They receive annual blood tests, fecals and regular wellness exams, and are treated for any/all medical issues. They have a safe and comfortable environment to live out their remaining years and receive all the love and attention they deserve.