Kai is a very handsome 2 year old male Greyhound who arrived at Lincoln Farm when he was retired from racing. He is a very sweet and gentle natured boy who has very quickly learnt to love the finer things in life and is often found snuggled up in a nice warm duvet.
When Kai had his first health check with our vets it was discovered that he had a Grade 3 heart murmur which warranted further investigation – this involved taking a scan of his heart to determine the cause of the murmur. The scan revealed that one side of his heart was enlarged and his mitral valve was thickened and deformed – this valve works to allow oxygenated blood to flow between the left atrium and the left ventricle where it’ll eventually be forced out into the aorta allowing oxygenated blood to flow around the body. When this valve is damaged and not able to function efficiently it can lead to an irregular heartbeat, problems with blood pressure (and resultant changes to oxygen supply around the body) and even heart failure.
Luckily, Kai isn’t currently showing any signs of these conditions – he has a good tolerance for exercise and the vet feels life as a pet will suit his condition much more than his racing career did. He enjoys running, especially if he is joined by other Sighthounds.
It is unknown what has caused Kai’s defective valve or how long it has been this way as he could have been born with it, or it may have been caused by an illness or injury. Currently, Kai doesn’t need any treatment and his condition simply needs to be closely monitored for any changes in his fitness or general health. However, as the cause is unknown it is possible that the damage to his heart could be degenerative which would mean he may need medication in the future. He will initially need to have annual heart scans so that any changes can be picked up on quickly but these may need to be more regular if he starts to show any other physical signs.
Kai is a gentle and affectionate soul, who is looking forward to joining his new family in his very own loving Forever Home – could it be you? Contact www.margaretgreenanimalrescue.org.uk or call 01929 471340
Kai featured in Pete’s column on Sunday 15th April 2018.
