Gross and microscopic lesions of 230 Kansas greyhounds

Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506. Two hundred thirty greyhounds from Kansas were submitted to Kansas State University for necropsy to identify and document their diseases. Sex distribution was 124 females (1 spayed) and 106 males (1 castrated). Age range was 5 days-150 months. The mean body, heart, and liver weights for adult dogs (> 12 months) were 30 kg, 367 g, and 1,019 g, respectively. Greyhounds were divided into six groups by histories: skeletal injuries, 24 (10%); nonskeletal injuries, 23 (10%); old age (mean = 89 months), 25 (11%); poor performers, 83 (36%); sick, 68 (30%); and no history, 7 (3%). Gross lesions by system were as follows: skin, 85 (37%); lung, 13 (6%); skeletal, 36 (16%); gastrointestinal, 55 (23.9%); central nervous system, 3 (1%); thyroid, 5 (2%); cardiovascular and hemopoietic, 36 (16%); spleen, 30 (13%); male reproductive, 13 (12%); kidney, 9 (4%); liver, 7 (3%); and no gross lesions, 23 (10%). Correlation of the histories to the gross lesions showed that poor performers had the largest number with no gross lesions, the skeletal injury and sick groups had more gastrointestinal changes, and the nonskeletal injury and sick groups had most of the male reproductive abnormalities. Microscopic lesions of the 6 tissues examined were as follows: lung, 21 (9%); small intestine, 15 (6.5%); brain, 6 (3%); heart, 9 (4%); kidney, 57 (24.3%); liver, 26 (11.3%); and no microscopic lesions, 131 (57%).