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If your pet is injured, it could be in pain and is also most likely scared and confused. 
You need to be careful to avoid getting hurt, bitten or scratched.

• Always remain calm. Your pet can sense fear and anxiety and if you are able to remain calm, they will be more likely to remain calm as well.
• Never assume that even the gentlest pet will not bite or scratch if injured. Pain and fear can make animals unpredictable or even dangerous.
• Don't attempt to hug an injured pet, and always keep your face away from its mouth. Although this may be your first impulse to comfort your pet, it might only scare the animal more or cause them pain.
• Perform any examination slowly and gently. Stop if your animal becomes more agitated.
• Call your veterinarian or an emergency veterinary clinic before you move your pet so they can be ready for you when you arrive.
• If necessary and if your pet is not vomiting, place a muzzle on the pet to reduce the chances you'll be bitten. Never put a muzzle on a vomiting animal.
  

This general canine first aid booklet is included in the First Aid Kits that are available in the GPA MN Store.
Download the First Aid Brochure

Always remember that any first aid administered to your pet should be followed by immediate veterinary care. First aid care is not a substitute for veterinary care, but it may save your pet's life until it receives veterinary treatment.

When you adopt a greyhound from GPA MN you receive a plastic basket-style muzzle. This muzzle can be a very useful tool to keep your hound from licking a sore or bothering a healing wound. A tape-covered muzzle can be used in place of the sad looking (and expensive!) lampshade that is offered by a vet. It works just as well and is much less stressful to your hound.

Since your hound can lick through an open muzzle, you will need to cover the front of the muzzle with tape (duct tape works well) to keep them from licking. You can also purchase an inexpensive "stool guard" that can be attached to the front of the muzzle to prevent licking.
Stool guards can be purchased through various online sites.

Your hound cannot drink or eat through the taped muzzle, so be sure to give them supervised time without the muzzle so they can drink and adequate amount of water and eat as necessary.

Greyhound "Happy Tail Syndrome" is characterized by an extreme wagging (or whipping) of the
tail that causes it to smack against nearby objects, and leads to bleeding.  Greyhounds are particularly susceptible to Happy Tail because their long, skinny tails are very bony and whip-like.  Unfortunately, it is also very difficult to keep a bandage on that whip-like tail. Here are some suggestions for how to make it work.

Assemble the supplies: 

• One 4" square gauze pad
  
• Antibiotic ointment (Mycitracin/lidocaine)
  
• Scissors 
  
• Bitter Apple Spray
  
• Heavy-duty cloth adhesive surgical tape
  
• Vetwrap or Coban (3M product which looks like gauze but sticks to itself with a little pressure)
• Medium size old-style curler (the outside c-shaped piece) OR
• Cardboard tube from a roll of toilet paper or paper towels

Get the dog to lie down. A helper is handy to keep the dog in a horizontal position
--petting the head usually does the job. 

Cut off the tuft of hair on the tail tip! It makes the bandage stay on better if that strong tuft
of hair isn't pushing it downward. Fear not, the hair grows back very quickly! 

1. Unfold the gauze square to its 4" size. 
2. Squeeze ointment into wound. 
3. Center the gauze square over the wound. 
4. Using a piece of the surgical tape, wrap around the tail, tape near the top edges of the gauze. 
    Be sure to get part of the tape ON the tail hair, to keep it from sliding down and off the tail. 
5. Open the vetwrap, and wrap the tail starting from 2" above the top of the gauze.

• Wrap toward the tail tip, COVER the tip, then wrap back toward the top edge. 
• Stop there, cut off the roll of vetwrap, press the loose edge against the wrapped part so it seals. 
• Take another piece of adhesive tape, and go around the top edge of the vetwrap, again  catching a little of the tail hair as well as making sure the vetwrap is taped shut. 
  

6. Slip the cardboard tube over the tail and cover the bandaged area. Using the adhesive tape, 
    go around the top and bottom edges of the tube catching a little of the tail hair. This will provide
    some protection as the wound heals. 

If done right (ie: if you caught the tail hair with some of the tape) it WILL NOT slide off. If you see the dog beginning to chew or lick the bandage, spritz it with the Bitter Apple, and tell the dog No, leave it! A few times should do the job. 

When it's time to remove the bandage, gently slide the scissors tip under the edge of the tape/vetwrap and cut a little at a time, toward the end of the tail. There is NO way you can unwrap this method of bandaging, so don't even try - just cut it off slowly.