I always have had a love of animals, as a child growing up in Miami Florida, all I could think of was one day moving to the mountains and having plenty of pets. And my dreams have pretty much become my reality. No I don't have a mansion, or bucket loads of money, but we do have a little collection of some really sweet pets.
We have Nubian-Boer-kinko cross goats, guineas (African birds that run loose) chickens, a peacock hen, a tom turkey, some hairless and hairy cats.
We have four mutt cats, that live outside. And a couple of sphynx kitties.
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I makedog or cat beds and pj's
Dogs age
Important Puppy Notes If your pup is under the weather.
Turning up his nose at its regular food you may need to put your pup on baby food for a few days. Gerber chicken with broth without the veggies, it is the easiest food for a pup to digest. If your pup won't eat it willingly you know you need to get your pup seen by the vet for sure. I have found they will eat that when they will turn down everything elese.
Hypoglycemia- Low Blood Sugar: Small pups at times will not eat enough due to their small stomachs, to support their quick growth, they can become weak, stagger, appear blind, or their muscles may twitch. If not fed at this point convulsions, comma, and death may follow. This is due to a lack of enough nutrients, NOT POOR HEALTH. If your pup exhibits any of these symptoms, immediately give the pup some food! If the pup is too weak to eat put a little karo syrup or regular sugar in its mouth. There should be a pretty quick response to the treatment, repeat if necessary. If pup has one of these sugar drops they may have more, you should make sure that your pup definitely eats at bedtime, and that you keep plenty of food with your pup at all times. You may want to even put Karo Syrup or sugar in your pup’s water.
Please click here to read about Important Info on Vaccines
Puppy vaccinations are very important for the health of your puppy, your puppies immunity must be built up by giving them a series of shots. Your puppy has already at least their first set of shots, and it up to you to see that the rest are given to your pup. "According to Dr. Schultz, AVMA, 8-15-95, when a vaccinations series given at 2, 3 & 4 months and again at 1 year with a MLV, puppies and kitten program memory cells that survive for life, providing lifelong immunity." The vaccines are not at maximum effectiveness until the pup reaches four months. Pups under four months should be contained and or quarantined from other dogs, traveling, and stress. This will reduce the chance of a contagious diseases, viruses, parasites, and or fungus. Please follow through with this vaccination schedule to save yourself from the heartache of sickness that can debilitate and even take your pups life.
Puppy Illnesses Explained
Bordetellosis-Kennel Cough: Bordetella bronchiseptica is the most common bacteria isolated from dogs with respiratory disease. It is also a major component of a disease commonly called Kennel Cough. Viruses such as adenovirus type 2 and parainfluenza may also play a part in this disease. Bordetella causes a respiratory infection that is spread by breathing in respiratory secretions from coughing, infected dogs. The most common symptom is a dry, hacking, nonproductive cough which can be followed by gagging or retching. The cough usually lasts 1 to 3 weeks but it can take months for infected dogs to completely eliminate the bacteria from their lungs. Infected dogs need to be immediately isolated from other dogs. Depending on the severity of their disease they may need to be treated with antibiotics and cough suppressants. Thoroughly disinfect their cages, food and water bowls and anything else they have been in contact with.
What is Coccidiosis? Coccidiosis is a Protozoan – a one-celled animal. It is not visible to the naked eye, but is visible under a microscope. It is easy to identify in fecal flotations. Cocci usually produce infection in young kittens and puppies, but adult pets can be affected. How is it transmitted? Transmission occurs from animal to animal through feces that contain ocysts. Other animals can act as an intermediate or transport host. The entire life cycle lasts one week. Cocci can be found in the stools without causing any problems until a stress factor causes an outbreak. What are the symptoms? Diarrhea is the main sign. In severe cases the feces are mucus like and bloody. It can be complicated by a loss of appetite, weakness, dehydration and anemia. What is the treatment? Medications Albon®, Bactrovet®, or Tribrissen®, are the main treatments for coccidiosis. I treat all pups with albon or corid before they leave. But don’t be surprised if when you take your pup to the vet and they say it has coccidiosis, when they leave what they are used to they get stressed, and the coccidiosis comes back.
Corona virus is a much less severe gastro-intestinal disease then parvovirus and it causes disease primarily in puppies. Some puppies can get both corona and parvo at the same time, and in these pups, the disease is very severe. The primary symptoms include fever, depression, vomiting and diarrhea. Puppies infected with corona virus alone, will tend to recover within several days. Some dogs will continue to carry corona virus without showing any symptoms, and these dogs will be a source of infection to other dogs within the kennel. Treatment: includes management of fluid and electrolyte balance.
VACCINATIONS NOT RECOMMENDED Multiple components in vaccines compete with each other for the immune system and result in lesser immunity for each individual disease as well as increasing the risk of a reaction. Canine Corona Virus is only a disease of puppies. It is rare, self limiting (dogs get well in 3 days without treatment). Cornell & Texas A&M have only diagnosed one case each in the last 7 years. Corona virus does not cause disease in adult dogs.
Distemper: Canine distemper is caused by a virus, which does not live long outside of the dog. It is primarily transmitted by contact with respiratory secretions from an infected dog, but it can be found in all body secretions. The disease is highly contagious and commonly causes death. The disease is most common in puppies from 3 - 6 months of age. The initial symptoms resemble a mild cold and may even go unnoticed. Several days later, infected dogs will have discharge from their eyes and nose, depression, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. Puppies, who survive through the initial disease, will commonly develop seizures 1 - 3 weeks later. In most dogs the seizures will get progressively worse, until the puppy succumbs to the disease. Puppies who survive may have incomplete development of their teeth, thickened footpads and may develop seizures later in life. Distemper should be treated by a Veterinarian. The best prevention is vaccination.
What is Giardiasis? Giardiasis is an intestinal infection caused by a parasitic protozoan (single celled organism) called Giardia lamblia. These protozoans are found in the intestines of many animals, including dogs and humans. This microscopic parasite clings to the surface of the intestine, or floats free in the mucous lining the intestine. Veterinary research documents suggest that 5% to 10% of all dogs in North America have giardiasis at any given time. Surveys also show that about 14% of the adult dog population and over 30% of dogs under one year of age were infected at some point during their life, and thus contributed to passing along this intestinal infection to other dogs. Another Vet research article suggests that 100% of kennel dogs, 50% of pups, and 10% of well cared for dogs carry giardia. How is it transmitted? Giardia lives and reproduces in the small intestine of host animals. Giardia trophzoites, the free-living stage of the organism, form infective cysts that are passed out in the feces. If the cysts are present in a wet or damp environment they can survive in a viable state for a few weeks to several months. Giardia infections are transmitted via ingestion of trophozoites or cysts in contaminated water or food. If a giardia cyst is ingested, the cyst wall is broken down during the digestive process and the trophozoite stage begins to colonize the upper small intestine. Transmission also occurs by direct contact, especially with a symptomatic carriers. More recently, giardiasis has also been recognized as being able to be sexually transmitted. Giardia is so prevalent throughout North America because it is highly contagious. The ingestion of as few as one or more giardia cysts may cause the disease, as contrasted to most bacterial illnesses where hundreds to thousands of organisms must be consumed to produce illness. What are the symptoms: Clinical signs range from to mild recurring diarrhea consisting of soft, light-colored stools, to acute explosive diarrhea in severe cases. Other signs associated with giardiasis are weight loss, listlessness, fatigue, mucus in the stool, and anorexia. What is the treatment? You can treat with Metronidazole or Flagyl, 11.5 to 15 mg/lb twice a day for 7-10 days.
Hepatitis-Adenovirus Type I: Infectious Canine Hepatitis is caused by Type 1 adenovirus, which is fairly resistant to inactivation. The virus that attacks the tonsils, lymph nodes and then the liver. It is shed in all body secretions, but more commonly by urine. Transmission is by contact with contaminated objects. This virus does not cause human hepatitis. The most common symptoms are fever, depression, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. In a small number of infected dogs, the virus can localize in the eye, causing a whiteness or cloudiness of the eye. Vaccines are available which can effectively prevent this disease. Most of the vaccines, however, contain adenovirus type 2, which still protects against type 1 infections, but eliminating possible side effects of cloudy eyes which can be seen, rarely, with adenovirus type 1 vaccines.
Parainfluenza-Adenovirus Type II: This virus causes a mild respiratory tract infection. It is transmitted through contact with oral and nasal secretions. Common symptoms include fever, nasal discharge, and a dry hacking cough. The disease by itself, is usually mild and brief, however, in some cases it can progress into a more serious pneumonia. Vaccines are available to effectively prevent this disease. Two types of canine adenovirus type 2 vaccines are available, an injectible form and also as a nasal spray, as part of a "kennel cough" vaccine.
Parvovirus: Parvo is extremely resistant to inactivation and can persist in the environment for years. They are also resistant to most commonly used disinfectants. The virus is spread in the feces which contaminates the environment. It can be transported on the hair or feet of infected dogs as well as on the hands and shoes of people. Dogs become infected by ingesting the virus which then attacks the intestinal tract, white blood cells, and in very young dogs, heart muscle. Common symptoms include severe diarrhea (bloody), vomiting, listlessness, depression, loss of appetite, and high fever. Some infected pups get very sick, very quickly, with the only symptoms seen being severe depression, gasping for breath and sudden death. Left untreated, many pups will die within 48 to 72 hours after onset of symptoms. This disease is highly contagious and once established in a kennel it can be very difficult to eliminate. Treatment for Parvovirus includes correcting dehydration and electrolyte imbalances along with hospitalization. Treating the environment with a 10% or greater chlorine bleach solution is effective but harsh. Vaccination is the best preventative. Vaccinate pups at 8-12-16 weeks and annually thereafter.
Leptospirosis- Lepto is caused by bacteria, which is shed in the urine of infected animals. Transmission occurs through direct contact with the skin or oral mucous membranes. Leptospirosis infects many different species of animals including people. The disease can vary a lot in severity but common symptoms include high fever, depression, jaundice, bleeding, vomiting, and lower back pain. It can lead to serious kidney disease with decreased urine volume, collapse and death. There are several different serovars of Leptospirosis which can infect dogs some are spread by rodents, others by wildlife and livestock. Treatment consists of antibiotics, fluid replacement and controlling the vomiting. An untreated animal that recovers can become a carrier and shed the disease for up to a year. There are four strains of Leptospirosis. The available vaccines will protect against the more common strains. Most vets do NOT recommend vaccinating young puppies for lepto. Leptospirosis vaccine is a common cause of adverse reactions in dogs. Most of the clinical cases of lepto reported in dogs in the US are caused by serovaars (or types) grippotyphosa and bratsilvia. The vaccines contain different serovaars eanicola and Ictohemorrhagica. Cross protection is not provided and protection is short lived. Lepto vaccine is immuno-supressive to puppies less than 16 weeks.
Worms: Hooks, rounds, whips, heart worms, tapes and ear mites. Worms are something you will dealing with all your dog life. There are many great wormers out there to choose from, the main thing is that you keep using them. Hooks and rounds are easily treated with most wormers including over the counter wormers sold at places like Wal-Mart. Whip worms are a little harder to deal with. Safe Guard, Panacure, and Ivomectin products are the best for these. You can find these at your vet or local feed stores. Ivomectin injectable cattle wormer can be used as a monthly dewormmer by mouth. It treats all worms including heart worms. Some breeds of dogs cannot tolerate it so check with your vet and make sure that is appropriate and compatible with all of your dogs. Ivomectin will also treat ear mites and is much quicker and easier than some other earmite treatments. Tape Worms are a byproduct of fleas, if your pup has fleas it probably has tapes. The best medicine for that is Droncit, you will need to get it from a vet.
Flea Treatments: Revolution can only be gotten from a vet and covers all worms including heart worms, fleas, ticks and ear mites. There is also Frontline, Frontline plus, and several other brands of internal and external flea treatments available. Discus this with your vet to find out which one is right for you and your new puppy.
Anal Gland Problems
Anal gland disease is by far the most common problem affecting a dog’s rear end! It has no age or sex predisposition, but it may be more common in some smaller breeds.
Dogs have two anal glands. If you look at their anus as a clock face, then they are located just below the skin at the five o’clock and seven o’clock positions. Normally you will not be able to see these glands. If they get impacted or infected, then you will probably see them as a small swelling in those positions.
Anal glands are similar to scent glands. In dogs they produce an odor that identifies the individual, marks the stool, and establishes their territory. This is why dogs tend to greet each other by sniffing at the rear. These glands pretty commonly either get impacted, or more seriously get infected. Impacted glands are overfilled and distended. They become painful and itchy, and most commonly dogs will be seen scooting their butt on the floor trying to express them. Your veterinarian will manually express them and relieve the pain, but it is likely that they will get impacted again months or years later.
If a gland stays impacted for too long, it may get infected. Bacteria make their way into the swollen gland, producing an abscess which eventually ruptures through the skin. They will ooze a bloody, smelly, puss like fluid. These dogs need to be treated with antibiotics and to have the abscessed gland flushed out thoroughly. The best prevention is to have your veterinarian express the gland empty as soon as your dog starts scooting. This can become a chronic problem and sometimes the glands need to be surgically removed.
If you see scooting or swelling around the rear end; take your dog to your veterinarian. While it is rare, dogs can get tumors in this area, which resemble anal gland abscesses. It is important to catch these early!
The materials, information, and answers provided by and through this website are not intended to replace the services of a trained pet health care professional or to be a substitute for medical advice provided by a qualified veterinarian or other appropriate health care professional. You should consult your own veterinarian or other appropriate health care professional on specific medical questions, including matters requiring diagnosis, treatment, therapy or medical attention.
Vaccine proticalsDr. Jean Dodd's vaccine protocol - PERMISSION TO CROSSPOST Dr. W. Jean Dodd's vaccination protocol is now being adopted by ALL 27 North American veterinary schools. I highly recommend that you read this. Copy and save it to your files. Print it and pass it out at dog fairs, cat shows, kennel club meetings, dog parks, give a copy to your veterinarian and groomer, etc., etc. Get the word out. Hi everyone.... THIS is wonderful news, that the veterinary schools are now going to be teaching that over-vaccination of pets (once a year "boosters") is only not necessary, but in some cases can be harmful or deadly! It has information for both dogs and cats. There still is an ongoing study regarding the Rabies vaccine. Most states now allow (reluctantly) 3 year Rabies, but the study is collecting data on whether or not even that may be too much. They are looking at 8 or 10 year Rabies! I hope you all stop having yearly boosters for your pets. If you're concerned with immune levels, have the vet run a Titer test. THEN and only then, if the levels are below acceptable, should you have a booster. After all, when is the last time you had a "booster" for smallpox, or whooping cough, or anything else you had shots for as a child? Immune systems work the same in all mammals, and the concept that pets have to have yearly shots doesn't make any more sense than if you had have shots every year. If mammal's immune systems were that weak in fending off these things, all of them, us included, would have been extinct years ago!
VACCINATION NEWS FLASH I would like to make you aware that all 27 veterinary schools in North America are in the process of changing their protocols for vaccinating dogs and cats. Some of this information will present an ethical & economic challenge to vets, and there will be skeptics. Some organizations have come up with a political compromise suggesting vaccinations every 3 years to appease those who fear loss of income vs those concerned about potential side effects. Politics, traditions 20 or the doctor's economic well being should not be a factor in medical decision.NEW PRINCIPLES OF IMMUNOLOGY Dogs and cats immune systems mature fully at 6 months. If a modified live virus (MLV) vaccine is given after 6 months of age, it produces an immunity which is good for the life of the pet (i.e: canine distemper, parvo, feline distemper). If another MLV vaccine is given a year later, the antibodies from the first vaccine neutralize the antigens of the second vaccine and there is little or no effect. The titer is not "boosted" nor are more memory cells induced."< BR> Not only are annual boosters for parvo and distemper unnecessary, they subject the pet to potential risks of allergic reactions and immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. "There is no scientific documentation to back up label claims for annual administration of MLV vaccines."
Puppies receive antibodies through their mother's milk. This natural protection can last 8-14 weeks. Puppies & kittens should NOT be vaccinated at LESS than 8 weeks. Maternal immunity will neutralize the vaccine and little protection (0-38%) will be produced. Vaccination at 6 weeks will, however, delay the timing of the first highly effective vaccine. Vaccinations given 2 weeks apart suppress rather than stimulate the immune system. A series of vaccinations is given starting at 8 weeks and given 3-4 weeks apart up to 16 weeks of age. Another vaccination given sometime after 6 months of age (usually at 1 year 4 months) will provide lifetime immunity.
CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DOGS Distemper & Parvo *"According to Dr. Schultz, AVMA, 8-15-95, when a vaccinations series given at 2, 3 & 4 months and again at 1 year with MLV, puppies and kitten program memory cells that survive for life, providing lifelong immunity." Dr. Carmichael at Cornell and Dr. Schultz has studies showing immunity against challenge at 2-10 years for canine distemper & 4 years for parvovirus. Studies for longer duration are pending.
"There are no new strains of parvovirus as one manufacturer would like to suggest. Parvovirus vaccination provides cross immunity for all types." Hepatitis (Adenovirus) is one of the agents known to be a cause of kennel cough. Only vaccines with CAV-2 should be used as CAV-1 vaccines carry the risk of "hepatitis blue-eye" reactions & kidney damage.
Bordetella Parainfluenza: Commonly called "Kennel cough". Recommended only for those dogs boarded, groomed, taken to dog shows, or for any reason housed where exposed to a lot of dogs. The intranasal vaccine provides more complete and more rapid onset of immunity with less chance of reaction. Immunity requires 72 hours and does not protect from every cause of kennel cough. Immunity is of short duration (4 to 6 months).*
*RABIES There have been no reported cases of rabid dogs or cats in Harris, Montgomery or Ft. Bend Counties [ Texas ] but there have been rabid skunks and bats so the potential exists. It is a killed vaccine and must be given every year.
A new vaccine for feline bordetella has been introduced. Dr. Wolfe of Texas A&M says that bordetella is a normal flora and does not cause disease in adult cats. Dr. Lappin of Colorado State says that a review of the Colorado State medical records reveals not one case diagnosed in 10 years.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS: Giardia is the most common intestinal parasite of humans in North America, 30% or more of all dogs & cats are infected with giardia. It has now been demonstrated that humans can transmit giardia to dogs & cats and vice versa.* *VACCINES BADLY NEEDED New vaccines in development include: Feline Immunodeficiency Virus and cat scratch fever vaccine for cats and Ehrlichia [one of the other tick diseases, much worse than Lyme] for dogs.
THE VIEW FROM THE TRENCHES; BUSINESS ASPECTS Most vets recommend annual boosters and most kennel operators require them. For years, the pricing structure of vets has misled clients into thinking that the inherent value of an annual office visit was in the "shots". They failed to emphasize the importance of a physical exam for early detection of treatable diseases. It is my hope that you will continue to require Rabies & Kennel cough and emphasize the importance of a recent vet exam. I also hope you will accept the new protocols and honor these pets as currently vaccinated. Those in the boarding business, who will honor the new vaccine facilities, are reluctant to change.
CONCLUSION Dogs & cats no longer need to be vaccinated against distemper, parvo, & feline leukemia every year. Once the initial series of puppy or kitten vaccinations and first annual vaccinations are completed, immunity from MLV vaccines persists for life. It has been shown that cats over 1 year of age are immune to Feline Leukemia whether they have been vaccinated or not.Imagine the money you will save, not to mention fewer risks from side risk of mediated hemolytic anemia and allergic reactions are reduced by less frequent use of vaccines as well as by avoiding unnecessary vaccines such as K-9 Corona virus and chlamydia for cats, as well as ineffective vaccines such as Leptospirosis and FIP. Intranasal vaccine for Rhiotracheitis and Calici virus, two upper respiratory viruses of cats provide more complete protection than injectable vaccines with less risk of serious reactions. The AAHA and all 27 veterinary schools of North America are our biggest endorsement for these new protocols.**Dr. Bob Rogers* Please consider as current on all vaccinations for boarding purposes. DOGS Initial series of puppy vaccines 1. Distemper, hepatitis, parvo, parinfluenze - 3 sets one month apart concluding at 16 weeks of age.* 2. Rabies at 16 weeks of age (later is better) 3. Bordetella within last 4-6 months First annual (usually at 1 year and 4 months of age)*1. DHP, Parvo, Rabies 2. Bordetella within last 4-6 months 2 years or older 1. Rabies within last year 2. Bordetella within last 4-6 months 3. DHP & Parvo given anytime over 6 months of age, but not necessarily within the last year. Recommended: Physical exam for transmissible diseases and health risks. CATS Initial kitten series 1. Distemper [PLP], Rhino Calicivirus, Feline Leukemia Vaccine - 3 sets given one month apart concluding at 16 weeks. 2. Rabies at 16 weeks First Annual [usually at 1 year and 4 months of age] 1. Distemper (PLP), Rhino Calicivirus, Rabies 2 years or older 1. Rabies within the last year 2. Rhino Calicivirus within last year 3. Distemper and FelV given any time after 6 months of age, but not necessarily with the last year. Recommended: Physical exam, FeLV/FIV testing, fecal exam for giardia.
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