Monthly E-News from CHAT of Wakulla, Keeping You Informed:  September 2011

Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog MonthOctober is Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog month and CHAT would like to invite you to come to the Adoption Center to adopt a homeless pet to share your life and home.  for the month of October, CHAT is reducing the adoption fees for our dogs.  Fees always include initial health examination, spay/neuter, microchip, rabies and other vaccinations up to date, a small bag of dog food, and a month of free pet insurance!!

Our Pet of the MonthLucky wasn’t so lucky.  She had been adopted from the CHAT Adoption Center as a puppy and recently returned because her adopters could no longer care for her.  She is an active dog and needs a fenced-in yard, or someone who enjoys exercise!  She is a Labrador/Catahoula mix and is almost 3 years old.  can you help her find a forever, loving home?

And–we are pleased to announce another way for you to support CHAT of Wakulla and our homeless 4-legged friends!  we have now teamed up with Petfinder’s “Sponsor a Pet” program.  Follow this link:  petfinder.com/shelters/FL479.html

Select an animal from our adoptable pets list and click the “sponsor me” tab.  Sign up, then pick a donation amount, and submit.  Simple!  Donations through the Petfinder Foundation “Sponsor Me” program will be sent to CHAT on a quarterly basis, and will make a great difference for our animals.  we thank you in advance for your generosity and support!

Mark your Calendar!!

Canine Poker Walk/CHAToberfest is coming up on October 29th at the CHAT Adoption Center.  Please check our website for details.  Tons of fun!!  Hope to see you there!!

Parvovirus

What is Parvo?

Parvovirus is a viral disease of dogs.  It affects puppies much more frequently than it affects adult dogs.

What are the symptoms of Parvo?

Parvo is a virus that attacks the lining of the digestive system.  It causes dogs and puppies to not be able to absorb nutrients or liquids.  Puppies are especially prone to it because they have an immature immune system.  It is characterized by severe, bloody diarrhea and vomiting, high fever and lethargy.  Parvo can also attack a dog’s heart causing congestive heart failure.

How is Parvo transmitted?

Canine parvovirus is carried by dogs.  Adult dogs may be infected carriers without showing any clinical signs.  It can last a long time in the environment, perhaps as long as nine months or longer.  Generally, it takes 7-10 days from the time of exposure for dogs and puppies to start showing symptoms and to test positive for parvo.

Parvo is highly contagious to unprotected dogs and the virus can remain infectious in ground contaminated with fecal material for five months or more if conditions are favorable.  Extremely hardy, most disinfectants cannot kill the virus, however, chlorine bleach is the most effective and inexpensive agent that works.

Is there a Parvovirus vaccination?

Yes!  many vets recommend vaccinating puppies every three to four weeks for this virus starting at six weeks of age and continuing until they are at least 16-20 weeks of age.  many veterinarians continue to recommend yearly vaccinations for it.  It seems prudent to at least get the vaccination at one year of age.

How is Parvo treated?

Without intense treatment, the victims of parvo die of dehydration.  Treatment generally consists of IV or sub-cutaneous fluids and antibiotics.  there is no cure.  Veterinarians can only treat the symptoms palliatively and try to keep the dog alive by preventing dehydration and loss of proteins.

How do I prevent the spread of Parvo?

The surest way to avoid parvo infection in your dog is to adhere to the recommended vaccination schedule which begins when puppies are 6-8 weeks of age.  Puppies should not be allowed to socialize with other dogs or frequent areas where other dogs have been until two weeks after they have had their last vaccination.  Immunization for parvo is usually included in your dog’s distemper vaccine.

Adapted from workingdogs.com

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My dog is almost 12, he has been "ill" for several weeks now and the vet doesn't know why? his blood tests were fine but he is walking in circles and whining and howling alot. He has been walking like he's drunk and can't seem to keep his balance, and this morning he couldn't hardly stand on his own. any suggestions?

find a different vet ,yours is not helping.

Normally dogs have a history of staggering, and their head rolls from side to side. Definately sounds like maybe you should take him for a second opinion to a different vet.

my dog is doing the same thing right now and she is 13. i wondered if she had a stroke as well. when we took her to the vet she told us it was arthritis ans he gave us some medicine. which seemed to help. i also give my dog baby aspirin to help with the pain.

ok well yes this does sound like a stroke my girlfriends dog lassie had this and her head was to the side also and she was walking in circles and sometimes she fell,if it is a stroke shouldn't,t your vet be able to tell you this??it could also be a inner ear problem,if we as in humans get inner ear problem it makes us very dizzy and disorientated,so ask the vet about this,,and 1 last thing it could also be is his nervous system is out of whack just think of his nervous system like a circuit board to something electrical is 1 thing is connected wrong the whole thing goes outta whack,,take your dog back to the vet or a better vet mention these things it could be anything but all in all your dog NEEDS to be treated if i had to but money on it,i would say inner ear let me know how you go on and good luck xxxxx

Do you clean the dogs ears? if they get infected ears, and it isn't taken care of, it escalates. Or it could be a neurological problem. Sounds like your vet is an imbecile if they can't even figure out if it was a stroke or not, so go to a different vet. the dog needs specific tests to figure it out. if its an ear infection, there's medications for that along with antibiotics. There's medication to help with strokes too, but first you need a vet with enough sense to figure it out.

My dog Pork had a stroke but she was just more out of it then normal so she only had a mild one.

The best way to know for sure if a dog had a stroke is the tell tailed head tilted to the side. also when they have a stroke some times there is vomite there.

My vet told us to give Pork some Prednisone for about a week. it really helped her to come out of it. Now we just give her some Asprine.

I hope his helps you!

When they get older, a lot of stuff can go on that can be hard to find. Strokes can have different effects, so I would not rule that out. you may like to get a second opinion about your vet's diagnosis but.. like I said… when they get older it can be very tough.
Try asking at a dog forum where the people will actually want to help, unlike many of the ones who answer on Yahoo answers
dogforum.org
Good luck, I'm very sorry to hear that your dog is not feeling well

I think you might be right. my older dog would need to lean to one side which caused her to go in very wide circles to get around. After a while she would come out of that (a full day sometimes) but, in the end she had I guess a big one and you could see her eyes just going back and fourth really fast and she would just fall over to the side everytime she got up.

There is a really cute stray near my home.but lately he is acting weird.Is it because he is infected?Is it safe to go near him?

Symptoms listed here:animalhealthchannel.com/rabie…

Also, call local animal control for help as well as information on rabies in your area.

Without knowing what you mean by "acting weird", that's the best info I can give you.

restlessness, antisocial behaviour, sensitive to light and touch, irritability, fever, difficulty in breathing and swallowing.

The symptom's of a rabies dog is the dog is going crazy and foaming out the mouth and attacking people or other animals.

Dogs with rabies act weirdly……..also…..they are hydrophobic…..they don't even drink water

I just noticed that my dogs testicles are peeling and swollen. I am worried.

Take the dog to the vet ASAP!
Feel the testicle to see if you feel a lump.

I have a blue heeler, who we have purchased a 3 way immunization shot for, including parvo. we were ready to give the dog the shot, but the dog developed symptoms of parvo, so we're holding off on the shot. The pup is 6 months, and has found a way to sneak out of the yard and came in contact with some ruddy looking dogs that are chained in a neighbors yard. He lost his appetite (usually ravenous), wouldn't touch water, wouldn't eat, lethargic, stool was bloody, slimy, and smelled terrible, and puked up a frothy looking white and orange mess.

So not being able to afford a trip to the vet for intravenous fluids, we got him some electrolytes that are usually given to horses (very concentrated), and some terramycin (antibiotic to prevent blood infection). Shortly after squirting 35 ml of that solution into his mouth he started eating, and even drank about 16 oz of water. He seems more energetic now, and I'm doubting if it was even parvo, anyone have another ideas?

You need to keep that treatment up for at least a week so he doesn't relapse.

u really need to get that dog to the vet now. most vets will allow u to set up a payment plan if u dont have the money to pay for the visit. so just call ur vet and ask him if this would be ok. he really needs some vet care

You really should take this puppy to a vet asap. The breeder should have started parvo shots before he ever left.

You need to get that dog to a vet, have him tested for parvo, and if it is not parvo, get him the immunizations.

You also need to make sure he is safe and not running free.

you can also use parvo guard that is what i used to get my dog better just this week. i also used sub q fluids and you need amoxill or tamaflu to treat other infections that can be happening.i took her to the vet and they started treatment for 12 hours and then i had to take her home because of costs but i used the parvo guard starting tuesday and friday she was cleared by the vet

here is there link and my web page on a little how i treated her parvoguard.com
parvohelp.my-dog-blog.com/

Continuing to keep your own animals healthy and fit is sometimes easier in theory. Along with present day stressful daily routines, feeding your pets simple and fast dishes shared by the household might seem like a good idea – not surprisingly, the majority of dogs and cats enjoy the taste of home-made Bolognese, yet can you be doing your pet more damage than good?

One of the most commonplace ailments your pet dog or cat, notably dogs, can endure is Pancreatitis.

Pancreatitis is inflammation in the pancreas, an organ inside the abdomen, of which lies along side the border of the tummy and the upper intestine. The pancreas produces digestive enzymes to assist in the digestion of fats and also starches. it is additionally the place that the gland is present that produces insulin, that is important to allow us to make use of blood sugar levels effectively (see “Diabetes Mellitus”).

Pancreatitis in most dogs is usually linked to the serving of fatty table foods (scraps); this is not so much the case in cats, although many cats are going to be chubby.

The particular the signs of pancreatitis in most dogs may include acute vomiting, appetite loss, abdominal discomfort, and also dehydration; kittens and cats usually have a much more subtle presentation, usually being only appetite loss.

Prognosis is simply by blood diagnostic tests, x-ray, and ultrasound examination. Generally, the only way to complete a conclusive diagnosis in cats is through biopsy. Treatment requires stay in hospital, Intravenous fluids, supporting care, the withdrawal of food, and pain management. Severe instances are life -threatening and may call for surgery treatment, feeding tubes, and also an advanced level of intensive care. Pancreatitis has a tendency to reoccur and is best monitored long-term by having a special diet.

Don’t be concerned too much though, your pet dog may also create problems to their very own tummy by just discovering their local surroundings and ingesting things they shouldn’t be!

These complaints are quite a bit more frequent in puppy dogs and kittens who’re discovering their own world with their mouths. Pets who have eaten indigestible things, generally have problems with vomiting, which is generally an issue for the younger pets

They might also drool, hack, show unusual tongue movements, get looseness of the bowels, hunger loss, and also dehydration. If intestinal rupture should happen, there is peritonitis, pain, and collapse. Medical diagnosis is by history of ingestion, stomach palpation, and x-ray, but the diagnosis isn’t usually clear-cut. These patients need intense care typically concluding in medical procedures.

For those who have a pet, it can at times pay dividends to get appropriate insurance protection set up in the event you need to speak to your nearby veterinarian practice for help in examining, and more importantly, treating your pets symptoms. Generally, the expense of therapy is quite high, and may even require numerous sessions with the veterinarian to make sure the family pet has completely recovered.

Should you be uncertain if your puppy is in top health, and would like some professional help and advice, be sure you consult Tribeca Soho Veterinarian, and also you could see the Tribeca Soho Animal Hospital video online.

By Julie Damron may 14, 2011 12:01 AM

Statistically, in both human and animal medicine, preventive care has a higher ratio of positive outcomes than reactive. in addition, early detection and treatment of disease or illness provide a much higher comfort level for people and their pets. it is also a less costly way to care for yourself and your companions. think about it: If you identify a problem early on, it is less advanced, and there are fewer complications. the sooner treatment is initiated, the greater the likelihood of a good recovery, and the less likely there will be secondary illnesses.

There are several disease processes that I see in practice on a daily basis in which the clients who participate in preventive efforts for their companions not only greatly improve the quality of life for their dogs and cats but also greatly minimize their veterinary expenses.

Heartworm prevention is often neglected. Heartworm is a life-threatening disease that is passed to both dogs and cats from mosquitoes. it is an issue in our area, and indoor pets also are at risk. There is no treatment for cats. for dogs, the treatment involves the use of arsenic, and is risky and costly. Patients need to be strictly cage-confined for several weeks following medications. for a large breed dog, treatment is almost $2,000. A year of preventive care with Heartgard for a small dog is about $55. That is less than $5 per month. for a large dog, it is less than $7 a month. Trifexis is another preventive option – it is oral and also includes flea protection. these same products also protect against some internal parasites.

Routine exams at least once a year for every pet are really important. in addition to identifying disease in the early stages, this also helps to make sure your companion is receiving appropriate care for his or her particular life stage. As your companion becomes a senior, twice-yearly evaluations as well as laboratory panels are recommended. Remember that animals age much faster than we do, and changes in organ systems can happen rapidly. Animals, especially cats, are very good at hiding illness. often you will not see symptoms of a problem until it is advanced. it is all about identifying issues in the early stages, because early detection of illness leads to better outcomes.

Dental care is a huge problem in veterinary medicine, with 80 percent of patients having some level of dental disease. it often goes undetected, and many clients are fearful of having their pets sedated for dental cleanings. Dental disease is not just confined to the mouth. As oral infections progress, bacteria from the mouth goes into the bloodstream and affects organs such as the kidney, liver and heart. There are some easy steps you can take today to help prevent your dog or cat from developing significant dental disease. first, feed a high-quality diet and eliminate or limit people food. A good diet will leave less residue on the teeth. Provide some level of routine oral care; there are many options available including brushing; treats and chews; oral drops and rinses; oral paste; and products to add to water. Schedule dental cleanings at the earliest point that this procedure is recommended. When a cleaning is done early on in the disease process, the anesthetic time is shorter, extractions are less likely, and it slows down the progression of oral pathology so your cherished companion experiences less pain overall.

Do not feed your pets people food. This is a common practice that frequently results in vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, and generalized digestive upset. Blood work and X-rays are commonly taken. Antibiotics and a bland diet are common treatments. Many patients have to be hospitalized for pancreatitis and other problems. This is a lot to spend and have your companion go through because he or she shared your holiday ham.

Not only is important to try to prevent disease, but also to act quickly when a problem arises. This helps minimize the chance of secondary illnesses and provides comfort for your dog and/or cat as soon as possible. again, when problems are treated in the early stages, there is a much greater chance for a positive outcome. By acting on problems in the early stages, you often minimize costs because often a shorter cycle of treatment is needed. Please remember that options such as Care Credit exist to help you pay for medical care over time for several months without interest. Please visit their website for more information: CareCredit.com.

Acting now really pays off in the long run. Your pets are depending on you for their care. With small changes, you can give them the best chance for a long, high-quality life.

Julie Damron is a veterinarian at Sierra Veterinary Clinic in Stockton. Contact her at .

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The Signs of Liver Cancer in Canines

Write-up by Susan Green

The liver is a really active organ because of to its multifunctional talents. Practically all biochemical processes in the body make use of the liver. for illustration, the liver requires the biggest share of the pie in converting meals to vitality, detoxification of the system (waste management), synthesizes proteins and in the blood offer technique.

Simply because the liver hosts a multitude of capabilities, it is only all-natural that it faces the most dangers of illnesses than any other parts of your dog’s physique. Luckily, the liver is a single difficult organ that even if 80% of its mass is affected by illnesses, it could still operate properly to protect well-becoming. Loosely stated, it’s even now achievable for the liver to sustain the daily life of your canine even if a significant infection or tumor is crippling it.

The bad news is that most of the signs of liver cancer in dogs are subtle and really generic. at 1st glance, it can be believed as just an ordinary sickness when in fact it really is already the initial stage of liver cancer. Most of the time, it’s also late for any therapy to be successful simply because the cancer is already in its advanced stage.

If your dog is showing some signs and symptoms that you can’t explain or any erratic behavior lately, it’s far better to get him to the nearest vet. your medical professional can check and validate if liver cancer is indeed springing up.

Detecting liver cancer in dogs takes at the very least your keen observation. This straightforward gesture can preserve the lifestyle of your puppy. Any type of treatment method is often useful to sustain your dog’s effectively-currently being. in the situation of liver cancer, the odds of survival are substantial due to the fact of the organ’s massive ability for regeneration.

Notable Indicators of Liver Cancer in Dogs

1. Swollen or dilated belly because of to the accumulation of the fluid simply because the filtration and circulation processes are failing.2. your puppy coils in soreness when lifted in the abdomen or palpating. three. Gastrointestinal disturbance such as diarrhea, vomiting, and constipation.4. The liver’s inefficiency to procedure bile is manifested by replacing the organic brown coloration of feces into a light coloured a single.5. Orange coloured urine because of to jaundice. Excessive urination or peeing due to the disturbance of salt ranges in the blood.

Some neurological-connected symptoms incorporate seizures, aimless circling or pacing, head pressing to any object, jaundice, depression, loss of appetite, unexplained fat loss, anemia and thirstiness.

Indicators of bleeding are very scarce in liver cancer. Prognosis of liver cancer contains deciding the extent of cancer attain (metastasis) and stage. Typically, in superior circumstances, the goal lies not to locate a treatment but to improve the high quality of life.

Your dog has cancer? Check out my blog to know far more about the indications of liver cancer in canines.

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Tags: cancer, Dogs, liver, signs

Do you know the different types of dog cancers ? Do you know what to look for?

There are Unsimilar kinds of cancer that are common to to all sizes and breeds of dogs.You should be conscious of of your dogs healthby keeping a close look at what your dogs habits are and by inspecting your dogs bodyfor un common changes. These changes can be lumps of cancer turning up and should be viewed by a vet for further evaluation.

What are you looking for ?Some cancer symptoms on your dog can be unusual lumps, swellings that appear all of a sudden, not eating , unuasual habits , etc..An open wound and skin related problems that don’t go away can form skin cancer, Do to result of allergies, exposure to chemicals, rays from the sun from being exposed in the sun for too long periods.

Dog prostrate cancer can be found with older dogs, here are some common problem that are hard to see. the signs for this is your dog having problems urinating and defecating. often bloody urine and stools can be seen. Dog Stomach, liver and kidney cancer are more popular with dogs. Some signs for this can be stop eating and drink a lot of water all of a sudden. Periodically they will start eating grass and certain plants. Rapid weight loss is very common, along with chronic diarrhea. Dog bone cancer known as osteosarcoma which is a common long bone tumour, is often diagnosed with symptoms like arthritis and muscle pains. When you dog starts behaving out of the ordinarily, take note and research what the difficulty might be.

Ok, now that you have an idea what to look for in your dog health, so what is the most common issue of dog cancer in your dog? Chemicals , you need to you look at the ingredients in commercial dog food products, You would be surprised what passes for nutrition for dogs. the cheaper the food, the worse the ingredients get. most commercial dog food is loaded with all sorts of toxic chemicals and preservatives. There has been traces of Sodium Pentobarbital found in some commercial food. This is the same chemical used to euthanize animals. It is present because the meat in the food they use is processed meat which is made from dead animals or euthanized animals.

When they make dog food they also use the chemical ethoxyguin (EQ) to preserve the dog food and give it a longer shelf life. This chemical is not allowed in human food, care to guess why? the chemicals and preservatives in commercial dog food is not fit for consumption.Some illnesses like Kidney cancer, bladder cancer, stomach cancer, hair loss, chronic diarrhea and other major organ failure is directly related to these chemicals and ingredients used. Dog food is simply not controlled.

Some of the ways to impede your dog from getting ill or getting cancer in the long term from harmful dog foods, is buy natural dog food or make the dog food your self. Your dog could live nearly twice as long if you do this. Remember your dog is what they eat so you want your dog to get the protein, vitamins and minerals the need in there daily diet.

They are many other causes and solution on this topic that we have for you Here is a FREE information pack for your dog with cancer. This is a limited amount of inquiries so go here now

Click Here breast cancer in dogs,symptoms in cancer in dogs,mass cell tumor dogs,cancer in dogs treatment

I have a 16 week old puppy that i recently rehomed from a stray i'm unsure of the breed but looks like a doberman cross dachshund (dont know if it is that is the breed), I wasnt really aware of the term lockjaw when i looked up further i found it is a symptom of tetanus. when taking the new pup on a walk she plays with her ball and her mouth seems to lock around the ball, she paws at her mouth as if uncomfortable and my boyfriend manages to get the ball out of her mouth but then her mouth stays in the same locked position. I am aware that dogs do not have the ability to lock their jaws…but what is my pup doing??? her mouth returns to normal after a short while so do think it is tetanus as she seems well otherwise and has been checked over by a vet only recently. My boyfriend is convinced that all SBT, APBT etc lock their jaws i explained that they just use their strength, but he says the same thing happens they bite onto a stick and even when removed cannot move their jaws.. has anyone any answers as to what it is and hy it happens!!

I say it's something for the vet to look at.

For the record, APBT do NOT have "locking jaws." The only reason they bite and don't let go is because that is what they where bred to do – be tenacious, stubborn, and strong. TO please their masters. Back in the day when they where used for dog fighting and bull baiting, letting go meant sure death.

If your dog's jaw gets "stuck" in any position it is a question to ask the vet. Period.

thats a common feature that dobermans have, being able to lock their jaw around something and not letting go. it sounds like ur puppy just isnt used to it yet. a doberman i know does the same thing but as he got older he was able to unlock his jaw faster. i think ur puppy will grow into the ability to unlock her jaw again, but if you really think its something more serious than take her to a vet so she can get checked out