Revelstoke dogs are being poisoned.  As word flashed around town many dog owners I talked to jumped to the same conclusion I did, that some heartless cretin was intentionally luring dogs with strychnine-laced meat or some other irresistible bait. 

The weekend of April 16 two dogs from Revelstoke and one from Salmon Arm fell critically ill after ingesting toxic substances.  After talking to two vets and the RCMP the consensus seems to be that the culprits are Mother Nature, and us.

“We’ve received no complaints about dogs being intentionally poisoned,” said RCMP Corporal Rod Wiebe.  “We rely on the veterinarians to give us evidence, and I can confirm at this time that no complaints have been received.”

“Because the dogs came from three completely different areas, and had similar substances in their stomachs or vomit, I think we’re seeing poisoning from toxic vegetation, particularly coarse grasses,” explained veterinarian Jim Clark of the Shuswap Vet Clinic in SA.

Revelstoke vet Lisette Valdamanis agrees with Clark, “I have zero suspicions that we are dealing with someone intentionally poisoning dogs. that glaze of white you see on last year’s grass is mold,” explained Valdamanis, “and it can be deadly.”

“Just like our ancestors craved fresh greens in spring like dandelion, which they used medicinally and as nutritional supplements, dogs crave their own tonic, new grass,”

Clark said.  “Unfortunately molds ingested from vegetation and food stuffs can induce tremorgenic mycotoxin toxicity (TMT).”  in lay terms, an attack on an animal’s nervous system.

Potentially lethal toxins can be found in a host of decomposing substances;  feces (which many dogs love to gobble) and very dead critters such as mice, snakes, birds, fish, and large carcasses like deer.

In an article Clark sent me, Linda Shell, DMV (neurology) explains the symptoms of TMT.  She says a small amount of ingested tremorgenic mycotoxin can cause fine muscle tremors of a dog’s face, ears, eyelids, and/or ataxia – confusion and inability to coordinate voluntary muscle movements.  Increased exposure causes severe tremors, seizure and possible death.

A dog thus poisoned will be seen to be twitching, staggering, have a glazed look and may convulse, and will not likely have gastrointestinal upset, ie vomiting or bloody stools and diarrhoea.  If your dog experiences these symptoms, get him to the vet immediately, or call for advice as one Revelstoke dog owner did.

“There were lengthy delays on the west on the Trans Canada Sat, April 16, due to repairs on the  Malakwa Bridge,” said Clark. “The owner of one of the Revelstoke dogs exhibiting symptoms of TMT couldn’t get to Salmon Arm so called in and I was able to assist him to induce vomiting.”  that quick action probably saved the dog’s life as the disease manifests quickly, within half an hour to two hours said Clark.  All three dogs survived.

According to Shell, tremorgenic mycotoxins are found in a range of food stuffs mainly moldy dairy products, moldy walnuts and peanuts, stored grains and moldy garbage and compost.

“A compost that is not “hot” enough can produce deadly molds on a variety of food stuffs, including coffee grounds and fermenting cottage or cream cheeses,” said Clark.

To be safe follow the rules of successful composting – put no oils, meats, fats (cheeses), or cooked table scraps into your bin.  and if there are dogs running in your neighbourhood, cover the compost securely.  The dog you poison might be your own.

Clark also said he has treated dogs with severe symptoms from marijuana poisoning as some people think it’s cool to deliberately feed dogs recreation drugs and watch them get stoned. “In August we start to see dogs sick from ingesting common mushrooms that grow on lawns,” Clark said.

If you suspect poisoning of any sort and can’t get to a vet, the American SPCA has an animal poison control centre.  “For a fee, you can talk to a veterinarian 24/7 who will give advice for poisoning,” said Valdmanis.  The poison control centre number is 1-888 426-4435.  Consult fee, $65. your pet’s life, priceless.

The ASPCA website lists the top 10 toxins from the 167,000 calls they received in 2010 as follows; human medications, insecticides, rodenticides, people food, vet meds, chocolate, household toxins, indoor and outdoor plants, herbicides and outdoor toxins.

It also clarified that yes, raisins, grapes, onion and garlic can be lethal to dogs, if enough is consumed.

According to Cheryl Hermansen at Home Hardware, society is going green and reducing and replacing the use of harmful substances. “We’re phasing out products laced with poisons like strychnine and warfarin,” said Hermansen.  “There are now pet-friendly antifreezes and rodent poisons.  we carry Green Earth products made from powdered corn cobs that are not dangerous to pets.”

Dogs will be dogs. they love to run off leash and they love to eat crap. Clark’s best advice, “If you want to keep your dogs safe, keep them leashed, or within range, and pick up their poop wherever you walk.”

To which I’ll add: be prepared to sprint over and extract suspicious substances from your dog’s mouth (owning a Lab, affectionately known as ‘pig dogs’ or ‘bottom feeders’, I’m doing a lot of sprinting!); keep vet and poison control numbers handy; get a good canine first aid book; google Dog Poisoning and educate yourself – the list of potential poisons for dogs is staggering.

And finally, most important, report any suspected intentional bait poisoning of dogs to the vets, RCMP or Crimestoppers.

Barbara J. little is a regular contributor to The Revelstoke Current

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(WINDSOR, ON) – the thought of warm sunshiny days and clear blue skies makes most of us want to run out to enjoy the great outdoors. however for some, avoiding Mother Nature is seemingly more appealing. More than 60% of Canadians are affected by allergens from pollen, mold, pet dander and dust. Not only do the symptoms cause severe discomfort, it has also been linked to decreased productivity in the workplace.

Many allergy sufferers rely on oral anti-histamines from Western pharmaceuticals for temporary relief of allergy symptoms like sneezing, running nose and cough, over time; these medications lose their effect and come with their own set of side effects, drowsiness being the most common. Studies have shown that Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture may provide effective treatment for allergies sufferers as well as long-lasting results. These traditional healing methods not only help to provide relief from allergy symptoms, but also stimulate the body’s own natural capacity to process toxic allergens by strengthening the body’s immune system.

The mechanism of an allergy

Simply stated, an allergy is an overreaction of your body’s immune system. Exposure to a normally harmless substance in the environment can cause allergy-ridden individuals to react as if the substance was harmful. when these substances begin to cause allergic reactions, they are referred to as allergens. Allergens trigger the body to release two chemicals: 1) Histamines – stimulate mucous production and causes congestion, redness, swelling and inflammation and 2) Prostaglandins – constrict airways causing difficulties in breathing and enlarge blood vessels. once these two chemicals are released, the related symptoms can last for hours and even days.

Natural Remedies

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, sinus allergies are due to weakness of the Lung and Kidney Defensive Qi. As discussed in a previous article, defensive Qi is the “energy” which protects our body from external disease. With Chinese medicinal herbs and acupuncture, we are able to both strengthen and nourish these organs. Allergy-related immune cells have shown to be less active after Acupuncture treatments, likely dampening their reaction. the treatments also prompt the brain to release endorphins and other chemicals that improve blood circulation which helps to relieve congestion.

Huang Qin (Radix Scutellaria Baicalensis)

Harvested during the autumn months in the Jilin Province of China, this herb is commonly used for its detoxifying properties. With its cooling nature, it helps to clear heat in the upper respiratory tract and therefore eliminate mucous formation which causes nasal congestion as well as opening airways to facilitate easy breathing for asthma patients. Clinical research has also shown the alkaloids extracted from Huang Qin to possess strengthening effects on the immune system by producing anti-histamine effects to prevent the release of enzymes from mast cells. the healing properties of this herb are vast, its use has also demonstrated much success in lowering blood pressure, promoting lipid metabolism to decrease cholesterol levels as well as helping with irritability and anxiety.

Xin Yi Hua (Flos Magnoliae)

The magnolia flower is referred to as an “exterior-releasing” herb, one which helps the body to release and eliminate disorders lodged within the layers of the body. Often times, Traditional Chinese Medicine treats diseases by bring the disease to the surface of the body so that it may be released from the pores in the skin. Xin Yi Hua is commonly used to treat conditions such as headaches, chronic sinusitis, nasal congestion, mucous accumulation and red, irritated eyes. This herb enters into the Lung and Stomach meridian channels which both travel onto the face within the nasal area. It is for this reason that Xin Yi Hua is so effective in opening up nasal congestion to treat sinus problems. Research has also found topical application of this flower beneficial in decreasing mucous production in the nasal cavity, as well; it can be applied onto the skin to eliminate dark facial spots.

Cang Er Zi (Fructus Sibirici Xanthii)

During the months of August and September, this fruit is harvested when ripened. With its sweet, yet slightly bitter taste, Cang Er Zi enters into the Lung meridian channels to open up the nasal passages, breakdown mucous and eliminate headaches associated with sinus congestion. Cang Er Zi is also a source of Vitamin C, a vitamin which promotes and enhances immune function to protect against illness. Vitamin C is also necessary for healthy connective tissue, bones, teeth and cartridge.

Though the herbs discussed above are both common and beneficial to those suffering with sinus allergies, they may not be for everyone. Be sure to seek a trained Chinese Medical Doctor and herbalist to find the right herbs for you.

Don’t be stuck inside during the spring and summer months. the combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture can provide symptomatic relief of allergies for sufferers of all ages. once symptoms are under control and relieved, it is then possibly to address the underlying balances that keep attacks returning season after season. Strengthening ones immune system will help to build up a weakened respiratory system to prevent further occurrences of sinus allergies while allowing the tissues of the nasal cavity to heal.

Mable Cheung, Acupuncturist at Cheung’s Trading Co. ltd. for more information, feel free to contact Mable at 519.252.9228 or at mailto:cheungstrading.com

By LAURAN NEERGAARD March 31, 2011 12:00 AM

WASHINGTON — Japan’s nuclear emergency highlights a big medical gap: few treatments exist to help people exposed to large amounts of radiation.

But some possibilities are in the pipeline — development of drugs to treat radiation poisoning, and the first rapid tests to tell who in a panicked crowd would really need them.

The U.S. calls these potential products “countermeasures,” and they’re part of the nation’s preparations against a terrorist attack, such as a dirty bomb. but if they work, they could be useful in any kind of radiation emergency.

“Thinking of terrorist events is what drives us. Mother Nature can be much of a terror, too,” says Dr. Robin Robinson, who heads the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, that funds late-stage research of products the government deems most likely to pan out.

BARDA has invested $164 million for research into anti-radiation treatment candidates since 2008, and $44 million for radiation testing — in hopes of adding such products to the nation’s emergency medical stockpile soon. That’s in addition to research dollars from the National Institutes of Health and the Defense Department.

Japan’s crisis — where last week two nuclear plant workers were hospitalized for radiation burns — is sure to renew attention to a field that’s long been overshadowed by the hunt for protections against bioterrorism among the radiation projects considered farthest along:

— Rapid tests that could spot dangerous radiation doses with mere finger-pricks of blood. Already, a prototype machine sits at new York’s Columbia University that could check thousands of people.

— Some drugs now used to help cancer patients boost their infection-fighting blood cells, sold under such names as Neupogen. They may do the same thing for radiation victims.

— An injection that saved monkeys from highly lethal beams. It seems to protect the body’s two most radiation-sensitive spots, the bone marrow and lining of the gut.

Today, there are only a few proven therapies for radiation injuries. Good supportive care — lots of fluids, infusions of blood-clotting platelets, and infection-fighting antibiotics — is key for acute radiation syndrome, an overall poisoning that can begin causing symptoms days to weeks after a super-high exposure. to guard against longer-term harm, doses of potassium iodide can protect against future thyroid cancer by shielding the thyroid from one type of fallout, radioactive iodine. Other treatments can help the body eliminate radioactive cesium and a few other isotopes.

Part of the challenge is radiation’s variety of injuries — burns, bone marrow and gastrointestinal damage, lung scarring, the later-in-life cancer risk. Yet outside of an immediate blast zone where open wounds and burns make injury clear, there’s no fast way to tell who got a huge dose.

Those Geiger counter-style monitors used on power-plant workers in Japan? They detect contamination on clothing or skin that might not enter the body, not what the body has absorbed, says medical physicist David Brenner, director of Columbia’s Center for Radiological Research.

Moreover, previous emergencies have shown that sheer stress can cause nausea and diarrhea that mimic some early symptoms of radiation sickness in people who weren’t exposed, he adds.

“Before you can start to treat people, you need to know what radiation doses they got,” Brenner says.

Brenner’s team built a robotic machine named RABiT — for “rapid automated biodosimetry tool” — that can analyze finger-stick blood samples quickly. the eventual goal is to be able to test 30,000 samples in a day. Brenner says federal approval is still a few years away but that the prototype could be used in an emergency if health officials shipped blood samples to his lab.

What about treatments?

Cells in the bone marrow and GI tract are extremely vulnerable to radiation. They overreact to what should be reparable damage and commit cellular suicide, says Dr. Andrei Gudkov of the Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Gudkov’s team created a drug based on a protein from normal gut bacteria, named flagellin, that blocks some of the cellular destruction and also stimulates recovery of remaining cells. It dramatically improved the survival of monkeys treated up to 48 hours after they were zapped. And safety testing in 150 healthy people so far suggests the main side effect is a flulike reaction, Gudkov says.

BARDA’s Robinson says that closest to the emergency stockpile may be those cancer drugs that spur growth of infection-fighting blood cells. Later this year, his agency will begin a push for research to prove they could work similarly in a radiation emergency.

“There isn’t going to be a simple solution to any of this,” cautions Dr. Nelson Chao of Duke University’s countermeasures program, who also co-chairs the Radiation Injury Treatment Network. “There will be a lot of little steps to address the plethora of toxicities that come from radiation.”

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