9.15.2013

New Virus for Dogs?

Hello Everybuddy:

This morning we received this letter from Monica Segal, a canine nutritionist from Canada that we thought you all should know about.

Newsworthy: Theory Points To New Virus
Some people have heard about it and others haven't. If you're in the latter category - heads up. So far, it's been happening in California and Ohio, but although symptoms are the same, nobody is sure if these dogs have/had the same disease, or what the cause might be.
"Symptoms include bloody diarrhea and vomiting, extreme lethargy, neurological problems, a lack of appetite and other maladies.There are countless causes of vomiting and diarrhea in dogs, even bloody diarrhea,” But the illness seen in the past few weeks is markedly different, "What made these cases unique is what the pathologist terms 'acute necrotizing vasculitis.' This is when the blood vessels become suddenly damaged and fluid begins leaking out of the vessels. Because of this, the cases I know of did not just have vomiting and bloody diarrhea, they also developed fluid around their lungs and in the abdomen.”
Is this a new disease, a mutation of another virus, perhaps a virus we already know about...? No answers just yet. Everyone is waiting for pathology reports.
Based on my experience with dog owners and dogs with all kinds of problems, I think it's fair to say that most people don't rush to the vet at the very first glimmer of a problem. A dog that vomits now and then isn't likely to make us panic. But!- bloody diarrhea, extreme lethargy, or neurological problems should cause us to react quickly at any time, especially in light of this possible virus being the cause, and perhaps even more so if you happen to live in the areas that have been reporting the problem. 
Read a news report here.
Monica



If you have a concern about this, please contact your vet for further information.

Just passing it on,

Jo, Stella and Zkhat

9.05.2013

Stella discusses things!

Hi Mom, I gotta talk to you about a few things.  We haven't been posting much lately and when we do Zkhat seems to be giving the
orders.  You know, when she gets up on the chair in the kitchen and
then gives me orders about what she thinks I should do every day.  I am really tired of that.  It used to be she was scared to death of me.  We can go back to those days,  and when she gets up on that chair, I am going to push her down and bark loud at her.  Maybe make a jump for her.  No, I won't bite her or hurt her, I just want her to be scared enough NOT to be telling me what to do.  I want you to understand why I am doing it too.  OK?  I like to be a nice dog to everybody, but I have just had it with her.

The other thing is, I want this to be a two dog house.  I know it used to be before I came her.  I found this picture of your Scottie Otis and that Eddie dog.


I never knew those guys, but look how good they are getting along. 

Did you see where the White Dog Army got a new dog today?  It was an abused dog that was in a bad shelter.  Think about that, would you?  Two of us dogs could keep Zkhat right in her place, all of the time! 

Can we just work on this, please?  Whaddya say, Mom.  If there were two of us, we would always have fun things to write about in the blog.  Like the Rotties, theres three of them and they have fun together.

Lets talk  more about this, OK?  Kisses, your best pal  Stella