Heads up - dog illness

Thanks for the heads up!
What a scary thing to happen. I really wonder if it's the dog food? They mentioned it in the article, but don't know for sure. Wonder if we'll ever know?

Strange that parvo would break out like that, almost 500 miles apart. Wonder if someone went camping with their dog?
Also strange, since most dogs are vaccinated for Parvo at least once.

Thanks again for the post. I sent the information to our Papillon Group too.

Got the head's up from the NDSDF a few months ago. Although we're not in CA. I got Calvin's shots updated just in case we're called back to the area.

Sorry to read about your friend's dog.

Pops

Had a dog get very ill, very quick with HGE,(Hemorrhagic Gastro Enteritis) from eating goose/deer droppings. It's gross as hell to us, but these animals have been eating sweet berries/grass/apples, etc.,(the same ingredients in many dog treats, and less processed!) and their droppings are delicious to dogs. Watch your dogs when they are outside!

I've dealt with HGE a few times, but none of my dogs were fine one day and extremely sick the next. It was always something that built up. The last instance was our departed beagle. She developed HGE, probably secondary to pancreatitis, which in turn was (according to the vet) probably triggered by giardia. She was on medication for the giardia and related symptoms when the HGE occurred. It was a cascade of things, not something sudden.

HGE

Some more info.

We vaccinate our dogs against parvo. Isn't that the norm?

Most vaccines aren't 100 percent reliable. Either because of the researchers' inability to formulate an effective vaccine (for whatever reasons), and because of how an individual dog's immune system reacts to a particular vaccine. Not all do so robustly enough to develop full immunity. And of course there are the zillions and zillions of pets whose owners don't get them vaccinated on time, strays, etc. And there are a few breeds (Rotties and Dobies are two that I know of) that are more susceptible to parvo than other breeds.

(I didn't word that well -- I'm not accusing vaccine developers of any kind of incompetence, just saying that for various reasons it's sometimes impossible to produce a vaccine that's completely reliable. I'm sure Dr. Doug or BCSnob could explain it better.)

Crowe wrote:
We vaccinate our dogs against parvo. Isn't that the norm?

Yes, but... Puppies and old guys, dobies and rots seem to be more susceptible.

Not all vaccinations are 100% effective.

Puppies need to go through the entire series to build up effective immunity.

Summer is always bad for parvo. Warm humid conditions tend to prevent natural environmental destruction of the virus. It is very easy to transmit via shoes, clothing, hands, etc. and the virus is very resistant to cleaners - bleach solution is the best available. We see 2-5 cases per week during the summer.

As far as HGE, one of the more common serious GI issues we see. Most are normal one day and extremely sick the next. It is necessary to get vet help as dogs do die from this if not treated. If you see bloody diarrhea and depressed attitude - get help.

Fecal cultures and extensive history has never revealed a routine cause.

Good heads up for everyone.

Doug, DVM

Our dog just got over 5 days of diarrhea and eating very little if anything. She was fine one day, sick the next and when she got better, she was still sick, not eating one day and the next prancing around, running and wanted to eat -- anything she could. We started on boiled burger and rice and she picked out the burger -- after 2 times of that I fixed her regular dog food and she is fine with normal pooh. Don't know what it was, but I made sure she stayed hydrated. Was ready to head to the vet the day she perked up and was better.

Re HGE - our Jack Russell Annie went thru this about four
years ago - very frightening. No sounds from her during the night, but when we woke up our bedroom looked like a slaughter house - projectile bloody vomiting and bloody diarrhea and she was like a limp little rag. We wrapped her in a big towel and had her at our vet within 15 minutes where they immediately took over - had it been much longer she would not have survived. Our vet said there is really no explanation for this. Two days at the vets on IVs, then special diet at home for two weeks - then back to her old tricks. But I keep a close watch.