Taken from my first dog-group

Taken from SS List - Dog Health Alert 6.12.2002

This was forwarded by a fellow SS breeder who is not a member of this list.
Lynn

Subject: New Dog Virus Health Alert

Received this from someone on another list, definitely worth reading!
Donna Boisvert
GK Regal Weims


Permission to cross post:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Subject: MAJOR CANINE HEALTH ALERT READ THE INFO BELOW. IMPORTANT!!! ~

Some of you may have experienced or are just experiencing a flu like bug that is rapidly moving across the Pacific Northwest area. The symptoms are vomiting, slightly elevated fever for 48-72 hours and a lack of appetite for about a week. This virus is highly contagious and spreads through kennels like wildfire.

While seemingly innocuous to young adults and older dogs - this virus is now killing young baby puppies. While I do not wish to mention the kennel - almost half of a litter was lost yesterday.

One of the kennels dogs came up to California with the flu - gave it to the other kennel dogs - they had absolutely no contact with mom and the puppies - the virus was transmitted on the bottoms of shoes. Momma dog got it and 3 out of 8 puppies were lost this week. Autopsy said that the virus caused massive e-coli infection in the puppies' body cavities.

Our vet recommends that absolutely no contact be made to new puppies at this time, use bleach or parvisol on shoes and anything that will causean outside contact with the puppies.

We are attempting to obtain stool samples to isolate this virus so that some defense can be mounted to it.
Please be very very very careful with your puppies - this one is a very bad one and again - spreads like the flu.

I've heard about this canine illness before. Also heard about it last week--it supposedly has been spreading all over the West Coast in particular. I didn't know that people could get it, too.

We should all be very careful coming back into our homes from dog shows.
Disinfect shoes, etc. Wash dogs paws and don't bring show equip into the house (including crates--until they are disinfected). Maybe even isolate show dogs for l-2 days till the incubation period is over.

I know this sounds like a lot to do--I do this most of the time anyway and it's a b____. But this illness is a real bummer and it's probably better to be safe rather than sorry with this one.

Subject: Print this out and keep this. This is important..and also go to links..Okay?

Early detection is a good thing.
Here are some answers to the latest outbreak of what's being called a flu-like illness in dogs. ANYONE who owns a dog or does rescue, I urge you to PLEASE read the following.

I found more info about the doggy 'flu' on my corgi list. I pray that no one on this list has had to deal with
this on a first hand basis.

This "flu" was rampant last April after the Bernese National & hit entire kennels from the East to the West coast.

The name of this infection is "Campylobacteriosis."

Definition: Campylobacteriosis: symptoms are charcaterized by acute diarrhea in puppies and runs it's course in approx. seven to ten days.
***can also cause severe enteritis in humans.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There is a webpage with information:

http://www.aone.com/~skylo k1/health.htm
l# DOG SHOW CRUD for information more on this disease:

http://www.mednets.com/camp ylobacterio
sis.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's a bacterial imbalance in the digestive tract. Will sometimes test low positive for Parvovirus. It is BACTERIAL. It is NOT a new form of Parvo.

Mode of infection: widely varied, but mostly from contact with urine, feces, something brought in on shoes, etc. Symptoms start 12- 48 hrs. after initial contact (usually) & spreads to other dogs rapidly.

Dogs are alert, hungry, energetic. Normal feces starts with mucus sheath & then continues to get progressively softer until it is watery & contains blood. It then becomes explosive.

Vomiting may accompany & may or may not also contain blood. Feces have a sweet/flowery aroma along with a
"slaughterhouse on a summer day" smell (similar to Parvo diarrhea but with a floral hint). Feces are *usually* mustard colored.

Dogs dehydrate at an astounding rate. Dogs are also at risk of intussusceptions.
What is happening is that there is a bacterial growth in the digestive tract which throws it off balance. The body is trying to counteract this by removing the extra (or offending) bacteria.

It seems to do this by trying to remove ALL body fluids as quickly as possible. Death is caused by massive dehydration. This can occur as quickly as 12 hrs. or continue for a few days.

The younger the dog, the worse it is. Some dogs may never get it, even though they may be kenneled with an afflicted dog. Some dogs also get over this without treatment. The key is to treat this as fast as possible before the dogs go anorexic AND to treat ALL dogs on the premises (non-afflicted dogs should get ONE capsule).

Treatment is 250 mg Cephalexin per 25lbs of body weight. Pups may get Ceph-drops. This MUST be given orally NOT I/V - it MUST go thru the digestive tract (I don't know WHY it works this way, but it does). If the dog vomits the pill up, just give it again until it stays down.

Give another dose approx. 12hrs later.
If the dog returns to normal DO NOT medicate again. It's important NOT to run a full 10 day course of this drug as it has (in the past) caused the bacterial balance to go the other way.

If needed, give medication for 2 more days, or whenever symptoms reoccur.
If the dogs are massively dehydrated, DO NOT use an IV drip. Their circulatory system will be very depressed &
*if* a vein can be found, it may not be able to support an IV.

Lactated Ringers Solution SUB-Q is suggested & forcing electrolytes orally. IV rehydration HAS thrown
animals into deep shock (see above). Slow rehydration is the key here. Slow slow slow. Just enough to keep them alive until the *bug* is nipped in the bud.

After the diarrhea has stopped, you can cram the dog as full of fluids as you want, just not when it is at its most fragile point. Anorexic dogs have to be tempted to eat again. Rare, bloody, slightly garlicky & slightly salty beef has worked the best in the past for getting the appetites working. Holisticweim mailin
Start small. You may have to give anorexic dogs Nutri-Cal to get them going again. But after they are cured they *will* begin to eat again.

Do NOT automatically assume Parvo when you see this. Parvo treatments have killed the majority of Crud dogs. If you suspect Parvo, try the Cephalexin 1st, if it doesn't work, THEN assume Parvo.

ZZZZZ����>>>>>> Do NOT use Amoxicillin.>>>>>>>
Keflex has worked in the past. Dogs should show improvement within hours of treatment.

You may reprint this anywhere & everywhere.

Kim Cox
minischnzr@earthlink.net