Health Alert - Canine Flu
While seemingly innocuous to young adults and older - 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 from 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 puppy 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 cause an outside contact to 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 for 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 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 house (including crates--until they are disinfected). Maybe even isolate show dogs for l-2 days till incubation period over. I know this sounds like a lot to do--I do this most of the time anyway. But this illness is a real bummer and it's probably better to be safe rather than sorry with this one.

Print this Out and keep this is important and also go to links. Ok I got this one yesterday and thought that it was IMPORTANT to get this out to as many of you as possible. 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 Burmese National & hit entire kennels from the East to the West coast. The name of this infection is "Campylobacteriosis." Definition: Campylobacteriosis: acute diarrhea in puppies runs course in seven to ten days ***can cause a severe enteritis in humans. There is a webpage with information SHOW CRUD For more on this disease http://www.mednets.com/campylobacteriosis.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- 48hrs after initial contact (usually) & spread to other dogs rapidly. Dogs are alert, hungry, energetic. Normal feces starts with mucus sheath & 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 12hrs 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. 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 forgetting the appetites working. 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. Do NOT use Amoxicillin. Keflex has worked in the past. Dogs should show improvement within hours of treatment.