Toby's Health Update
Toby's heart sounded excellent, which is a good sign for a Cavalier. His hips and weight are also fine. He did have a small ear infection in one ear, which of course required a $43 tiny bottle of ear medication. Toby, being a sensitive type, of course hates getting shots, so we were going to go with a 3 year rabies vaccine. He ended up not getting it that day because he needed another vaccine that required a booster shot in 3 weeks. So he'll get the rabies vaccine then.
Importantly, the vet said that they are seeing increasingly high occurrences of Leptospirosis in dogs in the Chicago area. Surprisingly, these outbreaks have not been confined to large dogs or dogs in rural areas; they are affected all breeds and sizes of dogs from all over metro Chicago. Leptospirosis is a disease that dogs usually get from coming into contact with infected wildlife, so it is strange that urban dogs and smaller breeds that don't go hunting, etc., would be exposed to it. Unfortunately the disease can also be transmitted to humans. It affects the liver and kidneys and can be quite serious, even fatal in 10% of canine cases.
So, if you are in the Chicago area, definitely consider adding the lepto vaccine to your dog's annual regimen, even if you think he is never around wildlife or in situations where he might be infected. The vaccine requires one shot up front and then a booster shot three weeks later.
I just found your blog from the Preppy Pink and Green Puppy. We have a new Cavalier puppy named Tucker. I did not know about using a harness to walk them. I'm going to order the one you recommend right now. I'm guessing I may need a small for now and a medium for later? Tucker is just over 4 months old and weighs about 12 pounds.
ReplyDeleteToby is a beautiful dog! I'm enjoying reading about his exploits.
Hi Eloise, thanks for stopping by! I think you and Tucker will like the Puppia harnesses - all the other kinds seemed to tear Toby's fur out in weird places. Puppia must be much more comfortable because all his fur grew back.
ReplyDeleteAs for size, the Small looked REALLY small to me in the store. You might want to order just a Medium first, see if it fits Tucker, and if not, then order a Small. Then you'll have a Medium all ready for when he grows into it!
Please do your research about vaccines and especially about the non core unsafe bad vaccine of Leptospirosis! Do not go to the onle and only source that stands to benefit by advising to you to inject your dog with an unsafe bad vaccine that will NOT protect your precious companion from Leptospirosis infection (renal colonization can still take place) and make it more likely that you would become infected by your dog getting a subclinical infection. The bad vaccine actually promotes the zoonotic transfer of the disease! The bad vaccine is even able to confer upon your companion the very disease pathology just from the reaction of the antigen in the vaccine with your dogs immune cells! Our primere leading veterinary vaccine researcher does not advise this vaccine and refuses to vaccinate his own dogs with this vaccine despite living in a Leptospirosis endemic area! (this goes the same for Lyme Vaccine and any mumbo jumbo combination vaccines, as a matter of fact he only vaccinates his dogs once in their lifetime with a 3 way to the lethal viruses distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus and then is following the illogical rabies vaccination laws until they can get them all changed they are so overvaccinating!). Personally, since the Lepto vaccine is so bad at causing adverse events and making more disease in the dogs (many patients remain very itchy for 4 years with only one Lepto vaccine) there have been cases of renal failure within 48 hours of receiving the Lepto vaccine (confering the same pathology upon the vaccinate as the infection can....why....becasue this is immun mediated disease and it comes from the very antigen in the vaccine! The vaccine does not work well in any regards, not even generating an antibody reponse that lasts beyond 3 months......as if antibody production had anything to do with immunity anyway! The vaccine is not cross productive for the hundreds of serovars and so anyway you look at this vaccination is one STUPID and DANGEROUS recomendation. I do think with the turn down in the economy and since this vaccine so bad as it is doesn't even work decently in the antibody department that they have to try administering it 3 times a year to get antibody production (the vaccine also contains dangerous mercury and adjuvants that can cause cancer) spining a need for Lepto vaccines helps to fill the coffers of the "other family doctor", ensuring profits from the "advice". IF Leptospirosis is TRULLY a problem in the Chicago area, and you need to know what this is TRULLY consisting of, then be on the look out for conditions like rat infestation areas or places where standing water may allow the infection to take place (remember even with vaccination the dog is NOT PROTECTED FROM INFECTION) then take your dog to the vet should anything develop as the disease is easily treatable if owner does not wait. Countries where Leptospirosis is TRULLY a problem uses antibiotics in workers likely to be exposed. The country of Cuba used mass administration of Homeopathy to keep a post huricane Leptospirosis epidemic from ocurring. So, bottom line, know the risk and the benefit of vaccination before you take blind faith the advice that the harmaceutical companies puppets deliver to you. Read more; dr-jordan.com
ReplyDeleteGreat article! Toby is very cute I am glad he is fine. Thanks for sharing this very useful information. All the best!
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