Rabies Vaccination Can Cause Rabies Symptoms In Dogs

What do you do when you get that little reminder card in the mail from your vet clinic saying your dog is due for his rabies vaccination? Do you a) ignore it or b) dutifully bring your dog in for his shots? If your answer is b, you need to read on.

If you ask your conventional veterinarian about the safety of your dog’s rabies shot, she’ll probably tell you adverse reactions are rare.

That’s because most conventional vets only recognize reactions that happen within a few hours or a day or two of vaccination – known as acute reactions.

These could include allergic or anaphylactic reactions like facial swelling, itching or difficulty breathing, or local reactions like swelling or abscesses at the vaccination site.

But if you ask the vet if your dog’s seizures, goopy eyes, poop eating habit, destructive behavior or separation anxiety could be due to rabies vaccination, they’ll probably answer no. But they’d be wrong …

Rabies Vaccinosis

If you’re smart enough to have a homeopathic vet, you might get a different answer when you ask about the safety of the rabies vaccine.

Homeopathic veterinarian Michael Dym DVM says rabies vaccinosis cases have really exploded in his practice in recent years.

What is rabies vaccinosis?

It’s the mental, emotional and physical symptoms that result from rabies vaccination.

Many of Dr Dym’s patients are suffering from chronic conditions that started after they received their rabies vaccination.

What’s even more alarming is that, in some cases, rabies vaccinosis can be inherited.

This means puppies who haven’t been vaccinated are showing vaccinosis symptoms, which have been passed down from their parents.

Rabies vaccinosis cases can be very challenging, as the symptoms run very deep.

Rabies vaccinosis symptoms can include chronic mental, emotional or neurological issues that are very hard to treat.

Why Does It Happen?

If your dog were to get rabies, it would attack his brain and cause the Old Yeller symptoms we know so well.

The rabies vaccine, because it contains a small amount of rabies virus, can cause the exact same symptoms … but on a smaller scale.

After a rabies vaccination, your dog may suffer from low-grade brain inflammation. This is why many rabies vaccinosis symptoms are not just physical, but mental and emotional as well.

Rabies Vaccinosis Symptoms

A lot of rabies vaccinosis symptoms are things you might consider “normal” in your dog – or you think it’s just a behavior or training issue.

Does your dog have fear issues?

Does he eat weird things like socks?

Does he go crazy when you turn on the garden hose?

Does he like to hang out in dark corners?

These subtle signs can all be rabies vaccinosis.

Many of these are problems you wouldn’t think to associate with vaccination …

… but when you compare them to actual rabies symptoms, the link becomes very obvious.

Behavioral Changes

Some of the most common rabies vaccinosis symptoms are changes in behavior.

Rabid animals may be aggressive or suspicious … so your dog may become aggressive, reactive or fearful after a rabies vaccine.

Rabid animals can develop fear of being alone and, in dogs with rabies vaccinosis, this can translate into separation anxiety, which is an increasingly common problem in dogs today.

Animals with rabies often travel long distances and try to escape confinement. So if your dog’s an escape artist, think rabies vaccinosis.

Eating Inappropriate Objects

When dogs eat inappropriate things like sticks or stones or even their own stools, most people assume it’s a training issue – but it happens a lot after rabies vaccination. Destroying or shredding blankets or bedding is common in animals with rabies and dogs may start doing this after vaccination.

Self Mutilation

Rabid animals may bite at themselves. Dogs who chew their own tails or feet can also be suffering from rabies vaccinosis.

Heart Conditions

Inflammation of the heart muscle, disturbed heart function, irregular rhythm or heart failure are all rabies symptoms that can appear after vaccination.

You might not think vaccines play a role in heart disease, but common conditions like mitral valve insufficiency (known as leaky heart valve) or dilated cardiomyopathy can be caused by rabies vaccination.

As an example, most people think the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel’s predisposition to heart disease is just genetic … but Dr Larry Glickman at Purdue University found that Cavalier King Charles Spaniels developed antibodies against their own heart tissue after vaccination.

(TIP: Would you like to learn if your dog is receiving unnecessary vaccines that could harm him? Download our free Vaccine Guide and the handy chart will tell you how many unnecessary vaccines your dog gets.)

Eye Issues

Rabid animals often can’t close their eyes and the cornea becomes dry and dull.

It’s very common for dogs to develop eye issues like conjunctivitis, red eye, inflamed or gunky eyes after a rabies vaccination. The chronic condition dry eye is an autoimmune disease of the tear ducts.
Reverse Sneezing

Rabid animals may have difficulty breathing, experiencing jerky breathing or throat spasms.

In rabies vaccinosis this shows up as reverse sneezing – an extremely common symptom. Toy breeds often do it, but some larger dogs to too.

Reverse sneezing sounds like a choking noise, as if the airways are constricting. If you put your hand under your dog’s chin you can often feel his throat spasms.

Excessive Sexual Desire

Rabid animals often experience excessive sexual desire and this also happens to dogs with rabies vaccinosis.

This is more than just ‘”humping” or mounting behavior … it’s intense hypersexuality and can even happen in neutered dogs.

Paralysis and Loss of Muscle Control

Rabies can cause different kinds of paralysis.

After vaccination, dogs can lose control over their legs or experience disc problems in the spine.

Dachshunds are prone to disc issues because of their long backs … but these problems are often triggered after a rabies vaccine.

Degenerative myelopathy and wobbler disease (common in Dobermans) can also develop after vaccination.

Rabid animals often lose control over the muscles in their face and can no longer chew or swallow food. The autoimmune condition MMM (masticatory muscle myositis) that prevents dogs from swallowing can appear after vaccination.

Dogs who are sloppy drinkers or eaters usually have a neurological weakness in the mouth stemming from vaccination.

Seizures

Another neurological symptom of rabies, seizures can often appear after rabies vaccination.
Fear of Water

Fear of water – or hydrophobia – is a symptom of rabies that can be a vaccinosis symptom.

Dogs can also be afraid of walking over shiny surfaces or of bright lights. Other dogs can be obsessed with water or shiny things and will chase a moving light or reflection.

Richard Pitcairn DVM PhD compiled the following chart comparing natural rabies symptoms to clinical conditions after rabies vaccination; this chart was part of a presentation by Dr Pitcairn in 1993.

Treatment of Rabies Vaccinosis

Conventional veterinary treatment doesn’t have many ways to treat these chronic conditions.

Fortunately homeopathy can help a lot of animals.

RELATED: Homeopathy Explained

If your homeopathic vet believes your dog is sick from a rabies vaccine, she’ll look at your dog’s symptoms and choose the remedy that best matches your dog’s symptoms.

This can be a long process with different remedies used over time, as the different “layers” of disease are treated.

Some of the remedies most often used to treat rabies vacccinosis are:  CONTINUED>>>

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5 Simple Steps To Take Before Adopting A Pet

Please don’t ever adopt a new pet till you take these 5 simple steps. It’s easy to overlook these key steps amid the hustle and bustle involved with bringing home a new pet.

But it’s a critical part of making your newest family member feel safe and secure and enjoy a sense of love.

So please don’t skimp on them, because your pet will repay your love.

The first few weeks you and your new pet spend together will shape your future relationship and forge the lifelong bond between you.

To make the most of these crucially important first days and weeks, it’s very smart to do some advance planning, including the following steps.

#1 – Hold a Family Meeting

CONNECT AT DINNER

Taking excellent care of a pet requires time, energy, and commitment. To avoid either neglecting the new pet, or battles over who didn’t do what to care for him, it’s best to set everyone’s expectations ahead of time.

Before your new pet arrives, sit down with all members of your household to discuss the many details involved in becoming dog or cat guardians.

For example, decide what family members will be responsible for which pet care chores.

Often, children ask for a pet and their parents oblige without realizing a child’s desire for a pet doesn’t always translate to a desire to take care of a pet. Also, children need help to learn how to care for a pet properly.

Even the adults in the family, if chores aren’t assigned ahead of time, can assume it’s the responsibility of someone other than them to, for example, pick up the dog poop from the backyard or clean out the litter box.

Additional considerations: 

• If everyone in the house leaves for work or school every day, who will come in and care for the puppy? 
• Who’s on potty walk duty? How about when your new furry family member needs to go out in the middle of the night? 
• Who will feed and exercise the dog/cat? (Meals, exercise and playtime should happen on a predictable schedule each day.) 
• Who will take him for his veterinary wellness exams? 
• Who will be taking care of trimming nails, dental care, and brushing and bathing the dog? 

Dogs and cats thrive on routine and consistency, so there are household logistics to consider, for example:

• Where will your new pet eat her meals? 
• Where will her bowls of fresh water be placed? 
• Where will she sleep – in your bedroom? Will she sleep with you or in her own bed? 
• Will the dog be gated off from certain parts of the house? If so, how? 
• If you plan to crate train, where will you keep it? 

Dr. Becker is an advocate of crate training, especially for puppies, but also adult dogs.

She considers crating a very important part of keeping your dog safe when you’re not at home or can’t keep a constant eye on him.

If you’re uncomfortable with the idea of a crate, keep in mind that dogs, by nature, are den animals. They crave being in a small, safe, dark spot.

Have the crate ready when your pet comes home. If he’s allowed to sleep in your bed with you for several days and then you move him to a crate, he’ll likely have a more difficult time adjusting. This is because your dog will have learned his nighttime sleeping spot is your bed.

#2 – Stock Up on Pet Supplies

Recommended purchasing all necessary pet supplies before you bring your new dog home. This includes a leash, collar, non-toxic food and water bowls, ID tag, toys, biodegradable potty bags, non-toxic bed, crate – everything you’ll need to be well-equipped when the new addition arrives.

Also strongly recommended is that you keep your pet on the same food she’s been eating, even if it’s poor quality, as you transition to a healthier type of food.

Your home may be a blessed improvement over what your pet has been used to, but her body will still interpret this wonderful change in circumstances as stressful. Change, whether good or bad, gets translated as stress in your pet’s body.

Puppies and kittens, in particular, experience a lot of stress because they’re being separated from their mom and littermates for the first time. They’re also changing environments – often both indoor and outdoor environments – which can bring new allergens that affect their immune system.

Your new pet has a brand new family of humans and often other four-legged members as well. The last thing her body needs right now is a brand new diet that might cause tummy problems.

That’s why I recommend you continue to feed whatever diet your pet is currently eating, and then slowly wean her onto a better quality diet after she settles in.

#3 – Pet Proof Your Home and Yard

This is definitely something you’ll want to do before bringing your new pet home with you. You might not think of everything you need to do right off the bat, but at a minimum, you should move cords out of reach, plus plants and other hazardous temptations.

If you’re bringing home a puppy, you’ll have a built-in incentive for keeping a neat, clean house, because if it’s been lost or left behind, puppy will find it!

Pet-proofing your home before your new pet companion arrives is the best way to prevent choking, vomiting, diarrhea or another crisis during those important first few weeks.

If your dog will be in your yard off-leash, you’ll want to insure there’s no way he can escape.

You’ll also want to avoid using herbicides or pesticides, make sure there are no potentially toxic plants growing, and clear away any brush and debris that could harbor pests during the warmer months of the year.

#4 – Arrange for Your New Dog’s Schooling

Whether your new canine companion is a puppy or an adult dog, you’ll want to get her socialization underway as soon as you bring her home, along with basic obedience training.

The best time to start puppy play groups is at 8 weeks of age, then moving on to puppy kindergarten, beginning, intermediate and advanced obedience classes. These are essential elements in raising a well-balanced dog.

What I tell new dog parents is if you bring home a dog but don’t plan to socialize or educate her properly, it’s a lot like having a child and deciding not to allow her to make friends, have adventures, or attend school.

And starting puppy class at 6 months of age is like beginning to parent your child on her 14th birthday; there will be some behaviors that will be hard to correct.

Puppies and dogs are educated about the world through socialization early on with other people, dogs, cats, and environments outside their houses. Dogs that don’t get out of their home environment long before 6 months of age often wind up with developmental or social difficulties later in life.

There’s a period of time in every cat or dogs life, typically from 6 to 12 weeks of age, during which mental and social development is most achievable. If your pet isn’t socialized during that time, it can set the stage for problems years down the road.

If you adopted your pet from a shelter or rescue organization, she may have some behavior problems, fears, or lack basic training.

Many animals abandoned to shelters weren’t given the best care, and staying in a shelter environment for any length of time can also have an effect on an animal’s behavior.

Because your dog or cat may come to you with emotional or behavioral baggage, you should be prepared to put in the time and effort required to help her succeed in her new life with you. Behavior modification using a positive reward system is the key to encouraging good behavior.

You may be able to accomplish this on your own, or you may need the help of a veterinarian or an animal behavior specialist.

Most importantly, you may correct one training issue only to find another fear or phobia pop up 4 months later; hang in there with positive behavior modification until you see the desired results.

There’s a wonderful program I recommend to all new parents of adopted or rescued pets that helps dogs adjust to a new home in the least stressful manner.

You can find it at A Sound Beginning, and you can immediately begin using the book’s tips and tricks and the calming music CD on your dog’s first day home.

#5 – Give Your New Pet Time to Adjust and Lots of Positive Attention

I always recommend that dog guardians take at least a few days off from work – preferably a week – to properly welcome a new pet home.

It will take some time for your puppy or dog to get acclimated to his new environment and into a consistent daily routine.

If you’re gone from home for several hours most days, I also recommend arranging for a regular dog walker or doggy daycare a few days a week.

Most dogs have difficulty spending hours alone every day with no one around and nothing to do. This goes double for new canine family members, and triple for dogs who have just come from a shelter environment.

The more time you’re able to spend with your new companion giving him lots of positive attention and teaching him the rules and routines in his new home and life, the better the outcome for both of you.

Images Submitted by PNM

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A Common Food MORE LETHAL Than Chocolate

More dangerous than chocolate, yet less well known about! Most people are aware that certain foods that are safe for humans may not be safe for our pets.

Chocolate is a good example. Delicious for people but dogs are unable to metabolize an ingredient in chocolate that acts like a stimulant and can cause hyperactivity, seizures and death in dogs

But lately, Xylitol toxicity in dogs is becoming more common and is far more dangerous than chocolate.

Xylitol is a sugar substitute commonly used in:

• toothpastes
• mouthwash
• sugarless gum
• certain cough medicines
• children’s chewable multi-vitamins
• variety of nut butters (such as peanut butter, sunflower butter; check the brand ingredients before feeding to pets)
• baked goods and candies

This product is recommended for diabetics (humans) and those following a low-carbohydrate diet. 

However, xylitol is extremely dangerous to your dog.

Other Products with Xylitol

The Pet Poison Helpline has been working to identify products with xylitol as an ingredient.

According to Ahna Brutlag, assistant director of veterinary services, these are some products to keep out of reach of pets:

• Rx suspensions/melts (i.e. Neurontin®, Abilify®, Allegra®, Mobic®, RioMet®, clonazepam, Emtrivia®)
• OTC liquid medications
• OTC digestive aids (Beano®, antacids)
• Dental/oral care products
• Nasal sprays
• Nicotine gum
• Chewable dietary supplements
• Stool softeners
• Barium liquid and pudding
• Ice cream
• Jell-O® sugar free pudding
• Energy drinks
• Peanut butter and other nut butters

In 2011, the FDA issued a consumer alert about the dangers of xylitol ingestion in certain animals, particularly dogs. The effects are still unknown in cats.

RELATED: Xylitol: Safe or Dangerous? 

(For Humans)

Besides having a sweet flavor, Xylitol will hold moisture in a food product to keep it soft and spreadable and therefore may be found in products that you would not expect to have an artificial sweetener.

Xylitol may be listed on product labels under other names such as Eutrit, Kannit, Newtrol, Xylite, Torch or Xyliton. Some manufacturers may place a warning label on their product, but most do not.

Even in tiny amounts, Xylitol is deadly to dogs. A single stick of sugar-free gum can be toxic to a 20-pound dog.

In people, Xylitol is absorbed slowly and has little to no effect on blood sugar or insulin levels. However, dogs absorb Xylitol quickly, usually within 30 minutes. Xylitol causes a strong insulin release, resulting in profound hypoglycemia. If the blood sugar drops too low, the dog will die.

In addition to causing low blood sugar, Xylitol may cause severe liver damage in some dogs. This can result in bleeding, liver failure and death.

Vomiting is most often the first symptom. Lethargy and weakness are signs of hypoglycemia and may occur rapidly. However, some dogs may have delayed hypoglycemia for as long as 12 hours. 

Below are some of the symptoms associated with xylitol poisoning:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Weakness 
• Ataxia (uncoordinated movements) 
• Depression 
• Decreased potassium 
• Seizures 
• Coma

There is no antidote for Xylitol toxicity.

Pets that develop neurologic signs such as seizure and coma will have a poor to grave prognosis. All Xylitol exposures should be immediately evaluated by a veterinarian!

RELATED: LIST OF FOODS TO AVOID GIVING TO 

YOUR PET

Because Xylitol is absorbed rapidly, early intervention will result in the best prognosis.

Remember to bring the packaging or wrapper of the product your pet ingested if possible. It may be helpful in determining the amount of Xylitol your pet has ingested.

Please spread this important information to your fellow pet owners:

1. Xylitol is deadly to dogs, even in tiny amounts.

2. Xylitol is an artificial sweetener but is found in all kinds of foods not associated with sweet taste. (Xylitol may be listed under different names.)

3. Xylitol toxicity involves rapid hypoglycemia and liver damage.

4. Early intervention is crucial with Xylitol exposure.

Prevent Xylitol Poisoning

Always remember that our food is not meant for our pets. 

If you don’t know the ingredients of a specific food, don’t feed it to your pet. If you often purchase gum and food labeled “sugar free,” be sure not to leave it out where your pet can access it. Following common sense safety with your food items could save you pet — and you — much suffering.

NOTE: Sugar substitutes are “sugar alcohols” which are commonly found in foods which are also called sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, isomalt, and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates on the labels. I would never purchase any item that contains these words. YOU be the judge…

And don’t forget to always read the labels…

Better Safe Than Sorry!

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Why Is This Wonderful Healing Method So Uncommon

Why is it so very uncommon for our pets (and humans) who are in need of healing not getting this treatment? It helps relieve pain and inflammation, lowers blood pressure, restores normal breathing patterns, and helps digestion.

Plus, it’s amazing for decreasing stress and anxiety.

Does your veterinarian perform post-operative massage on patients after surgery? Dr. Narda Robinson, writing for Veterinary Practice News, encourages DVMs to learn to perform bodywork or employ someone in their practice who does:

“Gentle, careful, scientific and evidence-informed massage can work wonders for those patients who accept touch and need help recovering from surgery, trauma or a variety of medical conditions.

“Even with animals that don’t at first welcome hands-on healing, many can learn to relax and appreciate massage when it is delivered with care and respect for the patient’s individual physical and emotional receptivity.”

Caring, inspired veterinarians are leading the way in implementing medical massage (defined as the therapeutic manipulation of soft tissues) at their clinics to make post-operative patients more comfortable, and to speed recovery time.

Unfortunately, these special healers are hard to find in the traditional veterinary community, because as Dr. Robinson observes:

“Sadly, many practitioners remain mired in the old mindset of relying solely on surgery, drugs and tincture of time.

“They may eschew integrative therapies based on ignorance, prejudice or unsupported bias against anything they didn’t learn in school, whether that was five or 50 years ago.”

Why Massage Should Be Routine for Post-Op Pets

After surgery, massage helps decrease inflammation and pain. It can also lower blood pressure, restore normal breathing patterns, and help the digestive tract get moving again. And as we all know, massage decreases stress and anxiety.

Sometimes, surgery is simply the best option to treat a pet’s injury or disease. And while surgery is a traditional Western medicine treatment, there are many types of holistic and integrative therapies that can be used post-operatively to significantly improve the comfort and recovery of the patient.

When a patient (human or animal) is feeling pain and anxiety after surgery, it hinders the body’s ability to heal. This can extend a pet’s hospital stay, and increase the stress that comes along with it.

Massage Keeps Things Flowing Inside the Body After Surgery

One of the therapeutic benefits of massage is that it increases the movement of fluids in the body such as water, blood, and lymphatic fluids. Improved circulation helps to flush toxins, which boosts the immune system.

In post-operative pets, massage can help flush the body of sedation and anesthesia drugs as well as stored toxins, which increases the speed at which animals heal. The movement of lymphatic fluids strengthens the immune system, which can also shorten recovery time.

When a pet undergoes major surgery, he must often be kept immobile during the initial recovery period. When an animal remains very still, bodily fluids accumulate and stagnate.

Additionally, during surgery animals are often restrained in unnatural positions so the surgeon has optimal access to the surgical site, but this means their bodies are positioned in ways that can cause muscular tension and discomfort, post-surgically.

Massage, especially long strokes, helps to promote normal fluid flow throughout the body and reduce lactic acid build up in muscles. This speeds up the recovery process, reduces pain, and helps prevent digestive issues like constipation.

Massage Affects Almost Every System in the Body

Massage therapy acts on the vagal nerve network, which affects almost every system in the body.

The vagus nerve travels from the medulla of the brain down through the neck and chest to the abdomen, where it provides stimulation to internal organs and transmits information about the state of those organs to the central nervous system.

Just as acupuncture stimulates body systems and alters function of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), the moderate pressure applied during massage can create similar changes inside the body.

Pressure massage of the skin that also reaches underlying subcutaneous tissue and myofascia (the fibrous tissue that encloses and separates layers of muscle) stimulates vagal nerve endings.

These in turn send signals to the brain that improve homeostasis (equilibrium or balance) of the autonomic nervous system.

Balance between the activity of the two subsystems of the ANS – the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (calming) nervous systems – improves blood flow throughout the body and reduces inflammation, muscle tension, spinal cord wind-up (sensitization) and pain.

A basic understanding of the nervous system explains how and why therapeutic manipulation of soft tissue (massage) improves a number of bodily processes including: 

• Emotional state 
• Sleep 
• Weight regulation 
• Pain control 
• Immune function 
• Digestion 

How Massage Improves Digestion

Digestion is one of the most important functions of the body. It can determine whether life continues or is extinguished. The vagal stimulation that is triggered by massage has been shown to positively impact digestive function by improving gastric motility, decreasing gut permeability (leaky gut), increasing availability of nutrients from food, regulating blood insulin levels, and promoting normal weight gain and growth rate.

Massage also has the potential to help older pets with digestive problems such as:

• Postoperative ileus – temporary paralysis of a portion of the intestines after abdominal surgery 
• Megaesophagus – a condition in which the muscles of the esophagus simply don’t work and don’t move food or liquid into the stomach 
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) – which encompasses the majority of GI-related disorders pets suffer from 

Massage Can Also Address Behavior Issues

Another benefit of massage is its ability to calm nervous energy. Your pet can experience physiologic energy blocks, for example, masses, tumors, reduced range of motion, or muscle tension. And there are also emotional energy blocks in the form of tension or stress.

Jonathan Rudinger is a registered nurse, licensed massage therapist, and a recognized authority on canine massage. When he treats dog patients with behavioral issues, he focuses on the stomach meridian, which is associated with the emotional brain (limbic system).

For example, when he treats a dog who is a fear-biter, is food or dog aggressive, or has separation anxiety, he first works with the stomach meridian around the mouth, the belly and the tail. Afterwards, Jonathan takes the dog for a walk, inviting him into a space of safety.

As the dog walks with him in safety, Jonathan can take him near other dogs or bowls of food, and his patient will cower less and hide less. Over time, the dog becomes more confident in himself, which in turn can correct a number of undesirable behaviors.

Massage for Terminally Ill Pets

Sadly, many terminally ill pets spend most of their time in a crate or bed, often in considerable pain – sometimes for weeks or months. Painkilling agents and fluid therapy ease discomfort, but as is often the case with humans as well, emotional, physical and psychological needs for touch and movement are overlooked.

Here’s another treatment for pets (and humans) that helps to cure cancer plus a  array of diseases…and makes pets feel better (and humans)

Families of dying pets often feel helpless and are eager to learn simple, beneficial massage techniques – for example, a gentle backrub or neck massage.

This gives family members a way to help their pet relax and rest more comfortably. It gives them the sense they are doing something useful for their animal companion beyond medicating him when he seems upset or frustrated.

Massage also helps maintain a powerful physical connection between the guardian and his or her terminally ill pet. Ask your integrative veterinarian about where to go to find an animal massage therapist in your community, search online animal massage resources, or investigate earning an animal massage certification yourself.

Article by Dr. Becker
Images submitted by PNM

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RECALL ALERT: 19 Varieties of Dog Food Are On The List

Another Dog Recall. Purina has recalled three different 10-ounce tubs of wet dog food after they discovered they may not contain
the recommended level of added vitamins and minerals.

According to Purina, the recall includes these different products:

• Beneful Prepared Meals Wet Dog Food 10-oz. Tubs (all varieties)
• Beneful Chopped Blends Wet Dog Food 10-oz. Tubs (all varieties)
• Pro Plan Savory Meals Wet Dog Food 10-oz. Tubs (Limited to five varieties)

Pet parents can find the best-by dates and production codes on the bottom of the 10oz. tubs, shown below:

The following products, UPC codes, and best-by dates are included in the recall:

The company said dog owners should check the “best before” date and production code. The best before date range is from June 2017 to August 2017 and the production code starts with the first four digits of “5363” and “6054.

RELATED: CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT: Purina Pet Food

“We’re conducting this voluntary recall as a precuation for those dogs who may have eaten the affected product as their only meal for more than several weeks,” Purina said in a statement. “Anytime you have questions about your pet’s health, contact your veterinarian.”

Consumers should not feed the recalled dog food to their pet. 

The company is offering a refund. Call 1-800-877-7919 for information.

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BREAKING NEWS: Deadly New Dog and Cat Flu Has Now Reached 18 States

The sometimes deadly dog flu, canine influenza A H3N2, a type of bird flu that adapted with the ability to infect dogs first appeared in parts of Asia in 2007.

In April of 2015, the first case of Canine H3N2 was found in the United States.

Although it’s unknown how the virus made its way here, the outbreak first began in Illinois where an estimated 2,000 dogs have been infected.

Over the next several weeks, the flu spread to surrounding states in the Midwest and made its way as far south as Alabama, Georgia, and Texas and as far west as California.

For several months, it seemed as if the spread of the flu had been contained – until now. Cases of the H3N2 dog flu have now been confirmed in both Washington and Montana, proving that the highly contagious virus is still a concern.

The flu is spread from dog to dog (and now, to cats) much in the same way the human flu is spread – through direct contact, through coughing and sneezing, through contact with contaminated objects and surfaces, etc.

The flu is not contagious to humans. The most common symptoms of H3N2 virus in dogs are runny nose, cough, and fever, but not all dogs will show symptoms.

The deadly flu has now been confirmed in 18 different states: Illinois, Alabama, California, Texas, Massachusetts, New York, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Jersey, Iowa, Indiana, Georgia, Ohio, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Carolina, and now Montana and Washington.

In other words, your dog could appear to be perfectly healthy while carrying and infecting other dogs with the virus. Likewise, your dog could be infected by a dog that appears healthy.

If you’re living in an area where the dog flu has been confirmed, keep your dogs on leash and away from other dogs. Avoid dog parks, kennels, and doggie day care centers where dogs are in close proximity to one another or sharing toys and play surfaces.

Currently, a canine flu vaccine does exist, but it’s effectiveness against the H3N2 virus is not yet proven.

A test for the H3N2 virus has been developed and is available from a veterinarian. If your dog shows any signs of the flu or if you suspect he’s been exposed, talk to your veterinarian.

For more information, check for dog flu updates from the Centers for Disease Control.

READ ABOUT THE 2015 OUTBREAK…

Dog Flu Now In 40 States And Continues To Spread – 

What You Need to Know NOW 

Sources:

• 2016 UPDATE: CBS NEWS Dog flu spreads to 24 states
• Doggington Post

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8 Top Tips To Selling Your Home With Pets

How do you sell a home with pets? This is a question that gets asked a lot in real estate sales. While pets are great for your emotional health, it does not help you sell your home.

If you have a dog or cat, chances are you love your pet. While some home owners have strict outside pet rules, most allow their animals inside their homes as part of the family.

When you decide to put the house on the market you need to do some serious housecleaning and repair work before you can command a competitive price.

You want buyers to be able to picture themselves in your home. This means giving them the space to envision living there, a space that is free from too many of your personal things – including pets and all they bring with them. So how do you go about selling your property when you have pets?

You have to understand that not every prospective buyer will be sympathetic to your animal friends, and they might be the ones who want to pay you the most for your house.

It doesn’t matter how nice a property’s exterior is, where it’s located or how hot the current real estate market is. If prospective buyers walk into a home and notice the floor coverings look tattered, the molding looks cat-clawed, there’s dander on the furniture or the air is pervaded with pet-related odors, these factors will undercut efforts to sell the home.

Pets can reduce the selling price of a home. Put differently, there’s never been a house that sells for more money because the owners have pets. Fortunately, there are solutions to even the worst cases where pets have reduced the value of a home, including the following eight:

1. Touch-ups

A fresh coat of paint can go a long way, as can new carpeting, a good cleaning service and some simple, artful touches by an interior design professional. If these efforts sound expensive, consider how expensive it would be to sell your home at a ten or twenty percent price reduction. Prospective buyers look for leverage when negotiating prices, and the obvious need to cleanse a house of pre-existing conditions caused by pets is a huge leg up in their favor.

2. Considering the buyer’s perspective

Sellers try to imagine what a potential buyer might think if they walk into a house where the first thing they see is a cat-clawed newel post, the first thing they smell is the unmistakable trace of urine in the air or the floor they’re standing on is littered with dust bunnies wrapped up with dog or cat hair.

There is a chance that this buyer will stay and tender a bid for your home, but the odds are they’ll do so at your disadvantage. You didn’t take the time to show off your home in its best light, so now you’ll be penalized for it.”

3. Eliminating the presence of pets as much as possible 

21 STYLISH DOG CRATES

The bottom line is that if you’re showing your house, the feeling and presence of pets need not be there. Realtors tell their clients that this is not them passing judgment on their lifestyle, values or pets, but rather trying to get them the best possible offer for what is likely the most valuable asset in their financial portfolio.

All the cute things your dog does will not help you sell your home, and will only remind the potential buyer that the house has contained pets previously.

Having a pet in the house or yard can create complications for your agent while trying to show the house, and puts your pet at risk of accidentally getting out during the process. There are also liability issues to deal with as well.

While your dog or cat may be ultra friendly, it is certainly possible they can have a bad day just like you and I.

There are times where it may not be possible to remove a pet from a home. Maybe due to your job you just can’t come back and remove them or you can’t find anyone who will help take care of them.

If this is the case your next best option is to either put them in a contained space and let a buyer and their Real Estate agent know about it ahead of time or buyer a pet friendly cage to keep them in.

While your pet may not be accustomed to this and you love treating your animals like one of the family sometimes this is what is necessary when you are making selling your home a priority.

4. Repair Any Damage

As much as we love our pets, they are still animals, and pet damage is never attractive when selling your home. Dogs and cats will inevitably destroy something, including carpets, furniture, hardwood flooring, walls, doors, turf in your yard and your fence.

All of this damage should be repaired prior to showing the home.

This may require some investment on your part, especially if the animal has damaged expensive items like your hardwood flooring or walls in your house. Regardless of the cost of repair, though, the value you will get for your house will be well worth paying for the repairs.

5. Remove Pet Odors and Stains

Pets have accidents; and while it is possible to get used to the pet smell over time, new visitors to your home will be sure to notice the smells. This is not something you want to happen. In fact, above all else, this may be important tip for selling a home when you have pets.

Our sense of smell has a powerful effect on our emotions, our memory and on our perception of
things. 

An initial urine odor on entering a house is sure to stick in the buyer’s mind, and he or she will likely deduct the cost of carpet replacement immediately from an offer as a result.

A strong odor is in fact one of the top reasons a buyer will pass on a home.

Avoid this by having your carpet and flooring professionally cleaned, with a focus on removing pet odors. If the staining or odors are too bad, you may need to replace the carpet in the problem areas.

6. Clean Your Yard

Pick up any messes in the backyard, and have any sod replaced and other damage repaired as necessary. You may be the kind of person who picks up after your pet regularly, or you may have a cat that causes very little impact to your yard.

However, a large number of dog owners give their pets free reign of the backyard. This is a great life for dogs and cats, but it can be hard on the look of your lawn. One of the best tips, when selling a home with pets, is to make sure you don’t neglect the yard as this is just important to some buyers as the inside of the home.

7. Erase Signs of Your Pet for Potential Buyers

You want to buyers to be as unaware of your pet ownership as possible. If they ask the question, you will have to answer honestly. However, you can often avoid this by taking necessary steps like those listed above.

In addition, put away all pet toys, bedding, litter boxes and food – preferably at another location besides your home.

Some realtors recommend removing all personal photos including your pet as well. 

Like other forms of home staging, removing extra pet clutter is an important consideration when you are selling your property.

8. Remember Pet Liability

Did you know that you can be held liable for your pet biting someone while on your property? According to Kenneth M Phillips who specializes in law surrounding dog bites, there are more than 4.7 million dog bite cases reported in the US every year. Further the average lawsuit resulting from an injury is settled for more than $29,000 and climbing much higher when extensive plastic surgery is needed.

If you own a pet and are leaving them in your home during showings this should be a real wake up call! I know you are probably thinking Fido would never hurt a flea. Is it really worth taking a chance?

One of the things you should do if you own a dog is check your home insurance policy and make sure that it does not exclude dog bite coverage. You will want to check the exclusion in the coverage section to make sure it does not mention dogs or even animals in general.

Some insurance policies will exclude certain breeds such as Pit bulls, German shepherds, Rottweilers, Great Danes and others.

In approximately two thirds of the states in the US pet owners can be held liable for injuries resulting from a dog bite even if the animal has shown no previous aggression. So while it was previously mentioned that you shouldn’t leave your dog around for showings it can’t be emphasized enough. If you want to know how to sell a home with pets this tip should be the one you don’t forget!

Be optimistic and don’t forget the bottom line…

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Some Breeds Are Predisposed for This Fast Moving Brain Disease

It usually comes on without warning, progresses rapidly, and inflames the brain and sometimes other areas. Here are the symptoms that should send you to the vet, and the one test you’ll want your vet to perform to confirm diagnosis.

Encephalitis refers to inflammation of the brain.

“Encephalo” means brain and “itis” means inflammation. The brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system (CNS), and inflammatory disease of the CNS is one of the most common causes of neurologic disease in animals.

There can also be inflammation of the spinal cord, which is called myelitis, and/or meningitis, which is inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, along with encephalitis.

Certain dog breeds are predisposed to encephalitis, such as:

• Pugs
• Chihuahuas
• German Shorthaired Pointers
• Maltese
• Yorkshire Terrier

Causes of Encephalitis


There are two basic types of encephalitis: infectious and idiopathic:

1. The infectious form of the disease can be caused by a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection, parasites, immune-mediated disorders, tick-borne disease, and foreign bodies.
2. We diagnose the disorder of idiopathic encephalitis when we can’t find an infectious cause for the disease.

Where a pet lives often plays a role in the cause of encephalitis

In areas of the US where ticks are a problem, tick-borne infections such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichia, and Lyme disease are common causes. 

In the southwest US, a fungal infection known as “valley fever” can also be a cause.

Bacterial infections that cause encephalitis are relatively rare in companion animals, but they do occur from time to time. 

Viral causes include canine distemper and feline infectious peritonitis. When a parasite is involved,Toxoplasma gondii is often the culprit.

Idiopathic Encephalitis

When no infectious cause for the disease can be found, idiopathic encephalitis often has an underlying immune-mediated cause, meaning the animal’s immune system attacks its own brain or spinal cord.

Types of immune-mediated disease seen in dogs with encephalitis include granulomatous meningoencephalitis (GME), which is seen most often in middle-aged small breed dogs.

Another is necrotizing meningoencephalitis (NME). 

Predisposed breeds include:

• Young to middle-aged Pugs
• Maltese
• Chihuahuas
• Papillons
• Shih Tzus
• Boston Terriers

A third type of immune disorder that can cause encephalitis is called necrotizing leukoencephalitis (NLE), which affects

• Yorkies
• Chihuahuas
• Shih Tzus 

Symptoms of Encephalitis

Clinical signs of encephalitis depend on the area of the brain that is affected. Symptoms typically appear suddenly and are rapidly progressive.

If the forebrain is involved, there can be: 

• seizures
• blindness
• behavior changes
• depression
• circling 

With brainstem disease, there can be loss of:

• coordination
• head tilting
• tremors
• facial paralysis 

Other signs can include:

• fever
• decreased responsiveness
• unequal size of the pupils
• smaller-sized “pinpoint” pupils.

A dog or cat with encephalitis may have neurologic abnormalities that come from a single or focal area of the brain, or multiple (multifocal) areas of the brain. 

However, whereas many other diseases such as a stroke or brain tumor can cause focal neurologic signs, when the symptoms are multifocal, encephalitis is most often the cause.

Diagnosing Encephalitis

While it’s important for your veterinarian to run the usual diagnostic tests on your pet, including blood tests, urinalysis, chest X-rays, etc., it’s possible for animals with encephalitis to show no abnormalities on those tests because what’s happening in the central nervous system can be totally separate from the rest of the body.

That’s why a definitive diagnosis of the disease often involves a spinal tap. The cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord gives direct evidence of what is going on inside the central nervous system. A significant increase in white blood cells in the spinal fluid usually indicates encephalitis.

A spinal tap does carry some risk for certain animals. 

Your pet may require a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computerized tomography (CT) scan of the brain prior to a spinal tap to look for signs of elevated intracranial pressure that can increase the risk for the procedure. Brain imaging can also be helpful in ruling out other causes of neurologic disease like a brain tumor.

Treatment Options

Treatment of encephalitis focuses on reducing the severity of symptoms your pet is experiencing.

• Typically, antibiotics or antifungals will be given if an infection is present. If the pet is having seizures, anticonvulsant medications may be recommended.
• Low-dose steroid therapy may also be started to treat significant inflammation in the spinal fluid or severe clinical signs.
• Traditional treatments for immune-mediated encephalitis usually involve the intentional suppression of the immune system with high doses of drugs for three to six months, and sometimes longer. 
• Many holistic veterinarians, have found that incorporating adjunctive therapies such as homotoxicology, ozone therapy, and traditional Chinese herbal protocols that address “heat” and “wind” (the traditional Chinese veterinary medicine diagnosis of encephalitis) have been very beneficial for reducing symptoms and shortening the course of the disease for many patients. 

Dr. Becker firmly believes that all pets that have recovered from idiopathic or immune-mediated encephalitis should NEVER be vaccinated again for any reason. These animals should have antibody titer tests performed in lieu of traditional vaccines.

Thanks to Dr. Karen Becker for this informative article.
Images submitted by PNM

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Tips for Keeping Pets from Ending Up in the Wrong Hands

Every year, millions of people around the country make the decision to give up their family pet. Some may be dealing with an unplanned litter of kittens, while others may feel they can no longer take care of their animal for other reasons.

 Shelters around the country take in 5-7 million animals per year, with half of them coming from pet owners who relinquish the animal to the shelter. Problem is, 60 percent of those dogs and 70 percent of those cats, on average, will be euthanized.

If someone does feel they need to place their animal, they should make every effort to find it a safe and loving home. It is all too easy for the animals to fall into the wrong hands.

While the odds at these over-crowded are against the animals, things are often not much better outside of a shelter, either.

Whether the animal ends up in a good home often depends on the route that a person takes in getting rid of the pet.

There are people out there that look for free animals so they can sell them off to research, use them in dog fights, or use them in other abusive ways.

There are ways that pet owners can help to keep the animal out of the wrong hands by:

• Finding someone they personally know to take the animal. They should always start by asking friends and family if they would like to take the pet.
• Asking for references, including a veterinarian to make sure other animals in the home are spayed/neutered, up to date on vaccines and annual check-ups.
• NEVER advertise the animal as being free. This opens the doors to the animal ending up with someone who will not care for it properly.
• If someone you don’t know very well is referred to you for taking the pet, visit the potential home so you can see first-hand the type of place the animal would live. Notice whether there are other pets and, if so, how they are being cared for. Discuss with the person whether they will have the time and funds that it takes to care for the pet.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It is important to be aggressive in this matter so that you can learn more about the person and help protect the pet.
• Call a local rescue group to see if they can help with referrals or any paperwork that needs to be done.
• Only use trusted sites, such as AdoptAPet and PetFinder, to offer information about your pet. Other advertising sites are often targeted sites for predators looking to collect animals.
• Always charge something for the pet. Your pet should be spayed/neutered and up to date on vaccinations and health care. People tend to value things more that they pay for, and those looking to collect them for research or other abusive means will most likely not want to pay anything for them.

The best thing to do is first try to keep your pet and address the issue at hand.

After exhausting those avenues, if you still need to re-home the pet, always take these precautionary measures to help keep it safe when it leaves your house. It makes a big difference in assuring that the animal can continue to live out its life in a healthy, happy home.

This story was posted in Facebook, and it tugged at my heart…

MAN ADMITS TO ADOPTING DOG OFF CRAIGSLIST, BURNING HER ALIVE

We want to remind everyone to KNOW where you are sending that dog (or cat). Please do not give a pet to just anyone without making sure you know you are sending that dog to a good place. We see soooo many people running out to adopt and give a dog to anyone who says I will take that dog/cat. We find it frightening 😦 Please practice responsible rescue. Saving lives is about more than just pulling a dog out of a shelter. Rescue starts when the dog leaves the shelter.

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SCAM ALERT: ‘Dog Flipping’ Surfacing Throughout The Country

‘Dog flipping’ sometimes involves stolen pets used to make a quick buck. Reports of “dog flipping” are surfacing throughout the country.

The act is similar to flipping a home, but the big difference is it involves a four-legged pup to make a quick buck.

Some reports of alleged dog flipping involve pets that are snatched from their owners, then sold online. A similar version works when an animal is adopted for free and is then sold on websites like Craigslist.

RELATED: The Scary Truth About “Free To Good Home”

http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#ec=ExMGpoMTE6PUNoOGdN9tNB68dkmYsBSO&pbid=47658b6fe4a043a48f5296392ce1db7fA recent post on Craigslist in Denver caught the attention of many pet owners.

“It was listed for $500. It said specifically on the Craigslist ad that this dog was adopted from a shelter,” said Ann Mertens, who said she couldn’t believe her eyes.

The ad struck her as odd because she said a Colorado Bernese mountain dog for sale on Craigslist is very unusual. Mertens said the breed is usually only available through rescue groups or breeders, not a shelter. Mertens said nothing about the ad felt right.

“The dog was neutered and up to date on the vaccination. And that the person who adopted the dog posted it for sale on Craigslist and said that they did not have enough time for this dog,” Mertens said.

It sparked a question for Mertens: Was the family that took the purebred dog home from the Foothills Animal Shelter trying to make a quick buck?

“We had just adopted out the Bernese mountain dog. We contacted the owner and just wanted to check up and make sure,” said Jessie Burns with the shelter.

She said the owners claimed they knew nothing about the ad.

“They were very shocked to see that this post had happened on Craigslist. They said it was not theirs,” she said.

RELATED: Exposed! Shocking Adoption Scams and How to Avoid Them

Burns said the dog has since been back to the shelter for a checkup. More than a week after the post was discovered, it’s unclear who posted it and why. The ad screamed money-making scheme to some who saw it.

“You realize that someone was flipping this dog like how they flip houses to make a quick profit,” Mertens said.

Deb Brinkley said she knows all about dog flipping. She runs DHK Rehoming, a dog shelter in Aurora, and said it happened to Riley, a 2-year-old Siberian husky who was adopted by a woman.

“We found out about three weeks later that the dog was on Craigslist and that it had been sold on Craigslist,” Brinkley said.

When she saw the ad, she tried tracking down the woman. Brinkley said she even tried taking her to court in hopes of finding out where Riley ended up. Brinkley got nowhere.

“I still worry about Riley. Is she tied up in a backyard? Is she warm? Is she getting food? Is she part of a family? We have no idea,” Brinkley said.

The version of dog flipping where an adopted dog is immediately sold for profit can get a little fuzzy because technically it’s not illegal. But Brinkley said just because a flipper isn’t breaking the law doesn’t mean flipping can’t hurt a dog in the long run.

The ordeal changed the way she runs her organization. “Some people think I’m a little overboard on who gets to adopt. But you know experience teaches you that you need to be more careful,” Brinkley said.

Burns said the Foothills Animal Shelter adopts thousands of dogs a year and this is the first time it has dealt with even a close call of dog flipping. She believes the shelter’s vetting process helps weed out anyone who wants anything other than a new addition to their family.

“So it’s very frustrating when this sort of thing happens because we do so much to make sure all of our animals are going into good homes,” Burns said.

Citizens Against Dog Flipping said people looking for a new dog should go to a reputable shelter, rescue group and breeder. It also recommends that people stay away from searching for a dog on websites like Craigslist.

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