Point of View I am prompted to write this article by a current TV advertisement put out by the chemical giant Bayer. This all concerns a condition called Lungworm, which as we know only too well, and will explain can if not nipped in the bud, develop and eventually prove fatal to a dog. We lost Reddins Nolan more than five years ago with the condition, at a time when it was not widely recognised as a threat nor readily diagnosed even by skilled vets with wide ranging experience. “Nolan” was a very special dog of great character and until affected by this condition, an exceptionally fine healthy 10 year old setter. He did, although hardly shown at all in the show ring sire two Show Champions, Sh.Ch.Reddins Quiz, and Sh.Ch.Serrula Angelique. In fact, I cannot recall to my knowledge any Irish setter who has sired two Show Champions whilst hardly being shown in the ring. We both thought the world of him and loved him dearly, and were devastated by his loss. The whole point of mentioning him is he died of a Lungworm infestation. Now, years on I see a TV advertisement on national channels, warning dog owners of the potential dangers of Lungworm. The advertising campaign is currently being advertised on TV screens Mar 2010. As to how commonplace or widespread the condition is today I have no idea..…but suffice it to say….. It must have some impact or direct significance to make it worthwhile for a drug company like Bayer to pay out for advertising on national TV? We have not heard nor seen much about this condition in the past five years. Maybe the risk factors are higher seasonally in Spring and Summer months when the hosts who carry and spread the larvae are active.....and they get killed off seasonally each winter ?......I will explain. You can research the background on Lungworm yourselves on the Internet. As I understand it the dangerous larvae are carried and hosted by common or garden snails or slugs (with which we are all too familiar as gardeners) and can be transmitted unseen via water bowls, ponds, puddles, slug slime trails, or any other domestic garden cross contamination your dog may come across. At times we have slugs and snails….and have always struggled to grow succulents like lettuce or hostas without them being eaten in a short space of time……Just maybe we are more than averagely vulnerable with our soil type. The dog ingests the larvae unseen, they seat themselves in an environment in which they can develop, namely the lungs, and then generate gradually until producing symptoms similar to early or progressive signs of chest infection. It is insidious because it develops gradually. In Nolan’s case, he was treated, some three times over some months with anti-biotics, Synulox and Baytrel to combat a persistent cough/congestion. Each time he seemed to improve and for a period lulled us into a false sense of security, by thinking any chest infection had been conquered and he was his normal self again…only to find, given a respite, the underlying problem having not been addressed or treated as lungworm, it simply took its time and returned. Ironically Lungworm is treatable fairly easily, at an early stage with an intensive course of 7days of worming using dosages of Panacur which will kill the larvae. It is a problem of early diagnosis it would seem and worming before the condition gains a foothold. We periodically worm our adult dogs, and naturally having had this traumatic experience, we remain wary and vigilant and if we saw any signs of a problem of a respiratory nature we would be inclined to give as a precaution a 7 day course of worming (which cannot do harm). Anyone who knew Nolan at our home will remember him with great affection….we miss him to this day and are pleased to have his genes in his offspring We have extensive studies and health committees…..health issues are frequently discussed and written about and dog owners rightly worry about these issues...but I do not recall anyone reporting or speaking about Lungworm? I would not wish to cause alarm. But forewarned is forearmed and most of us have snails slugs in our gardens...so take note and just be aware. |
NEEDLESS VACCINES I was interested by an article recently produced in the Daily Mail dated 6/3/2010 entitled “The Needless Vaccines that are making Our Dogs Sick “ This is a claim made (maybe somewhat over the top) by a pet charity “Canine Health Concern. Whilst I do not say that I am in any position to understand technically the full argument in favour or against vaccination ….it is of interest and highlights certain concerns some dog owners express. I reproduce here for your interest and cross reference the content of the article:- The Needless Vaccines that are Making Our Dogs Sick …by Alison Smith-Squire Vaccines given to dogs are making them ill, a pet charity claimed yesterday. “The latest scientific research shows that after the first course of injections as a puppy most dogs are immune against these diseases for at least seven years, if not for life. Every year pet vaccination companies hold National Vaccination Month, a national campaign when pet owners whose boosters have lapsed by 18 months or more are terrified into having their pet jabbed. “While the vast majority of vets might simply not be aware of the latest scientific research, we are concerned that for a few undoubtedly doing multiple jabs is a way of making more money from worried pet owners” Puppies are vaccinated against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, leptospirosis, and Para influenza up to three times by the age of four months. They may also be immunised against coronavirus, rabies, and Lyme disease and bordetella or kennel cough. Booster shots are given every year or every three or four years. But some have suffered dramatic changes in behaviour or been diagnosed with cancer within months of the injections, Canine Health Concern says in a letter backed by 17 vets and other pet experts, the charity has called on the Veterinary Medicines Directorate which monitors animal vaccines to issue new advice on their use. Mrs.O’Driscoll, who believes cats and rabbits could also be at risk, added that a simple blood test would determine whether an animal needed a booster shot. Richard Allport, a Herefordshire vet who has signed the letter to the VMD, said he was constantly seeing animals that had developed worrying symptoms after vaccinations. But other animal charities said vaccination was vital. The Dogs Trust said all drugs Professor Steve Dean, chief executive of the VMD, said “Many veterinary surgeons can remember the devastating effects these once common diseases had on our pets, their owners and families, and the huge benefit vaccines have had on improving the health and welfare of the canine population should be recognised.” A spokesman added that the 80 million-plus doses vaccine 1985 had generated fewer than 7,000 reports of side effects. Our own personal comments are these:- (1). As breeders of Irish Setters for more than 35 years, as a practise, we do not and never have boosted our dogs after the initial puppy vaccination course. With any dogs we keep, we have delayed the initial vaccination as late as possible preferring to action this at our vets at 12/14 weeks, rather than earlier. Having said this it is important to qualify this statement; we live in a rural location and our dogs are only exposed to other dogs if shown later on or any friends visiting with dogs ….. they therefore rarely cover ground or pavements where unknown dogs have been– they are not typical for this reason and not at the same risk, which others might face in parks, towns or open grounds .We do ,of course advise and inform any owners of our puppies to follow the standard procedure of getting their puppy vaccinated by their vet as early or late as their individual circumstances suggest and discuss timing with their vet .However realistically most puppies are usually homebound in their own fenced secure garden until 14/16 weeks or older when on a lead. We have in recent years advised owners that we understand it is now accepted that booster vaccinations need only be considered necessary every 3.years and not annually. I am sure I have read that “3 year boosters are now accepted” ….either in the canine press, perhaps some reported comment on this subject by the KC or BVA? Whether all vets agree does not seem clear and there is a certain amount of confusion, which needs clarifying. Our own vets still send out standard annual reminder letters…so just what is the true position? I expect insurers and boarding kennels make it a rule to safeguard themselves. (2) There is a reasonable counter viewpoint which would hold that diseases such as distemper, parvovirus, leptospirosis, hepatitis and others would not have been controlled & rendered uncommon today without vaccinations and this must surely be logically factual. I suppose these same diseases could without continued vaccination programmes regenerate, given time they could become problematic again. (3) It would be interesting to know, if bombarding a relatively newly born system with a raft of vaccines could have an adverse affect long-term upon the animals own immune system. I know the vaccines are subjected to extensive testing and are deemed dead. We do recall many years ago (and I am talking some 18/20 years ago), we kept a litter brother and sister and had both vaccinated together on a Monday and both became off-colour refused to eat, ran a slight temperature and had a reaction more or less in unison within 2/3 hours on the following Friday .It only lasted a couple of days and they were soon back on track without affect. Despite assurances that the vaccine was “dead”and could not promote a reaction …even our vet was at pains to make sense of the timing which he agreed, had to relate to the inoculations given 4 days earlier. (4) The article in question at the centre of this matter comes many years on …Do we know or more particularly do the manufacturers and researchers know accurately whether long-term usage of vaccines has side effects and as this article suggests in whose interest is it to raise such questions when it might be “killing the goose that laid the golden egg”, and cutting your own throat. Especially if it works and protects. Its a little like the position of humans with anti-biotics…we know the good part. They work but really have no detailed knowledge of the long-term effect of repeated dosage and most importantly who can answer such a question? We just know that in the 38 years we have kept an average of 18 to 24 setters as stated we have only vaccinated initially and we have been fortunate enough not to have had dogs who have fallen victim to any of the diseases which the vaccination covers and our dogs immune systems appear to function naturally without problems …are we just lucky in that respect? We have always been firm believers in balanced, healthy, dogs with sound tempraments, living in a stress free natural existence with exercise and space, draft free clean housing with access to clean water. They are fed a balanced controlled diet based on meat plus vegetables added some cereal and sunflower oil …but have never fed an all-in made up diet. We endeavour to study closely pedigrees and follow a path of selective breeding with as tighter control on genetics as we can muster. If you have rely upon vaccines anti-biotics (and we all do to some extent), maybe the basic health needs improvement and given this nature will fight off many illnesses .Science and technology have undoubtedly improved the quality and longevity of human and animal life but nature has to be given the respect it deserves and it will endure adapt and prevail. J.S.F.Smith (Reddins) |