irene and rules, rules, rules

Everyone is talking about Irene.... a huge storm with winds that could sweep me away! They say it is traveling up the big waters of the ocean, and will even affect us in Vermont! Now that's a storm.

I don't really mind storms, the big claps of thunder make me want to chase petunia around. She on the other hand is soooo scared when a storm comes. I can't even imagine how she is going to survive Irene if she really makes it all the way over to us. My sister will wrap her up real tight in a blanket and give her some Composure, a natural supplement that calms her down.... I guess I will just have to wait and see but I don't think it is going to be pretty. Dad can always give her something stronger to make her sleep if it gets real bad.....

I have moved and I am not sure how much I like it. Living in a large town has it's ups and downs. Petunia and I have never had to wear a leash all the time.... poop in certain places..... this is all very new and strange. On top of that I am a lab with a sensitive stomach (me and about the whole rest of the lab population). Us labs, we like to eat everything and anything, our lives revolve around eating. Dad says you really know a lab is sick when it refuses to eat. My sister calls me Chumley after this chubby guy on a TV show. I'm not chubby but probably left to my own accord I would eat until I explode!

So back to the upset stomach thing. We moved and it upset my tummy. Between vomiting and diarrhea I am not sure what is worse. Dad says the first step to my recovery is 12 hours off food. 12 HOURS! Give me a break. Then he says a bland diet for a few days like boiled hamburger and rice. Sounds fine to me. He says since I have been de-wormed (what a terrible expression) regularly, up-to-date on all my vaccines, and have a history of upset tummies anyways,  I should recover just fine. If I start not being able to hold water down then it becomes more serious. I don't mind going to SAVES, I love the nurses, the doctors are so kind and the beds are pretty comfortable. But Dad says we can avoid an OFFICIAL stay (I am there every day anyways) if I take it easy, let my system rest, and stop being neurotic (what ever that means).

I meet so many labs each day at SAVES that have upset stomachs that either have eaten something they shouldn't have, drank out of a puddle contaminated with bacteria or just plain have a sensitive stomach. Sometimes they need intravenous fluids if they can't hold water down. Dehydration from vomiting can become very serious very quickly. Vomiting and diarrhea can be signs of so many different diseases. It is important that you differentiate between something like an allergy to food, a bacterial upset of the gut, or even more serious the start of a organ failure such as the kidney's or liver. Regular blood work and physical exams with your veterinarian can help catch things early so that diseases can be managed.

For me it appears to be a nervous type of thing. So many changes right now. My oldest sister is going away, way across the BIG ocean, we have moved, the summer is coming to an end, kids going back to school..... so many reasons I can think of that make me nervous sometimes. My mom thinks lots of exercise helps calm the mind, I think she is on to something. She has been taking me swimming and walking a real lot and I do feel so much better when I come back and lay down exhausted! Dad has added Fortiflora to my diet. Purina makes this nutritional supplement that helps keep the  "normal" bacteria in my intestines healthy (bugs in my bowels, ewww). It is a powder that they mix in my food (don't even know it is there because it is tasteless) and it provides some strong antioxidants, stimulates my immune system to fight off stuff, and helps me get through stressful situations without developing diarrhea. It is working! (Diarrhea is sooo embarrassing, especially when it comes on suddenly right when you meet a really cute girl dog, uggg)

tata for now! 

creepy crawlies, hotspots, and lyme

Rainy, rainy days in May. The river has strayed from the path it usually takes, the fields are now lakes. The rain keeps coming. A common question I hear all day long, "Will it ever stop raining, will it ever get warm?". I say yes but they keep asking the question!

I have heard this guy scream, I can't believe these little birds are taunting him so!

We haven't been walking as much. Mom and dad work constantly! S.A.V.E.S. is so busy and so is Stonecliff. They have decided to move Stonecliff into the S.A.V.E.S. building. The space at West Leb. Feed and Supply has worked out really well but as the hospital grows it is becoming very small. It will be much easier for the staff to have everything in one place and the S.A.V.E.S. building is so new and beautiful that everyone will fit very well.

I love sticks!

So starting on May 16th the Stonecliff hospital will officially be at S.A.V.E.S. Everything for Stonecliff patients will remain the same except the location. We will have a new telephone number but the old one will work also. Stonecliff clients have the added benefit of being able to see their favorite doctors day and night. Any old clients that were not able to follow my dad (Dr. Kelly) to West Lebanon are welcome to see him now in Lebanon. I-89 exit 18 (just like going to DHMC) take your first left on Evans Drive and we are the next drive past the Nissan Miller Car dealership across from the Lebanon High School track and football field.

The Great Frog Hunter!

Check out the S.A.V.E.S. website for location information and more. I unfortunately have been under the weather. The tick season is in full swing and I have an infected tick bite on my face that has turned into a "hotspot" or skin infection. Dad shaved it yesterday (I hate that) and scrubbed it up with some smelly stuff and put me on antibiotics that mom shoves down my throat! Uggggg.

I actually think it is Petunia's fault, she is always biting me in the face whenever I try and get her to play with me! But on a more serious note the hospital has seen a HUGE rise in Lyme positive dogs in the past week. On Sunday alone 3 dogs came in unable to walk with fevers that tested positive for Lyme Disease.

Lyme Disease is here.... there is no denying it. Protect yourself and your favorite four-legged friends by vaccinating against the disease and applying a once a month medication that helps control ticks and fleas. It is important to understand this disease and how it is transmitted.

The primary carrier of Lyme disease is the deer tick (not pictured). Borreliosis, the actual bacteria that causes the disease. As a tick develops from a baby (larva) to a full grown tick it will go through many stages and hosts (a mammal that it will feed on and ultimately become infected from if the mammal is carrying the disease). Ticks are most active in spring and fall, they thrive and multiply with cold rainy days (like our whole spring has been). One very important bit of information is that the tick must be attached and feeding on it's host (you, your dog or cat) for at least 48 hours before it will transmit the Lyme Disease to you. Tick medication such as Frontline or Vectra kill the ticks sooner then 48 hours thus eliminating the threat of contracting the disease. We get calls all the time from people upset that their pets still have ticks crawling on them after being treated with these products. The ticks still will bite the pet but will die before they can transmit so your pet is safe. You on the other hand are not. Since there are not products like this for humans we need to take precautions also. Wear long pants that are tucked in on the bottom, citronella (a natural product) will supposedly repel ticks, spray some on your clothing.

Symptoms and timing of this disease are different for pets then humans. Dogs symptoms occur much later after the tick bite, usually 2-5 months after the initial bite. Cats are rarely infected, probably because they are much more efficient and persnickety groomers. Dogs typically have a fever (103-105'F) and shifting limb lameness, sore on one leg then switching to another leg. Swelling in the joints, lethargy and decrease in appetite are also common. We typically do not see the rash like in humans. Dogs infected with Lyme Disease and actively showing signs are treated with antibiotics and supportive therapy such as intravenous fluids and pain medications. Dogs can be infected with Lyme Disease and not show any signs. Long term health issues from the disease occur sometimes with kidney failure and heart and nervous system problems. If you suspect that your pet has contracted this disease, contact your veterinarian immediately. Make sure to use the preventative medications and vaccinate against the disease.
It is scary but I sure don't want to stop running through the woods every chance I get! Tata for now