Jaylynn Thorpe, 3, with his family.
The two hero puppies who saved Jaylynn's life.
BY JANE H. FURSE
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Beat
Canine PVS with Special Attention
and Tender Loving Care
by Luella May
Canine peripheral vestibular syndrome (PVS) is a condition that few people are aware of and the frightening symptoms often lead dog owners to believe that their pet has been poisoned or is having a stroke. Special attention to the affected dog’s needs and “tender loving care” offer the best chances of a full recovery or minimal lasting effects.
PVS usually gives no
warning and strikes out of the blue.
In just an instant, a perfectly
healthy dog can become extremely
ill. The symptoms usually include
the following:
1. Staggering and falling.
2. Vomiting – May appear yellow and
frothy.
3. Eyes moving rapidly from
side-to-side.
4. Head tilts to one side.
5. Refuses food and water.
PVS is not a malfunction of the
brain - it is caused by inflammation
in the inner ear. The nerves of the
inner ear that connect to the
cerebellum become inflamed, causing
loss of balance, disorientation and
other distressing symptoms. It is
important to note that not all dogs
experience the same severity in
symptoms. It is thought that the
milder the symptoms, the quicker the
recovery. Relapses are not common,
but possible. Although there is no
known cause, it is sometimes the
result of infection. The dog usually
refuses food, drink, and exercise,
opting for the safety of his own
bed.
Someone who has experienced a severe
bout of vertigo can understand the
trauma that the pet undergoes.
During this time, special attention
and “Tender Loving Care” is
required. Hand feeding, including
water may be necessary. Even then,
some dogs refuse food and water for
as long as a week. Not only does the
dog feel nauseous due to the feeling
of motion sickness, it also
experiences difficulty using the
motor movements necessary when
eating and drinking from bowls. It
is important to keep an eye out for
dehydration. In severe cases,
intravenous fluids may be necessary.
During the recovery period, the dog
should be kept in a well lit room in
order to prevent disorientation. If
at all possible, it should not be
carried. It will also need support
and assistance once it is ready to
get back on its feet to make sure
that it doesn’t fall while getting
up and walking. Looping a towel
around its body will help guide it
as it walks.
As hopeless as it may seem, the
majority of dogs make a quick
recovery from within three days to
three weeks. Those that do not fully
recover, adapt to the head tilt and
unsteadiness, enjoying a normal life
span.
Although this condition is more
common in older dogs, middle aged
dogs can also be affected. Dogs of a
more advanced age don’t always
rebound as quickly as their
middle-aged counterparts. They may
not be as active as they were before
the illness and experience sight and
hearing decline.
There is no medical treatment for
this condition. Should the
peripheral vestibular syndrome be
due to an inner ear infection,
colloidal silver in the ear and in
the drinking water may facilitate
recovery. Colloidal silver is safer
and more effective than antibiotics
– and certain types of antibiotics
actually cause PVS. Many people
report that when they give their
older dogs colloidal silver, they
seem to regain the energy of younger
years. This may provide an extra
boost to prevent age-related
decline.
It is important to note that other
more serious conditions can cause
the symptoms described above. If the
symptoms last longer than three
weeks, it most likely is not PVS and
it would be best to seek the advice
of a veterinarian, ideally, a
holistic vet.
Sources included:
http://www.gsdhelp.info/neuro/vestibular.html
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_vestibular_disease.html
http://www.bichonhealth.org/HealthInfo/DogStroke.asp
Posted to Care2 Healthy and Green Living by Jerry James Stone
A toddler, lost overnight in the woods, with only a t-shirt to protect her from 30-degree weather, isn’t the kind of story that usually ends well. But it did for three-year-old Victoria. Thanks to her Queensland heeler named Blue.
“We have to give a lot of credit to Blue,” said Kim Rayfield, the girl’s aunt. “He pretty much stayed with her all night.”
Or maybe we should call him Lassie?
Victoria wandered away from her Cordes Lake home and got lost in the nearby mountains. She was off to find the family’s other dog, Rusty, who she mistakenly thought was lost. Not long after, her parents noticed her missing.
Some 15 hours later, she was discovered by searchers in a Department of Public Safety helicopter. They found her lying on the ground, face down. She had been lying amid the brush and rocks, with her feet frostbitten and her body in scratches. Blue was right at her side. The dog had been keeping her alert and warm all night.
At first, Blue seemed apprehensive, protective of Victoria, according to the newspaper. But then she smiled and Blue relaxed.
“I think once the dog realized we were there to help them out, he was very excited,” Department of Public Safety pilot Matthew Uhl said.
Victoria was treated for mild frostbite on her feet and was kept overnight for observation. She is expected to be fine.
Welcome back, Victoria! And great job, Blue!
Source: The Arizona Republic
By Allison Ford, DivineCaroline
I can barely stumble out of bed in the morning before my cat tries to strike up a conversation. As she goes through her busy day, she tells me when she’s ready to eat, when she wants to play, and if she’s in another room and sees a bug, she demands that I come vanquish it immediately. She doesn’t speak English, of course, but she’s trained me to correctly interpret every little sound she makes, from the meekest “meep” to the mightiest “MROW!”
Talk Kitty to Me
When cats communicate with each other, they do so almost silently. Felines mostly communicate through smell and body language, rarely having to raise their voices. Cats leave scent markers to tell other cats about their sex, their reproductive status, and their health, and when communicating face to face, they rely on a complex system of postures and body language to let each other know how they’re feeling. Cats are experts at communication, so with the exception of hisses and growls, most cat-to-cat interactions are wordless. When the humans enter the room, however, suddenly everyone’s got something to say. That’s because many of the vocalizations cats make are expressly for human benefit.
Cats start meowing when they’re kittens, in order to get their mother’s attention and food, and the most vocal babies are the ones who get the most of each. Domestic cats never grow out of this juvenile vocalization, because they’ve learned that it’s a pretty effective way to get what they want from people. It’s almost as if domestic cats think of us as mother figures, and they’re not afraid to let us know when they’re hungry, angry, or want some affection.
For the rest of the article, click Here.
8 Remarkable Animals That Saved People’s Lives
Text by Bryan Nelson, MNN.com
(Mother Nature Network) Many people owe their lives to the tender protection and brave acts of other animals. Here’s just a small look at the stories of eight remarkable animals that have saved people’s lives.
For the rest of this story, click here.
Eight Winter Petcare Tips
(Mother Earth News) Winter is a tough time for us all, but it can be especially hard on pets. Here are a few tips for protecting your pets this winter:
Keep pets indoors as much as possible during cold weather. Like humans, animals can get frostbite.
If a dog stays outside for the winter, it is important to provide an insulated home. Line the floor with cedar shavings or straw to ensure warmth. Check water often to make sure it has not frozen.
If your dog begins to shiver when you're out for a walk, bring it inside immediately.
Trim the long hair on the bottom of pets' feet to prevent ice balls from forming.
Road salt and other de-icing chemicals are damaging to pets' paws, and can be hazardous if ingested; wash your pets' paws after being outdoors. Use sand or a nontoxic alternative to salt when dealing with icy sidewalks.
Antifreeze is a poison, yet its sweet taste unfortunately attracts curious animals. Always clean any spills thoroughly. Or try a safer alternative, such as antifreeze made with propylene glycol.
Cats and wildlife seek shelter from warmth by crawling into available covered spaces, including vehicles. Banging on the hood of your car before starting the engine should scare out any stowaways.
Our smaller friends, such as birds, hamsters and guinea pigs, can be chilled if their cages are kept in drafty areas. Keep cages away from doors and windows in winter.
Little dog shows never-ending devotion
Beverly waited for a week outside a hospital for her
owner. Story from Whittierdailynews.com
Photo by Keith Durflinger staff photographer.
In classic Disney style, when an ambulance pulled up to the doors of Beverly Hospital in Montebello, CA on the night of New Year’s Eve, a small tan-colored dog trailed right behind. She circled around the emergency vehicle while a woman was transported inside and then waited all night outside the hospital doors.
The next day the hospital staff saw the same little pup standing by the doors again, eagerly looking at each person as they walked in and out. For a week the dog, who was nicknamed, “Beverly” scanned the parking lot or stood outside the doors of the hospital looking for her owner.
For the rest of this story, click here.
Precious the Cat and Colloidal Silver
By Luella May
It is amazing how we can wake up on a given morning and take for granted that it will be just another day. Little do we know that part of our life is about to change. It might not be an overwhelming change, although sometimes just a small inconvenient change can turn out to be a thorn in one's side.
It all started about three weeks ago when I went on my routine weekly visit to a rest home. As I was in the midst of my bible study, the nurses rolled in a very unhappy Miss Linda. The nurses had forced her to take a bath and come out of her room. Miss Linda had fallen out of her bed within the week and hurt her back. Although I have heard of an ensuing depression after an elderly person breaks a hip, I have not heard of this happening from just hurting one's back. However, Miss Linda has lost her will to do anything, including eat. This presented a problem with regard to her pet, Precious the cat. She had also stopped feeding and caring for Precious. The nurses all seemed to have great disdain for this cat. Nobody would volunteer to feed or change the litter box until Linda recovered.
For the rest of this story, click here.
Two P
uppies Save Life of Young Boy(NY Daily News) A toddler lost in the Virginia woods was back home safe Sunday thanks to two puppies who kept him warm through a harrowing night of freezing temperatures.
Jaylynn Thorpe, 3, wandered away
from his baby-sitter at 4 p.m.
Friday and was missing for 21 hours
as hundreds of friends, family and
law enforcement officials searched
for him in the thick woods of
Halifax County, fearing the worst.
"The only thing we wanted to do was
just keep searching until we found
him," Halifax County Sheriff Stanley
Noblin told reporters.
Jaylynn's frantic family knew time
was not on its side.
"We didn't forget the issue that 17
degrees was almost unbearable," said
his father, James Thorpe.
"People all over the State of
Virginia was down there looking for
that child. For a while there, one
time, I didn't know whether they
would find him or not," said the
child's grandmother and guardian,
Katherine Elliot.
Officials said the lost little boy
and the two family puppies wandered
up to a mile in the dark, even
across a highway, but it wasn't
until Saturday afternoon that
members of the search team found him
sitting by a tree, the two puppies
nestled against him.
The little boy didn't say anything,
according to rescue team member
Jerry Gentry, but instead "just
opened his arms up like, 'I'm ready
to go.'"
"When I first saw him, he was like,
'Momma, I got cold. I slept in the
woods last night. The puppies kept
me warm.' He told me that ... the
dogs slept up against him. And I'm
sure the body heat kept him warm,"
said his mother, Sarah Ingram.
A Discussion on Raw: Taking Your Pets Health into Your Own Hands
by Phoebe Kerr
(see all articles by this author)(NaturalNews) For many, the discussion of feeding your pet a raw food diet can be a scary thing. There is so much work and knowledge that is involved, not to mention all the health factors to take into consideration for both you and your pet. Or at least this is what your vet and mainstream media may lead you to believe. If it doesn't come in a bag with feeding instructions on the back then can it really be trusted? There may be feeding instructions but there is also generally a list a mile long of ingredients and without a PhD in Veterinary Nutrition you would be lucky to know the purpose of half of those ingredients.
To read rest of the article click HERE.
Irradiated Pet Food Thought Responsible for Cat Deaths in Australia
Tuesday, December 09, 2008 by: Susan Thixton, citizen journalist(NaturalNews) Orijen Cat Food was the only common link in the mysterious illness and subsequent death of five cats in Australia. Orijen Pet Foods, a Canadian company, is well known and trusted to provide high quality dog and cat foods, thus the Australian pet deaths is a mystery to many. The suspected cause is the mandatory irradiation of the pet food required by Australian law.
When it was announced in late November 2008 that Orijen Pet Foods was recalling cat food due to the death of five cats in Australia, many pet owners all over the world were frightened. Although no certain determination to the cause of the illnesses in Australia has been made, the pet food line feels irradiation is the cause.
The irradiation of foods has long been a center of controversy. The FDA continues to approve more foods to be irradiated, and Canada follows. According to an FDA pamphlet, "So far, the FDA has approved irradiation of the following foods to enhance their safety: raw meat, raw poultry, shell eggs, seeds for growing sprouts, and herbs and spices. The FDA has also approved low-dose irradiation of foods to kill insect pests and to extend shelf life." http://www.nclnet.org/publications/irra...
However Rosalie Bertell, Ph.D. in a paper written for the International Institute of Concern for Public Health, has very opposing views on irradiation than the FDA.
To read rest of the article click HERE.
