October 4: St. Francis of Assisi Feast Day - Nambe Pueblo

Mark your calendars - October 4th is the St. Francis of Assisi Feast Day at the Nambe Pueblo. Located north of Santa Fe, Nambe will hold its annual St. Francis of Assisi Feast Day on the saint's traditional day of celebration, October 4. The day honors St. Francis' love of all creatures and is a traditional community festival including food and dancing. Nambe Pueblo, 505-455-2036.

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Barkfeast Great Success!

Cochiti Lake's Desert Paws held their first annual Barkfast a few days ago - and it was a great success. People and pets were happily fed, connections made, awareness raised, demonstrations, and most of all a lot of fun.

Their next event is a fundraiser called, Celebrity Pet Calendar Contest -- all Cochiti Lake pet owners are invited to submit their pets best 'kodak moment' to be judged and possibly featured in the calendar. The deadline is Oct. 15th - so hurry and submit your photo!

Please submit your picture to DesertPawsNM@Live.com

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Test your Animal Disaster Preparedness IQ

Are you prepared to protect your pets from the possibly devastating effects of a natural disaster? Take this quiz to determine your Animal Disaster Preparedness IQ.

1) What should you do with your pets if you must evacuate your home because of a natural disaster?

• A) Leave them at home with a big bowl of food and the TV tuned to Animal Planet.
• B) Bring them to my neighbor's house.
• C) Ignore the evacuation order and stay home with my pets.
• D) Take them with me when I evacuate.

2) Which of the following items should be included in your pet's disaster kit?

• A) A one-week supply of food.
• B) A one-week supply of drinking water.
• C) Medications he or she is taking.
• D) A pet first-aid kit.
• E) All of the above.

3) What is the best way to ensure you and your pet(s) are reunited if you are separated during a disaster?

• A) Identify each pet with an ID tag.
• B) Identify each pet with a permanent microchip.
• C) Identify each pet with an ID tag and permanent microchip.

4) True or false: You should include copies of your pet's vaccination and medical records in your emergency kit.

• A) True
• B) False

Answers:
1) D: The safest place for your pets during a disaster is with you. Search in advance for out-of-area pet-friendly hotels or boarding facilities, or make a housing exchange agreement with an out-of-area friend or relative. Never leave your pet behind if disaster strikes.
2) E: All of the items listed are important and should be part of your disaster kit. Create one kit for each pet in your household, and store it in an easy-to-grab container. Get more detailed disaster tips at www.uan.org/disastertips
3) C: A tag is important, but it can fall off or become hard to read. A microchip is back-up insurance in case that happens. Be sure to keep your microchip registration up to date, and include at least one emergency number of a friend or relative who resides out of your immediate area.
4) A: These records will come in handy if you have to board your pet at a kennel or other temporary shelter, or if your pet has a medical emergency.
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Desert Paws hosts Breakfast

September 13, 2009 from 8am-11am, Cochiti Lake's Desert Paws will host their first annual "Barkfast" - a meet & greet for Cochiti Lake pet owners.

Many great events are planned -
Rescue Canines demonstrate their skills - Kathy Sylvia
Wildlife and Pet Portrait artists - Annette Schreiner
Discounted micro-chipping for dogs and cats with Barbara Merickel DVM
Dog Training Classes with Carol Tharnish
Veterinary Technicians representing Smith Animal Hospital & Santa Fe Emergency Clinic
Local non-profit Pathways of Healing, Inc


A great breakfast, raffle, lot's of info and demonstrations - it will be a wonderful event and a fun launch for Desert Paws.


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Owner Died - Sweet Dog Needs Home

I am posting on behalf of a friend. Their son passed away recently and they are having to find a home for his 6/7 year old female blue heeler cross. SHe is very sweet I met her today in our lobby at work and she was sitting very happily next to the dad. If you know of anyone who can offer this sweet dog a home please email me. ThanksCarol

You can email this blog and we will put you in touch with Carol: CLIPETS@Live.com
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Animals Abused by China's Fur Industry Need Your Help

I'm going to post exactly what was emailed to me. It's from PETA. You may like what PETA does or disagree with them, but read this. Read it and think about it. Use this info to really think about the items you purchase and what industry and country and value system you support when you make a purchase. Just think about it.

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With the fall fashion season just around the corner, we need to do everything we can to make sure designers, retailers, and consumers know the horrific extent of the animal suffering that takes place on fur farms in China and around the world.

Every year, millions of individual animals, including more than 2 million cats and hundreds of thousands of dogs, are killed for their fur in China. Some are strays, and countless others are companions who once shared homes with people who loved and cared for them before the animals were rounded up—often with metal tongs around their necks—and tossed, screaming, into a crate.

China is one of the world's largest fur suppliers, and more than 95 percent of the country's finished garments are exported—with many ending up in North America. And as we now know, Chinese companies have been known to deliberately mislabel cat and dog fur as "Asian jackal," "rabbit," or "raccoon" to fool consumers. Every fur-trimmed collar or other fur item from China, regardless of the kind of animal slaughtered to manufacture it, is the product of cruelty on a truly massive scale.

The suffering on Chinese fur farms involves all sorts of animals, all of whom are deeply frightened. Powerful video footage taken during a PETA Asia-Pacific undercover investigation documents the misery of rabbits condemned to a short, miserable life and painful death at the hands of grubby fur-farm operators. The investigator saw rabbits who were crammed into filthy cages covered with urine and feces, where they could only wait, petrified, as workers made their way along the tiers of cages.

The rabbits were yanked out of their cages by their ears or legs. The workers aimed at their heads with handheld electrical devices—often multiple times—as the animals kicked and screamed. The rabbits were then hung upside down and were crudely decapitated. The farm that the investigator visited has 11,000 cages and will be responsible for the slaughter of more than 600,000 animals this year alone in the quest to satisfy the demand for their skins.

Through difficult investigations similar to this one and through decades of relentless campaigning, PETA has saved many thousands of rabbits, dogs, cats, and other animals by convincing consumers and corporations to reject all fur. We've successfully persuaded some of the world's leading designers and retailers—including Ann Taylor, Calvin Klein, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger—to adopt permanent no-fur policies, and we've made fur so synonymous with suffering that furs are no longer considered "luxury goods," and fur prices have seen record lows. While we've accomplished much, the wholesale slaughter of so many animals for their fur in China is an urgent matter. To help these animals, we must educate consumers, corporations, and even governments about the pain that goes into every piece of fur trim and every fur cat toy produced in China. That is only part of the work, but it is a vital part.

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Lost Pet List

• contact all neighbors, check around area (arroyos, sheds, etc) - don't be shy.
• contact Town Hall (Cochiti Lake)
• contact animal control - if pet was taken, find out where taken. In Cochiti Lake, it's Watermelon Ranch.
• make flyers with picture, info, contact info, state 'contact anytime', offer reward
• Email CLIPETS@live.com to post info - pet & wildlife info.
• Post at http://santafescoop.ning.com/ A place for everything animal in the Santa Fe and surrounding area.
• Fax, call, email and physically GO TO shelters (Santa Fe, Espanola, Watermelon, Animal Humane in ABQ, all other shelters in ABQ.
• Watermelon Mountain Ranch (no kill shelter - many lost pets are transported here) - Email: wmranchnm@aol.com Call: (505) 771-0140 Fax: (866) 664-5967 Web: http://www.wmranch.org/
• www.petfinder.com
• ABQ Journal - free lost pet ads (do this at least one month) 505-823-4444
• SFNM newspaper - free lost pet ads (do this at least one month)
• Contact (fax/email flyer) and call rescue groups
• ALBcat.com - lost cats & dogs
• Locanto.com - lost pets
• Oodle.com - posts free to classifieds
• Craigslist.com
• LostMyDoggie.com - 65% success rate, you pay a fee and they will call all houses in surrounding area with info about your lost pet.

Animal Communicators that Work with Lost or Missing Animals (Updated August 2008, Based on the list created by Morgine Jurdan.)

Canada
Keri Davis (403) 609-5510 www.sacredkinship.com

California
Karen Berke Novato (415) 897-4011 karen@wans.com
Suzi Dalling Ventura (805) 512-1720 www.connectinharmony.com
Dexter del Monte Los Angeles (323) 953-5923 www.whispersandtails.com
Carol Gurney Agoura (818) 597-1154 www.animalcommunicator.net
Carol Robinson Corte Madera (415) 924-9094 www.lostpetlink.com

Colorado
Sue Hopple Monument (719) 481-3917 hop_house@msn.com
Carol Vaughan (303) 338-1975 vaughancar@aol.com

Connecticut
Nedda Wittels Simsbury (860) 651-5771 www.raysofhealinglight.com

Georgia
Tim Link Cummings (404) 422-6355 www.wagging-tales.com

Illinois
Karla McCoy Washington (309) 444-1514 www.AnimalTell.com
Carol Schultz Plainfield (815) 531-2850 www.carolschultz.com

New York
Gayle Nastasi Middleburgh www.gazehound.com

North Carolina
Diane Samsel Tryon (843) 884-7443 www.powerpaws.com

Ohio
Jacquelin Smith Columbus (614) 436-8831 www.jacquelinsmith.com

Pennsylvania
Whitney Taylor Mercersburgh (717) 372 -0441 www.doolittlecommunications.com
(under construction)

South Carolina
Judi Byers North Augusta (803) 278-1002 www.animalechoes.com

Texas
Myra Logan Houston (713) 805-7963 www.myralogan.com

Washington State
Annette Betcher Port Orchard (360) 871-4774 www.annettebetcher.com
Hilary Renaissance Seattle (206) 782-7815 www.calmpet.com

Wisconsin
Rebecca Moravec (815) 675-2813 www.KindredSpiritsAnimalCommunication.com

Wyoming
Heidi Grengg Jackson (307) 733-8499 www.heidigrengg.com

Please feel free to add to this list by clicking "COMMENT" below.
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ALERT: Lost Dog -- New to Area, "Pup" Needs Your Help to be Reunited

Madrid area:

"PUP" is missing -- lost in Madrid while visiting. He is unfamiliar with life here in NM - he needs your help. His family has not given up and there have been sightings the past two months. He may possibly be trying to go in the direction of Cerrillos, Santa Fe, or Albuquerque. He could have traveled quite a distance. Last seen since July 1st, 2008.

"We haven't given up hope of finding him yet. We have had some sightings within the past two months. He is a black, medium sized Australian Cattle Dog/ Blue Heeler mix with a white patch on his chest. He ran off while we were visiting in Madrid and is not familiar with the local area; He is probably scared, tired, and hungry. HIS NAME IS PUP. If you think you have seen him PLEASE contact me ANYTIME. My name is William Gruenwald 267-221-5934 ".

Please note: dogs are known to find there way home days, months, even years later. But PUP is from out-of-town so he needs to be found so he can be reunited with his family. A famous finding lately is Gracie dog who was also lost near Madrid but was found all the way over here in the Pueblo de Cochiti. So please, if you have any sightings of Pup please call William 267-221-5934 or contact this blog CLIPETS@live.com

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Less Adoptable Pet Day - Pets with Needs

Wednesday August 12
http://petfinder.com/images/admin/lessadoptable/less-adoptable-widget.gif

There are WONDERFUL pets here. Please click the link to PetFinder and give from your heart - you may find your best friend !

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Tips For A Happy Dog - Carol Tharnish (Prof. Dog Trainer)

1. Please DO NOT walk dogs in the heat of the day as their pads can be burned also they also they get dehydrated quickly.
2. DO shorten nails frequently as growth will cause them pain by putting pressure on the nail bed and walking may help a little on rough surfaces, but remember dew claws never hit the ground.
3. BRUSHING at least 3 times a week will keep the dog's fur clean and release all the dead undercoat. Then, bathing need only to be done periodically.
4. Teaching the basics of SIT, DOWN, and COME makes for a good pet.

If you have any dog training questions, please email clipets@live.com subject: training question

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Are you an Active Person Who'd Consider Having a Furry Companion?

She is a sweet lab/border collie/pointer mix who LOVES to go on hikes and run with her human companion. Her name is Gracie. She is good in the house and does well with other dogs. She needs her energy to be put to good use by keeping you company while running, hiking, walking, and playing!!

Please let us know if you would like to meet Gracie. She is being kenneled at the moment and this sweet loving dog deserves better than that!

Gracie needs of a foster home or better yet, a forever home!

Call Wendy at 505-463-5885 or email secondchancenm@yahoo.com for more info! Please forward this to all your dog-loving friends too! Thank you for your help in finding a happy ending for Gracie!


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Gracie Update: Gracie Has Been Found at the Pueblo de Cochiti !

Lost: Santa Fe, Hwy 14 area. Found: Pueblo de Cochiti.







July 18 we posted an alert about Gracie dog being lost around the Lone Butte general store area. We've heard from Bill, Gracie's human companion and Cindy who headed the many who stepped up to volunteer in the search - she is happily home! A momentous occassion - Ben Swan from the SFNM wrote a great article about this wonderful story. Not only is it a celebration for Gracie's return, but this is a celebration in human spirit and community to see all come together to help. We should all do this more often.

Direct: http://www.graciecomehome.com/

SFNM: http://www.santafenewmexican.com/mobile/Blue-heeler-returns-home-after-major-dog-hunt

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Horizon Organics, Whole Foods .... and Puppy Mills?

A recent story that ran in NEWSWEEK entitled A (Designer) Dog’s Life, highlighted the efforts of Bill Smith, of Main Line Animal Rescue. Smith has dedicated his life to fighting puppy mills. You can read the whole story here, but the gist of it is that John Stoltzfus, farmer and owner of B&R Puppies had a puppy mill yet was also a supplier of milk to Horizon. Horizon fired him when they learned about the puppy mill, Stoltzfus then dismantled his mill, and now Horizon has taken him back.

Horizon has a large presence in Whole Foods stores—which maintains a stringent stance on animal welfare. With all the publicity from Newsweek, Whole Foods has come out with a statement: vendors should not 'supply any products to our stores that have been sourced from farmers…who breed or raise dogs inhumanely'.

Encourage Whole Foods to enforce their standards and hold vendors responsible for the humane treatment of animals.

• Click here to read the original NEWSWEEK article, A Designer Dog’s Life.

• Click here to read the follow up NEWSWEEK article, Animal Instinct.

Source: BestFriends.org
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VOLUNTEERS WANTED FOR 2 APNM OUTREACH BOOTHS

“WILDFEST,” July 25, 10-4 p.m.Roosevelt Middle School, Tijeras

“DOG DAYS OF SUMMER” ADOPTATHONAug. 1, 9-1 p.m.Belen Public Library, Belen

WILDFEST is a community education day organized annually by Talking Talons Youth Leadership. At WILDFEST (www.wildfest2009.com), youth of all ages can learn about the environment, wildlife and personal health in an atmosphere of fun and discovery.

Last year over 1500 people attended WILDFEST where they had the opportunity to develop new interests and hobbies, find volunteer opportunities, see amazing wildlife up close, learn about reducing energy consumption, scale the climbing wall and much more. WILDFEST participants include animal rescuers, environmental educators, youth development groups, health service providers, musicians (including the popular folk group ‘Holy Water and Whiskey’), magicians, food vendors and more.

If you are interested in helping to staff this outreach table on July 25,10 a.m. to 4 p.m., please contact Arlene at 265-2322 ext. 21, or arlene@apnm.org.

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER ANIMAL ADOPTATHON will be held at the Belen Public Library on August 1, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Events will include:* Adoption Clinic by Valencia County Animal Control* Reading to Dogs — Tail Waggin’ Tutors* Learn about Poisonous Plants from Master Gardeners of Valencia County* Building Blueprints for Dog Houses* Learn about Dog Training and Fencing Alternatives* Movies: Feature Films and Short Subjects* Safety for Kids

If you are interested in helping to staff this outreach table, please contact Arlene at 265-2322 ext. 21, or arlene@apnm.org.

Make a difference !
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Alert: Lost Dog -- Horse Riders Needed for Search Party

Santa Fe, Hwy 14 area:


The back story: A dog named Gracie has been missing in the Lone Butte General Store (3815 State Highway 14. Santa Fe NM 87505) area for 2 weeks now. She is the beloved companion of Bill. Bill has done everything in his power to find Gracie in the past two weeks. His sense is that she is close, but on the wrong side of the highway and hunkering down somewhere since she might be injured.

The current situation: Bill had to leave the state today for 2 weeks pre-scheduled work. He is tormented that he has to give up the search for his girl while he is working out-of-state. Some friends are hoping to take up the search in Bill’s absence.

The PLEA: (HORSE RIDERS PLEASE SEE BELOW!) If you, your friends or relatives can donate an hour or two of time this weekend, I’d like to schedule some heavy duty search parties for the areas where Bill feels she might be. If you have any time to spare either Saturday late afternoon or Sunday, please call or email to coordinate efforts. If you have horses in the area (east of Hwy 14, directly south of the Lone Butte General Store area), or can trailer horses in, the area most searched will be a section of undeveloped land that would be perfect to cover on horse-back.

If you are available to ride the area, PLEASE email us at clipets@live.com and we will put you in touch with the woman coordinating this.

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Foxtails Can Be Hazardous to Your Pet's Health

Foxtail seeds have microscopic barbules along their surface. If they get caught in an animal's coat, they are passively propelled forward. If not noticed and removed, foxtails can enter a pet's skin and enter it. The most common places are between the toes, the ear canal, and nose. It causes extreme discomfort. Often an infection ensues. It can cause the ear drum to rupture, get pulled into the pharynx, stomach, small intestine, trachea, situate behind the eyelid, and even into the brain. The foxtail plant is a pest that affects pets, livestock, and wildlife.

Eliminate the foxtail plants from your yard. Check your pets daily - look for moist seeping wounds between the toes, under the ear flaps, excessive sneezing (often but not always with blood), or acute eye squinting and redness. Veterinarian advice should be sought as soon as possible in any of these cases.

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Snopes confirms - Sago Palm a Serious Danger to Pets

"Sago Palm" or "Cycad"Poisoning Alert-

It has come to our attention that many home improvement stores are selling a houseplant that can cause serious poisoning in pets and children. The plant is called the “Sago Palm” or “Cycad”. It is also referred to as “The Oldest Known Plant”.

It is used in outdoor landscaping in Southern States, but can only survive as a houseplant in the North. All of this plant, including the seeds and root ball are toxic.

• Signs of illness first appear about 12 hours after ingestion and include gastrointestinal sign such as vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy.
• The toxins in the plant lead to severe liver failure with progressive weakness, jaundice, bruising and bleeding and other signs of liver failure that lead to death.
• It is estimated that 75-80% of animals ingesting this plant will die in spite of aggressive medical treatment.

If you have one of these plants in your home you will want to be sure to keep it away from pets and children, preferably by disposing of it safely in a covered trash can or “rehome” it with someone who does not have pets or young children in the household.

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Source: http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/sagopalm.asp
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Petsmart $5 off in-store coupon

You can print this from your computer and save

Petsmart: http://petsmart-mail.com/P/v3/CouponWrapper.asp?E=835;036276;626690499;25;02&R=T1_CPN_50078&A=1007&ci=50078

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Warm Weather Cautions - Tularemia, Plague & Salmonella

Love the wildlife, but keep a safe distance for now. As is common for the warm months, tularemia and plague are on the rise. It happens naturally during springtime and summer as the population rises and there's more interaction among the species. Then, once again, later in the year, nature sorts things out and everything's back to normal again. Francisella tularensis is transmitted by flies and ticks. The DOH says there have been reported cases in Edgewood, Lamy, west of Santa Fe, and as close as La Cienega. Symptoms include sudden fever, chills, headaches, diarrhea, muscle aches and joint pain. Humans can be diagnosed, but more commonly, cats are diagnosed ... and dogs as well. Not to worry though - antibiotics do the trick.

Salmonella has been rampant on the east coast this spring. They believe it's from the bird food that people put in the feeders during the winter which then drop to the ground, get covered with snow, thaws in the spring and creates an ideal environment for salmonella breeding.

The plague is transmitted by fleas that live on wildlife (coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, mice, etc) which can then hop to your pets and you. Being here in rural New Mexico fleas can be anywhere - walking out on the trails, hiking, and in your house. In the six years we've been here, El Dorado has had a case of plague almost every year. If you go up to Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu the hiking trail states the following: "Hike at your own risk. The rodents in this natural area have fleas carrying plague". And now Cochiti Lake has it's own case of plague. This is the 4th case of plague in the state this year. Dr Paul Ettestad, public health veterinarian at the department of health, states "Everyone needs to be aware of the situation and take precautions and avoid rodents and their fleas. We are seeing plague activity in many different locations of north-central New Mexico".

In the three previous human plague cases this year (and as is suspected in the 4th case, here in Cochiti) roaming and hunting pets have come in contact with rodents or other wildlife, brought the fleas back into the home and bedroom where they often sleep. So Dr. Ettestad advises the following:

1. keep your pets indoors or away from hunting and roaming



2. get a cheap flea comb and flea spray from any pet store



3. and if you are letting your pets out then check them for fleas when they come in for the night and try to have them sleep someplace other than your bed.

Be aware that hiking will often put you and your pet in contact with fleas! So check yourself and your pet at the end of the hike.

There are two types of human bubonic plague - pneumonic (affects the lungs) and septicemic (gets into the blood stream). Symptoms -- ill within 2-7 days, fever, chills, painful swollen lymph nodes in the groin area, armpit and neck areas. Sometimes there is headache, vomiting and diahrrea. If it's septicemic there could also be abdominal pain. If it's pneumonic there could be a severe cough, difficulty breathing and bloody sputum. Symptoms in cats and dogs are similar to humans - fever, lethargy, not eating, and swollen lymph glands around the neck. The plague can be fatal - this year an 8 yr old boy in Santa Fe county died from the plague. The good news is all fleas do not carry the plague and with prompt diagnosis and proper antibiotic treatment the plague can be treated for both human and animal and things can pretty much go back to normal.

If you or your dog or your cat have any of the stated symptoms please seek medical attention immediately - don't think it will just go away.

Other sources: NM Department of Health

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Summer + rainy season = Ticks -- What you should know about tick disease in dogs

What a summer! We're having East Coast weather - humidity, rain, hot, muggy. Besides the swamp cooler being useless, what else do we need to think about? We've already had the plague here - now we need to think out tick diseases. The wildlife is carrying it - but we all moved here to be around wildlife. So here's the scoop - humans and pets can get tick diseases and here's what you should watch for:

There are 4 major tick diseases which affects dogs in the US: Lyme disease, Rocky mountain spotted fewer, ehrlichiosis and babesiosis.

Lyme disease: Lyme disease, named after the town of Lyme, CT, is carried by the black-legged deer tick (Ixodes scapularis) in the East and in the West by Ixodes pacificus or Ixodes neotomae. Larvae of the deer tick feed on mice, nymphs on mice and small mammals and the adult prefers to feed on deer, so those are the primary hosts at each stage of the tick's life. Lyme is endemic in the Northeast and steadily growing in the Midwest and in California. The South and Southwest has a very low (1%) infestation rate.

Symptoms in dogs are generally present with signs of arthritis in the joints closest to the tick bites. Two to five months after being bitten, the lameness that is the primary indicator of possible Lyme disease can come on suddenly and severely; other times it comes on more gradually. You may see shifting lameness where the dog favors one leg, then another. Lameness may come and go, sometimes for weeks at a time. The dog may go off his food. Neurological damage is possible, seizures and changes in temperament, from dullness to extreme of aggression, have been reported in dogs with Lyme. There is no rash as it occurs in humans. Normally, Lyme is crippling but it doesn't kill and the most common signs of the disease are almost always hidden. Lately, veterinarians reported signs of kidney and neurological problems with dogs infected with lyme disease.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fewer: Despite its name, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is found mainly in the Eastern US and usually makes itself known in spring and summer (March to October) but cases of human RMSF have been reported in almost every state, Canada, South America and Mexico.
Dogs most at risk are young, generally large breeds(german shepards and dobermans especially) that spend a lot of time outdoors. Dogs over 3 or 4 years old aren't as likely to get RMSF, possibly having acquired an immunity.
The onset of the disease is rapid. Four or five days after being bitten, the dog will become feverish (up to 105 degrees). Symptoms may include depression, loss of appetite, swollen lymph nodes, bruising on the skin or gums, tiny hemorrhages under the skin, muscle pain, retinal hemorrage, swollen or painful joints. A staggering gait, difficulty keeping his balance, is the dog's most common neurological sign. Seizures are possible. A decrease in the platelets responsible for clotting (thrombocytopenia), is the most consistent finding in blood tests.
If left untreated, RMSF either kills quickly (the disease runs its course in approximately two weeks) or the dog gets over it and is then immune. Symptoms may range from slight through severe to fatal.
It takes two to three weeks for antibodies to be detectable but then their numbers rise sharply for several weeks before they level off and begin a long, slow, gradual decline over many months. Obviously the timeline is very tight here, so, since research indicates that death from untreated RMSF is more common than previously thought, a dog that appears to have it should be treated immediately without waiting for test results to come back.

Ehrlichiosis -- Ehrlichiosis (E. Canis) has three stages. The acute stage is brief and the symptoms are easily missed; it may appear as if the dog has a mild and passing viral infection: snotty nose, diarrhea, fever, a general lack of his usual oomph. In a stoic dog especially, a change in behavior may be the only alert he gives you to get him to the vet.
It's in this stage that the outlook for a cure is best. Very early on, however, testing is probably useless; until ten days to two weeks after infection, the immune system will not have had time to make sufficient antibodies for the tests to detect.
The acute stage over, the disease passes into the subclinical stage. This simply means a stage in which no symptoms are present. Cure, or at the very least, containment of the disease so that it cannot progress, is still a good possibility in this stage, which may last for years.
If the disease progresses to chronic, the outlook is grave, particularly in E. risticii and E. canis. Symptoms show up with a vengeance at this point. There are a lot of symptoms and they are easily mistaken for other diseases: intermittent fever or loss of appetite lethargy, total loss of appetite, gradual loss of body condition (esp. along the spine and around the eyes), viral tumors on the face/mouth/muzzle, hemorrhaging even when the blood count looks normal, clotting problems, low or high calcium levels, seizures, muscle wasting, skin infections, neurological signs, diarrhea, low platelet count, urine too alkaline, vomiting, hyper-reflective eyes, low white blood cell count, bleeding from nose or eyes, signs of arthritis, pneumonia, cough, kidney failure, increased thirst and urination, incoordination, neck or back pain, bleeding under the skin or a rash, swelling of the legs or joints, enlarged lymph nodes, irreversible bone marrow suppression.

Babesiosis -- Babesiosis is a disease of the red blood cells and results in varying degrees of hemolytic anemia (essentially destruction of the RBCs that carry oxygen to the blood). It seems to hit greyhounds extremely hard but any dog that contracts it may become severely ill. It can come on sharply (acute) or violently (peracute) though neither of these stages is common in the US...or perhaps the disease simply isn't often recognized for what it is in either of these stages. It's generally found in the subclinical stage, where there are no apparent symptoms, or the chronic stage in which the disease is well-entrenched and symptoms are obvious .
The brown dog tick, is the usual culprit in the transmission of babesiosis; however, transmission has also occurred by direct, blood to blood transfer in fighting dogs, and by the transfusion of infected blood. Infected bitches have been known to pass the disease to pups in the womb.
In the United States, Babesiosis canis shows up mostly in the South but it does occur in other areas.. Babesiosis gibsoni is found all over the country but most often appears in pit bull terriers.
The dogs most at risk are those brought into an endemic area. These dogs are prone to severe infection. Evidently, those that are born in an area where babesiosis is prevalent get the infection while they're still protected by the colostrum in the mother's milk and, as a result, become immune carriers.
Clinical signs include fever that comes and goes, red or orange-colored urine, loss of appetite and the dog becomes too thin, his bones are more prominent, his coat is dull and there is at least some loss of muscle mass.
Because there is a foreign invader in the red blood cells, the dog's immune system will start to destroy them, adding to the destruction the babesia are causing. A drop in the platelets which aid in blood clotting can make things even worse; this is especially a problem in B. gibsoni. As if that weren't enough, the immune system may begin destroying uninfected RBCs as well. Half of all dogs with babesiosis will need transfusion. Severe inflammation is common and localized inflammation of the central nervous system can occur.

Testing: In order to make a diagnosis, one of the first things a vet will do is run a Complete Blood Count. A CBC can be very helpful, showing up things like reduced platelets or an increase or decrease in white blood cells. However, it's important to remember that a normal CBC does not mean that a dog is free of a tick-borne disease. The CBC alone is not enough to rule them out. In fact, a negative titer on an IFA or ELISA test is not enough. Tests are only part of a diagnosis.

Treatments: A semisynthetic tetracycline, doxycycline is the drug of choice for Ehrlichiosis, Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. It is an antibiotic. All antibiotics destroy or inhibit bacteria and don't differentiate "good" from "bad"; they wipe out beneficial bacteria in the dog's gut right along with the disease-causing organisms. It's a wise idea, then, to give the dog probiotics as long as he's taking doxycycline and for several weeks afterward to avoid the gastrointestinal problems that can develop if he's left without this help for eight weeks or more.

Tick Removal: The Right Way to Remove a Tick
Use a tool specifically made for removing ticks, a pair of sharp tweezers (not blunt ones) or a small pair of curved forceps.
Grab the tick right behind the head, i.e., as close to the skin as you can get, and PULL SLOWLY - STRAIGHT OUT. Don't twist the tick, it isn't made to unscrew. The tick's hypostome, the part that penetrates the dog, has barbs like fishhooks, so slow, easy and straight out is the way you want to go. Do not pull out ticks with your bare hands, you are putting yourself in risk to contract the disease!

Prevention: There are no natural prevention which helps 100% against ticks. In mildly infested areas, you can try natural tick collars or sprays available in your local health food store. In heavily infested areas you need chemical based tick prevention, such as tick collars, sprays or spot-on preventatives such as Frontline. please always consult with your veterinarian about the safest and most affective prevention in your area.

Keep watchful, get things checked out if you have any concerns. These things are treatable if you tend to it early.

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