Pet Vaccinations Make The TODAY SHOW

There is still conflicting information regarding the frequency of vaccinating our pets and veterinarians agree and disagree on the topic but there is the beginning of national awareness and that is key.
Always for you Smokey.

Canine Injection-Site Sarcoma: So Rare, Your Vet Won't Believe You
The Story of Duke, the Rare Wonder Dog

Duke is a young male boxer dog who proved his veterinarian wrong when he was diagnosed with a malignant injection-site sarcoma (ISS). Duke was born in a February litter of AKC registered boxer puppies in 2004. He received his first Rabies vaccination upon reaching the age of three months, as most dogs do.

Duke rebounded from the sharp sting of the vaccination needle and continued to play, as puppies love to do. He didn't seem to notice the small lump which appeared within a couple of days of the vaccination and which continued to linger for several weeks. Duke's family noticed though and returned to the Vet's office, where the lump was explained away as a possible allergic reaction to the shot, or as a small buildup of tissue under the skin that was considered a normal to an injection.

As the months passed, the lump continued to worry Duke's family; it was subcutaneous (under the skin) and seemed to be growing. Duke made a few more trips to the vet for this and that, and each trip, his human family would ask the vet to look at his lump again. Each time they were told not to worry about it, that "Boxers are notorious for tumor growths," and that "The odds of a cancerous tumor in a puppy this young are negligible."

Learn more about canine injection site sarcoma and Duke's story here.

Dog Beach Boogie

On a much lighter note, video brought to you by:
Bark ' N Blog....nuttin' but the dog in me
See Dr. Kim Bloomer and her dog Shadrach the Neo Mastiff in my LINKS

Teach Kindness And Compassion

If our children are not learning it at home maybe you can help. Click on the banner and visit TeachKind.org

The Easiest And Most Important Holiday Gift of Wellness You Can give

There's nothing more special that you can give your pet for Christmas than the gift of good health.
They don't need a stocking stuffed with Milk Bones, a new squeaky toy or a rhinestone encrusted collar.

The money you spend on extras year round for your pet could be spent on a one time upgrade of their nutrition by way of providing quality food.

Do you remember the horrible outcome this year of the pet food recall. Dogs and cats dying from kidney failure. What I noticed was that the cause, the recalled ingredient wheat gluten, was added to numerous brands of food no matter what they cost. Name brands such as Iams and Eukanuba were as affected as the local grocery store brand kibble.

When our little beagle Shiloh developed kidney failure from a tick borne illness the first thing I did was jump on the computer in research mode. In the process of reading about strengthening the immune system I came across the importance of providing your pet good nutrition. Unfortunately it was too late to help Shiloh with just a switch in pet food but we could help our Shih Tzu Choo Choo and our cat Smokey.

That was when I decided that just like one of the family Choo Choo and Smokey would eat the best food that we could provide. I chose Innova by Natura. Innova is just one of Natura's brands of dog and cat food. Because of the trust I place in Natura's food manufacturing process I never had to worry about the wrong ingredient being added. The company gives assurances that they know where every ingredient in their food comes from and they have their own food plants that they inspect. In regards to the recall the president of the company put out a video statement on their web site.

There are other brands on the market that provide the same assurances but you won't find them in your grocery pet food isle, Petsmart or Petco. Most companies web sites will provide a store locater to help you find the closest store that carries their food.

Some of the brands include:
Wellness by Old Mother Hubbard
Solid Gold
Halo's Holistic
Or look at many brands at the Only Natural Pet Store.

If you really think of your dog or cat as a member of the family then take the time to do a search on the internet for the best food that you can provide. If you have a new puppy or kitty now is the time to start on their road to good health.
It's never too late to change just don't wait until a pet gets sick to find out like I did.

Christmas Stockings Make Me Blue

I was hanging Christmas stockings on the mantle this morning and had to move around Smokey's picture and his little box of ashes. It made me sad. I still miss him.

Rabies Vaccine Research Study Started

Nine Month Growth Of A Fibrosarcoma Associated With A Rabies Vaccine

One of the most important vaccine research studies in veterinary medicine is underway at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in Madison.
Dr. Ronald Schultz, a leading authority on veterinary vaccines and Chair of the Department of Pathobiological Sciences, has begun concurrent 5 and 7 year challenge studies to determine the long-term duration of immunity of the canine rabies vaccine, *with the goal of extending the state-mandated interval for boosters*. These will be the first long-term challenge studies on the canine rabies vaccine to be published in the United States.

Dr. Schultz comments that:"We are all very excited to start this study that will hopefully demonstrate that rabies vaccines can provide a minimum of 7 years of immunity." This research is being financed by The Rabies Challenge Fund, a charitable trust founded by pet vaccine disclosure advocate Kris L.Christine of Maine, who serves as Co-Trustee with world-renowned veterinary research scientist and practicing clinician, Dr. W. Jean Dodds of Hemopet in California. The Rabies Challenge Fund recently met its goal of $177,000 to fund the studies’ first year budget with contributions from dog owners, canine groups, trainers, veterinarians,and small businesses. Annual budget goals of $150,000 for the studies must be met in the future.

Dr. Jean Dodds, DVM states: "This is the first time in my 43 years of involvement in veterinary issues that what started as a grass-roots effort to change an outmoded regulation affecting animals will be addressed scientifically by an acknowledged expert to benefit all canines in the future." Scientific data published in 1992 by Michel Aubert and his research team demonstrated that dogs were immune to a rabies challenge 5 years after vaccination, while Dr. Schultz’s serological studies documented antibody titer counts at levels known to confer immunity to rabies 7 years post-vaccination. This data strongly suggests that state laws requiring annual or triennial rabies boosters for dogs are redundant. Because the rabies vaccine is the most potent of the veterinary vaccines and associated with significant adverse reactions, it should not be
given more often than is necessary to maintain immunity. Adverse reactions such autoimmune diseases affecting the thyroid, joints, blood, eyes, skin, kidney, liver, bowel and central nervous system; anaphylactic shock; aggression; seizures; epilepsy; and fibrosarcomas at injection sites are linked to rabies vaccinations.

Study co-trustee Kris Christine adds: “Because the USDA does not require vaccine manufacturers to provide long-term duration of immunity studies documenting maximum effectiveness when licensing their products, concerned dog owners have contributed the money to fund this research themselves. We want to ensure that rabies immunization laws are based upon independent, long-term scientific data.”

More information and regular updates on The Rabies Challenge Fund and the concurrent 5 and 7 year challenge studies and it's financing can be found at the fund’s website www.RabiesChallengeFund.org