Local kennel adopted out parvo puppies

A few days back one of the kiddos I work with was very excited to have gotten a new puppy, so out of my pocket I pulled a biscuit! 

“Here.” I said, as I pulled the biscuit from my jeans and gave it to him. 

A huge surprised look came over this kiddo’s face. “Sawee,  as only he pronounces my name, wher’d  ou get this?” he asked. 

“Well, I said, story teller that I am with the kids, Chance & Steeler told me you might be getting a new puppy and they asked me to bring this to school for you.”

His eyes opened even wider. “Weally?” he asked.

  Everyone I work with knows Chance & Steeler very well and most know I have been known to find a pocket full of  biscuits in my jacket or pants on occasion. Such a cheap thing to delight a child’s face!   

“Before you give this to your Puppy, I said,  you have to ask your mommy. Don’t just give it to the puppy without asking.”

“Bu ey?” he questioned. His speech for the words ‘but why’ that only those who love him will understand.

“Because some puppies can get sick when they eat a new food.” I said. Then I went on to give an example of his classmate that had allergies.

“My pubby is ick aweady.” he said. 

“Really?” I asked. Of course I am talking to a four year old who could have given the dog his hot dog at dinner and the dog threw it back up. That classifies as really, really, sick to a four year old!  “Well then, I replied, even more reason to make sure you ask Mommy or Daddy before you give the puppy this biscuit.” 

“Otay.” He said. “I pud it in my ubby.”  

“Yes, keep it in your cubby until you go home.”  I replied.

I hung around until mom came to pick him up so I could tell her about the biscuit.

Sure enough the puppy was sick, severely sick with the parvo viris . 

Parvoviral Enteritis is a severe contagious infection that attacks unprotected puppies and dogs whose immune system might be compromised. You will find this virus in crowed kennels or parks where dogs congregate or anywhere in the environment where an infected dog leaves its feces. This virus has been around since the 1970’s and lasts in the environment for several years and because it is air borne, humans can carry this virus to their home on their clothing and shoes.

All who read this now will be brought back to the day when I was  somewhat a fanatic when Abby had her puppies, and will understand now why I turned people away from seeing them, and why I was very specific to make sure everyone who entered the house  had fresh clean clothes on and left their shoes at the door before entering the house.

Go ahead and ask, how did I know they darned clean clothes? Yep, you got it, I smelled them and gave them the once over. I had never seen so many brand spankin’ new white socks in all my life at one time! 

This virus is also why your vet will strongly suggest that you NOT take your puppy out in public until it is safe to do so after all inoculations are given!  

With parvo you may see bloody diarrhea (often very foul smelling), vomiting, depression, fever, lack of appetite. If you see these symptoms you have a very sick dog that needs immediate care.  Many pups die because treatment is so expensive and lengthy. 

Before I get any further into a parvo tangent let me tell you of the local kennel who adopted out dogs with this virus. This pup came from the Danville SPCA.  I mention this very strongly because not only did the pups that were adopted out have this virus , but everyone that walked into this kennel to look at the animals had the potential to carry it home on their clothing or shoes! 

  If you have a young pup that is not fully vaccinated or you have an older dog with a compromised immune system be careful who you let into the home! If you are a dog trainer or run a training class for puppies be careful and be sure to ask your class if they know of anyone who recently adopted from this kennel. Obviously if you run a training class all of the puppies you train will have had inoculations against this, however it does not mean that it is not being carried to the area where you train which can harm others who may pass through. 

Here is a site that will tell you about this virus and how to clean areas where an infected pet has been.  http://www.marvistavet.com/html/canine_parvovirus.html

This morning, I talked to the Danville SPCA and asked about the problem that this parent spoke about specifically because I do belong to a dog club and they do have puppies in for training. The lady at the SPCA said they are doing everything to disinfect the areas with bleach, they are warning people not to adopt at this time. They are observing all the animals for illness, and they have signs up warning you that you are entering at your own risk. As well there is a bucket of insecticide to dip your feet in should you decide to enter. I strongly advise against this and to let them complete the job of disinfecting and observation of all the animals in their care before having to deal with the public. At this time they are forced to stay open because the headquarters in Philly are telling them to, though they stated they would rather shut down and get things under control first.  

  If you have adopted from there or are thinking of adopting from there it is best to call first and see if they are still giving warnings. 570-275-0340.

Counter Surfing

Emma posing for the camera

Before I begin this article I want to thank all of my readers and friends who kept up with the Steeler kennel saga and sent their well wishes. It meant a lot to me to know that he touches so many people daily, at least enough to make you angry at what happened to him. Know that at this time he seems to be doing fine, but with a little less hair!   

Counter Surfing

 If you don’t know big dogs, you may not be familiar with the term counter surfing, but any size dog can do it, the smaller ones just need an aid to get up to the counter whereas the larger dogs see the counter top as a wonderful chin rest invented by humans which allows them to suck down all treats the counter top can embrace! It’s like one big doggie dish!

Come on, do you really think your bread is safe in that counter top bread box? Think again! Bread is the number one delectable on a counter top for a dog!  Minus that pesky plastic bag of course! 

As humans, when we catch the dog on the counter we usually yell, “No!”  That works possibly for that second, but they’re smart enough to know the minute you leave the room and they are back at it again!

When it comes to dog training, and yes I too am guilty, I find that the word NO comes out of the human’s mouth much like other nasty bodily functions and with the same bad timing and results!

My girl Abby once flipped her lid suddenly at the age of five years old and grabbed a tasty breakfast roll off the counter top which lead her down the path to a nasty habit, one roll and she was addicted to counter surfing like a moth is drawn to light!

Oh Sally so what? What’s a little piece of bread now and then? Where’s the harm? 

Well if you grew up like I did where a piece of toasted raisin bread was your weekly snack or if you’re a fresh fruit hog and keep a bowl of fruit on the counter (namely grapes), such an innocent swipe of a counter top can turn into something deadly because of the toxicity fruits such as grapes and raisins carry for dogs. No one really knows how many of each it takes to kill your dog, nor do they know for sure what is in them that cause such a deadly reaction.  So, always better safe than sorry.

If your dog is a counter surfer and you have not been able to curb that habit because lets face it you can’t watch the dog 24 hours a day, take heart in the fact that there are a few ingenious products to keep your counter safe from the long lap of a wet tongue. Thank God for all things sensor activated!  Who developed the sensor anyway?

The first item I will mention is what I used for Abby. I did not go out and buy this for counter surfing, rather I happened to have purchased it years before from an  ‘As Seen  on TV’ store  and it was actually a product made to alert you when someone pulled in the driveway. It made a loud siren type noise, but since it went off constantly due to every bird or squirrel that crossed its path the family went nuts and boycotted it!   So it was put into a junk draw for no other reason than I had just spent 20 bucks on it and I’ll be damned if I was going to throw it out!  

So when Abby spazzed out and made her first few counter top surfs while I was at work I broke out the hard core driveway alarm.  I actually set her up by purposely leaving a roll on the counter and then went out the back door around to the kitchen window to lay in wait as a fox watches the hen house.

Abby looked at the door, gave a bark or two, nudged Emma as if she were the partner in crime, eyeballed the roll on the counter, looked back at the door, and then went for it!  Eee, aww! Eee, aww! Eee, aww!  Went the alarm and Abby bolted for the gated doorway so fast she tripped over her cohort Emma! Success!   That was that, the end of counter surfing, the end of even going near the counter top for a long, long time!  So if that annoying driveway buzzer is driving your family nuts, try it as a deterrent to places where you don’t want the family dog!

Another product is the scat mat. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this one before although I have never used it. So far, my dogs have been sound sensitive inside the home. The Scat mat puts out a little shock when the animal steps on it. This can be laid on the floor in front of the counter or on the counter itself should Fido be one who uses a chair to reach the goodies. Test it first to be sure it’s working and that the shock is not too much for the dog. Hubby is a good one to test it on, providing he doesn’t wear a pace maker! http://www.petsmart.com/product/include/print/standard.jsp?productId=2752972

There are also alarms made specifically for counters and tables, similar to my driveway alarm but possibly not as loud. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=1096

There are spray devices also that are run by sensor and emit a spray when activated.

http://www.petco.com/product/109550/PetSafe-Pawz-Away-Spray-Deterrent.aspx#BVRRWidgetID

 Driveway patrol

http://compare.ebay.com/like/150619087312?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar 

   

Keep in mind that dogs differ, while some of my dogs are bothered by sound, some are not and you have to find what works best for your dog. Also know that you are trying to keep the dog safe from harm.  Many times humans leave dangerous items on counter tops without thinking so if an alarm or a slight shock, even though it may be scary for the dog,  will stop a dog from getting into something harmful it’s worth it in the long run.

And hey, here’s a sick but fun suggestion. Even if the sound alone works on the dog, get the shock items too and dream of the fun you can have using it on the husband or kids!

Ever crawl into a bed that has a scat mat under the cover? ;)

Until next time, happy training!  

     

the Kennel Saga part 3

Steeler in his Breast Cancer Awareness shirt.

The Kennel called yesterday AM to discuss the letter I sent them and straighten some of the issues out. They are willing to reimberse me for the vet costs, which is fantastic!

 So now I am hoping Steeler stays in good health and his  hair grows back quickly for his next event.

The kennel Saga part 2

Steeler Danville Elementary

Upon my return home I had gathered all the information of the parties involved and then sent this letter to the kennel owner via certified mail. Again the kennel nor their first or last name will be mentioned at this time.

Sally Grottini

Riverside PA. 17868

 Kennel

Sunbury PA. 17801-9610

Dear S** and B**,

After talking with B** upon my return home and getting more information on the day’s events, I was disheartened to learn that on the day Steeler collapsed he and Bentley were out in 91 degree heat for at least two hours. This is something I strictly advised against when I made my appointment with you, then again when we dropped the dogs off for boarding, as well, I gave you a paper stating that they were very prone to heat stroke in this type of weather.

  I came to your facility because you assured me they would be kept in air conditioning as I strongly made clear in my requests at that time. Had I believed you were not going to follow my instructions regarding this I would not have boarded them with you. As humans, we can’t believe that dogs will judge their own medical condition in an atmosphere where there are new distractions, such as a kennel situation. This is when it becomes the human’s job to understand and protect the dog from harm.

 Although you may feel that the roof covering the kennels was enough to keep the dogs cool, clearly for this particular breed it was not. This is why I was adamant about the air conditioning and that my dogs go out for potty reasons only, especially with the temperatures we were expecting that week. As a kennel owner of 11 years you should have known this and if you were unfamiliar with the breed then it was even more important for you to adhere to my instructions.

As a result of your actions  and decision to allow Steeler to be in the heat he suffered an ailment which needed immediate attention and supportive care from my vet  from the dates of Wednesday June 1, 2011 to Sat June 4, 2011 and again on June 7, 2011 for a blood panel to check kidney function. As well, on the second day of his hospital stay his neck and body were found to be full of maggots which resulted in a total shave down from his face area to his tail.

To make matters worse, upon my return and in talking to B** I was told that Steeler was not eating his normal dry food provided him and he was living on only a ½ of can of dog food a day. This is a 173 pound dog we are talking about who would certainly need more nutrition than that. With the list of contact numbers I had left for you, had you called any one of those people, they would have purchased more cans of food and brought them to you to ensure he was eating correctly, yet you never made a call.

From the time I came home Steeler was not only suffering incontinence but also having problems getting up and down and was wobbly on his feet. During Tuesday’s exam, June 7, 2011, when I mentioned this to my vet upon examination it was found that his back is showing soreness and when pressed on in a specific spot Steeler fell to the floor.

All of the above ailments mentioned were not a concern when I left him with you but became a concern upon my return home.

S**, in talking to you when I called from Bermuda, you stated that Steeler had not been out more than 15 minutes before he collapsed, and I told you that even that amount of time was too long in the high heat and humidity. As well, your statements to me totally contradict the information B** gave not only to my dog sitter, but also to me as well when I called him. His account seems more accurate that the dogs were outside in a run for about two hours before he found Steeler down.

 I am sure with such conflicting stories you can understand my confusion as to what really happened and my skepticism at what information you were giving me.

Given all the information that I have learned from you, B**, my dog sitter, and my Vet, I find that you were negligent in satisfying the needs of my dogs which I hired you to do, and because of that negligence I incurred a large vet bill and my dog is now out of commission for the next several months in his duties as a therapy dog.  I present to you the the opportunity to make things right by paying this bill for Steeler, of which you will find an attached copy.

At the same time we do acknowledge that because Bentley had made it through this ordeal in your kennel without known problems to us, you should be compensated for the 7 days of his boarding. It is my understanding that the dog sitter pulled him from your establishment the first thing Friday morning once she had been told by my veterinarian about the maggots on Steeler. This means you had Bentley for 7 full days on the dates of:  Friday May 27, 2011 until Thursday June 2, 2011 at $12.00 a day.

I will expect an answer from you within 5 days of the receipt of this letter. If you do not respond and this cannot be resolved between us, I will unfortunately have to take further actions which I would rather not do.    

Sincerely, 

Sally Grottini

The Kennel Saga

The above is the condition Steeler is normally in

              

So much to do! So much to do!  Pete and I were going on the vacation of a lifetime! Our very first cruise! Bermuda bound!

As it got closer to our departure I sat glued to the TV and monitored the upcoming weather in PA for the following week. UGH, hotter and more humid! Since I would soon be leaving I was hoping the weather would cool down a bit for the dogs.   With the knowledge of the hot weather to come I drove my hubby and son nuts by nagging them regarding the remaining AC unit which needed to be brought up from the basement and installed.  (Thank you Jason for doing that for me!)

 I get a bit anxious when I know my pups are going to be left behind and given the amount of dogs that I have I want everything to go smoothly for the person who will be coming into my home to care for them. If it runs smoothly for the caretaker, then I know that the dogs will be properly cared for and hopefully that caretaker won’t mind watching them the next time I need someone.  

Only one week left before we set sail! 

1)  AC in windows, up and running. ~check

2)  Copies of instructions and contact numbers for all involved including the boarding facility where Steeler and Bentley will be. ~ check 

3) Food, both canned and dry for home and for the boarding facility ~ Check

4)  Copies of Shot Records ~ Check

5)  Written copies of dog ailments and allergies~ Check

6)  Instructions on care and medicine~ Check

7)  Automatic water hook up~ check

8)  Multiple filled gallons of water throughout the house~ check

9)  Towels, drool cloths, extra leashes, and tethers in dog closet~ check

10) Written permission for my dog sitter to seek medical care for any of my dogs if needed~ Check  

Whew I am ready!

All Aboard To Set Sail!

 Day one: On the ship: Extremely exciting! A trip of a lifetime!  The first time I have ever seen the Statue of Liberty! Odd for a former New Yorker I know!

Day Two: Food, food, and more food, variety shows, and Black Jack! 

 Day Three: Lots of shows, gambling, and smooth sailing, oh and more food, food, food!

Day four: Beach time for some, however for me due to the stitches in my arm, water fun was out, so time to visit the shops and pick up trinkets, but first I needed to check in on the home front now that the boat is docked and we finally have cell phone connections.

Ring. Ring. Ring. The phone echoed in my ear. 

“Hello?” My mother answered.

“Hi Ma!” I said. “How is everything?”

“Oh, okay, uh, well, oh." she asked. "Did Jason call you?”

That’s when I knew it, something went wrong. “No.” I answered. “Why, what happened?”

“Uh, well." she said, "He’s going to call you anyway, so I guess I can tell you.”

“Tell me what?” I asked.

“Well, um, something happened to the dog.” She answered. She’s stuttering a bit now as she struggled to get it out.

“Which Dog?” I asked.

I could feel her nervousness though this long distance international roaming telephone call.

“Um, oh, ah, …she stammered.

“Chance?” I asked.  

“No.” She stammered again.

“Casey? Emma? Abby?” I asked feeling my heart pound with each name I rambled off.

“No, no, um, oh God why can’t I remember his name?” She asked. “The therapy dog, the one in the kennel.” 

“Steeler?” I asked.

“Yeah, Steeler.” She answered.

“What happened?” I asked.

“Well, he’s okay now, my mother answered, but he is at the vet.”

“What happened?” I asked again.

“Um..”  Again she fumbled, probably because of the nervousness in my own voice.  “Well, he collapsed. You should call Molly.”

And so I did.

“Ring, ring.” The cell phone echoed again in my ear only this time it had a sound of urgency!

“Hello?” Molly’s voice came over the phone.

“Molly, it’s Sally, I just talked to my mother, what’s going on?” I urged. 

“Well all my dogs are fine!” She said. (meaning the four dogs she was caring for at my house.) “But Steeler was brought in to the Vet from the kennel for heat stroke today.  I spoke to the Vet and he is okay and is on IV fluids. I spoke to the kennel owners as well.  He’ll be at the vets and I’ll be bringing bring him back to your house when Jason comes out."

 She then proceeded to tell me the events of the day.

It is my decision to be fair to all involved, that I not repeat verbatim all of what was said between us but the message was clear. 

I called the kennel after speaking with Molly to see what they had to say.
To the best of my recollection this is the story I got but again not verbatim.  

 The kennel owner said that Steeler collapsed and they hosed him down for an hour and then took him to the Vet. They tried to call the lady whose number I left (meaning Molly) but she did not answer the phone and rather than wait for her any longer they took him to my vet.

I asked the kennel owner if she had gotten a body temperature at the time Steeler collapsed before cooling him down. The answer was no.   

I asked how long he was outside in the heat and the kennel owner said, “They (meaning Bentley and Steeler) were only out for about 15 minutes” which strongly contradicted the other kennel owner’s accounts as given to Molly (and myself upon my return home). 

I again stated to her my claim over the phone as I did before I left on my trip, that even 15 minutes of any activity in 91 degree heat and humidity for this breed was enough time to cause a problem.

I then called the vet office next and asked them for information and the receptionist, after talking to the doctor, said Steeler was doing okay. I asked why he was brought in and she stated all that she knew from what she gathered by the chart, is that the dog was brought in from kennel due to possible heat stroke with a temp near 104.  She assured me again that he was okay. I told her from that point on that  the Molly was to be  the only caretaker and had written permission to make medical decisions in my absence.

This was the beginning of the end of my fun in the sun, and my international roaming continued to roam!

 Thursday near dinner time in Bermuda, the day after Steeler was brought in to the Vet's office, Peter called my son Jason to see how Steeler was doing. Jason, in the meantime, was texting Peter of the day’s events with a text that started out with,  “Dad, don’t tell mom but…"      

To me starting a conversation like that is never a good sign!

“Hi Jason, how’s Steeler?” Peter asked.

Jason was so annoyed he was speaking loudly and I could hear him over the phone's speaker starting to reply.  “Oh he’s a mess!”

“Hold on.” Peter replied. “I’m giving the phone to your mother.”

Peter handed me the phone.

“Hi Ja, what’s going on?” I asked.

“Steeler is a mess and he was loaded with maggots!” Jason replied. “The Vet office had to shave off all the hair under his neck to get rid of them.   You should call Molly and talk to her. I’ll be at the house by 11:00 and Molly will bring him home to me. She’s gonna’ get Bentley out of the kennel too and keep him at her office until I get home."

             

The story I was hearing:

  Apparently the day after Steeler was brought in to the  Vet clinic, the Vet tech was tending to him and was going to clean him up when she noticed a particular bad odor. She knew instantly what that odor was. I had no idea that maggots gave off an odor but when the Vet tech talked to me on my return home in her words, “He Stank!”

They had to shave Steeler down to the skin due to the amount of maggots she found on his neck and I was shocked when I got home to see he was shaved all the way down to his tail. To me this means there were maggots in many areas.  

 Molly had told me having seen Steeler  after he was brought to the vet’s office, that he was a real mess due to the kennel owner rolling him back and forth as they hosed him down. He was apparently caked in mud. 

Needless to say I felt someone at the kennel was not exactly telling the truth as there seemed to be more contradictions than Carter had liver pills, but until I returned home and had time to talk to all parties, I really could not sort it out.

Upon his return home Steeler  had excessive thirst for days and often lost control of his bladder inside the home so by Tuesday a blood and urine test were done to test kidney function. Thankfully at this time all is fine in that department. There is a noticeable problem with his back as he was wobbly when getting up and down upon his return home and when the Vet pressed a certain spot on his back Steeler went down.  Although doing a bit better in that department as well, he is still not 100%. 

To date, although Steeler is home, his personality is seemingly a tad off. He now is more aware of every movement I make around the home and is very clingy.  He has lost weight due to not eating anything more than a half of can of dog food daily, for the six days he spent at the kennel, hardly enough to sustain a 173 pound dog. My suspicions are that he was outside in the heat often and he was too hot to eat, unless of course it was something delicious that he does not normally get on a daily basis which would be canned dog food.  He did eat fine at the vet office according to their records, but he was also kept inside in AC so that would make sense to me.  

  
 I have written the kennel owner a letter of my disappointment in the care of Steeler after we spoke upon my return home and I am expecting some type of compensation to resolve this issue between us. I am hoping we can come to a mutual resolution.  

Those who know Steeler know that he has done much to raise money for non profit groups and charitable events, and know that he is the mascot for the County Animal Response Team along with his brother Chance. To me, his work is not taken lightly.

As well, his duties as a certified therapy dog have found him to benefit the ill or lonely who needed a touch, an ear, a kiss. He is a companion for the local elementary children who sit and read stories to him in the ‘Read to Dogs Program’ and he visits preschoolers to teach bite prevention and dog care.

  If you passed through Bloomsburg PA near the month of February 2011 you would have seen his picture on the billboard for his work at the Children’s fair.      

I will give the full story as it unfolds and as I am able. I will not at this time name the kennel as they need a fair chance to respond to my letter.    Below is what Steeler looked like when I  came home.  

Steeler after 6 days in the kennel