The A B Cs of Lyme Disease

Contributed by a CP Volunteer

Understanding Lyme Disease will help you and your Cairn enjoy the great outdoors.

You may never see a tick on your dog, and you may never miss an application of Frontline or other preventative, but it is wise to be aware of the signs and symptoms of Lyme Disease so quick and effective action can be taken if necessary.

Lyme disease is a horrible disease spread by ticks, causing widespread joint and tissue pain and more.  Your dog may start limping or reacting to touch.  Worse than that, Lyme disease can seemingly cause an otherwise wonderful little dog to become a raging, aggressive monster, with no rhyme or reason.  If the Lyme Disease is undetected, the dog will very likely be destroyed when, tragically, the proper course of antibiotics would have cleared the problem completely.

If you do find that your dog has somehow contracted Lyme disease, it is very important to get it treated aggressively.  Doxycycline should be given for a period of 8 weeks, at twice the recommended level, and a C6 Quantative Analysis by Idexx should be done at the time the Lyme is diagnosed, and then again six months after treatment to see if the levels of antibodies go down by at least 50%.

If not, the dog should be treated again, same as above.  Lyme disease is a serious disease and should be treated aggressively.  Treating as recommended in the Merck manual may leave an animal partially cured, but with enough antibodies in their blood that it can recur, which is then called a "flare-up".  Each time a flare-up occurs, it is harder to stop or contain it.  

The vets on the Tick list recommend the dog be treated with doxy at twice the rate in the Merck manual and for 8 weeks rather than 4.

Join the Tick-L (tick list) at:

http://saluqi.home.netcom.com/ticklinks.htm

Many of us have been shoveling snow for a month or so already, even though it is not even Winter yet!  Now is the time to start thinking about keeping your best friends safe from the host of diseases carried by the insidious little tick.  Planning ahead - long before the grass starts to grow - might be the best approach to a more enjoyable Spring, Summer, and Fall with your dog!  Even after a brutally cold Winter, a single warm day in late Winter will bring the ticks back to life.

First, look around your yard for areas that need to be tidied up.  Ticks like tall grasses, low bushes, and yard debris, so identify any areas of concern. 

• Cut your grass short and plan to keep it short.  There are fabulous new dwarf grasses you might consider introducing to your lawn to help in this regard and eventually reduce the work.

• If possible, create a 6-foot wide edge between your active lawn and any taller grass, plants, or bushes.  Cedar mulch is great, except if you have a dog that likes to nibble on yard materials.  Better to use stone or a concrete walk.  Ticks may be in the taller grass, but they will not cross a barrier of this nature.

• Purchase food quality Diatomaceous Earth (DE) and sprinkle it around the perimeter and all over your yard, in the gardens, and along the foundation of your home.  DE is a powdery substance made from tiny fossilized water plants. The tiny particles have sharp edges that cut and destroy flea eggs, dry out adult insects' protective outer coating, and shred their insides if ingested.  It is very effective in ridding your yard of ticks!  Treating your yard with DE is an excellent preventative measure and can be done once or twice annually, depending on several environmental variables.  Just be sure to use food grade DE.

• Look for natural products to kill or ward off fleas and ticks, but always keep in mind the safety of your dog when using any pesticide, natural or otherwise.

Seems like a lot of bother, but it is well worth it!

Understanding Lyme Disease

Contributed by a CP Volunteer

Things to consider while you are Thinking Spring!

You may never see a tick on your dog, and you may never miss an application of Frontline or other preventative, but it is wise to be aware of the signs and symptoms of Lyme Disease so quick and effective action can be taken if necessary.

Lyme disease is a horrible disease spread by ticks, causing widespread joint and tissue pain and more.  Your dog may start limping or reacting to touch.  Worse than that, Lyme disease can seemingly cause an otherwise wonderful little dog to become a raging, aggressive monster, with no rhyme or reason.  If the Lyme Disease is undetected, the dog will very likely be destroyed when, tragically, the proper course of antibiotics would have cleared the problem completely.

If you do find that your dog has somehow contracted Lyme disease, it is very important to get it treated aggressively.  Doxycycline should be given for a period of 8 weeks, at twice the recommended level, and a C6 Quantative Analysis by Idexx should be done at the time the Lyme is diagnosed, and then again six months after treatment to see if the levels of antibodies go down by at least 50%.

If not, the dog should be treated again, same as above.  Lyme disease is a serious disease and should be treated aggressively.  Treating as recommended in the Merck manual may leave an animal partially cured, but with enough antibodies in their blood that it can recur, which is then called a "flare-up".  Each time a flare-up occurs, it is harder to stop or contain it.  

The vets on the Tick list recommend the dog be treated with doxy at twice the rate in the Merck manual and for 8 weeks rather than 4.

Join the Tick-L (tick list) at:

http://saluqi.home.netcom.com/ticklinks.htm

Many of us have been shoveling snow for a month or so already, even though it is not even Winter yet!  Now is the time to start thinking about keeping your best friends safe from the host of diseases carried by the insidious little tick.  Planning ahead - long before the grass starts to grow - might be the best approach to a more enjoyable Spring, Summer, and Fall with your dog!  Even after a brutally cold Winter, a single warm day in late Winter will bring the ticks back to life.

First, look around your yard for areas that need to be tidied up.  Ticks like tall grasses, low bushes, and yard debris, so identify any areas of concern. 

• Cut your grass short and plan to keep it short.  There are fabulous new dwarf grasses you might consider introducing to your lawn to help in this regard and eventually reduce the work.

• If possible, create a 6-foot wide edge between your active lawn and any taller grass, plants, or bushes.  Cedar mulch is great, except if you have a dog that likes to nibble on yard materials.  Better to use stone or a concrete walk.  Ticks may be in the taller grass, but they will not cross a barrier of this nature.

• Purchase food quality Diatomaceous Earth (DE) and sprinkle it around the perimeter and all over your yard, in the gardens, and along the foundation of your home.  DE is a powdery substance made from tiny fossilized water plants. The tiny particles have sharp edges that cut and destroy flea eggs, dry out adult insects' protective outer coating, and shred their insides if ingested.  It is very effective in ridding your yard of ticks!  Treating your yard with DE is an excellent preventative measure and can be done once or twice annually, depending on several environmental variables.  Just be sure to use food grade DE.

• Look for natural products to kill or ward off fleas and ticks, but always keep in mind the safety of your dog when using any pesticide, natural or otherwise.

Seems like a lot of bother, but it is well worth it!

Ticks, Lyme Disease, and Aggression

Contributed by a CP Volunteer

Thinking Ahead About Spring!

It snowed again today, but we have, after all, Sprung Ahead so Spring will surely actually be here before we know it!  Now is the time to start thinking about keeping your best friends safe from the host of diseases carried by the insidious little tick.  Planning ahead - before the grass starts to grow - might be the best approach to a more enjoyable Spring, Summer, and Fall with your dog!

First, look around your yard for areas that need to be tidied up.  Ticks like tall grasses, low bushes, and yard debris, so identify any areas of concern. 

• Cut your grass short and plan to keep it short.  There are fabulous new dwarf grasses you might consider introducing to your lawn to help in this regard and eventually reduce the work.

• If possible, create a 6-foot wide edge between your active lawn and any taller grass, plants, or bushes.  Cedar mulch is great, except if you have a dog that likes to nibble on yard materials.  Better to use stone or a concrete walk.  Ticks may be in the taller grass, but they will not cross a barrier of this nature.

• Purchase food quality Diatomaceous Earth (DE) and sprinkle it around the perimeter and all over your yard, in the gardens, and along the foundation of your home.  DE is a powdery substance made from tiny fossilized water plants. The tiny particles have sharp edges that cut and destroy flea eggs, dry out adult insects' protective outer coating, and shred their insides if ingested.  It is very effective in ridding your yard of ticks!  Treating your yard with DE is an excellent preventative measure and can be done once or twice annually, depending on several environmental variables.  Just be sure to use food grade DE.

• Look for natural products to kill or ward off fleas and ticks, but always keep in mind the safety of your dog when using any pesticide, natural or otherwise.

Seems like a lot of bother, but it is well worth it.

Lyme disease is a horrible disease spread by ticks, causing widespread joint and tissue pain and more.  Worse than that, it can seemingly cause an otherwise wonderful little dog to become a raging, aggressive monster, with no rhyme or reason.  If the Lyme Disease is undetected, the dog will very likely be destroyed when the proper course of antibiotics would have cleared the problem completely.

If you do find that your dog has somehow contracted Lyme disease, it is very important to get it treated aggressively.  Doxycycline should be given for a period of 8 weeks, at twice the recommended level, and a C6 Quantative Analysis by Idexx should be done at the time the Lyme is diagnosed, and then again six months after treatment to see if the levels of antibodies go down by at least 50%.

If not, the dog should be treated again, same as above.  Lyme disease is a serious disease and should be treated aggressively.  Treating as recommended in the Merck manual may leave an animal partially cured, but with enough antibodies in their blood that it can recur, which is then called a "flare-up".  Each time a flare-up occurs, it is harder to stop or contain it.  

The vets on the Tick list recommend the dog be treated with doxy at twice the rate in the Merck manual and for 8 weeks rather than 4.

Join the Tick-L (tick list) at:

http://saluqi.home.netcom.com/ticklinks.htm

Photo: Hunter G. waiting and watching for Spring!

Welcome Henri`

Please welcome and embrace Henri` - he is an owner surrender and a former CP kid. Henri` is an example of how Col. Potter helps a CP kid forever. This, I believe, shows the depth of care CPCRN shows for all the CP furkids and their families. First a little about Henri` (French pronounciation please!), he's 7 years old and has put on a few pounds since he left CP but that will change. He's a very well mannered, mellow, sweet and loving cairn. His playmate has been a 3 month old kitten. Yes, he really is a cairn. He's captured more than one heart in his day!

CP has a policy that if a CP cairn cannot be kept by his forever home that the cairn come back to CP. What a blessing this has been for his adoptive mom. She was recently diagnosed with a devastating and life threatening illness. When she was making the necessary arrangements to have those she loved taken care of, she knew Henri` had Col. Potter in his corner. Henri` will be enjoying the company of Lulu and Daphne E. in beautiful British Columbia. He doesn't know it yet but Daphne has a diet plan all ready for him as well as a few special low fat treats!

As if Henri` hasn't had enough bad luck, while he was at the vet yesterday he tested positive for Lyme disease. He has started treatment and will be back to his old healthy, svelte self in no time. Col. Potter has many vet expenses for the cairns and it's not just the puppy mill kids who may need extra help. Sometimes an owner surrender may have a hidden condition that requires additional vet care. This is why it's so important to get the link for the current New Leash On Life out to friends, co-workers, neighbors and family. Col. Potter never knows when a cairn may need help above and beyond the norm. When that call for help comes, Col. Potter needs to be ready to jump into action. NLOL is one of the great tools for raising funds and helping kids like Henri`.

Please take a moment to send positive thoughts to Henri's` mom as she begins her battle to overcome her illness and to Henri` in his journey to find a forever home forever!!