Dr. Carol,
We have two black labs Coal & Belle; they are 1 yr and a couple weeks. When they were younger they played with rocks and chewed on them. Then they started swallowing them. When we would catch them chewing on them we would tell them to “drop it” then pick up the rock and tell them “no”. Coal would and still does it the worst.

He throws up and sometimes, out come the rocks that way, and the smaller ones pass through. He loses his appetite for a day or so but gets it back. Yesterday morning I woke up to his vomiting, no rocks, ate breakfast which didn’t stay down. He hasn’t had a bowel movement since yesterday morning; he threw up quite a bit in the morning and a couple of times later on. Now this morning he only vomited once and it was bile because he hasn’t eaten since yesterday. He just lays he won’t eat I even tried to give him his favorite treat he sniffed and turned away from it. I am suspecting a rock has gotten stuck.

He did drink some water awhile ago. I don’t know what to do. I can’t really afford to take him to the vet. I am on a limited income with 2 kids too. I don’t think the vet would let me make payments if it comes to something expensive.
Help, I love my puppies like my own kids. But am lost about what to do, I sit with Coal a rub his belly which and he rolls over like he is saying that feels go keep doing it.
Thank you, Debbie

Hi Debbie,
It sounds like he is either impacted and his intestines are blocked perhaps with the
rocks, or he is constipated as a result of eating the rocks. Bloat is a remote possibility. As a veterinarian for over 25 years, this sounds like an emergency and although this is not what you were hoping to hear, I would take him to your vet today to avoid further problems!!
I am glad to talk to you and offer suggestions.
Thank you,
Dr. Carol

Chagrin Falls, Ohio (September 16, 2008)—Mars Petcare US announced another recall of its pet food products manufactured at its Everson, Pennsylvania facility. The pet food is being recalled because of contamination with a bacteria called Salmonella, which causes severs diarrhea and can be fatal. This recall only affects the United States.

Salmonella bacteria can cause serious infections in dogs and cats, and, people are also at risk if they handle the contaminated food. People especially at risk are children, older individuals and those with compromised immune systems. Healthy people that may have touched the tainted food should monitor themselves for some or all of the following signs: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. On rare occasions, Salmonella can result in more serious problems including artery infections, heart infections called endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers showing these signs after having contact with the tainted pet food should contact their physician immediately.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Animals can be carriers with no visible signs and can potentially infect other animals and/or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Mars Petcare US does not plan to resume production out of a commitment to the safety of our pet owners and their pets, customers, and associates.

Many of the brands involved in the recall are national brands produced at multiple facilities. A chart for all products is listed on the mars web site.

Mars Petcare US will work with retail customers to ensure that the recalled products are not on store shelves. These products should not be sold or fed to pets. In the event that consumers believe they have purchased products affected by this voluntary recall, they should return the product to the store where they purchased it for a full refund. Specific product details and other information can be found at www.petcare.mars.com
Please find recalled pet food UPC information below.

The products listed below are made at our Everson facility on behalf of a variety of retailers. All code dates, with the exception of PEDIGREE®, are listed in a similar format as noted below:
Consumers should look for “17” as the first two digits of the second line. Sample:
Best By Feb 18 09
17 1445 1
For PEDIGREE® the Everson code date format is as follows:
Consumers should look for “PAE” on the bottom line – the sixth, seventh and eighth digits. Sample:
PEDIGREE ® Small Crunchy Bites
Best Before 02/2009
808G1PAE01 12:00
In an effort to prevent the transmission of Salmonella from pets to family members and care givers, the FDA recommends that everyone follow appropriate pet food handling guidelines when feeding their pets. A list of safe pet food handling tips can be found at: www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/petfoodtips080307.html
Pet owners who have questions about the recall should call 1-877-568-4463 or visit www.petcare.com
Bookmark www.carolonpets.com for the latest pet health updates and news for your dog and cat.
Veterinarian and author, Dr. Carol Osborne, D.V.M. offers pet consultations and a variety of home made recipes and diets for dogs and cats.

The world’s first cloned dog named Snuppy has successfully sired his first litter of nine puppies, according to researchers at Seoul National University in South Korea.

Artificial insemination was the method used to impregnate Snuppy’s sperm into two cloned Afgan bitches, marking the first time that pups have ever been born from cloned parents.

This validates the fact that cloned dogs are able to reproduce and opens the door to clone both guide dogs and sniffer dogs, both of which are usually spayed or neutered before their training begins.
Bookmark www.carolonpets.com for the latest pet health updates and news for dogs and cats.
Veterinarian and author, Dr. Carol Osborne, D.V.M. is available for personal pet consultations Toll Free at 1-866-372-2765.

Hi Dr. Carol,

I used PAAWS for my last dog, a German Shepherd, from the age of 7 when I saw the ad on TV. Kirby was then ‘acting’ old and could no longer jump on the bed, just not able to do things that he used to. The infomercial was so much our lives that I instantly ordered the PAAWS and started Kirby on it. It was like night and day how he changed. He took the PAAWS until I had to put him down last February at the very advanced age of 15.
Now I am starting my new puppy, a Kerry Blue Terrier, on PAAWS now that I hear you are carrying it. My vet was stunned when he read the label from Kirby’s and he said “Gee, what isn’t in that stuff?” and he approved of it greatly.

I was very glad to see that there is Puppy PAAWS and I can hardly wait to try it.
Thanks,
Patti C.

Dogs diagnosed with a very common type of cancer called Lymphoma now have new hope due to the efforts of veterinarians at North Carolina State School of Veterinary Medicine
This is the first vet clinic in the United States to offer bone-marrow transplants for dogs. They expect to perform their first operation within the next month, according to Dr. Steven Suter who is heading up the transplant efforts.
The procedure is possible due to three leukophoresis machines donated by the famed mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The machines, which cost about $80,000 each, harvest healthy stem cells from canine patients with lymphoma cancer which often originates in lymph nodes. The healthy new cells are then reintroduced to the dog after total body radiation is used to kill the cancer cells left in the body.
Although the Mayo Clinic has used the machines for people, little to no modification are needed for it to be used on dogs. Bone-marrow therapy treatments were tested on dogs for many years before being used for people.
The cost is estimated at approximately $15,000 for each dog. While this seems pricy at first glance, the truth is that it’s not that much more than many pet owners spend to provide chemotherapy for their canine companions with lymphoma. The problem with chemotherapy is that aside from cost, it offers no real cure and ultimately these dogs do not survive.
Expected survival rate for dogs that undergo a bone-marrow transplant is estimated at 30 to 50 percent. Some chemotherapy will still be used in addition to the transplant. That cost should be less than $1500.00.
While bone-marrow transplants have been performed on dogs in research settings for decades, only a few have been done by veterinarians in private practice. Dr. Ed Sullivan of Bellingham, Wash., near Seattle, has performed six of the procedures over the past few years, charging as much as $35,000 for the operation.
Washington State University School of Veterinary Medicine hopes to offer the transplants for dogs in the near future according to Dr. Jeffrey Bryan, who is the leader of the transplant effort in the WSU vet school.
Bookmark www.carolonpets.com for the latest pet health updates and news for your dog and cat. Holistic veterinarian and author, Dr. Carol Osborne, D.V.M. successfully works with many dogs diagnosed with lymphoma, extending their life span naturally by an average of 2 quality years, rather than the average 4-6 months past diagnosis. Dr. Osborne is available for personal pet consultations Toll Free at 1-866-372-2765.

A 10-year old lab mix, named Chai, ended up having his tongue amputated after chewing on a “pimple ball” made by Four Paws. Specifically the item is the pimple ball with bell. (Item #20227-001, UPC Code 0 4566320227 9)

Chai was chewing on the toy, which because it only had one hole (instead of 2 holes) in it, a vacuum was created that sucked his tongue into the hole of the ball. Chia’s owner because aware of the problem when he began to whimper with the ball in his mouth. They tried unsuccessfully to remove it but his tongue was so swollen, it could not be released.

They took Chai to the Animal Medical Center, a world class veterinary hospital in New York City where veterinarians tried to try to remove the ball. Because the size of the opening in the ball was so small, all circulation to Chai’s tongue was cut off. The vets had to sedate him in order to remove it. Once the ball was removed, his tongue was so swollen he could no longer put it in his mouth. Chai was sent home with to be observed overnight for any changes.

By the following morning Chia’s tongue had swollen even more. After several days, insertion of a feeding tube and tremendous pain, suffering and expense his tongue had to be amputated.

Apparently this was not the first dog to be a victim of the pimple ball. According to the company, no more pimple balls are being shipped and they are trying to correct the problem.

Bookmark www.carolonpets.com for the latest pet health updates for your dog and cat.

Veterinarian and author, Dr. Carol Osborne, D.V.M. is available for personal pet consultations toll free at 1-866-372-2765.

Four Paws is not related to or associated with PAAWS Pet Vitamins in any way.

Rabies still considered disease of epidemic proportions across most of the world!

Chagrin Falls, Ohio; September 2, 2008- It’s a disease that can frighten people by simply mentioning the name. Rabies! Hearing that word causes many people to envision Cujo, teeth bared, foaming at the mouth and ready to lunge. Modern medicine may have beaten back this killer, but rabies is still out there, waiting for its moment to strike!

Dr. Carol,

As I promised when we spoke last week. The attached are pictures of Max who will be 12 in October. I am not sure how long he has been on PAWS vitamins but my guess would be at least 4 years.

A woman I met in the neighborhood recommended PAWS to me and at that time her dog was 21. Freddie lived to be 23 years of age.

Thanks
Lucie and Max

Dr. Carol,

You’re a sweetheart of a woman!
Best to you Dr. Carol, you have a huge heart!

Brandy, (and I) strike a pose for you…………LOL!………poor brandy, just know, I don’t dress her but for very special occasions, and this was her first stay in a 5 Star Hotel in New Orleans in February 2008, and well, she had to have the dress when she went left the room on walks, as she had a door man always open the elevator and front door for her, when we walked her across the street to Lafayette Park on St. Charles/Poydras Ave, in Uptown New Orleans, how funny that was, well the Pekingese were bred for Royalty, right? Well, the park is ab fab gorgeous, our balcony suite overlooked it, brandy loved to people watch and it was too tranquil and harmonious of a feeling for my hubby and I, and brandy too I think, plus we had a huge suite and that was too nice.

The city is trying to come back since Katrina…………….

Blessed time we had there, we could see the street cars, but not hear them………….yeah, they are kinda old and squeaky……..
ok, well that is all.

Thank you again, Dr. Carol, for being so genuine of a person, it means so much to us!
DeLise C.
Loganville, Georgia

Hi Dr. Carol,
I sent you 2 pictures. One is our precious Tiffany that we lost last year, the other is Wilson and Patch. We got Wilson after Tiffany died. Patch was very depressed. He wasn’t eating and had lost 1 1/2 lbs. At 7 lbs, he doesn’t have a lot to lose. We found Wilson through a rescue group, and he and Patch bonded almost instantly and are a total two-some. Wilson is on the left.

We started using your VitaLife vitamins for Tiffany in particular; she had a heart murmur and was slowing down quite a bit. About a month after we started the vitamins. She seemed to have more energy, and was her saucy self until the day she died. We have continued giving your VitaLife vitamins it to our other dogs to keep them as healthy as possible.
Thank you,
Marge K.