ShowPlace

Dateline March 2005 “Dog show Crud” or DSC as we choose to call it, may originate or transmit to humans. It is extremely aggressive in dogs. Puppies or immune-compromised adults can be lost within hours of first stage diarrhea. At worst it is deadly and at best, it can be costly.

Due to the rapid and virulent onset, it can be misdiagnosed as parvo or corona virus but it simply doesn’t fit the pattern. The main difference is that quick treatment for bacteria may stop the diarrhea whereas it would have no effect on a virus. Secondly, while either virus can be so deadly that even the best supportive treatment may not save the dog, it takes at least a few days to lose or recover the animal. DSC can be reversed within a day if recognized, properly diagnosed and treated. DSC does not have the characteristic “decomposing” odor of parvo, perhaps because DSC moves so quickly to hemorrhagic enteritis that the intestinal wall doesn’t slough off lining as badly. Notably, puppies nursing from a vaccinated dam are susceptible to DSC which further diminishes the likelihood of parvo and Corona is seldom, if ever, seen in adult dogs whereas DSC attacks adults and there have been deaths reported.

DSC begins with lack of appetite, then mucous and blood-tinged but formed stool. It can progress within hours to lethargy and bloody diarrhea, then no stool - just blood and straining. Dehydration and blood loss can put a dog in shock very quickly. IV fluids and quick supportive treatment is critical. When it went through our 9 dogs, the vet used a new anti-bacteria product which is also available in capsule form. One adult that spent the day in hospital, and before we could go back to get her late that afternoon, two pups were dreadfully sick and went with me to the vet! One dose stopped the diarrhea and sub-q fluids quickly brought them back. The adult bitch was almost normal the next morning. Thankfully, it can be over as quickly as it attacks.

In talking with several vets, the consensus seems to be that it is not common Campylobacteriosis more on campy below) but may be a combination of virus and bacteria hitting simultaneously. Personal experience leads this reporter to bet on the bacteria but others credit a “hot virus” that attacks the animal, weakens it, and allows rapid proliferation of bacteria which then results in hemorrhagic enteritis.

Zoonosis. Many owners report upper respiratory that just won’t go away, sometimes improving and then manifesting as chronic G.I. problems. The intestinal upset and diarrhea is symptomatic of Campylobacterium, a fairly common but seldom deadly bacteria. One source is raw chicken, which is why we’re cautioned to wash everything thoroughly after preparation. It can also remain active in feces and therefore could be problematic in kennel conditions. But “campy” or fowl flu alone does not seem to be the culprit any more than e-coli or other common forms of bacteria. Okay, so it is found in fecal matter and stagnant water, let’s face it, we know dogs eat and drink that stuff with impunity but I don’t know any people who do that!

“If a dog’s been in a kennel-type situation or anywhere they could have eaten raw or undercooked meat and trash, they’re at a higher risk,” Dr. Cash said. “What makes the ‘Canine Flu’ so dangerous is that, by the time you test the animal to determine what kind of bacteria it has, the animal could already be dead.” Well, let’s hope not. Dogs eat raw meat and trash on the farm and in the back alley but it doesn’t usually harm them. Their digestive system is supposed to handle that. After all, that is what they eat when man isn’t around to kill game and feed it to them. He is right though in that an owner has to pay attention or a dog could die. Vets have to be prepared or they may misdiagnose and consequently, not kill the bacteria immediately. And by the way, a pro-biotic won’t do the job, dogs may need a powerful anti-bacterial agent.

Bacteria, virus or a combination of both, older dogs, and dogs with weaker immune systems are at special risk. Dr. Cash said that, thus far, the virus has been restricted to canines, but could be contracted by humans and manifest itself as a stomach virus. This may have happened as not a few owners are reporting prolonged stomach problems, sometimes associated with severe upper respiratory, and sometimes following a mild flu-like episode which goes into what may be misdiagnosed as “stomach flu”.

While the treatment is supportive in terms of re-hydration and antibiotics, the dogs go down quickly. My personal experience with a product called DiaBac which comes in gel or capsule form was like a miracle – stopped the bloody diarrhea cold. No more straining. Then the stool begins to regain color and lose the stench. Within hours after treatment which included a Ringers bolus sub-q, our pups were beginning to wag and look for food.

Others have reported success with drugs such as Clavamox, Keflex, Amoxy, Baytril, but we gave no drugs whatsoever. Dogs on antibiotic and supportive treatment are reported to need it for a week to ten days as opposed to our pups that turned the corner within hours and by the next day, were eating well, playing, and no diarrhea! The adults at home were given the anti-bacterial product at the first sign of bloody or mucous in the stool and never went off food more than a day.

For your info, and this isn’t to say it IS campy, but Campylobacteriosis is reported as the most common bacterial diarrhea illness in the United States . Over 10,000 cases of campy are reported each year, but many cases go undiagnosed or unreported, therefore campylobacteriosis is estimated to affect over 2 million people each year.

People who don’t have dogs (I don’t know any!) have been sick because the rural hospitals here have been so full they’ve turned people away to the big city facilities. Could it be the bird flufrom Asia? Well? In talking to people from coast to coast and even abroad, there does seem to be a connection between DSC and this year’s stubbornly weird flu. It would be up to a doctor to decide but if you’ve been “fighting the flu” off and on like hundreds of people I know, give up and go to the doctor!!! After a $68 round of something that did no good, followed by a trip to Westminster which made it really worse, cephalosporin/penicillin antibiotics finally did the trick for me. Did I bring it back from NY and give it to my dogs? Coincidence? Just thought I’d mention it. As one dog person to another.

By the way, the best disinfectant is still good old fashioned pure soap!!! Watching TV is like coming full circle because now they are saying real soap is superior to the nicely packaged “hand soaps” and fancy disinfectants. Well, we knew that!

In fact, watch this site for announcements about a pure soap that cleans everything from the dogs, to the floor, the laundry – and yes, the kitchen sink! Great stuff we are going to share with everyone in the Dog-e-Store.