PAWS Charity | Animal Welfare | Health & Veterinary | Recommended Reading | FAQ PAWS Frequently Asked Questions: Health & Veterinary If You Have A Question Not Answered On This Page You Wish To Submit Please Mail It To enquiries@paws-patas.com 1. What is Leishmaniosis (Leishmaniasis) and how may it be prevented? Leishmania are little parasites (protozoa) which affect the white blood cells, causing systemic disease, mainly in dogs. The transmission of Leishmaniosis (Leishmaniasis) is by the Sand fly (phlebotomus), a very tiny fly with white wings. The female sand flies suck blood from their victims in order to breed their eggs later. The distribution of the sand fly, and with it, the risk of leishmaniosis infection, is prevalent all over the Mediterranean areas, the South of France, Southern Italy, Southern Spain and Portugal, as well as India and Africa. The sand fly transmits leishmania infantum, whereas in India and Africa there exists different leishmania species, which are likely to cause infection in humans. The transmission of leishmaniosis (leishmaniasis) occurs as follows: A sand fly bites a dog which is carrying leishmaniosis. Later, the same sand fly bites a healthy dog and injects leishmania with her saliva under the skin of the dog. From the site of infection, the "chancre", the leishmania start a very difficult development in several steps until they reach the blood and after an incubation period of between 3 weeks and 3 months (sometimes 3 years), depending on the state of the dog's defense system, the first visible symptoms occur. The sand fly is active between April and November (during the warm season) and disappears in winter. The sand fly hides during the daytime and comes out late afternoon with the highest period of activity occurring at night between 2AM and 4AM. Therefore, dogs who live outside are much more exposed to sand fly bites than dogs who live inside - especially if the house is well protected against mosquitoes with nets and chemical products. The month of August is the worst, and this is when the highest amount of sand flies are registered. This is when they are most likely to invade the house where they will hide in dark bathrooms or wardrobes. The main symptoms of leishmaniosis (leishmaniasis) in a dog are: Skin alterations, eye alterations, weight loss, long growth of nails, swollen lymph glands, liver and kidney disease including failure. Alterations in blood coagulation with anemia, nose bleeding, lameness, chronic diarrhea etc. The diagnosis of leishmaniosis is mainly by blood test, together with a general clinical check and control of the liver and kidney functions. Other diagnostic tools are: skin biopsy or bone marrow biopsy which are not routinely employed. Treatment of leishmaniosis in a dog is only effective if begun at an early stage of the infection, better even before they show any symptoms. Therefore, it is very important to make regular blood tests in dogs, once a year and better in the winter months, to find out if the dog was infected during the summer. Early treatment normally avoids symptoms and gives the dog a longer life. Dogs with mild symptoms can be treated successfully as well, but dogs with serious anemia or serious alteration of liver / kidney function very often cannot be treated successfully. Prevention of Leishmaniosis (Leishmaniasis) It is very difficult to prevent leishmaniosis 100%, because sand flies are so very tiny they can even penetrate mosquito netting, but there are 3 key points to help avoid risk of infection. A. Dogs should be kept inside at night to reduce exposure to sand fly bites. B. Provide your dog with a special anti-sand fly collar which is proven to be more effective than other insecticides. Start in March with the collar application and maintain it until the end of November (ask your vet for the correct collar). C. A yearly blood test to make sure your dog has not contracted this disease. There is still no vaccination against leishmaniosis, but investigation into this subject is advancing. Can Humans catch Leishmaniosis (Leishmaniasis)? The sand fly bites every species and in theory they can infect every species with leichmaniosis. The dog, living closely with humans, is considered to be a "reservoir", a source of leishmania supply. A direct infection is not possible, it is always the sand fly which causes it. Other species, including humans, are considered to be more resistant to the leishmaniosis species which inhabit our region. Cats, for example, hardly ever contract it, and there are no reports of contraction by other species. Humans with severe immune suppression (AIDS, or after organ transplantation, long-time steroid therapy) can become infected. Cases of small children with leishmaniosis infection are reported as well. Therefore it is very important to avoid sand fly bites with mosquito repellents, sprays, mosquito nets etc. as well as treating a dog that shows positive in a blood test. Dogs undergoing treatment are no longer a source of infection for the sand fly. So please do not forget the yearly leishmaniosis check-up of your dog and begin to provide your dog with sand fly protection in March. (With thanks to Dra. Inka Labsch - Clinica Veterinaria Europa) 2. What is Tick Disease and how may it be treated / prevented? Tick season starts in the Mediterranean area in March, and lasts until November. In the main, two tick species are found in this region: Ixodes Ricinus (black tick) and Rhipicephalus Sanguineus (brown tick), the latter being the one responsible for tick disease. The mild, long-lasting summer in our region provides an idea breeding ground for large numbers of ticks - especially when the summertime has a certain humidity which can result in a plague of ticks. They hide in well watered gardens and in the bushes and shrubbery of the fields, especially in areas frequented by passing sheep and goats. This is where dogs collect ticks. The female tick of the Rhipicephalus can be a "carrier" of tick disease, she can carry bacteria of the species "Rickettsia", known as Ehrlichia canis in her saliva. Whilst sucking blood from the dog, the tick can infect the dog with Ehrlichia. After a variable incubation period, Ehrlichia reach certain white blood cells (moncytes) which flow in the blood stream and can infect the whole body. Symptoms of Tick Disease A. High fever and complete weakness after tick infestation. B. Eye and nose discharge. C. Loss of appetite, loss of weight. D. Serious anemia, sudden hemorrhages (bleeding from the nose, the mouth, the intestine, subcutaneous bleeding). Diagnosis of Tick Disease A general check in conjunction with a blood test is the best way to determine Ehrlichia. Treatment of Tick Disease In the early stages, the application of a special antibiotic for 10-14 days. In some dogs who have a weak defense system, symptoms can appear so violently that the animal needs intensive care with blood transfusions. If the disease is not detected in time, the dog can die. Can Humans get Tick Disease? Ticks can infect humans with several diseases, but the special tick fever in dogs caused by Ehrlichia canis, is not normally dangerous to humans. There exist medical reports of infection in humans caused by ticks, but this is a rarity. However care should be taken, because ticks can infect humans with "Mediterranean Fever", "Tick Paralysis" (caused by tick poison) and Borrelliosis (special bacteria, very dangerous)! Prevention of Tick Disease After every walk, examine your dog for ticks. If you find ticks, remove them immediately, the longer the tick sucks blood, the more likely is a following infection with tick disease. Ask your vet how to remove a tick correctly. In regions where there is a big tick problem, the dog should be protected with special repellent, anti-tick collars or liquids, ask your veterinarian for advice. If you find a tick fixed in your own skin, remove it immediately with alcohol (of the pharmaceutical variety, NOT gin!) and a clockwise turning movement. NEVER PULL. Then consult your doctor. 3. What can we do to control Fleas? Fleas are the most common parasites which affect our pets. In the mild Mediterranean climate they have ideal breeding conditions. Fleas are active in our region all through the year. HOW DO FLEAS BREED? The female flea jumps on an animal wherever it happens to be walking. The animal takes it home in its fur. The female flea sucks blood from the animal, later on it leaves the animal but hides in the animal's environment, where it can lay up to 100 eggs a day, to ensure that we are never without fleas!! A female flea has a life span of approximately 100 days, during which time it can lay up to 3000 eggs. After a period of development, the eggs release flea larvae which transform into baby fleas, and later on turn to adult fleas. As the eggs are lying in the environment of the animal, there is a continuous source of infection. If a pet owner does not note in time that his pet is infested with fleas, the situation can easily become a "flea plague" throughout the whole house, which is a nightmare for both owner and pet. A "flea plague" means that several hundred fleas have completed their development from egg to flea, all loose in the environment. They are all hungry and bite whatever they meet - the owner as well! HOW TO PREVENT FLEA PLAGUES Nowadays there is a large range of products on the market which are very effective against fleas, without causing any harm to the animals. The best protection is found in the new generation of ampoules or sprays with a repellent effect (consult your veterinarian) Flea collars are no longer advisable or effective, as fleas have become resistant, by mutation to most of them. In case of a "flea plague" further measures have to be taken: - A Product against adult fleas has to be applied to the pet. - The pet´s bed needs to be washed in a minimum temperature of 60 degrees centigrade - The whole house should be sprayed with a special anti-flea spray (consult your vet for the correct product) in order to kill off the largest juveniles. Imagine that only 1% of the flea plague are adult fleas who jump on their victims, 99% are the eggs/larvae/babies of the flea which develop in cycles. If you kill the pre-stages of the fleas in your house, and apply flea protection regularly to your pet, in a short time the nightmare will be over. In large houses with a lot of carpets, a "fogger" can be employed. A "fogger" is a special preparation of a spray which releases a fine mist of liquid penetrating every area of the house, protecting the house against all parasites for approximately six months. The "fogger" is the strongest weapon against "flea plagues", but it is better to employ prevention in the first place. A good method of flea prevention is a combination of a local flea product on the pet´s fur, and an oral tablet treatment of the pet with a product which renders the flea´s eggs sterile. Unfortunately it is a very expensive solution. However, it is strongly advisable in a household where there is a large risk of flea invasion, where several pets live together and are constantly living in and around the house. In the average household with one or two pets it is normally sufficient to apply normal flea protection in the form of spray or ampoules. BEWARE of products which are offered and NOT registered for use on animals, available in large agricultural shops! They seem to be very cheap and are recommended by non qualified staff. They kill fleas and whatever other parasites in a short time but they are so toxic they are able to kill your pet as well! 4. What is Filariosis and how may it be treated / prevented? Filariosis is the so called Heartworm Disease. It is caused by a special parasite which breeds inside the arterial vessels of the host. Transmission occurs from mosquito bites. A lot of mosquito species are carriers of infectious stages of the heartworm. Main victims that are infected are again dogs. Cats do not normally contract it. Humans normally are not hosts of heartworm infection, although there exist case reports of human heartworm infection, especially when they suffer severe immune suppression. Heartworm disease is a "summer disease" as it goes together with mosquito bites. The main season is April until October. Female mosquitoes transmit infectious stages of Dirofilaria in the skin of the host (mainly dogs). From the site of the infection, the small dirofilaria larvae start a subcutaneous migration of several weeks, until they reach the circulation which carries them to their main breeding place, the right heart chamber and the main lung artery. By this time the parasites are starting to cause serious damage to the dog´s circulation system. They cause a bloodstream blockage as they live in the right heart chamber and the main lung artery. In advance cases these problems lead to heart failure and sudden death. Several months after infection, clinical symptoms occur. Chronic cough, loss of energy, loss of oxygen with the lightest of exercise, fever, expectoration of blood, anemia, swelling of the hind legs, ascites (water in the abdominal cave), altered liver and kidney blood values and in severe cases a life threatening heart insufficiency. Diagnosis A microscopic examination of the patient´s blood sample often shows living worms. If no worms are found, a serologic test will give a safe and definite diagnosis. Treatment The success of treatment depends upon the stage of infection. Treatment before the appearance of heart insufficiency or oedemas is easy and successful. It comprises of two injections against the adult worms and a consecutive oral treatment against the larvae which infect the blood stream. Advanced cases are very difficult to treat. they require the surgical removal of the worms in the heart and lungs, followed by the complete rest of the dog for one month with special anticoagulant therapy and later on, the anti-heartworm therapy described above. Prevention Prevention is far better than treatment in this case. Prevention is very easy and saves the dog a lot of problems. There exist several preparations on the market, either topical or oral treatment which is applied once a month (ask your vet) between April and October. They kill the infectious worm stages immediately after the mosquito bite, thus avoiding consequent problems. 5. What are the facts about Virus Infections in Cats? Cats are considered to be of very strong health. People often say "cats have nine lives". This derives from the exceptional capability of the cat to cure wounds or to recover from serious accidents - they are really tough in bearing pain and can keep immobile by instinct for a long time. But cats also have a "weak area" - the virus infections. There are a variety of serious virus infections that end with death of the cat. Infection normally occurs in the street or other places where a lot of cats meet, where tom cats have their fights, female cats are in heat looking for company, where a lot of cats share feeding places or look into dustbins for food, but also catteries or cat exhibitions. A. Cat Flu The so called "Cat Flu" infection is caused by a complex of two virus species (Herpes/Calici) and two bacterial species (Mycoplasma/Rickettsia). This complex is highly contagious and - as in humans - these "grippal" (flu type) infections are active in winter. It affects mainly cats who live outside and do not have any way to protect themselves against the cold. House cats get it when they go out and meet other cats who are already infected. But also extremely stressful situations like exhibitions/ a stay in a cattery or traveling, can lower the defense system of the cat, thus making it susceptible to the flu infection. Young kittens and old debilitated cats are especially prone to infection. Depending on the cat´s defense, the infection presents between serious cold symptoms and a life threatening pneumonia. Treatment against cat flu is possible but, depending on the cat´s symptoms, can be both long-lasting and expensive. Prevention of cat flu is preferred and is easy by a vaccination which has to be repeated yearly. B. Panleukopenia This is a dangerous virus (Adenovirus) with worldwide distribution. This virus causes the destruction of white blood cells, important for defense and leads to the death of the animal in a short time. Symptoms of this infection are not too specific because cats often suffer a shock-like stage and die, sometimes they show serious anemia and a tendency to bleeding. Treatment of this disease is very difficult, almost impossible. Prevention by yearly vaccination is necessary. C. Feline infectious Pleuritis/Peritonitis (FIP) A corona virus with worldwide distribution. This virus affects the pleural (chest) or peritoneal (abdomen) surface of the cats body. It can cause an acute infection, causing liquid accumulation in the chest with serious breathing problems or abdominal liquid accumulation with loss of appetite and decreased liver/kidney function, the cat looks as if it is highly pregnant in this stage. It can also present as a "dry form" that means a chronic inflammation of pleura/peritoneaum with adhesions to the inner organs, causing weight loss and a slowly decreasing general stage. Neither forms are treatable. A third possibility is that the cats defense system is strong enough to avoid symptoms of infection, although the virus is breeding inside the organism. Those cats are carriers of the virus and a continuous source of infection to other cats. Prevention of this disease has always been difficult, but a special intranasal vaccination has been developed. Field studies of this vaccination demonstrates some, but not 100% protection. D. Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV) This is a very dangerous virus with worldwide distribution and very advanced in our region. The Feline Leukaemia Virus causes a "slow virus infection", in other words it has a long incubation period before the first symptoms occur. It affects the lymphopoetic system of the body and the bone marrow. Symptoms can be very unspecific like weight loss, swelling of the lymph glands and general depression. It can also cause liver or kidney swelling or a tumor of the thyme in the chest. A blood test very often shows tumorous white blood cells, but sometimes they disappear from the blood and an antibody test is needed to diagnose the disease. Treatment of FeLV consist of chemotherapy, similar to leukemia in humans, but life expectancy is not long. It is much better to prevent leukemia in cats as the virus is identified and an effective vaccination exists. Prevention is safe and consists of a yearly vaccination. E. Feline Immune Deficiency Virus FIV This virus is distributed worldwide and is advancing in our region. People call it "cat AIDS" because the symptoms resemble human AIDS. No relationship between human AIDS and cat AIDS has been demonstrated. As its name says, this virus affects the cat's defense system, exposing the cat to any unspecific infection without the normal function of its defense system, Symptoms are very unspecific like general depression, recurrent high fever, recurrent flu infections, skin infections and after a certain time depending on the cat's condition - death. Very often the FIV virus prepares the way for other virus infections such as Feline Leukemia This combination is fatal for the cat in a short time. There is no existing vaccination, although this virus is the most threatening infection today for our cats. 6. What is Babesiosis and how may it be treated / prevented? The babesia is a small parasite (protozoa) which affects the red blood cells of its host. Babesia is transmitted by ticks (Rhipicephalus, Dermacentor) - brown female ticks. Ticks acquire Babesia whilst sucking blood from infected animals. Later the tick sucks blood from a healthy animal and transmits the Babesia. Babesia infections are reported in horses, dogs, foxes and other wild animals, also in man, but in the Mediterranean area it is mainly dogs who become infected because of the prevalence of Babesia Canis species. Direct infection between dogs and humans is not possible. It is always the tick which infects the mammals. After the bite of a tick infected with Babesia, the dog starts a period of incubation which lasts between 10 days and 3 weeks. During this time, Babesias start to penetrate the red blood cells and to multiply "to breed" After the incubation period, the dog will start with clinical symptoms, the degree of which depends on the dog's own defense system. - dogs with a weak defense system suffer an acute shock and die - dogs with a normal defense system show high fever, loss of appetite, general weakness, pale mucous membranes and often a dark brown urine. - in advanced cases, rheumatic like pain, muscle stiffness and serious problems with blood coagulation, spleen swelling and jaundice add to the symptoms mentioned above. Diagnosis Clinical symptoms and the demonstration of Babesia in the peripheral blood (ear vein) leads to a safe diagnosis. In chronic cases, a blood test (antibodies) for babesia is recommended. Treatment A special drug, administered twice by injection eliminates Babesia. In severe cases intensive treatment and blood transfusions are required. Prevention Tick prevention! Protect your dog during the main tick season (March until November) with special tick collars or liquids (ask your vet). If you find a tick on your dog, remove it immediately (with turning clockwise movements). The tick needs 3 days of bloodsucking on the dog to transmit Babesia. The earlier you remove it, the less is the risk of this infection. 7. What are the major health concerns in Older Cats? The life expectancy of domestic cats has risen significantly. Every year the percentage of older cats which arrive in the veterinary surgery is higher. Cats older that 6 years need a "geriatric check up" to prevent diseases which in older cats usually are of a degenerative nature and are very often impossible to cure. Prevention avoids serious problems in the cat and frustration in the owner! The key points of a geriatric check up are as follows THE MOUTH - teeth problems, together with gingivitis, stomatitis are the most common reason for loss of appetite. Cats suffer pain from bad teeth and inflamed gingival and later on they lose their olfactory sense causing them to refuse food. Older cats especially cannot recover their body weight once it is lost by not eating. They can change to a serious "starving" shape in a very short period of time. THE HEART - Compared with older dogs relatively, cats seldom suffer heart diseases. Nevertheless, it is recommended to control heart function more regularly in order to avoid high blood pressure or more serious thrombosis, two very special problems of cats with heart disease. THE KIDNEYS - It is very important to control kidney function in order to avoid kidney failure, which is not treatable. Kidney disease in an early stage can be controlled by diet and medication. Kidney failure causes much suffering which tends to lead to death in a very short time. THE LIVER - For the same reasons as mentioned above in relation to the kidneys, the liver function should also be controlled. Liver failure is not treatable, in the last stage of the disease it causes epileptic type fits, and coma. Liver disease can be detected at an early stage and can be controlled to avoid deterioration. THE THYROID GLAND - the most important changes in older cats are found in the thyroid gland. This gland has to be checked because of the so-called feline hyperthyroidism (hyperactivity of the thyroid gland) which causes serious weight loss, alteration in behaviour, epileptic type fits and other problems. DIABETES CONTROL As with every species, older cats can suffer from diabetes, which needs to be detected early, before the cat can become seriously ill and suffer blindness. All together, to prevent diseases in older cats, it is much better to maintain medical control, together with blood and urine checks twice a year rather than wait until your cat looks miserable or becomes seriously ill. Disease prevention gives the cat a longer and more comfortable life, and avoids suffering and sudden death. 8. What special concerns are there with Giant Dogs? Giant dogs are those breeds whose adult weight exceeds 45 kilos. Giant dogs need space and exercise. Because of their large size, veterinary treatment is difficult (imagine doing an X-ray of an 80 kilo dog on top of a table in an X-ray room) Also the cost of treatment, which is proportional to the weight of the animal, is very expensive. A. FEEDING AND THE GROWING PERIOD More than 8% of giant dogs coming to veterinary clinics show lesions in articulations or bones. The majority of them are younger than 4 years of age. The giant dogs grow up to their adult size in 18 months. Taking into account the speed of their growth, compared with other breeds like the Spaniel or the Yorkshire Terrier, it is easy to understand that there can be a variety of disturbances which they may suffer because of this rapid growth and the enormous weight that lays on their articulations or bones. The most common growing diseases are deformations of the hip or the elbow, inflammations of the growing zone in the long bones, malformations of the legs, or tendon inflammation. A lot of dogs suffer lesions in the cartilage of the articulations before growth is finished. Adult giant dogs may start very early with arthritis either because they have suffered a growing problem, or because of early cartilage abuse caused by the enormous weight which has to be carried by the articulations. Although growth and development of the dog are determined genetically, food and exercise are able to help moderate conditions. They are important measures in prevention. It is advisable to keep a giant breed puppy slim during the first eight months of its life, avoiding a rich nutrition which causes a fast but not "harmonic" growth. Do not add calcium tablets to the puppy food without consulting with your Vet. Calcium incorrectly administered can be a factor in the growing problems mentioned above. The dog should be moderately and regularly exercised to maintain "harmonic" muscle development. With strong exercise such as long walking trails, the risk of cartilage or tendon damage is increased. Calcium tablets are nowadays substituted by special "cartilage protectors" a special food supplement which should be administered during the whole of the growing period (consult your vet) In older dogs of more than 6 years of age, it should be administered again to avoid early abuse of cartilage in the articulations. B. NUTRITION AND THE SYNDROME OF STOMACH DILATION - TORSION Giant dogs have a shorter gastrointestinal tract than other breeds. 3% of their body weight compared to 7% in small breeds. Therefore they have a faster intestinal transit, they are prone to diarrhea and they defecate more often than other dogs. As the absorption of their food is more incomplete that in other dogs, they have special nutritional requirements. They need high energy food in a rather high amount. On the other hand, they should not eat a large amount of food at one time because that can pre- dispose a horrible incident typical in giant dogs - the gastric dilation torsion. Giant dogs have a deep chest which allows a lot of movement to the stomach behind the diaphragm,whilst the stomach itself has no special attachment inside the abdominal cave, nor is there special support of the stomach by the other inner organs. If they devour a large amount of food all at once, very often swallowing some air at the same time, or if the food contains large gas producing elements i.e. beans, cabbage etc, just a little exercise is sufficient to produce a stomach dilation. The stomach extends because of air trapped inside, the dog cannot vomit because the air is forming a balloon over the food surface, thus the dog feels sick and does not stop swallowing causing more air ingestion. This is then a real emergency which can only be resolved by veterinary intervention. A stomach tube has to be administered to expel the air out of the stomach and the animal has to be observed afterwards to assure full recovery. If the stomach dilation is not detected in time, the gas extended stomach can easily suffer a torsion. It turns sideways inside the abdominal cave, closing the blood supply to all the vital inner organs and twisting the esophagus so that the dog cannot vomit. Inside the dislocated stomach, the bacteria go on producing gas, the poor animal blows up like a balloon and needs immediate emergency treatment. The extended stomach causes difficulties in circulation, respiration, and to the heart action. In a short time the dog suffers shock and dies. An immediate surgical intervention is the only solution at this stage to save the animal's life, but often this is not successful. Approximately 40% of dogs die between 1 and 3 days after the surgery due to liver, kidney or heart failure, or due to lack of circulation in the stomach tissue. C. PREVENTION OF THIS PROBLEM IS VERY IMPORTANT Giant dogs need a very special dry food with specially large biscuits which need chewing and also cannot be eaten in one go, thus avoiding air swallowing at the same time. The daily amount of food should be split into three portions per day to avoid excessive stomach extension. NEVER exercise a dog immediately after its meal NEVER give a dog home-cooked food which could produce gas i.e. beans, pasta, cabbage etc. 9. What dental work is important for pets? Nowadays, pet owners are totally responsible regarding the medical treatment of their companions. They have them micro-chipped, wormed, vaccinated, blood-tested etc but very often one look by the Vet inside the mouth of the animal makes them want to faint! Small dogs and cats, from 4 years of age onwards especially, suffer from bad teeth. Dental problems start with plaque production at the back teeth causing a bad odour and inflammation of the gingival. As the plaque contains and maintains a large variety of bacteria, by the time it produces serious stomatitis, gingivitis and the so called "neck lesions" on the back teeth, the roots of the back teeth are becoming infected. They suffer decay, the inflamed gingival loosens around the roots and by the time the back teeth fall out the animal has suffered pain, swelling and production of pus. In the worst cases, the infection passes over to the tonsils and via the blood stream bacteria reaches the heart valves causing an infectious endocarditis ( an infection with pus in the heart valves) This infection is life-threatening and can kill older dogs or cats. Therefore it is important to make regular dental checks and if necessary consecutive teeth cleaning. Animals with heart insufficiency are at a higher risk of suffering heart problems and infections from bad teeth, in exactly the same way as humans, therefore it is advisable to clean the teeth whenever it is necessary. The cleaning procedure is the same as with humans employing a special ultrasound cleaner which leaves the "neck lesions" on the back teeth completely clean and since this cleaner is able to reach dental parts beneath the gingival, the plaque is removed thoroughly. The inflammation calms down and the gingival tightens up again around the roots of the back teeth and the animal is once again able to chew biscuits without pain! 10. How does PAWS Prevent against Parvo? A local newspaper recently quoted a local man as saying that people should be careful about taking dogs from shelters as they do not always have the required quarantine facilities and the dogs can carry disease. How right he is! PAWS had some very bad experiences in their old kennels in the dark old days before quarantine. PAWS was obliged to build a minimum of three purpose built quarantine kennels in their new shelter. And a further 4 are planned in stage two of the construction as these quarantine kennels are so very very vital. Parvo is rife this year. Our local vets are already experiencing it amongst unvaccinated domestic pets. PAWS does apply strict quarantine rules. HOWEVER, applying these rules means that PAWS cannot take in every animal and just toss it into a kennel with other dogs. First the new dog must spend the necessary time in one of the PAWS quarantine kennels whilst it has blood tests, vaccinations, worming and all other health checks. With only three kennels currently, this puts serious limitations on our intake. If the public are willing to foster the abandoned dog that they have found this is also an excellent form of quarantine, whilst PAWS deals with its health checks and vaccinations awaiting available space. But for safety please check that YOUR OWN dog has his vaccinations up to date, then he can come to no harm. Yes, PAWS have recently had a case of Parvo with puppies left in a box near the PAWS shelter and these became very sick and had to be sacrificed, but luckily due to the careful quarantining it did not spread. Yes, it IS SAFE to take one of PAWS dogs (in fact much safer that taking a non vaccinated puppy from a local breeder or pet shop). All PAWS dogs undergo rigorous health checks. Return to Top Copyright © 2006 P.A.W.S.-Patas, Mojacar, Almeria, Spain P.A.W.S.-Patas is a registered charity in Spain - No. 1928 Box 627 | Mojacar Costa Almeria | Spain, 04638 phone: 678 490 217 | email: enquiries@paws-patas.org