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Dates & News:

ZimDog News, can be accessed from: www.vanerp.net.

Working Trials Association of Zimbabwe Were supposed to hold a Dog jumping Show, but they forgot about it and had to cancel. Dog jumping will now be held on 2 May 2004 their working trials will be on 3 & 4 April and will report on that show later.

GSD Club of Bulawayo had their Championship how IPO & Breed on the weekend of 20 & 21 March, full results in the Show section of the website.

Working Breeds Club is having a Breed, obedience and dog jumping show over the weekend of 25 April.

GSD Council: the Zimbabwe Kennel Club shelved this. The ZKC had every right to do so after a letter of complaint from the GSD Bulawayo club. Apparently in 2002 a member of the Council left and was not replaced, nor were there any meetings held in 2002 & 2003 and that is not according to the constitution, which requires 6 meetings a year. Now I might not have all my facts a 100% right, but it is quite correct for ZKC to shelve the Council. ZKC is now busy sorting the problem out and 2 appointed members from each club have to sit down and change the Council’s constitution, so that a better running is warranted.

Shows: The GSD Club of Bulawayo Championship Show on 21 March

Here is our natural flea remedy.

We have been asked to post it on the collie sites many times. We live in flea and tick heaven here in hot South Texas... and have never, never, ever seen a flea or tick on our dogs or cats. Many other collie owners have written to say they use this and have completely rid themselves of fleas. Hope this helps someone:

Take a BIG fat lemon (the more rind the better) and slice it paper thin. Put in a bowl with a tablespoon of crushed rosemary leaves (or a 6 inch sprig of fresh). Pour over with a quart of hot, near boiling water. Let steep overnight. Strain and put into a large spray bottle. Keep in fridge. Shake well before applying. The d-lemeone in this spray along with the rosemary oil will give your dog a beautiful shiny coat and keep fleas and other bugs away .. including mosquitoes, so you get extra heartworm protection.

If your dog has dry skin or allergies add a tablespoon of Aloe pulp. Use the spray at least twice a week to keep the scent on the coat to repel bugs, and spray it around your doors and through the carpets. If it's a bad flea time, spray daily on the belly and feet to repel them.

This has worked wonders for us for many years. Not only for the dogs, but for us when we go hiking or walking in the woods. No bug will get near this stuff. And, of course, it's all natural.

Peracute Necrotizing Haemorrhagic Gastro-Enteritis Syndrome

(Canine Redgut) In German Shepherd Dogs

By: DR K G M DE CRAMER (BVSC) S~IALL ANIMAL PRACTITIONER

Peracute canine necrotizing haemor-rhagic gastro-enteritis (enterotox-aemia) is a dramatic disease syndrome seen sporadically as an acute clinical disorder in GERMAN SHEPHERD DOGS exclusively in my experience. The onset is very rapid and dogs die within less than 6 hours after onset of first clinical signs. Attempts at treatment thus far have not altered the fatal course of the disease.

SUMMARY OF CLINICAL SIGNS:

Vast majority of cases at home or in kennels die acutely with very few symptoms.

• Mild to severe depression.

• Bloated abdomen. (Enlarged abdomen.)

• Hyperventilation (rapid breathing.)

• Tachycardia (Increased pulse rate)

• Lethargy. (Extreme Listlessness)

• Severe anaemic (pale gums became cyanotic (purple) as the dog became moribund.

• Abdominal pain.

Some dogs presented with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea with frank blood in the stool mixed with very liquid faeces.

DIAGNOSIS: (attending Veterinarian) ante mortem (live dog)

The signs of acute onset and rapid death with distended abdomen and haemorrhagic fluid. High PCV but anaemic mucous membrane.  Putrid smells of abdominal fluid with demonstrable Clostridial organisms are pathognomic in the live dog. Unfortunately this condition is often confused with Gastric dilatation and torsion and thus misdiagnosed.

MACROSCOPIC PATHOLOGY:
(Post mortem signs)

A feature apparent on external examination of the carcass is either marked anaemia or cyanosis and pallor of the visible mucous  membranes.  Live animals as well as those that have recently died constantly show pronounced abdominal distension.

On opening the abdomen, loops of darkly congested, very distended small intestine are visible. The abdominal cavity is filled with 500 - 1500m1 of foetid sero-sanguineus fluid (haemoperitoneum). The entire small and large intestine (except the very proximal duodenal portion) are affected. There is frank haemoahage and pooling of dark red or blackened blood within the lumen of the bowel. The mucosal surface is dark red to black (or green) in colour, having a velvet-like appearance. The first impression on opening the abdominal cavity is that there is intestinal strangulation instead of an extensive haemorrhage enteritis, or severe gastro-enterorrhagia.

In less severely affected areas the mucosa  appears  oedematous  and autolyzed. Generalized necrosis and early rapid autolysis of the entire intestine is very apparent. Some cases show severe suggulations along the mesentric edge of the intestines, while others show severe massive haemorrhage and oedema of the rectum.

BREED PREDISPOSITION:

There is currently no plausible explanation why only the GSD breed should be affected. Pathologists report that they have noticed the condition in other breeds but the author has not noticed its occurrence in any breed other than the GSD. If it does occur in other breeds it is fair to assume that its incidence is very low indeed.

Next month the rest of this article.

Poisonous Plants If your dog (or other pets) do injest one of these plants, be sure to call the National Animal Poison Control Center.

Yew (all, esp. berries)   Daphne (all; fruit)   English Ivy (berries, leaves)   Golden Chain (seeds, pods, flowers) Lantana (green berries, leaves)   Mountain Laurel (all even honey from flowers is toxic)   Yellow Jasmine (all, including nectar and roots)   Wisteria (pods, seeds)   Buttercup (all)   Cone Flower (all)   Black-eyed Susan (all)

Old Faithful...........

If you want someone who is content to get up on your bed just to warm your feet and whom you can push off if he snores - buy a dog.