Health Issues with Dogs in The Villages
 

I am writing to ask if any Villages residents have had issues with their dogs health specifically vomiting and diarrhea in the dog requiring intervention by their vet with blood working being ordered and showing elevated liver function tests. I would appreciate input from anyone whose pets might have had this happen.

Health Issues
 

First, I am sorry to hear your dog is having these issues. If you want to send me a P.M. I will share with you our experence on the same issues.

I sent you a PM.

Why the PMs? Other dog owners might want to know too, so we can watch out for the problem.

Sorry CFrance, I wasn't trying to be mysterious. My PM was about Vets I've used and my opinions of which ones are great. Just in case the OP wanted a second opinion. I didn't post the info because it was off topic.

No problem, Bare. I just hope that if there is something going around that we need to watch for, it will get out onto the forum.:wave:

I don't presently have a pooch, but many of my neighbors do.
I do, however have some modest experience with landscape and garden plants.

There are numerous plants commonly used here that bear fruit that is toxic and if ingested can cause the symptoms you describe.
Holly berries and sago fruit are two I can think of... the fruits are small and can drop to the ground. Curious doggies may sample them. Even a few berries can have a powerful effect.

A few of my dog owning neighbors had these plants and eliminated them. When their dogs are on leash, they keep them from rooting around in deep foliaged areas.

This may not be your problem, but is something to consider.
Hope your pup will be okay.

Good post.

Also, no matter where one lives........any type of bug spray such as for carpenter ants or whatever............can be toxic and fatal to cats and dogs. I would also think chemicals that are used to treat lawns.

p.s. We had a beloved cat die after going into a seizure. He had been jumping up and down by the atrium doors and sliding doors chasing flies.
Unfortunately, my husband had sprayed for ants in that vicinity...........the vet told us it was the ant spray.

I don't have specifics, but I do know that a lot of attention has been given lately to dog food and especially dog treats (chicken jerky). Apparently those made in China have very harmful ingredients such as melamine (yes the stuff to make dishes), enough to make animals sick and elevate their liver functions. I am sure you can google it to get more information.

Another good post. Ten years after our older cat had the seizure, another cat lost neurological function such as walking straight and then couldn't walk at all. I used to buy Fancy Feast cat food and always thought it smelled funny.........but a lot of cat food smells funny............other people who lost their cats seem to suspect the same thing..........that was right before all the news on the tainted cat food came out.

same thing
 

When we first moved here, our dog was sick for 2 weeks, with same symptoms as your dog. After that, he was fine. We assumed it was the stress of moving, the different grass, flora and fauna, etc. I also carried a few gallons of water from our previous home and gave it to him the first several days.

What may cause this and I am just guessing at this time. I see people walking dogs down the street using a long leader leash. The dogs are being walked on the lawns of the neighborhood instead of the pavement. The lawns here are loaded with all kinds of chemicals and pesticides. I think the chemicals are being absorbed thru the dogs padding on their paws. The dogs also lick their paws so that's another way to get it in their systems. Just a thought.

I agree. The pesticide treatments in TV are more frequent and in many cases stronger than we've ever used "back home".

They don't want to start a panic about the dog disease going around.

There is a forum for jokes, and this isn't it.

My yorkie mix had diarrhea and bloody vomit about 3 years ago. Took her to the vet, and he said it was a bacterial infection from sniffing other dog's poops. He gave her a shot and two prescriptions, and in about 24 hours she was much better.

We just bought in the villages at the end of January. Rented for the last 2 Christmas vacations. We didn't have any problems this year, but my dog had TERRIBLE diarrhea and vomiting last year. Had to take him to the vet where he got an IV and special food and meds for the week. My concern was/IS the bug spray. How can you get around it though?

Of course I can't prove it, but our company (Stellar) that handles all of that stuff claims that the bug spray, in and out, is safe for the dog. We have had off-and-on very mild problems with elimination with our golden (i.e., semi unformed), but it hasn't lasted long. I keep him off the grass when they fertilize. I'm sure you do all this. What size is your dog? Maybe the little ones are more affected.

We put a blop of canned pumpkin (not the pie filling) in our guy's kibbles morning and night. this was recommended by a vet up north and seems to work to keep things firm.

Thanks for the questions brought up. Our Jack Russel was sick 2 years ago and we had to rush to the pet ER in Leesburg around 2 am. Same problem as mentioned above. Over a week of treatments and staying at our Vet 2 nights with IV's. She was diagnosed with pancreatitis. We have switched her food to one from the pet store in Palm Ridge and that has helped...also careful where her treats come from because of the China scare.
Our Vet has strongly suggested this problem did start with toxins the dog picked up on her paws; however, it really can't be proven. We are now very careful about letting her out after Massey has been around. Our Massey man is also good about letting us know when he has sprayed different areas in the yard...especially for ants, etc.

All of the pest control/fertilization companies claim that their products aren’t harmful to pets. Of course, that cannot be true. Not that they personally are lying...they are just repeating the information provided by the manufacturer's literature. But there is no way that they can spray and/or spread all of the chemicals that kill/repel all of the insects in this area without leaving a harmful residue. No Way. My goal in the next few months is to find a way to go totally pesticide free (if possible) in the small backyard grassy area that my dogs walk on.

Canned pumpkin is indeed a good stool firmer-upper as well as a stool softener. Amazingly, it works both ways. You can also spoon the canned pumpkin into ice cube trays and then freeze. That way you can pop out a "pumpkin-pop" when you need it and it doesn't go to waste. :)

If you read any instructions on these chemicals that they use on lawns to kill the bugs, they tell you not to get it on your skin. I don't know but I would think that if the grass is wet, either by the morning dew or sprinklers, there might be the possibility that the dogs can absorb it thru their paws. Every day all over the villages I see the trucks spraying chemicals to keep everything green and bug free.

"Firming things up" is also good for keeping a dog's anal glands clean. I'll skip the explanation on that...

There was a pumpkin shortage a couple of years back. We also found that cooked sweet potatoes or butternut squash worked.

If you can't keep your dogs off of pesticide laden/fertilized grass, you can always rinse their paws off before they come back in as well. This is something we often recommend for itchy dogs at the vet clinic where I work, but if you're concerned that it could be causing the pet's symptoms in this case, I might try that - or possibly little booties? Dogs often also eat things they shouldn't. Even if you think your dog isn't the type to do that, they probably are! All you can do is try to keep an eye on them and make sure they aren't eating grass, etc.

After a walk, we always wipe our dog's feet with baby wipes. We originally started this practice in Mass. due to the amount of salt put down during the bad weather. It would irritate his pads. We then just started doing it every time we came in from a walk. We figure it can't hurt him and actually might help.

I have been doing this in NYC for years...I really thinks it helps!

Has anyone had the dogs tested for Lepto? I haven't heard anything about Lepto here in TV, but on LI my Vet made a big deal about it, my dogs were vaccinated for it.

From what I know, it's carried in the urine of wildlife, (possum is a big one).

When I moved to upstate NY my Vet questioned them having had the shot because it's a live vaccine and as he said "What are they, hunting dogs?" (Yuck, Yuck...SNORT)

I have seen possum in my neighbors tree, have spotted their poop (it looks like pencil erasers) and have never heard a word about Lepto. Anyone have any info on this?