Category: #distemperdogs

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#distemperdogs Blog Book blog Canine Distemper

The legacy of Dr. Sears

Happy New Year, everyone!

This Wednesday, Jan. 3, would have been the 88th birthday of Dr. Alson Sears, who discovered how to use Newcastle Disease Vaccine to save dogs from canine distemper.

Sadly, we lost Dr. Sears seven months ago.

Dr. Sears wanted nothing more in life than to stop canine distemper. Although he lived to see a lot of progress made against this disease, he did not get to see his discovery of NDV serum tested in the early stages of the disease and published in a scientific, peer reviewed journal.

But we could still see that goal reached. We ask that anyone who had been helped by Dr. Sears and his treatments — or anyone who admired the man — to donate any amount, to honor his birthday and his life.

The money raised will be collected by Kind Hearts In Action and will be put towards a new foundation in Dr. Sears’ name, which we hope will someday defeat canine distemper.

In the meantime, we are also running a special promotion on the book, which will be available until Jan 7, 2024.

Thank you,

Ed Bond
project director for Save Dogs From Distemper
Kind Hearts In Action

Jan. 1, 2024

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#distemperdogs Blog Book blog Canine Distemper

A message to the future about canine distemper

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#distemperdogs Saved Dogs

Coal’s story

Barbara Bias and Coal in 2017

Excerpts from the book “Save Dogs From Distemper: The ‘Impossible’ Cure of Dr. Alson Sears”

Page 368 (2014) …

” … On Dec. 21, I received an email from Debby Simms of Huntington, West Virginia, about a dachshund/Basset hound mix named Coal she was fostering from a local shelter. ‘He tested positive for distemper on Dec 15,’ she wrote in an email copied to her friend Barbara Bias. ‘He is still eating and eliminating. He was first diagnosed with kennel cough and then began losing weight.  The return visit and testing gave the result of distemper. I have been researching on Internet and found you. If you know of a vet near West Virginia please let me know.’ 

They took Coal to Ohio State a couple days later, but that only confirmed the dog had neurologic distemper. The school refused to consider the unpublished NDV spinal tap treatment, so I encouraged them to contact Dr. Harkin and get into his study. 

‘Coal has had the treatment!’ Debby wrote on Jan. 2. ‘We were so impressed with Dr. Harkin and the med student … We will let you know as he improves. We can not thank you enough!!’ … “

Page 372 …

” … According to a post she submitted to the website for the Herald-Dispatch in Huntington, WV, Barbara Bias took Coal back to Kansas State for a follow-up evaluation on April 17, 2015, and had been told he was disease-free. ‘Coal’s new life began Jan. 2, 2015, and now a year later he is celebrating his New Year as a very active and happy 2-year-old doggie,’ Barbara wrote in the post … “

Page 405, The Epilogue …

“… Barbara Bias wrote with a cheerful update on Coal.

‘Coal is a very happy and active dog,’ she wrote.  ‘He loves to race around the living room couch playing with his toys.  I love him very much. Thank you for everything you did for him.  Thank you for helping my friend Debby Simms find the right place to take Coal.  Dr. Harkin at Kansas State was very happy with Coal’s improvement.’ “

Coal celebrating the holidays in 2017

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#distemperdogs Saved Dogs

After distemper battle, Ryo is back to his old self

Ryo and Giselle celebrate his survival of canine distemper.
Ryo and Giselle celebrate his survival of canine distemper.

My dog, Ryo, and I have been a family for just over a year now. I received him from a breeder in another part of the country (India) on the 3rd of July 2019. The breeder sent me his medical records which included proof of all vaccinations including Canine Distemper.

However, to my great sorrow, Ryo was diagnosed with Canine Distemper on Monday, the 23rd of March 2020.His symptoms started with a cough and wheezing in the month of February, which were treated with antibiotics. The cough and wheezing seemed to have died down after a week or two.

However, in a few days’ time he started having a discharge from his eyes, which the vet thought was an allergic reaction to building construction work in the neighborhood. What followed was a crusty nose with green discharge, thickening and cracked paw pads and the return of the wheezing/cough.Around the 19th or 20th of March I noticed his head ‘ticking’ and could tell that it was due to the tightening of his jaw.

I took Ryo to the vet immediately and he confirmed that he had Canine Distemper and suggested the NDV spinal tap, stating that his chances of survival are low but this gives him about a 20% fighting chance. The NDV spinal tap procedure was performed in Bangalore, on Tuesday, the 24th of March, 2020 at 10:00 in the morning under general anesthesia.

For the initial month following the procedure, Ryo refused to eat regular food and I had to put his food in the food processor and feed it to him via syringe in batches. In about 5 days’ time I could see small signs of improvement in him. He had started asking for treats and eating a couple, although with difficulty. He had started playing and running around within a week and although he was still a little wobbly for the next couple of weeks, I could tell that his strength was returning. What followed in the next couple of weeks were bouts of respiratory issues which were treated with Toxomox-250. Luckily, Ryo did not have any digestive issues and he started eating his food regularly after about a month and a half of the procedure.

We are now three months past the date of his procedure and Ryo is back to being his usual happy and bouncy self. He can now play with his other four legged friends and other than the nervous tick that remains, there are no signs of distemper in him. We are still continuing with a nerve support tablet a day along with a multivitamin. I also use a paw butter on his paws and snout which has helped immensely.

If anyone needs any further information on how we overcame CD, please reach out to me at me at sequeira.giselle@gmail.com

Attaching videos of his nervous tick that I’d taken back in March when it first appeared and also a picture from his party that we had to celebrate him overcoming Distemper and one of him from last week with his cat friend. 

Lots of love,
Giselle

Ryo with his friend, a cat, after his recovery from canine distemper.
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#distemperdogs Blog

Distemper dogs 2016

A look back on some of the distemper dogs, loved and remembered, saved and lost in 2016. #distemperdogs

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#distemperdogs Saved Dogs

“No, I’m not giving up on her”

missy

 

Recieved May 23, 2016 from Amy Jaramillo Ureste of Brownsville, Texas

“This is Missy. She will be 3 years old in September. In March 5th she was diagnosed with distemper. She wasn’t eating, nor being her hyper self that she normally is, her nose was so hard and dry, and full of green buggers and blood, her paws were so hard. I would wake up with her every hour giving her water with sugar, pedialyte, and water with a syringe. I wouldn’t sleep just to keep an eye on her because I was so scared she might not wake up. We took her to the vet. She got some antibiotics. Vet said she doesn’t get better bring her back on the 3rd day, so we did. 2nd vet saw her and told us she had distemper. My husband told him, “well save my pup” vet said “it’s not worth it, it’s better if you just put her down, your wasting your money and time”. I just started crying like crazy. I took her out of there and I said “no, I’m not giving up on her”. So we found this amazing group. And we heard about the New castle vaccine. We ordered it. My husband said let’s take the shot. So we did. We went back to the vet to see if he would help us in injecting her. He refused. He didn’t want to be part of it because there was no scientific proof that it saves dogs from distemper. So we took matter into our own hands, one of our good friends they are familiar with distemper said they would help. So we took the chance. We gave her the dosage ever 12hrs till it was gone. It was so hard since she was so dehydrated. But our friends managed to get it thru. The 1st night she ate and drank water. The 2nd round she fell back down again. 3rd one was the charm. She started eating again. Being more active. A week later it’s as if nothing were to ever happen. She is back to being the boss with our other dogs lol. Most people said if we were sure it was distemper. I tell people well whatever it was this new castle vaccine sure killed it.”
#lovedistemperdogs #distemperdogs

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#distemperdogs Blog

The #lovedistemperdogs campaign #distemperdogs

Here’s all the photos we have received — so far — in the #lovedistemperdogs campaign #distemperdogs

Go to the Save Dogs From Canine Distemper Facebook page to see the original posts.

@distemperdogs on Twitter

To join the campaign, post to Facebook or Twitter with #distemperdogs or email me at ed.bond.new.york.@gmail.com

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

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#distemperdogs Saved Dogs

T-Bone the SURVIVOR!!

From the website of Arizona Desert Rotti & Pals Rescue

Tbone

T-Bone the SURVIVOR!! has found a home! You can read T-Bone the SURVIVOR!!’s original profile below or view adoptable pets from this adoption group.

Arizona Desert Rotti & Pals Rescue

Tucson, AZ 85731

Contact this Organization

About T-Bone the SURVIVOR!!

Meet an AMAZING BOY!! This is T-BONE, a Lab/Boxer mix and he is a DISTEMPER SURVIVOR! He is now 2 years old. Not long after we saved him off death row (as a puppy) and vaccinated him, he came down withe distemper. Distemper shots don’t work if a dog has been exposed and it’s in their system. Our director went to GREAT lengths and time to save this boys’s life. She sent for a new treatment that is supposed to help and GUESS WHAT? It DID! T-Bone can RUN like the wind on the ranch, his foster home. He’s loving, sweet, likes all sizes of dogs and is an all around NICE BOY. The ONLY thing we notiice if he stands still for too long, one can notice a bit of a twitch, but it’s really not that noticeable.

SO if you like LARGE, FUN dogs that love walking, hiking, playing and just being a DOG? Well, T-Bone may be your DREAM GUY! This boy has energy to spare, so if you’re a couch potato, he will NOT call you for a second date. This is ONE NICE DOG who LOVES to play and adores other dogs and people. You can also tell by his photos, that this is big one big goofy boy!

His foster mom keeps saying he is just SO NICE!

Since T-Bone also LOVES to be around people, he won’t make a good dog for someone looking to dump him in their back yard and forget about him. He wants to be part of a PACK!! Tthis guy will catch on quick and be your best buddy in no time!! He is VERY VERY sweet.

Since he’s a BIG BABY and doesn’t know he’s strong, we prefer he go to a home with older children. They will also be goof at keeping up with him and help with her energy level!

OR, you can fill out a pre adoption application at http://www.azdesertrotti.com

NOTE!! At the end of the application under comments, please include the type of yard you have around your home as well as fencing.

Arizona Desert Rotti and Pals is a NO KILL rescue serving Tucson and the surrounding area. We work very hard to save animals in danger, so ANY donations, food, blankets, or financial, are GREATLY appreciated!

We usually show our smaller dogs at Petsmart at Grant & Swan (Tucson) from 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM. However, we don’t bring our larger dogs unless we get and approve (speak to the people interested at length) an application before the adoption event. IF you are interested in this boy, you can send a pet inquiry to this site.

Leah Keuroghlian

#distemperdogs #dogs #lovedistemperdogs

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#distemperdogs Saved Dogs

“You have no right to give up if they haven’t”

 

czar

From Katrina Pontanar
#lovedistemperdogs #dogs #distemperdogs
Hello! I just want to share to you a happy ending. My dog Czar, a nine-year old shih tzu, survived distemper with no after effects. He has no twitching, loss of motor skills or other neurological disruptions. In a place like Philippines where NDV spinal tap is almost beyond reach (being available only in the capital) and where most of the veterinary clinics are hesitant almost unwelcoming to distemper dogs, I thought I should share to you how my dog and I have overcome great odds to keep him not just alive, but intact.

Back in the day, Czar had seen three veterinary clinics, all have advised me to put him to sleep. You know what they don’t tell you about distemper? Your dog fights if you do. After religious trips to the vet for Canglob D shots and sleeping beside him every night and talking to him while he is bedridden,  I had shown my dog how life is worth fighting for.

And so we fought, day in and day out. I would do things I don’t normally do. He had severe coughs and his hind legs were too weak, but I knew he still wanted to have his walk. So I walked him, my hands supported his belly. Sometimes, I would let him hear sound effects of cats purring so that he would bark at it. I gave him his favorite food. Every day, he was not without me. Every single time, he never had to think that he had a serious illness. Because of that, his demeanor never changed.

He was lethargic but still very attentive. He was weak but was still very eager. The key to helping your dog survive is not only giving him meds, but also being there for him all the time. People think I’m crazy, but you know what’s crazy? Czar cheated distemper unscathed. Seeing him now to how he was before distemper is definitely worth all the sleepless nights and tireless trips to vets.

When your dog has distemper, money is not only the issue. I pray that owners with distemper dogs will never give up. This is both our fight with our dogs. You have no right to give up if they haven’t.