June 19th litter, Juneteenth

Mer, or Mermaid, my Henry daughter, had her first litter nine days ago.  All of the puppies weighted over 7 ounces, two were well over 8 oz.  Beautiful, healthy puppies, five of them, four of whom are GIRLS!!!!  All are grizzle, although at least two are going to be very DARK grizzle dogs, like their grandmother Reese.  I thought that they were blues at first they are so dark.  They aren't. Kathleen and I are very excited and happy with them.  I'm not getting much sleep yet, but that is the way it is.

My email has changed to cmetzler48@yahoo.com as somehow I broke my gmail.

I would put pictures of my puppies up if I could figure out how to do it.  I used to be able to, and now I cannot.  My MacBook has been in the computer fixit store for three weeks and NOTHING was fixed.  At least I can tell you that there are puppies, just cannot put their pictures up.  The pictures are being put on my and Kathleen's FaceBook pages, in case you are interested.  I'll put more up today.

I hope that everyone is staying safe and wearing masks when going out.  It really is helping the people who do it and we obviously need help!!!

Today in Hawaii is NICE.  There is a gentle breeze so that it isn't too hot.  The dogs and I just took down another banana tree with ripe bananas on it.  Did you know that a banana tree will die after it has grown a bunch of bananas?  They do, but the baby banana "trees" that grow underground during the time the banana bunch is ripening take over and the banana patch keeps on producing and growing bigger every day!  Nancy's goats like the banana leaves a whole bunch, no pun intended, but it is a pain in the neck to get the leaves up to them.  Sometimes Prentiss comes down with his pickup and gets the leaves.  The goats like bananas even more than the leaves,  and they LOVE breadfruit leaves.  Not at all what you wanted to hear about.

I guess that I will get back to making some more masks.  Pam Mizuno was awfully nice and ordered some fabric for me to use to make more masks.  I had sent her masks with foxes on them, and so she sent me otter fabric.  VERY cute.  Let me know if you know of some really cute fabric and where I can get it!

Stay safe and happy from Curmudgeonville

To Neuter or not to Neuter/Spay

http://www.theriogenology.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=59

Maybe this will answer some questions.  

I am hoping for a litter in a couple if months, despite this social distancing.  According to CDC, COVID-19 does not attack dogs, so the dogs can mate!  Having said that, Duke is nice and little, Mermaid is not.  I don't know if he is going to be smart enough to get the job done and I have no one here to help me help them!  So, all I can do it keep my fingers crossed.  

Mermaid is a blue, Duke a grizzle, but Duke does have a fifty/fifty chance of having a blue gene.  I almost hope that, if there is a mating, the pups will all be grizzle as blues are harder to keep cool in paradise than grizzles.  My yard is fine, but most people aren't as lucky as I am to have all of the shade trees I have.  That is my reasoning.  

If I get puppies, the event will surely go into the blog.  Keep watching!  And cross some fingers!

PS I just found these haikus that someone once wrote for me, for my puppies, long ago and far away.  I have treasured them and will share them.  This person had one of my puppies for a few days or weeks and found that his wife was allergic to her and he had to bring her back.  He was devastated.  Still makes me sad....

A wiry coat
Belies a soft-hearted friend.
Border Terrier.



The diminutive 
hunter scents the air. Snap snap!
Rat meets its Maker.



Two giggly girls.
One grizzly, wiggly friend.
Match made in heaven.


Says the Curmudgeon, aloha.

2019 National Specialty

Mer/Mermaid and I flew to Chicago for this year's National Specialty.  Betty and Skip Kaczynski picked me up at the airport and took me to their super neat house at the edge of Chicago.  We spent the night there and then Betty, myself and Mer went out to St. Charles where the Specialty was held after we went far away to Earthdog.  Mer was introduced to Earthdog, despite having killed rats in our very own yard!  Maybe next time she will go all the way through the tunnel.  Maybe not, who knows?!

We experienced the health clinic testing, all of it, and she came through with flying colors.

We laughed with many friends and had a good time.  We got to see Tigger who used to be our Chip and watched him take second in the Open class.  Mer took fourth in the Bred By class, so we came home with a ribbon.

While I was gone, my grandson and his partner came over to be with Kathleen.  Duke, my three month old boy broke his leg and had to have pins put into the bone.  The break went through the growth plate, so he may limp the rest of his life if the growth plate closes because if the break.  Only time will tell us which it is, no limp or limp.  My fingers are crossed.  He is such a sweet boy.

Duke and I now are twins as I had my hand fixed on Monday, carpal tunnel and trigger finger.  Left hand that matches his broken left front foot, he in a cast, me in a thick wrap.  Kathleen took a picture.  I can't seem to get pictures to go onto the blog any more.  Hmmmmm.  Wish Duke the best.

Later,
Curmudgeonville

Multi-tasking is HARD to do, or is it impossible?!

Life has seemed to be busy lately.  Who knows why?!!!

We recently bred a litter.  HOPEFULLY the breeding took.  The puppies will be born around March 6th or so, if the breeding took. Mom is Addy and dad is Finley.  Addy lives outside of Hilo and will come back here a week or so before she has her babies.  That is what we did last time.

Finley is 2 1/2 and lives here, but is looking for a forever home.  He is a sweet, funny boy, big for a BT, but SMART and loves to kill rats.  Mostly he spends his days trying to get me to throw a ball for him.  He needs to be the only dog in the house because if another dog goes for HIS ball, and ALL balls are his, he will, or might, fight with that dog.  He would make a fantastic NoseWork dog.  Both his parents are tracking and search and rescue dogs.  They are so good that they BEAT all of the other dogs in their training group/"club."  All of those other dogs are bloodhounds.  Finley was made to do NoseWork, tracking, and/or S&R!  Or hiking, etc.

Last week Lucy flew to Seattle to her forever home with Nancy.  We had a person flying to Seattle and had Lucy set up to go in the cabin with Susan, but the Hawaiian Airlines people who think they know everything wouldn't let that happen.  They inferred that THEY and not I knew how to take good care of the dogs.  They were mixed up between flying in a bag in the cabin and in a crate, saying that the bag wasn't big enough for the puppy.  Poor Lucy had to fly in a crate and I had to pay almost twice as much and worry until she arrived in Seattle safely.

Mer(maid,) Jade and I went to the dog shows on Oahu this weekend.  Pam went too and carried one of the girls onto the plane for me.  We had fun and ate some awfully good meals for dinners.  Mmmmmmmmm!  DO try Happy Days Chinese Restaurant close to Waikiki if you are ever there.  It is now on my list for ANY time I go over there.  Mer took two points at the shows, one point each day.  Unfortunately it was a small show and there were few terriers.  The Border Terriers made one point, and we were the only terrier breed that had more than one class dog.  Mer took a Group 3 the first day and a Group 4 the second day.

We came home last night and the construction crew started the renovation of the store front this morning at 0615.  This is a very exciting happening, excepting that it costs money that I will "borrow" from my retirement account!

It is raining at the moment.  I swear that it is Hawi that should be called Camelot!  It very often only rains at night.  Love it here.

Tomorrow I take Jade in to get her health certificate and then I'll put her on a plane for Seattle tomorrow night.  She too gets to meet her great, new forever family.  She is hard to let go as she is as cute as they come, smart and not big.  She, unfortunately, has a soft, fuzzy coat.  I decided I didn't want that coat to go down the Elwha lines.  Kathleen and I will miss the little rascal.

A very good friend called me a week or so ago to tell me he is getting married on the 28th in Albuquerque and kind of dared me to go.  I'm going.  I leave the 26th, get there the 27th after an almost 24 hour layover in Portland and leave to come home on the 30th.  I will spend five hours in Seattle and get to see some friends there for lunch.  Chip will ride in a bag with me to Albuquerque as he is going to another family on the mainland.  After that trip, I will want to just be a homebody, but will be going to California in February.  Crazy me!

Kathleen is probably going to quit her job and go to Seattle to be with a friend having chemotherapy for a bit.  She'll be lucky to miss some of the construction in front.  The worst part of that process is the guys have the big gate open most of the day so I only have two instead of three yards in which the dogs can run and play.  It will be much better when Mer and Jade are out of heat.  Right now I am always worried that the wrong dog will get into the wrong place.

So, puppies are coming and the list will probably be longer than there are puppies, but maybe we will luck out!  Keep those fingers crossed!

Good night, from the Curmudgeon

Just so you know....

SPF100 sunscreen more effectively protects against sunburn compared with SPF50, according to the findings of a recent study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

For their study, the researchers recruited 199 healthy men and women. Participants wore both sunscreens simultaneously on designated treatment areas during an average 6.1 hours of sun exposure. The researchers evaluated erythema the following day and compared the presence of sunburn and erythema scores between treatment areas.

Immediately following sun exposure, 55.3% of participants were more sunburned on the SPF50 side compared with 5% of participants who were more sunburned on the SPF100 side.

At 1 day post-sun exposure, 40.7% of participants had increased erythema scores on the SPF50 side compared with 13.6% of participants on the SPF100 side.

“SPF100+ sunscreen was significantly more effective in protecting against sunburn than SPF50+ sunscreen in actual-use conditions,” the researchers concluded.

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

Williams JD, Maitra P, Atillasoy E, Wu MM, Farberg AS, Rigel DS. SPF 100+ sunscreen is more protective against sunburn than SPF 50+ in actual-use: Results of a randomized, double-blind, split-face, natural sunlight exposure, clinical trial [published online December 29, 2017]. J Am Acad Dermatol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2017.12.062.

Especially good to know if one lives in sunny climes, but important everywhere, even in cloudy places!  Unfortunately, sunscreen is bad for coral, if one is planning on going into salt water areas with coral.  We wear rash guard shirts and leggings in that case.  I wear hats to water aerobics three days per week as does everyone else in the class.  They did that even before I joined the class!  Smart ladies!

PS Lucy is six months old and still is looking for her forever home.  We had one planned, but that potential owner changed her mind.  Lucy is a blue girl and is sweet, smart and loving.

Important

KENNEL COUGH COMPLEX: A COMPLICATED PHRASE FOR THE CANINE COMMON COLD

Infectious canine tracheobronchitis or canine infectious respiratory disease complex has multiple causative agents and its symptoms range from sneezing and bronchitis to inflammation of the throat. In plain English, it is Kennel Cough, the so-called common cold for dogs, which prevails in enclosed, poorly ventilated areas. Just like a child catches a cold at school, your dog can catch a similar type of upper respiratory diseases at doggy daycare or the grooming shop. 

Symptoms 

Kennel Cough symptoms are usually similar to a human cold, non-life threatening and mild. A hacking cough is a classic symptom of Kennel Cough. Other symptoms include reverse sneezing, fever, lethargy, phlegm, nasal discharge and sneezing. If your dog develops these symptoms, please take him to your veterinarian to ensure it is not canine influenza, which can lead to bronchopneumonia, or inhalant sensitivities, and does not develop into something else.  Symptoms usually appear 7-10 days after exposure.

Kennel Cough Causes – It Takes an Army

No one virus, bacterium, or environmental condition can mount an assault on your dog’s body to produce true Kennel Cough. Yes; one perpetrator may be the general, but a general still needs an army to prevail! 

1. Environmental and Quality of Life Factors
Pet-crowded gathering places such as boarding kennels or animal shelters can typically be the battlegrounds of kennel cough. Stress, parasites, malnutrition, poor ventilation, inadequate hygiene, dust and aerosols can predispose to Kennel Cough. 

2. Kennel Cough Complex – Viruses 
Your dog likely has been vaccinated and immunized for canine distemper virus and canine parvovirus, and they are the two most clinically important “core” vaccine components. I recommend that both of these vaccines be given in my minimal vaccination protocol.  

Additionally, the following viruses are lumped within the respiratory “Kennel Cough Complex”:
Adenovirus-1 (CAV-1; infectious canine hepatitis virus) has only had one minor occurrence in the US in the past 15 + years (at the Canadian Maritimes, US border area). Vaccines for adenovirus-2 (CAV-2) are given to cross–protect against hepatitis as the vaccines for adenovirus-1 were removed from the market years ago, since they produced viral antigen-antibody deposits within some tissues and the surface of the eyes (“blue eye”).  Due to the rarity of infectious canine hepatitis, and the fact that including CAV-2 in routine combination puppy vaccines causes a type of immune suppression for about 10 days, I do not recommend giving this component to puppies. They are vulnerable at this age to other stressors like going to a new home, wormings, food changes etc. The CAV-2 antigen in combo vaccines apparently does not cause this immune suppression when given to adult dogs, although one still has to consider whether to include vaccinating for a disease that is no longer seen. However, if a veterinarian chooses to include this vaccine component in combination shots, the immunity should last approximately seven years.

Parainfluenza (CPI) is non-life threatening and usually clears up within a couple of weeks. It is uncommonly diagnosed and typically not associated with significant clinical disease either, so I do not recommend it as a part of my vaccination protocol. Vaccinated immunity is around 3+ years.   

Canine Influenza Virus (CIV) is either the H3N8, for which a vaccine exists but I do not recommend it because the symptoms are mild, or the H3N2 Asian strain that hit the Chicago area in early 2015 and for which no vaccine currently exists. Remember, many other upper respiratory viruses – known and unknown – are everywhere and peak during humid, hot and cooler weather seasons.

3. Kennel Cough Complex – Bacteria 
Bordetella is the most well-known respiratory bacterium and a very common agent to provoke Kennel Cough but does not need to be present to produce Kennel Cough. This is the same with any other inhaled lesser known bacteria, like Bartonella or Mycoplasma, as they too need one or more aforementioned predisposing factor(s) to create actual Kennel Cough. 

Question

So why do many kennels and grooming facilities require Bordetella even though it may or may not be a factor in producing Kennel Cough? My dog is not parasitized, healthy, and up-to-date on viral vaccinations or has high titer levels for viruses.   

Answer: It’s usually because of the perceived liability, an insurance issue, or a regional or state law. Essentially, a dog entering a facility could transmit kennel cough-like disease to the other dogs there. BUT, the unvaccinated dog coming into the facility could not transmit anything to others if they were all vaccinated and truly protected, so why not allow minimally vaccinated dogs to enter there, as long as pet caregivers sign a simple paper “holding the facility harmless”, should another dog there get kennel cough a week or so later? Of course, seeing that Bordetella and other upper respiratory vaccines are not 100% efficacious, this whole issue is somewhat moot. In my opinion, we should not be subjecting these dogs to vaccines against upper respiratory viruses or bacteria needlessly, as all vaccines have the potential to cause adverse reactions. Pet guardians who choose not to give these vaccines should have that choice.

Vaccines

Extenuating circumstances do exist where a pet caregiver must give the Bordetella vaccine to board a companion animal. My preference would be in-home pet sitting or having a friend take care of your pet. Things do happen and sometimes pets need to be boarded.  

Tips

• Use the oral or intranasal (sniff) versions as they cause the body to release interferon which helps cross-protect against the other upper respiratory viruses. Injectable Bordetella vaccine does not offer this added benefit.

• Ensure that it is ONLY a Bordetella vaccine and not a combination injectable with adenovirus-2 and parainfluenza vaccines.

• Give it at a minimum (NOT a maximum but a minimum) of two weeks before boarding your pet.  

W. Jean Dodds, DVM
Hemopet / NutriScan
11561 Salinaz Avenue
Garden Grove, CA 92843

References
“Bordetella: Does Your Dog Need the Kennel Cough Vaccine?” Truth4Pets, 21 July 2012. Web. 25 Oct. 2015. <http://truth4pets.org/2012/07/kennel-cough-vaccine/>.

“Kennel Cough in Dogs.” WebMD, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2015. <http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/kennel-cough-in-dogs>.

Larson, Laurie J., Bliss E. Thiel, Patricia Sharp, and Ronald D. Schultz. “A Comparative Study of Protective Immunity Provided by Oral, Intranasal and Parenteral Canine Bordetella Bronchiseptica Vaccines."A Comparative Study of Protective Immunity Provided by Oral, Intranasal and Parenteral Canine Bordetella 11.3 (n.d.): n. pag. The Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine, 2013. Web. <http://www.jarvm.com/articles/Vol11Iss3/Vol11Iss3Schultz.pdf>.

Schultz, Ronald, PhD. "What Everyone Needs to Know About Canine Vaccines.” Puli Club of America, 2007. Web. 25 Oct. 2015. <http://www.puliclub.org/chf/akc2007conf/what%20everyone%20needs%20to%20know%20about%20canine%20vaccines.htm>.

Also consider reading the last listed reference in this list.  Ronald Schultz, PhD is one of the top vaccine people in the WORLD.  I have attended some of his seminars and was very much influenced by his rational way of thinking and by the research he had done to come to the conclusions he attained.  

Weekend- To the Farmers' Market to socialize older pups

The three blue babies born here on August 13, 2018 are growing up.  The biggest girl is called Mele and the smallest girl is Gigi.  The boy is Kip and all are blues.  They are a VERY affectionate litter, giving kisses away lavishly.  They are brave and have not been afraid to go out into the yard on the grass and look around for trouble from the very beginning.  They are climbing up over rocks, into heliconia forests and into our laps as we sit on the grass watching them and hoping they don't bite our toes!  Actually, they aren't horrid on the toe biting bit, but it does happen.  They are puppies after all!

Nancy Adkins comes down many of the days.  Since I have had to chop down banana trees often lately, she uses that as an excuse to come visit the pups.  Her goats love banana trees, so they come down to take greens back to the goats and get a chance to smell puppy breath and experience some of the best puppy kisses imaginable.  Did you know that a banana tree does not live through more than one life of making bananas?  We chop down the tree to get the bananas before the birds and the rats do, and to let the little baby banana trees grow up from around the base of the tree that just gave up its banana bunch.  The baby trees are called keikis.  Keiki means baby in Hawaiian.

The puppies favorite place to play outside is under my mature macadamia nut tree.  It makes wonderful shade.  Did you know that macadamia nuts are about the hardest nut to crack?   We have a magically wonderful nut cracker that makes it very easy to shell them.  Mmmmmmmm.  We took about 230 mac nuts to the National Specialty to put into the bags.  Some people told me that they had tried to crack them with their teeth.  I'll bet that hurt!  The right tool makes quite a difference.  They are extremely easy to crack with the right cracker
!Early baby picture.
    Not much today from the curmudgeon.  Have a great weekend!  I will.