The Countdown

The Countdown was Originally Posted on June 15, 2010 by lavarock

T-Minus 7 or 8 days and counting!

O`lena (my new Yellow Labrador female) should be ready to come to her new home in just a week. Once born, dogs should be kept with their Mother for at least 8 weeks. This time gives the puppies time to wean their way away from their Mom. Mom’s milk helps protect them from illness and so on. After that it is up to me to make sure she gets all of her shots on time. She also cannot be around strange dogs and cannot even be put on the ground where other dags might have been. Although Koa is 3 years old and has all his shots, you cannot be sure if strange dogs are immunized property. So we don’t take changes!

Hawaii is blessed that we do not have rabies here. However, Lepto is a very big problem. Leptospirosis is rare in humans but was featured as a disease on House (the TV show). Known by many names, it is found in a wide range of animals, including mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Having a cut ad stepping in water contaminated by a carriers urine is one way to get it. here in the tropics it is an every present danger. Elsewhere it would be seasonal. In dogs the liver and kidney are most commonly damaged by leptospirosis. If not treated quickly, it can be fatal.

If you are a pet owner, you should at least be knowledgeable about Lepto as it is a growing problem in America.

Here is a site about the disease (although it looks to be created by a drug company). Still, the information is important to know as this disease may often be misdiagnosed.

I hope to keep my new dog safe and will post more photos as I can. I tried to get down there today to see her, however it is quite a drive. She may well be one of the few most southern yellow Labs in the U.S. From her birthplace she can see the southernmost point of the U.S. and as she look towards South Point I sure her 1st thought is “HUH?”