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Messages - JoMorningstar

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I'm just wondering..... ........have any of your friends' dogs been tested for parvo?  They bloody diah and vomiting are also signs of that and you would lose alot of dogs quickly.

yep... tested negative..  also sent one puppy body to be autopsied. (the vet school called it that ) and they found 1 round worm.. thats all.. so they came back with that dx last month.. so they treated all dogs in kennel for that..  i believe that too much worming can weaken the immune system. OH and another vet swore that it was coccidia  (sp)  and they treated for THAT ..

guess this is just another lead? on a totally unknown reason.. its just on going.

2
Otherwise healthy dogs are generally resistant to the effects of salmonella.  It's certainly possible for dogs to get sick, but those who are affected generally already had compromised immune systems.  For someone to lose 10 dogs to any strain of salmonella, they would have to have had some pretty sick dogs to begin with. 

The concern about salmonella is almost entirely a concern about transmission to humans.  Jo, you've mentioned a couple of times in this thread that you feed raw, which as I'm sure you know, puts you at similar risk of salmonella exposure as this contaminated kibble.

lost that many in the 30 days. they buy the food 2 months at a time..  the rains from the last 2 hurricanes has not helped.  lots of flooding in the area as well.  does not help.
  ==========

yes.. BUT  i wash hands.. before and after handling.. package it into 1 pound pkgs and freeze.  what i buy for Heather, is same that i would eat (only cooked) but i honestly believe that im more sanitary that any kibble mfg is.. most certainly mars petfood.  it it smells i pitch it out.

3
these people have lost 10 dog so far.. they get the bloody diarrhea and lose weight and lay down and die. some puppies also.  they didnt know till today that the food was recalled. heck even the sam's club's do not know the food was recalled.. one would think they would be the first to know..

I feed raw also..

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Ms, near Jackson

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correction.. the last outbreak / plant closing of this same mars plant was August 2007 .. not August this year..  they did close down teh plant in july 29th this year.. but it was not until yesteday that mars even mentioned a recall.. why wait a month to recall the food?? fda just now picked it up..

6
they have lost 9 dogs with the symptoms of the vomiting / bloody diarrhea .  there are 6 more that are sick.  one of the people has a swollen arm from tending to a sick puppy .. the saliva from the animals got into a scrape they had and their arm is swollen huge..

i found about the salmonella schwarzengrund outbreak last august.  this is the same plant and the same infection. so i guess they didnt do that great a job of cleaning when they were shut down a yr ago.  what the fda page for last year stated as symptoms for dogs.. is what is happening to their kennel right now.. AND a couple others..

IF the risk was only to humans .. then why are the area vets NOT wanting people to bring in any sick animals??? seems to me they would want to treat them to get money in.. but to turn down people with pets that are sick?? with this strain.. if it is not possible for the dogs to get it or to be that sick from it .. then why are the vets turning them away??

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for many people who have been feeding the food recently (today) recalled by Mars petfood (everson plant, pa) contaminated with Salmonella Schwarzengrund .   (www.petcare.ma rs.com for recall info)

VETS are now refusing to treat, they do not want this very contagious bacteria in their offices.. does ANYONE have / know of anything to treat them with?? to save the dogs

my pyr is fed raw.. so not a worry..

but for many others.. (pedigree foods included)this is getting really serious fast.. i have been trying to find out what treats it.. so far found what does NOT TREAT IT.. its linked by CDC as being multi drug resistant.. these drugs do NOT affect it .. ampicillin, chloramphenico l, gentamicin, kanamycin, nalidixic acid, sulfamethoxazo le, tetracycline, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. neither do streptomycin, streptothricin or those in the Fluoroquinolon es.

(makes me want to growl and bite the petfood industry, why wait till saturday to post the recall. esp since the plant was closed down july 29th because of this bacteria. 2nd time for same plant. last time was a yr ago )
Josephine Morningstar

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Introduce Yourself to the Forum / Re: Hi, Im Jomorningstar
« on: September 03, 2008, 09:30:03 am »
I know that service dogs are capable of astounding things, but Heather sounds phenomenal! It sounds like she has such a wonderful bond with you! I find that so touching...How very wonderful that you two have each other. Welcome to BPO!
I'm Ali in Northern California, and my two lovely ladies are in my avatar - Tani (brindle) and Kai (black).

There are 2 other people in my group that have pyrs as service dogs.. One lives in Western Mass, and the other is in st louis mo.  The one in western Mass, I first met her at pow wow. and Heather alerted for her for blood sugar drops  AND another lady for *cessation of breath*.. that lady had sleep apnea but was dozing off in the shade. every time she stopped breathing.. Heather was bumping her foot hard enough to wake her up.. the lady complained at first.. and i asked Heather *show me*.. Heather came to me and gave me her cue (she blows out harder thru her nose, it puffs air on my arm)  for me needing to exhale on her nose.. (not blow).. So i told the lady to exhale on Heathers nose, as she wanted to check out her breath.. the lady did, and Heather then tried to make the woman sit up straighter.. and then Heather put her nose under the ladys chin and shoved it upwards.. by this time at Pow wow.. we had an audience.. <g>  So i told the lady to sit up and breathe deep and then exhale on Heather again.. she did. and Heather was satisfied.. came back over to lay beside me and my wheelchair.. When the lady started to scoot back down in the seat to doze again.. Heather was back up and trying to make her sit up straighter.. I asked the lady then.. *do you have sleep apnea*.. the lady said.. YEAH.. why do you ask?? .. i said..*then why are you trying to sleep out here without putting the cpap machine on????? .. then the lady said.. omg..guess i should go inside the trailer to take my nap.. *

everyone standing around.. applauded Heather who was wanting to hide her head at that time.. she was just doing what a livestock guardian dog does.

I helped the lady in Western Mass get her Pyr service dog.  He came from a breeder friend in Mississippi.  i talked her into donating the boy to my friend in western Mass.. she has had him 2 yrs now.. for her he does mobility and blood sugar alerting..  we try to get together as often as we can.. but with the gas prices the way they are.. its rough now.

the other lady that lives in St Louis, she uses her pyr for mobility.

There are alot of pyrs that do therapy / visitation work. they are a natural for that as well.

Pyrs just look like huge cuddly stuffed animals.. and it melts the public around us..  we do have to guard a bit harder to keep people from distracting them by petting.. but  i think that is a small price.. compared to all that they can do for their person.. for all the medical alert dogs that i have had to have in the past.. the pyr seems to be the most able to catch onto this type of training the fastest..  but then im prejudiced.

everyone that meets Heather is amazed when watching her do her subtle alerts.. we have them honed down to the point that they do not draw much attention to us.. I have also used / encouraged heather to use common dog behaviours for alerts.. for the reason of NOT drawing much attention to my medical issues.. its bad enough to be in a wheelchair.. or worse trying to wobble around I do not need a sdog that is very demonstrative with the alerts.. they just need to blend into what other dogs might do.. the fact that they are cues to me.. is the secret..

I have to carry a caffiene drink with me all the time. it sits in a drink holder in the bck of my wheelchair.. my heart rate speeds up too fast when i move around. but the caffiene actually calms me down. (hyperactive adult) so when the heart is speeding up and getting too high (if it stays there it causes my airways to shut down) Heather hooks her nose under my hand and takes it backwards toward the location of the bottle of caffiene drink.. I know that i need to drink some.. and i have to exhale softly onto Heathers nose between swigs for Heather to check.. she will lay down or turn around when i hve consumed enough.

this is how we are such an awesome team.. and the cues do not take so long to train.. they are just normal dog behaviours.. even the hand hook..

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Medical Conditions & Diseases / Re: Warning about Sergeant's Gold
« on: September 02, 2008, 12:28:25 pm »
they told you tuna juice??? first thing thta comes to mind about canned tuna.. is the risk of mercury..  maybe olive oil would be better..

josephine

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Introduce Yourself to the Forum / Re: Hi, Im Jomorningstar
« on: September 01, 2008, 09:47:14 pm »

I would personally love to learn more about training service dogs, Pyrs especially.  I'm sure that you are a wealth of knowledge and I look forward to reading more about you and your fur family.  :)

Blush.. thank you.  would not know where to start..  ;) So if you have a particular interest.. let me know and i will be glad to share what i have learned or am still learning. I think like these sdog teams.. we both are in a constant learning curve.

One brag on my part, Thursday, I went with my cousin (and her sdog) to Walmart in New Hampshire, (no sales tax in the state)  And i was following along behind my cousin and grabbing the things that i had on my shopping list and adding them to HER cart..

Ive been having some more trouble the last 6 wks with my knees, more pain and hyperflexation with that comes more crunching. about half way thru winding thru the aisles. Heather moves in front of me and wont let me go forward.  I tried talking to her. and she would not budge.. when i tried to back up. she stepped on my foot. she is heavy, 125 lbs of her.

my cousin got to the end of the aisle and turned to come up the next one.. I told Heather, we could meet her. Heather moved. but when i moved my knee she touched it with her nose .. sort of a shove, and then stopped me again.  another customer standing near me.. had me stop also.. said that she  had heard me roll over something with my wheelchair, and that it had sounded like i had cracked or broken it.  she looked very carefully . but found nothing.. when i moved again nd moved my rt knee again.. the noise happened again. and this time the woman saw Heather nose nudge my knee again. She remarked what a smart dog i had. I had to grin and agree.  Now Heather nose nudges me every time my knee starts to make noises that i can not hear, no pain, i do feel the crunching noises. Heather stops me and makes me stay still for a bit and not move it .. if i do not listen to her.. it gives out on me.

I reinforce this alert by praising Heather, and adding the task in with the praise.. my way with Heather is that i say *thank you Heather, for warning me about my knee. Good Job! Heather!*

Heather also walks beside me sometimes when i try to walk. and when my knee starts to dislocate and go sideways. Heather leans into the leg and stops it from going to far.. its still hurts but i dont fall down as much this way. I will put my hand down on her back and pat her.. I tell her that i love her, or that she is good dog, or mostly i tell her that she is awesome and pyrfect .. she wags her tail grin.

I live in a house that was built in 1820. its on the historical record (my cousin says it as hysterical record  ;D) so its far from being accessible. So i have to walk some and inside the house. the hallways are narrow enough that i can walk with a hand on the wall. Heather is also between me and the wall. so the knees do not have as much chance to dislocate as other times.

I just thought it was a neat thing that Heather is now letting me know before my leg buckles out from under me.. the more things go *south* with me.. the more Heather steps up her duties.. She is one awesome dog in my book.. but then im prejudiced ;D ;D

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Introduce Yourself to the Forum / Hi, Im Jomorningstar
« on: September 01, 2008, 06:29:52 pm »
my name is josephine morningstar, i live in northeast massachusetts. Im owned by Heather, my Great pyrenees Medical Alert service dog (Masd), and Maji, (masc) a bengal male.

I am originally from Missouri, (born / raised) and have been in New England since Feb 2001.

I design and make Bone&Gemstone jewelry, I attend pow wows, and Heather enjoys the flute music. Sits very attentively, paws close together, and does not like anyone around her to talk when they play the flutes.  she really loves the very low   pitched ones.

I was born with spina bifida, primary immune disorder, and ehlers-danlos syndrome. I have as long as i can remember, had a large dog that was my service dog, even before there was a name for them. I use a wheelchair most of the time, its safer for me as the EDS allows my joints to hyperflex too much, besides pain, i can wind up in a heap on the ground without warning most times. Heather keeps me from falling. She is good at her job.

This is the first pyr that i have had, before her were 5 wolf hybrids, which i really loved sharing my life. The Great Pyrenees is as close to the wolf in thinking as any i have come across, so we get along well.

Heather alerts to my Central Apnea (caused by Meningocele manque), reactive Airway disorder (caused by Primary immunodeficien cy disorder) and helps keep my balance (ehlers-danlos syndrome)

when we go places.. i hear alot of compliments on Heather. she is much loved and people remember her name and always ask how she is doing. (im just the tag a long)  ;)

Heather also does some hearing alerts for me.. I had the audio exam 2 yrs ago.. the first time thru, i was not aware that i was reacting to Heather hearing the noises.. The tech said that it was amazing how subtle Heather was in her alerting. but it was quite clear that i was reacting to her cues.  so the next time around.. i was blindfolded.  LOL and had to remember not to respond to her nose nudges except to breathe deeper. A couple of times Heather pawed at me rather  incessantly I found out later, that they were playing various tones and that i just was not hearing them.

So two years ago i qualified for hearing aides in both ears.. the right is the worst.. but they pick up so much static that i do not use them. Heather does the work for me.

I think that Great Pyrs are truly awesome dogs. and even rank above my beloved Wolves.

When out and about, and asked what Heather does for me.. i can truthfully say.. *she keeps me alive*..

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Great Pyrenees Discussions / Re: Dog Food
« on: September 01, 2008, 12:15:49 pm »
All of this totally confuses me, and I'm sure many others  as well ???

Jo Morningstar said;
"one dry kibble that i have not been able to find fault with, (and i do a LOT of kibble ingredient research) is DVP Natural balance Limited ingredient formula's" 

but on Consumer Affairs, the website which you also posted--this company is linked with serious complaints of PET DEATH. So are you saying THAT only one particular type of their animal food killed pets?

-------------
the company name was involved as was alot of others, but it was involving gluten that was being added to congeal / combine the food in processing.

IF you look closer to what i was happy with it is *limited ingredients*.  they have NO GRAIN.. NO chicory root,  esp no gluten .. so this formula was the only one out of the rest that was totally grain / gluten free.

the only formula that was involved in the recall ( http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/naturalbalance04_07.html ) was the venison and ** Brown Rice**.

what i have liked and use when i go to pow wow.. is this one. http://naturalbalanceinc.com/dogformulas/VenDog.html

quoting the ingredient list on that page...
INGREDIENT LISTING

Sweet Potatoes, Venison, Venison Meal, Potato Protein, Canola Oil, Potato Fiber, Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Choline Chloride, Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid.
 
no grains of any kind. not even rice. also no chicory root, no rosemary extract, and none of the *fermentation solids*. either. 

Heather is able to switch for the 2 days of pow wow (or 4 some times) to eating this particular kibble, her stools are  the same, also small, no smell to them, dont attract many flies either. but it maybe the location we are at the pow wow.. as i do not even see many mosquitoes (its in a mtn valley)

main thing is that she does not itch from eating the kibble. so for Heather it works.. so i recommend it to others that have had dogs having trouble with other kibbles or the itchy ness they cant quite pin their finger on..

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Great Pyrenees Discussions / Re: Dog Food
« on: September 01, 2008, 07:38:49 am »
im not really sure where the hostility comes into play. it was not my intention to bring that out in anyone.  i posted what i found on the internet..

maybe i should give you some background... HEY i used to feed EVO.. and did so for 2 yrs.. but Heather's allergies did not get better.. come to find out that she is very much allergic to SOY and any soy products.. so when i went to raw meat.. her allergies subsided..

last october, though it was found that she had hypothyroidism .. and my vet says.. it was from many years on SOY products..

great pyrs are low metabolism.. so it takes longer to get out of their systems. 

now for the rest of her life.. Heather has to take 2 thyroid pills twice a day.  i merely try to educate.. and i do preamble my opinions with just that.. my opinion. i did not attack anyone on this thread nor forum.  but golly gee it sure feels like the masses are against me.

----------------
as to soy products.. maybe ya'all should check out this site. http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz/

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Great Pyrenees Discussions / Re: Can you stand yet another question?
« on: August 31, 2008, 10:09:30 pm »
What i found worked with Heather who is also not food motivated (unless its pepperoni) was to use a really happy voice (not too high pitched) and give lots of praise.. also putting in the task well done. such as *good job Heather, Good  sit*  and so on. Pyrs i have found do like to please, and the more verbal praise you give the more they enjoy it.. not to say they will do it every time you ask though.. grin ..

Heather was donated to me when she was 3.5 yrs of age. She was in Missouri, and i had just gone back to my home state to visit my mom. My service dog died the very next day, and i was in shock, however because i need medical alerts from a dog it was an immediate search for my next one. I have been training my own service dogs and helping others train theirs for golly, 30 some years now. so i was on the immediate search for my next MASD.  I went to evaluate Heather, and in  trying her out.. when i reached down to pet her for a job well done.. she winched.. she had never been touched for doing some thing GOOD.. apparently their trainer had told them not to touch her unless she was being corrected.. POOR DOG.. she soon learned that my hands on her meant she was loved. and not a correction.

so lots of praise verbal and petting.. and watch her reactions to these to see which one she likes the most.. some times i go a bit overboard, and then i get a look from Heather of embarrassment. . so i try to remember to tone it down the next time.. other times.. i get lots of waggy tail and a happy look from her.. which in turn is MY praise for a job well done..

Josephine Morningstar & Heather, Grt Pyr MASD
Native American in New England.

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Great Pyrenees Discussions / Re: Puppy class - we're number 2!!
« on: August 31, 2008, 09:56:27 pm »
Congratulation s..  ;D

Josephine Morningstar & Heather, Grt Pyr MASD
Native American in New England

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