Emergency Alert!

I cannot express to everyone enough in California to please look into the canine influenza vaccine along with the leptospirosis vaccine. For the last four months, we have been rescuing dogs from shelters and have witnessed the distemper virus, canine influenza and the leptospirosis affecting many dogs.

We have worked with the shelters and determined distemper virus vs canine influenza. There is an outbreak in California which was announced by the public health department veterinarian back in August of this year. The veterinarians were all given notice and were told to notify their clients.

We have found that NOT all veterinarians are following through with this directive. Please look up cases in your community and discuss with your veterinarian. Dogs are falling ill and are now flooding the veterinarian offices with this canine influenza. It first appeared several years ago from dogs being imported from other countries. Our dogs here in America do not have the antibodies to fight it. It can develop into pneumonia, making your dog(s) extremely sick and requiring urgent care. They have warned against bringing your dog(s) to dog parks and multi dog gatherings. Many dogs have not had the canine influenza shot and the virus spreads very quickly.

Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by a type of bacteria called Leptospira. The disease causes serious damage to the kidneys and liver and may be fatal in severe cases. The bacteria that cause leptospirosis are spread through the urine of infected animals and can survive in water or soil for weeks to months. Dogs can get infected through contact with contaminated urine, water, or soil. Please consult with your veterinarian for your dog(s) to receive these vaccinations.

From personal experience, I totally recommend keeping the vaccines separate and not having your dog receive them at the same time but again, please consult with your veterinarian on the best preventative treatment for your pet and remember to discuss possible side effects.

My work with dogs for their optimal health has been ongoing for many years, and the large number of dogs we rescue we are hands on with complete understanding and what happens if you don’t keep your dogs current on their vaccines. During the pandemic there have been several litters of puppies that have fallen ill from these horrible and serious viruses. Please make sure your dog(s) and puppies have all their necessary vaccinations.

Be careful where you take your dogs. Be incredibly careful of dog parks and public gathering of multiple dogs.

With Love to you and your pets,

Linda Blair