Leishmania to sleep or not to sleep

darkeyes


Joined: 20/10/2008
Posts: 54

Message Posted:
02/06/2010 11:19

I've just found out my 1 yr old rescue dog has leismania - are there people out there who didn't put their dogs down as recommended by the vets? opinions please?



thks Res

jamestalbot


Joined: 20/12/2009
Posts: 958

Message Posted:
02/06/2010 11:37

Hi Res,



I had a dog with Leishmania, I did not put the dog down, I could not bring myself to do it, the Vet said it would be better to have the dog put down.



In hind sight, who was I thinking of the dog or myself, I watched the dog over a period of months getting worse, loosing hair, getting thinner, even though he was eating better than I was, he then started to have difficulty waling and was in pain, I could not stand to see the dog in pain any more so reluctantly took the Vet's advice.



It's difficult, I do not envy the decision you will have to make.



Best Wishes



James

jamestalbot


Joined: 20/12/2009
Posts: 958

Message Posted:
02/06/2010 11:39

that should have been difficulty in walking

artistabroad


Joined: 06/07/2009
Posts: 104

Message Posted:
02/06/2010 11:59

Hi, you might find the site http://www.leishmaniasis.info/ helpful, although I don't know if the vets here can get the drugs recommended. Only you can decide whether your dog is still enjoying life, or if it's time for him to be given sleep. You have my every sympathy.

darkeyes


Joined: 20/10/2008
Posts: 54

Message Posted:
02/06/2010 12:34

Thks for your words, James - it must have been very hard to see your dog put down. - i've only had her since feb (someone dumped her in the floods) she is very lively, friendly and loving and eats like a horse but i also have three other dogs so not sure what do do.

Artistabroad - I'll check your website out thks.

puppylover



Joined: 05/05/2008
Posts: 1427

Message Posted:
02/06/2010 12:43

How very sad.

Thoughts are with you in what is going to be a very difficult decision.



Kind regards



Judy

fiendishpaul


Joined: 18/05/2008
Posts: 1720

Message Posted:
02/06/2010 13:03

A very difficult decision but dogs can live a fairly normal life with leishmania although they will require meds for an awfully long time if not for life. I believe that the meds are available in NC.



Very best of luck whatever you decide.



Kind Regards



Paul

blakey1627



Joined: 30/01/2008
Posts: 137

Message Posted:
02/06/2010 13:43

Hi Res

My rescue dog was diagnosed with Leishmania 12 month ago, at the time he was very lethargic, poor appetite and sores on his front limbs. Firdez carried out blood tests and his organs appeared ok so we started treatment of Allupurinol. He is now full of life, his sores all disappeared and his eyes which used to be yellow, are sparkly white. İn fact he won first prize at the Dog Show for the dog with the most beautiful eyes!!!

I hope this will offer you some reassurance don't give up on him/her just yet.

Regards

Blakey

ang1706


Joined: 28/01/2009
Posts: 570

Message Posted:
02/06/2010 13:43

Thanks to this thread I have been able to find oyut about Leishmanisis.

I was serving in Belize in 1979 and we had lots of guys casevaced to UK suffereing from it and we were told it was when a 'beastie' lays its eggs inside you. I always thought that was the case.

But I am not being patronising but genuinly are saying thank you for enlightening me.

Geejay


Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 475

Message Posted:
02/06/2010 15:28

Hi darkeyes. We knowingly took on a rescue dog with leishmania from someone who had to let her go. Her disease is controlled by a daily intake of low priced tablets and this has proved to be effective in keeping her in good otherwise health. She displays no outward symptoms of her problem and behaves "normally".

Go see Firdez the Girne Vet and she will advise for your particular animal.

BoBoBear


Joined: 02/06/2010
Posts: 121

Message Posted:
02/06/2010 15:30

What ever you do dont have the dog put down unless its in a really bad condition, we are in the same position have two dogs with it, make sure they have the collars that cover the sand fly and mosi this way they wont transmit to others, next thing is ask your vet about the following Milteform it won an award for the 2010 new vet product, has no side affects on the dogs liver or kidneys. Hope all goes well for you. We start treament on ours tomorrow with this and it can be administed into their food at home so no need for trips to the vet for uncomfortable injections.

zanky


Joined: 17/10/2008
Posts: 354

Message Posted:
02/06/2010 16:05

We have a 12 year old (we think but she is a rescue dog so not sure) German Shepherd cross. Firdez diagnosed her with Leishmania nearly 2 years ago with sores on her nose and ears. She has daily Alipurinol and is a normal healthy dog. Every case is different and I know Firdez will do her damndest to do the best for your dog - you should listen to her. We obtained a prescription from Firdez and sent for Advantix from UK for drops to stop ticks and sand flies. This is as much to protect our other dogs from infection from sandflies which may have landed on Brandy.

darkeyes


Joined: 20/10/2008
Posts: 54

Message Posted:
02/06/2010 16:45

Thks everyone think i will try for the milteform and keep her going - im not sure i could rest knowing ive put an outwardly healthy dog to sleep. Anyway, my son won't let me !

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
03/06/2010 09:53

If you keep a dog that has been positively diagnosed with 'Leichmaniasis' you are putting, not only yourself and your family in danger, but the wider community - how idiotic and blindingly selfish can that be?



Don't such fools realise that every time a mosquito, or sandfly, bites an infected dog that the 'cycle' is perpetuated?



Wake up - for Christ's sake!

darkeyes


Joined: 20/10/2008
Posts: 54

Message Posted:
03/06/2010 17:48

bobobear - where did you get the milteform - my vet says it is unavailable in cyprus?

spanna


Joined: 12/01/2009
Posts: 544

Message Posted:
03/06/2010 17:49

Can I ask what it is....? Milteform, I mean...?

darkeyes


Joined: 20/10/2008
Posts: 54

Message Posted:
03/06/2010 17:52

something that i'm going to give to tenakoutou to 'stop the cycle'!!

BoBoBear


Joined: 02/06/2010
Posts: 121

Message Posted:
03/06/2010 20:31

Hi darkeye, our vet Sena got it for us she is based in Lefkosa started our treatment today a 28 day course very simple just put it into the food, keeping everything crossed but reading all the reports from spain, portugal etc has had excellent results. Not sure if there is anyway getting it sent via the UK? certainly going to try for the other one, its not cheap at 250 euros but by far cheaper than the injections and all the blood test that go along with it.

BoBoBear


Joined: 02/06/2010
Posts: 121

Message Posted:
03/06/2010 20:31

Dark eyes: just to confirm its Made by Virbac and its Milteforan, will do some searching see if and where it can be sourced from

darkeyes


Joined: 20/10/2008
Posts: 54

Message Posted:
04/06/2010 08:33

thanks BoBoBear - i wonder where she got it from and why some of the girne vets believe it's unavailable here.

I'll have to tell my vet. THanks for your help.

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
04/06/2010 09:02

darkeyes/Msg 17:



And in case any forum readers find Msg 17 amusing - please check out this link:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leishmaniasis



Then we'll see the validity of my Msg 14 ............... !

BoBoBear


Joined: 02/06/2010
Posts: 121

Message Posted:
04/06/2010 09:10

Tenakoutou Msg 21



Well we just have to hope you dont get it as you may want to put yourself down too..... As previously said the collars on the dogs will stop the sand flies biting them maybe all us humans should be wearing them! save the dogs getting.

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
04/06/2010 10:11

Dog owners who blindly and idiotically insist on keeping an infected dog [against vets' advice] should be heavily fined for putting the community at risk, then put down with the dog!



Meanwhile, keep kissing that dog - you might contract hydatids, and serve you right!



Check this link out!



medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Hydatids

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
04/06/2010 10:17

Lovely...!



- & for the 'technically challenged': - http://www.medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Hydatids

BoBoBear


Joined: 02/06/2010
Posts: 121

Message Posted:
04/06/2010 10:45

Tenakoutou Msg 23



Thank you so much for your advise, we did take vets advise and she said she would have gone the same route as we have being an animal lover (obviously something you are not) and would happily kiss our house dog he has regular treatments throughout the year as advised by the Veterinary profession and is by far cleaner than lots on this island thats for sure! and I am not talking animals......

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
04/06/2010 11:14

An ignorant and selfish and irresponsible mindset is.............. an ignorant and selfish and irresponsible mindset that clearly besets too many.



So, why don't you go and stick your [infected] dog's nose up your likeminded friend's [infected] dog's arse!

artistabroad


Joined: 06/07/2009
Posts: 104

Message Posted:
04/06/2010 11:19

From Leishinfo.org - "The preliminary results of on-going field trials in Brazil and Iran show that Scalibor (Paraband) is more effective in preventing the transmission of L infantum among dogs than culling seropositive individuals."

From leishmaniasis.info - "Direct dog-to-human transmission has never been reported, even among veterinarians who have handled hundreds of dogs with leishmaniasis."

Informed opinion is helpful, insults achieve nothing.

BoBoBear


Joined: 02/06/2010
Posts: 121

Message Posted:
04/06/2010 11:27

Many thanks artistabroad have the collars from here but getting the scalibor collars brought from UK to make 100 pct certain. If we can just make the vets insist on them here along with yearly/quartly treaments we would be onto a good start.

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
05/06/2010 15:29

Have you ever noticed that dogs and cats are frequently bitten by sandflies on the nose?



Why?



Because the attractant for all phlebocites [mossies & sandflies, etc] is the carbon dioxide exhaled during respiration, and where does that emanate from?



The nose! - Got it in one!



Logically, no 'Scalibor', or other collar will work completely because animals are constantly licking their noses.



Check out this, too:



Alibert's disease II



Also known as:

Borovskii’s disease



Description:

A sand fly-borne infection most commonly seen in countries in the Middle East, Mediterranean littoral, Africa, and South America. Both sexes and all ages can be affected. It is caused by the parasite Leishmania tropica. The infection first appears after an incubation period ranging from several weeks to several months in the form of papules on the exposed skin, followed by ulceration and scabs.



You can 'Google' the rest...............