Last Week It Was Martha Stewart, This Week It's Orca's Doggie Who Bites A Bullet

First of all I love dogs so don't think otherwise, I had one for 12 years as a young teen through my 22nd birthday named Pistol from birth to death. A cute and very lovable purebread cross creak Hunting Beagle, who spent much of his life overweight with a little heart problem that caused him and us a little distress over the years but was our beloved family doggie.

And after Pistol's sad and painful death in my very presence one evening in 1988 I chose not to get another dog to replace those good memories as I was also single, working day and night and living alone, thinking another dog in those circumstances would be a selfish thing to do.

Here's the only picture I have here at my house of him as a younger pup

Again last week Martha Stewarts puppy was killed in a goofy kennel explosion we blogged about and So here's the story were Oprah's brand new pup, one of two has died of a kind of doggie AIDS called Parvo for short...apparently the second one is sick but hanging on according to the trib today...See, money can't buy us everything and therefore shouldn't be everything as it has become to far too many shallow Americans/

OPRAH WINFREY: Oprah's second dog dies

chicagotribune.com:"One of two puppies adopted by Oprah Winfrey this month has died.

Winfrey adopted an 8-week-old blond cocker spaniel from PAWS Chicago and introduced the puppy, named Sadie, to her TV audience on her March 6 show. She also brought out three of Sadie's littermates, one of whom she subsequently adopted and named Ivan.

Several days later, Ivan became ill with the highly contagious parvovirus. A spokeswoman for Winfrey's Harpo Productions confirmed Tuesday that Ivan died late last week. Sadie, too, was infected, but has stabilized for the first time since she began receiving treatment last Thursday. The spokeswoman said 'she's holding her own for now.'"Puppies, whose immune systems are not yet fully developed, are most susceptible to parvovirus, which is transmitted through fecal matter and vomit of infected dogs.

It can be brought into a puppy's environment on someone's shoes or clothes or even on the tires of their car. It's extremely hardy and can survive in the environment for up to nine months.

A pet owner doesn't know a dog is infected until the symptoms develop.

"It's a devastating disease when it hits," says Kathleen Heneghan, past president of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association.

Symptoms include bloody vomiting and/or diarrhea, which can lead to extreme fluid loss and dehydration until shock and death result. Also, bacteria can invade the animal's entire body, resulting in the formation of septic toxins and death. It is not a threat to humans. With early and intensive treatment the survival rate is nearly 80 percent.

In a statement released late Tuesday, PAWS said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with Oprah Winfrey on the loss of Ivan, and we are hopeful that Sadie makes a full recovery.

"At PAWS Chicago, all of our animals receive excellent medical care. We take stringent precautions to prevent life-threatening diseases, including parvovirus. Our medical protocols are best in class in the industry and the steps we take prior to adoption include administering all required vaccinations, diagnostic testing, multiple veterinary checks and a 14-day isolation period for puppies.

"Of the 501 puppies that PAWS Chicago took in during 2008, 99.2 percent either did not contract parvovirus or were cured of the disease.

"We remain committed to staying at the forefront of excellent shelter practices."

Winfrey has worked with and supported PAWS in the past, most notably during a series of shows last year about puppy mills and pet overpopulation. She also has funded a pet room at the facility.

Heneghan says that until a puppy has completed its shots, it's best to avoid areas where they might come in contact with the virus: the beach, puppy play dates, dog parks and so on.

"You have to treat a puppy like a brand-new baby," she says. "They're not fully protected until they're 4 months of age."

Heneghan also said that the best insurance for a pet owner is to develop a strong relationship with a vet.

"Make sure the puppy is checked out from Day 1. That way, if something does change and it becomes ill, you've already got someone you trust who you can bring the pet to."

---