Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Paws with a Purpose Success Story
Dear Dr. Sam,
Thank you so much for the information. And I want to personally thank you for your time and devotion. I personally have a seizure alert dog and I know how very valuable he is to me. Before I got him I would not get out. I was having several seizures a day. Now I can get out and my seizures has drastically reduced in severity and quantity.
Linda Dalhaus
Dear Dr. Sam,
Thank you so much for the information. And I want to personally thank you for your time and devotion. I personally have a seizure alert dog and I know how very valuable he is to me. Before I got him I would not get out. I was having several seizures a day. Now I can get out and my seizures has drastically reduced in severity and quantity.
Linda Dalhaus
Friday, May 21, 2004
IMPORTANT NOTICE
“Kentucky has reported out their first positive bird for West Nile virus in 2004. A mourning dove collected May 7, 2004 in Ohio Co. has tested positive. Illinois has also reported out a positive bird and a positive mosquito pool.” Sue K. Billings, DVM, MSPH Medical Epidemiologist Kentucky Department for Public Health
It is ESSENTIAL that Bird Owners limit the exposure of your pet birds to this deadly disease. Please contact the Hospital at 502-245-7863 for testing and vaccination information
This is a simple deadly disease to prevent, do not expose your birds to mosquitoes. If you feel you cannot or emotionally cannot stop yourself from taking your bird outside, you may consider vaccination. What you must realize is that the only vaccine for West Nile Virus is labeled only for use in horses. I waited two years for zoos around the country to vaccinate, and see what happened in terms of reactions, acute anaphylactic, or long term reactions. Thus far none have been seen. Thus I chose to vaccinate my own pet birds, this spring I believe it was, with the two dose protocol three weeks apart. I noticed no ill effects from the vaccine. While we do not have scientifically reproducible vaccine administration protection in birds, we do have the common sense results that zoos that have chosen to vaccinate have had fewer deaths from West Nile Virus, than zoos that chose NOT to vaccinate. I currently feel comfortable taking my birds outside in their cages so they can enjoy the sunshine, and I live in a highly mosquito infected area. If I have done the wrong thing and lose a bird to this disease you will hear about it here!
Since the vaccine is not labeled for birds, this is what is termed and “off-label” use, and requires signing a release form protecting the veterinarian who administered the vaccine, the hospital, Veterinary Associates Inc. and Fort Dodge the vaccine manufacturer. Intelligent falconers (people who have raptors to hunt with like Red Tails and Harris Hawks) are already vaccinated.
Also remember that as a GROUP psittacines (parrots family) are a low risk species for this disease.
This is versus raptors, like Red Tailed Hawks, who very commonly die from the virus. The problem is as a pet owner I am not interested in the “group” numbers, I want my baby to be protected, one death is not acceptable.
This year’s death has pre-empted last years first reported death in a bird.
Last year my friend and colleague Dr. Greg Rich reported two research papers on psittacines in aviaries from Southern Louisiana, where their aviaries are outside all of the time.
So it does kill psittacines, just not as often or with the same frequency as it does raptors.
Remember mosquitoes enter your home as well, sort of like heartworm disease in dogs. We have people say my dog can’t get heartworms he is never outside. My response always is “Oh, you have that magical home that mosquitoes do not fly into!”
I will hesitate to vaccinate birds for people who are overly concerned about reactions and seem to have a litigious attitude. In my opinion the vaccination is much less dangerous than driving an automobile to the hospital. Reactions can happen to anything, aspirin, sterile water, any vaccine, antibiotic etc.
Keeping you up to date with the latest information, from American Board of Veterinary Practitioners Meeting in New Orleans. This is the group that certifies us as Avian Specialists; there are currently about 126 of us on the planet.
Always expect me to change my views on certain subjects, if you have a vet who has told you the same things for the last 20 years, find a new vet, they are not keeping up! Next year I may tell you not to use this vaccine at all, the final decision is still out, and the fact is aviculture in general is so resistant to supporting research of their product (birds) that drug companies resist employing the time and money involved in producing, creating, and safety testing a vaccine such as this for such a niche product. Because they know the breeders are not going to buy it, we learned this lesson with Polyomavirus; apparently aviculture would rather accept a few deaths than spend a few extra bucks to sell a healthier product. Strong words I know, but they are the truth.
So would I vaccinate my birds against West Nile, you better believe it, I already have. Should you vaccinate, it all depends on your knowledge level of the disease, the knowledge that mosquitoes enter your home, and your acceptance of taking the risk to use and “off-label vaccine. Truth is if I only used drugs APPROVED for the use in birds, I would just bury most of my patients. VERY, VERY FEW DRUGS ARE APPROVED FOR USE N AVIAN AND EXOTIC PATIENTS.
If you want to possibly get a company to do the research to produce this vaccine for bird contact Biomune Company, the company that produces Polyomavirus vaccine for birds. They have actually toyed with the idea of an avian vaccine for West Nile in Pet Birds, even in the face of the dismal failure of aviculture to buy and use the Polyomavirus product. Contact Dr. Miguel Escobar at meescobar@aol.com, tell him you want to buy a vaccine to protect your beloved poet from this deadly disease.
In service,
Sammy Vaughn
“Kentucky has reported out their first positive bird for West Nile virus in 2004. A mourning dove collected May 7, 2004 in Ohio Co. has tested positive. Illinois has also reported out a positive bird and a positive mosquito pool.” Sue K. Billings, DVM, MSPH Medical Epidemiologist Kentucky Department for Public Health
It is ESSENTIAL that Bird Owners limit the exposure of your pet birds to this deadly disease. Please contact the Hospital at 502-245-7863 for testing and vaccination information
This is a simple deadly disease to prevent, do not expose your birds to mosquitoes. If you feel you cannot or emotionally cannot stop yourself from taking your bird outside, you may consider vaccination. What you must realize is that the only vaccine for West Nile Virus is labeled only for use in horses. I waited two years for zoos around the country to vaccinate, and see what happened in terms of reactions, acute anaphylactic, or long term reactions. Thus far none have been seen. Thus I chose to vaccinate my own pet birds, this spring I believe it was, with the two dose protocol three weeks apart. I noticed no ill effects from the vaccine. While we do not have scientifically reproducible vaccine administration protection in birds, we do have the common sense results that zoos that have chosen to vaccinate have had fewer deaths from West Nile Virus, than zoos that chose NOT to vaccinate. I currently feel comfortable taking my birds outside in their cages so they can enjoy the sunshine, and I live in a highly mosquito infected area. If I have done the wrong thing and lose a bird to this disease you will hear about it here!
Since the vaccine is not labeled for birds, this is what is termed and “off-label” use, and requires signing a release form protecting the veterinarian who administered the vaccine, the hospital, Veterinary Associates Inc. and Fort Dodge the vaccine manufacturer. Intelligent falconers (people who have raptors to hunt with like Red Tails and Harris Hawks) are already vaccinated.
Also remember that as a GROUP psittacines (parrots family) are a low risk species for this disease.
This is versus raptors, like Red Tailed Hawks, who very commonly die from the virus. The problem is as a pet owner I am not interested in the “group” numbers, I want my baby to be protected, one death is not acceptable.
This year’s death has pre-empted last years first reported death in a bird.
Last year my friend and colleague Dr. Greg Rich reported two research papers on psittacines in aviaries from Southern Louisiana, where their aviaries are outside all of the time.
So it does kill psittacines, just not as often or with the same frequency as it does raptors.
Remember mosquitoes enter your home as well, sort of like heartworm disease in dogs. We have people say my dog can’t get heartworms he is never outside. My response always is “Oh, you have that magical home that mosquitoes do not fly into!”
I will hesitate to vaccinate birds for people who are overly concerned about reactions and seem to have a litigious attitude. In my opinion the vaccination is much less dangerous than driving an automobile to the hospital. Reactions can happen to anything, aspirin, sterile water, any vaccine, antibiotic etc.
Keeping you up to date with the latest information, from American Board of Veterinary Practitioners Meeting in New Orleans. This is the group that certifies us as Avian Specialists; there are currently about 126 of us on the planet.
Always expect me to change my views on certain subjects, if you have a vet who has told you the same things for the last 20 years, find a new vet, they are not keeping up! Next year I may tell you not to use this vaccine at all, the final decision is still out, and the fact is aviculture in general is so resistant to supporting research of their product (birds) that drug companies resist employing the time and money involved in producing, creating, and safety testing a vaccine such as this for such a niche product. Because they know the breeders are not going to buy it, we learned this lesson with Polyomavirus; apparently aviculture would rather accept a few deaths than spend a few extra bucks to sell a healthier product. Strong words I know, but they are the truth.
So would I vaccinate my birds against West Nile, you better believe it, I already have. Should you vaccinate, it all depends on your knowledge level of the disease, the knowledge that mosquitoes enter your home, and your acceptance of taking the risk to use and “off-label vaccine. Truth is if I only used drugs APPROVED for the use in birds, I would just bury most of my patients. VERY, VERY FEW DRUGS ARE APPROVED FOR USE N AVIAN AND EXOTIC PATIENTS.
If you want to possibly get a company to do the research to produce this vaccine for bird contact Biomune Company, the company that produces Polyomavirus vaccine for birds. They have actually toyed with the idea of an avian vaccine for West Nile in Pet Birds, even in the face of the dismal failure of aviculture to buy and use the Polyomavirus product. Contact Dr. Miguel Escobar at meescobar@aol.com, tell him you want to buy a vaccine to protect your beloved poet from this deadly disease.
In service,
Sammy Vaughn
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
COMMUNITY, PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE, PETS HELPING PEOPLE!
Isn't this what life is all about?
We at Veterinary Associates-Stonefield all feel so good about being able to contribute to the Cell Dog Program, sponsored by PawswithPurpose.org. This program places puppies inside the Kentucky Correctional Institution for Women in Pee-Wee Valley Kentucky. The plan is for these inmates to train the puppies up to about 16 months of age, when the pups will come out and go into the hands of professional service dog trainers. Then when the puppies are ready for service they will be placed with humans with special needs. People with hearing disabilities, seizure disorders and diabetes just to name a few.
This is so fantastic that these puppies are being able to impact the lives of the inmates positively. You should have seen the tears and the smiles on the folks faces who were selected to train the puppies when we presented them on 05/03/2004. The inmates are giving something back to society by living with and training these pups 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Their self-esteem will be boosted tremendously. Then the inmates are going to have the honor of meeting the special needs person the service dogs will be assisting, so the inmates can see what kind of miracle they have helped create!
Other veterinarians in our area are also involved, Dr. Ray Watson of Goosecreek Animal Hospital, and Dr. Nonnie Green of Seneca Animal Hospital are donating spay/neuters and vaccines along with all of us here at Veterinary Associates-Stonefield.
If any of you want to be a part of this program please contact Sharon Gretsinger, President of Paws with Purpose at Sharongrets@aol.com. All donations, crates, cages, food, supplies and work time will all be gladly accepted.
We indeed have a special community of special people here in the Greater Louisville Metropolitan Area, thank you call for caring!
Sammy
Isn't this what life is all about?
We at Veterinary Associates-Stonefield all feel so good about being able to contribute to the Cell Dog Program, sponsored by PawswithPurpose.org. This program places puppies inside the Kentucky Correctional Institution for Women in Pee-Wee Valley Kentucky. The plan is for these inmates to train the puppies up to about 16 months of age, when the pups will come out and go into the hands of professional service dog trainers. Then when the puppies are ready for service they will be placed with humans with special needs. People with hearing disabilities, seizure disorders and diabetes just to name a few.
This is so fantastic that these puppies are being able to impact the lives of the inmates positively. You should have seen the tears and the smiles on the folks faces who were selected to train the puppies when we presented them on 05/03/2004. The inmates are giving something back to society by living with and training these pups 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Their self-esteem will be boosted tremendously. Then the inmates are going to have the honor of meeting the special needs person the service dogs will be assisting, so the inmates can see what kind of miracle they have helped create!
Other veterinarians in our area are also involved, Dr. Ray Watson of Goosecreek Animal Hospital, and Dr. Nonnie Green of Seneca Animal Hospital are donating spay/neuters and vaccines along with all of us here at Veterinary Associates-Stonefield.
If any of you want to be a part of this program please contact Sharon Gretsinger, President of Paws with Purpose at Sharongrets@aol.com. All donations, crates, cages, food, supplies and work time will all be gladly accepted.
We indeed have a special community of special people here in the Greater Louisville Metropolitan Area, thank you call for caring!
Sammy
