No More Coughing For Jerry

 

With thanks to Kande from MD for sharing Jerry’s story:

“Our 13 yo Shih tzu came back from the groomer about 9 months ago coughing uncontrollably and we found out he had a Collapsed Trachea confirmed by his vet that evening. The coughing, honking, etc., was unbearable but our love for him and his quality of life had us searching for better options. The vet said it was incurable but something that could be managed with steroids and pain meds. He still coughed around the clock. I found Ask Ariel and started with the Ultra-Flex Collagen supplement and he coughed significantly less. Also gave him benadryl tabs occasionally. The next time I ordered Collagen, I added the LypoZyme. After 3 weeks of both he is not coughing at all. It's a miracle and everyday my husband and I are thankful that we found Ask Ariel. No more steroids or pain meds either! He is running up and down the stairs now without coughing and we just watch him in awe. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, a million times over (Jerry thanks you too)!

And, Thank you also to the incredibly knowledgeable staff, professionalism, and care you put into every product at Ask Ariel : )))”

Asian Canine Flu Hits the United States

You may have heard on the news recently about a new canine flu affecting dogs in the Midwest (especially the Chicago area).  It is a new Asian strain called H3N2. We have not seen it previously in the United States, so your dog will not have immunity to this virus and there is not a vaccine available in the United States. It is highly contagious and precautions should be taken, especially if cases have been identified in your area.

The symptoms are similar to the American canine flu H3N8 and include: coughing, sneezing and a runny nose. There has also been reports that many dogs infected by the H3N2 will develop pneumonia. It is also important to note that canine flu does not have a “flu season” like human influenza so pets can be infected all year. The American Veterinary Medical Association says, "Canine influenza is spread via aerosolized respiratory secretions and contaminated objects (kennel surfaces, food and water bowls, collars and leashes) and people moving between infected and uninfected dogs. The virus can remain viable (alive and able to infect) on surfaces for up to 48 hours, on clothing for 24 hours and on hands for 12 hours."

If your dog is diagnosed with H3N2, be sure they are eating a healthy diet, getting plenty of rest and fluids and watch for secondary infections (like pneumonia). Holistic supplements especially immune support supplements such as Quentans which is anti-viral can greatly help.   Keep an infected dog away from other dogs! They  could be contagious for at least 10-14 days. 

Since there is not a vaccine, prevention is the key to keeping your pet healthy.   Avoid areas that have documented cases of H3N2, especially places with high contact, dog care centers, training classes, dog parks, etc. and build your pets natural immune system with supplements such as  Amazing Omegas for Pets and Power Probiotics for Pets  

Tales From Tessie: Cancer Diagnoses

Today, we discovered that our beautiful Tessie has very limited time left with us. We rescued Tessie from a horrible life as a breeding dog in a puppy mill. Her cruel owners threw her over a 6 foot fence into a high kill animal shelter after she could no longer have puppies. She had no front teeth from chewing on the cage where she had been locked for years. We heard her plight and our rescue, Ariel Rescue saved her along with another husky male. We didn't know her exact age, but the veterinarians estimated her to be about 5-6 years old. That was only 3 years ago.

Tessie never had a lot of energy and tired easily. She had bursts of hyperactivity but for the most part has been a very mellow dog. Always, from the time we had her, there was a slight cough.....

For so long , we checked on the cough, had bloowork, XRAYs and really not much ever showed up. Through great nutrition, supplements and lots of love and patience, we transformed this ragamuffin into a beautiful dog (Tessie's before and after pictures can be seen on our Testimonials page). However, in the past 6 months, her cough progressed.

Pets often don't display their pain because of their survival instinct in the wild. We are so grateful we continued to follow through with the laboratory work and went back over/over until today we received our sad news: Tessie has cancer. Because the tumor is located around her heart, there is nothing that can be done from a conventional veterinary standpoint. The veterinarian said it is either canine chemodectoma or canine hemangiosarcoma but we may never know for sure. Of course, we will do all we can to keep Tessie comfortable using diet and supplements but the prognosis is bleak. We thought by sharing our heartbreaking story with others, that somehow, it might provde insight to all pet owners. We will provide regular updates to Tessie's tales and hope that by following our story, it will be helpful to you.