Dot Sweeney's Correspondence [2003]On this page you will find Dot's correspondence regarding her experience with a litter of her Black Russian Terriers. They appear in chronological order, beginning with the first. Email #1 - as addressed to all subscribers to Dogs4Sale.com Hi all, My name is Dot Sweeney, I have the Black Russian Terriers you may have seen in the show ring. I am trying to get this to as many people as possible so if you would all be kind enough to send it on we may be able to have something done if enough people are concerned about the problem. Two weeks ago I had my six week old litter of pups vaccinated with the new modified version of PROTECH DURAMUNE C4 and nearly lost all of them, one little boy died. I have since been talking to people in Victoria who have had problems with this new version of the vaccine. I believe there have been quite a few litters in Victoria that have experienced the same problems. The only thing the company will say is " there has been a problem with a small number of pups " but they are saying the other problems are not connected to the vaccine. The company says that reaction to the vaccine is over in a couple of days and anything after that is not connected. I have been told of a couple of people losing half of their litters after vaccination with this new version. What seems to be happening is that the reaction is so severe that the pups immune systems are depressed to the stage that they can not cope with anything else that would normally not bother them and that leaves them open to severe depression, bowel bacteria or pneumonia or Coccidiosis parasites which cause massive dysentry and dehydration and then death. This can hit 5-10 days after vaccination so most vets are not connecting it and only now are some realising that the connection is there as it is happening too often. This vaccine is pretty new and a lot of vets are still using up supplies of the older version and have not used the new one so far. Believe me after the last two weeks it is not something I would wish anyone else to go through, I fought like hell to pull mine through, 2 on the drip at the vets and no sleep for 3 days to keep the others rehydrated, not to mention the vet bills at the end of it all. Please talk to your vets about this as a lot of them have not started to use this new version yet and pass this on to everyone you can think of in the dog world. If enough people refuse to use this vaccine they may pull it off the market and save a lot of suffering for our pets and ourselves. It would be good to get a list of people who have had a problem after using this vaccine to present to the company that makes it. Please email me with your details on this matter. Dot Sweeney Email: buka@iprimus.com.au
Email #2 - as addressed to all subscribers to Dogs4Sale.com Hi all, Just an update, The mother of these pups has just started vomiting blood and it is from the same cause as the pups. I do not want to start world war three here but I have been breeding dogs for nearly 30 years now and have never had this happen before. I have a bunch of e-mails from people all over who have had the same thing happen in the last few months who have never had it happen before either. I am NOT saying the vaccine caused it, what I am saying is that it seems to be very coincidental that this is happening so often within a few days of vaccination. I fully realise that if I said that the vaccination was the cause of the problem I could be sued by the company so I am not saying that. What I said was to talk to your vets about what was happening. The pups, and the parents were in perfect health prior to vaccination, pups were all vet checked to make sure. I am sure that my vet of many years would vouch for my hygiene and care of my dogs even though it is a bit off at the moment as having so many sick pups and being on my own as my husband is overseas has left me with not enough hands to keep on top of everything as I should but believe me before I got so busy it was all up to scratch. Maybe it is time for some more research to be done. If research is showing that we are over vaccinating why is it that this information is not told to the general public so we can make an informed decision. If a blood test prior to vaccination would show if it was necessary or not why are we not told to have it done, I know for sure that I would have if I had known. This would make more money for the vets not less. I will be having both my adults tested for antibodies now that I know about this. I have always used this brand of vaccine before and no real problems, others are reporting the same, what has changed in the last few months. My property is surrounded by a 6ft colourbond and paling fence, my dogs have not been outside it nor other dogs inside it for the last three and a half months and my dogs have been 100% healthy so exposure to other dogs as a carrier can be ruled out. For years we have been told to vaccinate at 6 weeks, if this is not right we need to know, we all need to make our own decisions after we have all the information we as pet owners and lovers need to be able to make an informed decision. We need the pharmaceutical company's to tell us about adverse reactions and what to expect. If I am to be in trouble for using my right of free speech to tell what has happened to me then so be it, if I am to be sued then so be it, no one can take from me what I ain`t got and at least I have you all asking questions now. Dot Sweeney Email: buka@iprimus.com.au
Email #3 - as addressed to all subscribers to Dogs4Sale.com Further update The final diagnosis after autopsy on the one I lost is Coccidiosis but tests are not saying which bug has caused it??? The pup had a telescoped intestine probably caused by the massive diarrhoea? Pups seem to be recovering, I have moved them to an uncontaminated area and not allowing the parents near and they are not happy about it. I have used gallons of chlorine bleach but will never take a chance on this happening again so no more puppies here ever. One company has assured me that vaccinations are SAFE and do not cause this problem, I was told that the pups would probably have got this from one of the parents but it seems very strange to me that the pups got sick a few days after vaccination and Zaya a week after that and Stryka not at all. All pups are fine now and it is only Zaya I am worried about until she gets over it, I have Stryka on medication as well just to be sure but he seems fine apart from the medicine to stop this bug has caused a bit of irritation to his throat. I had the pups vaccinated at home so they never left my property. I have been told this can be contracted from the droppings of wild birds but am still convinced in my own mind, and this is my personal opinion, that maybe this would not have happened had their immune systems not been compromised by the stress of vaccination at that time. I have received hundreds of e-mails on this subject and some are reporting the exact same problem with coccidiosis and that they had never had this problem before, lots of other problems as well.. I have sent a list of web sites to Dogs4sale and if you all care to take a look you will have a lot of information to make your own decisions and choices on the subject of vaccination. My whole way of thinking has been changed by what I have learned. Dot Sweeney Email: buka@iprimus.com.au
Email #4 - as addressed to all subscribers to Dogs4Sale.com Hi All, As you all know I recently had a perfectly healthy 6 week old litter of pups vaccinated with Protech Duramune C4 from Fort Dodge, within 2 weeks of vaccination I had 5 out of 11 pups down with parvo?? Last update I had lost one boy, the total now stands at four. We thought coccidiosis but now appears to have been parvo. Four died and we managed to pull the other one through after a week on a drip.The mum became sick and was vomiting blood a week after the pups became ill, she now seems ok. I am still waiting for the vet to give me a copy of the files and lab reports and have asked him to file an adverse reaction report to our NRA here in Aus with a copy to me to follow up on. I will get an official time line on this. The vet came to my house to do the vax, all pups cried all night after VAX, pain for about 36 hours at the VAX site and yelped when touched in the area, diahrea, lethargic and not eating for a couple of days, then seemed to come good although stools still loose. A few days later vomiting, massive diahrea and the smallest boy on drip. We lost him and autopsy showed coccidiosis so all pups and parents were treated for this, 2 of the female pups did not respond to treatment and were getting worse and 2 boys were also not quite right, another autopsy when the first girl died showed quote " it looks a bit like parvo" so samples off to the lab. The second girl died in my arms 3 hours before the lab results were back. Parvo. The next morning the other two boys were on a drip, one recovered and we lost the other one after he battled on up and down for 10 days and his little veins finally collapsed . All other pups tested negative for parvo and have recovered and are in their new homes, vet checked on arrival and with no further problems although their next VAX is due shortly and I have made sure that their new vets are aware of the problems and they will not use the same vaccine. I do not accept " they must have already been incubating parvo" as all the research I have been doing says that an injection of live virus into an already exposed pup would drop them like a rock, not a week or so later. I also do not accept " they must have got it after VAX but before they were covered " as if so they would not have been sick so soon after VAX My personal belief is they got it from the live vaccine. My last two litters were vaccinated with the same product and had no problems but it was the older version not this newer updated version that came on to the market a couple of years ago. I am still receiving hundreds of e-mails and phone calls from all over, UK, USA, NZ as well as here in Aus and the stories of this and similar problems after VAX is horrendous. I had no idea this could happen or of the longer term effects that do not surface until much later. I intend to gather as many research papers and stories as possible to attach to my report ( all copy and paste, I will not use names or any other identifying personal info ) and present it to the NRA, Fort Dodge Australia and the Aus Vet Association. If anyone else would like to help by e-mailing me your experiences with adverse reactions to vaccines please feel free to e-mail privately. I have had a phone call from a Fort Dodge rep mentioning the words Lawyers and Libel, tough, I hope they do try something, I would welcome it, I have nothing they can take from me and will NEVER pay anything if found guilty, they can take me straight to jail. Imagine the media coverage that would get them. I have no intention of giving up on this, thinly veiled threats only get my back up and make me more determined to follow through. Wrong kind of approach to take with me. Not even a simple " send us the details and we`ll look into it " offer. I need all the research I can possibly get my hands on about this, I will present them with a box full and see if that will make them sit up and take notice. After holding one little girl as she died and not being able to do a damn thing to help her I never want anyone else to have to go through what I and my pups went through. This may take a while to get it all together but get it together I will. I have had 3 phone calls in the last couple of days saying that FD are sending their answer to my original e-mail to vets and asking them to display it, I do not know if this is true but if it is they are also not asking them to display my answer to this, they could not even send me an answer to my e-mail. If they think that by ignoring me I will go away, WRONG. Dot Sweeney Email: buka@iprimus.com.au
Email #5 - To: AERP Coordinator NRA From: Dot Sweeney Dear Sir/Madam I am reporting an adverse reaction to vaccination with PROTECH DURAMUNE C4 from FORT DODGE AUSTRALIA. Enclosed you will find, completed adverse reaction form from my vet, vet files, lab reports, a day by day timeline for the events with my pups, sections of over 100 out of the hundreds of e-mails I have received about this problem with adverse reactions to vaccination, of which 27 name Fort Dodge products and many others state “I too have had problems with this product” without actually naming Fort Dodge. Also with this cover letter is a copy of my original e-mails to a list I am on, a reply from Mr Preshaw of Fort Dodge and my reply to him. Within 24 hours of sending the first e-mail I, and also the list owner, received phone calls from Mr Preshaw, both calls mentioned Lawyers and Libel and the list owner was asked to remove my e-mail from the list as it was ‘detrimental to their company and their phones and e-mails were getting bogged down with questions about this’. Fort Dodge has been informed of this adverse reaction and I have supplied copies of most of this paperwork to them as well. They also know that I would not be adverse to them suing me as it is one way to get the problem out in the open for public awareness. They also know that I am willing go to jail if found guilty and that will make the media sit up and take notice. Mr Anthony Preshaw flew up from Sydney last Friday the 4/4/03 to see me and informed me he would “get back to me”. I have no doubt he will do so as I have no intentions of staying quiet about this issue. In total I lost four pups from this reaction and nearly lost the rest of the litter as well. I am not anti vaccination as I realise that pups must be covered for illness, but I would like to see ALL the information re adverse reaction made available to the public and Veterinarians as well as research about when, how often to vaccinate and what with so that dog owners and breeders can make their own informed decisions. I have spoken to many vets about this in the last few weeks and very few of them are aware of the research being done in the US and UK that is showing that some Vaccinations last the life of the dog and most others at least 3-7 years. I am hoping you will take these concerns about this product seriously and will await your reply. Yours truly, Dot Sweeney Email: buka@iprimus.com.au Puppy illness Timeline FOR NICK, BENJAMIN, BUSHKA and MISSY, the four who didn`t make it and all the others out there as well. 24/3/03 This is a true account as I remember it and from notes I made at the time and files from my veterinarian. THURS 6/2/03 Vaccination at home by vet, 11 pups, all pups health checked and all ok, normal temperature, good colour and had never had diahrea, eating their heads off and full of energy like any normal puppies. These pups were, and had been, perfectly healthy since they were born Some pups yelped while being vaccinated Pups cried all night, pain at vacc site FRI 7/2/03 All pups, Pain, depressed, not eating, diahrea. Helen W took Nick and Dotti home to nurse SAT 8/2/03 Some pups eating and running around playing but others still quiet, depressed, all have pain at vacc site, all have diahrea. Helen and Daryl take Ollie home, mild diahrea, tender at vacc site but otherwise seems ok Helen W brings Nick and Dotti back for a couple of hours as Nick not eating, depressed, lethargic and he has feed from mum, Dotti still has diahrea but eating. SUN 9/2/03 Some pups still have tenderness at vacc site, all have diahrea, Nick very ill, vet gives medication for all pups Debbie takes Mindi home, she is playing and eating but has mild diahrea MON 10/2/03 Nick worse, more medication, other pups mild diahrea but pain at vacc site gone TUE 11/2/03 Nick a bit better other pups seem ok apart from loose stools but not diahrea and still not eating much WED 12/2/03 Feeding pups nutrigel mixed with small amount of yoghurt and rehydration drink to try and get them to eat more, no diahrea but some stools still loose Helen W says Nick no better and Dotti same as the pups here THUR 13/2/03 Move all pups to new area, 2 females Bushka and Missy not responding as well as the males FRI 14/2/03 Diahrea started again in some pups, Vet gives scourban for all SAT 15/2/03 A little improvement, Nick back to vet with bloody diahrea, on drip, 3 male pups ok, 2 not as good and Bushka and Missy still not responding well SUN 16/2/03 Same MON 17/2/03 No real improvement but not worse, Nick still very ill, took blood from Zaya ( mother ) to give him TUE 18/2/03 Slight diahrea again, Nick had more blood from Zaya and sent home for night, Helen W slept on floor with him WED 19/2/03 Call vet to come to house as all pups have diahrea again, he suspects coccidiosis, treats all pups with baycox, some pups vomit it back up and are given another dose, Nick back to vet, Dotti has diahrea again as well, Helen W takes her to vet for baycox THUR 20/2/03 Vet comes and gives baycox again, some pups vomit Nick put to sleep today, Zaya off food and not well FRI 21/2/03 Zaya vomiting blood, coccidiosis??? Zaya and Stryka ( Dad ) treated with baycox, Stryka vomits it back up, some pups seem better some not SAT 22/2/03 Zaya still not eating but drinking, second dose of baycox for her and Stryka, Stryka dry retching and coughing, rang vet and seems baycox can ulcerate throat so give milk??? Male pups seem ok, 2 still have loose stools, Bushka and Missy not very good, no improvement SUN 23/2/03 No change MON 24/2/03 Missy worse, Stryka still coughing, Zaya ok and eating, male pups ok apart from loose stools in two of them but not diahrea TUE 25/2/03 Call vet to come to house and see just what the pups are passing, did not clean up so he could take some samples but moved pups to other area,Bushka and Missy both worse 5 males the same WED 26/2/03 Bushka very ill, back to vet, died about lunch time. Missy getting worse, sent autopsy samples to lab, 3 males ok and putting on weight other 2 still have loose stools but otherwise seem ok, not putting on as much weight THUR 27/2/03 Missy no better, 3 males ok, 2 still loose stools but otherwise seem fine FRI 28/2/03 Khan and Owen to new homes, vet checked on arrival by their own vets and passed A ok, Sam gone to Debbie to keep until he goes to new home, Missy worse, I don`t think she will make it, other two males Fergus and Benjamin seem ok stools soft but not loose SAT 1/3/03 Missy dies in my arms 5.30am, lab results back 8.30am PARVO, ring all new owners and have pups vet checked again, all clear for parvo, take remaining two pups to vet with Carol who has come to pick up her male pup Benjamin and has offered to take Fergus as well until he goes to new home to get him off the property. Vet check ok but one pup, Fergus, vomited up chicken neck at office and it was put down to car sickness as no sign of illness, vet said if all still ok by late afternoon they were ok to go. Carol left with pups about 3.30-4pm. Sunday ( next morning ) Carol rang, both pups on drip in Brisbane, positive for parvo, Benjamin died on 10/3/03 Fergus survived after 7 days on drip The female pup, Mindi, belonging to Debbie had also been ill and taken to her vet with diahrea and vomiting, twice I think, in the week or so after she took her home but I do not have the vet reports on this. After I rang her on the 1/3/03 she took both pups to the vet for parvo tests and although both pups were not well they tested clear for parvo. They were both prescribed panacur The male pup, Ollie, owned by Helen and Daryl also was ill and on a drip, I think for 1 day, at their vets shortly after being taken home as well, he tested negitive for parvo. Out of the 11 pups in the litter 3 of the 4 that went to their new homes a couple of days after vacc did not get parvo but all were ill in the same time period, Nick the first to die I am not sure about but the symptoms were the same, 3 of the 7 that stayed here on my property did not get parvo but were all ill in the same period. Of the 4 that were diagnosed with parvo 3 died. All pups were affected from the time of vaccination, not the next day or the day after but from the time they received the vaccination needle. The mother of the pups became ill for a couple of days about the time the first pup died, the father was not ill apart from the vomiting and coughing from the baycox medication I truly believe that the vaccine was the cause of these problems. Dot Sweeney
E-Mail from Carol follows next page SAM, KHAN, OLLIE, FERGUS, OWEN, DOTTI and MINDI are all fine and happy now with their new familys ----- Original Message ----- From: "Carol” To: "DOT Sweeney" <buka@primus.com.au> I can tell you Helen and Daryl's boy Ollie was placed on the drip for a day on 14/2 - had chronic diarrhoea and vomiting. He was returned home that night but took a few days to recover. 1/3 - within 1/2 hour of leaving Maryborough both pups throwing up in the car and Fergus had diarrhoea. After getting them home they both continued to throw up water (would not eat) and both with diarrhoea. Both opted to lie on bathroom tiles - not active at all. Contacted the emergency vet - monitored for several hours to allow for car sickness. Fergus to emergency vet at 2am diagnosed with parvo. Emergency vet advised that Benjamin would most likely be also positive but he could go to my vet in the morning. By 6am Benjamin had deteriorated greatly so taken to emergency vet instead. House and yard cleaned (as much as possible) with industrial cleaners etc on 2/3. Advised to have my adult dog revaccinated to be safe (this was completed on 3/3). Advised that although the virus could be effectively eliminated in the house it could live in the grounds of my property for years. No unvaccinated dogs or pups not already exposed should enter the property for quite some time (if ever). Both pups transferred to Anvet on Monday 3/3 - Fergus released to my care on Friday 7/3 - very, very thin but eating well - still with diarrhoea. Benjamin continued to deteriorate - veins collapsed making it impossible to continue IV fluids, unable to keep down fluids or any form of nutrition. Euthanased 10/3. My adult dog had diarrhoea on 8/3 - 10/3. Cleared by vet after that. Hope this helps. We would like to express our gratitude to Dot Sweeney for allowing us to reproduce her experiences. Disclaimer: Information contained here is obtained from various sources and does not replace the advice from a qualified professional. If the health of your dog/s is ever in question, you should consult your veterinarian first and foremost. No liability is accepted by Britfeld Weimaraners, owners of Britfeld Weimaraners, their families and/or their associates for any information contained here which may result in adverse outcome/s for your dog/s. [ Home
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