| Have any of you heard of neosporosis canineum??????
Well, up to this week I had not, but I do know alot about this now. UNFORTUNATLY.Last saturday we were having a barbeque and invited just a small group of local friends.. Stephen and I went shopping to Tesco early in the week, and as I am now disabled and walk with a stick, I suggested that we purchased some of the meat for the barby, for that weekend....... as I cant go shopping on my own ( thats why you dont see me at shows these days) basically killing two birds with one stone. We purchased many items, but amongst them were two large packets of lean minced steak, that I intended to make my own burgers from... as they were large packs, and on arrival home, did not know what to do for tea, so suggested spaghetti bolognaise....... I took about one third of the mince from one of these packets and put it in a pan...... all of the rest of the meat was then
frozen for the weekend. My boxer then came into the kitchen and as I had not starting cooking then, I removed some of the mince and gave it to
her......mmmmmmmm she loved it. Then stephen called her, and her mother and fed the dogs , whilst I prepared the spag bol.
This was tuesday evening last week... then came friday and Cilla was starting to act strange. Hanging her head to one side, and slightly falling as if she was drunk. Saturday she seemed to stabalise and I thought a little better, and
thinking she had an inner ear infection started her on a course of synulox 250 mg tablets three times daily, as the vet would. By monday she was worse so was rushed to the vets........ I was so upset, I could not remember half of what he said but he did say he was doing one particular test that had to be sent away.
In either case, if it did come back positive for neospora he would start her on
the antibiotics there and then, and he said the synulox I had given was good.
She was a little better on tues evening so was allowed home. still hanging her head to one side, and walking in circles and then falling over. We continued with the drugs, then, wednesday came and my vet rang to say the tests results were positive. She was infected with neospora. We then racked our brains how she could get this awful disease.....not virus! apparently very few cases are reported, because it is masked by so many symptoms...
Neospora is a parasite that is ingested from contaminated meat, that is fresh, and from the consumption it only takes 1-3 days for the parasite to attack the brain, then work its way down the spinal cord, and infect all the major organs
and muscles.......leaving the dog paralysed and blind..... At 9.30 yesterday morning I had to have my beautiful Cilla euthanased, to save further
suffering.
On reserching this, on the internet, it mostly appears in cattle heards and clinical tests have been carried out at liverpool university, and sweden, and the USA. It is usually more common in costa rica, south america, but is gradually showing up everywhere. Very few cases were reported last yr. the symptoms rang from a weakness and paralysis of the forlimbs, drunken type behavior, altered behavior, blindness, head tilt, head nodding, tremors, seizures,sudden death due to heart inflammation, pneumonia, skin abnormalities.
Frightening isn't it?
It can only be ingested from fresh meat, as freezing the meat will kill the spores.... cooked meat will kill the spores. As we eat very little meat ourselves,and never feed fresh uncooked meat to our dogs , I can definitely say that it was the fresh lean mince steak from tesco, that is the cause.
Neospora can not use humans as a host so if ingested the stomach will kill the spores, so don't worry there........ it only affects, cattle, pigs, sheep, goats,
but has now moved to dogs, and research on the Internet suggests ALL dog breeders be aware of this parasite. From the onset of ingesting the spores, my
dog was dead within 8 1/2 days....... She was my constant house companion, and our hearts have been ripped apart. How many of you, when in the kitchen,
preparing the evening meal, give some fresh meat to your dog... Please look it all up, its frightening to think that this is in the human food chain.
Apparently only one animal is inspected from each heard to be slaughtered, but that's this country. A lot of meat now comes from other countries..... if in doubt, still buy the meat, but FREEZE it before you intend using it for at least 24 hrs.
Cilla was 16 months and four days old, when she died.
I will of course, be informing DEFRA , and advising our local tesco store, but on an advisory capacity only!
Anne Hellmuth
|
Free Forum Hosting
Important Announcement
First 
