Two dogs die suddenly on the Farm within a week

[jimn]

I am looking for some advice here on a worrying issue. I live with my wife and our lovely 5 year old dog on the outskirts of Pattaya for 7.5 months of the year, the other 4.5 months we go to the UK. Our dog is looked after by my wifes family on the small farm about 8 rai of land. Every year she is looked after very well by my father in law. She is not allowed to roam everywhere and is kept in the general vicinity of the house. She has had all the injections yearly and is a house dog when she is with us in Pattaya.

What is worrying me is that we have just been for a quick visit to the farm. The father in law has recently been taking care of 2 puppies about 4 months old and 1 larger dog about 9 months old. Since we came back from the farm, 1 of the puppies has suddenly died and the older one who was a picture of health has also suddenly died. Both died after not wanting to eat or drink for a few days, but didn't appear to be in any pain. They still have 1 female puppy.

What is worrying me is what is going on? I am concerned about leaving my dog there when we go back to the UK in May. I dont know if its relevant but they take care of chickens, there is a large pond where they grow fish and recently they have started to look after 2 buffalo.

Thanks for any suggestions/advice.

[Liverpudlian]

Dogs are nothing here to the average rural thai, sorry but its the truth, for the rest if they are pedigree its a fashion statement.

Edited January 17, 2020 by Liverpudlian

[kickstart]

A common problem with farm dogs our local vet says it would probably be Canine Parvovirus,you can Google it ,did thy have any diarrhea ?.

Another problem is  undigested chicken/pork bones etc  passing into the intestines  blocking the intestines ,we have had that problem with 2 of our dogs,we cured them but it took some doing, and  that is  oftener fatal.

Again our local has operated on a good few dogs to remove bones. 

The chickens ,fish,and buffaloes should not be a problem .

[jimn]

2 hours ago, kickstart said:

A common problem with farm dogs our local vet says it would probably be Canine Parvovirus,you can Google it ,did thy have any diarrhea ?.

Another problem is  undigested chicken/pork bones etc  passing into the intestines  blocking the intestines ,we have had that problem with 2 of our dogs,we cured them but it took some doing, and  that is  oftener fatal.

Again our local has operated on a good few dogs to remove bones. 

The chickens ,fish,and buffaloes should not be a problem .

Thanks for your input. I will check if they had diarrhea. I dont think so. They just wouldnt eat or drink and then suddenly died. There is still the other female puppy they are keeping a close eye on her.

[Sheryl]

If they are kept outside the family might not know if they had had diarrhea before detah.

 

Basically I think 2 possibilities:

 

Infectious disease like Parvo - most likely if they were not vaccinated

 

Poisoning which could be intentional (people annoyed by them put out meat with poison in it, sadly this does happen) or accidental (they ate somehting they shouldn't have

[jimn]

3 hours ago, Sheryl said:

If they are kept outside the family might not know if they had had diarrhea before detah.

 

Basically I think 2 possibilities:

 

Infectious disease like Parvo - most likely if they were not vaccinated

 

Poisoning which could be intentional (people annoyed by them put out meat with poison in it, sadly this does happen) or accidental (they ate somehting they shouldn't have

Thank you Sheryl. Yes they were kept outside and my father in law would not know if they had diarrhea. Yes I have considered poisoning, they did have a free reign outside on the farm, but did not go too far away, but they could have ventured on someones land. The deaths happened suddenly but 1 week apart. I am sad about the dogs but am more concerned for when my dog goes there to stay. One good thing is that she stays inside the home at night and is only allowed to go a short distance alone to do her business. My dog has had all the vaccinations but I will have a look at Parvo. Thanks again

[chrisinth]

Hi Jim,

 

Through experience I would guess that it was Parvo, and please note that this is purely a guess. We lost a Siberian pup (just under 6 months old) to this a few years ago. It happened very quickly. Apparently the anti-parvo shot was not part of the vaccination package the pup had received; at the time I was completely clueless to this horrible virus.

 

I remember the vet's advice to completely disinfect the areas the dog used and that it can take up to 3 months for traces of parvo to be completely eradicated. Again, have to emphasize, this is only a guess as it could be many other reasons.

[Caiman]

I also would also guess it is highly likely to be parvo.

 

There is an Increased risk if the puppy is parted from the mother's milk too early so the younger pup gets it first and it is extremely contagious to any other vulnerable or young dogs that have not been vaccinated as it remains dormant in the soil and any contact surfaces for months!

[wayned]

It could be parvo and it could be poisoning.  If the neighbors have chickens and the dogs tend to chase them I would bet on poisoning.  The symptoms of both are nearly the same, diarrhea, vomiting, won't eat and eventually death.  Make sure you dog has up to date parvo shots,  I pay 145 baht for the 5 in one shot easily administer just under the skin on the back of the neck.

[jimn]

Thank you guys for the info on Parvo. I was completely clueless about this. Also very naive because I thought the father in law would vaccinate the dogs. Lesson leant, when I am next there I will ensure that the remaining dog is fully covered as will any future dogs they get. I will not take the risk of my dog catching something whilst she is there. 

[wayned]

5 minutes ago, jimn said:

Thank you guys for the info on Parvo. I was completely clueless about this. Also very naive because I thought the father in law would vaccinate the dogs. Lesson leant, when I am next there I will ensure that the remaining dog is fully covered as will any future dogs they get. I will not take the risk of my dog catching something whilst she is there. 

Don't forget the rabies too and if young worm pill.!

[VocalNeal]

There are many cases on FaceBook that my wife follows as we lost two dogs to parvo. If our vacinated dog now so much as sneezes he gets bombarded with herbal remedies.

 

Seems many dogs that vets have written off come back after herbal remedies.

 

Favourite seems to be the one in the red packet that locals use for fever.

 

That and Fa Ta Lai Jone.

 

Edited January 22, 2020 by VocalNeal

[ICELANDMAN]

The main reason why dogs die in Thailand is not the deadly virus is because the majority of Thais do not care about their dogs, in fact when they eat chickens dogs receive bones, which chicken bones chip easily and remain implanted in the intestine after "days the dog is dead and nobody knows why, then they take another dog and the cycle repeats itself, the puppy runs an even greater danger because he swallows everything without regard.

[jimn]

5 hours ago, wayned said:

Don't forget the rabies too and if young worm pill.!

Thanks. My dog is up to date on vaccinations and my wife confirmed for Parvo as well, she always has a worm pill after 4.5 months in the farm. Just thinking back to 2 weeks ago when we came back from the farm she was very quiet and didnt eat or drink much for most of the day, just slept. I am now wandering if she was exposed to it but because she is 5 years old and vaccinated she was ok. As I said when I go back to the farm I will ensure any surviving or future dogs have the necessary vaccinations, its in the interest of my dog for when she stays there in the summer.

[jimn]

4 hours ago, ICELANDMAN said:

The main reason why dogs die in Thailand is not the deadly virus is because the majority of Thais do not care about their dogs, in fact when they eat chickens dogs receive bones, which chicken bones chip easily and remain implanted in the intestine after "days the dog is dead and nobody knows why, then they take another dog and the cycle repeats itself, the puppy runs an even greater danger because he swallows everything without regard.

Thanks, yes they are aware about the dangers of chicken bones.

[Metropolitian]

On 1/21/2020 at 11:51 PM, wayned said:

It could be parvo and it could be poisoning.  If the neighbors have chickens and the dogs tend to chase them I would bet on poisoning.  The symptoms of both are nearly the same, diarrhea, vomiting, won't eat and eventually death.  Make sure you dog has up to date parvo shots,  I pay 145 baht for the 5 in one shot easily administer just under the skin on the back of the neck.

Can you tell more about this? Where do you get them and what other is in the 5 in one shot?

 

I do remember my two dogs has been as puppy two shots and one dog get one extra one year later.

Vet said, other dog doesn't need one.

 

That was the one(or two) time puppy shot, they don't get the yearly vaccine.

 

Anyway, I have 4 dogs now and I want to inject the other two 'new' dogs too (grown up pups from one of mine).

 

And if the shot you are talking about sounds good, will give it to all of them.

[mike787]

I would do a toxicology autopsy, then you will know for certain.  Otherwise it's a guess.  Second, if toxicology is not your choice, choose a reputable boarding kennel facility, or someone else.  Set up spy cameras, etc. Cancel vacation, I don't know what else to suggest.

[wayned]

38 minutes ago, Metropolitian said:

Can you tell more about this? Where do you get them and what other is in the 5 in one shot?

 

I do remember my two dogs has been as puppy two shots and one dog get one extra one year later.

Vet said, other dog doesn't need one.

 

That was the one(or two) time puppy shot, they don't get the yearly vaccine.

 

Anyway, I have 4 dogs now and I want to inject the other two 'new' dogs too (grown up pups from one of mine).

 

And if the shot you are talking about sounds good, will give it to all of them.

The 5 in 1 shot is a vaccine for Canine Distemper, Adenovirus, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, and Parainfluenza.  Rabies is a separate vaccine. I live in the real boonies and I buy mine at the local pharmacy for 145 bat. They also have the rabies shot, both kept refrigerated.  They are also available for the local "vet nurses" shop about 40 kilometers away at about the same price.  The rabies are also available from the Thai animal control, I don't remember the real name,  they have an office in the same town and actually set up a rabies inoculation clinic one day a year at a local village where they inoculate the dog for you.  You should also get worming pills at the same time, cheap.  My dogs get booster 5 in 1 shots every year along with rabies.  If you go to a vet they tend to drag out the inoculations for the five diseases into separate shots a week apart which also drags down your bank account.