Articles published in this Newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor. Nothing may be copied unless the Editor grants permission. 

Dates & News:

ZimDog News, can be accessed from: www.vanerp.net.

Zimbabwe Kennel Club:

The Zimbabwe Kennel Club office will now only be open on a Friday each week, 14.00-16.00 CAT.

NEWS

An E-Mail to me was telling me that a Dassie came into my friend’s garden and bit her dog as well as a stick, when she tried to make it go away. She phoned her Vet to find out. He said that her dog was up to date with its inoculations and should be covered. I would say this could happen in Zimbabwe too with other animals. Are your dogs up to date? I do all inoculations every year. They might be expensive, but like your frozen meat, groceries etc. You can bring inoculations back with you. Looked up Rabies on Internet and this is what it said:

The rabies incubation period may vary from a few days to several years, but is typically one to three months. During this time, the rabies virus is multiplying within the body. At some point, the rabies virus will travel along nerve cells to the brain. It multiplies in the brain very quickly, causing the end of the rabies incubation period, and the beginning of rabies symptoms. Usually within three to five days, the rabies virus has caused enough damage to the brain that the animal will begin to show unmistakable signs of rabies.

Is an Animal Contagious During the Rabies Incubation Period?
During the rabies incubation period, a bite by the infected animal does not carry a risk of rabies because the virus is not yet in the saliva. Only late in the disease, after the rabies virus has reached the brain and multiplied there to cause encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), does the virus move from the brain to the salivary glands and saliva.

Another E-mail came: name: Barry Henderson

Just to wish all our friends in the Dog World congratulations in their achievements during the past show season and continued success in the 2009 show season.  Also to wish you ALL and your families a Merry Festive Season and may you enjoy and Healthy and Prosperous 2009. Although we don't have any canine friends resident in our home, we did have a black and white cat "adopt" us and move in, and he does offer us good companionship.  Still trying to find the right commands for Stay/Fetch but he certainly knows the command VOETSEK-FORWARD-OUT.   Love and best regards to you all   Barry Meg and Robyn

[Very much appreciated Barry that you send us your good wishes every year, keep it up. Editor]

Third E-Mail:

I still miss my little shelties, which Sue Ebdon still has, and long to see them again. Sue works for the Kamfinsa vets, so can get food for them if she is stuck. Derek died suddenly whilst they were over here just a couple of months ago, but she wanted to return to Zim. When you come over, give me a ring. My no is: 01264 730 417 and we can have a chat.  IF by any chance I'm not in, leave a message on the answer phone, with your no. and I'll try and ring you back, or you can phone again perhaps in the evening, when we are usually at home. John's mother was 105 1/2 when she died, also completely compos mentis. I think of everyone still in Z and feel desperately sad for you all, with the real and great hardships and stress everyone is under. God Bless and love Pat

[Phoned Pat while in England and it was great to hear her voice. She had to cook for 35 people at Christmas, only 18 came. They also look after the garden and I take my hat off for these two hardworking ‘doggy’ people. Editor]   

Helen Maxwell

While celebrating Christmas I had a chance to go by train to Diss where I met up with Helen and Grettl. Fantastic to see them again and they are doing well. Helen a very interesting job as a policewoman and Grettl making cards when friends order them. Grettl has helped meryl Harrison with the new book about what she all did and came across during her years.  Here Grettl writes:…””Now re Meryl's book: all the time she was with the NSPCA doing the animal rescues from the farms during the land invasions from 2000 onwards, Meryl kept a daily diary of events. When I knew she was doing this, I suggested that I transcribe her diaries in case anything happened to the originals and such interesting and historical information was lost. When I started the transcribing, I soon realised that it would make an excellent book - and that the story of what

Grettl Hughes

Meryl and the team of inspectors did during those awful days, should reach a wide audience - and always said to her that one day, it should be turned into a book! When I left Zim in 2003, a friend of mine carried on with the transcribing. That is the story of my involvement in the book - to find out the next stage, I suggest you go onto the publisher's web site: www.merlinunwin.co.uk and go to "Innocent Victims". I am very chuffed that it is finally coming out in print - I think everyone who reads the book will be absolutely astounded at the things Meryl went through - she really is a most amazing woman.””

The book will be launched at the coming Cruft show. For more information go to:

http://www.merlinunwin.co.uk/bookDetails.asp?bookId=92 

Puppy Size - A Heart-warming Story

Danielle keeps repeating it over and over again. "We've been back to this animal shelter at least five times. It has been weeks now since we started all of this," the mother told the volunteer "What is it she keeps asking for?", the volunteer asked."'Puppy size!'" replied the mother. "Well, we have plenty of puppies, if that's what she's looking for." "I know... we have seen most of them", the mom said in frustration. Just then Danielle came walking into the office "Well, did you find one?" asked her mom. "No, not this time," Danielle said with sadness in her voice. "Can we come back on the weekend” The two women looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed. "You never know when we will get more dogs. Unfortunately, there's always a supply," the volunteer said. Danielle took her mother by the hand and headed to the door. "Don 't worry, I'll find one this weekend," she said. Over the next few days both Mom and Dad had long conversations with her. They both felt she was being too particular. "It's this weekend or we're not looking any more," Dad finally said in frustration. "We don't want to hear anything more about 'puppy size', either," Mom added Sure enough, they were the first ones in the shelter on Saturday morning. By now Danielle knew her way around, so she ran right for the section that housed the smaller dogs. Tired of the routine, mom sat in the small waiting room at the end of the first row of cages. There was an observation window so you could see the animals during times when visitors weren't permitted. Danielle walked slowly from cage to cage, kneeling periodically to take a closer look. One by one the dogs were brought out and she held each one. One by one she said, "Sorry, but you're not the one." It was the last cage on this last day in search of the perfect pup. The volunteer opened the cage door and the child carefully picked up the dog and held it closely. This time she took a little longer. "Mom, that's it! I found the right puppy! He's the one! I know it!" She screamed with joy. "It's the puppy size!" "But it's the same size as all the other puppies you held over the last few weeks," Mom said. "No...not size... The sighs. When I held him in my arms, he sighed", she said. "Don 't you remember? When I asked you one day what love is, you told me love depends on the sighs of your heart. The more you love, the bigger the sigh!" The two women looked at each other for a moment. Mom didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As she stooped down to hug the child, she did a little of both. "Mom, every time you hold me, I sigh. When you and Daddy come home from work and hug each other, you both sigh. I knew I would find the right puppy if it sighed when I held it in my arms", she said. Then, holding the puppy up close to her face, she said, "Mom, he loves me. I heard the sighs of his heart!"

A Fourth E-Mail:

I don't think we will be getting a dog, we are still devastated at having to give up the bichons. There is no way we could dump them and replace them. If we had thought we would be in a position to look after a dog we would have brought one with us. With things as they were when we left Zim there doesn't seem much to regret. If it had been different we would never have left. I hope all goes well there for you. Our first Christmas in England is almost upon us, I can’t believe we have been here almost nine months. We spent the first five months with my niece, Lyn, her husband and their eleven year old daughter the only ones in the family who have a house big enough to accommodate an extra two people. We have now moved to a two bed roomed house just around the corner from Lyn. The house is very nice, almost brand new having only been occupied for six months before we moved in. We have a little garden and a garage and safe off road parking for another three cars. Not that we are likely to ever have more than the one car which resides in the garage, but it is nice to have somewhere for visitors to park. Downstairs there is the tiniest kitchen, storage is a real challenge, certainly stops me spending on kitchen equipment. It is amazing how few dishes etc one can manage with. The lounge/dining room is quite big enough and there is also a downstairs loo off of the hall. Upstairs, two reasonably sized bedrooms and a nice bathroom with a shower over the bath, loo and basin. Our room has a built in cupboard and there is another cupboard on the landing. Storage is at a premium, I don’t know who designs these houses, they can only be monks who have given up all their worldly possessions. We have few possessions but it is not easy to find somewhere to keep them. We have no regrets about leaving Zimbabwe, just feel so sad about the way the country has gone and we miss our friends and the dogs terribly. I will honestly make an effort to write individual letters to you all next year.  In the meantime, all the very best for Christmas and a wonderful new year to you all.

Love Mavis and Carlos

DANGEROUS Dog Toy

On June 22, 2008 , my 10-year old lab mix, Chai, sustained a severe injury from a product that the company Four Paws, Inc., produces. The toy I'm referencing is the pimple ball with bell (Item #20227-001, UPC Code #0 4566320227

While chewing on the toy, a vacuum was created and it effectively sucked his tongue into the hole in the ball. From speaking with my vet, this likely occurred because there is not a second hole in the ball preventing the vacuum effect from happening. I became aware of this when Chai approached a friend at my home whimpering with the ball in his mouth. She tried unsuccessfully to remove the ball but the tongue had swollen and could not be released. Chai was taken to the Animal Medical Center (an emergency care facility in New York City) and was to have the ball removed. Because the size of the opening on the ball was so small, all circulation to his tongue was cut off. The doctors had to sedate him in order to remove it. Once the ball was removed, his tongue swelled to the point that he could no longer put it in his mouth. Chai was sent home with care instructions and to be observed overnight for any changes. By the following morning, Chai's tongue had swollen even more

He was taken to his regular vet for treatment. He was admitted and kept sedated for a period of three days during which time they were treating his wounds and waiting to determine how much of his tongue could be saved. On June 26, 2008, Chai had his tongue amputated. He was kept in after-care for an additional three days. On Sunday, June 29th, I brought Chai home from the vet with a barrage of home care instructions, to last for an additional 7 days. His next visit was to have his mouth re-examined and have the feeding tube in his neck removed. On the way home from the vet we stopped at Petland Discount where I purchased their product to speak to the manager on duty.

Upon meeting Chai and seeing his condition, he removed all of the balls in question from the shelves. He also gave me the customer service number to their corporate headquarters to request that they refuse to continue purchasing all Four Paws products, but I have not called them as of yet. Additionally, I shared my story with friends who have a French Bulldog named Petunia.

Upon hearing my story, they explained that the same thing happened twice in one night with a smaller version of the same ball to their dog. Fortunately, they were able to pull it off before the tongue swelled, but not without tremendous effort and pain to the dog. They recalled how horrific it was to hear their dog screaming while they had to pry the ball from her tongue.

To date, my veterinary bills total over $5,000 and I will have regular follow up appointments for some time. Additionally, Chai now requires a much more expensive form of food because of this injury, averaging approximately $200 per month. Additionally, I now have to re-teach my dog to eat, drink and adjust to life without his tongue. Feeding him takes me about 90 minutes twice a day and for at least this first week he is not to be unattended for more than 20 minutes at a time. I sent this information along with the reference to the French Bulldog to Four Paws, Inc., and it is their position that there just aren't enough instances to do anything about this.

I told their insurance company's case manager that was not a good enough excuse. It was inferred that my dog’s value wasn't much and that his pain and suffering don't count as he is just a piece of property. [There are some pictures, which, unfortunately I cannot copy into this letter, but they look horrendous. Editor]