Monday, September 4, 2023

The following article can be found in one of the final issues of

THE RABBIT HUNTER magazine.

The article is presented here for members of The Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny and their friends to read and enjoy.

Conservation on the Allegheny.

The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects

and defends America’s

wildlife conservation programs.

DIY

writing and photography

Joe Ewing

High HareMan

Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny

Photo by B. Ewing

Nasty is receiving her annual vaccine.

I have always been accustomed to doing things myself, which is probably due to the way I was brought up. It seems like many people were raised this way as well. If my father needed something done, he wouldn't hesitate to do it himself, and the same went for my neighbors. Helping each other out was simply a given. We didn't even need to ask for help; our neighbors were always ready and willing. For bigger projects, we would form a group to get them done. From fixing roofs and building furniture to repairing cars and fixing plumbing issues, we did it all ourselves. I remember mixing, pouring, and finishing concrete, changing oil, mowing lawns, digging ditches, and even growing our own produce. If we couldn't grow it, we would forage for it in the woods. Our neighbors also took care of their livestock. I wonder if this was because we were all poor or just self-reliant.

When I got into beagling, it came naturally to do it myself. I knew how to vaccinate a dog as I’d often watched my neighbors vaccinate their hounds. I knew I could save money and time by vaccinating my dog. When I began keeping a pack of hounds, I realized I had to do it myself to keep it affordable. I knew I couldn’t run to the vet whenever I needed something simple. Beagling is my hobby, not the vets. I have nothing against veterinarians. Vets are some of the friendliest and most caring people I know.

Vaccinating is simple, safe, and not brain surgery. I make sure my dogs are healthy. If a dog is sick, giving a vaccine will make it sicker or render it ineffective. A disease can’t be cured with a vaccine. The vaccine is a preventative, not a cure.

I keep an individual “health record” for each animal, especially puppies. I vaccinate for canine distemper, adenovirus type 1 (hepatitis), adenovirus type 2, parainfluenza, and parvovirus. I keep track of all vaccinations, but there are other health-maintenance procedures to keep track of, such as worming, which we will get into later in this article.

The vaccine stimulates the body’s immune system to produce disease-fighting cells by imitating a viral or bacterial infection. The vaccine prepares the immune system to fight off future encounters with illness. The vaccine does not infect the dog. It only imitates the virus or bacteria.

It’s important to recognize possible adverse reactions. I’ve never encountered an adverse reaction to a vaccine in my beagles. It’s rare for a dog to react to a vaccine, but I know something could go wrong, and I’m always on the lookout. The worst reactions are “anaphylactic shock.”

Anaphylactic shock is a reaction that requires immediate medical treatment. If your dog becomes unusually drowsy, seems weak or drunken, develops hives, and collapses within 20-30 minutes, you must get it to the vet immediately. I keep a handy bottle of antihistamines (Diphenhydramine, [Benadryl®]) and carry some in the field.

Vaccines are given just below the skin, known as “subcutaneously.” Keeping the vaccine refrigerated until ready for use is a critical detail. The directions on every vaccine package are easy to follow, so I won’t get into it here. You can also find easy-to-follow directions on YouTube.

My puppies get vaccinated with the same five-way vaccine my adult dogs receive. Puppies need an initial vaccine series at 2-to-3-week intervals after six weeks. These intervals make sure the immune system is working correctly. Giving vaccines before six weeks doesn’t work because the puppy still has antibodies from their mother. The mother’s antibodies fight off the vaccine, making the vaccine ineffective. The mother’s antibodies may last up to 8 weeks or more. This is why vaccines are repeated every 2 to 3 weeks, or at six weeks, nine weeks, and 12 weeks until the puppy reaches 16 weeks.

Supposedly, the dog will need a booster shot every year. I say “supposedly” because I don’t know if a healthy adult dog needs a vaccine yearly—old dogs, probably; weaker dogs, definitely.

A fellow beagler let it slip that he gives the 10-way because it covers more (and costs more) and is better. That’s not how it works. He is vaccinating for five diseases we don’t see in this part of the country. Five more vaccines open up the possibility of five more adverse reactions. Ten-way doesn’t equate to better.

Rabies vaccines are required by law in Pennsylvania and most states at three months. After that, the puppy is legally required to get a booster at one year and every three years. Many none government organizations and charities hold rabies clinics as fundraisers. These fundraisers are great places to save money and help your local “NGO” simultaneously. Many pet supply stores also have clinics.

VALBAZEN® DRENCH TABLETS AND POWDER

I use Valbazen® for tapeworms. Valbazen is a broad-spectrum worm-killing drug, which means it is effective against a wide range of worms, including roundworms, tapeworms, and flukes. The active ingredient in Valbazen is albendazole. Albendazole is a simple drug that was first patented in 1975. After about a decade, it was declared safe for humans. Valbazen has come a long way in 25 years.

Complements of the CDC.

The most common tapeworm of dogs and cats in the United States is Dipylidium caninum.

Dog owners have recommended Valbazen (albendazole) for 25 years. It’s recognized by vets to be effective. While many possible treatments for dog worms are on the market, very few are reliable. Valbazen is one of those few. It’s claimed to control more internal parasites than any other product in humans and animals. It’s sold at many animal supply houses without a prescription in oral drench (liquid), tablet, and powder form.

I’ve been using Valbazen in my fight against tapeworm infestations in my beagles since 1995. It is one of the most effective and economical products I’ve found. After almost twenty-seven years of constant and continuous use, I’ve never experienced any side effects. My beagles are constantly exposed to parasites in the field, so I use Valbazen as a preventative or prophylactic medicine in my adult hounds year-round. I’ve used Valbazen in numerous litters of puppies.

The most common worms dogs get are roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, whipworms, and heartworms. All are intestinal parasites except heartworms, which affect the heart and lungs. Dog dewormers are medications targeted toward eliminating and preventing intestinal worms, but they will not kill heartworms. Heartworms require a different treatment.

Valbazen is the most economical product for controlling worms I’ve found. There are 167 3 ml doses in each 500 ml bottle, allowing for taxes and waste; each dose costs approximately $.40 per dose—a 500 ml bottle costs in the neighborhood of $55.

I carefully avoid overdosing. More is not better. The dosage is based on your dog’s weight, medical condition, and response to treatment. Higher dosages tend to have increased risks of complications and potential side effects.

I give Valbazen orally in their food. I’ve tried shooting the Valbazen directly down the dog’s throat, but some dogs are too intelligent and cough it up and spit it out. I treat each hound not more than once every 30 days as a prophylactic. If and when I see worm segments or scooting, I treat that beagle two days in a row. I’ve never had to treat more than two days.

I do not give Valbazen to pregnant or lactating females. It is best to have potential mothers clear of intestinal parasites before breeding. If the likely mother is infested, she will pass the worms and illnesses to her puppies, which can be catastrophic.

I worm my puppies with Valbazen at two weeks of age and again every two weeks until the puppies are 12 weeks old. I invested in a scale, and I weigh my puppies painstakingly before each worming. I give puppies 0.1 cubic centimeters (cc) or 0.1 milliliters (ml) for every pound using a diabetic syringe which measures in tenths of an ml. The dosage is given by body weight. Adult dogs are given one full cc or 1 ml for every 10 pounds of body weight up to 3 ccs or 3 ml. I never give more than 3.0 cc.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports albendazole is highly effective and non-toxic for treating giardiasis in dogs. Valbazen has reportedly been used effectively for Coccidiosis or Giardia in puppies. Coccidiosis and Giardia are parasitic diseases of the intestinal tract. These diseases spread from one animal to another by contact with infected feces or ingesting infected tissue. Most animals infected with coccidia show no symptoms, but young or sickly animals may suffer severe symptoms and death. The main symptom is diarrhea, which may become bloody in extreme cases.

Valbazen is a wonder drug that works like magic. Use the correct dosage and watch Valbazen eliminate all your dog’s worst problems.

I do it myself, and it works for me.