***Public Service Announcement***

WARNING!!! Don't let your Dog eat raw fish especially of the salmon variety. Freckles went to the doggie hospital Monday with severe Salmon Poisoning and will be coming home today. This will be an ongoing problem for us as Freckles is a scavenger and will eat ANYTHING, so he will be living a much more confined life. No other animals can get this condition so you don't have to worry about your cats or gerbils. We will keep you posted on Freckles recovery. Below is an explanation of Salmon Poisoning.



Salmon poisoning, also known as Salmon Poisoning Disease or Neorickettsia helminthoeca, is an acute infectious disease of wild and domestic dogs caused by ingestion of raw fish. The infective agent is transmitted through the various stages of a fluke in a snail-fish-dog life cycle. The name of the disease is misleading because there is no toxin involved. The disease is caused by the Rickettsial organism Neorickettsai helminthoeca, and is most often associated with eating raw fish containing N. salminocola, the trematode fluke (worm) carrier.Exposure to a fresh brackish stream or beach and eating raw fish in an endemic area are risk factors. The fluke parasite is carried in the kidneys of infected Salmon (can occur in other fish but is uncommon). The fluke is passed to the dog after ingestion of the infected fish.



Common signs of Salmon poisoning include:
Fever
Lack of appetite (anorexia)
Lethargy
Vomiting
Diarrhea (with or without blood)
Depression
Enlarged lymph nodes
Nasal and eye discharge may be seen in some dogs
Fever

Yes It's True

He grasped me firmly, but gently just above my elbow and guided me into his room. Then he quietly shut the door and we were alone. He approached me soundlessly, from behind, and spoke in a low, reassuring voice close to my ear. "Just relax." Without warning, he reached down and I felt his strong, calloused hands start at my ankles, gently probing, and moving upward along my calves slowly but steadily. My breath caught in my throat. I knew I should be afraid, but somehow I didn't care. His touch was so experienced, so sure. When his hands moved up onto my thighs, I gave a slight shudder, and partly closed my eyes. My pulse was pounding. I felt his knowing fingers caress my abdomen, my ribcage. And then, as he cupped my firm, full breasts in his hands, I inhaled sharply. Probing, searching, knowing what he wanted, he brought his hands to my shoulders, slid them down my tingling spine and into my panties. Although I knew nothing about this man, I felt oddly trusting and expectant. This is a man, I thought. A man used to taking charge. A man not used to taking `no' for an answer. A man who would tell me what he wanted. A man who would look into my soul and say .... "Okay, ma'am," said a voice. "All done." My eyes snapped open and he was standing in front of me, smiling, holding out my purse. "You can board your flight now."