Please Stop Leaving Animals on Roadways

In the past two weeks at least five dogs have been abandoned near the intersection of Highway 41 and County Road N in the Town of Eldorado. Two of these dogs were exceptionally frightened and not easily rescued from the edge of the busy roadway. The most recently captured canine is recuperating in my veterinary clinic after receiving two terrible blows from tranquilizing darts today.

My staff has named her Penelope. She is fighting for her life. I am very angry.

Monday throughout the day, numerous clients reported seeing a dog on the side of the road a short distance from the clinic. Our local animal control officer was on the scene, offering food and attempting to lasso the terrified dog. All her attempts to lure or leash the stray failed, and at one point during the day the stray disappeared from the scene. This morning we received notice that law enforcement (who had been involved in the previous day's unsuccessful rescue efforts) had requested the aid of tranquilizer darts to finally secure the stray. By this point a young lady had been sitting on the shoulder in the December drizzle for hours trying to befriend the stray with treats. Her hands were red and puffy from the cold; the stray was as uncatchable as ever.

With veterinary assistant Ashley at the ready with a rabies pole, the officer carefully selected his smallest dart and fired the tranquilizer, hitting the stray squarely in the

Dr. Kim Everson providing care for timid Penelope, the darted stray dog found near St. Bernard's Animal Medical Center

hindquarters. Adrenaline, fear and pain surged through the dog. She was not going to succumb without a fight. She leapt up and frantically sought an escape. Officers and bystanders shouted and argued about what to do next. Anxiety about harming the dog competed with terror that she might cause a tragic traffic accident if she ran into the highway. As she clambered up the gravel underpass leading to the median between northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 41, another dart was fired which hit her in the abdomen just behind the ribcage. Her momentum carried her into Ashley's miraculously well-placed rabies pole loop. Secured, she finally dropped into a stupor allowing the officers to crate her for transport to my veterinary clinic.

On arrival the dog was dazed and bleeding lightly from two gaping dart wounds. After carefully arranging her in a warm, clean kennel, we discovered that she had a deceivingly deep wound into her abdomen from the dart. Although clinically stable, resting well and closely monitored, the poor dog may indeed be mortally wounded. Only time will tell if this stray has enough spirit to survive. She certainly has had the spirit to bewitch me and my staff --with her gentle brown eyes and slow-thumping tail. Even if she doesn't pull through, she now has a name--Penelope--and a legacy--this blog.

Penelope's sad story has inspired me to set down in writing the frequently repeated laments of the past few weeks. I do this in hopes of preventing a similar scene in the future.

1) If you find you can no longer care for your animal, PLEASE do not leave it on the side of the road. You may believe or hope your animal will be observed and rescued from the roadway, and many times they are. But the risk to animal and humans is tremendous. The obvious risk is the animal will be hit by a car and die. Most drivers faced with hitting an animal will swerve, increasing the chance of human casualty. A less obvious safety hazard involves potential rescuers on the shoulder or in the roadway. These Good Samaritans are often ill-equipped to control the flow of traffic and are far more focused on the animal than on their own safety.

2) While relinquishing an unwanted animal directly to a shelter incurs a sizable societal debt, abandoning an animal on the roadway exponentially increases the cost of care. Over the past 24 hours a number of private citizens and public servants spent considerable time, energy and taxpayer dollars trying to coax Penelope into captivity. Some readers may suggest these loose animals should be destroyed immediately to save time and money. However, we live in a day and age when such violence causes substantial outrage. I believe most people prefer a reasonable effort be made to safely secure a stray animal alive even though the cost is higher than a bullet.

3) While it is commendable that so many citizens want to lend a hand, recent events suggest that if there is already at least one person on the scene working to win the confidence of the animal it would be better to say a little prayer for her success and drive on. Several times during the attempted capture of Penelope and another timid dog in recent weeks, a well-meaning person stopped by the scene to offer advice or lend a hand--just as the leash was about to be tightened. The presence of the new person reliably startled the dog, thwarting the rescuer's best efforts up to that point far and making it that much more difficult to catch the dog.

4) The rescue, care and rehoming of abandoned animals takes a lot of time, money and effort. Someone has to pay for it and it is not always clear who that person or entity is. Many people volunteer their time and expertise to help homeless animals, but food, shelter, and medicines take money. The best assurance an unwanted animal will receive proper care and find a new home is by surrendering it to the proper authority--an animal shelter. Even if you can't be on the front line catching stray dogs, you can help in an even bigger way by donating time, money and supplies to your local animal shelter.

5) The dogs found recently near our intersection have all been puppies or adolescents. Some appear to have been littermates. It is not hard to believe someone might be overwhelmed by the cost of properly caring for two or more unexpected puppies. The answer is canine contraception! Let us make an increased effort to spay and neuter our pets to reduce the number of unwanted animals out there in the world.

If this story has a silver lining it is that for every unthinking jerk who abandons an animal on the roadway there are countless concerned citizens who will endure discomfort and inconvenience on behalf of this unknown friendless animal.

Full Circle: A First Responder Invitation

It was about 8:00 pm on a mild December night. I had just steeped a cup of Tension Tamer tea and had serious plans to finally fold the laundry when two Town of Eldorado First Responders began pounding on my door. After corralling my four-legged body guard (an American Bulldog named Guppy), I opened the door unsure what was about to unfold.

Car crash scene near Highway 41, Town of Eldorado. Photo reprinted with permission, Carlos Munoz Jr.

"There's been a car accident over there," the female First Responder rushed, jerking her head in the direction of flashing lights and sirens across Highway 41. She wore a helmet, heavy coat and reflective gear. A rumbling truck with flashing lights waited behind her. "A dog was in one of the trucks and was thrown around the vehicle. We don't know if it's hurt. Could you come and take a look?"

Immediately my mind began running through the possible scenarios of what I might find and how I could help. I looked down at my clothing. I was still wearing a dress and tights from attending a family funeral earlier that day. "Let me throw something else on," I said and ran upstairs to whip on jeans and a sweatshirt, a hat and winter boots.

Both First Responders waited at the truck for me. "Do you want to bring your own car," one asked.

"Actually, I need a lift. I don't have a car tonight," I answered.

Quickly I unlocked my clinic and hurried about gathering the first things that came to mind: stethoscope, otoscope/ophthalmoscope set (it'll serve as a flashlight if nothing else, I thought), a slip leash, towel and several muzzles in different sizes. I had no idea what kind of dog I was going to encounter or in what degree of pain. It would certainly be afraid. My hastily grabbed items felt inadequate, but I reminded myself that my job tonight was to assess a trauma patient and possibly preparing a pet for transport to an emergency facility. In any event, we could bring the dog back to my clinic for a better assessment and stabilization once it was removed from the scene. These doubts and rationalizations flitted through my mind rapid-fire as I clambered into the truck.

As we bumped down Ridge Road and turned onto County Road N, the pair of First Responders chatted easily with each other and tried to prepare me. "The people involved have already been evacuated from the scene," they said. "The dog is in the back of a truck. It began drooling heavily. We just don't know if it's hurt."

In no time, we arrived at the accident. As I opened the door and stepped onto the shoulder, I felt dazzled and disoriented by the red and blue and yellow lights flashing off the reflective gear of half dozen or more emergency personnel. It was an alien scene: diesel fumes and broken car smells, crackling radios and blinding lights, strangers and neighbors, adrenaline and apprehension. I noticed one vehicle disabled a ways off in the farm field facing the road, its front end damaged but headlights on. The First Responders pointed out a pickup truck in the ditch, its air bags deflated, driver's door open.

I cautiously approached the cab, sorting through the items in my pockets for the leash. A wide-eyed, big, blocky-headed white and brown dog sat in the passenger seat.

The use of a dog seat belt not only keeps a pet from interfering with safe driving, but also keeps a pet inside the vehicle in the event of an accident.

"Her name is Roxy," someone shouted to me. "She had been sitting in the front and was thrown into the back seat."

"Hi Roxy," I started crooning. "How are you feeling? Are you hurt? I bet you're scared. Do you want to come out?" As I chatted at the dog, I showed her the slip lead and attempted to place it around her head. The dog was too far away from me, and I worried she might be protective over the vehicle. I didn't want her to feel trapped and take a defensive position. "Does the passenger door open?" I asked a nearby Responder, never taking my eyes from Roxy, examining her from afar. She was breathing without increased effort, mouth closed. No visible blood on her. Sitting squarely on her haunches. Front limbs straight and weight bearing.

"It's locked," they said. I wanted Roxy to come out so I could examine her better.

As if she might understand me, I began reasoning with her. "You don't want to stay in there, do you? Why don't you come out so we can get you somewhere warm and safe." The dog didn't shy away from me as I reached toward her. Her body language indicated interest and confidence. More confident myself, I was able to slip the leash around her neck. With just a little prompting she crawled into the driver's seat.

Now I was trying to fit a muzzle on her, not sure if she was going to need help exiting the truck and afraid she might bite if my assistance incited pain. The muzzle was ridiculously large. Roxy looked at me disdainfully. "Okay, okay," I laughed. "Let's see if you can get down out of there yourself." I backed up and kept an encouraging amount of forward pressure on the leash. Roxy jumped daintily from the seat onto the gravel, all 80-some-pounds of her. She strained at the leash as I tried to get a better look at her eyes and ears and gums, cold dampness creeping through my denim as I kneeled on the crust of snow. As I ran my hands over her limbs and back, feeling for bumps and scrapes and watching for signs of pain, she leaned with all her might toward a trio of people standing several feet away. Heart and lung sounds good, no drooling, strong and alert. I stood up, handed the leash to a First Responder, and said, "She looks all right. Could use another exam in a better setting, but I think she'll be all right."

The First Responder thanked me and pointed the hand holding Roxy's leash toward the trio of people standing at the front of the truck. "That there is her owner."

Feeling more than a little stupid -- if I'd known that, I would have just had him get the leash on her and entice her from the truck -- I walked Roxy over to him myself. "American Bulldog?" I asked trying to break the ice. "She's beautiful. My own dog is an American Bulldog...don't see many around here." He nodded, distracted as the two officers finished their interview and administered last minute instructions on how to document any latent injuries. The guy looked shell-shocked and I couldn't blame him. I waited my turn for his attention. "Are you local? Do you have a regular vet?" I cringed inwardly; it sounded like soliciting. "I mean, you should have her looked at tomorrow morning," I blurted out. "Even if she seems okay." I gave him a list of things to watch for that would indicate emergency veterinary care should be sought right away.

I wandered back to my ride. My First Responders--my neighbors, my daytime clients--stowed their gear and turned the rumbling old truck toward my home. Feeling calmer I began to enjoy the mild December evening and the camaraderie of being a Local. It occurred to me suddenly that I'd come full circle. "You know," I mused, "over ten years ago I trained to be a First Responder. It's what inspired me to go back to school to become a veterinarian." I never even had had a chance to practice as a First Responder at the time, I thought, and now here I am a veterinarian on my first First Responder call. Ironic, isn't it?

The other irony in this story is that a mound of clean laundry continues to sit unfolded upstairs while I write this post.

Ebola: A Veterinarian's Perspective

Who needs made-up Halloween horrors when this year a real-life monster is stalking the world? I'm talking about Ebola. It's a worldwide source of terror. You can't attend a high school football game or turn on the evening news without overhearing speculation, worry and opinion about the nightmarish disease. This virus of epidemic proportions has even affected the veterinary healthcare field. In Spain, an infected nurse's pet dog was destroyed by court order in an effort to control the potential outbreak; while in Texas, an infected nurse's dog has been placed under quarantine in military custody for 21 days (ending November 3rd) to observe for signs of infection.

Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever is a terrifying disease, and a healthy dose of fear is essential to stop a potential pandemic in its tracks. However, ignorance of the facts makes fearful things more dangerous. If we lose focus on what we know about the disease and how to control it, if we begin flailing around blindly in our effort to combat it we risk doing more harm than good.

In my effort to understand Ebola and explain it to my circle of friends, family and clients, I have learned some important facts. Let's start with the basics:

Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (EHF) is a severe, contagious disease affecting humans and non-human primates

This cartoon character suffers from "the suds,"
a fictional virus withsymptoms not unlike influenza.

(i.e., monkeys, apes). Symptoms of EHF include fever, severe headache, muscle pain, diarrhea, weakness, abdominal pain, unexplained bleeding or bruising. These symptoms appear within 2-21 days after exposure (the average is 8-10 days). There is no cure for EHF, but with supportive care and good immune response patients can recover. Once recovered, the infected person is no longer contagious; however, Ebola virus has been detected in semen up to 3 months later making abstinence during this period important to controlling an outbreak situation.

EHF is caused by Ebola virus, first recorded in 1976 in Sudan and Zaire and named for the Ebola River in Zaire. There are five known strains of Ebola virus--ZEBOV, SEBOV, BEBOV, REBOV, TEBOV--each with different levels of infectiousness and deadliness. Of the various strains, ZEBOV (Zaire) and SEBOV (Sudan) appear to be the most dangerous to human health with fatality rates ranging from 53-90%.

There is much we don't know about how an Ebola virus outbreak starts, but researchers have discovered that the virus can exist in animals. Fruit bats are suspected to be a natural reservoir for the Ebola virus, meaning bats could carry and shed the virus but not be made sick by it. Monkeys and primates can be infected and spread the virus; Ebola virus is highly fatal in these animals. Human exposure has been documented after eating or coming into close contact with infected monkeys and apes.

In experimental settings, horses, guinea pigs and goats have been infected with Ebola virus and may develop mild symptoms of the illness. Pigs have been shown to become mildly ill from ZEBOV and can transmit the virus to non-human primates; there is no good data on whether pigs (or other domestic animals) can transmit the Ebola virus to humans. Researchers have questioned whether Ebola virus could be transmitted by biting insect vectors (such as mosquitoes), but solid evidence is lacking. Once a human has become infected through a "spillover event"--exposure to an infected animal--spread from person-to-person can occur rapidly.

Close contact with dogs is not currently
believed to be a risk factor for Ebola virus exposure
but precautions with pets in contact with confirmed
Ebola victims is likely to continue.

Scientific study of Ebola virus in Africa reveals that dogs can develop an immune response to Ebola virus. Dogs are exposed to the virus in the same way people are--by direct contact with contaminated bodily fluids via the eyes, nose, mouth, mucus membranes or breaks in the skin. Once the canine immune system detects the virus, it begins making antibodies against it. This does not mean the dog has become infected, however. Dogs have not been observed to become ill, and scientists have not been able to isolate Ebola virus from dogs who have been exposed. There is no evidence at this time that dogs are a source of infection for humans.

As disparaged as vaccination is in certain (very loud) circles, I have heard many concerned citizens ask hopefully about the development of an Ebola virus vaccine. It seems a reasonable request, and a strong assumption, that with enough funding and talent a vaccine can be readily developed to protect ourselves from this fearsome illness. Yet with all our medical and scientific advances, we have not been able to develop vaccines for many other deadly and debilitating viruses (including, for example, HIV) and not for want of trying!

People who have recovered from Ebola virus have been shown to have antibodies for up to ten years later. Antibodies are part of our immune system's natural defense against infection. Vaccination stimulates the production of antibodies without actually causing the disease to prepare our immune defenses against the possibility of exposure. In other words, through immunization, our immune system is given a "heads up" about a contagious disease so if it encounters it in the future the body's defense system is ready to destroy it rapidly. Not all antibody production is protective, however. People and animals exposed to Lyme bacteria, for example, develop detectable antibodies to the bacteria, but these antibodies do not prevent future infection. (Lyme vaccination in dogs works in a different way from other vaccines and is highly effective.)

Still, the World Health Organization has announced the release of two experimental vaccines against Ebola virus by the end of 2015. These vaccines will be administered to those on the front lines handling EHF outbreaks. The safety and effectiveness of the vaccines has not yet been proven, so officials warn it is no "magic bullet". Proper quarantining and protective gear will continue to be vital tools in the containment of this disease.

With public awareness and aggressive oversight by public health organizations, Ebola virus is unlikely to

Proper application of simple and proven contagion
control measures will reduce the spread of minor
and deadly viruses alike in the U.S.

become an epidemic in the United States. The attention this disease has aroused among researchers and financiers in recent weeks suggests we will be learning a lot about this deadly virus in a short period of time and "knowledge is power." As a veterinarian trained in infectious disease control, I was encouraged to learn the Ebola virus is not very hardy in the environment, remaining viable for hours as opposed to days or weeks. Also, Ebola virus is readily inactivated with common disinfectants. I do not mean to say less emphasis should be placed on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) among health care workers simply because Ebola virus is fragile in the environment. Also I believe strict quarantining should be enforced as needed to control an outbreak. However, for most of us common concerned citizens, the practice of good hygiene including thorough and frequent hand-washing as well as common sense measures like avoiding school, work and travel when feverish or showing signs of "the suds" is the best protection against picking up and/or spreading minor colds or serious influenza much less Ebola virus.

Who's Your Daddy? A Cat Reproduction Primer

Tis kitten season once again. Having a rural veterinary practice means this time of year many of my kitten exams involve baskets full of mewling, velcro-toed feline fur-babies. What is striking about these litters of kittens is how dramatically different the siblings are from each other: we might see a calico, a black-and-white tuxedo, several tigers in various hues and a long-haired tortoiseshell -- all from the same mother, or queen. In contrast to kittens from a cattery where matings are tightly regulated to achieve traceable genetics, kittens from farm cats and neighborhood strays have the potential for a very mixed up paternity. The reason for the physical variations among kittens of the same litter is very Jerry Springeresque: each kitten from the same litter, carried and born at the same time, can have a completely different father!

It's called "superfecundation" (kinda sounds like a Mary Poppins song!) and is a very common feline reproductive condition. Technically it means that during a single heat cycle two or more eggs become fertilized by different sires during separate matings. Superfecundation is not unique to cats as it can occur in litters of puppies and occurs with some frequency among human twins (talk about Jerry Springeresque!). However, special features of feline reproduction makes superfecundation almost inevitable.

Whereas canines generally go into heat only twice a year, felines are "seasonally polyestrus," meaning fertility is triggered by lengthening hours of daylight and fertile periods repeat multiple times during this season of longer days. Queens in the northern hemisphere generally only stop going into heat during late autumn and early winter.  Depending on the season, genetics and environmental conditions, puberty in young cats can begin as early as 4 months of age. A female kitty might find herself "in trouble" even though she herself is barely weaned!

As every farmer knows, when cats do start going into heat, it is an endless cycle of mating, pregnancy and kittens. In fact, cats can go into heat, or estrus, every 14-21 days. Pregnancy itself lasts about 60 days. Queens can become re-impregnated even while nursing a litter of kittens because many begin cycling again about 10 days after delivery. A particularly successful queen can raise up to three litters a year. In short, cats breed like rabbits.

But just because cats are ready to reproduce at the drop of a hat throughout most of the year is not what leads to kittens from different fathers (although it probably contributes). Cats are unusual among domestic animals in that they are "reflex ovulators." As opposed to most species (including humans) in which an egg or eggs are released during ovulation regardless of whether mating occurs, actual intercourse is almost always required to stimulate release of an egg from the feline ovary.

Feline ovulation relies upon a complex chain of reactions -- the vaginal-spinal-hypothalmic reflex -- triggered during copulation from sharp barbs on the tom's penis. During the three to eight day fertile period during a given estrus cycle, a queen might mate with a number of toms. Each mating might result in the fertilization of one or more eggs released in response to the copulation. A typical litter consists of four to five kittens. Theoretically, then, each might be only half-brother and half-sister to the others.

Because cats are so prolific, the supply of kittens is always greater than the demand for pets. It is a bittersweet feeling for a veterinarian to behold that basket of adorable, genetically fascinating feline offspring. While we love cuddling the cute little kittens as much as the next guy, we also wish for some kind of cheap and easy birth control for cats. In some countries outside the U.S. oral contraceptives are available, but because they have been shown to cause horrible uterine infections, breast cancer and diabetes in the queens they are considered inhumane and are banned here. So, at this time, we are left with ovariohysterectomy (a.k.a. spay) or removal of the female reproductive tract.

Trap, neuter, release (TNR) programs are available to control feral feline populations. By systematically
surgically sterilizing all the cats in a certain locale, you not only prevent them from breeding but also reduce the introduction of unsterilized cats into the "fixed" cats' established territory. Owners of pet cats must also take steps to remove their individual feline from the over-population problem by having it spayed or neutered as soon as medically indicated. All too often, owners who haven't prepared for the relatively minor cost of sterilizing one cat find themselves seriously financially overwhelmed with litter after litter of kittens, all of whom also begin reproducing at a prodigious rate. And no, cats do not care if the sire of her kittens is her brother or her father, so don't count on "that's gross" being an effective contraceptive in a home full of unfixed felines!

Although domestic cats do make wonderful companions with their strikingly beautiful feline features, charming personalities and funny behaviors, now you know where the term "catting around" originated!

Cheyletiellosis: Night of the Walking Dandruff

Sorry to mislead you into thinking this blog was going to be about the ever popular zombie creature. It's actually about a different kind of monster, a microscopic mite commonly referred to as "walking dandruff" that likes to prey on bunnies. What better time to talk about mite monsters than Easter? What if the cute little twitch in Peter Cottontail's nose is because of an itch?

Meet "Lucky," a young rabbit presented to our veterinary clinic during the winter of 2014 because of a recently noticed skin condition. Lucky was missing large clumps of hair between his shoulder blades, and the area was covered in huge flakes of white dandruff. His physical examination was rather unremarkable besides his obvious skin disease. He did not even act that itchy, but his skin was quite red everywhere and the hair fell out easily anywhere you parted it.

The other rabbit in the home, kept separately, showed no symptoms of skin disease. The bunnies had been adopted over a year ago and had spent some time penned outside during the warmer months of 2013, but had no interaction with each other much less other animals.

Examination of the affected rabbit revealed a large amount
of dandruff, hair loss and red, irritated skin.

I suspected the "walking dandruff" mite even though no movement was seen in the flakes of dead skin. The official name for this parasitic insect is Cheyletiella and there are numerous species which can plague various mammals from rabbits to dogs to cats. Cheyletiella ("kai-la-tee-ell-a") are highly contagious and can even bite people, but they can't live on us for long. The mites tend to live on the animal's skin within the keratin level; they less commonly invade the nasal passages. The mites are fairly large as mites go, and their scurrying among the excess amounts of dead skin produced in response to irritation resulted in the nickname "walking dandruff."


Animals acquire Cheyletiellosis by direct contact with an afflicted animal in most cases. However, the mites and their eggs can also survive for a short period (days to weeks) within bedding and the environment, so transmission may occur via indirect contact as well. Some animals carry around Cheyletiella mites but don't show symptoms at all! 

At the center of the field are two Cheyletiella mites as well
as a large mite egg.

Definitive diagnosis of Cheyletiellosis in Lucky was swift and satisfying. I collected some dandruff from his back on the sticky side of transparent tape and applied the entire thing to a glass slide. At relatively low magnification under the microscope, I saw numerous mites and mite eggs amid hair shafts and epithelial skin cells.

In some cases, mite bodies and eggs may be seen during microscopic evaluation of a stool sample instead. This is a good way to diagnose Cheyletiellosis in cats. Because they are such fastidious self-groomers, infected cats often ingest the excess dandruff as well as the mites making diagnosis from physical examination alone more difficult.

Fortunately, treatment of "walking dandruff" is much easier than eliminating an apocalypse of the walking dead. Various treatments are available to kill Cheyletiella mites. Because rabbits are weirdly sensitive to certain topical insecticides--for instance, over-the-counter products containing fipronil, well-tolerated in dogs and cats for the treatment and prevention of fleas, are devastatingly toxic to rabbits--we selected topical prescription-only selamectin which has been used safely and effectively in rabbits for mites of various kinds.

Dr. Kim Everson applies a dose of medicine to Lucky to treat
his bad case of Cheyletiella mites.

In addition to thoroughly cleaning the hutches and surrounding environment as well as replacing the bedding and feed hay, we decided to treat the asymptomatic rabbit as well. Both bunnies will receive a small amount of medicine on the skin between the shoulder blades once a month for several months in a row. Any mite bites on the humans in the household are expected to resolve once the bunnies have completed treatment.

Shortly after the first dose of medicine, Lucky was reportedly showing signs of improvement in his skin. By now, he should be feeling fine -- just in time for delivering the family's Easter baskets!

Discovering the "Strangling Angel" of Ridge Road Cemetery

My kids are finishing up their final doses of amoxicillin, affected as they all were, from an epidemic of Strep throat running through their school. This period of inconvenience and discomfort coincides with my attendance at a genealogy seminar, where I learned how to use archives to unravel mysteries of long dead forebears. My genealogy goals are grand. Eventually I want to create narratives from my ancestors' perspective, something colorful and historical to share with my children's children. But first I decide to try out my new investigative skills on a project smaller and closer to home: the little cemetery just outside my back door.

St. Bernard's Animal Medical Center and the foundation
boulders from Eldorado Evangelical Church

Although there is no signage, the cemetery is referred to blandly as the Ridge Road Cemetery in a 1914 obituary in the Oshkosh Northwestern.  A document from the Fond du Lac Genealogical Society designates the site as "M.E. (German) Cemetery," and lists the occupants of twenty-three graves. In the farm field adjacent to the tiny cemetery once stood a church, erected in 1859. A June 11, 1930 Fond du Lac Commonwealth Reporter article refers to the church alternately as Ridge Road Evangelical Church and Eldorado Evangelical Church. The church building is long gone, removed decades ago to function as a chicken coop on a nearby farm. I believe it has burned down. Some of the foundation of the church pops up every spring as variably-sized boulders in the fallow field, but most of the foundation was dumped in front of the feed and seed shed that was transformed into St. Bernard's Animal Medical Center veterinary clinic in 2011. These boulders are now part of the stone wall here.

Like all cemeteries, the Ridge Road Cemetery gives us a glimpse into the past, headstones announcing (in German) lives lived to a ripe old age as well as tragic losses of children. There is a sublime beauty here. In the springtime, the aged head stones are nestled within fragrant mature lilac bushes and blossoming crab apple trees. You can see where the old Ridge Road used to pass beside the cemetery; it is now just a wide grass-covered runway ending abruptly at the edge of northbound Highway 41.

Our intersection is confusing because of the cemetery, I was told. Ridge Road stretches north from County Road N, its initial uphill path seeming to be the northbound entrance ramp to Highway 41. In fact, northbound traffic must turn south off County Road N and curve back north on a long ramp. The strange design of our intersection, a local resident informed us, stemmed from the State's inability to relocate the Ridge Road Cemetery not only because some living relatives disapproved but also because of a vague fear of disturbing the graves of "plague" victims buried there.

Even before visiting the cemetery, the "plague" statement bothered me. True, plague is a real contagious disease that has historically decimated huge populations of humans and continues to cause sickness worldwide. Plague is caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis, and involves infected fleas which are brought into contact with people via rodents and domestic animals. Plague is not a bacteria like Bacillus anthracis (a.k.a. anthrax) that hibernates in contaminated soil, waiting to be stirred up and made infective. Conversely anthrax does not spread from person to person like a "plague." The casual reference to "plague" spurred on my curiosity, but it took no time to find the source of this local myth.

Lemke children gravesite, Ridge Road Cemetery, Van Dyne

At the center of the lilacs is a plot of graves surrounded by a wrought iron fence. Here are buried four children from a single family--Walter (9), Martha (16), Emma (6) and Edwin (12)--whose dates of death span the course of two weeks in February 1894. As a mother, visiting their graves (even just writing these lines) makes me feel heavy with dread. I need to know the cause of this tragedy. It is not as simple as locating death certificates. It is rare to find birth and death certificates prior to 1906, when recording such vital statistics was mandated. Not unsurprisingly, no death certificates are available for the Lemke children at the Fond du Lac courthouse.

Cudahy Times newspaper, Feb. 25, 1894

Amazingly, local newspapers back then recorded incredibly personal and mundane details of daily life that help to fill in the gaps of a biographer's research. I began searching Newspaper Archive online for obituaries of the children, but found nothing. Broadening my search in various ways but still finding absolutely nothing, I began to feel desperate. Then I stumbled upon a news brief in the February 25, 1894 issue of Cudahy Times
that says so much in such few words: "Reports from Oshkosh state that the schools in the town of Eldorado have been closed on account of the prevalence of diphtheria there." I will continue my search for details of the Lemke tragedy in library holdings, but this nugget of information is truly a gold mine. Diphtheria makes sense. And boy is it ironic, that as I'm making my discovery, my children are battling Strep throat, a shadow of the horrible diphtheria.

Diphtheria is caused by a highly contagious bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae that causes a thick covering in the back of the throat. Infection can lead to difficulty breathing, heart failure, paralysis and even death. Diphtheria is spread through sneezing and coughing. The Center for Disease Control reports before treatment against diphtheria was discovered, over half the people who contracted the illness died from it. In fact, the CDC states that diphtheria was so deadly it "wiped out entire communities, sometimes killing all the children in a family." Vaccination programs since the 1920s have dramatically reduced the incidence of this disease in the U.S., but it still exists worldwide.

Balto with musher Gunnar Kaasen

While fascinating, can I tie the strands of this historical medical mystery into my veterinary blog? You bet!The Alaskan Iditarod Race commemorates The Great Race of Mercy, the 1925 mushing run of diphtheria antitoxin from Anchorage to sick children in Nome. The isolated city of Nome could not be reached by air, sea or rail. Instead twenty of Alaska's best sled dog drivers who delivered mail along this route were charged with delivering the life-saving medicine. The trip usually made in 15-20 days was accomplished in 5 days and 7 hours in spite of blizzards and sub-zero temperatures. One of the many things this veterinarian finds beautiful about this event is that history has recognized not only the efforts of the mushers but also of the sled dogs. Almost 90 years later, we know and honor the names of lead sled dogs Togo and Balto. In fact, Balto's story was made into a great animated movie in 1995.


From all I have learned, it is very likely that a diphtheria epidemic claimed the lives of the four children in Ridge Road Cemetery. Having watched each of my children come down with a contagious illness in the midst of a school epidemic, I feel a little better trained to put myself in Mrs. Lemke's shoes, but I sure don't want to wear them. I imagine her hearing that diphtheria has broken out in her children's single room school house, fearing her babies have been exposed and waiting for an illness against which she is helpless. In my mind's eye I see one child becoming sick, then another and another and another. I see her tending to them first through exhaustion and then agony as one after the other is laid to rest in the cold February ground of Ridge Road Cemetery. Although I can't begin to understand how she survived such grief, I also envision her stooped and aged above the graves nurturing the lilac bushes I love so much.

ADDENDUM (4/13/2014): Manual review of microfilm copies of the Fond du Lac Commonwealth Reporter spanning February 10-26, 1894, confirmed my suspicions of diphtheria as the cause of death in the Lemke children. A particularly poignant snippet confirms the third fatality, of Emma Lemke:

Annie Lempke [sic], a daughter of Herman Lempke [sic], of Eldorado, died this morning at 3:30 o'clock of diphtheria, aged about 10 [sic] years. This is the third child the family have lost in a few weeks, and in their terrible affliction, they have the heartfelt sympathy of the whole community. The funeral will take place Tuesday morning at 11 o'clock, from the German church at Eldorado.

In spite of a few errors in the details made through haste and inconsistent spelling common during that era, the piece provides a gloomy snapshot of the Eldorado diphtheria epidemic and how it affected the community.

Thanks for the Memories: The Ring-billed Gull Rescue

Dr. Kim Everson and CVT Tim Kneeland providing
emergency care for a juvenile ring-billed gull.

Months ago my staff captured these images as an exciting wildlife rescue case unfolded in our veterinary clinic. As with too many things in life, I procrastinated writing my blog post about it because I'd have more time tomorrow. Nearly six months have gone by. That hot August day seems like an unreal dream as sturgeon spearers sit above 30" of ice on a sunny but brittle February day. Yet, now is the perfect time to reflect on "Peter" the fish-hook gull as, with a mixture of sadness and anticipation, we say farewell and good luck to Tim Kneeland, CVT, who soon begins a new chapter in his veterinary technician career.

The morning of Tim's interview, the first ever employee of St. Bernard's Animal Medical Center (!), we were to meet at New Moon Cafe in Oshkosh. Tim was running a bit late, which doesn't bode well for an interviewee but turns out to be highly unusual for him. When he arrived, he was flush with excitement and informed me that a pair of peregrine falcons were nesting nearby and he had been watching for them as part of his volunteer work with Aves Wildlife Alliance. As I had driven to the cafe earlier I had noted an unusual looking bird of prey soaring over UW Oshkosh's high rise dormitories, and thus Tim and I shared our first Aves moment.

Tim's interest in wildlife rehabilitation influenced our veterinary clinic caseload in fascinating ways. To be honest, handling calls from concerned citizens about injured wildlife is a bit unnerving. There are strict rules and regulations regarding which animals can be rehabilitated, who can provide care, where and for how long. Tim became a sort of wildlife ambassador, EMT and ambulance, sorting through the red tape then helping to assess and stabilize various birds and even a baby squirrel before transporting them to Aves Wildlife Alliance in Neenah for continued care.

Removing fishing lure hooks from the gull's nares (nostril).

On a hot August day in 2013, a Wisconsin DNR agent brought us an injured gull found near a Fond du Lac business. As we assessed the bird, Tim drilled into us that it was not a "sea gull" but a ring-billed gull. I had never thought of gulls as anything other than "sea gull" but now I am very conscious of how I refer to gulls! This particular juvenile ring-billed gull--christened "Peter" by veterinary assistant Ashley--had the misfortune of becoming hooked by a fishing lure through its beak and in several places in one wing. It was mildly dehydrated and also had several small scrapes and abrasions from struggling to undo itself.

Administering SQ fluids in the inguinal space (groin).

After determining the extent of its injuries, we consulted with Rebekah Weiss, founder of Aves Wildlife Alliance, who approved the treatment plan. With Tim safely restraining the gull, I used my trusty pink needle-nose pliers to extract the lure hooks from the gull's wing first and then its right nares (e.g., nostril). Ouch! There just is no great way to remove multi-barbed fishing hooks from living tissue. Luckily the hooks weren't buried very deeply, and the young gull tolerated treatment incredibly well. It immediately appeared relieved and more relaxed after the lure was removed.

Next we administered fluids to offset dehydration by injecting a balanced electrolyte solution into its inguinal space (i.e., the "groin" if birds can be said to have such a thing!). We administered a dose of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory orally then left the bird to rest in a quiet, dark place. After work that day, Tim transported the gull to Aves for a week of recovery and supportive care. Fortunately, the gull's wounds healed well, leaving no permanent damage that would impede flight and survival in the wild.

"Peter" the ring-billed gull takes flight over Lake Winnebago.

On August 27th, Tim brought the gull home to Lake Winnebago for release. One of the prettiest pictures I've ever seen is this bird taking flight after its rescue and rehabilitation.

As we say farewell to Tim, I find this image of restored flight imprinted on my memories of hours and hours of shared experiences, challenges and learning leaving me simultaneously nostalgic and hopeful.

Thank you, Tim Kneeland, CVT, for your service and dedication to St. Bernard's Animal Medical Center. We wish you continued success in your career!

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Sitting in the clinic refrigerator today is a grim reminder of how dangerous injured and frightened animals can be. 

A neighborhood feral cat shows up with severely injured back limbs, dehydrated and undoubtedly suffering from exposure to the prolonged subzero temperatures. Once coaxed into a travel crate, she is reluctant to leave. When her Good Samaritan tries to remove her from her crate he is bit numerous times -- through the heavy work gloves he wears.

Now we have a horribly injured stray cat with no known history of rabies vaccination and serious human exposure risk. When the helpful neighbors bring her in to the clinic for evaluation the situation has changed from one of trying to figure out a way to fix the kitty to making sure her rescuer doesn't die of rabies infection.

We know the outcome for this poor kitty is not good the moment we peer into the crate. She has extensive degloving injuries on her hind legs where the skin is stripped off the muscle and sags down the limb like loose stockings. The toes on one foot appear crushed. She is severely dehydrated, sadly debilitated. Even with heroic efforts at medical and surgical salvage, her prognosis is grave.

In the best of situations, if a stray kitty bites or scratches a person it needs to be quarantined in an approved facility (like a veterinary clinic or animal control shelter) where it is examined three times by a veterinarian over a 10-day period. If the animal shows symptoms of rabies during this time, it must be euthanized and its brain must be submitted for rabies testing. THERE IS NO OTHER TEST FOR RABIES! If the animal does not show signs of rabies, it will be vaccinated against rabies on day 10 and released.

Knowing what must be done in this terrible situation, but hoping for an alternative, we call the Wisconsin State

Shipping a specimen to the state
laboratory for testing requires careful
attention to very strict packaging instructions.

Lab of Hygiene and local animal control colleagues for confirmation. The answer is the same from everyone of whom we ask the awful question. The kitty must be put to sleep and her brain must be sent to the state lab for testing.

The Good Samaritans quickly grasp the urgency of the situation. In fact, years ago one of the family members underwent the series of post-exposure prophylactic injections after receiving an injury from an animal that couldn't be tested. If this stray cat's test comes back positive for rabies, the person she bit will undergo the series of post-exposure prophylactic injections as well.

While we wait for the results of the rabies test, the bitee will be watching his wounds for sign of infection. Even a non-rabid cat's bite can create devastating infection requiring heavy duty antibiotics and sometimes hospitalization! Any bite or scratch injury should be immediately and thoroughly washed with soap and water (for 10-15 minutes) to reduce the chance of it becoming infected. 

Some major take home messages from this recent event include:

1) Do not handle an unknown injured animal. Even a beloved and gentle pet may viciously bite out of pain or fear. If you cannot safely approach or handle an injured animal, call local animal control for assistance.

2) Do not release or destroy an animal (wild or domestic) which may have bitten a person. Consult your local animal control or public health department for instructions.

3) Keep your dogs, cats (even indoor only), ferrets and livestock vaccinated against rabies. Doing so limits risk to humans but also protects them against exposure through bats, skunks, foxes, raccoon, etc.

4) Do not handle or make pets out of wild animals--even cute orphaned babies. In many places this type of pet is illegal. Species known to carry rabies may not show any symptoms for a long time, but can put people and pets at risk.

5) Despite the miraculous recovery of Jeanna Giese and a very few others, rabies is still a fatal disease if post-exposure prophylaxis is not sought. If you are concerned about rabies exposure or if a bat is found in a room with a young child or sleeping or mentally incapacitated adult, contact your physician or public health department right away. 

6) According to a July 2013 statement by the World Health Organization, more the 55,000 people die worldwide (primarily Asia and Africa) from rabies, and 40% are children under the age of 15 who were infected by rabid dogs. Mandatory vaccination of dogs in the U.S. after World War II has significantly reduced the number of human deaths from rabies in domestic animals. Post-exposure prophylaxis prevents rabies disease in hundreds of thousands of people each year!

Hot Chocolate!

It's one of the most common toxicity emergency calls we get -- "My dog ate chocolate!" But rarely does the pooch eat high quality chocolate or a large enough quantity for it to be a problem. The primary toxic ingredients in the best chocolates are high levels of theobromine and caffeine, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, heart palpitations and arrhythmia, tremors, seizures and even death.  Unsweetened cocoa and baking chocolates are the worst kitchen culprits with a few ounces being toxic for 40-lb dog. However, I've met plenty of huge hounds who inhaled bags of less toxic milk chocolate (foil wrappers and all) resulting in agitation and vomiting.

Late last week, we got the standard "my dog ate chocolate" call about a 10-year-old dog who knew how to open the pantry cabinets. Besides eating 14 bars of high-quality dark chocolate (what a waste!) Zuni shredded and nibbled jello boxes, bouillon cubes and various other items. Based on Zuni's weight and the amount and type of chocolate ingested, we quickly determined this was a real problem! At our instructions the owners administered hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting, but Zuni didn't produce anything until the car ride into the clinic. The few small piles of vomit smelled purely of rich warm chocolate.

Zuni's examination fortunately was fairly normal aside from a bloated appearance, some trembling which we determined was due to nervousness and a mild heart murmur of which we have yet to determine the significance. We decided to induce vomiting again since Zuni's stomach was still quite distended. The more chocolate we can get out within two hours of ingestion the less toxicity we will have.

Dr. Kim Everson walking a chocolate-eating
dog outside with piles of steaming hot
chocolate vomit visible in the snow.

Rather than repeat hydrogen peroxide, we administered a more potent emetic -- a derivative of morphine -- into the corner of Zuni's eye. (Weird, I know.) Within 10 minutes, Zuni looked pretty unhappy, drooling and swallowing hard with nausea. We rinsed the medication from her eye and applied eye drops to soothe the redness. I took her outside for a little jog to jiggle her stomach contents and Eureka! Zuni produced one large pile of steaming hot chocolate after another, five prodigious piles in total scattered in the January snow.

Once it was clear that her stomach was finally empty, we returned to the examination room crowing with victory. (Well, I was crowing. Poor Zuni felt pretty miserable, her joy in devouring a cabinet full of groceries finally subdued.) Our decontamination task was not yet complete, however. Next we administered activated charcoal to bind up the theobromine and caffeine still in her GI tract. The owners were instructed to repeat this at home every couple of hours throughout the night and into the next day.

The owners were also advised to monitor for neurological symptoms but especially diarrhea in the coming days. Any residual wrappers are expected to wad up and pass in her stool, but they will likely cause a lot of scraping and scratching inside. A daily probiotic supplement was suggested for the next couple of days, at least, to help her gut heal. We will also be evaluating Zuni again in the near future to determine if the heart murmur has resolved or requires a further work up.

Dogs eat a ton of stuff that really isn't very good for them, and usually they emerge from the experience relatively unscathed. In the kitchen, care should be taken to keep chocolate, grapes and raisins, macadamia nuts, onions and garlic, moldy food, uncooked potatoes, bread dough and xylitol artificial sweeteners (found in chewing gum, for example) way out of their reach! If your pet does eat any of these things, call your veterinarian for advice. The dietary indiscretion might turn out to be no big deal, but a simple phone call could save your pet's life.