Tribute to Fran Colonna

It is with sorrow that I report that Fran Colonna passed away on October 13th.

We have lost so many significant people in the fancy over the past year and sadly, we have lost an icon of the Dachshund world with the passing of Fran Colonna. Fran has left an indelible mark on the wire variety and on our breed in general. Her enthusiasm, love of the breed and wide-ranging knowledge will be sorely missed by so many of us.

Fran was always looking to educate people about our breed and often helped mentor future judges. She was intimately involved with putting together materials for our general education programs, and with Larry Sorenson, initiated our meet the breeds booths – both the one in Orlando, and the mobile one. She was a judge of the Hound Group and had owned, bred and shown Afghans as well.

What is more, she was a loyal friend, whose bright smile would light up a room. You could always expect an honest response to any question; she was always a straightforward, take me as I am, kind of person. She loved art, music, and travel with friends. Her wit and devotion to family were exceptional. Fran thought of others first –family above all else and then those who needed assistance. A devoted member of the Red Cross, she was deployed in New York City after 9-11, as well at other disaster sites with no thought of her health. Sadly, she suffered numerous health problems after her stint in New York City. But she rarely complained and soldiered on even after fracturing her spine, insisting that she was going to attend our last Dachshund Club Board meeting, which she could not make, as she was hospitalized and ultimately went home with hospice care and the loving attention of her family.

Besides the loss to the Dachshund world and our fancy, I feel I have lost a mentor, a wonderful colleague and a friend.

Godspeed, Fran, may angels guide you to your rest.

Ken Levison

NOMOGRAPHS continued from page 8

birth, a blood sample is collected. The blood sample is sent to a veterinary reference laboratory like Hemopet’ss Hemolife Diagnostic Laboratory.

This also could be the diagnostic laboratories of university veterinary schools like those at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Michigan State University, Cornell University, Auburn University, and others including commercial labs such as Antech Diagnostics and Idexx.

Step 2. The laboratory runs an antibody titer test for canine distemper and parvovirus.

Step 3. Based on the results, the laboratory will provide a nomograph analysis that conservatively estimates the optimal time to vaccinate a litter against distemper and parvovirus.

Based on a peer-reviewed study published in 2020 (Larson et al.), the researchers compared litters that had a nomograph analysis to those that did not. Turns out, 95.7% of the nomograph group was protected against distemper and 90.5% was protected against parvovirus, whereas only 85.5% of the non-nomograph group was protected against distemper and 81.7% against parvovirus. The data used included date of birth and vaccination history of commercial canine vaccinations for puppies less than one year of age and was compared to more than 5,000 adult dogs with known vaccination histories.

One of the limitations with this nomograph analysis approach is the assumption of 100% percent transfer of MDA. According to the study authors. Rather than an evaluation of protection for a litter, nomograph analysis of breeding dam antibody level is intended to be a conservative estimate of duration of maternal antibody interference with modified- live viral vaccines. Reported percent transfer estimates of 60, 70% was confirmed by our laboratory (data not shown). However, because we had transfer rates up to 100% in some excellent colostrum-producing dams, nomograph is calculated based on conservative assumption of 100% transfer from dam to litter.

Regardless, we found this study to offer a good baseline for further research. It would be interesting to have a large scale nomograph study that compares two litters from the same female dog or, even better, from the same biological parents. Within that, the study can run nomographs 2 weeks before estimated births, measure antibodies in the actual colostrum, and ask about variables that might affect the antibody level outcome of one litter to the next. For instance, was milk replacer used? (Milk replacer closes the gut so maternal antibodies cannot be absorbed.) Was fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) given? Cesarean section or natural birth?

In an instructional video, Dr. Laurie Larson of the University of Wisconsin team discusses some of the additional variables that can affect a puppy’s MDA levels. #1. The mother is not good at making colostrum. #2. The puppy does not absorb colostrum well. #3. The mother has no interest in the litter and will not nurse.

Thus, because of these variables, the nomograph analysis, as Dr. Larson points out, is an estimate but can provide more accuracy on a case-by-case basis.

Additionally, are you wondering about the reason and benefit of giving FFP to newborn pups?

Sometimes a puppy is weak or orphaned, did not receive enough colostrum, or might have the fading puppy syndrome. In this instance, we can replace the colostrum with FFP either by injection or orally in the first 36 hours of life. The FFP then provides a source of globulins (plasma protein antibodies) to protect the puppy against common viruses and other microbes, and to supply important nutrients.

Rescues and shelters frequently have abandoned mothers whose vaccination histories are unknown. Additionally, pregnant and nursing dogs should not be given any vaccines as these could harm her health and the health of her fetuses and newborn litter. So, these organizations would particularly benefit from having a few tubes of FFP on hand.

Plasma treatment for orphaned puppies or for those receiving only minimal colostrum after birth should be given three times in the first 24 48 hours of life: 1st at birth; 2nd in 12 hours; and, 3rd time in 12 hours after the 2nd. Treatment for healthy newborns may be repeated at 5 to 14 days of age and then again at 3 to 4 weeks of age. For sick newborns, more frequent transfusions of FFP may be necessary. These transfusions are usually given intraperitoneally (IP), but they can also be given orally in the first 24-36 hours of life. FFP is salty, so it should be followed with a little drop of honey (not raw honey for newborns) or syrup on the tongue. When puppies are two days of age or older, the route of administration must be IP (or IV or subcutaneously) and not oral, as the antibodies in plasma will no longer be absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract.

Hemopet offers 12 mL tubes of FFP that are the ideal size to treat fading puppy syndrome or orphaned pups.

References

CAVIDS Titer Testing, Nomograph and Puppy Follow-up Video (30:42 Minutes) | CAVIDS Titer Testing, University of Wisconsin-Madison Veterinary School of Medicine, https://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/lab/cavids/nomograph-and-puppy-follow-up-explainer-video-30minutes/. Dodds, W. Jean. Puppy and Kitten Vaccinations: Timing Is Critical, Jean Dodds’s Pet Health Resource, Tumblr, 5 Mar. 2014, https://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/78666367482/maternal-antibodiesvaccines#.YtgQfXbMLIV. Dodds, W. Jean. Treating Fading Puppy Syndrome’s or Orphaned Pups with Fresh-Frozen Plasma‚ Jean Dodds’s Pet Health Resource, Tumblr, 7 Aug. 2016, https://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/148593018041/treating-fading-puppysyndrome-or-orphaned-pups#.YtgWLnbMLIV. Larson, Laurie, et al., Canine Nomograph Evaluation Improves Puppy Immunization, Clinical Theriogenology, vol. 12, no. 3, Sept. 2020, pp. 215. https://www.vetmed.wisc.edu/lab/wpcontent/uploads/sites/12/2020/11/Larson-Clinical-Theriogenolgy-Official-Journal-of-Society-forTheriogenology-Volume-12-Number-3-September-2020-215-221.pdf. Mila, Hanna, et al., Immunoglobulin G Concentration in Canine Colostrum: Evaluation and Variability, Journal of Reproductive Immunology, vol. 112, Nov. 2015, pp. 24‚ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jri.2015.06.001,

This article is from: https://hemopet.org/nomographs-guide-individualized-vaccinationschedules-for puppies/?utm_source=Klaviyo&utm_medium=campaign&_ kx=yNZVCmL2XjBdHJy1jiTqXVT6_kEZNEMGpA_1L1-Z_qg%3D.Ypvfhc