Registered: Jun 2007
Location: Menard,TX
Posts: 1158

If you are like me, you have never herd of "Chagas" but I am here to tell you that it can kill a healthy bluetick pup in short order. My Daisy female had 10 big, healthy pups and was doing a great job raising them. Just before they turned 5 weeks of age, the largest female acted as though she was not feeling well. Though she continued to eat, acted as though she had no energy. My wife loaded her in the pickup and drove to vet clinic some 3 miles away. She did not make it to the clinic before the pup began screaming and died in her arms. The vet put the pup in the freezer and said that he would post her in the event any of the other pups got sick and we would know how to treat them. Two days later, I called him and said that another female was acting the same way. He said to bring her in that morning. When I got there, he had the other pup opened up and felt that it might have been lepto and tested her for parvo which was negative. He gave her a couple of shots and she was dead that afternoon. The sickness appeared to have run it's course until the pups turned 7 wks. and a big male started acting lifeless. I again hauled him to the vet and he was dead that night.
We sent him to Texas A&M School of Vet. Med. and they ran a battery of tests, all proving it was Chagas Disease that killed him.
The disease is carried by the Kissing Bug, a blood sucker. As it feeds on the host, it defecates and the fecal matter is absorbed through the skin or ingested orally from the pup licking the bite. The disease gets into the blood and affects the lungs, heart, liver and even brain.
While the female (mother of the pups can be a host and give to her offspring), I remember killing one of these bugs by the pups one morning. He was full of blood. For those of you who are interested in looking up the kissing bug you can do so by pulling up kissing bug or to find out about the disease, go to Chagas Disease.
I hope you never have to deal with it.
Adios,
Gary

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Registered: Jun 2005
Location: TEXAS
Posts: 1600

Thanks for the info. Looks like it can make humans sick too......... I'll be on the lookout for em. Sorry bout your pups.

__________________
Jessica McRae
3 Color Kennel
Treeing Walker Coonhounds and German Shepherd Dogs

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