St. Paul police dog dies - Page 1

URL: http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/5502531.html Is it me or is this article heading in a wrong direction of how this dog died? Or if this department dont fully evaluate their dogs of full psychial health check by an approved vet? Heres my thoughts of this... 1. Hot weather 2. long day of tracking 3. all of the sudden began to have trouble breathing and collapsed. Possible heat stroke to me. According to the article the vet diagnosed the dog of having laryngeal paralysis," a rare tracheal disorder. In this disorder, there is some loss of function in the laryngeal muscles that normally open the larynx when an animal breathes in. This is caused by degeneration of certain nerves involved in normal breathing. The result is airway obstruction, to varying degrees, causing loud and labored respiration. The signs of having Laryngeal Paralysis are usually seen by 2 to 6 months of age and are often first noticed, or become worse, in hot weather. Affected dogs have difficulty breathing, and may collapse, especially with exercise. Your dog's breathing will be noisy, with coughing or gagging when eating, and you may notice that the gums are greyish rather than pink. As part of the laryngeal paralysis-polyneuropathy complex, affected Dalmatians commonly have megaesophagus, which is a chronic dilation (expansion) of the esophagus that occurs due to loss of normal muscle tone and function, so that swallowing can not occur normally. Affected dogs regurgitate undigested food after meals, and may develop aspiration pneumonia due to inhalation of food particles or other foreign matter.

From the article: Tyson, a 3-year-old male German shepherd and his handler, police officer Nick Kellum, were tracking a suspect on Friday when the dog began to have trouble breathing and collapsed, police said in a statement released today. Tyson was taken to the K-9 unit's animal hospital and later transferred to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Hospital, where doctors diagnosed "laryngeal paralysis," a rare tracheal disorder. Unless you live in St Paul and know something about the police department, I would not second guess the statement. Sounds like they did due diligence.

Brittany wrote: "The signs of having Laryngeal Paralysis are usually seen by 2 to 6 months of age and are often first noticed, or become worse, in hot weather" If the dog had been affected by *congenital* laryngeal paralysis, then yes--it would have been noticeable early on in it's life. But the condition can be acquired, too--in fact, it's a very common side-effect of hypothyroidism in dogs, and it's certainly possible that this dog wasn't yet showing any clinical signs of hypothyroidism. The condition can also be acquired via mechanical means--damage to the larynx and trachea from foreign objects, intense collar corrections, overeager straining against a collar(especially when coupled with a 'rocket-launch' to hit the end of the restraining device)... In other words, Brittany, I'm not quite sure what you're trying to imply, but I'm inclined to give the St. Louis PD the benefit of the doubt unless shown reasons I should do otherwise. And BTW--if you're going to quote passages and paragraphs from a veterinary website or textbook, it's considered bad for the leave out any sort of credit as to the source of the material. Not to mention illegal, in many instances.

Animal Kingdom just completed a special on the St Paul K-9 unit. It is exceptional with dedicated trainers and handlers. A GSD and officer were shot and Killed during a manhunt several years ago. The dogs death was treated with almost equal sadness by the community and the police department. To suggest that the handler was abusing or ignorant of health risks is speculation and irresponsible.

As a previous Police K9 handler myself, I highly doubt there was anything that St Paul did wrong. All of the other K9 handlers I know love their dogs, their dog is not just a dog but a partner. I have always heard good reports on St. Paul's unit and know that they are mourning the loss of a member of their team and the handler is mourning the loss of his partner. To suggest otherwise based on speculation is disgraceful.

DORYC11   I need to ge in touch with you about your male dog......I have been trying to send you an e-mai but I got a error message.

Thanks

Ivett Vale

Dear Britt,

as I wrote before : Plese do stay out of the GSD world, or at leat out of matters, that you do not have the fantiest idear of.

As I really, an I do mean it, draw my hat to you, for your efforts to be of sevice to the less furtunate dogs of our breed. I can not see that you learn a bit. To assume, that a PD, with much more experience than you have , would put a dog of their K-9 unit at stake, is just another of your incompetent statements. Take it , for what it is worth : Be more reasonable and LEARN before you open your mouth !

Ulli Dresbach

The departments a good department from all my prior experiences.  Known well by me. My childhood home state.

Sad story either way. Regardless of what/why/ or IF someone was responsible for it.

 

Shannon