Raw Food Diet, Day 431- Moveable Feast

Big Pupi and I have been working our little bums to the bone for this move.I have no idea what my folks are complaining about because moving isn't actually all that hard. It requires a lot of snoozeling, and then some howling when my parents leave me alone in the old, almost empty apartment- which happens like a zillion times per day as they snag all my stuff and take it out the front door. I've checked out the new digs. Not bad. And since my brand shiny new home-sweet-home is only 5 floors up from where we are now, I get to keep all of my building buddies. Sweetness!

I could hardly contain my excitement:
Amidst the heavy lifting, my mom got a phone call from the Place of Tile and Steel. My bro and I got our titer test results back, and for the second year in a row we've tested positive for Distemper and Parvovirus immunity. Woohoo! That means that we can skip those injections AGAIN! Our Leptospirosis test came back negative for the both of us, which was expected on Big Pupi because his was negative last year and he wasn't vaccinated again for it (he has been vaccinated 2-3 times since rescued). I was given the vaccine last year but it doesn't hold for very long. Our folks have decided NOT to vaccinate us for Lepto because:

1. Coverage for the bacteria-caused illness is only proven to be effective for 6 months - similar to the Bordatella vaccine, but unlike the Bordatella vaccine which is given biannually, the Lepto vaccine is only given once per year;

2. Lepto is a bacteria and can mutate, leaving the current vaccines unable to protect against new strains;

3. The vaccine has the highest rate of side effects, which are most often severe and require immediate medical attention. Given that Big Pupi and I are immune sensitive (lots of allergies), we are at a high risk for adverse reactions; and

4. Lepto can be treated if caught early, and you bet your buttons my humans did their research on the symptoms.

So that leaves us with only our Bordatella boosters in a few months, and Big Pupi with his rabies vaccine at the same time. The last time he got his rabies vaccine he had a lump that lasted almost 2 years! Nice Doctor wants to stop vaccinating my bro for the rest of his life because he is so sensitive, but unfortunately he cannot go to camp or continue therapy work without an up to date rabies tag. There is a rabies titer available, but it's very expensive and not very reliable. Even so, my folks are looking into it. But what they're really interested in is the 5 and 7-year rabies vaccines which, thanks to the Rabies Challenge Fund, is in clinical trials. My dewclaws are crossed that it's available soon!

Despite the rabies stuff, we're thrilled that we get to skip the rest of our shots for the rest of the year. We've maintained immunity for 2 years now, and it really makes us think that receiving a full round of shots every single year is way too much for a canine immune system. I know that my immune system is full of little beasts and they sure as meatiness know what they're doing. I've got professionals on my side!

Anyway, this healthy dude-man is ready for the final day of moving. And I thought I'd get a head start on the morning by offering a belly for my people to rub. Anyone? It'll warm up those lifting muscles!

Enjoy the weekend,
Stanislaw