Rocky Flats Kennels

Rocky Flats Kennels Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Rocky Flats Kennels, Pet service, Sevierville, TN.
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Oh no, some of my sweetest dogs, I missed your Birthday yesterday! This was a big one. These special pups turned 2  year...
06/22/2024

Oh no, some of my sweetest dogs, I missed your Birthday yesterday! This was a big one. These special pups turned 2 years old yesterday! Born to Leah and Walter, Ruby Mae, Dudley, Mack, Winnie and Sherman . This was a small litter of 5, but what a special group. They were adorable puppies and have grown up to be handsome and beautiful. They are all special to their owners and I love getting updates on them. Sorry I missed your day babies. The night before, I told Stephen I have a birthday tomorrow and we discussed how quickly you guys have grown up. You are always on my mind ind and in my heart! Happy 2 years sweet babies! πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•!

Welcome to the world little ones! Born to Tru and Walter on Thursday 6/13/24 from 5:10pm to 10:10pm! She gave us 9 beaut...
06/20/2024

Welcome to the world little ones! Born to Tru and Walter on Thursday 6/13/24 from 5:10pm to 10:10pm! She gave us 9 beautiful babies in just 5 hours. She is an awesome first time Mom. Tru is a Syn and Piper daughter. 3 years ago we did a surgical insemination with Syn’s frozen semen that was collected 8 years ago and cryogenically frozen in pellets. We kept 2 of their daughters because they were both such special dogs. Everyone that met Syn and Piper over the years loved my big Synnie Boy and Piper was such a great girl that made everyone laugh. Everyone who had a Syn offspring loved the confidence, intelligence, coat and ability to understand everything they said. He sired amazing dogs like himself. I wanted to keep Syn in my lines because of all those things Piper was one of my best girls and so many people asked if I ever rehomed her, they would love to get her. Unfortunately Piper passed last year at 7 of cancer of the spleen. But the legacy she left with Tru, Fiona and Charm makes me so happy they are so much like her and so much like Syn. I have 2 female puppies available from this litter.a yellow girl and a black girl. if anyone is interested in either of these puppies, please give me a call and we can talk about pick up dates and the open house. 865-908-0026. These puppies are so big and chunky already almost 2 pounds at seven days old. The yellows carry the same color coat as Syn.

Happy 2 year Birthday to LeRoux and Orions 2022  Red litter. Born  via c-section,  these little guys arrived early morni...
06/11/2024

Happy 2 year Birthday to LeRoux and Orions 2022 Red litter. Born via c-section, these little guys arrived early morning at our North Knoxville veterinarians . The vet techs and the doctor worked hard to be sure everyone that was in there came out healthy.They were a deep red group that made there way across the whelping box practically walking from birth,! They were great nursers and super smart babies . LeRoux made them find her every time she nursed so it didn’t surprise us that they walked at 10 days old. Happy Birthday Sweet Babies! Mars, Kody, Ezekiel, Tenny, Poptart and Arlo. They were all beautiful shades of red and very beefy like their parents. This was a wonderful group of owners who fell in love with these guys at the open house. Have a wonderful day with your Birthday Buddies! πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•

Happy Birthday Wilbur, Pedals, Poppy, Scout, little Walter and Ruby ! Sweet babies born to LeRoux  and Walter. This was ...
06/04/2024

Happy Birthday Wilbur, Pedals, Poppy, Scout, little Walter and Ruby ! Sweet babies born to LeRoux and Walter. This was LeRoux’s last litter. She was an awesome mother and loved her babies so much. She was happiest laying in the whelping box with them all around her. This was a group of beautiful babies, big and smart with the sweetest expressions. We had 2 special needs puppies in this litter. Pedals was born with a cleft Palate and Wilbur developed a growth issue with his bottom jaw. Wilbur has grown up to be a beautiful boy , sweet and kind. Everyone who meets him loves him. His loving family adores him and with a shorter bottom jaw, he snores like a bear. But he is well loved and he lives a normal life with lots of adventures. Pedals had the cleft palate , was tube fed until she was 5 weeks old. She drank out of a rabbit bottle suspended from the crate. She had a pretty severe cleft , but had such a strong will to live and be part of her litter in all activities. She had her surgery at 6 months, palate was closed . She is a beautiful girl who still loves life and her family adores her. Little Walter is a celebrity in Myrtle beach where he lives. He is an airport therapy dog and involved in all kinds of fund raisers in Myrtle Beach. He has been on Tv and to every state park in NC and SC. Poppy , Scout and Ruby are the most beautiful black females . Scout travels the US with Trish and loves the beach, Poppy is the most photographed model with both her parents being photographers. I love seeing her pictures. She is a sweetheart. Ruby lives on the lake and has great adventures with her owners. All 6 are remarkable dogs who have the best families loving them and making sure they have the best lives. Happy 3rd Birthday sweet babies, Wilbur, Poppy, Pedals, Little Walter, Ruby and Scout!πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•

Sorry Remi, Jersey, Wrigley, Max , Charlie and George. I thought of the six of you all day. But one appointment turned i...
06/03/2024

Sorry Remi, Jersey, Wrigley, Max , Charlie and George. I thought of the six of you all day. But one appointment turned into another appointment, turned into another appointment, and I didn’t want the day to pass without saying happy three year birthday to these sweet babies. Born to Billy and Leah on the morning of 6/3/24. Stephen, Joy and I were literally catching puppies as Leah had them. She started at 7:00AM, one of only a few daytime litters and delivered seven puppies by 10:15 AM. Unfortunately, there was one breech birth, puppy number 6 and little yellow boy was an Angel baby..These guys were 14.5 ounces to 17 ounces. Leah has always been one of my best Moms. She was a great source of love, nourishment and direction to these babies. So Happy Birthday Sweet Babies . You are all so loved and cherished. 3 years old now! Remi, Jersey, Max, Charlie, George, Wrigley! πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•

Can it really be a year since my Sweet Fiona had her first litter ? She effortlessly delivered 9 beautiful babies on the...
05/22/2024

Can it really be a year since my Sweet Fiona had her first litter ? She effortlessly delivered 9 beautiful babies on the night of May 22, 2023. I hadn’t had such an easy delivery in years. She was meant for motherhood and loved every minute of it. These were big puppies with Walter being the Dad. She delivered all nine in 5 hours. They came in all colors with 5 being all shades of yellow to light red and 2 blacks, a male and a female. Fiona is so special to me . Her father is Syn, my very special boy of all time . He was the king man and took care of everyone at the kennel. He taught them all to follow the rules and never be troublesome. He taught me a lot about how order in the kennel works and why you need a canine leader as well as me being Alpha to all of them. Fiona is just like him. She is the leader in the kennel and she keeps peace and harmony within the kennel. She is super smart. Walter added his sweetness and loving nature to all the babies. They are all smart, loving, beautiful and rule obeyers. Just like their parents. I used to say it doesn’t matter who the mother of the puppies are, when bread with Syn, they always look a lot like him when they’re younger. A lot of this group looks like Fiona. Well now it’s time to say happy birthday to Anna Mae, Richie, Clark, Mabel, Emmylou, Mika, Feta, Sunshine and Fisher. Happy birthday, sweet babies. Have a wonderful day. I know your owners have something planned very special for you.πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•

Happy 8th Birthday to Toka and Syn Puppies! They are 8 years old today! Where did the time go? This group of puppies sta...
05/19/2024

Happy 8th Birthday to Toka and Syn Puppies! They are 8 years old today! Where did the time go? This group of puppies started making their way into the world at 4:45am on 5/19/16. By 1:14 Pm all 7 were here happily nursing and getting love from their Momma Toka. It again was a hot summer till they went home in July. But what fun we had learning to love water, running around in the kennel building when it was to hot to go out. These babies left here between 14 and 18 pounds each. They were such a sweet group and still are today. We had 4 girls, 3 boys and they were 3 yellows 4 blacks! Happy Birthday Sweet babies! Axel, Heidi, Harper, Hunter, Lacey, Mila and Big Boy Scuppers! Have a special day celebrating. We love you all! πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•

Happy Mothers Day to all our Puppy Moms and Human Momma’s  . You all make your dogs your children and it shows in how we...
05/12/2024

Happy Mothers Day to all our Puppy Moms and Human Momma’s . You all make your dogs your children and it shows in how well behaved they are and how much love they give back to you. I love hearing from my owners and seeing all the love they put into their families that include the dogs. I couldn’t have picked better families for each and every one of them. Thank you and have a Wonderful Day! πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•

Super girl Angel and her first litter! This is the tribe  of seven! Born to Syn and Angel, these beautiful babies were e...
05/04/2024

Super girl Angel and her first litter! This is the tribe of seven! Born to Syn and Angel, these beautiful babies were exceptional from the start! It’s no secret that Angel is special to me and she has a big piece of my heart. She never stops smiling , even now at nearly 12 years old. These 7 were the happiest little pups as well. They hopped in joy everywhere they ran. . She took amazing care of them and I’ll never forget at the open house in July, the theme was Independence day and Angel wore her flag bandana , sat on the hill and watched intently as the puppy owners and family enjoyed meeting all the babies. She was like a statue. She still loves babies and is an excellent auntie to everyone else’s pups. It was a very hot early summer and these pups couldn’t get enough of being in the baby pool. Angel/ Syn puppies were so beautiful and had such a great combination of both parents , but as they got older, they either looked like Angel or Syn. Happy 9 year Birthday Sweet Babies! πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•Anna Lea, Coda, Argos,Biscuit, Gracie, McKenzie and Perry!

Happy Birthday to Skye / Ben puppies born 6 years ago today. These were some chunky babies and Skye had to have a c-sect...
04/03/2024

Happy Birthday to Skye / Ben puppies born 6 years ago today. These were some chunky babies and Skye had to have a c-section.She was a rock star and got down to mothering as soon as she woke up from anesthesia. She was a loving , kind momma to her brood of six and they were the sweetest puppies with so much personality. I know their owners are doing something special to celebrate today! Happy Birthday to Bonita, Kitt, Lakelyn, Ranger, Reba and Chloe. Skye had only one boy in this group and he was long awaited for by his family. As we checked each girl at birth, i kept saying , oh Lord, let the next one be a boy, this family has been waiting for awhile. Sure enough, last one one out was Baby Boy Ranger! He lives a great life with his family and human brothers. They all have good lives and are so special to their owners. I love getting pictures! So Happy Birthday Sweet Babies! If you live near an Andy’s Ice cream, they give the best pup cups! Real vanilla custard in the bottom part of a wafer cone! The dogs here at Rocky Flats highly recommend them! πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•

Happy Easter to all our friends and family. πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•
03/31/2024

Happy Easter to all our friends and family. πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•

Happy 11th Birthday to Annie, Missy, Sally, Titan, Stony, Obie, Kingston and Wallace. Born in the middle of the night to...
02/27/2024

Happy 11th Birthday to Annie, Missy, Sally, Titan, Stony, Obie, Kingston and Wallace. Born in the middle of the night to Glory and Thor. This was Glory’s first and only litter. She was not happy about having to sleep in the whelping box when I was in the kennel bedroom next to her. She thought she should be with me. I spent many nights next to the whelping box to keep her in there. Her being the queen she was, she thought that worked out very well…for her! She was a great Mom, for a short period, but when she was done , she was done. These were huge puppies, all over 1 lb 3 ounces at birth with insatiable appetites. We helped her by supplementing , but by 3 weeks she called it quits. Once she weaned she was happy to be around her babies to play with them. Several of these puppies were pure white, all beautiful whatever yellow they were. We have Annie here, she is starting to slow down. She has always been loose on the property and comes and goes as she pleases through the house dog door. Annie is so funny, she never breaks the rules and tells on whoever does.She has lived at the house all her life and only comes to the kennel for the bones and banana’s . I have followed most of this litter since they were born . I am so proud of the great dogs then have become. They are getting older and sleeping more. Do what you can to help them live longer and healthier. Watch their weight and slim them down if they are overweight. I give Annie Mushrooms from mushroom matrix to help her immune system stay elevated to ward off any cancers or other aging diseases . She gets Glycoflex senior for hips and joints and I incorporate a lot of green vegetables and fruits into her diet. The green veggies are lowest in sugar and have anti inflammatory and cancer fighting properties in them. To celebrate Annie’s Birthday, she got a full senior work up with her vet. So I glad she did, it came as Annie being in early kidney failure. I have changed her diet to a low phosphorus and lower protein food. Added some supplements and if I do all the right things for her, Annie can continue to live a long senior life. I want to keep her around as long as I can. Happy Birthday Babies! I love you Annie, Missy, Sally, Titan, Stony, Obie,Kingston and Wallace.πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•

Happy 8th Birthday to Zeus, Cooper, Gunner, Reba, Amber and Cotton Belle. Born to Angel and Syn, a very sweet litter of ...
02/18/2024

Happy 8th Birthday to Zeus, Cooper, Gunner, Reba, Amber and Cotton Belle. Born to Angel and Syn, a very sweet litter of 6! Angels last litter and some very wonderful babies! Angel loved having babies and was an amazing mother to these babies. I hope you all get lot # of love, goodies and have fun today. I love you sweet babies!

I sure do love my dogs!.
02/16/2024

I sure do love my dogs!.

Happy Birthday to the Cara /Cash litter born in 2016! Today   Brandy,  Brexley, Brody , Kirby and Roux turn 8 years old!...
02/10/2024

Happy Birthday to the Cara /Cash litter born in 2016! Today Brandy, Brexley, Brody , Kirby and Roux turn 8 years old! . Two of the littermates are gone too soon, but never to be forgotten . Happy Birthday in heaven Comet and Charlie. β€οΈβ€πŸ©ΉAll of these puppies , amazing dogs and loved so much by their owners. Cara was again a doting mother. She was a good dog, always happy , but happiest taking care of hers or anyone else puppies. Cash is still producing wonderful Fox red puppies across the US for his breeder. Cara was my first girl that reminded me of the early maternal instincts that came from their early descendants….wolves. When we wean our Moms at 6 week, they are happy to join their pack and get away from the sharp teeth of puppies when they nurse at that age. We always reunite them with their puppies at 7.5 weeks old to play and for Mom to teach them to stop going for the ni***es and learn to just play. This prepares them for when they go home and there are other dogs in the family. Cara was agreeable to the plan. We thought, but every time she went to her puppies that ancient instinct of needing to feed them came up and she would try to vomit her breakfast , lunch or dinner for them. It was kind of amazing to see, as awful as it sounds, because we never had a girl do it and the puppies acted like wolf pups in the wild. Needless to say, we made sure Cara had an empty stomach at playtime. She was dedicated that is for sure! Well, Happy Birthday babies! A wonderful day is in store for each of you! I love you all! πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•

Happy Birthday Blossom! You are 6 years old today! Born to Angel and Callahan. We were hoping for a dozen, but Angel onl...
02/09/2024

Happy Birthday Blossom! You are 6 years old today! Born to Angel and Callahan. We were hoping for a dozen, but Angel only had a singleton. So she shared Pipers litter of 9 along with Blossom. Angel fed and took care of 5 of Pipers babies. It didn’t matter to either of them which 5 , when it was time to nurse, Angel had 5 and Piper had 5. She was super happy being a Mom of several and did an amazing job. Of course she was always closest to Blossom. Blossom was a sweet , pretty girl who wasn’t her happiest in a kennel setting and although we loved her she went to live with Beth and Shane in NC. She is happiest as could be and shares her life with several young granddaughters of Beth and Shane’s. They are a close family. Family days are Beth and Shane, four adult children, their spouses, boyfriend , their dogs and 3 Grand babies. She is in heaven with a family of 13 around her. That’s what makes Blossom happy! Happy Birthday Sweet girl, we love you! πŸ’•

Happy Birthday Babies ! Born to Piper and Thor, a beautiful litter of sweet , yellow butterballs! Hard to believe you ar...
02/09/2024

Happy Birthday Babies ! Born to Piper and Thor, a beautiful litter of sweet , yellow butterballs! Hard to believe you are 6 years old already! Piper and Thor were two very special dogs with the best loving temperaments that they passed down to all these babies! Some of them might be stubborn, they got that from Piper. She liked to do what she wanted, but within a minute or 2 her conscience got the best of her and she would show up to do what we asked. Thor was the kindest boy and wouldn’t hurt a bug. I miss these two so much. But they left a great legacy of 19 puppies in two litters together to share with the families that have them. I love seeing their pictures, they look like one parent or the other. We have Charm, she’s stubborn, but so sweet. Yesterday I called her Thor. She can swing her head my way, and it is like looking at my sweet boy again. Happy Birthday to Billy, Brodie, Charm, Daisy, Hamlin, Jack, Murphy, Opal and Pax. Celebrate in a special way with your pup today. There is a pup cup with Charm’s name on it at Andy’s today! I love you guys! πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•

This is Tru
02/08/2024

This is Tru

Happy 8th Birthday to Pearl, Ashley, Lucy, Eugie and Stonewall! Born to Willow and Thor on a cold January night. Willow ...
01/29/2024

Happy 8th Birthday to Pearl, Ashley, Lucy, Eugie and Stonewall! Born to Willow and Thor on a cold January night. Willow was a rock star and Thor enjoyed playing with his babies when they got older. Five beautiful, big Yellow puppies in all shades. I used to just sit and look at them marveling on how perfect and beautiful they were. Willow was a great Mom, she was very nurturing and also a soft disciplinarian. She worried if they got to far from her in the fenced puppy play yard and would herd them back softly making sounds , talking to them and using her nose to move them along. I never had a Mom do that. At 8 weeks these beautiful babies went off to their wonderful families and have lived a very loved life since. Thank you all for taking such great care of Will’s babies. I know from talking to all of you over the years, they are strong family members to all of you. Happy birthday sweet babies!πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’•

Happy New Year! We are enjoying the cold weather and playing outside with the dogs . We had a great 2023, Stephen and I ...
01/03/2024

Happy New Year! We are enjoying the cold weather and playing outside with the dogs . We had a great 2023, Stephen and I were healthy, the dogs were healthy and happy. We had 2 beautiful litters this year and met some wonderful families. We are enjoying watching those puppies grow and train to become amazing family companions. We ended the year With me having carpal tunnel surgery and Ellie having ACL repair. It worked out great for both of us, we are still recovering, and I am so glad I had this done. If you have any carpal tunnel issues don’t let them get to the point where your not sleeping at night due to the nerve pain. I wanted to share a funny start to our New Year. Every morning, I start the morning at the kennel correcting Finley over and over for licking Walters ears. He loves Walter and Walter loves him, they are best bros. But Finley will lick his ears inside and out till they are sopping wet and feel like wet dishcloths. Walter stands for it because he is so easy-going and loves his brother . I said I was not starting the new year off every morning correct Finley or kenneling him so Walter can be left alone. I bought two snoods for Walter the end of 2023. Snoods are used a lot by groomers to cover the ears while bathing or after a brush out. A-lot of breeds wear them until they go into the show ring to keep their ears tangle free and soft. I put the snoods on Walter a few times to see how he would adjust to them. He liked them and being the easy going guy he is , he would wear them proudly. So if you have multiple dogs and one is an ear licker. This was an easy solution. I bought a black one from Amazon and the yellow one from Etsy. Walter is happy, Sue is happy and no more yelling at Finley first thing and continuously every morning!

This is my girl Piper. Many of you knew her. She was born here to Bondo and Toka. I lost her last year on New Years Eve ...
12/29/2023

This is my girl Piper. Many of you knew her. She was born here to Bondo and Toka. I lost her last year on New Years Eve at 7 years old to Hemangiosarcoma. Hemangiosarcoma is a common and deadly cancer of dogs. The cancer tends to grow and spread rapidly, rarely giving the owner any clue their dog is harboring a deadly disease – until it suddenly strikes. On average, a beloved dog succumbs to hemangiosarcoma every two minutes.

Piper was such a great dog and mother to 3 litters of pups. She was always fun , happy and loved every creature big and small that she came across. Here is an article on Hemangiosarcoma.Because it is a common cancer in dogs today, I think it is important to know the signs . In case it ever happens to your pup. I knew from working at the clinic, that the signs of internal bleeding are white gums, enlarged stomach, dog not wanting to eat and looking very uncomfortable. Piper showed her symptoms when the vet clinics were closed. I knew it was important to crate her to possibly clot the bleed until she went to the vet next morning. The next morning, we called the vets and rushed her in. After ultrasound and X-ray, they confirmed a splenic mass. They removed her spleen and tumor . She recovered well and we had 4 wonderful months with our Piper until the cancer took her. Although it was not a happy ending, I would have never traded those four months with my sweet girl. Here is some info on this dreaded cancer.

What Is Hemangiosarcoma in Dogs?

Hemangiosarcoma is an aggressive form of cancer that develops from blood vessels. It can occur anywhere in the body but most often affects a dog’s spleen, heart, liver, or skin.

Symptoms of hemangiosarcoma vary depending on the body systems involved. Hemangiosarcoma tumors are composed of abnormal blood and blood vessels that are fragile, invasive, and easily ruptured. When a tumor ruptures, it hemorrhages into a body cavity like the chest or abdomen, causing many of the clinical signs associated with hemangiosarcoma.

Hemangiosarcoma typically affects middle-aged to older dogs; but it has also been reported in puppies only a few months old. Some breeds may be predisposed to hemangiosarcoma, including:

German Shepherds
Golden Retrievers
Labrador Retrievers
Boxers
Pit Bulls

Dogs with thin hair coats: Whippets, Greyhounds, Italian Greyhounds, Beagles, English Pointers, Dalmatians, and Basset Hounds

Because of the vascular (lots of blood vessels) nature of hemangiosarcoma, it can cause cancer anywhere in the body. The most common types of hemangiosarcoma are:

Splenic: This is the most common type in dogs. This cancer invades the spleen, an abdominal organ primarily responsible for immune system function, red and white blood cell production, and storage of blood products. When a dog is diagnosed with a splenic tumor, two-thirds of those tumors are malignant or cancerous. Two-thirds of the malignant tumors will be hemangiosarcoma, making it the most common splenic tumor. It is often seen in combination with liver and cardiac hemangiosarcoma.

Cardiac: This cancer typically forms in the right atrium, one of the heart's chambers. It is the most common cancer affecting the heart and the second most common location of hemangiosarcomas.

Cutaneous/subcutaneous (skin): This cancer affects the skin (cutaneous or dermal) and under the skin (subcutaneous). This type of hemangiosarcoma may appear as a bump, blister, or nodule in or under the skin's surface. Especially when caught early, dogs with these tumors are usually otherwise healthy. With skin hemangiosarcoma, pet parents typically note:

Red or purple mass, usually in areas of little fur such as the abdomen or legs
Bruising around the tumor
Bleeding from the tumor
Lethargy, lameness, loss of appetite, weakness, or other abnormalities in dogs with more aggressive or progressed tumors.

Other common areas affected by hemangiosarcoma include:

Liver
Lungs
Bone
Kidney
Brain
Oral cavity
Abdomen
Muscle
Symptoms of Hemangiosarcoma in Dogs

Clinical signs of hemangiosarcoma vary with the organs involved. A hallmark of hemangiosarcoma is the ability to bleed profusely, primarily because the tumors are made from blood cells and vessels. The tumors are invasive at the primary tissue site but also distantly aggressive, rapidly growing and spreading to other sites in the body.

Symptoms of the most common types in dogs include:

Splenic hemangiosarcoma: The vascular nature of hemangiosarcoma commonly leads to large, blood-filled tumors within the spleen. The tissue is not healthy and is easily breakable. This damaged organ can rupture, spilling blood into the abdomen and causing acute blood loss. While some dogs can be asymptomatic for a while, pet parents most often notice clinical signs secondary to a ruptured splenic tumor, including:

Weakness
Pale gums
Lethargy
Decreased appetite
Distended abdomen

Cardiac hemangiosarcoma: This cancer weakens the heart, decreasing the ability to pump blood appropriately. These tumors are also brittle and unstable, causing hemorrhage into the sac around the heart and lungs. As cardiac hemangiosarcoma progresses, pet parents typically notice:

Collapse
Lethargy
Weakness
Coughing
Difficulty breathing
Exercise intolerance
Vomiting

Merry Christmas to Friends and Family. This has been a wonderful year meeting new owners, reconnecting with past owners ...
12/24/2023

Merry Christmas to Friends and Family. This has been a wonderful year meeting new owners, reconnecting with past owners and providing our families with their first up to their Fourth puppy from us at Rocky Flats.We are grateful for the love and hard work you put into your puppies to make them great examples of the breed and of Rocky Flats Kennels. We are grateful for the healthy genetic lines we have and the great dispositions in our dogs. They are one of the highlights of our lives. With Stephen and I being retired , we spend hours each day with our group of dogs. We use every opportunity to train and have fun with them. I think it all shows in the puppies they produce. They are such a smart , happy group. We want to thank our owners, friends and family for this last year and wish you a Blessed and Merry Christmas.

Happy 9th Birthday to Skye, Macie, Scout, Bowden, Luca, Kelso, Chili Pepper, Eva and Mattie.Born to Cara and Tate on 12/...
12/14/2023

Happy 9th Birthday to Skye, Macie, Scout, Bowden, Luca, Kelso, Chili Pepper, Eva and Mattie.Born to Cara and Tate on 12/12/14! I called these guys the β€œSpider Monkeys β€œ as they were walking from one end of the whelping box to the other minutes after they were born. They were very pleasing puppies and some have gone on to be great upland fowl retrievers. Cara was a great Mother and loved her pups so gently. Both Cara and Tate lived long lives and were always healthy. They were great dogs who produced some great puppies. This litter were so smart early on and I knew they would all go on to do great things. Happy Birthday Sweet Babies! Have a special Day!

All my Local puppy families that use Central  Veterinary Hospital. This is wonderful news. Your records will be availabl...
12/05/2023

All my Local puppy families that use Central Veterinary Hospital. This is wonderful news. Your records will be available to the doctors if you have a pet emergency. I love these veterinarians, they always have your pet’s best interest in mind.

WE ARE SO EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE WILL BE OFFERING AFTER HOURS URGENT CARE TO KNOXVILLE AND SURROUNDING AREAS! KEEP A LOOK OUT FOR MORE DETAILS TO COME!

What to know about a mysterious dog respiratory illnessThe mysterious respiratory illness that may have sickened scores ...
11/29/2023

What to know about a mysterious dog respiratory illness
The mysterious respiratory illness that may have sickened scores of dogs across the country could be caused by a new type of bacterial infection that may be very good at evading the canine immune system, researchers say. Some dogs have died from the illness, which starts with causes a cough that can last for weeks, runny eyes and sneezing.
In a development that might help shed light on the illness, which has affected a variety of dog breeds, researchers at the University of New Hampshire’s Veterinary Diagnosis Laboratory and the Hubbard Center for Genome Studies told NBC News they have identified a pathogen that might be what’s making pets sick.
Through a genetic sequencing of samples from an initial group of 30 dogs from New Hampshire who were infected last year and then an additional 40 from Rhode Island and Massachusetts who got sick this year, the researchers say they have discovered a previously unknown germ.
The pathogen is β€œa funky bacterium,” said Dr. David Needle, pathology section chief at the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture at the University of New Hampshire. β€œIt’s smaller than a normal bacterium in its size and in the size of its genome. Long story short, it’s a weird bacterium that can be tough to find and sequence.”
The germ β€œis new as a potential cause of disease, but it is likely to beβ€” or to have evolved from β€” a component of the dog microbiome,” he said. Dogs as well as humans have multiple types of harmless bacteria and other microorganisms living both inside and outside the body. In the gut, they are thought to aid in digestion.
The bacterium was discovered after a painstaking search.
β€œAfter initial sequencing showed there were no known viral, bacterial or fungal pathogens, time consuming and dogged work by graduate student Lawrence Gordon showed that 21 of the initial 30 samples from New Hampshire had some genetic material from one atypical bacterial species,” Needle said.
The UNH team is sharing its results prior to publishing a research article, hoping they will give veterinarians some information as they deal with other respiratory syndrome outbreaks, he said.
Scientists aren’t even sure yet whether the same bug is making dogs sick across the nation. Many researchers have wondered whether it was a bacterial or a viral pathogen. One thing veterinarians do know is that the germ is something they don’t recognize.
Mike Stepien, a spokesperson for the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), said in an email Wednesday the agency is working with multiple state animal health officials and diagnostic labs regarding the respiratory illness in dogs that, "in rare cases, has progressed rapidly to death."
APHIS and partners have not yet definitively identified the cause of illness," Stepien responded in an email. "There are no reports of human illness affiliated with these cases at this time."
New Hampshire is one of a handful of states that have reported cases of the respiratory infection in dogs.
The Oregon Agriculture Department has received more than 200 case reports from veterinarians around the state since the beginning of August, spokesperson Andrea Cantu-Schomus said in an email. A very small percentage of the dogs have died, Cantu-Schomus said.
Other states with possible cases include: Other states with possible cases include:
β€’ Colorado
β€’ California
β€’ Florida
β€’ Georgia
β€’ Idaho
β€’ Illinois
β€’ Indiana
β€’ Pennsylvania, according to Penn Vet.
β€’ Washington
In conversations with veterinarians, Dr. Karl E. Jandrey, a professor of clinical small animal emergency and critical care at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, has heard of potential cases in North Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia, as well.
Because there is no test yet for the illness and because many of the symptoms are similar to other respiratory infections, such as canine influenza and Bordetella (kennel cough), it’s unknown exactly how many dogs have been affected. With hundreds of cases identified by symptoms reported only in Oregon, it’s likely there are thousands.
Normally, to determine what antibiotics might work best against a particular type of bacteria, labs grow the bugs in a petri dish and then try to kill them with various medications. Needle and his colleagues have not been able to grow the new bacteria in the lab. Nevertheless, its structure offers some clues about which medications might be the best choice to fight it, he said. The antibiotic doxycycline may be effective, he suggested.
If it turns out that the New Hampshire researchers have found the right microbe, that may explain why some dogs are getting very sick, said Jandrey.
Smaller pathogens are likely to have an easier time making it past a dog’s defenses in the upper respiratory tract and getting down into the lungs, he said. β€œIf it goes into the lungs, there’s a risk of pneumonia,” he added.
What are the dog virus symptoms?
According to Oregon’s Cantu-Schomus, the dogs’ illnesses largely develop in three ways:
β€’ As an inflammation of the tubes that connect the throat to the lungs that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics.
β€’ As chronic pneumonia that is minimally or not responsive to antibiotics.
β€’ As acute pneumonia that rapidly becomes severe and often leads to severe illness or possibly death in as little as 24 to 36 hours.
If a dog has a cough that won’t quit and other respiratory symptoms, it’s recommended that the owner contact a veterinarian right away.
While the respiratory symptoms seem to be like a viral illness, testing has been negative for a virus, Cantu-Schomus said.
It’s very unlikely that the cause will turn out to be viral, said Colin Parrish, a professor of virology at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. β€œWith the sequencing methods people use to look for unknown viruses, its signature would have been clear in a few days,” he added.
So it’s possible that the New Hampshire scientists could have hit upon the right pathogen, although their results need to be confirmed by more research, he said.
What owners should do about the new dog virus
The American Kennel Club’s chief veterinarian offered advice for both dog owners and their vets.
First, owners should make sure their pets are fully vaccinated and boosted against the known canine diseases, said Dr. Jerry Klein, a practicing vet for 35 years and who was emergency department head emeritus at MedVet Chicago and currently works at the McKillip Animal Hospital in Chicago.
Klein recommends that veterinarians suggest a full respiratory panel when people bring in sick dogs, but acknowledges that may be an expense some owners can’t afford.
If a dog’s veterinarian doesn’t suggest the panel, then owners should request it; that will help determine if the germ is one that vets already know about or is something new.
People can call their local emergency vets to find out if there has been an increase in respiratory infections coming in for treatment, Klein said.
β€œThat would be a way to find out whether there’s been an uptick in your area,” he said. β€œIf there is, then they should try to protect against exposure by avoiding grooming establishments and daycare.”
Klein also recommends that groomers and daycare facilities not allow dogs to share food and water dishes.
Even though a record number of Americans are expected to travel during the holiday season, experts recommend that dog owners keep their pets out of kennels and other areas, such as dog parks, where infection might be more likely because of crowded conditions and close contact.
β€œWhen you congregate a bunch of animals together, there’s a larger likelihood of getting an infectious disease from other dogs,” said Dr. Kurt Williams, director of the Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Lab at the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University.
Still, he said, there are some facilities where you are less likely to have a problem because of how they are designed.
β€œI’ve been telling people to work closely with their vet,” Williams said. β€œAnd to make sure their dog has all the vaccines available, in particular those for respiratory diseases we are familiar with.”
Another option is for owners to hire a house sitter, Needle said. β€œOr hire a dog walker,” he added. β€œIt might not be perfect, but it’s better than nothing. Also, you might want to consider having Thanksgiving at home.”
Ultimately, your dog might be happier at home with a house sitter or a dog walker stopping by multiple times during the day than going to a kennel, Jandrey said.
β€œIt’s best to leave them in their own environment,” he added

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