One of my favorite blogs is Dogster, for the Love of Dog Blog. They carried this photo and video today of a police officer rescuing a dog whose leg was caught in a fence. The ending is very cute and unexpected. Take a look, and don’t miss www.dogblog.dogster.com for other amusing videos and content.

  Here’s a link to the video of this rescue:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid34830125001?bctid=88147925001

Technorati Tags: dog accidents, dog tricks, dog rescue

Veterinarian Nick Trout, author of the New York Times bestseller Tell Me Where it Hurts, has given us another lovely portrayal of the deep bond between humans and their pets. He draws a beautiful verbal picture of the soul connection we feel for certain animals that pass through our lives.  Trout takes us on the emotional roller-coaster the owners of dogs Helen and Cleo go through in trying to save their beloved pets.

An interesting sub-theme is how much these animals come to mean to the veterinarians themselves.  It is all too easy to see the professional neutrality vets maintain in the examining room as detachment. Dr. Nick gives us a glimpse into the compassion and dedication he invests not only in the treatment, but in the animals themselves. I found his empathy comforting.

An unexpected bonus is that Trout not only has an interesting story to tell, but he he has a clever turn of phrase and tone that makes the book a really enjoyable read.

If you’ve had a poignant experience with one of your pets that expresses the love, loss, or redemption embodied in this book, please share it in “comments” below.  The most touching story will earn the writer a free copy of the book, Love is the Best Medicine.

Technorati Tags: human-animal bond, soul connection between animals and their owners compassion in the vet’s office

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has issued a press release warning of canine distemper in raccoons . All pet owners should take extra precautions with their pets and be sure vaccinations are up to date.

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/

April 16, 2010

Contact:
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Capt. Bill Hebner (425) 775-1311, ext. 115
or Margaret Ainscough, (360) 902-2408
King County, Christine Lange, 206-263-9752
PAWS, Mary Leake Schilder, (206) 419-6646

Raccoon distemper suspected in King County
Residents are urged to exercise caution and take precautions to protect pets

King County residents are reminded to avoid feeding wildlife, keep domestic pets away from wild animals, and be sure their pets’ vaccinations are current, in response to a suspected outbreak of canine distemper in area raccoons.

Samples from a raccoon collected in Bellevue have been submitted to Washington State University for disease testing, and final results are expected early next week.

Canine distemper is not transmissible to humans but is highly contagious among dogs, ferrets, and certain wild animals such as raccoons, coyotes, skunks, weasels and harbor seals. Cats are not affected by canine distemper.

“Dogs are normally vaccinated against canine distemper, but the disease has become generally uncommon and some pet owners are not getting their pets vaccinated,” said Dr. Sharon Hopkins, the Veterinarian for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “If you have questions or concerns about your pets’ immunity to canine distemper, contact your veterinarian.”

Distemper causes encephalitis, inflation of the brain, in animals. Infected animals may have runny eyes and stagger, tremble, foam at the mouth or snap, according to veterinarians. Daytime activity by a raccoon does not necessarily indicate the animal is sick.

In recent days, local officials in Bellevue, Redmond and Renton have received a number of reports of sick raccoons. King County Animal Care and Control responded to a call for assistance last week from Issaquah law enforcement and captured a raccoon believed to have distemper.  Animal Control Officers have also picked up 3 deceased raccoons on the East Side of King County at the request of citizens.

“Wildlife disease epidemics tend to occur in cycles, appearing when animal populations are high,” said Kristin Mansfield, staff veterinarian with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

“While we have seen an increase in the number of raccoons this year at our wildlife hospital that appear to be infected with canine distemper, we encourage people not to panic,” said PAWS’ Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. John Huckabee. “The best way to avoid potential exposure to pet dogs and ferrets is to avoid feeding or otherwise attracting wildlife, intentionally or unintentionally.”

People should feed pets indoors, and secure garbage and compost. Bird feeders and chicken food also attract raccoons. Residents should also secure pet doors so that raccoons cannot enter indoor living spaces.

WDFW offers advice for dealing with problem wildlife on its website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/living/ and PAWS Wildlife Center can offer tips for solving and preventing conflicts by calling (425) 787-2500 x817.

King County residents who encounter raccoons exhibiting symptoms of canine distemper can call (206) 296-PETS to receive information and suggestions about potential resources. Animal Control Officers will also pick up deceased raccoons.

Raccoons present a risk of transmitting other diseases including leptospirosis, raccoon roundworm and rabies.  For information about these risks, see http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/ehs/zoonotics/raccoons.aspx

People bitten by raccoons should contact their health care provider and Public Health at 206-296-4774.

WDFW also maintains a list of Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators (NWCOs), who are licensed by the department to respond to problem wildlife. Contact information may be found on the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/enforcement/nwco/or by calling WDFW’s North Puget Sound regional office at (425) 775-1311. 

Technorati Tags: canine distemper in raccoons; pets at risk from sick raccoons

Veterinarian Patty Khuly, DVM, writes a daily blog called Fully Vetted.  Her recent post on pet vaccinations from a veterinarian’s perspective was food for thought. Here’s an excerpt. You can read the whole article at http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2010/march/pet_vaccinations.  

“…the lion’s share of vaccines seem to provoke no illness. The pet is vaccinated in hospital and goes home within fifteen minutes, where no untoward effects of the vaccine are typically noted.

Most reactions we do see include swelling of the muzzle and face, myalgia (muscle pain) and fever, and less commonly, vomiting. These are often treated with antihistamines and pain relievers. The most severe, life-threatening reactions are very rare indeed. The only one I have had the displeasure to attend occurred in vet school when a cat, vaccinated at a nearby hospital, suffered acute respiratory distress almost immediately after a vaccine was administered. The kitty died — very quickly, I might add.

Lest I forget, let me now mention another more common, if controversial, life-threatening reaction: the vaccine-related sarcoma. As the cat people among you probably already know, vaccine-related, highly-malignant tumors are sometimes seen in cats. Although it was difficult to prove, this disease has finally received its due respect as a phenomenon related directy to vaccination. Our hospital has only seen four or five possible cases in over thirty years, but it’s out there as a potential consequence of vaccine administration.

My goal here is not to scare the bejeezus out of you, just to inform you of how we vets think about vaccines. We know they’re potentially dangerous. We all worry about the possibility of a reaction. And that extends to our families, too. I didn’t have my own son vaccinated without trepidation either, but — believe it or not — I consider it my civic duty to vaccinate myself and my whole family, pets included.

If you want to discuss safety, here’s the reality: In a population where 100 percent of the individuals are vaccinated, the safest condition is to be the only unvaccinated one. The implication here is that vaccination has its risks. Best not to receive the vaccine. But if everyone opts out, no one’s protected. A conundrum, indeed.”

What do you think about vaccinating your pets? Do you vaccinate? Do you titer instead?

Technorati Tags: pet vaccinations, titer or vaccinate, side effects of dog and cat vaccinations

I hope this doesn't make me sick!

I know my mom wouldn't give me anything toxic.

This morning while at the vet I met Genghis, a handsome Burmese cat. He had been vomiting for several days, according to his owner, who had just found the information on the Internet today about the Nature’s Variety recall. Genghis has been eating Nature’s Variety with a use-by date slightly earlier than is included in the recall. It was a good reminder that although the notice has been all over the Internet for the past couple of days, not everyone has come across it yet, so I’ll add the Nature’s Variety press release about it here.

Nature’s Variety News – March 8, 2010

Dear Friends,

Today Nature’s Variety is announcing that out of an abundance of caution, we are voluntarily recalling all Chicken formula and Organic Chicken Formula products with a “Best If Used By” date on or before 2/5/11.

Nature’s Variety has received new test results from an outside facility that indicate that Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with the “Best If Used By” date of 10/29/10 and Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with the “Best If Used By” date of 11/9/10 may be contaminated with Salmonella. Therefore, we are voluntarily recalling these date codes of product from the marketplace.

Also, out of an abundance of caution, we are expanding our voluntary recall to include all Chicken Formula and
Organic Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diets for dogs and cats with any “Best If Used By” date on or before 2/5/11. We
believe taking this action is an important and responsible step in order to reinforce your confidence and trust.

No other Raw Frozen Diets are involved in this expansion other than chicken, and no other Nature’s Variety products are involved. The products included in this expanded recall are any Chicken Formula or Organic Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Diet with a “Best If Used By” date on or before 2/5/11, including:

. UPC#7 69949 60130 2 – Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions

. UPC#7 69949 60120 3 – Chicken Formula 6 lb patties

. UPC#7 69949 60121 0 – Chicken Formula 2 lb single chubs

. UPC#7 69949 50121 3 – Chicken Formula 12 lb retail display case of chubs

. UPC#7 69949 60137 1 – Organic Chicken Formula 3 lb medallions

. UPC#7 69949 60127 2 – Organic Chicken Formula 6 lb patties

The “Best If Used By” date is located on the back of the package above the safe handling instructions.

If you have purchased one of the affected products, please return the unopened product to your local retail store to receive a complete refund, or to exchange it for another variety. If your package has been opened, please dispose of the raw food in a safe manner by securing it in a covered trash receptacle. Then, bring your receipt (or the empty package in a sealed bag) to your local retailer for a complete refund or replacement.

More info:  http://www.naturesvariety.com/news/33

Technorati Tags: cat food recall, dog food recall, Nature’s Variety recall

This week I’m going to take on introducing a cat into a dog household, or vice versa. How you handle the first days and weeks can set a lifelong friendship or rivalry. It takes knowledge and patience to do it right. If you don’t take the time to do it right, you could end up with serious risk to the cat, or pets marking the house inappropriately to express their distress over the alien in their midst.

Safety First

First and foremost, you must keep cats and dogs separate in the beginning to keep them safe, and take the introductions slow. Here are a few pointers:

• Put the dogs outside or send them for a walk with your pet sitter while you bring the cat in so that they don’t have to confront each other immediately.
• Give the cat a secure space of her own right away, a spare room with all the things she needs for comfort — her water and food bowls, toys, bed, and litter box. Close the door, but be sure to give her regular attention. The cat may need to be sequestered for for several days or even weeks. Be patient and don’t rush it.
• When you bring the dogs in, let them smell the cat’s scent on your clothes and hands.  Keep them leashed and calm while they sniff at the door of the cat’s room. Reward good behavior.
• Rub towels on the animals and then exchange them and rub them on the other so they can get used to each other’s scent. Leave the dogs’ towels in the cat’s bed and the cat’s towel in the dog’s bed.
• The next step is to start carefully exposing the dogs and cat to each other. The dogs should be leashed or crated or behind a gate. Continue to reward calm behavior.
• Gradually, as the animals remain calm, allow them to approach each other, with the dogs on leash.  Keep rewarding them for behaving well.
• Always be sure the cat has an escape route or an easy way to jump out of reach once you start removing the leash.
• If the dogs continue to get overly excited or act predatory toward the cat, you might need to muzzle them until you’re sure they won’t hurt the cat.
• Even after they seem to be getting along, eating or sleeping in each other’s presence, wandering casually past each other, be cautious about leaving them alone. Build up the time they spend alone gradually.
• Never let the dogs chase the cat, even in play.  It is ok for the cat to take a swat at the dogs to show them she can hold her own, as long as the dogs don’t react aggressively.
• This introduction process will take as long as the animals need. Rarely, they will never accept each other and they will have to remain separated, but most animals will get along over time.

Technorati Tags: merging pet families, introducing dogs and cats

If you were unhappy with the consequences Michael Vick paid for his dog fighting ring, wait until you see the sentencing for the peope responsible for the melamine-tainted pet food that killed thousands of pets. Therese Kopiwoda in her PetsitUSA blog wrote about it yesterday, and I couldn’t put it any better, so have copied most of her post here. Be sure to see her blog for the full post, www.petsitusa.com/blog.

Sally and Stephen Miller, owners of ChemNutra, Inc., the company that imported the  melamine-tainted product that killed thousands of pets in the 2007 pet food recall, are to be sentenced today. Christie Keith writes about it over on Pet Connection this morning, and sadly it looks like they’re going to get off with just a slap on the wrist. A memorandum from the government recommends giving them a light sentence:

Sentencing is scheduled for Friday, February 5, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. before United States Magistrate Judge John T. Maughmer. As more fully explained below, the Government recommends that the Court adopt the agreement of the parties and impose a sentence of three years probation on each defendant….

There’s more, so go read Christie’s post. Just be ready – it won’t put a smile on your face.

I just don’t get it. You kill pets – whether it’s by poisoning them with melamine or pitting them against each other in the dog-fighting ring and all you get is a slap on the wrist. There’s something terribly wrong when life is disregarded so easily. But, since the recommendation letters from the Miller’s Pastor and fellow church members say they’re good people, I suppose we should give them a break and overlook the fact that they were responsible for so much death.

Technorati Tags: tainted pet food, Chem Nutra, pet poisoning

February is just around the corner. Have you scheduled your pet’s dental yet? Each February I dust off my credit card and book all three animals for their dentals. It’s a big hit financially, but it’s one of those expenses that may be saving me a lot more in the future. I think of it something like an insurance policy. Hopefully my house will never  catch fire — and my cat will never suffer heart disease from infected teeth — but I can rest easier knowing I’ve taken precautions.

This morning I received the following reminder from my wonderful vet’s office, the North Seattle Veterinary Clinic:

• More than 8 out of 10 dogs and 7 out of 10 cats show signs of poor dental health by the age of three.
• Dental problems in pets – as in people – can lead to pain, tooth loss, periodontal disease, and increased bacteria in the bloodstream.
• Pets’ oral disease invariably progresses with time, as does people’s, and can result in damage to internal organs, including the heart, liver and kidneys.

Even if you brush your pets’ teeth regularly, a dental check up could save your pet serious illness in the future.

I don't feel like going to the gym today.

If the cat's not moving, neither am I.

Holding weight gain in check has been a life-long project for me, so is it any wonder that I would attract rescue dogs and cats who have spent a little too much time at the all-you-can-eat buffet? Who better than me, the master dieter, to help them reclaim the sleek lines of their youth.

Rico, The Boss Cat, did just fine as a feral cat lunching on roof rats and squirrels. It wasn’t until the hunt ended, and his life as an indoor cat began, with a steady supply of premium kibbles, that he began to beef up. He likes to call it buffed up, but most people would put him on the cusp of beefed and buffed.  Then there was Scooty who came to me morbidly obese, a 35 pound dog in a 68 pound body. Over our four years together and many pounds of Brussel’s sprout treats, she recovered her girlish figure. Now comes little Shaktipaw, carrying just two extra pounds, but on his tiny frame he’s 15% overweight.

Judging from the statistics at the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention website, overweight in our pets is a significant problem. Here are just a few facts from their website:

An estimated 14% of pets in the U.S. are obese, compared to 20% of adult humans. Add in the pets who are either overweight or obese, and the numbers jump to 50% of all pets. Just as in humans, obesity in pets leads to a variety of health conditions that compromise either quality of life or length of life  — high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and osteoarthritis.

Almost twice as many cats are obese as dogs.  Hmmm, we keep our cats indoors partly to keep them safe from the threats of wildlife, toxins, and traffic. But this obesity ratio between cats and dogs suggests that we are putting our cats at considerable risk indoors by either over-feeding or under-exercising them.

Here’s a link to some ideal weight ranges for cats and dogs. See if your furry friend needs to cut back on the chow or step up the play time.  http://petobesityprevention.com/weight_ranges.htm

Technorati Tags: health risks of pet obesity, overweight in dogs and cats

I sniffed out this amusing article from an OldCatsRule tweet. Who do you think is the winner?

OldCatsRule I demand a recount! http://www.wcbs880.com/Dogs-or-Cats–A-New-Poll-Answers-the-Question-/6060081

Let’s hear your comments…..are the poll results correct?

Technorati Tags: dogs vs. cats, pet popularity poll