Recently in Pet Health Category

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a health alert to warn consumers not to use pig ears and beef hooves pet treats manufactured by Pet Carousel because the products might be contaminated with salmonella.

The products were distributed nationwide in both bulk and retail packaging for sale in pet food and retail chain stores. Pet Carousel is based in Sanger, Calif.

The affected pig ear products were packaged under the brand names Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel.

The affected beef hooves were packaged under the brand names Choo Hooves, Dentley's, Doggie Delight, and Pet Carousel.

All sizes and all lots of these products made by Pet Carousel are included in this alert.

Find out more

The Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine and Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health are alerting veterinarians and pet owners that Vetsulin, a porcine insulin zinc suspension used to treat diabetes in animals, may have varying amounts of crystalline zinc insulin in the formulation.

Because this Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health product is out of specification, it could cause a delay in insulin action and an overall longer duration of insulin activity. Products having significant problems with stability can affect the management of chronic diseases.

Unstable insulin products can result in unpredictable fluctuations in the glucose levels of diabetic patients. Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health is unable to assure FDA that each batch of their product is stable.

FDA and Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health request that veterinarians closely monitor their patients receiving Vetsulin for any changes in onset or duration of activity, or for any signs of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia.

The classic signs of hyperglycemia include increased thirst, increased urination, weight loss and lethargy.

The classic signs of hypoglycemia would include disorientation, unsteadiness, weakness, lethargy, and seizures.

While Intervet/Schering-Plough is working with FDA on resolving this issue, supplies may be limited. Therefore, veterinarians should consider transitioning their diabetic patients to other insulin products.

The FDA encourages veterinarians to report any adverse events with the Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health product to the company through the Technical Services Department at 800-224-5318.

Follow these10 tips to help keep your pet safe this Halloween:

1. Guard the Halloween candy. Chocolate and certain sweeteners such as Xylitol can be fatal for pets, so be sure to keep your trick-or-treat stash stored safely out of reach. Remember that empty plastic and aluminum wrappers can be just as dangerous as the candies themselves.

2. If your pet does consume a large amount of chocolate or candy, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center for guidance, at 888-426-4435. The center is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A $60 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card. If in doubt, take your pup or kitty to the vet in case medical intervention is required.

3. Don't take Fido trick-or-treating. Many pets can be frightened by unusual sights and sounds that come along with trick-or-treating, so keep them at home for their own safety. Nervous pets can feel very alarmed when kids in costume try to pet them, and this could result in a fear-based bite.

4. Keep pets secured. If you're staying home to greet trick-or-treaters, make sure your pet is secured before answering the door, in case they take fright and try to escape. Use a crate or confine them in a room where they will be safe and calm. Put on the radio or TV to drown out any outside noise that might frighten them.

5. Although you'll likely be busy with Halloween preparation all day, make it a priority to exercise your dog and really tire him out during the day so he can rest during the evening. This will help alleviate any pent-up energy and reduce anxiety.

6. Keep Halloween decorations containing electrical wires or other dangerous parts well out of your pet's reach. Nervousness and anxiety from being outside the normal daily routines can make a pet even more likely to exhibit behaviors such as destructive chewing, so Halloween represents double the risk.

7. A pet-safe chew toy is an excellent way to keep your dog occupied and happy when there are lots of distractions outside or within your home.

8. Keep cats safe, too. Black cats, in particular, can be exposed to increased risks on Halloween if they become the subject of terrible pranks or sacrificial rituals, or stolen as props for the evening. Keeping cats in a spare bedroom or bathroom with access to a litter tray is the best idea to keep them out of harm's way.

9. Be extra-careful with lighted candles or Halloween lanterns. An overexcited or panicked pet can knock over a flame just as easily as a child can.

10. Don't dress up your pet in a costume, unless he or she is comfortable with this form of animal 'humanization.' Many pets feel extremely anxious when made to wear a costume, and an ill-fitting costume can be dangerous if it becomes displaced, causing a strangulation hazard or obstruction of vision, causing panic.

Source: Puppy Tails - Jorvik, 292 Dew Drop Road, York Township, 717-741-9190.

The Food and Drug Administration has updated its list of recalled pet foods. The compiled list represents all pet food recalled since January 1, 2006.

You can search by brand name, type of pet or a combination of brand name and type of pet.

To view the list, visit http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/newpetfoodrecalls.

Want to know why Fluffy has stopped using her litterbox, or why Fido's losing his hair?

Here's your chance to ask the questions you forgot to ask during your pet's yearly checkup, things you always wanted to know, or just to get another opinion.

Dr. Valerie Miller of East York Veterinary Center is gathering questions for an "Ask the Vet" column, to be posted online at www.inyork.com/petnews.

Send questions to rose@ydr.com.

Note: Questions will be used as a basis for the column, and cannot be answered individually. The column should not be used as a substitute for regular veterinary checkups.

Yesterday I posted the following update on Facebook:

On the morning walk dog tried to eat the following: a clump of grass, bark, a stick, a bottle cap and a cigarette butt - gross.

The responses from various friends and family made me giggle, so I thought I'd share.

From Dog's Life magazine:

For many people, nothing beats lounging in the backyard on the Fourth of July with good friends and family -- including the four-legged members of the household.

While it may seem like a great idea to reward Rover with scraps from the grill and bring him along to watch fireworks, in reality some festive foods and products can be potentially hazardous to your pets.

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center offers the following tips:

Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where pets can reach them. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets. If ingested, the animal could become very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed or could go into a coma. Death from respiratory failure is also a possibility in severe cases.

Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.

Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pets' reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing--or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can be irritating to skin, and if ingested can produce gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If lighter fluid is inhaled, aspiration pneumonia and breathing problems could develop.

Keep your pets on their normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pets severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals who have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. And keep in mind that foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes & raisins, salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxic to companion animals.

Do not put glow jewelry on your pets, or allow them to play with it.While the luminescent substance contained in these products is not highly toxic, excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestions, and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.

Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingestions can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression. If inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets.

Never use fireworks around pets! While exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns and/or trauma to the face and paws of curious pets, even unused fireworks can pose a danger. Many types contain potentially toxic substances, including potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals.

Loud, crowded fireworks displays are no fun for pets, so please resist the urge to take them to Independence Day festivities. Instead, keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at home.

SOURCE: For more information, visit the ASPCA website.

From Petside.com:

Does a flash of lightning or a rumble of thunder cause your dog to tremble or pant uncontrollably? Did last year's Fourth of July fireworks celebration prompt him to drool as though he were teething or to have a housetraining accident?

If any of these scenarios have occurred, or if he shows other signs of stress, you can help your four-legged friend deal more comfortably with thunderstorms, fireworks and other loud noises.

Listed below are a few suggestions that might help your pet:

Divert his attention. Sometimes, all a dog needs to overcome his fear is to have his attention diverted elsewhere.

"If a dog is frightened, get him engaged in a fun game of fetch, give him a phenomenal food-stuffed toy or bone, or get a handful of treats and ask him to perform all his tricks," suggests Dr. Lisa Radosta, a veterinary behaviorist from Royal Palm Beach, Florida. "And get happy and excited yourself. It works wonders."

Offer a mother's comfort. Many fearful dogs calm down when their owner uses a product with dog-appeasing pheromone (DAP).

The DAP, which is similar to the pheromone released by mother dogs nursing their puppies, "comes in a variety of forms such as a diffuser, a collar and a spray," says Dr. Emily Levine, a veterinary behaviorist in Fairfield, New Jersey.

More information about DAP products is available at www.petcomfortzone.com.

Find him a safe place. Some dogs try to find a place to hide away from storms --and if your dog is one, you can help him.

"Provide the dog with a small, dark area such as access to a closet if the dog tends to seek those types of places during storms," recommends Dr. Lore Haug, a veterinary behaviorist who practices in Sugar Land, Texas.

Wrap him up. Some dogs may respond to a product called The Anxiety Wrap, a form-fitting fabric wrap that applies pressure to various areas of the dog's body.

Use of the wrap may create "biofeedback slowing down the heart and therefore the animal feels less anxious," speculates Levine. "Or the wrap may be hitting certain pressure points that, when firmly touched, helps to calm the animal, much like wrapping a crying baby in a blanket."

That being said, other experts suggest that you acclimate your dog to the wrap before using it to calm your dog during a storm.

Introduce some competition. If you're going to be leaving the house to watch a fireworks display -- or if thunderstorms are in the weather forecast -- "play competing background noise such as a radio or TV, or use a white noisemaker," suggests Haug.

Drawing the shades to hide any lightning or fireworks is a good idea, too.

Act normal. Experts agree that coddling or attempting to comfort your stressed dog is not a good idea.

"The change in the owner's behavior from normal only makes the dog think there really is something to worry about," warns Haug. "The owner should interact with the dog in as normal a manner as possible."

Get help. If your efforts don't seem to reduce your dog's stress, seek help. "Reach out to your veterinarian for anti-anxiety medication," suggests Levine.

For very severe or intractable noise anxiety, a veterinarian may refer dog and owner to a veterinary behaviorist -- a veterinarian who has completed post-graduate work in animal behavior.

After evaluating the dog's behavior, the veterinary behaviorist can develop a comprehensive program to address the dog's thunderstorm, fireworks or noise anxiety, and any other issues he may have.

From Burnt Hills Veterinary Hospital:

A plant known as the Sago Palm or Cycad, sold at many home improvement stores, can cause serious poisoning in pets and children.

The plant is also referred to as "the oldest known plant." It is used in outdoor landscaping in southern states, but can only survive as a houseplant in the north.

All parts of this plant, including the seeds and root ball, are toxic.

Signs of illness first appear about 12 hours after ingestion, and include gastrointestinal signs such as vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy.

The toxins in the plant lead to severe liver failure with progressive weakness, jaundice, bruising and bleeding, and other signs of liver failure that can result in death.

It is estimated that 75 percent to 80 percent of animals ingesting this plant will die in spite of aggressive medical treatment.

If you have one of these plants in your home you will want to be sure to keep it away from pets and children, preferably by disposing of it safely in a covered trash can, or "rehome" it with someone who does not have pets or young children in the household.

On May 21, Nutro voluntarily recalled select varieties of its Nutro Natural Choice Complete Care dry cat foods and Nutro Max dry cat with "best If used by" dates between May 12, 2010, and August 22, 2010.

The cat food is being recalled in the United States and 10 additional countries (Mexico, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Israel).

This recall is due to incorrect levels of zinc and potassium in the finished product resulting from a production error by a U.S.-based premix supplier.

Consumers should immediately discontinue feeding these products to their cats, and monitor their cats for symptoms including a reduction in appetite or refusal of food, weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea. If your cat is experiencing health issues or is pregnant, please contact your veterinarian.

Consumers should return affected products to their retailers for a full refund or exchange for another Nutro dry cat food product.

For more information, call 800-833-5330 or visit www.nutroproducts.com.

Is your horse looking a bit shaggy this spring? The Drs. Foster & Smith website offers information on three ways to help horses shed winter coats.

For those of you with pet birds, the Drs. Foster & Smith website offers cage-cleaning tips

Central Pennsylvania Animal Alliance will hold a low-cost vaccine and microchipping clinic noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 22, at Superpetz, 2420 Eastern Boulevard, York, PA.

Rabies, distemper, and bordetella vaccines will be available for $10 each. Microchipping will be available for $25, which includes registration with the Avid Company. Rabies is a one-year vaccine; distemper does not contain Lepto. Wormer is available for a donation, and nail clipping for $5.

Vaccines and microchipping will be administered by veterinarian Dr. Robert Heidecker from Good Hope Animal Hospital. Cats must be in secure crates and dogs on short leashes.

Cash or check only. This clinic is first come, first served. NO BREEDERS WILL BE SERVICED AT CPAA CLINICS.

Call Pat at 717-938-1191 for details. For more information on CPAA and its programs, go to www.cpaa.info.

Central Pennsylvania Animal Alliance will hold a low-cost vaccine and microchipping clinic for cats and dogs 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at Appalachian Harley-Davidson, 6695 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg, PA.

This is a first-come, first-served clinic. Vaccines offered are rabies, distemper and bordetella (kennel cough) for $10 each. AVID micro-chipping will be available for $25, which includes registration. Nail clipping, worming and flea treatment will also be available for a donation.

All services must be paid by cash or check only. Dogs should be on a short leash (no chains please) and cats in a secure pet carrier. Thanks to Dr. George Bates, Asst. Professor at Wilson College, Chambersburg, for making this clinic possible. NO BREEDERS WILL BE SERVICED AT CPAA CLINICS.

A Pet Appreciation Day will start at 10 a.m. at the same location. Activities include agility, obedience and pet CPR demos; pet portraits by Pix of the Litter; food; and a Smooch-A-Pooch booth.

For details, call 717-938-119, e-mail pdravk@yahoo.com or visit www.cpaa.info or www.appalachianharley-davidson.com.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A Kentucky-based manufacturer is voluntarily recalling 20-pound bags of bird food after tests revealed the presence of Salmonella bacteria.

A statement released Tuesday said tests conducted by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' Food and Drug Protection Division revealed the problem with Wild Birds Unlimited Wildlife Blend, made by Burkmann Feeds.

The bags carry the manufacturing date code of 81132200291608124. The bird food is sold exclusively at Wild Birds Unlimited.

The department initiated an investigation after salmonellosis was found in dead wild birds throughout North Carolina. The department is working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to determine the source of contamination.

Officials advise consumers to throw out the bird food, avoid touching unsealed bags and wash their hands thoroughly if they do touch unsealed bags.

Central Pennsylvania Animal Alliance will offer a low-cost vaccine and microchipping clinic for cats and dogs from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at Superpetz, 2420 Eastern Blvd., Springettsbury Township.

Vaccines offered are rabies, distemper and bordetella (kennel cough) for $10 each. AVID microchipping will be available for $25, which includes registration. Deworming and flea treatment will also be available.

Appointments are not necessary. Dogs should be on short leashes (no chains), and cats must be in secure pet carriers. Breeders cannot participate in this clinic.

Veterinarian will be Sardar Tariq, DVM, of Tri-County Animal Hospital in Dillsburg.

For details, call 938-1191 or e-mail pdravk@yahoo.com.

For more information on CPAA and future low-cost clinics, visit www.cpaa.info.

PetSmart is voluntarily recalling seven of its Grreat Choice Dog Biscuit products that contain peanut paste made by Peanut Corp. of America.

PCA is the focus of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigation into potential salmonella contamination of peanut butter and paste made at its Blakely, Georgia, facility.

From Puppy Tails - Jorvik in York Township:

1. Protect your pet from burns. Winter is the time of year when house fires are more likely to occur. Take special care to monitor wood stoves, space heaters and other heating sources to protect pets from being burned. Burning ambers can get into your pet's coat, or he may be curious and touch hot surfaces. Make sure your smoke detectors have fresh batteries and include your pets when you develop a house fire evauation plan.

2. Use care with candles. Candles are often part of the winter ambiance. Candles are also one of the leading causes of house fires. They can be knocked over by jumping cats, running dogs and wagging tails. Ensure the candle is well weighted with a dome to protect pets. Do not leave the room where there is a lit candle.

Did you know mistletoe, a popular yuletide decorative plant, can be potentially toxic to pets if eaten?

American mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum) is the most common species of mistletoe recognized as a symbol of the holiday season. It is actually a parasitic plant which lives off of a variety of different tree species, and can be found throughout the United States.

If ingested in large enough quantities, mistletoe has the potential to produce gastrointestinal irritation, excessive thirst and urination, incoordination, a drop in blood pressure and heart rate and -- in severe cases -- difficulty breathing, seizures, coma and even death.

Find out more on the ASPCA's Poison Control web page.

From ASPCA.org:

A slice of avocado may be the perfect addition to your sandwich, but it can have serious consequences for our feathered and furry friends. According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, IL, pet poisonings from avocado and avocado-based foods like guacamole are a consistent risk.

In 2008, the Center managed 115 cases involving ingestions of avocado, and though an overwhelming 83 percent of those incidents involved dogs, the most devastating effects were seen in birds, rabbits and certain large animals like horses and cattle.

A native of Central and South America, avocado (Persea americana) is a subtropical tree that produces a pear-shaped fruit prized for its high fat content, vitamin-rich "meat" and smooth texture. Unfortunately, the fruit also contains a toxin called persin that's harmful to animals, especially in large quantities.

"Avocado leaves, fruit, seeds and bark all contain the toxic principle known as persin," said Dana Farbman, CVT, Senior Manager of Professional Communications at APCC.