Pets - News, Recalls, Info, Products

[flea dip]

Information about the March 2007 Pet Food Recall is farther below in this thread.

---

Dog flu on the rise; no vaccine available

Dog Owners Troubled over Rapidly Spreading Strain of Dog Flu

Dog flu sickens puppies - CNN International

Dog Owners Uneasy As Canine Flu Spreads Across US

Excerpts from The Miami Herald:

Oct 15, 2005

More dogs have been coming down with the flu. The problem may increase because there is no vaccine to prevent it.

BY JIM FITZGERALD
Associated Press

new disease: canine influenza virus, or dog flu.

''He was extremely lethargic, having a hard time breathing,'' said Curry's owner, Margaret Ragi of Upper Saddle River, N.J.

Lots of dog lovers are worried these days. Experts say the flu is spreading steadily through the nation's dogs, with no vaccine available to curb it. Perhaps 5 percent of its victims are dying.

Researchers recently found to their surprise that the virus had crossed over from horses to dogs, striking greyhounds at racetracks in 11 states. Now it has been found in pets, with cases documented in California, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon and Washington state.

''One-hundred percent of dogs will be susceptible,'' said Edward Dubovi, head of the animal virology lab at Cornell University. ``I would expect to see this infection moving through groups of dogs until a large percentage gets infected and there are a lot of immune dogs.''

... Many pet owners and veterinarians have been fooled because some of the symptoms mimic a common, less dangerous bacterial infection known as kennel cough.

As with human influenza, dog flu is most easily contracted in gathering places -- kennels, dog shows, animal shelters, even dog runs in parks.

Dubovi said researchers are at work on a vaccine, but it could be months before it becomes available.

[flea dip]

Pop-top canned food poses health risks

By DR. MICHAEL FOX
Aug 25, 2006

Dear Dr. Fox:

My cat, Chino, had a blood test that showed he has borderline hyperthyroidism.

The vet directed me to the Internet for an explanation about the disease and how it is treated. What shocked me is that a 2004 study showed there's a strong correlation between cat food in pop-top cans and this disease.

Apparently, the cans are lined with something called bisphenol A-diglycidyl ether, which reacts with the oils in the cat food. Years ago, when all the cans had to be opened with a can opener, this disease was almost unheard of. It starts at about age 13 (Chino will turn 13 this spring).

I've been using dry cat food, but my three cats really look forward to a treat from a pop-top can each evening. I'll now have to limit them to dry food, with occasional nonpop-top-can moist food.

Why is this health risk not told to the general public? Are vets and others afraid of repercussions from the pet-food companies? And I can only wonder what these pop-top cans are doing to human food.

P.A.B., Ballston Lake, N.Y.

Dear P.A.B.:

I mentioned this issue previously in my column.

All of the canned-food industries, human and animal, have a serious issue on their public-health and liability agendas. They are on notice to eliminate this endocrine-system-disrupting toxin from their can linings.

The bisphenol compound is not the only endocrine- and immune-system-disrupting chemical we humans have released into the environment.

Others contaminate our drinking water, meat, dairy products, fish and much else we and our companion animals consume.

Dioxins and PCBs are two groups of poisons that can also harm the thyroid gland and entire hormonal and immune systems.

The good news is that organic agriculture and aquaculture are the most promising antidotes for this poisoned planet and our toxic food chain.

DR. MICHAEL FOX United Feature Syndicate 200 Madison Ave. New York, NY 10016

[flea dip]

~~~~ EDIT BELOW ~~~~

From article linked to below:

The brands being recalled include
- Iams,
-Science Diet,
-America's Choice,
-Preferred Pets,
-Eukanuba, and
-Nutriplan.

A full list can be seen at Menu Foods recall Web site at www.menufoods.com/recall.

Pet Food Maker Recalls Dozens Of Brands

The symptoms you're looking for include
- a pet that is lethargic,
- vomits, has diarrhea,
- is drinking a lot of water or
-has stopped eating.

“Those are all signs that could be anything, but that pet has to see a veterinarian,” said Dr. Rubin.

Pet deaths expected to rise despite recall: FDA

Massive Pet Food Recall: Toxic Warning for Animal Owners

FDA Investigating Animal Deaths as Pet Food Recall Continues

Kidney failure may be linked to gluten in food, experts say

By Steven Reinberg

MONDAY, March 19 (HealthDay News) -- Officials at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday said they are "still very early" into their investigation of why 9 domestic cats and one dog died within a few days of consuming moist pet food made by a Canadian company.

The deaths have spurred a massive recall of more than 60 million packages of "cuts-and-gravy" style dog and cat food made at a plant in Emporia, Kansas, between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007.

"So far we have not identified any causes of kidney failure," Stephen F. Sundlof, director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the FDA, stressed in a press conference held late Monday. "These could include mold and heavy metals. It appears that some of the food may have been contaminated from an outside source."

The company, Ontario-based Menu Foods, had suggested the illnesses might be linked to their use of a new supplier of wheat gluten, a protein used in the foods. The FDA officials said they weren't sure if wheat gluten is responsible or which company supplied the wheat gluten. In addition, the agency is not sure that only pet food was contaminated. "Right now we don't think people are a risk," Sundlof said.

Officials at Menu Foods said the reported deaths were limited to pets that took part in a product taste trial conducted by the company, according to U.S. health officials.

The company announced the recall over the weekend.

The pet food involved is the moist variety only, but it was sold in sealed packets in the United States, Canada and Mexico and affect 50 brands of dog food and 40 brands of cat food.

These brands are sold in Ahold USA Inc., Kroger Company, Safeway, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., PetSmart, Inc., and Pet Valu, Inc.

The brands being recalled include Iams, Science Diet, America's Choice, Preferred Pets, Eukanuba, and Nutriplan. A full list can be seen at Menu Foods recall Web site at www.menufoods.com/recall.

~~~ EDIT ~~~

Rat Poison Found in Food Linked to 14 Animal Deaths

By KATIE ZEZIMA
Published: March 24, 2007

Rat poison has been found in pet food blamed for the deaths of 14 animals, federal and New York State officials said yesterday, but they said they were unsure how it had gotten there.

The poison, aminopterin, a rodenticide that has not been approved for use in the United States or in Canada, was found in wet food manufactured by Menu Foods of Ontario and distributed under more than 90 brands, including Eukanuba, Hill’s Science Diet and Nutro Natural Choice, and under store brands including Hannaford, Wal-Mart and Winn-Dixie. (A complete list can be found at menufoods.com/recall.)

... Officials said they were unsure how the poison had gotten into the food and were testing individual components to narrow the source.

“At this point, we really don’t know where it came from,” said Dr. Stephen F. Sundlof, director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine, part of the Food and Drug Administration. “We haven’t ruled out sabotage. We don’t have any leads that indicate that sabotage may have been an issue, but we don’t have any theories as to how it contaminated one of the ingredients in the pet food.

...Mr. Henderson said the company had not identified the poison in its initial testing because it was so rare.


... After the tests, the company notified the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, which also did not find the aminopterin. The food was then sent to the state laboratories in Albany, part of a network of federal emergency laboratories equipped to test for rare substances in foods.

Before the aminopterin was identified, officials had been focusing on wheat gluten as a source of the toxin.

... Bob Rosenberg, senior vice president for government affairs at the National Pest Management Association, said that yesterday was the first he had heard of aminopterin. Rodenticides kept near food are typically stored in secure bait boxes, Mr. Rosenberg said, and the poison itself is a waxy block that should not easily break up or taint the food.

... Dr. Ann E. Hohenhaus, chairwoman of the department of medicine at the Animal Medical Center in Manhattan, said aminopterin was rarely found in the United States and was not referenced in many case studies or textbooks.

[Ironshadow]

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it; the new gluten came from China.

China ( and some south American countries) have a very bad track record when it comes to contamination of their exports. Remember the lead contamination issue? CONTINUES UNABATED. Remember the poison crayons?

Demand to know the country of origin of the food you bring into your house. DON'T BUY FOOD THAT CONTAINS HIDDEN CHINESE PRODUCTS. The cost-cutting food industry doesn't care if it kills your pet- or you. REMEMBER THAT.

[flea dip]

I'm sorry for speaking ill of the dead, but didn't this women hear on the news about the rat poison in the food???

And who would eat their pet's food to "coax" their pet to eat it? I really love animals, but I'm not insane.

New concerns about pet food recall

(3/27/07) - There are new concerns about the pet food recall. Some veterinarians say tens of thousands of dogs and cats could be affected.

.... And now comes word that there may be a human victim. A Canadian woman tried to coax her dog to eat by eating some of its pet food.

She became violently ill, even foaming at the mouth. Tests are pending to see if her illness was connected to the tainted food.

A toxicology expert at Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine isn't convinced researchers have come up with the last of the pet food poison puzzle. There've been other cases of pet food contamination in recent years, including a fungus found in dry dog food some three years ago. That was quickly identified. This, though, is taking longer because in several ways, it may be an imported problem.

Please click link to read the rest

[flea dip]

From Purina pet food:

ALPO® BRAND PRIME CUTS IN GRAVY CANNED DOG FOOD
VOLUNTARY NATIONWIDE RECALL
No Dry Purina Products Involved
March 31, 2007

On March 30, 2007, Nestlé Purina PetCare Company announced it is voluntarily recalling all sizes and varieties of its ALPO® Prime Cuts in Gravy wet dog food with specific date codes.

The Company is taking this voluntary action after learning that wheat gluten containing melamine, a substance not approved for use in food, was provided to Purina by the same company that also supplied Menu Foods.

The contamination occurred in a limited production quantity at only one of Purina's 17 pet food manufacturing facilities.

Consumers should immediately stop feeding their dogs ALPO Prime Cuts products with the date codes listed below and consult with a veterinarian if they have any health concerns with their pet.

---

The recalled 13.2-ounce and 22-ounce ALPO Prime Cuts cans and 6-, 8-, 12- and 24-can ALPO Prime Cuts Variety Packs have four-digit code dates of 7037 through 7053, followed by the plant code 1159. Those codes follow a "Best Before Feb. 2009" date.

This information should be checked on the bottom of the can or the top or side of the multi-pack cartons.

---

Importantly, no Purina brand dry pet foods are affected by the recall – including ALPO Prime Cuts dry.

In addition, no other Purina dog food products, no Purina cat food products, Purina treat products or Purina Veterinary Diet products are included in this recall, nor have been impacted by the contaminated wheat gluten supply.

At Purina, nothing is more important to us than the health and well-being of the pets whose nutrition has been entrusted to us by their owners, and we deeply regret this unfortunate situation. We will continue to take any and all actions necessary to ensure the quality and safety of our products.

Please see our March 30 press release for more information and click here for an updated list of Frequently Asked Questions. If you have more questions or concerns, please contact our Office of Consumer Affairs at 1-800-218-5898.

[Ironshadow]

There are pet foods that use corn gluten instead of wheat gluten, so presumably those would be safe. The FTC has BANNED that Chinese company from supplying anything to the U.S. They also state that they don't really know if any of it has gotten into food intended for humans.

[flea dip]

Scope of pet food recall widens

The pet-food recall got bigger Thursday, but federal officials say that looks like the end of it.

Sunshine Mills on Thursday recalled dog biscuits made with allegedly tainted wheat gluten, the fourth pet-food maker in the last week to recall products.

Canada's Menu Foods on March 16 started the recall, one of the biggest in history, by recalling more than 60 million cans and pouches of wet cat and dog food.

Sunshine, like Menu and the other pet-food makers, is believed to have received wheat gluten from China containing melamine, a chemical used as a fertilizer in Asia but not allowed in food in the USA.

The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that it had tracked all the suspect wheat gluten and knew of no other companies likely to do recalls.

Menu Foods, however, extended its recall to include another month of production — just six days after it reassured consumers that all non-recalled Menu products were safe.

Menu's recall, covering more than 90 brands, now includes products made from Nov. 8, 2006 to March 6, 2007 — not starting Dec. 3, 2006. No new brands joined the recall, but 20 new varieties of those brands did.

Menu spokesman Sam Bornstein says the extension was necessary given that Menu got wheat gluten from Las Vegas importer ChemNutra, and ChemNutra said Tuesday that its shipments from the suspected Chinese supplier commenced Nov. 9, 2006.

The other companies that recalled product, ChemNutra has said, purchased much smaller amounts starting in January.

Menu, which makes wet food for leading brands and private labels, expects most of the additional products to have already been pulled from store shelves. It requested on March 24 that retailers remove all affected varieties of Menu's recalled products, regardless of date code.

Sunshine, of Red Bay, Ala., recalled biscuits sold under its own brands, including Nurture, Lassie and Pet Life, and private labels, including Wal-Mart's Ol'Roy.

Separately, the FDA warned consumers not to use American Bullie A.B. Bull Pizzle Puppy Chews and Dog Chews manufactured and distributed by T.W. Enterprises because they have the potential to be contaminated with the salmonella bacteria.

Chinese Send Mixed Signals Regarding Poisoned Pet Food Scandal

Chinese officials and a Chinese food processing company are giving conflicting statements about whether the company exported a contaminated wheat product to the United States that eventually poisoned scores of cats and dogs.

China has a history of food safety problems that experts say could adversely affect its food exports. VOA's Michael Lipin reports from Hong Kong.

.... The Chinese agency that monitors food exports says China has never exported wheat or wheat gluten to the U.S.

The accused company, Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development, at first said the U.S. was its main overseas customer for wheat gluten. But then the company said it had never shipped gluten directly to the U.S.

A company official was later quoted as saying it sold the suspect gluten to another Chinese food processor, and that company "probably" shipped it to the States.

This is the latest in a series of food scares in China in recent years.

....Fish from southern China's Guangdong province were found last year to be contaminated with malachite green, a poisonous chemical. In another case, poultry in central China's Hubei province were fed with a red dye that potentially causes cancer.

[flea dip]

More brands have been recalled, and they're mentioned at the bottom of this post in large letters -

Hogs fed tainted pet food quarantined, unsure about human food supply

Excerpts:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Salvaged pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical was sent to hog farms in as many as six states, federal health officials said Tuesday. It was not immediately clear if any hogs that ate the tainted feed then entered the food supply for humans.

....the Food and Drug Administration said the urine of some hogs tested positive for the chemical, melamine, in North Carolina and South Carolina as well as California.

.... A second, related chemical called cyanuric acid also has been found to contaminate rice protein concentrate samples, Sundlof said.

....FDA officials said the hogs were fed salvaged pet food made with tainted rice protein concentrate. The food was given to the animals prior to the products' recalls, Rogers said. Adulterated food cannot be legally fed to either humans or animals, Sundlof said.

Also Tuesday, the FDA said another pet food company, SmartPak, had recalled products made with tainted rice protein concentrate. The company said the recall covered a single production run of its LiveSmart Weight Management Chicken and Brown Rice Dog Food.

[flea dip]

August 2007:
New pet food recall

There seem to be two separate incidents.

Incident #1
(I heard on the TV news just now that Wal Mart has in fact issued a recall):

Wal-Mart: Melamine in dog treats

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (AP) -- Tests of two Chinese brands of dog treats sold at Wal-Mart stores found traces of melamine, a chemical agent that led to another massive pet food recall in March, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. quietly stopped selling Chicken Jerky Strips from Import-Pingyang Pet Product Co. and Chicken Jerky from Shanghai Bestro Trading in July, after customers said the products sickened their pets.

Dog Food May Cause Sickness

Incident #2:

Krasdale Gravy dry dog food recalled over salmonella

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (AP)

_ Some bags of Krasdale Gravy dry dog food may be contaminated with salmonella, which could affect both pets and their owners, Mars Petcare U.S., Inc. announced Tuesday.

The company is recalling the product and asking pet owners who purchased it to throw it away and bring the bags in for a refund.

The new recall applies to five-pound bags of dog food sold in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania with the UPC code 7513062596 and a "best by" date of July 16, 2008 or July 17, 2008, according to a news release from the company.

The announcement follows a massive pet food recall in March, when an unknown number of pets were sickened or died after eating products made in China that included the chemical melamine _ a contaminant that's a byproduct of several pesticides.

Salmonella can cause serious infections in dogs and cats. Pets with the infections could be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps and vomiting.

Even healthy animals with the infection can pass it to other animals or humans, who could experience the same symptoms. ...

[flea dip]

I got a catalog in the mail from "Solutions" today. They also have an online catalog.

They sell a variety of products: gardening stuff, toys, rugs, kitchen ware, etc.

This catalog has a lot of interesting / useful stuff, including stuff for pets (even if you don't have a pet, you may want to browse the site to see what all they have):

Solutions.com > Solutions.com Pets Page

One product at their site:


Direct Link
Kitty Litter Box Pg, Price $99.95

[flea dip]

What You Can Do If You Are Having Trouble Affording Veterinary Care

Many pet owners, at one point or another, are faced with unexpected veterinary bills.

Veterinary medicine has advanced to such a degree that caregivers have new, and often expensive, options for the care of their ailing pets. Although the cost of veterinary care is actually very reasonable in comparison with the much higher cost of human health care, an unexpected medical emergency can present a major financial dilemma for an unprepared pet owner.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) recommends that, in addition to preparing for routine pet-care costs, you regularly set aside money to cover for unexpected veterinary bills or consider pet health insurance. For example, create a special "pet savings account" and contribute money to it on a regular basis.

Another great option is to purchase a pet health insurance policy. The HSUS has partnered with Petplan USA,
to offer great saving to our members.

Petplan USA is affiliated with Petplan UK—the world's largest and most trusted pet insurance company and recommended by more pet owners and veterinarians than any other.

Use whichever option works best for you. The important thing is to have a plan and stick to it.

If, despite your planning, your pet incurs major veterinary expenses that you have trouble affording, consider these suggestions:

• Ask your veterinarian if he or she will let you work out a payment plan. Many veterinarians are willing to work out a weekly or monthly payment plan so that you do not have to pay the entire cost of veterinary care up front.

• Contact your local shelter.
Some shelters operate or know of local subsidized veterinary clinics or veterinary assistance programs.

You can find the name and number of your local shelter in the Yellow Pages of your phone book under "animal shelter," "animal control" or "humane society," or by calling Information.

You can also go to www.Pets911.com and enter your zip code to find a list of animal shelters, animal control agencies, and other animal care organizations in your community.

• If you have a specific breed of dog, contact the National Club for that breed. (The American Kennel Club (AKC), www.akc.org,
has a list of the national dog clubs.)

In some cases, these clubs offer a veterinary financial assistance fund. In addition, The HSUS has
a list of breed-specific assistance groups.

• There are some organizations that offer assistance locally (by state or community).
See our state-by-state (including Canada) listing.

• The HSUS also has a list of organizations that provide assistance to senior, disabled or ill pet owners.

• Ask your veterinarian to submit an assistance request to the American Animal Hospital Association's (AAHA) "Helping Pets Fund."

In order to qualify, your animal hospital must be AAHA accredited. To learn more about the program visit the AAHA web site. To find an AAHA accredited hospital in your area, search online at www.Pets911.com.

• If you purchased your dog from a reputable breeder, check your contract to see if there is a health guarantee that covers your pet's ailment.

• Check with veterinary schools in your state to see if they offer discount services to the public. You can find a list of veterinary schools in the Education section of the American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) website,
www.avma.org.

• Use your credit card. Ask for a higher credit limit or a cash advance.

• Call your bank. Ask about loan programs or other options they can suggest that might be helpful in your situation.

• Ask your employer for a salary advance.

• Alert family and friends and ask them each for a $25 loan.

• Consider taking on a part-time job or temping.

• Contact Care Credit at www.carecredit.com

The following is a list of organizations that provide financial assistance to pet owners in need. Please keep in mind that each organization is independent and has their own set of rules and guidelines.

Therefore you will have to investigate each one separately to determine if you qualify for assistance:

• IMOM Inc., www.IMOM.org
• Help-A-Pet,
www.help-a-pet.org
• The Pet Fund, www.thepetfund.com
• The Animal Foundation, www.theanimalfund.com
• Good Sam Fund, www.goodsamfund.org
• United Animal Nations LifeLine Fund www.uan.org
• Angels for Animals,
www.angels4animals.org
• Brown Dog Foundation, http://www.browndogfoundation.org/home
• Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program, www.fveap.org
• Feline Outreach, www.felineoutreach.org
• Cats In Crisis http://www.catsincrisis.org
• The Perseus Foundation (Cancer specific),
www.PerseusFoundation.org
• Orthodogs' Silver Lining Foundation (Orthopedic Cases and Service Dogs), www.oslf.org
• Canine Cancer Awareness,
www.caninecancerawareness.org
• Cody's Club (Radiation treatments) http://codysclub.bravehost.com/
• Diabetic Pets Fund http://www.petdiabetes.net/fund/

Please remember that, depending on the severity of your pet's illness or injury, you may still lose your pet even after great expense. Discuss the prognosis and treatment options thoroughly with your veterinarian, including whether surgery or treatment would just cause your animal discomfort without preserving a life of good quality.

Also remember that a little preventive care can go a long way. Having your pet spayed or neutered, keeping her shots up to date, and keeping your pet safely confined can prevent serious and costly health problems. If you have trouble affording the cost to spay or neuter your pet, contact your local animal shelter. They may operate a clinic or know of a local clinic that offers subsidized services.

Unfortunately, due to our limited resources as a nonprofit animal protection organization, The HSUS does not provide direct financial assistance to pet owners for veterinary or other expenses. If you know of any veterinary assistance programs or services that we have not included here, please let us know by calling 202-452-1100.

Breed Specific Assistance Programs
The Boston Terrier Rescue Net, www.bostonrescue.net
CorgiAid, www.corgiaid.org
Special Needs Dobermans, www.doberman911.org
Disabled Dachshund Society, www.ourdds.org
Dougal’s Helping Paw (Scottish Terriers,
West Highland White Terriers and other small, short legged terriers),
http://www.welcome.to/dougalsfund
Labrador Harbor,
http://www.labradorharbor.org/
Labmed, www.labmed.org
Labrador Lifeline, www.labradorlifeline.org
Westimed (West Highland White Terriers),
www.westiemed.org

State-Specific Programs
CANADA
Animal Cancer Therapy Subsidization Society Lucky Moffat Memorial Fund,
www.actssalberta.org/lucky/lmmf.asp
(Alberta Canada Only)
The Farley Foundation, www.farleyfoundation.org
(Ontario Canada Only)

CALIFORNIA
Actors and Others for Animals, www.actorsandothers.com
SF/SPCA Animal Hospital,
http://www.sfspca.org/hospital/index.shtml
Animal Health Foundation,
http://animalhealthfoundation.net/

COLORADO
Max Fund, www.maxfund.org

CONNECTICUT
Connecticut Humane Society Fox Veterinary Clinic,
http://www.cthumane.org/site/PageServer?pagename=About_Fox

MARYLAND/WASHINGTON, D.C.
Washington Animal Rescue League, www.warl.org

MASSACHUSETTS
Alliance For Animals Metro Action Clinic,
http://www.afaboston.org/clinic.htm
Massachusettes SPCA
(Provides financial assistance for pet owners receiving services at one of its three medical centers,
www.mspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AAMC_Boston_Financial_Assistance):

Angell Memorial Animal Hospital-Boston
350 South Huntington Ave.
Boston, MA 02130
617-522-7282

Angell Animal Medical Center-Nantucket
21 Crooked Lane
Nantucket, MA 02554
508-228-1491

Angell Animal Medical Center-Western New England
171 Union St.
Springfield, MA 01105
413-785-1221

The Sampson Fund
PO Box 1756
Orleans, MA 02653
www.sampsonfund.org
The fund is to benefit companion animals of Cape Cod and the adjacent Islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.

MICHIGAN
Michigan Humane Society maintains three veterinary clinics:
www.michiganhumane.org

Detroit
MHS Detroit Center for Animal Care
Veterinary Center:
7401 Chrysler Drive
Detroit, MI 48211
313-872-0004

Rochester Hills
MHS Rochester Hills Center for Animal Care
Veterinary Center:
3600 W. Auburn Road
Rochester Hills, MI 48309
248-852-7424

Westland
MHS Berman Center for Animal Care
Veterinary Center:
900 N. Newburgh Road
Westland, MI 48185
734-721-4195

NEVADA
Shakespeare Animal,
www.shakespeareanimalfund.org.

NEW YORK
NY S.A.V.E Inc.,
http://www.nysave.org/index_2.html
ALL 4 PETS, www.all4petswny.org (Limited to Western NY)

NORTH CAROLINA
Ashley's Angel Fund, http://www.ashleyfund.org/

OREGON
The Bearen Foundation,
http://www.bearenfoundation.org/funding.htm

PENNSYLVANIA
The Animal Rescue of Western PA,
http://www.animalrescue.org/Clinic.htm

TEXAS
Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine "The Capper and Chris Save the Animals Fund," http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/capperchris/index.shtml

Organizations Offering Assistance Programs for Senior, Disabled or Ill Pet Owners
CALIFORNIA
Voice for the Animals Foundation, Helping Friends Program, http://vftafoundation.org
AniMeals Helen Woodward Animal Center ,http://www.animalcenter.org/animeals/
SF SPCA Animal Hospital, http://www.sfspca.org/hospital/index.shtml
SHARE Marin Humane Society, http://www.marinhumanesociety.org/Programs...ices/SHARE.html
PAWS San Diego, http://www.pawssdc.org/
PALS - Pets Are Loving Support, http://sonic.net/~pals/index.html
PAWS Los Angeles, http://www.pawsla.org/
PAWS San Francisco, www.pawssf.org

CONNECTICUT
Manchester Area Network on AIDS AID-A-PET, http://www.mana-ct.net/Aid-A-Pet.html

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
PETS-DC, http://www.petsdc.org/

GEORGIA
PALS - Pets Are Loving Support,
www.palsatlanta.org

HAWAII
Hawaiian Humane Society: PALS Program, http://www.hawaiianhumane.org/programs/pals/

MASSACHUSETTS
Phinney's Friends (MSPCA) MSPCA

MICHIGAN
Pet Support Services, http://www.petsupportmi.org/

NEVADA
Shakespeare Animal, www.shakespeareanimalfund.org.

NEW JERSEY
PetPALS of Southern New Jersey,
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NJ151.html

NEW YORK
Humane Society of Lollypop Farm, http://www.lollypop.org/orgMain.asp?ssid=&...05&orgID=14&sid

PENNSYLVANIA
Pittsburgh PAWS (Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force), http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/natashat/PAWS/

TEXAS
SPCA of Texas, SPCA Texas

WASHINGTON
Pet Project: Seattle-King County Humane Society, http://www.seattlehumane.org/petproject.shtml and http://www.seattlehumane.org/foodbank.shtml

CANADA
Pet Program (Toronto PWA Foundation), http://www.pwatoronto.org/what.htm#pets

For more information, visit http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/resources/l...ganizations.htm

[flea dip]

I think they got this information from a vet:

Top Ten Things Dogs Eat That They Should Not

10. Sticks

9. Hair Ties
I know these are laying all over my house – be careful of rubberbands and hair ties because pups can accidentally swallow them.

8. Bones
Bones often smell like the food that was once on them – many are choking hazards or get lodged in a tum.

7. Corn Cobs
Not just before they're cooked, sometimes dogs think you missed a spot on your already eaten corn cobs.

6. Chew Toys
What dog doesn't have toys?! But make sure any items with loose or small parts are properly disposed of afterwards.

5. Balls
In the mouth for fetching is a-OK, but choose a ball that can't fit down your dog's throat.

4. Rocks
Well, they're round anyway like a ball, but these are not meant to be caught . . . or swallowed.

3. Pantyhose
These can get lodged in your dog's mouth or he can eat a wadded up ball of a knee high, so watch out.

2. Underwear
Most definitely not food, but some dogs want to eat undies. Umm, gross.

1. Socks
Put a sock in it! The number one item that this vet saw in dogs' tummies were socks.

[flea dip]

Apparently these people are serious, they're actually selling bird diapers.

Diapers for Birds

[flea dip]

Top Ten Holiday Pet Hazards: What to Know

Holiday Hazard #1: Chocolate
Any chocolate is off-limits for pets.
“Baker’s chocolate is the most [toxic],” Cook
said. The darker the chocolate, the
more dangerous it is to pets.
Theobromine and caffeine are the
toxic ingredients. Click here for other
foods that are toxic to your pet.

Holiday Hazard # 2: The Tree
Curious dogs may sniff and paw and
pull the tree over on themselves; cats
like to get up and try out this strange
indoor tree. Anchor it, Cook said. You
can use wire to secure the top of the
tree, then run the wire up to the ceiling
or the wall and secure it.

Watch out, too, for the tree preservative
often put in the water around the tree
trunk, so your dog or cat doesn’t lap it
up. It can cause gastrointestinal problems.

Holiday Hazard #3: Seasonal Plants
Poinsettias get the bad rap as the most
poisonous when actually they are fairly
low on the toxic scale. But eating them
may still cause some gastrointestinal
upset, according to the journal Veterinary
Technician.

Other problematic holiday plants to keep
out of reach: Christmas cactus,
mistletoe, holly, cedar, balsam, and pine.

Holiday Hazard #4: Table Scraps
Rich, fatty foods are often holiday
favorites, but they can result in life
-threatening pancreatitis, Cook said.
Anything salty, spicy, or greasy
qualifies. Bones from chicken or
turkey can splinter in the stomach.
Keep table scraps out of reach, and
be sure the garbage isn’t accessible to your pet.

Holiday Hazard #5: Ornaments
Tinsel can be too fascinating for a
cat to pass up as a snack. Small
decorations hanging low on the
tree can be gobbled by both dogs
and cats, and intestinal blockage
can result.

Holiday Hazard #6: Holiday Cheer
Slipping a dog, cat or other pet
alcoholic beverages to see how
they act when inebriated isn’t funny,
and could be very dangerous, Cook
said. “It can make them very sick,
with vomiting and diarrhea.”

Holiday Hazard #7: Dangerous Foods
Certain foods on the dangerous list
all year may be more plentiful around
the holidays—or your guard may be
down.

Be sure your pet has no access
to coffee grounds, grapes, raisins,
onions, chewing gum, or mints with Xylitol.
This sweetener, also used in baked goods
and candy, is associated with liver failure
and death in dogs, according to the AVMA.
View a full list of dangerous foods here.

Holiday Hazard #8: Socially Shy Pets
Some pets simply aren’t comfortable around a
lot of people. Some get scared; others get
hostile. Whatever way your pet’s
party-shy personality tends to turn,
put it in a spare bedroom with food
and water, out of the way of guests,
Cook suggested.

Holiday Hazard #9: Escape Artists
Pets “can be like little kids,” Cook says.
“They like to get out, too.” So you’ve got
company—maybe guests who aren’t
used to keeping track of pets—and
someone leaves the door open and
out they go.

Besides alerting guests to your furry
escape artists, “make sure you
have a way of finding your pet,”
Cook said. That means either a
microchip, or at the least, a rabies
tag or ID tag with your contact
information, the vet’s contact
information, or both.

Holiday Hazard #10: Aluminum Foil
Crumpled up with food sticking to it,
aluminum foil can be irresistible to a pet.
If swallowed, though, it can cause puncture
wounds in the gastrointestinal tract, Cook said.

The holidays can be a busy and stressful
time, but it’s also a time to reconnect with
your family, friends, and of course, pets.
So be sure to take the proper
precautions to ensure everyone
has a safe and happy holiday season.

[flea dip]

[Peanut Butter] Salmonella update: Pet food also at risk

While it continues to investigate potential salmonella contamination of peanut butter and paste, the Food and Drug Administration is informing pet owners that the recall also includes some pet food products.

Many companies that received peanut butter or peanut paste from Peanut Corporation of America's Blakely, Ga., facility have, in turn, issued recalls.

A searchable list of all products being recalled can be found at www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall.

Scroll down to find the link for recalled pet products. The lists will be updated as necessary.

To date, the FDA has not received any reports of salmonella associated with pet food. Infected pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting.

Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain.

Well animals can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, contact your veterinarian.

To stay on top of food, medicine, auto and consumer product recalls, visit recalls.gov, a one-stop shop.

[flea dip]

There is a new strain of Parvo that is killing dogs, and it mainly affects puppies.

The news segment I saw said there is no cure for it at this time.

The virus is spread through canine fecal matter and vomit.

This sickness has been in the news a lot because two of Oprah Winfrey's puppies contracted it, and one of them died of it.

Oprha's Puppy Dies; More Focus on Deadly Parvo

Puppies (and unvaccinated adults) around the country are being hit with a new strain of the disease called Canine Parvovirus Type 2c.

One of Oprah Winfrey's puppies succumbs to virus

Oprah's dog dies from Parvo; dog owners urged to get their dogs vaccinated for Parvovirus

Puppies, whose immune systems are not yet fully developed, are most susceptible to parvovirus, which is transmitted through fecal matter and vomit of infected dogs.

It can be brought into a puppy's environment on someone's shoes or clothes or even on the tires of their car. It's extremely hardy and can survive in the environment for up to nine months.

A pet owner doesn't know a dog is infected until the symptoms develop.

"It's a devastating disease when it hits," says Kathleen Heneghan, past president of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association.

Symptoms include bloody vomiting and/or diarrhea, which can lead to extreme fluid loss and dehydration until shock and death result.

Also, bacteria can invade the animal's entire body, resulting in the formation of septic toxins and death.

It is not a threat to humans. With early and intensive treatment the survival rate is nearly 80 percent.

.... Heneghan says that until a puppy has completed its shots, it's best to avoid areas where they might come in contact with the virus: the beach, puppy play dates, dog parks and so on.

"You have to treat a puppy like a brand-new baby," she says. "They're not fully protected until they're 4 months of age."

Oprah's new puppy dies

[flea dip]

I have no idea how truthful or accurate this is.

Food Pets Die From

From the book, "Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food." By Ann N. Martin. NewSage Press (1997). This book is on sale at Dr. Jeff's Homevet/Amazon.Com bookstore.

Excerpts:

Pet food labels can be deceiving. They only provide half the story. The other half of the story is hidden behind obscure ingredients listed on the labels. Bit by bit, over seven years, I have been able to unearth information about what is contained in most commercial pet food.

At first I was shocked, but my shock turned to anger when I realized how little the consumer is told about the actual contents of the pet food.

As discussed in Chapter Two, companion animals from clinics, pounds, and shelters can and are being rendered and used as sources of protein in pet food. Dead-stock removal operations play a major role in the pet food industry.

Dead animals, road kill that cannot be buried at roadside, and in some cases, zoo animals, are picked up by these dead stock operations.

When an animal dies in the field or is killed due to illness or disability, the dead stock operators pick them up and truck them to the receiving plant. There the dead animal is salvaged for meat or, depending on the state of decomposition, delivered to a rendering plant.

At the receiving plants, the animals of value are skinned and viscera removed. Hides of cattle and calves are sold for tanning.

The usable meat is removed from the carcass, and covered in charcoal to prevent it from being used for human consumption. Then the meat is frozen, and sold as animal food, which includes pet food.

The packages of this frozen meat must be clearly marked as "unfit for human consumption." The rest of the carcass and poorer quality products including viscera, fat, etcetera, are sent to the rendering facilities.

Rendering plants are melting pots for all types of refuse.

Restaurant grease and garbage; meats and baked goods long past the expiration dates from supermarkets (Styrofoam trays and shrink-wrap included); the entrails from dead stock removal operations, and the condemned and contaminated material from slaughterhouses. All of these are rendered.

....Animals who have died on their way to slaughter are rendered. Cancerous tissue or tumors and worm-infested organs are rendered. Injection sites, blood clots, bone splinters, or extraneous matter are rendered.

Contaminated blood is rendered. Stomach and bowels are rendered. Contaminated material containing or having been treated with a substance not permitted by, or in any amount in excess of limits prescribed under the Food and Drug Act or the Environmental Protection Act.

In other words, if a carcass contains high levels of drugs or pesticides this material is rendered.

...At the rendering plant, slaughterhouse material, restaurant and supermarket refuse, dead stock, road kill, and euthanized companion animals are dumped into huge containers.

A machine slowly grinds the entire mess. After it is chipped or shredded, it is cooked at temperatures of between 220 degrees F. and 270 degrees F. (104.4 to 132.2 degrees C.) for twenty minutes to one hour.

The grease or tallow rises to the top, where it is removed from the mixture.

This is the source of animal fat in most pet foods. The remaining material, the raw, is then put into a press where the moisture is squeezed out. We now have meat and bone meal.

The Association of American Feed Control Officials in its "Ingredient Definitions," describe meat meal as the rendered product from mammal tissue exclusive of blood, hair, hoof, hide, trimmings, manure, stomach, and rumen (the first stomach or the cud of a cud chewing animal) contents except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably in good processing practices.

In an article written by David C. Cooke, "Animal Disposal: Fact and Fiction," Cooke noted, "Can you imagine trying to remove the hair and stomach contents from 600,000 tons of dog and cats prior to cooking them?"

It would seem that either the Association of American Feed Control Officials definition of meat meal or meat and bone meal should be redefined or it needs to include a better description of "good factory practices."

When 4-D animals are picked up and sent to these rendering facilities, you can be assured that the stomach contents are not removed. The blood is not drained nor are the horns and hooves removed.

The only portion of the animal that might be removed is the hide and any meat that may be salvageable and not too diseased to be sold as raw pet food or livestock feed. The Minister of Agriculture in Quebec made it clear that companion animals are rendered completely.

Pet Food Industry magazine states that a pet food manufacturer might reject rendered material for various reasons, including the presence of foreign material (metals, hair, plastic, rubber, glass), off odor, excessive feathers, hair or hog bristles, bone chunks, mold, chemical analysis out of specification, added blood, leather, or calcium carbonate, heavy metals, pesticide contamination, improper grind or bulk density, and insect infestation.

Please note that this article states that the manufacturer might reject this material, not that it does reject this material.

If the label on the pet food you purchase states that the product contains meat meal, or meat and bone meal, it is possible that it is comprised of all the materials listed above.

Meat, as defined by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), is the clean flesh derived from slaughtered mammals and is limited to that part of the striate muscle that is skeletal or that which is found in the tongue, diaphragm, heart, or esophagus; with or without the accompanying and overlying fat and the portions of the skin, sinew, nerve, and blood vessels that normally accompany the flesh.

When you read on a pet food label that the product contains "real meat," you are getting blood vessels, sinew and so on-hardly the tasty meat that the industry would have us believe it is putting in the food.

Meat by-products are the non rendered, clean parts other than meat derived from slaughtered mammals. It includes, but is not limited to, lungs, spleen, kidneys, brain, livers, blood, bone, partially defatted low temperature fatty tissue, and stomachs and intestines freed of their contents.

Again, be assured that if it could be used for human consumption, such as kidneys and livers, it would not be going into pet food.

If a liver is found to be infested with worms (liver flukes), if lungs are filled with pneumonia, these can become pet food.

However, in Canada, disease-free intestines can still be used for sausage casing for humans instead of pet food.

What about other sources of protein that can be used in pet food?

Poultry-by-product meal consists of ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcasses of slaughtered poultry, such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines, exclusive of feathers, except in such amounts as might occur unavoidably in good processing practice.

Poultry-hatchery by-products are a mixture of egg shells, infertile and unhatched eggs and culled chicks that have been cooked, dried and ground, with or without removal of part of the fat.

Poultry by-products include non rendered clean parts of carcasses of slaughtered poultry such as heads, feet, and viscera, free of fecal content and foreign matter except in such trace amounts as might occur unavoidably in good factory practice.

These are all definitions as listed in the AAFCO "Ingredient Definitions."

....The main ingredient in dry food for dogs and cats is corn. However, on further investigation, I found that according to the AAFCO, the list is lengthy as to the corn products that can be used in pet food. T

hese include, but are not limited to the following ingredients.

Corn four is the fine-size hard flinty portions of ground corn containing little or none of the bran or germ.

Corn bran is the outer coating of the corn kernel, with little or none of the starchy part of the germ.

Corn gluten meal is the dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ, and the separation of the bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup, or by enzymatic treatment of the endosperm.

Wheat is a constituent found in many pet foods. Again the AAFCO gives descriptive terms for wheat products.

Wheat flour consists principally of wheat flour together with fine particles of wheat bran, wheat germ, and the offal from the "tail of the mill." Tail of the mill is nothing more then the sweepings of leftovers after everything has been processed from the week.

Wheat germ meal consists chiefly of wheat germ together with some bran and middlings or shorts.

Wheat middlings and shorts are also categorized as the fine particles of wheat germ, bran, flour and offal from the "tail of the mill."

Both corn and wheat are usually the first ingredients listed on both dry dog and cat food labels. If they are not the first ingredients, they are the second and third that together make up most of the sources of protein in that particular product. Perhaps the pet food industry is not aware that cats are carnivores and therefore should derive their protein from meat, not grains?

....In her book The Natural Cat, Anitra Frazier describes the "tuna junkie" as an expression used by veterinarians to describe a cat hooked on tuna.

According to Frazier, "The vegetable oil which it is packed in robs the cat's body of vitamin E which can result in a condition called steatitis.''

Symptoms of steatitis include extreme nervousness and severe pain when touched.

The lack of vitamin E in the diet causes the nerve endings to become sensitive, and can also induce anemia and heart disease. However, excess levels of vitamin E can be toxic. A veterinarian with an understanding of nutrition should be consulted.

One commercial food that most cats and dogs seem to love are the semi-moist foods. These kibble and burger-shaped concoctions are made to resemble real hamburger.

However, according to Wendell O. Belfield and Martin Zucker in their book, How to Have a Healthier Dog, these are one of the most dangerous of all commercial pet foods.

They are high in sugar, laced with dyes, additives, and preservatives, and have a shelf life that spans eternity. One pet owner wrote to me explaining that she had fed her cat some of these semi-moist tidbits.

The cat became ill shortly after eating them, and even professional carpet cleaners could not remove the red dye from the carpet where her cat had been ill. In his book, Pet Allergies: Remedies for an Epidemic, Alfred Plechner, DVM., writes, "In my opinion, semi-moist foods should be placed in a time capsule to serve as a record of modern technology gone mad."

[flea dip]

+ =

I saw a TV news segment that said that second hand smoke is bad for animals, too, so if you have a pet and you're a smoker, maybe you'll give up that nasty habit for your pet.

There aren't a lot of headlines about this story showing up on internet news, though.

Tobacco is Toxic for Toto Too

The American Legacy Foundation® and ASPCA® Urge Pet Owners to Safeguard Their Pets from a Silent Killer -- Secondhand Smoke

WASHINGTON, April 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
The American Legacy Foundation® is challenging pet owners to quit smoking for their pets during the month of April, which kicks off Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. A growing body of research shows there are no safe levels of exposure to secondhand smoke -- for humans or for animals.

And one new study shows that nearly 30 percent of pet owners live with at least one smoker -- a number far too high given the consequences of exposure to secondhand smoke ("SHS").

"Secondhand smoke doesn't just affect people," said Dr. Cheryl G. Healton, DrPH, President and CEO of the American Legacy Foundation®, the national independent public health foundation dedicated to keeping young people from smoking and providing resources to smokers who want to quit.

"While most Americans have been educated about the dangers of smoking to their own bodies, it is equally important that pet owners take action to protect their beloved domestic pets from the dangers of secondhand smoke."

An estimated 50,000 Americans lose their lives to secondhand smoke annually and 4 million youth (16 percent) are exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes. A number of studies have indicated that animals, too, face health risks when exposed to the toxins in secondhand smoke, from respiratory problems, allergies and even nasal and lung cancer in dogs and lymphoma in cats. In addition, the ASPCA, one of the largest animal rights groups in the U.S., lists tobacco smoke as a toxin that is dangerous to pets.

"Nicotine from secondhand smoke can have effects to the nervous systems of cats and dogs," said Dr. Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, Medical Director of the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center. "Environmental tobacco smoke has been shown to contain numerous cancer-causing compounds, making it hazardous for animals as well as humans.

Studies have shown increases in certain types of respiratory cancers in dogs that live in homes with smokers.

In addition, exposure to secondhand smoke has been shown to cause many of the same harmful inflammatory changes in the airways and lungs of dogs as their human counterparts.

For these reasons, owners should not expose their pets to secondhand smoke in order to minimize the risk of their pets developing lung disease or cancer."

According to a study published in the February 2009 edition of Tobacco Control, 28 percent of pet owners who smoke reported that information on the dangers of pet exposure to SHS would motivate them to try to quit smoking. These findings, coupled with the research on the effects of SHS exposure to animals, signals a new front in the public health community's battle to save lives from tobacco-related disease.

In order to better protect dogs, cats or other pets, the foundation and ASPCA recommend that smokers -- who often consider their domestic pets a part of the family --
"take it outside" when they are smoking. The foundation also provides resources and information to smokers who want to quit for their own health through a national campaign called EX®, including a Web site for smokers who are quitting just for their pets:

* EX encourages smokers to approach quitting smoking as "re-learning life without cigarettes"
* The resources from the campaign help smokers consider the "triggers" that make them want to smoke each day. The program is based on helping people understand that if they can get through each part of their day without a cigarette, they can quit for good.
* The campaign features www.BecomeAnEX.org, a state-of-the-art Web site with interactive tools and information to help smokers prepare for quitting by developing a personalized plan.

The EX Web site offers a virtual community and forums where smokers can share stories and best practices about their quit attempt. To join or view the community of smokers who are quitting for their pets, visit: http://community.becomeanex.org/group/quittingforourpets.

+ =