A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, so beware. Cats are not dogs. And humans are not dogs.
January 30, 2010
Vet's Pet Peeve: When Human Physician Diagnose Animals
By Patty Khuly, Special for USA TODAY
If there's one discrete class of client that gives veterinarians pause more than any other it's the human physician. This may sound profoundly unfair, yet nine out of 10 surveyed vets agree they're among the most difficult pet owners to handle.
As far back as veterinary school, our professors drilled us on issues we should beware should our animal patients come with an on-the-side, at-home clinician in tow. Making medical decisions for their pets in our stead was their specialty, we were told.
Fifteen years of experience in this arena has not yet proved my profs wrong. Human docs are far more likely to bring on the stress than any other kind of client. But I'll give them this: Those who don't come with a cloud over their heads tend to join my A-plus crowd of clients. You just never know which it'll be.
So what's up with that, you ask? Here's the biggest issue I see:
Physicians, often feeling themselves capable of treating diarrhea, pain, fevers or simple infections, have a reputation for giving inappropriate drugs or administering human-style treatments to pets based on...
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Distemper Outbreak in Texas....24 Dogs Killed
January 20, 2010
24 dogs killed in distemper outbreak
Regional shelter in Georgetown has quarantined other dogs, halted adoptions temporarily.
By
Claire Osborn AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Published: 10:54 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010
The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter has euthanized 24 dogs and placed dog adoptions on hold until Jan. 12 because of an outbreak of a contagious respiratory virus. The dogs, euthanized last week, had symptoms of distemper, director Cheryl Schneider said.
The staff has placed 20 other dogs in quarantine, Schneider said. "Two-thirds of them are doing well and will come out of quarantine, and the others are having a runny nose but not running a temperature, so we are treating them for kennel cough," she said.
Cats, which are not susceptible to the disease, are still available for adoption at the shelter.
The shelter in southeastern Georgetown has sent letters to people who adopted dogs from it temporarily over the holidays during a special program, Schneider said. A few of those animals that were returned to the shelter had a cough, she said.
Distemper causes fever, pneumonia, coughing, vomiting and convulsions. It is spread through the air by bodily fluids. Dogs can be vaccinated...
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Help for Haitian Animals....
January 18, 2010
Veterinary Outreach in Haiti Includes Mobile Animal Clinic
Posted: Friday, January 15, 2010, 6:09 p.m., EST
Courtesy of Reuters
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The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) continues to monitor the situation in Haiti and prepare the distribution of veterinary medical supplies as needed, says Heather Case, the association’s coordinator for emergency preparedness and response.
The main focus is to help human survivors of the 7.0 earthquake that struck Jan. 12, then after about a week, Case says, the attention turns to companion animals, livestock and wildlife. “There are some livestock issues that are of concern, as well as some companion animal issues,” she says.
It’s anticipated that the immediate needs will include vaccinations and supplies for traumas. According to Chris Cutter, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) spokesperson, the organization has a team on the ground in neighboring Dominican Republic and is stocking a mobile clinic to take into Haiti.
“It’s impossible to tell at the moment, but we’re preparing to do some mass vaccinating and feeding of backyard livestock along with acute vet care, vaccination and feeding of companion animals,” Cutter says. He adds that there’s a big population of stray dogs in the island nation, and there’s already...
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Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2009
January 16, 2010
Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2009
With various dangers lurking in corners and cabinets, the home can be a minefield of poisons for our pets. In 2009, the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) in Urbana, IL, handled more than 140,000 cases of pets exposed to toxic substances, many of which included everyday household products. Don’t leave it up to Fido or Fluffy to keep themselves safe. Below is a list of the top 10 pet poisons that affected our furry friends in 2009.
Human Medications
For several years, human medications have been number one on the ASPCA’s list of common hazards, and 2009 was no exception. Last year, the ASPCA managed 45,816 calls involving prescription and over-the-counter drugs such as painkillers, cold medications, antidepressants and dietary supplements. Pets often snatch pill vials from counters and nightstands or gobble up medications accidentally dropped on the floor, so it’s essential to keep meds tucked away in hard-to-reach cabinets.
Insecticides
In our effort to battle home invasions by unwelcome pests, we often unwittingly put our furry friends at risk. In 2009, our toxicologists fielded 29,020 calls related to insecticides. One of the most common incidents involved the misuse of flea and...
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Compulsive Behaviors in Dogs similiar to OCD in People...
January 4, 2010
From the Boston Globe: Dog genes may hold secrets to human disease
Scientists scouring the genome to better understand complex human diseases are looking to an unlikely ally for guidance: our pets.
Dogs have been an integral part of human life for centuries. It is precisely because of that intertwined history that dogs are a potentially powerful tool for researchers seeking the genetic roots of everything from psychiatric disorders to cancer - just two of the ailments that are similar in both humans and dogs.
Last month, scientists studying Doberman pinschers with a compulsive behavior disorder similar to human obsessive-compulsive disorder found a gene associated with the condition. The genetic hit is now being followed by other researchers, who are studying the same gene in human patients with OCD, in hopes the clue from man’s best friend may help explain the disease in people.
“This is exactly where we were hoping to get to,’’ said Elinor Karlsson, a postdoctoral fellow at the Broad Institute, a genetics research center in Cambridge, and coauthor of a paper on the subject. “This is taking a disease that people have had a lot of...
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