Halloween pet threats – Urban legends vs. reality — are your pets safe?
Posted on: October 22, 2009
By Christie Keith, Special to SF Gate
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Yes, it’s that time of year when the flood of cult cat sacrifice stories start piling up in the inbox, with that breathless “forward this to everyone you know!†tag line. (Note to my readers: Pet related or not, there has never been a message that should be forwarded to everyone you know. Trust me on this.)
Which means it’s also that time of year when I wish that the people who worry about cat sacrifices would instead worry about far more common and preventable holiday threats to our pets. Like the fact that chocolate, while a wonderful and healthful food for humans, is toxic to dogs and cats. Or that the sweetener xylitol, while beneficial to human blood sugar levels and dental health, can be fatal to dogs and cats even in very small quantities.
Veterinary toxicologist Dr. Steven Hansen of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center said that Halloween is to veterinarians what April 15 is to accountants.
“Calls about pets who have become ill after eating chocolate spike their highest around Halloween,†he said. “We manage several thousand of these calls every year.â€
The problem with chocolate is that dogs and cats, unlike humans, are very sensitive to the caffeine-like substances it contains. The darker the chocolate, the greater the risk. While a single Hershey’s kiss won’t harm even a small dog, as little as four ounces of dark chocolate could cause seizures in, or even kill, a dog who weighs 40 pounds.
“Dogs are at much greater risk than cats,†said Hansen. “That’s because cats are really tasters rather than eaters, and they don’t normally enjoy sweets. But dogs will eat an entire bag of Halloween candy, wrappers and all, and end up with a very high dose of chocolate.â€
Dayton Daily News
By Laurie Denger, Staff Writer
September 11, 2009
You love your pets. But even you have to admit, they are stinky, messy, hair-shedding little piles of love.
You put up with the dirt and grime they bring into your home because of what they bring into your heart. But that doesn’t mean you have to live in a pig pen just because you have pets. There are lots of new products out there that will take care of the hair, dirt and smell that pets also bring into your life.
Arm & Hammer has a new cat litter deodorizer spray that leaves that smelly fact of feline life a secret to anyone coming into your home.
It works on all kinds of litter and doesn’t affect clumping. It dries instantly and coats the litter. And it’s safe around pets. Arm & Hammer suggests using it every time you scoop, daily and to freshen box if you are expecting guests.
It comes in 16-ounce fluid bottles and sells for $ 3.49.
Arm & Hammer also has lots of tips for keeping a house with pets clean at http://www.armhammerpets.com.
And Dyson has a new handheld vacuum called the DC31 Animal that picks up all the hair left behind by your pets.
Unlike other handheld vacuums that lose power quickly, this one has a digital motor that spins five times faster than a Formula 1 race car engine, according to Dyson.
This handheld improves on the last one but has several of the same attachments, for rugs, and the great feature of a drop door to empty the dirt and hair you have collected. The lithium battery also recharges a lot faster than the previous model.
Start looking for it in the stores this month. It sells for about $ 269.99.
If you want to combine being green with being clean, there are also options.
Lots of people worry about their pets — who eat off the floor, lie on the floor and come into contact more closely with traditional household cleaners — getting exposed to harsh chemicals.
Clean + Green products may be the only eco-friendly aerosol pet cleaning products around, according to the company that makes them.
By Katie McLain
Cincinnati Pet Examiner
September 5, 2009
A study conducted in June of this year revealed eight national brands of dog food contained fluoride in amounts between 1.6 and 2.5 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) maximum legal dose in drinking water and may put dogs’ health in jeopardy. Â
Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in the Earth’s crust, rocks and soil as well as in bone meal and animal byproducts, which is the likely source of the contamination in this study. All eight brands contained one or more of chicken by-product meal, poultry by-product meal, chicken meal, beef and/or bone meal. A smaller amount of fluoride came from fluoridated tap water used to prepare the food at pet food plants.
Once ingested, fluoride accumulates in the bones. Topical application of fluoride is an effective way to prevent tooth decay, but excessive fluoride intake is thought to contribute to mottled teeth (dental fluorosis), weakened bones, reproductive and developmental system damage, neurotoxicity, hormonal disruption and bone cancer.
The most telling effect of the non-regulated status of dog foods lies in the numbers. Annually, there are 8000 reported cases of osteosarcoma (a rare but deadly form of bone cancer) in dogs in the United States. By contrast, there are only 900 human cases reported annually. That calculates to nearly 10 times as many osteosarcoma cases reported annually in dogs versus humans. While this is hardly damning evidence, it does seem to point to a correlation.
By Natalia Macrynikola, Studio One Networks
You’ve probably heard the phrase “hair-pulling moment†in reference to stressful situations, but did you know that cats sometimes compulsively pull out their fur when they feel anxious? “Stress is a very big deal because it has a profound effect on all aspects of animals’ experience,†says Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D., a certified applied animal behaviorist.
Stress can trigger feline reactions ranging in severity from hiding to self-mutilation. Just as humans often need support during tough times, our feline friends could use a “helping hand†when feeling anxious.
Is Stress Really That Serious?
When it comes to feline stress, a bit of it is actually a good thing. Predatory animals enjoy excitement, so your cat may relish the stimulation caused by a small amount of stress. But if stress increases dramatically, it can take a toll on your pet’s health. “Chronic stress suppresses the immune response, causing a broad range of illnesses,†explains McConnell. Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, for example, notes a link between stress and pancreatitis, which is an inflammation of the pancreas that can cause abdominal pain and may lead to other health problems in your cat.
But health isn’t the only aspect of your cat’s life that can be affected by stress. Significant stress may also influence your cat’s behavior. Cats often develop fear-related responses to regular things, like hiding under the bed and not coming out. A stressed cat may also become more aggressive than usual, making playtime physically painful. Some cats even stop eating completely, while others eliminate outside the litter box, spray around the house, groom excessively and become restless.
But Why Is Kitty Stressed?
Cats enjoy familiarity and routine; therefore, change is the biggest culprit of feline stress. A change in your cat’s environment, whether it involves moving to a different home or bringing in a new housemate, can frighten your cat. Since social relationships are a defining part of your territorial cat’s life, any sign of an “intruder†may make kitty feel threatened and anxious.
While stress is often caused by outside factors, physical discomfort can contribute much stress to your cat too. Feeling pain without knowing why can be a terrifying experience for your feline. It’s important to consult your veterinarian in these situations.
Pet Health Examiner
by Lorie Huston
August 24, 2009
Despite advances in flea control products over the past several years, fleas continue to be one of the leading concerns for pets and pet owners.
Though there are many more options for controlling fleas than in the past, there are also a number of misconceptions that dog and cat owners believe about fleas and flea control.
Fleas on dogs and cats are no big problem?
This, obviously, is untrue. Fleas not only cause pain and discomfort for dogs and cats, they can also carry various diseases and cause numerous health issues for dogs, cats and their human owners.
One flea on a dog or cat probably just jumped on from another pet?
While it is possible for fleas to jump from one pet to another, most often once a host (dog or cat) is found, the flea will remain with that host for the entirety of its life. When a pet owner sees a flea on their dog or cat, that flea most likely hatched from within the pet’s environment.
One or two adult fleas is not a major infestation and should be easy to eradicate?
The fact is that adult fleas seen on a dog or cat are only the proverbial “tip of the icebergâ€. Only 5% of the fleas found in the environment in which the infected dog or cat lives are actually found on the pet itself. The remaining 95% of the fleas are eggs, pupa and larval forms of the flea which are more likely to be found in dark protected places, such as within the carpeting, upholstery, even crevices in hardward or tile floors.
Finding no fleas on a pet means that pet cannot actually harbor fleas?
This also is not necessarily true. Unfortunately, dogs and especially cats are quite good at grooming themselves and removing fleas from their hair coat. However, this does not mean the fleas are not present and the pet is not being bitten by fleas. This is probably one of the most difficult concepts for pet owners to understand.
Pets that do not go outside cannot get fleas?
Unfortunately, fleas are quite good at finding their way indoors. They can hitchhike on people or other pets coming into the home. They can come through small holes in screens and doorways. Dogs and cats which are housed entirely indoors are not protected from flea infestations simply because they do not go outdoors.
RuralNorthwest.com
By: Mikkel Becker Shannon
August 20, 2009
Few things are more terrifying for the pet owner than having their dog poisoned. Luckily, veterinarians are trained for such emergencies and with immediate and proper treatment, most pets can be saved. For the pet owner, taking precautionary measures to safeguard their pet can make the difference in their pet’s life.
In 2008, the Animal Poison Control identified the top ten pet household hazards. The number one poison hazard was the intentional or accidental ingestion of human drugs like Tylenol or anti-depressants with 79,585 cases in 2008. Second were pesticides, which accounted for 39,874 cases. Food was the third most common hazard with 11,290 cases, half of which were a result of chocolate. The rest of the top ten hazards were biological hazards (plants being most common), veterinary drugs (often misapplied or improperly dispensed by owners), cleaning products, chemical hazards, metals, cosmetics and personal care and general household hazards.
Medications are the biggest culprit of dog poisonings, with most pet owners not realizing a death hazard for their pet is lying right on their nightstand or inside their hand if they attempt to medicate their pet without veterinary supervision. Top pet drug poisons include over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications or anti inflammatory drugs, like acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve), which can cause serious problems even in small doses. Other common hazards are antidepressants, oral diabetes treatments, vitamins, diet drugs, pseudoephedrine (used in many cold and sinus products), ADHD medication, Fluorouracil (anti-cancer drug), Isoniazid (tuberculosis drugs), Baclofen (muscle relaxant) and Vitamin D derivatives.
Although adding beauty to the landscape or our yard, plants are also responsible for pet medical emergencies. The most common poisonous plants are lilies, marijuana, sago palm, tulip/ narcissus bulbs, azalea, oleander, castor bean, cyclamen, kalanchoe, yew, amaryllis, autumn crocus, chrysanthemum, english ivy, peace lily, pathos and schefflera.
Although human foods may seem innocent when slipped under the table to our pets, feeding people food can be a deadly mistake. The top food dangers are chocolate, coffee, caffeine, alcohol, avocado, macadamia nuts, grapes and raisins, yeast dough (expands when ingested causing extreme pain and rupturing of intestines or stomach), raw or undercooked meat, eggs and bones, Xylitol (an artificial sweetener used in baked goods), candy, gum, toothpaste, onions, garlic, chives, milk, fatty foods and salt.
Other common hazardous items are batteries, fabric softener sheets, post 1982 pennies (due to a high level of zinc), antifreeze, liquid potpourri, ice melting products, citronella candles, compost pile fertilizers and some fly, slug and snail baits.
August, 19, 2009
Pet Product News
The Winn Feline Foundation and Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health’s HomeAgain Pet Recovery Service have partnered to help lost cats reunite with owners. For every new cat microchipped and enrolled in HomeAgain from now until August, the company will donate $ 1 toward feline health research.
Less than 5 percent of lost cats are reunited with their owners once they are taken into a shelter, largely because there’s no way to determine who they belong to, according to the American Association of Feline Practitioners.
“No question, microchipping saves lives, ensuring far more lost casts are reunited with their families,†said Susan Little, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, president of the Winn Feline Foundation.
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