I generally don’t play those email forwarding games. To be honest, most of the time they get deleted before I get to the second sentence. However, I’ve received a few lately about dogs that I couldn’t resist reading to the end. This one came from my Aunt Marie.
Questions For God From The Dogs
Dear God: Is it on purpose our names are the same, only reversed?
Dear God: Why do humans smell the flowers, but seldom, if ever, smell one another?
Dear God: When we get to heaven, can we sit on your couch? Or is it still the same old story?
Dear God: Why are there cars named after the jaguar, the cougar, the mustang, the colt, the stingray, and the rabbit, but not ONE named for a Dog? How often do you see a cougar riding around? We do love a nice ride! Would it be so hard to rename the 'Chrysler Eagle' the 'Chrysler Beagle'?
Dear God: If a Dog barks his head off in the forest and no human hears him, is he still a bad Dog?
Dear God: We Dogs can understand human verbal instructions, hand signals, whistles, horns, clickers, beepers, scent ID's, electromagnetic energy fields, and Frisbee flight paths. What do humans understand?
Dear God: More meatballs, less spaghetti, please.
Dear God: Are there mailmen in Heaven? If there are, will I have to apologize?
Dear God: Let me give you a list of just some of the things I must remember to be a good Dog.
1. I will not eat the cats' food before they eat it or after they throw it up.
2. I will not roll on dead seagulls, fish, crabs, etc., just because I like the way they smell.
3. The Litter Box is not a cookie jar.
4. The sofa is not a 'face towel'.
5. The garbage collector is not stealing our stuff.
6. I will not play tug-of-war with Dad's underwear when he's on the toilet.
7. Sticking my nose into someone's crotch is an unacceptable way of saying ‘hello’.
8. I don't need to suddenly stand straight up when I'm under the coffee table.
9. I must shake the rainwater out of my fur before entering the house - not after.
10. I will not come in from outside and immediately drag my butt.
11. I will not sit in the middle of the living room and lick my crotch.
12. The cat is not a 'squeaky toy' so when I play with him and he makes that noise, it's usually not a good thing.
Dear God: When I get to Heaven may I have my testicles back?
'Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened'
10.10.2008
10.09.2008
Shelter Dogs Need Our Help
This is Maddie. She was rescued with her 6 babies. They were very underweight, sick and living in terrible conditions. Maddie, only a baby pup herself, is now looking for a forever home to call her own.
If you would like to adopt Maddie, contact Animal Education and Rescue (aear.org). For more information on Maddie and the countless other shelter dogs that need a home, go to Petfinder.
If you would like to adopt Maddie, contact Animal Education and Rescue (aear.org). For more information on Maddie and the countless other shelter dogs that need a home, go to Petfinder.
10.07.2008
Part Two: Tips on How to Treat the Top Ten Pet Injuries
1. Lacerations/bite wounds: Heneghan says, check around the house and watch the areas where you walk your pet.
"We once had an overzealous Labrador patient who lacerated a huge area of her trunk on the outdoor spigot as she ran toward the gate to greet a friend," Heneghan said. "She ran too close to the house and tore an 8-by-10-inch flap of skin loose. Of course, she was wagging her tail when she came in."
If your pet suffers a laceration or bite wound, try to stop any fresh bleeding with cold compresses or a pressure bandage. If you need to bandage a leg wound, Heneghan advised, always start toward the toes and work your way up. If the animal will permit it, try to clean or flush the area. Small wounds may benefit from an antibacterial ointment; large wounds should be bandaged and kept clean.
2. Torn nail. Much of the time a torn nail can be a non-emergency emergency, according to veterinarian Jay Whittle of Mill Creek Animal Clinic in Palos Park.
"It becomes an emergency because it's painful and very often it's bloody, which are two combinations that make everyone run to the emergency room," he said.
Depending on the severity, some can be trimmed up and a light bandage can be applied to stop the bleeding. Others need the nail cut back to healthy tissue to ensure that the nail grows back healthy.
The immediate action, Whittle says, is to put a bandage on the injury if the animal will allow it and go to your vet. But if there is a lot of blood, a visit to the emergency room is the safest bet.
3. Insect bites/stings: An injection of cortisone or an antihistamine within an hour can bring the swelling down. If left untreated, the dog's breathing could become affected. This injury is less common with cats because most of them are indoors and not exposed, though it can happen.
4. Abrasions: Treatment is similar to a laceration, Heneghan said, but mild abrasions can often be treated at home.
"Cleaning the wound and protecting the lesion with either topical antibiotics or a covering are good places to start," she said. "But a sore spot could cause your pet to lick or scratch excessively, which may lead to infection. So always call your veterinarian to get advice. Your pet could benefit from pain relief and may even need to wear the dreaded Elizabethan collar to keep its mouth off the lesion."
5. Eye trauma: The most common injury is a corneal abrasion, which causes the animal to be light sensitive and blink frequently. Medication is usually all that's needed, according to veterinarian Tony Kremer, from the Hinsdale Animal Hospital. Untreated, it could eventually need expensive surgery to repair.
6. Punctures: "A lot of punctures will just need to be cleaned out real well," Whittle said. "We don't suture punctures. Depending on the severity, they may need antibiotics. Of course, every injury, every wound is different, which is why it requires a veterinarian to assess each injury for its own merit."
7. Foreign objects in skin: Whittle sees fish hooks or pieces of a stick being the main culprits. A fish hook means an immediate trip to the ER; a splinter depends on how painful it is to the animal.
8. Foreign objects in ear: If your pet has something in the ear, he's likely to shake his head and scratch, trying to dislodge the object. If your pet will allow it, examine the ear for signs of redness, swelling or odor. Don't try to remove the object at home unless it is very superficial in the ear, Heneghan warns.
"Oftentimes, we do need to sedate the animal to fully remove the item, as pets have an L-shaped ear canal. It's very easy for something to not quite make it around the bend. Remember, ear cleaning at home is a great idea, but stick to the ear flush solution and cotton balls."
9. Foreign object in foot: If you see your dog limping, examine the foot and try to remove the object. If there's bleeding, apply a pressure wrap of some kind. From a veterinarian's standpoint, there are two scenarios: "They either need to be stitched, or people don't realize it's a foreign object," Kremer said. "There's a sliver in the pad or it's between the toes and camouflaged by their hair. Sometimes we're required to sedate them, clip the hair and find the entry wound so we can retrieve the object."
Antibiotics are applied to prevent infection.
10. Snake bite: Keep your pet as immobilized as possible to prevent the rapid spread of the venom. And get to a vet.
via Chicago Tribune
"We once had an overzealous Labrador patient who lacerated a huge area of her trunk on the outdoor spigot as she ran toward the gate to greet a friend," Heneghan said. "She ran too close to the house and tore an 8-by-10-inch flap of skin loose. Of course, she was wagging her tail when she came in."
If your pet suffers a laceration or bite wound, try to stop any fresh bleeding with cold compresses or a pressure bandage. If you need to bandage a leg wound, Heneghan advised, always start toward the toes and work your way up. If the animal will permit it, try to clean or flush the area. Small wounds may benefit from an antibacterial ointment; large wounds should be bandaged and kept clean.
2. Torn nail. Much of the time a torn nail can be a non-emergency emergency, according to veterinarian Jay Whittle of Mill Creek Animal Clinic in Palos Park.
"It becomes an emergency because it's painful and very often it's bloody, which are two combinations that make everyone run to the emergency room," he said.
Depending on the severity, some can be trimmed up and a light bandage can be applied to stop the bleeding. Others need the nail cut back to healthy tissue to ensure that the nail grows back healthy.
The immediate action, Whittle says, is to put a bandage on the injury if the animal will allow it and go to your vet. But if there is a lot of blood, a visit to the emergency room is the safest bet.
3. Insect bites/stings: An injection of cortisone or an antihistamine within an hour can bring the swelling down. If left untreated, the dog's breathing could become affected. This injury is less common with cats because most of them are indoors and not exposed, though it can happen.
4. Abrasions: Treatment is similar to a laceration, Heneghan said, but mild abrasions can often be treated at home.
"Cleaning the wound and protecting the lesion with either topical antibiotics or a covering are good places to start," she said. "But a sore spot could cause your pet to lick or scratch excessively, which may lead to infection. So always call your veterinarian to get advice. Your pet could benefit from pain relief and may even need to wear the dreaded Elizabethan collar to keep its mouth off the lesion."
5. Eye trauma: The most common injury is a corneal abrasion, which causes the animal to be light sensitive and blink frequently. Medication is usually all that's needed, according to veterinarian Tony Kremer, from the Hinsdale Animal Hospital. Untreated, it could eventually need expensive surgery to repair.
6. Punctures: "A lot of punctures will just need to be cleaned out real well," Whittle said. "We don't suture punctures. Depending on the severity, they may need antibiotics. Of course, every injury, every wound is different, which is why it requires a veterinarian to assess each injury for its own merit."
7. Foreign objects in skin: Whittle sees fish hooks or pieces of a stick being the main culprits. A fish hook means an immediate trip to the ER; a splinter depends on how painful it is to the animal.
8. Foreign objects in ear: If your pet has something in the ear, he's likely to shake his head and scratch, trying to dislodge the object. If your pet will allow it, examine the ear for signs of redness, swelling or odor. Don't try to remove the object at home unless it is very superficial in the ear, Heneghan warns.
"Oftentimes, we do need to sedate the animal to fully remove the item, as pets have an L-shaped ear canal. It's very easy for something to not quite make it around the bend. Remember, ear cleaning at home is a great idea, but stick to the ear flush solution and cotton balls."
9. Foreign object in foot: If you see your dog limping, examine the foot and try to remove the object. If there's bleeding, apply a pressure wrap of some kind. From a veterinarian's standpoint, there are two scenarios: "They either need to be stitched, or people don't realize it's a foreign object," Kremer said. "There's a sliver in the pad or it's between the toes and camouflaged by their hair. Sometimes we're required to sedate them, clip the hair and find the entry wound so we can retrieve the object."
Antibiotics are applied to prevent infection.
10. Snake bite: Keep your pet as immobilized as possible to prevent the rapid spread of the venom. And get to a vet.
via Chicago Tribune
10.06.2008
Part One: Top 10 Pet Injuries
Veterinary Pet Insurance, the largest provider of pet health insurance in the US, has made a list of the most common pet wounds, (not illnesses) based on claims filed in 2007. Here’s VPI’s top 10.
1) Lacerations/bite wounds: By far the most common wounds—about three times the incidence of any other injury - come mostly from cats and dogs mixing it up with other cats and dogs or wild animals. Lacerations also occur when pets are involved in car crashes. So drive carefully.
2) Torn nail: It’s all about romping and stomping and fun until little Spanky snags a nail. Then the howling and bleeding begin.
3) Insect bites/stings: The bites can be virtually harmless - you don’t even know your pet is bitten - or they can be extremely serious because of an animal’s hypersensitivity. “Most of the time dogs are nosing around someplace, they’ll get bit and they’ll look like a Shar-pei,” said veterinarian Tony Kremer, from Hinsdale Animal Hospital.
4) Abrasions: The dog version of a skinned knee, said Kathleen Heneghan, past president of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association and a veterinarian practicing in River Grove.
5) Eye trauma: This is always an emergency, Kremer says. When an animal gets poked or scratched in the eye or has an eye infection, it likely will get worse without treatment. Attention, dog owners: don’t let your animal hang his head out the car window. It makes him vulnerable to getting debris or bugs in his eyes. If your pup insist on having the breeze in his face, train him to wear a pair of specially designed pet goggles.
6) Punctures: An animal may step on a nail, rush against a tree or get caught while climbing under a fence and could get a splinter or tear his or her skin.
7) Foreign objects in skin: It’s not the most common foreign object, but Whittle said, “If you want something really cool there are fly larvae and sometimes the fly will lay eggs and the larvae will develop. You watch the entire veterinary staff get excited when they see something like that. You see that, you don’t want to mess with that at home.”
8) Foreign objects in ear: Henneghan says MDs see this injury far more often than vets do. “I would say the only cases I’ve seen have been either plant products or energetic digging in the bushes or Q-tips from overeager pet owners trying to clean their pet’s ears.”
9) Foreign object in foot: “It happens a lot because dogs aren’t wearing shoes, and they’ll step on a piece of glass or sharp object,” Kremer said.
10) Snake bite: This isn’t a huge issue around Chicago, but if you travel with your pet it’s something to think about. When camping, check with park rangers to see if rattlesnakes (or other biting snakes) are in the area. If not, consider using the American Animal Hospital Association’s Web site (healthy pet.com) to find an accredited animal hospital.
via Chicago Tribune
Coming soon, Part Two: Tips on How to Treat the Top Ten Pet Injuries
1) Lacerations/bite wounds: By far the most common wounds—about three times the incidence of any other injury - come mostly from cats and dogs mixing it up with other cats and dogs or wild animals. Lacerations also occur when pets are involved in car crashes. So drive carefully.
2) Torn nail: It’s all about romping and stomping and fun until little Spanky snags a nail. Then the howling and bleeding begin.
3) Insect bites/stings: The bites can be virtually harmless - you don’t even know your pet is bitten - or they can be extremely serious because of an animal’s hypersensitivity. “Most of the time dogs are nosing around someplace, they’ll get bit and they’ll look like a Shar-pei,” said veterinarian Tony Kremer, from Hinsdale Animal Hospital.
4) Abrasions: The dog version of a skinned knee, said Kathleen Heneghan, past president of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association and a veterinarian practicing in River Grove.
5) Eye trauma: This is always an emergency, Kremer says. When an animal gets poked or scratched in the eye or has an eye infection, it likely will get worse without treatment. Attention, dog owners: don’t let your animal hang his head out the car window. It makes him vulnerable to getting debris or bugs in his eyes. If your pup insist on having the breeze in his face, train him to wear a pair of specially designed pet goggles.
6) Punctures: An animal may step on a nail, rush against a tree or get caught while climbing under a fence and could get a splinter or tear his or her skin.
7) Foreign objects in skin: It’s not the most common foreign object, but Whittle said, “If you want something really cool there are fly larvae and sometimes the fly will lay eggs and the larvae will develop. You watch the entire veterinary staff get excited when they see something like that. You see that, you don’t want to mess with that at home.”
8) Foreign objects in ear: Henneghan says MDs see this injury far more often than vets do. “I would say the only cases I’ve seen have been either plant products or energetic digging in the bushes or Q-tips from overeager pet owners trying to clean their pet’s ears.”
9) Foreign object in foot: “It happens a lot because dogs aren’t wearing shoes, and they’ll step on a piece of glass or sharp object,” Kremer said.
10) Snake bite: This isn’t a huge issue around Chicago, but if you travel with your pet it’s something to think about. When camping, check with park rangers to see if rattlesnakes (or other biting snakes) are in the area. If not, consider using the American Animal Hospital Association’s Web site (healthy pet.com) to find an accredited animal hospital.
via Chicago Tribune
Coming soon, Part Two: Tips on How to Treat the Top Ten Pet Injuries
10.03.2008
October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month
This is Doc and he needs a forever home.
Did you know that every year 6-8 million dogs and cats enter animal shelters across the country? About 75% are mixed breeds, 25% are purebred animals and many of them are puppies. If you are thinking about adding a new member to your family and you are ready to make a life-long commitment to the dog or cat; saving a pet from an animal shelter may be one of the most rewarding acts you will experience.
To find out more about adopting a shelter dog visit your local animal shelter (like PAWS Chicago), rescue organization or Petfinder.
If you're interested in adopting Doc, contact:
Animal Education and Rescue
Libertyville, IL 60048
Phone: (847) 816-0831
10.01.2008
ProHeart 6 is Back, Be Warned
According to the FDA, ProHeart® 6 (moxidectin) Sustained Release Injectable for Dogs, a unique heartworm preventive product, is returning to the U.S. market.
The drug’s sponsor, Fort Dodge Animal Health, voluntarily removed the product from the U.S. market and ceased production of it in 2004 because of the Food and Drug Administration’s concerns about reports of adverse reactions to the drug. The reported reactions, which included numerous deaths, were unanticipated and unexplained. FDA requested that the drug be removed from the market until the company and FDA could further investigate the situation and resolve concerns.
Fort Dodge Animal Health has changed the manufacturing specifications for Proheart® 6 to minimize the inclusion of residual solvents in the final product.
Full Release
A few things I wanted to point out:
1. The recall in 2004 was voluntary, but the FDA requested the drug be removed.
2. They changed the manufacturing specifications for Proheart 6 to minimize the inclusion of residual solvents in the final product, not eliminate it. And the product has not changed, only the label has changed. From Proheart 6 FAQ’s: ‘Has the product changed since the voluntary recall? ProHeart 6 has not changed since the voluntary recall, other than a change in the supplier of one of the components of the diluent.' So nothing has changed in the product.
3. Only veterinarians who have undergone in-depth training from Fort Dodge will be allowed to obtain the drug. The in-depth training is a web based seminar.
4. They changed the label and client information sheet to include the adverse reactions. The client information sheet does not mention possible liver and blood disorders or death. It is buried in the small print of the label.
5. Owners must sign a consent form. The consent form only lists the following as possible side effects; severe allergic reactions, change in activity level, seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, bleeding, and bruising. Again, it does not mention possible liver and blood disorders or death.
Why would you give this to your dog?
P.S. Fort Dodge also had a recall on one of its rabies vaccinations in July 2006.
More about heartworm preventatives in future posts.
The drug’s sponsor, Fort Dodge Animal Health, voluntarily removed the product from the U.S. market and ceased production of it in 2004 because of the Food and Drug Administration’s concerns about reports of adverse reactions to the drug. The reported reactions, which included numerous deaths, were unanticipated and unexplained. FDA requested that the drug be removed from the market until the company and FDA could further investigate the situation and resolve concerns.
Fort Dodge Animal Health has changed the manufacturing specifications for Proheart® 6 to minimize the inclusion of residual solvents in the final product.
Full Release
A few things I wanted to point out:
1. The recall in 2004 was voluntary, but the FDA requested the drug be removed.
2. They changed the manufacturing specifications for Proheart 6 to minimize the inclusion of residual solvents in the final product, not eliminate it. And the product has not changed, only the label has changed. From Proheart 6 FAQ’s: ‘Has the product changed since the voluntary recall? ProHeart 6 has not changed since the voluntary recall, other than a change in the supplier of one of the components of the diluent.' So nothing has changed in the product.
3. Only veterinarians who have undergone in-depth training from Fort Dodge will be allowed to obtain the drug. The in-depth training is a web based seminar.
4. They changed the label and client information sheet to include the adverse reactions. The client information sheet does not mention possible liver and blood disorders or death. It is buried in the small print of the label.
5. Owners must sign a consent form. The consent form only lists the following as possible side effects; severe allergic reactions, change in activity level, seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, bleeding, and bruising. Again, it does not mention possible liver and blood disorders or death.
Why would you give this to your dog?
P.S. Fort Dodge also had a recall on one of its rabies vaccinations in July 2006.
More about heartworm preventatives in future posts.
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