Pets on my Mind

Several of my friends shaved their dogs this summer. I always heard that you shouldn't shave dogs that shed. One of my friends shaved their golden retriever. Is that all right Does it bother their fur or skin for it to be shaved like that?

 I also want to see what people use to groom their short and long-haired dogs and cats. Have any of you tried the Furminator? Do you like it? I always found success with a rake that has undercoat teeth but I know some people who swear by the Furminator. I'm giving it a whirl because I'm told it also helps short-haired dogs. What do yo think?

Is anyone else experiencing an amazing amount of fleas this year? Nothing seems to help. I usually keep Frontline on my dogs monthly but they are getting fleas again. I haven't seen fleas on them in years. The packaging on Frontline says it kills fleas for up to 3 months and ticks for up to 1 month, but I'm not getting that and I used to. Could the buggers be used to Frontline? What has been your experience?

Cat owners may be less likely to suffer cardiovascular disease

In a Minnesota study, cat owners had a decreased risk of death from heart attack or other cardiovascular diseases, including stroke.  Researchers found no such correlation in those with a pet dog.  Researchers analyzed 4,435 participants, 30–75 years of age, from the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Study.  All participants were free of cardiovascular disease at the start of the study.

 Researchers used the Cox proportional hazards analysis during 20 years of follow-up to determine relative risk of death from all causes, heart attack and cardiovascular diseases, including stroke.  Previous or current cat owners represented 55 percent (2,435) of the study participants.  Researchers adjusted results for differences in age, gender, ethnicity/race, systolic blood pressure, cigarette smoking, diabetes, cholesterol levels and body mass index.  They observed a 40 percent higher relative risk of death due to heart attack in participants who had never owned a cat as a pet compared to those who had previously or currently owned a cat.

Researchers also found a 30 percent higher relative risk of increased risk for death due to cardiovascular diseases among participants without cats.  Researchers concluded, “cats as pets may represent a novel strategy for reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases in high-risk individuals.”

Cat owners may be less likely to suffer cardiovascular disease

In a Minnesota study, cat owners had a decreased risk of death from heart attack or other cardiovascular diseases, including stroke.  Researchers found no such correlation in those with a pet dog.  Researchers analyzed 4,435 participants, 30–75 years of age, from the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Study.  All participants were free of cardiovascular disease at the start of the study.

 Researchers used the Cox proportional hazards analysis during 20 years of follow-up to determine relative risk of death from all causes, heart attack and cardiovascular diseases, including stroke.  Previous or current cat owners represented 55 percent (2,435) of the study participants.  Researchers adjusted results for differences in age, gender, ethnicity/race, systolic blood pressure, cigarette smoking, diabetes, cholesterol levels and body mass index.  They observed a 40 percent higher relative risk of death due to heart attack in participants who had never owned a cat as a pet compared to those who had previously or currently owned a cat.

Researchers also found a 30 percent higher relative risk of increased risk for death due to cardiovascular diseases among participants without cats.  Researchers concluded, “cats as pets may represent a novel strategy for reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases in high-risk individuals.”

The list of items only scratches the surface of the collection of indigestible articles, according to Veterinary Pet insurance, which has paid claims on surgery to remove those items. While the most common items are pet owner’s personal belongings, other frequently ingested objects include nails, sewing needles and nipples from baby bottles. VPI’s claims adjusters have also received medical records for pets that have swallowed pagers, hearing aids, drywall, snail bait, batteries, rubber bands, toy cars, and sand with bacon grease poured on it.  

Here are some of the signs that your pet might be in pain, The list was put together by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the Association of American Feline Practitioners (AAFP).   Because animals naturally hide their pain to protect themselves from predators, pets may be suffering from an illness or injury even though they don’t show obvious signs.  

Pet owners should contact their veterinarian if they observe:

• Abnormal chewing habits
• Drastic weight gain or loss 
• Avoidance of affection or handling
• Decreased movement and exercise
• Excessively licking or biting itself
• Uncharacteristic “accidents”

 These signs can help uncover underlying medical issues and pain.  For the complete AAHA/AAFP Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats go to www.healthypet.com

Is anyone noticing more ticks on their pets or on themselves this year? I keep hearing from people who said they've noticed a lot more. My dogs are on Frontline and I haven't found a tick embedded on them in years. Wish I could say the same for myself. Ticks can bring all sorts of ugly illnesses including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Tell me about your tick encounters. Any words of advice? Does off work on repelling ticks on humans?

New Contaminant Found In More Pet Food

ASPCA Sheds Light on Toxicity of Acetaminophen

NEW YORK—With reports that acetaminophen has been found in brands of cat and dog food not included on the Menu Foods recall list, the ASPCA(The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) today reminded pet owners to be vigilant and use common sense.

"Though reports of dogs and cats poisoned from the Menu Foods recall seem to have abated, this news is extremely worrying," said Dr. Steven Hansen, a board-certified toxicologist and senior vice president with the ASPCA, who manages the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), in in Urbana, Ill.

'Our data show that if an average-sized cat ingests as little as one extra-strength acetaminophen pain-reliever caplet and is not treated in time, it can suffer fatal consequences," said Hansen. "Depending on the amount ingested, clinical effects can include a condition called 'methemoglobinemia,' which affects the ability of blood cells to deliver oxygen to vital organs, or even liver damage."

He advises pet owners to watch for potential warning signs: swelling of the face and paws; depression; weakness; and difficulty in breathing and a condition called cyanosis, which is when a cat's gums and tongue turn a muddy color due to the lack of oxygen.

Cats are especially sensitive to acetaminophen toxicity because they don’t have enough of a specific enzyme that enables the body to metabolize the drug well and cats are typically more susceptible to red blood cell damage than certain other species of animals, said Dr. Louise Murray, director of medicine at the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital (BMAH) in New York.

In 2006, the APCC received more than 78,000 calls to its hotline involving common human drugs such as painkillers, cold medications, antidepressants and dietary supplements—a 69 percent increase over 2005.

Until more information is provided by the U. S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), the ASPCA urges pet parents to keep an eye out for any signs of illness in their pets, and also report any changes in dietary consumption or behavior to their veterinarian immediately. Those considering a home-cooked diet for their pets should do so in consultation with their veterinarian, or visit the ASPCA’s Web site for more information.

"Nver give any medication to your pet without first talking to your veterinarian, and always store potentially poisonous substances in a secure cabinet above the countertop and out of the reach of pets," said Dr. Hansen. "If you think your pet has ingested a poisonous substance, you should take her to your veterinarian immediately."

The ASPCA continues to monitor the pet food recall situation, and is providing regular updates and advice for pet parents, at its Pet Food Recall Resource Center at www.aspca.org/recall .

So the makers of Furminator sent me one of their deshedding tools to try out. It's supposed to reduce shedding up to to 90 percent.

So I put it to the test with my big hairy dog Tipper. I use one of those undercoat rakes on her and it does pretty well, but I have a friend who swears by her Furminator so I gave it a whirl.

It pulls the hair off and gets a lot off with one rake, but the teeth are so short that you only get one swipe before you have to clean it off. I can usually get several swipes with my longer-toothed undercoat rake.

The Furminator is kind of pricey too: $34.95 for a small comb. But I guess if it solves the problem, then it's worth the money.

So, what do you use to combat the tumbleweeds that roll around your house from your husky, akitas and collies?

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) was informed today, April 16, 2007, that Natural Balance Pet Foods has received consumer complaints regarding the Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food, and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Foods. The company does not know the cause of the problems, but has received reports of animals vomiting and experiencing kidney problems. Although the company is stating that the problems seem to be focused on one particular lot, as a precautionary measure, the company is pulling all dates of Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Food from the shelves.

The company is advising consumers to discontinue feeding all Venison and Brown Rice Dry Dog Food, and Venison and Green Pea Dry Cat Food.

The FDA is working closely with Natural Balance and is actively investigating this problem. There is no indication at this time whether this is related to the ongoing pet food recalls. For more information, please see the company's website