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From the AVMA Pet Health SmartBrief.   Watch out for leptospirosis BY DENISE M. BARAN-UNLAND Correspondent Does Star have a vomiting problem? Sue Kiefer of Shorewood was out of town when her daughter telephoned with this question, concerned that Kiefer’s 9-year-old, seemingly healthy Boston terrier hadn’t retained food over the last 24 hours. So Kiefer’s daughter took Star to Dr. Heather Stopinski at Caton Crossing Animal Hospital in Plainfield. Soon afterward, Kiefer received troubling phone call No. 2. Star’s woes might be leptospirosis.   “What is that?” Kiefer said, baffled. Leptospirosis is an often-fatal contagious bacterial infection transmitted by livestock…

P&G Voluntarily Recalls Limited Quantity of Dry Pet Food Due to Possible Health Risk   Category: P&G Corporate Announcements   Wednesday, August 14, 2013 6:25 pm EDT   CINCINNATI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) has voluntarily recalled specific lots of dry pet food because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. These lots were distributed in the United States and represent roughly one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) of annual production. No Salmonella-related illnesses have been reported to date in association with these product lots. Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans…

Flulike bacteria sickens people and pets alike   Leptospirosis risks grow after heavy rain; disease easily spreads   BY TANYA IRWIN BLADE STAFF WRITER       Linda Pittman and her eight-year-old Fell terrier Molly was diagnosed with leptospirosis, a bacterial infection that can cause flulike symptoms and affects the liver and kidneys. Ms. Pittman’s other two dogs have not tested positive for the illness.       Linda Pittman’s dog Molly is being treated for leptospirosis, a bacterial disease that affects both animals and humans. The disease, commonly known as lepto, is more prevalent this year because of the rain….

Lost and Found: Microchips Can Be Key to Recovering Missing Pets Posted: 08/12/2013 8:17 pm Last weekend Wellington, my 9-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, provided me with a somber reminder of why it is so important that we provide our pets with some type of identification. In the midst of a furniture delivery he decided to take a walk on his own. By the time we noticed that Wellington had gone missing he was nowhere to be seen. With my heart in my throat I ran down our driveway, only to find one of my neighbors walking a contrite-looking Welly…

As if we didn’t have enough to worry about already! Asian Tiger Mosquito Could Spread U.S. Disease   Present in more than half of states, the bloodthirsty parasite transmits a host of viruses   WebMD News from HealthDay       By Alan Mozes   HealthDay Reporter   FRIDAY, Aug. 9 (HealthDay News) — What’s striped black-and-white, packs a nasty bite and is a tireless spreader of disease? No, it’s not a B-movie horror creature — it’s the Asian tiger mosquito. And though a relative newcomer to the American scene, experts now warn that this intruder is starting to create…

Yawn and Your Dog Yawns With You   Contagious yawning between owners and their dogs may be a sign of social bonding, experts say   By Brenda Goodman HealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, Aug. 8 (HealthDay News) — Yawn in the presence of your pooch and they’re likely to yawn right back at you, a new study shows. The research, a series of carefully controlled experiments with 25 dogs of different breeds, confirms that dogs are more likely to “catch” their owner’s yawns than a stranger’s and more likely to respond to real yawns as opposed to fake ones. Fake yawns involve…

Dogs with long and low body types at much higher risk for slipped discs Researchers at The Royal Veterinary College recently published the results of their study to examine the correlation between dog body shape and the occurrence of slipped discs. After examining 700 dogs – 79 of which developed slipped discs in their backs – the researchers were able to determine that having a longer and lower body shape dramatically increased dogs’ risk of slipped discs, they reported in the journal PLOS ONE. Other risk-increasing factors included obesity and small body size, although a few breeds (Jack Russell terriers…

Homemade dog food recipes can be risky business, study finds Jul 24, 2013 When it comes to canine cuisine, home cooking may not be all it’s cracked up to be, reports a team of researchers at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. In what is thought to be the largest ever nutritional evaluation of recipes for home-prepared dog foods, the researchers found that very few of 200 recipes analyzed provided all of the essential nutrients in amounts adequate for meeting established canine health standards. Findings from the study appear in the June issue of the Journal of…

Cat allergy discovery promises new treatments   New research led by the University of Cambridge in the UK has discovered the reason for the extreme immune reaction in some people who are allergic to cats. A study published online this week in the Journal of Immunology explains how the cat allergen Fel d 1 triggers an immune receptor that is also involved in allergic responses to dust mites.    Lead author Dr. Clare Bryant, from Cambridge’s Department of Veterinary Medicine, told the press: “We are hopeful that our research will lead to new and improved treatments for cat and possibly…

Traveling with Your Pet Useful information from the AVMA. Q: What should I think about when deciding to travel with my pet? A: There are numerous considerations you should take into account: Make sure your pet is comfortable with travel Some pets cannot handle travel because of illness, injury, age or temperament. If your pet is not good with travel, you should consider a reliable pet-sitter or talk to your veterinarian about boarding facilities in your area. Make sure your pet has identification tags with up-to-date information. Having your pet implanted with a microchip can improve your chances of getting…