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From the Pet Health Network…. When To Bring Your Dog to the ER Dr. Justine Lee, DVM, DAVCECC, DABT Dr. Justine Lee discusses when it’s a good idea to take your dog the the emergency veterinarian… and when it’s not. Alright, raise your hand if you don’t mind getting up at 2 A.M. to bring your dog in to the emergency veterinarian. Didn’t think so. Often times, as a pet owner, it’s hard to know whether your dog’s condition is a true medical emergency or not… or more importantly, if it warrants getting up in the middle of the night…

From Dr. Justine Lee….. Do you know April is National Pet First Aid Awareness Month? If you don’t have a first aid kit for your household, now is the time to remember to get one! If you already have a first aid kit around, bravo! You can use this for your two-legged and four-legged members in your household. Keep in mind, however, that while human first aid kits are typically sufficient, they may not have everything that you need specifically tailored for your dog or cat. For a good pet first aid kit, check out the American Red Cross’s recommendations…

Natura Pet Foods Expands Their Pet Food Recall! From the FDA…… Natura Pet Expands Voluntary Recall of Dry Pet Foods Due to Possible Health Risk Contact Consumers: (800)224-6123 www.naturapet.com Media: Jason Taylor (513)622-3205 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 29, 2013 – Natura Pet Products is voluntarily expanding its recall of dry pet food because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No Salmonella-related illnesses have been confirmed to date. Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having…

The Death Penalty for Famous Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil Some tongue in cheek news…….. Ohio Prosecutor Seeks Death Penalty for Famous Groundhog Should Punxsutawney Phil pay the ultimate price for predicting an early spring? By Laura Blum March 21, 2013 Groundhog Club co-handler Ron Ploucha holds Punxsutawney Phil after the club said Phil did not see his shadow and there will be an early spring, on Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, 2013, in Punxsutawney, Pa. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic) Six weeks after weather-predicting groundhog Punxsutawney Phil signaled that spring would arrive early, much of the country remains in the throes of winter, with…

Natura Pet Issues Voluntary Recall of Specialized Dry Pet Foods Due to Possible Health Risk   Contact Consumer 800-224-6123 Media Jason Taylor 513-622-3205 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -March 18, 2013 – Natura Pet Products is voluntarily recalling specific lots of dry pet food because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. No Salmonella-related illnesses have been reported. Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products. Healthy people…

Top 10 Safest Cars for Your Pets Very interesting article from Edmunds.com. Pet safety for furry passengers has been a popular news topic over the past year, with New Jersey considering mandatory seat belts for dogs and cats, and Subaru partnering with the Center for Pet Safety to fund testing of car safety restraints for pets. Now Edmunds.com, a site that provides consumers with automotive information and shopping advice, has released its list of the 10 safest vehicles for pets. The vehicles on the list have pet-friendly features and are all priced starting below $35,000, said Edmunds.com Automotive Content Editor Warren Clarke….

The Top Pet Toxins of 2012 From the ASPCA…. What’s Poisoning Our Pets: The Top Pet Toxins of 2012 Thursday, March 14, 2013 – In 2012, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) in Urbana, Illinois, handled more than 180,000 cases about pets possibly exposed to poisonous substances—and some breeds seemed to make up a lot more of those calls than others. Nearly 14,000 of APCC’s 2012 calls were from worried pet parents of Labradors. Domestic shorthair cats were involved in approximately 10,000 cases (the second-most popular breed involved in APCC calls). Mixed-breed dogs (8,000 cases), Chihuahuas (4,833 cases), Golden…

The dangers of rat poison to dogs and cats When purging your home of pests, keep your pets in mind Posted May 04, 2012 in Pet Health Most of us will agree: rats are the most repugnant of pests, especially when they rival the size of our cats. However, if you find yourself scrambling to stifle a rat infestation by using poison, you’ll need to be extra careful with your pets. There are a number of chemicals commonly found in rat and mouse poisons that are very toxic to dogs and cats. One of those chemicals is bromethalin, which kills…

Pet Talk: Your home could be housing a whole host of pet toxins By Monique Balas, Special to The Oregonian We think that our indoor pets are safe from predators, cars and disease, but our homes may be exposing our pets – and ourselves – to risks of a different realm. Everything from the mattresses we sleep on to the motes of dust on the shelves may contain flame retardants or other chemicals, says Laurel Standley, an environmental consultant and author of “#ToxinsTweet: 140 Easy Tips to Reduce Your Family’s Exposure to Environmental Toxins.” Standley began studying the effects of…

Do Dogs (and other pets) Go to Heaven? I had written a blog some time ago, 9/18/11 (http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6018430237930848742#editor/target=post;postID=7795776760108965644), where I posted an article I had written about the question whether animals have souls. Father Murphy and I held a conversation about it and although we “disagreed” he gave me a very thoughtful and respectful answer. The blog/story had generated interest, being picked up by the Chicago Catholic News and other sites. It is a very interesting question and through the years I have heard a multitude of opinions and explanations. I now have an “update of sorts” and it addresses…