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4 people in Ohio sick with salmonella from frozen ‘feeder rodents’ bought at PetSmart: Food and drug recalls   A national outbreak of salmonella infections related to frozen mice used as reptile food has sickened four people in Ohio. The Arctic Mice brand feeder rodents were sold in PetSmart stores nationwide and were distributed by Reptile Industries, Inc. of Naples, Fla. (Marvin Fong, The Plain Dealer)   By Brie Zeltner, The Plain Dealer on May 21, 2014 at 2:56 PM, updated May 21, 2014 at 4:28 PM 0 Reddit Email CLEVELAND, Ohio — Four people in Ohio and a total…

Pet Treat Mystery: More Dogs Dead, 3 People Sick, FDA Says By JoNel Aleccia     Pet jerky treats, mostly imported from China, are now linked to more than 1,000 deaths in dogs, more than 4,800 complaints about animal illness, and, for the first time, sickness in three people who ate the products, federal health officials said Friday. But Food and Drug Administration officials say they still can’t identify a specific cause for the reported illnesses or deaths, despite seven years of testing and investigation. “The agency continues to caution pet owners that jerky treats are not required for a balanced…

Lyme Disease Is Expanding Its Range Westward In 2014 by Susan E. Little, DVM, PhD, Cathy Lund, DVM and Emilio DeBess, DVM, MPVM Lyme disease is a notorious vector-borne illness that can cause disease in pets and people. Because this disease is zoonotic and is responsible for a wide array of clinical signs, it is helpful to understand the risks of disease transmission throughout the country. The CAPC Parasite Forecast Maps for 2014 predict that Lyme disease is expanding its range westward from the historic focus of the northeastern United States. New England and the Pacific Coast continue to be…

Important information from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). 13 animal emergencies that should receive immediate veterinary consultation and/or care Severe bleeding or bleeding that doesn’t stop within 5 minutes Choking, difficulty breathing or nonstop coughing and gagging Bleeding from nose, mouth, rectum, coughing up blood, or blood in urine Inability to urinate or pass feces (stool), or obvious pain associated with urinating or passing stool Injuries to your pet’s eye(s) You suspect or know your pet has eaten something poisonous (such as antifreeze, xylitol, chocolate, rodent poison, etc.) Seizures and/or staggering Fractured bones, severe lameness or inability to move…

  From the American Veterinary Medical Association Website: First Aid Tips for Pet Owners     What would you do if …your dog ate the bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips that was left out on the kitchen counter?  …your cat had a seizure right in front of you?  …your dog fell down the stairs and started limping?  …your cat was overheating on a hot summer day? To avoid the feelings of panic that may accompany these situations, we recommend the following steps to better prepare you for a pet medical emergency. The following links summarize the basics you need for…

Meet 5 Incredible ‘Bionic’ Pets With Prosthetic Limbs April 22, 2014 By LIZ NEPORENT Nora lost her back legs to an unknown trauma a few years ago. Her prosthetics do a good job protecting her back legs and allowing her to move naturally. Courtesy Mark Stevens/mstevensphoto.com   If the Six Million Dollar Man had a pet sidekick, it would probably be one of these incredible animals. While not exactly bionic, all of them were fitted with an artificial limb after an amputation. These resilient creatures prove that people aren’t the only ones who can benefit from amazing advances in prosthetic…

Americans are having dogs instead of babies   By Roberto A. Ferdman @robferdman April 10, 2014   What you get when you cross a Shih Tzu with a someone who doesn’t have kids yet. Reuters/Phil Noble   The fewer babies Americans give birth to, the more small dogs they seem to buy. +   Birth rates in the US have fallen from nearly 70 per 1,000 women in 2007, to under 63 last year—a 10% tumble. American women birthed almost 400,000 fewer little humans in 2013 than they did six years before. The drop-off has come exclusively among 15- to…

EPA: Some flea and tick collars pose danger to children 04/13/2014 | Philadelphia Inquirer, The An Environmental Protection Agency report warns that propoxur, a flea-killing chemical in flea collars marketed by Sergeant’s Pet Care Products and Wellmark International, is unsafe for children. However, the products can be distributed until two years from now, and retailers can continue to sell them after that until their stock is gone. Veterinary dermatologist Daniel Morris says there are safer products available and urges owners to consult with their veterinarian to determine the best approach.

Heartworm and Flea/Tick Prevention Plus $50 Rebate from Merial It is that time of year when all the nasty little bugs are waiting to attack your pets, sucking their blood and transmitting disease. It is a dangerous place out there, but there are things you can do to protect your pets against these diseases such as heartworm disease (transmitted by mosquitoes) using heartworm preventatives such as Heartgard Plus, and tick borne diseases such as Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, and Ehrlichiosis as well as flea infestations with Frontline Plus or the new oral flea/tick preventative Nexgard. With Nexgard there is no more…

Don’t know if this is true or not, but it is a great story……… ____________________________________________________ Someone in the Postal Service needs to be rewarded. We don’t know who replied, but there is a beautiful soul working in the dead letter department who understands LOVE…………………….. Our 14-year-old dog Abbey died last month. The day after she passed away my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought that we…