Jerky Treats - Kidney Disease

Alert: Jerky treats possibly associated with kidney disease in dogs in Canada
www.avma.org
June 22, 2011

Background:

In September 2007, the AVMA issued an alert that stated we had been receiving calls from veterinarians reporting Fanconi syndrome-like disease in dogs that appeared to be associated with the consumption of chicken jerky treats made in China. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was alerted and investigated the complaints, but testing of the products did not identify any toxins or contaminants. The AVMA continued to receive occasional reports of suspected cases through February 2009.

On June 15, 2011, the AVMA received notification from the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) that they have received reports that mirror the cases reported in 2007. The AVMA issued an alert to its members on June 16, informing them of the situation in Canada and recommending vigilance for any suspected cases in the U.S. The AVMA also issued an alert on June 17 to the state veterinary medical associations and allied organizations represented in the AVMA House of Delegates.

The information below is what we currently do and do not know about this situation. We will update this page as more information becomes available.

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Tips for Take Your Dog to Work Day 6/24/11

OrlandoSentinel.com

If you’re planning to participate in Take Your Dog to Work Day on Friday, June 24, or if you plan to take your pet to work any other time, you might want to consider some suggestions from the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters.

“The unfamiliar office environment can place stress on pets, and introduce them to allergens, diseases, fleas and ticks from other four-legged visitors,” said NAPPS president John D’Ariano. “In light of these potential safety threats, the pet’s well-being should be carefully considered before placing him in the office setting.”
Here’s a checklist from NAPPS:

Is your pet prepared for the commute to work? Consult with your veterinarian or a professional pet sitter about anxiety-relieving tactics and medicine if necessary.

Is your dog likely to bark when placed in a new situation? Consider how your pet will react to new faces and other dogs in the workplace, and identify a safe place to retreat should the environment become hectic.

Show courtesy to your coworkers by asking if they have allergies before the event.

Create a plan for feeding, walking and relieving your pet throughout the day.

Make sure your pet is up-to-date on vaccinations, flea and tick treatments before entering the office.

Keep your pet away from other pets’ water bowls, because this can spread illness and disease.

Identify a coworker willing to care for your pet should you be called into an extended meeting or phone call.

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Tips for Adopting Shelter Dogs

(CNN) -- The shelter dog is often perceived as unpredictable and inferior to one that is bought from a pricey breeder or a pet store. The thought of giving a home to a dog with an unknown history also puts many people off. But while some dogs are relinquished to shelters because of problem behavior, most are surrendered because of a change in the family situation.

Shelters can be overwhelming places to visit, so give yourself time when going through the adoption process and make decisions with your head as well as your heart.

Because stress levels can be high in such an environment, dogs tend to exhibit behavior that does not reflect their true personality. Don't be put off by a dog that stays at the back of the kennel too tired or nervous to greet you, or by the dog that leaps at the kennel door like a lunatic as you walk past. Remember these dogs may behave very differently once out of confinement. Read the entire article

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How to Calm a Dog Afraid of Fireworks

Usually being afraid of fireworks means the dog is afraid of other loud sounds, such as thunder, drill saws and even vacuum cleaners. Dogs who were never afraid of sounds before can suddenly become sound sensitive as they grow older.

There are three steps to do now to calm a dog afraid of fireworks.

Desensitize at least a week prior to fireworks. Pair good things with sound sensitivities.

Use calming tools such as music, a thundershirt and a safe place.

Dogs intensely afraid of fireworks and other loud sounds may have had a bad experience connected to the sound, are highly sensitive or view the sound as a part of the environment to fear.

Stress signals include panting, trying to escape, pacing, drooling, hiding, tail tucked, head down and even irritability. Read the entire article

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June 24 - Take Your Dog to Work Day!

Pet Sitters International’s Take Your Dog To Work Day® is right around the corner on June 24. Businesses across the country will open their doors to employees’ furry, four-legged best friends to celebrate the great companions dogs make and to promote pet adoption. Pet Sitters International (PSI), event creator, and 2011 event partner the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) provide pet owners seven tips to ensure a successful office visit: Read the entire article

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Teaching Your Dog to Swim

By Mike Celizic

There are certain things we assume dogs know by instinct. Sniffing, for instance, sometimes in embarrassing places. Barking, too, and begging for food scraps are also downloaded onto dogs’ internal computers at the factory.

Then there’s swimming. It seems so integral to being a dog that we’ve even named a stroke after them, the dog-paddle — so you’d assume that’s another thing that every dog is born knowing how to do.

It turns out that you’d be wrong. Read the entire article

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Dogs can instinctively sense a friendly face

It is what many dog owners have long suspected – their pets can read their personalities and know instinctively who is more likely to be friendly or give them a treat. Read the entire article

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How Dogs Think and Learn

Canine Connection: Study Explores How Dogs Think and Learn About Human Behavior

ScienceDaily (June 9, 2011) — Dog owners often attest to their canine companion's seeming ability to read their minds. How do dogs they learn to beg for food or behave badly primarily when we're not looking? According to Monique Udell and her team, from the University of Florida in the US, the way that dogs come to respond to the level of people's attentiveness tells us something about the ways dogs think and learn about human behavior. Their research, published online in Springer's journalLearning & Behavior, suggests it is down to a combination of specific cues, context and previous experience. Read the entire article

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Suit Alleges Heartgard Cover Up

The maker of Heartgard Plus, a heartworm drug used by millions of dog owners, "extortionately fired" its head of "global head of pharmacovigilance" after she refused to destroy documents questioning the drug's effectiveness, the Ph.D. claims in federal court.

In her suit against Merial LLC, the animal drug division of Sanofi Aventis, Dr. Kari Blaho-Owens says that she was hired in 2006 after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expressed concern about reports of Heartgard Plus being ineffective in preventing heartworm in dogs.

Blaho-Owens said that after reviewing the situation, she became aware that Merial had known of the problem since at least 2002 but had done nothing to update its labeling to specify that Heartgard Plus was not 100 percent effective in preventing heartworm.

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Pig Ear Recall

Contact:
866.922.9222
www.bravorawdiet.com

Media:David Bogner
Phone: 866.922.9222

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 3, 2011 – Bravo! is voluntarily recalling select boxes of Bravo! Pig Ears Chews because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. The products affected by this recall includes only Bravo! 50 ct bulk Oven roasted Pig Ears Product Code: 75-121 Lot # 12-06-10.

Salmonella can affect animals and there is a risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the chews or any other surfaces exposed to these products.

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Dominance Aggression

By: Sophia Yin, DVM

Do you have a dog that you think has dominance aggression? A dog who's confident and aggressive over many types of resources? As the top dog, he's outgoing and rarely shows fear postures or what one might call "apologetic" behavior. One moment he's as charming as a Casanova on a first date. The next minute he's throwing more barks and bites than Mike Tyson at a pre-fight press conference. If so, read on

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