Update - peanut butter recall

More pet products added to the pet food recall related to Salmonella in peanut butter.

FDA press release

Original blog post

FDA Alert - Chicken Jerky Dog Treats

Way back in September of 2007 the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine issued an alert warning consumers about a possible link between chicken jerky treats and illness in dogs. They re-issued the warning back in December of 2008, so they must still be getting complaints. It looks like the treats (also called 'tenders' or 'strips') are made in China, and the first outbreaks were seen in Australia. Despite extensive testing by the FDA and other labs, no definitive cause for the illness has been found.

No specific brands are listed, so we can't tell you which products are involved. It might be best to avoid all 'chicken jerky' products.

Here's the links:

The 2007 FDA press release
The 2008 FDA update
The main FDA CVM site

Dog fish

We saw a great case the other day. At first it didn't seem so great; a little dog had a fish hook caught in it's foot! Strangely, he didn't seem very upset about it.

Turns out the hook was only caught in the dog's fur! Hooray! A little shaved hair and he was as good as new.

It also gives new meaning to the term "dogfish."

Pet Names

This is a neat article at msnbc.com about pet names. It lists the top 10 dog and cat names for 2008, as listed with Veterinary Pet Insurance. They also listed the most unusual names.

Here's the top three in each category:

Most Popular Dog Names:

1. Max
2. Bailey
3. Bella

Most Popular Cat Names:

1. Max
2. Chloe
3. Tigger

Most Unusual Dog Names:

1. Rush Limbark
2. Sirius Lee Handsome
3. Rafikikadiki

Most Unusual Cat Names:

1. Edward Scissorpaws
2. Sir Lix-a-lot
3. Optimus Prrime

Here's the link to the complete article.

Internet Scare Tactics

Recently, one of the Doctors at TVEC got an email that said "Careful! If you use Swiffer WetJets it will poison your dog!" It goes on to say that the product causes liver failure.

If you use the product correctly, this is completely false.

This reminds us of all of the other erroneous emails we've received (usually multiple times). And it's a good reminder that the Internet and email are not always reliable sources of information. There are some good places for information, like the National Animal Poison Control Center. They even have a specific press release related to the Swiffer situation and information on many other products, plants, etc.

Remember, the best source for pet information is your local veterinarian. Ask them what websites they recommend, and ask them about any information you find on the 'Net.

Pet products recalled

PetSmart announced that they were voluntarily recalling some of their products due to possible Salmonella contamination associated with peanut products. Make sure to check your shelves, and if you have any of the 'Grreat Choice' dog biscuits or 'Healthy-hide' peanut butter treats, stop using them and contact PetSmart.

Here's PetSmart's website for full information.

Here's the story on CNN.

According to the CNN story, Dr. Stephen Sundloff of the FDA says:

"...the risk to animals is minimal but that people who handle contaminated treats could come in contact with the salmonella bacteria."

"It's especially important that children wash their hands after feeding treats to pets" because the bacteria could be on the surface, Sundlof said.

Sundlof said dogs aren't immune to salmonella and in some cases could get sick. They may be lethargic or get bloody diarrhea. On the other hand, they may never show symptoms at all but could still carry the bacteria.

As always, TVEC is here if you have any questions or concerns.

A simple laceration...

"Izzi" is definitely in the running for "Cutest Dog Ever." (She's the one in the Steelers collar!) She's a terrier mix, just over a year old. One day, she was playing outside, minding her own business. When she came back inside, her owners noticed that she had a wound on the side of her chest. They quickly took her to the veterinarian, where an exam and x-rays indicated that this was a simple, superficial laceration. Izzi went home after the laceration was treated.
But that wasn't the end of the story. Izzi began to feel worse over the next few days. Eventually, we determined that the "superficial" laceration was actually a deep puncture wound, probably a stick. The object had penetrated into her chest, through the diagphragm, into the abdomen, piercing the small intestine, pancreas, and spleen! She had a serious infection in her abdomen, and we weren't sure she would make it.
It's a credit to Izzi's courage and good nature that she was able to survive. It took hard work by the surgery team, excellent nursing care, and some pretty dedicated owners to pull her through. After 4 days in the hospital, Izzi went home to continue her recovery. No more running into sticks, Izzi!

Lessons learned:

• Don't run into sticks.
• Things are not always as they seem.
• It's amazing how much damage can be present internally, with only minimal external damage. Even experienced veterinarians sometimes cannot initially tell how extensive is the damage.
• It's amazing how much damage dogs, especially young dogs, can suffer and come through with flying colors.
• With surgery and intensive care, great things are possible.
  
• Similar incidents happen in people
  

Bye, Alison!

Today was Alison's last day. She decided that she wanted to move back to the Northwest to be closer to her family. While we understand the motivation, we're sorry to see her go. Good luck, Alison! Stay in touch!

Welcome!

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