Several important animal news items hit the wires this past
week. One of them, relating to the current swine flu crisis, hits
very close to home for pet owners. A family cat in Iowa recently
tested positive for the H1N1 virus. It seems that several family
members had been ill, but then the cat showed respiratory symptoms.
A lab test confirmed that the family feline had swine flu.
Several important animal news items hit the wires this past week. One of them, relating to the current swine flu crisis, hits very close to home for pet owners. A family cat in Iowa recently tested positive for the H1N1 virus. It seems that several family members had been ill, but then the cat showed respiratory symptoms. A lab test confirmed that the family feline had swine flu. You can read all about this on the South Valley Pets Blog at www.gilroydispatch.com. Click on South Valley Pets Blog under the Lifestyle tab.
No one knows at this point what all this means. Can all cats easily become infected, or is this just an aberration? We do know that any virus has the ability to mutate. Has the H1N1 done this and now become more infective? Or is this just a fluke occurrence? We just don’t know. Stay tuned and watch our blog. We’ll share any new details as they become available.
Meanwhile, what precautions should we take? First, use common sense if you feel sick. Wash your hands thoroughly before you handle your pet’s food. And if you’re used to having that favorite furry friend in bed with you at night, think about a change in plans while you’re under the weather. You just might “give” this bug to him if he’s right there with you in the sack. We really don’t know if this bug is going to easily infect other pets. But we do recommend that you don’t take any chances.
At the same time, here’s news about another pet food recall. And once again, it’s obvious that as pet owners, we have to be careful what we feed our companions. Not only that, this latest recall is about a product that can make both our pets AND us ill. Here’s the press release from the FDA …
“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is issuing this health alert to warn consumers not to use Pig Ears and Beef Hooves pet treats manufactured by Pet Carousel because the products may be contaminated with salmonella. The products were distributed nationwide in both bulk and retail packaging for sale in pet food and retail chain stores. Pet Carousel is based in Sanger.
“The products were manufactured under conditions that facilitate cross-contamination within batches or lots. Although no illnesses associated with these products have been reported, the FDA is advising consumers in possession of these products to not handle or feed them to their pets.
“The affected pig ear products were packaged under the brand names Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel. The affected beef hooves were packaged under the brand names Choo Hooves, Dentley’s, Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel. All sizes and all lots of these products made by Pet Carousel are included in this alert.
“Salmonella can affect both humans and animals. People handling dry pet food and/or pet treats can become infected with salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the treats or any surfaces exposed to these products. Consumers should dispose of these products in a safe manner by securing them in a covered trash receptacle.”
So at the risk of repeating, I’ll remind everyone to watch our blog. We’ll keep you updated on all these news items as they evolve.
Q:
I have a Yorkshire terrier mix and I think he swallowed the stone from a plum. He hasn’t choked on it, so will he be OK as long as a blockage does not occur?
A:
This is a great question because lots of dogs swallow the pit (or stone) of fruit. In most cases, this presents little problem. As the saying goes, “This, too, shall pass.” Truth is, there are probably a lot of dogs that eat stone fruits and swallow the pit unnoticed.
Still, there is always the risk of an intestinal blockage. So our best advice is to keep dogs away from any peaches, apricots or cherries that may fall from the tree. But if your dog does have a little fruity treat, watch for the signs of an intestinal upset. If he or she shows any signs of inappetance or indigestion, schedule a visit to the vet right away.
