Today in “vaccines I didn’t know existed for dogs” (last time it was for Lyme disease): canine influenza. That’s right, you can get a flu shot for your dog. Pet website ZooToo takes a look at it. Apparently, dog flu is a thing. I have to say I’ve never heard of it, not the way I’ve heard about bird or even pig flus. The difference is that while those strains can pass to humans, canine influenza doesn’t. It’s basically just dogs getting the flu, in a particular strain that won’t infect us. So while we might have to worry about … Continue reading →

It can be tricky getting them to take their meds One of the latest health scares has been over a strain of meningitis that’s killed multiple people. According to WebMD, the meningitis originates from a compounding pharmacy in Massachusetts. Compounding is the practice of putting more than one type of medication in a pill, or basically changing the medication in some way from its original formula. How is this relevant for the pet owner? Compounding is a common practice in pet medications. Before you worry: the meningitis came from a human medication for back pain and it seems the authorities … Continue reading →

Remember that giant Diamond Pet foods recall from earlier in the year? It stretched from December through May, and covered a staggering variety of pet foods. It wasn’t just that hundreds of specific bags of pet food were affected, but also that so many different brands of kibble were all infected. I thought the story was finally over in May when it seemed like we’d heard the last of the recalls. I’m not writing today to inform you that another recall has been announced, but to update the story. At the time although some dogs were reported as coming down … Continue reading →

When I prepared my house for Hurricane Irene last year I gathered all of the essential supplies. I had a plan for how to evacuate with my pets in case it was necessary, although I really didn’t think the flooding would get that bad in my area. Still, I was prepared. Another thing I did while I still had my power and access to the Internet was to make sure that I had the local emergency veterinary services number written down. We all know what number to dial when we have a human medical emergency, but do we have that … Continue reading →

What is it with the same horrible stories recurring again? First all the dog food recalls and now those chicken jerky treats I first posted about in November are in the news again. Late last year the FDA issued a warning that they’d been receiving reports that chicken jerky treats manufactured in China were making some dogs sick. The details were muddied: no one brand could be identified as causing problems, the FDA had been receiving reports on and off for years about illness related to these types of treats, and only issued warnings when the number got high enough. … Continue reading →

Are you not sure if your pet is overweight? Have you had trouble getting your pet to lose weight, or do those last few pounds refuse to come off? If you have any of these problems, today’s article is for you. Dr. John Lupo from the Malibu Vet Clinic posted some advice about maintaining a healthy weight for your pets on his local patch.com, and we’re going to examine it today. The first thing is to determine whether or not your pet is overweight. Obviously a veterinarian can do this, but why wait to see the vet? There are ways … Continue reading →

I can’t believe I have to take to my keyboard again so soon on this issue, but here I am. More Salmonella-related recalls have been issued for dog food, and once again they’re from parent company Diamond Pet Foods. This is all just getting so confusing and ridiculous. The problem is that several brands with different names are all manufactured at the same plant, so it’s hard to keep track of what’s safe and what might be infected. Eleven different brands of pet food are all under a voluntary recall for potential Salmonella contamination. They are: Chicken Soup for the … Continue reading →

Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul: it conjures images of family, warm eyes and wet noses, and heartwarming stories about our furry family members. But right now it’s the opposite of wholesome; last week Diamond Pet Foods issued a recall of certain lots of their Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover’s Soul adult dog food due to a Salmonella infection. The information for the potentially affected bags is as follows, including production codes and expiration dates: * Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul 35 lb. CLF0102B31XCW 27/JAN/2013, CLF0102B32XWR 28/JAN/2013 * Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult … Continue reading →

In an old episode of “The Office,” Dwight puts his girlfriend Angela’s beloved cat in the freezer. He does so because the cat is ancient and has so many medical issues that it’s barely alive. Dwight lives on a farm, and as he tells a devastated Angela, “sometimes farm people have to do what city folk are too weak to.” Obviously Dwight’s actions on the show are horrible (and played for comedic effect), but they raise an interesting question: Dwight genuinely thought he was doing what was best for the cat and he did it in what he considered a … Continue reading →