Holiday Nutrition For Our Pets

The holiday season is upon us and with it comes colder weather, more time spent indoors and decadent treats- for both people and their pets. But the holiday season also brings with it a more subtle menace in pet obesity.

Much like how we often think that any weight we may put on during the holiday season will be easily shed during the summer months we often hold the same belief for our pets. And also much like us, our pets don’t always lose all that weight they may have gained. It’s a trap that’s easy to fall into and one that is all too common. What many of us need to realize is that our pets are not the same as their human companions and that even a slight change in weight can be disastrous for their health. After all a 1lb gain on a 10lb dog is the equivalent of 10lb on a 100lb person. Even that may not seem like much until you add up all those winters where the weight was gained but never really lost. This is why it is so important to monitor how much we feed our pets- especially when their activity levels drop over the winter months.

Another important issue to be aware of is that during the holiday rush our pets may get into things we probably wish they wouldn’t. In the veterinary field we have heard countless stories of whole turkeys disappearing from the dinner table, the ham still wrapped in its plastic casing that has mysteriously gone missing and holiday candies that were left just in reach of the family pet. Although some of these items may result in nothing more than a fatty snack for our pets others could lead to serious medical issues requiring immediate medical attention. While accidents can and do happen, by being aware of the potential hazards we can dramatically reduce the chances of having to make an emergency trip to our local veterinarian over the holidays.

A Few Food Conversions:
(1) Oatmeal Cookie for a Dog = (1) Hamburger for a Human
(1 oz.) of Cheese for a Cat = (4) Chocolate Bars for a Human
(1) Potato Chip for a Cat = (1/2) a Hamburger for a Human
Read more...

November Is National Pet Cancer Awareness Month

Cancer affects the lives of millions of pets and owners each year.  To help better inform pet owners about the different types of cancers that may affect their pets and how to detect potential early signs of cancer VPI has declared November to be National Pet Cancer Awareness Month.

Pet Cancer Facts:
-Roughly 6 million new cancer diagnoses are made in dogs and a similar number made in cats each year
-Cancer in the pet population is a spontaneous disease often similar to cancer seen in humans; some examples include non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, prostate cancer, head and neck carcinoma, mammary carcinoma, melanoma, soft tissue sarcoma, and osteosarcoma.
-The Canine Genome Sequencing Project at the Broad Institute successfully mapped the genome of a boxer named Tasha in 2005. The map of the genome has been used to confirm that many of the same genes involved in dog cancers are also involved in human cancers.

Related Links:
VPI Pet Insurance
Animal Cancer Foundation
Read more...

Speedlinks October 2010

Your portal to the most interesting, absurd, and unbelievable animal stories in the news today.

Veterinarian says natural foods not always best for pets.

Man’s best friend keeps children on the move.

Wasps: Man's New Best Friend! -- Entomologists Train Insects to Act Like Sniffing Dogs
Read more...

F.D.A. Warns Against Purchasing Pet Medications Online

The United States Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.) has recently issued a consumer alert to pet owners, warning them about the dangers of buying discounted pet drugs online.

In particular, the F.D.A. is concerned with the sale of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), heartworm medications, and prescription pet food without a veterinarian’s written script.

NSAIDs should only be given after the veterinarian has physically examined your pet and blood tests have been run. Failing to do so could cause a variety of detrimental health issues for your pet one example of which is internal bleeding.

Heartworm medications should also only be given to a pet that has had a physical exam and a recent negative heartworm test result. It is important to remember to test for heartworm each year even if you give the heartworm preventative religiously due to the occasional occurrence of the preventative being ineffective. If heartworm medication is given to a dog that has the parasite severe health issues may occur. Remember it is always easier to prevent heartworm than it is to treat it.

Finally it is important to realize that many of the veterinary prescribed pet foods on the market are designed for pets with very specific dietary requirements. It is never recommended to feed these foods to any animal without a veterinarian’s permission as they have been specially formulated to meet your pet’s very specific health concerns.


_________________________________
Tips for purchasing your pet's drugs online:
1. Never purchase from an online pharmacy that says no prescription is required or that they will have their own in-house veterinarian review what medications your pet needs. In many cases your pet needs to receive a physical exam by your veterinarian and may require blood tests before starting these medications.

2. Order from a Web site that belongs to a Vet-VIPPS accredited pharmacy. Vet-VIPPS (Veterinary-Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites) is a voluntary accreditation program of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). NABP gives the Vet-VIPPS seal to online pharmacies that dispense prescription animal drugs and comply with NABP’s strict guidelines. It is important to note that Vet-VIPPS is a relatively new organization (formed in 2009) so there are currently only a few Vet-VIPPS accredited online pharmacies.

3. Mail your pet’s prescription provided by your veterinarian to the pharmacy after your pet receives a physical examination. While it may seem quicker to just fax a prescription or have approval given over the phone many veterinarians are hesitant to do so because of rampant fraud and the uncertainty of who they are actually speaking with.
Read more...

Today Is World Rabies Awareness Day

Rabies is a preventable but fatal disease that affects the nervous system of mammals. It is spread through contact with the blood or saliva of an infected animal and can be found worldwide. While most rabies cases reported in the US are from wild animals such raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes the disease can also affect domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, cattle, horses and sheep. The fact that our pets can catch the disease and potentially pass it to us is one of a multitude of reasons why it is so important to keep our pets up to date on their rabies vaccinations.

Although the whole month of September is generally dedicated to raising rabies awareness worldwide the official date of observance is not until the 28th of the month.. If interested you can find further information about the disease and how it's spread can be prevented  by checking out the World Rabies Day Website. Read more...