FindAVet.us - News
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
At least three dogs in Spokane, Wash., have recently died from eating meatballs poisoned with strychnine. According to KOMOnews.com, investigators believe two of the dogs died when they ate meatballs that had been thrown over a fence into their backyard.
Several more meatballs were found on neighborhood streets. Their blue-green tint indicated they contained rat poison, which causes an animal’s organs to hemorrage. The Humane Society of the United States is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the poisonings.
The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center offers the following tips for protecting your pets from malicious poisoning. (more…)
Tags: ASPCA Poison Control Center, dog poisoning, poisoned meatballs, rat poison, Spokane, strychnine
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Wednesday, February 10th, 2010
Today Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI), the oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance in the U.S., announced the top 10 medical conditions of dogs and cats in 2009, based on claims the company received last year.
The following were the top 10 medical conditions reported for dogs: (more…)
Tags: arthritis, benign tumor, bladder infection, diarrhea, dog medical conditions, dog vitamins, ear infection, enteritis, eye infection, gastritis, hot spots, non-cancerous tumor, pet insurance, skin allergy, skin infection, soft tissue trauma, veterinarian, vomiting
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Monday, February 8th, 2010
Last month the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved Oncept, a new canine melanoma vaccine that will help extend the lives of dogs with oral melanoma.
“The approval of Oncept is a milestone in the cancer vaccine field and a significant advancement for our DNA delivery technology platform,” said Vijay B. Samant in a press release. Samant is president and chief executive officer of Vical Inc., the company that developed the vaccine. “Oncept is to our knowledge the only therapeutic vaccine approved, and we believe this achievement is a major step toward the initial approvals of therapeutic vaccines for humans.” (more…)
Tags: cancer, cancer vaccine, canine cancer, canine melanoma, dog cancer, Oncept, oral cancer, oral melanoma
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Monday, February 1st, 2010
Veterinarians in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia are now required to report possible cases of animal abuse, neglect and cruelty under changes to the Animal Protection Act, reports the ChronicleHerald. The law is similar to the one that requires doctors to report suspected cases of child abuse.
Prior to the changes in the law, pets were considered “personal information” of the owners, and thusly regarded as private. As a result, veterinarians may have had to risk court reprisals from owners, said Kristin Williams, executive director of the Nova Scotia SPCA. “This is a much-needed, much-improved part of the legislation,” she continued.
(more…)
Tags: animal abuse, Animal Protection Act, Canada, Kristin Williams, Nova Scotia SPCA
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Friday, January 22nd, 2010
VCA Animal Hospitals has announced that hospitals located near the northeastern Los Angeles areas of La Crescenta, Glendale, La Canada Flintridge and Altadena are offering free boarding for companion animals whose families are being evacuated or displaced from their homes as a result of the current rainstorms and the extensive flooding.
“For the more than 1,200 residents facing mandatory evacuations or potential loss of their homes, VCA is committed to help by providing free boarding for their pets so they can focus their efforts on managing personal and family issues,” said Art Antin, Chief Operating Officer of VCA Animal Hospitals. “VCA wants everyone affected to know that during this difficult time, they have this free boarding option to keep their pets safe.”
VCA Animal Hospitals located in Los Angeles near the affected communities can provide a safe and secure environment for pets at this time on a space available basis for as long as the mandatory evacuations and flooding persists. Boarding assistance for pets is based on space availability at participating hospitals and owners can call their local VCA in advance to ensure that the facility has space available to accept additional pets.
To locate a hospital near you, go here.
All pet parents should have an emergency plan in place that sees to their pet’s welfare. Preparations should be taken no matter the possible emergency, whether a natural disaster or otherwise. Having a plan that includes both your family and pet, will save you and your pet much unnecessary stress and anxiety.
Tags: dog boarding, dogs displaced by storms, evacuation, flooding, free dog boarding, rain, rainstorms, socal rainstorms, southern california rainstorms, VCA Animal Hospitals
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Friday, January 8th, 2010
The year 2009 was filled with news stories about dog health, including advances in stem-cell research, a vaccination that prevented the canine flu, and the release of the first drug to fight cancer in dogs.
The following were the 10 most popular stories of the year on FindAVet: (more…)
Tags: 2009, anal glands, canine influenza virus, canine influenza virus vaccine, CIV, dog breast cancer, dog cancer, H1N1, mast cell tumors, Mike Zareski, osteoarthritis, paw care, stem cells, swine flu, TCC, transitional cell carcinoma
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Thursday, January 7th, 2010
Wendy Brown, a scientist in Armidale, Australia, has recently published a study that found dogs are able to thrive on a meat-free diet. Dr. Brown and her team studied the health and performance of Siberian Huskies during a 10-week racing period and concluded that the dogs performed just as well on a vegetarian diet as they did on a traditional meat-based diet. (more…)
Tags: Armidale, Australia, vegetarianism, Wendy Brown
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Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
‘Tis the season not only to be jolly, but to also make sure your dog is safe from holiday hazards. The American Kennel Club (AKC) offers the following tips to ensure your pooch has a safe holiday season.
Stick as closely as possible to your normal routine. Try not to vary your dog’s feeding, walking and playtime schedule.
Don’t feed your dog scraps from the table. Cookies and pies, macaroni salads and stuffing, potato chips and fancy hors d’oeuvres are inappropriate foods for dogs and may make them sick. (See Thanksgiving Safety Tips for Pets for more food safety recommendations.) (more…)
Tags: AKC, American Kennel Club, Christmas, holiday, holly, mistletoe, poinsettia, safety
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Monday, November 23rd, 2009
To ensure that both people and pets have a happy and safe Thanksgiving, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA) offers the following tips:
Never give your pets leftover bones. Cooked bones splinter and can be fatal to pets!
Turkey and gravy make a festive feast for humans but not for pets. Turkey skin and gravy are too fatty, and long-term ingestion could cause pancreatitis.
Chocolate is a great treat, but not for your pet. It could make them very sick.
If you are serving a turkey, discard leftover bones and bits in a plastic bag, tie securely, and dispose in an outside dumpster with a secure lid to avoid stray animals from accessing them and becoming ill.
In addition to being microchipped, dogs and cats should always wear I.D. tags with your current address and/or phone number. This is important throughout the year, but especially during the holidays as there may be a greater risk of your pet escaping due to increased visitors.
Are you having more guests than your pets are accustomed to? Secure your pets in a separate room with favorite toys and a cozy pet bed. Play soft music to help them relax. Pets that have their own room will feel safer, less stressed and won’t be able to accidentally escape out the front door.
Tags: bones, chocolate, I.D. tag, microchip, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, spcaLA, Thanksgiving, turkey
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