Daily Paws

Pet news, tips, entertainment and opinions from VetLocator.com

Archive for the ‘Emergency dog care’ Category

URGENT: 3 Dog & Cat Food Brands Recalled for Salmonella

Friday, February 7th, 2014

Pro-Pet LLC Recalls a Limited Number of Dry Dog and Cat Foods Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination – No illnesses have been reported, this is a precautionary alert!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – February 5, 2014 – Pro-Pet LLC, St. Marys, Ohio, has initiated a voluntary recall of a limited number of Dry Dog and Cat Foods for possible Salmonella contamination. A single field test indicated products manufactured during a two day period, on a single production line may have the potential for Salmonella contamination. Pro-Pet LLC is voluntarily recalling the potentially impacted products made during this timeframe. There have been no reports of illness related to this product to date.

Salmonella can affect animals eating the products and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the products or any surfaces exposed to these products.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

 

Product Best By Lot Code UPC Number
40 lb Hubbard Life Happy Hound Dog Food 05 06 14 096 13 SM L2 2A 1219033878
40 lb Hubbard Life Happy Hound Dog Food 05 06 14 096 13 SM L2 1A 1219033878
18 lb Hubbard Life Cat Stars Cat Food 05 06 14 096 13 SM L2 1A 1219033873
40 lb Hubbard Life Maintenance Dog Food 05 06 14 096 13 SM L2 2A 1219033875
15 lb Joy Combo Cat Food 05 06 14 096 13 SM L2 1A 7065407721
40 lb Joy Combo Cat Food 05 06 14 096 13 SM L2 1A 7065407713
40 lb Joy Combo Cat Food 05 06 14 096 13 SM L2 2A 7065407713
20 lb QC Plus Adult Dog Food 05 07 14 097 13 SM L2 2A 2351780103
40 lb QC Plus Adult Dog Food 05 07 14 097 13 SM L2 2A 2351780104
40 lb QC Plus Adult Dog Food 05 07 14 097 13 SM L2 1A 2351780104

 

These products were distributed through select retailers, distributors and on-line consumer purchases in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia

No other products/lot numbers are affected by this recall.

Customers should immediately discontinue use of any impacted product and contact Pro-Pet at 1-888-765-4190 for disposition.

For more information on the recall, customers can contact the customer service line for Pro-Pet at 1-888-765-4190. Customer service representatives will be available Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm CT.

For more information and recalled product photos, check FDA website.

If you don’t know where it came from…………don’t give it to your pet!!

Wednesday, September 26th, 2012

The horror of the China melamine pet food tragedy a few years ago is all too fresh in many folks memories.  For those of you who aren’t quite clear on the details, ‘protein’ imported from China and used as an ingredient in locally manufactured pet food contained melamine rather than protein – a substitution that ultimatley cost many pet’s their lives or their health, and cost their owners so much more, including expensive veterinary bills, damanged or dead pets and questions that were finally answered after way too many pets had died.

Pet products from China have been behind other pet health problems, especially jerky treats.  Recently the Food and Drug Administration issued an update to its ongoing investigation of animal illnesses linked to jerky pet treats.  To date the FDA has a reported 22,200 pet illnesses related to these treats, many resulting in kidney disease in dogs.

So how to keep your pet safe from becoming a victim?

  • Know where the treat originates from.  Eliminate imported jerky treats.  Better safe than very sorry!!
  • If you cannot find US produced treats your pet will eat make your own.
  • Always keep an eye on your pet for any unusual signs that could signal a problem:  loss of appetite, listlesness, vomiting, diarrhea, unusually thirsty, etc.  You know your pet and you know what is unusual. 
  • If you feel something is not right, stop the treats and get your pet to the vet.  You can take a stool and urine sample to help the vet determine what is going on.
  • It is better to be safe and better to visit the vet than wait to see what happens when your pet is ill.

 

Pet Safety Infographic: Pet Fire Safety

Wednesday, September 12th, 2012

Featured By: The ComplianceAndSafety Blog

Petiquette & pet safety tips for the 4th of July

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2012

Today is going to be a great evening of bar-b-ques, fireworks and get-togethers.

We hope you and your friends and family have a wonderful time, but want to remind you to make sure your pets are safely tucked away before all the noise begins. 

In the event that you and your pets are able to accept holiday invites together too we thought we’d share some petiquette tips you might find handy.

1.  The very first thing you’ll want to do is to make sure it’s ok with your host that you bring your pet with you.
2.  Next make sure he/she has a collar with an ID and that the ID has correct information on it.  These days it’s an excellent idea to use a cell number rather than a home phone number since your cell phone is usually with you and you can be reached quickly in an emergency.
3.  Put your vet’s phone number and an emergency vet hospital number into your cell phone to have it handy in the event you need it.
4.  Try to find out who’ll be at the party in case you need to make plan changes (for example people with babies, small kids or other pets can change things, including whether you should bring your pet with you).
5.  Bring along pet essentials like food and water bowls, a leash, handy wipes and cleaning stuff and pet waste bags.
6.  I like to bring some special treats with me.  Folks like to feed my dog, so I give them some of his healthy treats to make sure he’s not getting junk.
7.  Pets can make a mess sometimes so I keep a couple of baggies handy for the expected and unexpected messes and also have a lint roller in my pet kit because my dog has been known to shed.
8.  It’s not a bad idea to have a crate handy so your pet can be safely secure if things get crazy.
9.  If you notice your pet becoming tired or agitated, secure him in a closed room or his crate if you aren’t able to take him home.
10.  Don’t let pets wander around cooking food. Not only can it be a problem for the cook, but your pet might accidentally eat something that’s not good for him.
11.  Always be aware of where your pet is during any event.  Pets can become nervous and bolt in unfamiliar surroundings.  Also, like children, there are times when they’ve had enough and it’s time to go home.

Now for some personal peeves I’ve experienced attending events where certain pets should not be.  I’m titling this short list ****If your dog has any of the following problems, please leave him/her at home.

1.  Incessantly barks at other people, dogs, birds, cats, etc.  A barking dog that won’t quiet is distracting and the owners that won’t remove the dog are just plain rude.
2.  An aggressive animal.  If you know your dog – or cat – is aggressive, LEAVE THEM AT HOME.  Period.
3.  Your pet is ill or has not been feeling well.  Besides the obvious point of an ill pet might be a contagious pet, outings can be stressful and can make your pet’s health worse.  Leave an ill pet at home with a sitter and not in a kennel.
4.  The event will have people who are fearful or allergic to pets – See #1 above.
5.  Your pet is having a bad day – everyone does and our pets are no exception.  If you see that your pet is having a bad day, give him/her a break and let them stay home.

If you decide to leave your pet at home while you attend a party or other event, consider the best options for him while you’re gone.

  • If he’s not used to being home alone, you should leave for short periods of time to prepare him/her to being by themselves.
  • If you’ll be gone for any length of time you may want to consider keeping your pet at a kennel.  This is a good option for social animals that don’t stress about being away from home.
  • Additionally, for animals that are going to a kennel and may not be used to small spaces, consider getting a crate ahead of time to prepare the pet.
  • Arrange play dates for pets who might not be used to having other animals around. Send along an item that smells like home for a pet’s stay at the kennel.
  • Kennel spots should be reserved early for the holidays. If you’ve not used a particular kennel before, check into their safety measures, such as video surveillance, fire alarms and sprinkler systems.
  • Make sure your pets are up-to-date on their vaccines, and find out if any others are required for their kennel stay as most kennels will request proof before allowing your pet to stay.

Pet sitters are a good option for animals that do better at home or if you have several pets that you’ll be leaving.  If you decide to hire a pet sitter, here are a few tips:

  • Ask for references, find out what services the sitter provides and do your standard due diligence before hiring.
  • Prepare an emergency card with all of the information the sitter might need including Vet, Emergency Vet, your contact info and a close neighbors contact info, medications your pet needs along with their dosages.
  • Don’t wait till the last minute to introduce your pet to the sitter. Pet sitters should meet the pet ahead of time and be introduced to see if there are any personality issues between pet and sitter.
  • Then, while you are away, make sure to check in with the sitter during a time you know he/she will be there and let your pet hear your voice.

And with all this advice, here is one more for you.

Have a wonderful holiday and a great week that is shared with family, pets and great friends!

Linda

VetLocator.com

Choosing the right vet and forming a partnership for life – your pet’s life

Thursday, May 31st, 2012

We all have problems.  The economy, who to vote for in the upcoming election, whether it’s going to rain and should you take an umbrella with you when you go out.

Problems.  Yeah.  They’re a part of life and we all have them.

Most people who have pets also have some sort of pet problems.  For us its the cats we have.  They are finicky.  One of them was the runt of the litter and she arrived with some serious immune and digestive issues.  Whenever I look at her it is with anxious eyes.  Is she thinner?  What’s she doing as far as twitching and licking.  Those are the tell-tale signs of a systemic problem that may need my attention very soon.

But for all that, she’s wonderful. She’s loving.  She’s a mean hunter that keeps the pests and rodents away from her home.  She’s ours and we are very glad she and her brother are sharing our offices.

I’ve gotten to know her veterinarian very well and I adore him.

Finding him, however, was not an easy task.  You’d think that in the business we have it would be easy to find a vet.  We know hundreds, and in our local area we have dozens to choose from within a 5 minute drive of our front door.   I almost feel like the Hairclub for men man when I say “Not only do we own VetLocator, but we use it too (as a reminder – and for those of you not familiar – the Hairclub for men man said “not only am I the owner but I’m a customer too” as he dramatically shows his partially bald head.

In my case I interviewed 3 or 4 veterinarians, went to one, then to another and then to a third vet.  Each was OK but I did not feel what I wanted to feel.  I didn’t feel a partnership with the vet or the office or something.

So I kept looking.

And my looking paid off.

I found a wonderful veterinarian that treated our little girl and changed her condition and symptoms so they were under control.  Finally.  I found a veterinarian who is great and his office and staff are equally wonderful.  He’s a keeper and we’ve formed a good partnership on keeping Kewpie healthy.

Today our cats are mostly very healthy and it is rare I need to contact our veterinarian.  Besides regular checkups I can control things pretty well from home.

But if I ever need something, have a question or an emergency I know my partner is there and the problems I am facing at the moment will be addressed and we’ll handle it together.

As I said, we all have problems.  Finding the right vet and forming a pet health partnership for your pets gives you one less problem to try and solve.

And that makes things just a little, or a lot, better.

Isn’t that a nice thing?

If you are looking for a pet health partner, do what I did.  Use our directory to locate the nearest ones to where you are, then interview them and the staff and office too, to find the one that is the best fit for you and your pets.  It is so worth the effort.

And if you need help, you can always contact our customer care.  We’re here for you too.

 

Linda
Daily Paws

Doggy Door — Priceless!

Thursday, May 24th, 2012

Could you imagine coming home from work, to find this tiny creature napping on your couch with your dog?

Fawn followed this beagle home, right through the doggy door. This happened in Maryland recently. The owner came home to find the visitor had made himself right at home…  This hit the 6 o’clock news big time.

Isn’t this adorable?
Send this to all your friends especially the animal lovers and give them a big smile.

Emergency Kit For Your Pet: What would you add to the list?

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012

Recent natural disasters happening around the world highlight the need to have emergency procedures in place for our own families.

Disaster emergencies can require being prepared to evacuate our homes from a short absence to a permanent relocation.

It’s disorienting enough for people to have to evacuate, however when pets have to leave, it is very disrupting.

Today, I came across an ASPCA article which lists helpful pet preparedness information. Below are some ideas from the ASPCA for an emergency kit to keep on hand for your pet. Remember, food and medications need to be rotated out of your emergency kit every two months—otherwise they may spoil or become useless.

  • A traveling bag, crate or sturdy carrier, ideally one for each pet (Pet Grab-n-Go Crate)
  • Pet first-aid kit and guide book
  • 3-7 days’ worth of canned (pop-top) or dry food
  • Bottled water, at least 7 days’ worth for each person and pet
  • Disposable litter trays (aluminum roasting pans are perfect)
  • Litter or paper toweling
  • Liquid dish soap and disinfectant
  • Disposable garbage bags for clean-up
  • Pet feeding dishes
  • Extra harness and leash (harnesses are recommended for safety and security)
  • Photocopies of medical records and a waterproof container with a two-week supply of any medicine your pet requires
  • Flashlight
  • Blanket (for scooping up a fearful pet)
  • Recent photos of your pets (in case you are separated and need to make “Lost” posters)
  • Your pet’s favorite toy

 

Enhanced by Zemanta

Pet CPR – When To Use It To Save Your Pet’s Life

Friday, March 30th, 2012

Pet CPR & First Aid Taken from Rescue Critters, www.rescuecritters.com, makers of animal training mannequins.

The following is a simple breakdown of dog & cat CPR. It’s written for the average pet owner and in plain language. It uses the common accepted approach to pet cardiopulmonary resuscitation according to excepted standards of Pet First Aid courses throughout the United States. Pet First Aid is not intended to take the place of professional veterinary care. It is recommended that you take a Pet First Aid course from a certified instructor.

ABC’s (Airway, Breathing, Circulation)

Airway: Probably one of the most important things you can do after SAFETY is to make sure your dog or cat is breathing. To do this, you want to gently tap your dog or cat and call out their name to see if they move. Then (being careful not to get bitten or scratched) lean down close and LOOK, LISTEN AND FEEL for breathing.

  • Look: at the chest of the animal to see if it’s moving.
  • Listen: to see if you can hear them breathing.
  • Feel: on your cheek or back of your hand for a breath.

Breathing: If your dog or cat is not breathing, pull their tongue just a little bit, close the mouth and tilt their head just a little to open their Airway. Give them 4 -5 breaths from your (guess what?) mouth to their nose! This is Mouth-to-Snout resuscitation. You’ll want to give them just enough air to make the chest rise. Big dogs need more – little dogs or cats much less. Remember not to give too much air! You don’t want to hurt them.

Circulation: This means you’re checking to see if their heart is working OK. To do that you must check for a heart beat which is called a pulse. There are pulse points located in various areas on your dog or cat. For a dog the best place to find the pulse is on the inside of the rear leg, towards the top of the leg. This is called the Femoral Pulse. For a cat the best place to find the pulse is on the outside of the left front leg, just behind the shoulder. This is called an Apical Pulse.

Rescue Breathing

Rescue Breathing is when you have to breath for your dog or cat because they are not breathing on their own. You do this when your dog or cat has a pulse but is not breathing.

  • Step 1: First do your ABC’s, don’t forget to LOOK, LISTEN, and FEEL for breathing.
  • Step 2: If not breathing, give 4-5 breaths using Mouth-to-Snout resuscitation.
  • Step 3: Check for pulse on the Femoral Artery for dogs or check the Apical Pulse for cats or really small dogs.
  • Step 4: If there is a pulse, but no breathing start Mouth-to-Snout resuscitation giving 1 breath every 3 seconds. For cats or really small dogs, give 1 breath every 2 seconds.

CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)

CPR: First do your ABC’s, don’t forget to LOOK, LISTEN, and FEEL for breathing. CPR can only be performed if your dog or cat is not breathing and has no pulse. Follow Steps 1,2,3 same as in Rescue Breathing. If there is no Pulse, start CPR

Dog = Place the dog on the ground or other hard surface with its right side down. Take it’s left front leg and bend at the elbow, rotating at the shoulder. The point where the elbow of the dog touches the body is where you place your hands for compressions. Put one hand on top of the other and clasp your fingers together. Lock your elbows and start performing compressions. Push approximately 2-3 inches deep. Give compressions first then a breath. After 1 minute check for a pulse. repeat if there’s no response.

  • Giant Dogs = Give 1 breath every 10 compressions.
  • Medium to large dogs = Give 1 breath every 5 compressions.
  • Small Dogs = Give 1 breath every 5 compressions.

Cats or really small dogs = Place the animal flat on the ground. Then put your hands on either side of the animal’s chest, right behind the shoulder blades with your palms over the heart (sandwiching the animal’s chest between both hands). Compress approximately ½ – 1 inch deep. After 1 minute, check for a pulse again.

  • Cats or really small dogs = Give 1 breath every 3 compressions.

What would you do if your pet died during a routine vet visit?

Sunday, February 13th, 2011
Dog dies during routine vet visitI’m sorry to even write such a thing, especially because it’s my opinion that the vast – read that to mean just about all – majority of doctors and staff at a veterinary hospital, do what they do because of care and concern for pets.

But that’s just what happened to a woman recently who took her dog in for routine teeth cleaning only to receive a call later that day that the unthinkable had happened…her dog had died.  Somehow the oxygen used during sedation was hooked up incorrectly by a technician…..

The hospital is one with a good reputation and they’ve been in business for many years.  In fact the veterinarian and the hospital owner don’t have one complaint against them on their record.

However the woman was devastated.  She still cries when she speaks of her lost dog, even though she now shares her life with a new puppy.

Here’s what the hospital did after the tragedy:
1.  They (obviously) did not charge the woman.
2.  They paid for the cost of a new dog.
3.  They issued an apology both to her and publically.
4.  They developed new guidelines so no future animal
suffers the same fate for this procedure.

So here are my questions to you:
1.  Did the hospital do enough?
2.  In cases such as this, do you think there should be any State/legal involvement?
3.  Is there more you’d like to see published on incidents such as these?

“We don’t get into the field for anything other than our love for animals, but at the end of the day, we are human and things go wrong. This will haunt me until the end of my career.”

A tragedy.

Tell us what you think?  Leave your comments below:

Adam
Daily Paws

What you can do to catch cancer early and save your pet’s life

Saturday, December 4th, 2010

Here are some statistics on cancer in dogs that I found alarming…According to SFGate.com, 1 in 4 dogs in the US will die of cancer (in other words, 25% of ALL dogs will die from cancer) and that number increases to almost one in two for dogs over the age of 10.

That’s very concerning.

The better news is if you, the pet owner, become educated and stay alert to indications you dog or cat may need to be checked for cancer and it is caught early, chances for a complete recovery are much higher.

Here is a link to the original article which includes steps to take to check at home and what to do if you suspect your pet has cancer.

Catching Cancer Early in Pets

If you need to find an oncologist – a pet cancer specialist, click here for VetLocator.com’s Advanced Specialist Search