The Rottweiler is more likely than other breeds to develop osteoarthritis, and the condition is more likely in males and in dogs that are heavier than average for their breed, according to Royal Veterinary College analysis of records from 1,000 veterinary practices in the UK. The average age at diagnosis was 10.5 years, and long-term pain medication is recommended in 75% cases, the researchers found.

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​Northwest Naturals of Portland, Oregon is recalling 5lb frozen Chicken and Salmon petfood chubs because it has the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes 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.

Listeria monocytogenes is pathogenic to humans. Healthy people exposed to Lm should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, fever.
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Pets with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) can affect animals eating the product. There is the possibility of risk to humans from handling product that is positive for Listeria monocytogenes especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after and if they have made contact with the product or any surfaces exposed to the product.

Product was 1 isolated batch of 94 cases distributed to distributors in California, Washington, Texas, Michigan, Georgia, and Rhode Island and sold thru specialty pet retail stores.
Product is packaged in 5lb frozen chubs labeled Chicken and Salmon Dog Food with a UPC code of 0 87316 38440 6 and a product best buy date code of 15 082218

No pet or human illnesses have been reported to date. The product passed lab testing on 12-22-2016 and was sold over 1 year ago to distributors listed above, on or before 1-23-2017. Reports from distributors indicate there is no product at any distributors.

The company was notified on 2-21-2018 by FDA and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). MDARD bought 1 chub at a Michigan specialty pet store and tested the sample which was negative for e coli, salmonella, and positive for Listeria moncytogenes. The company tests all batches of products for all pathogens in a positive release program before releasing for shipping. The company tests over 600 batches of product per week. The company is a dual jurisdiction facility regulated by USDA-FSIS every day on every shift and FDA. The company does dual lab testing several times per month matching USDA- FSIS lab samples and comparing results.

Consumers are encouraged to check the lot code on any 5lb frozen Chicken and Salmon chubs. Any product with the noted lot code should return product to the specialty retailer where purchased for full refund.
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​Consumers with questions may contact Northwest Naturals at 1-866-637-1872, Monday-Friday, from 8:00am to 4:00pm PST or go to www.nw-naturals.net

Source: FDA

Pet owners urged to schedule a dental checkup in February during National Pet Dental Health Month
​Fido's or Fluffy's bad breath could be more than an odor problem; it might signify a serious health risk with the potential to damage not only the animal’s teeth and gums but its internal organs as well.
To address the importance of oral health care for pets, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is sponsoring National Pet Dental Health Month® in February.

AVMA President Dr. Mike Topper says regular dental exams are an integral and primary component of a pet's overall health care, and can help prevent more serious health problems.

"Oral disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem for pets; it's also entirely preventable," said Dr. Topper. "Twice-a-year checkups, including an oral health checkup, are important to ensure your pet is not in pain and is not suffering from serious oral health problems. Besides causing receding gums and tooth loss, bacteria in the mouth can enter the bloodstream, potentially infecting the heart, liver and kidneys, which can be potentially life threatening.

"Just as the public has come to realize that their own oral health is linked to their overall health, veterinarians want people to understand that dental health care is essential to maintaining the overall health and well-being of the family pet."

Routine cleanings can help prevent periodontal disease and save money in the long run. A 2014 analysis conducted by Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. showed that the average cost per pet to prevent dental disease is just one-third of the average cost of treating dental disease. More importantly, a complete oral examination can detect hidden health problems. Even if your pet's breath smells fine, there still could be dental conditions that are hard to spot without a complete veterinary exam.

While regular dental checkups are essential to help maintain your pet's dental health, there are a number of signs that dental disease has already started. If you notice any of the symptoms below, take your pet in to your veterinarian immediately:

• Red swollen gums
• Bad breath (similar to the smell of a rotten egg)
• Teeth that are broken, loose, discolored or covered in tartar
• Abnormal chewing, drooling or dropping food from the mouth
• Bleeding from the mouth
• Shying away from you when you touch the mouth area
• Frequent pawing or rubbing at the face and/or mouth
• Reduced appetite or refusal to eat
• Weight loss

In addition to professional dental care, Dr. Topper advises pet owners to make oral home care part of their pet's routine as a way to prevent tooth decay. Veterinarians can help pet owners begin a pet dental care routine at home, and encourage them to continue regular veterinary checkups to monitor their pets' oral health.

To learn more about dental care for pets, including an instructional video on brushing pets’ teeth, visit avma.org/petdental.
Source:  avama.org / Michael San Filippo

Brutus, Duke, Coco, Lola and Jake...sure, they're fairly common pet names, but they're also the names of just a few of the pets that died last year because they were left in cars on warm (and not necessarily hot) days while their owners were shopping, visiting friends or family, or running errands. What's so tragic is that these beloved pets were simply the victims of bad judgment.

Want numbers? An independent study showed that the interior temperature of vehicles parked in outside temperatures ranging from 72 to 96° F rose steadily as time increased. And cracking the windows doesn't help.

...add to that the fact that most pets are not properly restrained while in the car, and you've got some dangerous situations – for people and pets alike. Unrestrained pets can be seriously or fatally injured, or could even hurt you, in a collision or sudden braking situation. In addition, they're a distraction for the driver, which increases the risk of driver errors. According to a 2010 American Automobile Association (AAA) survey, 2 out of 3 owners engage in distracting behaviors (playing with, feeding or petting their dog, or letting their dog sit in their lap) when pets are in the car...and according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 20% of injury crashes involve distracted driving.

Please don't become another statistic: only take your pets in the vehicle with you when you absolutely need to, and always properly restrain your pets while in the vehicle.

How can you help prevent these injuries and deaths?

• Learn more about keeping your pet safe during travel;
• Set a good example by leaving your pet(s) at home except when you need to have them in the vehicle;
• Set a good example by always properly restraining your own pet(s) while in a vehicle;
• Educate clients, family and friends about these issues and how they can keep their pet(s) safe;
• Download and distribute our posters to help educate pet owners about the dangers of hot vehicles and lack of restraint:

Source: AVAMA

The safety of pets is and always will be our first priority. We sincerely regret the reports of the discomfort experienced by the pet who consumed this food. As pet parents ourselves, we take this matter seriously. On April 13, a retailer in Texas notified us that their customer had presented samples of our 13-ounce-can Cocolicious Beef & Turkey dog food (Lot #0136E15204 04, best by July 2019) and 13-ounce-can Cocolicious Chicken & Beef dog food (Lot #0134E15 237 13, best by August 2019) to a testing lab, and that the results had tested positive for pentobarbital. We have requested those results.

When we were notified, we immediately tracked the lot numbers of the food in question and determined that the food had been manufactured and distributed in 2015. We then contacted the two probable retailers that had sold the customer the food and asked them to isolate all remaining cans from these lots. If pet parents have cans with either of those lot numbers in their possession, they should return them to the place of purchase and will of course receive a full refund.

We also requested that the retailers send all of the cans from those lots to us so that we can forward them on to an accredited independent laboratory for independent testing. We expect to receive the receive the results in 7 to 10 days. We first saw the formal report from the lab at Texas A&M regarding the customer’s samples, today, April 17.

Out of an abundance of caution, we are retrieving the remainder of these two lots nationwide. We are working with our distributors and retailers to determine if any additional beef-flavored products manufactured during this 2015 production period remain on shelves and, if so, to retrieve them from shelves, immediately, as well.

Party Animal wishes to emphasize that we have submitted many recent lots of our beef flavors for testing and all have tested negative for any pentobarbital. We have also had extensive discussions with our manufacturer regarding the potential cause of the reported contamination of the 2015 lots, and we will continue with such discussions even as we await testing results for the 2015 lots. In order to ensure adherence to our commitment to the safety of pets, we are also actively re-examining our manufacturing processes.

Q:  What is the human risk of exposure to the Zika virus in the U.S.? A:  Zika virus is transmitted primarily through Aedes aegypti mosquitos (which also spread other diseases, such as dengue fever and chikungunya), though other mosquito species have been identified as carriers. Besides mosquito bites, Zika can also be transmitted through blood transfusion, laboratory exposure, or sexual intercourse, and from mother to child during pregnancy. As Zika can cause microcephaly (an underdeveloped brain) and other brain defects in fetuses, pregnant women are advised to avoid travel to areas where the Zika virus is found.

As of September 7, 2016, there had been 2,964 human cases of Zika reported in the United States, with 2,920 of those being travel-associated cases and 43 of them being transmitted locally, as reported to ArboNET, a system managed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There have been no reports of animals infected with Zika. At this time, Zika is not considered widespread in North America.

Q: Is there a vaccine for Zika?
A: There is no vaccine or treatment currently available for the Zika virus, although there is ongoing research to develop an effective vaccine.

Q: Can dogs or other pets get the Zika virus from humans, or transmit it to them?
A: According to the CDC, “There have not been any reports of pets or other types of animals becoming sick with Zika virus. However, more research is needed to better understand Zika virus in animals.”

While there have been no reports of the Zika virus infection in traditional pets, there has not been enough research done to conclude that it doesn’t occur. In other countries, antibodies (indicating exposure) to Zika virus have been detected in nonhuman primates, and outbreaks in nonhuman primates have occurred. 

If you are concerned about your pet contracting the virus, talk with your veterinarian about appropriate mosquito repellants and other preventive measures.

Q: Could my pet be a “reservoir host” for the Zika virus?
A: A “reservoir host” is a long-term host of a disease that generally does not become clinically ill from the disease but may carry and serve as a source of infection for others. Without research, there is no way to know whether any animals are or will become reservoir hosts of the Zika virus.

However, Dr. Maureen Long, an associate professor in the Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathology at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, finds it unlikely. As she told the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, “To our knowledge, the only species that develop a very high viral load of Zika in their blood are humans and nonhuman primates.”

The CDC also notes that animals don’t appear to be involved in the spread of the Zika virus.

Q: Can I get my pet tested for Zika?
A: To our knowledge, there are no diagnostic laboratories in the United States testing animals for Zika virus..

Q: What about risks of Zika from other animals?
A: The CDC reports there is no evidence that the Zika virus is spread to people from contact with animals.
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The Zika virus was first discovered in Uganda in the 1940s in a monkey presenting a mild fever, and while nonhuman primates have the ability to become infected with Zika, the risk of monkeys and apes in the United States becoming infected with the virus is low. Additionally, monkeys and apes must undergo a mandatory 31-day quarantine period when imported into the United States. The CDC has more information about the prevalence of Zika in nonhuman primates and other species. Anyone with nonhuman primate pets or assistance animals, particularly those near areas in which Zika has been reported, should remain vigilant and seek veterinary care for the animal if any illness is observed.

Source: AVMA.org

Out of an abundance of caution, Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food of Wheeling, IL is voluntarily recalling specific lots of its Hunk of Beef product because of a potential contaminant Pentobarbital, which was detected in one lot of Hunk of Beef Au Jus. Pentobarbital can affect animals that ingest it, and possibly cause side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, excitement, loss of balance, or nausea, or in extreme cases, possibly death.

The specifically-identified lot numbers (as detailed below) of cans of 12-oz Hunk of Beef being voluntarily recalled were distributed to retail locations and sold online in the following States: Washington, California, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, and were manufactured the week of June 6 – June 13, 2016.

Although pentobarbital was detected in a single lot, Evangers is voluntarily recalling Hunk of Beef products that were manufactured the same week, with lot numbers that start with 1816E03HB, 1816E04HB, 1816E06HB, 1816E07HB, and 1816E13HB, and have an expiration date of June 2020. The second half of the barcode reads 20109, which can be found on the back of the product label.

The subject recall affects 5 lots of food that were produced from its supplier’s lot of beef, which is specifically used for the Hunk of Beef product and no other products. To date, it has been reported that five dogs became ill and 1 of the five dogs passed away after consuming the product with lot number 1816E06HB13. Evanger’s is proactively issuing a recall voluntarily so as not to risk potential exposure to pentobarbital in the product.

All Evanger’s suppliers of meat products are USDA approved. This beef supplier provides us with beef chunks from cows that are slaughtered in a USDA facility. We continue to investigate how this substance entered our raw material supply.
Because we source from suppliers of meat products that are USDA approved, and no other products have had any reported problems, we are not extending the recall to other supplier lots. This is the first recall for Evanger’s in its 82 years of manufacturing. Although it has been verified that little or no product remains on store shelves, if consumers still have cans with the aforementioned lot numbers, he or she should return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 1-847-537-0102 between 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Central Time, Monday - Friday.

“We want you to write a column about pets!” one of my bosses said a year ago. “It will be fun! People love reading about animals!”

It is fun, usually, and people do like reading about animals, but I have been surprised how often my Pet City columns have touched on death — Sonja the terrier, whose formerly homeless human friend came to say goodbye to her on her deathbed; pet sitters who have committed the ultimate error; Rose the Broadway rat, who died in a fall just days after I chronicled her rise to stardom.

If I’d looked back at my own life, and the 80-something animals I’ve shared my home with over the years, I should not have been surprised. Going back to childhood, death — often sudden, bizarre or unexplained — has been one of the most vivid aspects of pet stewardship. One of the main things pets do, it seems, is die.

There was Baby-Face George, a brilliant bruiser of a cat named for a professional wrestler, able to lift latches and open doors with his bare paws. When I was about 10, he disappeared in the middle of winter. We found him in the spring, his body floating in our backyard pool.

There was Waddles, my beloved Muscovy duck. One day, my mother started the car in the driveway and pulled away. She had not noticed Waddles in front of a back wheel. I watched in disbelief as Waddles writhed and twitched, her long white neck contracting randomly.

One day, one of our cats (either Mental Paws or her sister Dental Paws, no one can remember) disappeared into the woods behind our house in the wilds of New Jersey. We found her a few days later with her leg stuck in a hunter’s trap. My mom thinks she died; I recall her surviving but losing the leg. Either way, it was unpleasant.

And there was my white rabbit, L.C., which stood for Little Cuteness. In the absence of a proper rabbit hole, L.C. liked to hide out behind the washing machine. One day she emerged, went into violent convulsions and fell still. A vet and an investigation found the culprit: a box of soap flakes had fallen behind the washer, and Little Cuteness had eaten a fatal dose.

Other pet deaths were less unusual but no less upsetting: watching Mama Gerbil eat some of her extra babies (try explaining that to a 6-year-old); as an adult, helping my wife hold our cancer-ridden dog as he received the shot that ended his life, feeling him tense up and then let go.

Also, do not lend me your pets. A 12-year-old entrusted his rat to me one summer in the early ’90s. It did not survive. More recently, my daughter’s best friend asked us to look after her betta fish. Uncle Chuck somehow found his way inside a snail shell and perished.

These days at our house, we are down to the basics: a cat and a dog. The dog, Barnaby, a basset-beagle rescue special, is approximately 11 years old and not doing so well. Last year, he required emergency, dauntingly expensive spinal surgery. We considered putting him to sleep, but our daughter, explaining that she loved Barnaby more than she did her parents, forbade it.

Barnaby has been having more health issues lately. Every night, our daughter, who’s 12 now, tucks him in — an elaborate ritual that can take 10 to 15 minutes. One recent evening, Barnaby fell asleep early. I asked my daughter not to wake him up.

“I have to,” she said, “just in case he doesn’t make it through the night.”

As she covered him with her coat, I thought back to my old rabbits and cats and ducks and the lessons our pets have to teach us — not just about death, but about love.

Source: NY Times / Andy Newman