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.
​
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

How to take care of yourself, your family, and other pets when you've had to say goodbye
When a person you love dies, it's natural to feel sorrow, express grief, and expect friends and family to provide understanding and comfort.

When a person you love dies, it's natural to feel sorrow, express grief, and expect friends and family to provide understanding and comfort.
Unfortunately, you don't always get that understanding when a pet dies. Some people still don't understand how central animals can be in people's lives, and a few may not get why you're grieving over "just a pet."

Members of the family
We know how much pets mean to most people. People love their pets and consider them members of their family. Caregivers often celebrate their pets' birthdays, confide in their animals and carry pictures of them in their wallets. So when a beloved pet dies, it's not unusual to feel overwhelmed by the intensity of your sorrow.

Animals provide companionship, acceptance, emotional support, and unconditional love. If you understand and accept this bond between humans and animals, you've already taken the first step toward coping with pet loss: knowing that it is okay to grieve when your pet dies.

Finding ways to cope with your loss can bring you closer to the day when memories bring smiles instead of tears.

What is the grief process?
The grief process is as individual as the person, lasting days for one person, years for another. The process typically begins with denial, which offers protection until individuals can realize their loss.

Some caregivers may try bargaining with a higher power, themselves, or even their pet to restore life. Some feel anger, which may be directed at anyone involved with the pet, including family, friends, and veterinarians. Caregivers may also feel guilt about what they did or did not do; they may feel that it is inappropriate for them to be so upset.

After these feelings subside, caregivers may experience true sadness or grief. They may become withdrawn or depressed. Acceptance occurs when they accept the reality of their loss and remember their animal companion with decreasing sadness.

Coping with grief
While grief is a personal experience, you need not face your loss alone. Many forms of support are available, including pet-bereavement counseling services, pet-loss support hotlines, local or online pet-bereavement groups, books, videos, and magazine articles.

Here are a few suggestions to help you cope:

• Acknowledge your grief and give yourself permission to express it.
• Don't hesitate to reach out to others who can lend a sympathetic ear. Do a little research online and you'll find hundreds of resources and support groups that may be helpful to you.
• Write about your feelings, either in a journal or a poem, essay, or short story.
• Call your veterinarian or local humane society to see whether they offer a pet-loss support group or hotline, or can refer you to one.
• Prepare a memorial for your pet.

Caring for children
The loss of a pet may be a child's first experience with death. The child may blame themself, their parents, or the veterinarian for not saving the pet. And they may feel guilty, depressed, and frightened that others they love may be taken from them.

Trying to protect your child by saying the pet ran away could cause your child to expect the pet's return and feel betrayed after discovering the truth. Expressing your own grief may reassure your child that sadness is ok and help them work through their feelings.

Caring for seniors
Coping with the loss of a pet can be particularly hard for seniors. Those who live alone may feel a loss of purpose and an immense emptiness. A pet's death may also trigger painful memories of other losses and remind caregivers of their own mortality. What's more, the decision to get another pet is complicated by the possibility that the pet may outlive the caregiver and that the decision to get another pet hinges on the person's physical and financial ability to care for a new pet.

For all these reasons, it's critical that senior pet owners take immediate steps to cope with their loss and regain a sense of purpose.

If you are a senior, try interacting with friends and family, calling a pet-loss support hotline, even volunteering at a local humane society.

Caring for other pets
Surviving pets may whimper, refuse to eat or drink, and suffer lethargy, especially if they had a close bond with the deceased pet. Even if they were not the best of friends, the changing circumstances and your emotional state may distress them. (However, if your remaining pets continue to act out of sorts, there could actually be a medical problem that requires your veterinarian's attention.)

Give surviving pets lots of TLC and try to maintain a normal routine. It's good for them and for you.

Getting another pet
Rushing into this decision isn't fair to you or your new pet. Each animal has their own unique personality and a new animal cannot replace the one you lost. You'll know when the time is right to adopt a new pet after giving yourself time to grieve, considering whether you're ready, and paying close attention to your feelings.

When you're ready, remember that your local animal shelter or rescue is a great place to find your next special friend.

Source: ​humanesociety.org

Franklin, Tennessee – Today, Mars Petcare US announced a voluntary recall of a limited number of CESAR® Classics Filet Mignon Flavor product due to a potential choking risk from hard white pieces of plastic which entered the food during the production process. CESAR® Classics Filet Mignon can be purchased individually, as well as, in flavor variety multipacks. The Lot Codes listed below are the only affected products. All other CESAR® products can be safely consumed.
We encourage consumers who have purchased affected product to discard the food or return it to the retailer for a full refund or exchange. While a small number of consumers have reported finding the plastic pieces, to date, we have not received any reports of injury or illness associated with the affected product. The lot codes indicated below should not be sold or consumed.
Affected product was distributed to retail customers throughout the United States. Mars Petcare US is working with all of our distributors and retailers to ensure that the recalled products are no longer sold and are removed from inventory.
​
Recalled Pet Food
Two lot codes of CESAR® Classics Filet Mignon Flavor wet dog food with the production codes shown below are included in this voluntary recall. Each product will have a lot code printed on side of the tray that begins with 631FKKC, 631GKKC. A Best Before date 080418 (August 4, 2018) and 080518 (August 5, 2018).
UPCDESCRIPTIONLOT CODES23100017792CESAR® CLASSICS FILET MIGNON FLAVOR631FKKC and 631GKKCThe CESAR® Classics Filet Mignon Flavor can be found in variety packs with the following lot codes:

• 632D14JC
• 633B24JC
• 634A14JC
• 634A24JC
• 634B14JC
• 634B24JC
• 634E14JC
• 635A24JC
• 635B14JC
• 636D24JC
• 636E14JC

At Mars Petcare US, we take our responsibility to pets and their owners seriously. Pet owners who have questions about the recall should call 800-421-6456 between the hours of Saturday, October 8, 8:00 am to 12:00 pm CST and Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm CST or visit https://www.cesar.com/notice.

When a dog is brought to a shelter after having a home it can be pretty hard — but one shelter worker is trying to fix that for one very special dog.

Lana, a 4-year-old bullmastiff mix, was found as a stray when she was just a puppy. The person who found Lana couldn't keep her, and so they brought her to the Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA, where she was soon adopted.

Unfortunately, after three years of living happily in her new home, Lana was returned to the shelter in April.
Now, four months later, Lana is still searching for her forever home. She's having a hard time being back in the shelter after having a home for so long — and so one staff member decided to do something about it.

In order to bring awareness to Lana's cause and help her get adopted, Whitney Steele, director of volunteers and events at the shelter, has decided to stage a sit-in. She will be living with Lana in her kennel, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until Lana finally has a home once more.

In order to really understand what Lana goes through every day, Whitney is living exactly as she does — meaning that when she sleeps in the kennel with Lana, she sleeps on a dog bed instead of a cot.

"Whitney is learning a lot about what Lana goes through every day, and even though we have an amazing facility, it's not a comfortable, loving home," Michael Morefield, marketing and communications manager at the Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA, told The Dodo. "Even after one night, Whitney has really taken that to heart and misses home, and Lana has been doing this every day for over four months. That was a hard realization."

Local businesses have been bringing by food for Whitney (and Lana) while she lives in the kennel, and she's even been holding meetings in there.
​
"They have really bonded and are going through all those fun roommate situations: who ate the last slice of pizza, who stole the pillow, and what to watch on Netflix," Morefield said.

The shelter is doing all this to show everyone that Lana is an amazing dog, who more than deserves a second chance at a happy ending. Lana loves going for hikes with the shelter volunteers, and also takes naps with the other workers in her kennel from time to time. She is smart, athletic and easygoing, and would make the perfect pet for any family.
She just needs someone to give her a chance.
​
"She is a strong, independent woman who is also really humble, so Whitney is helping show her off," Morefield said. "Everyone needs a hype man every once in awhile, and if Lana is too humble to tell people how great she is, we are going to do it for her!"

If you're interested in adopting Lana, you can contact the Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA at 602-273-6852 ext. 116.

Source: caitlinnjill / The Dodo