Articles
It's Flu Season.....

A recent article in Petage about influenza in dogs gave some
great steps to take to help prevent your dog from getting the
canine influenza also known as H3N8.  This is very important for
dogs that are often in contact with other dogs.   












For more information, go to
www.cdc.gov/flu/canine
1. Consider a Vaccine-through your verteinarian

2. Avoid Germy Spots-fire hydrants, community water bowls,     
dog parks, doggie daycares, etc.

3. Watch their general health-watery eyes, runny nose,
coughing, sneezing, and/or fever

4. Get a dog sitter-skip the kennel, encourage cleanliness if
they watch several dogs
January 2010
February 2010
ARTHRITIS - HOW TO TELL IF YOUR PET IS IN PAIN

If your dog or cat could talk, it would be a lot easier.  But he can't tell you that
his knees stiffen up after he plays too long - or that his hips hurt when he
goes up or down stairs.  He's counting on you to recognize signs of pain or
decreased mobility and to have your veterinarian diagnose and treat the
condition.  

The signs of pain may appear gradually, may be quite subtle and occur only
occasionally at first, making the early signs easy for you to miss.  And dogs
are "people pleasers" - so they may hide their pain when they're with you.

Slowing down because of "old age" is a myth - this is often a sign of pain.  
Remember - pets feel pain like you do!

Here are the most common signs of arthritis pain:













If your pet is having these symptoms, it may be time to take him in for an
examination.  There are many things that can be done to improve the
condition, but the first step is a CORRECT DIAGNOSIS.

-unknown author/source
  • Reluctance to go up or down stairs
  • Difficulty jumping into the car or on furniture
  • Lagging behind or tiring easily during walks
  • Increased stiffness, particularly after resting
  • Limping, especially after exercise
  • Difficulty rising, sitting or squatting to eliminate
  • Prefers lying to sitting or standing
  • Restlessness or insomnia
  • Whimpering, growling or snapping when touched
  • Loss of appetite
  • Just acting "old"
March 2010
  • They are beetles, not bug or flies as some may think
  • Different colors come from different species of fireflies: yellow-green,
    green and amber
  • 1,900 different species exists worldwide
  • They produce no heat from lighting up
  • Sometimes flashing a flashlight on and off at them will cause them to
    flash back at you and your light
A recent article in the Charlotte Observer asked kids to help The National
Children's Museum of Science in Boston by observing the fireflies in their
area and to submit that information to a research program.  To register go to
www.readysetglow.org and answer a few questions about your
backyard or area that you will be observing.  Then spend a few
minutes once a week and tell them what kind of firefly action goes
on near you.
How Many Lightening Bugs Are In Your Yard?
The article listed some fun facts about fireflies:
     Across the United States and Puerto
Rico, 2008 brought good news about
rabies:  Reported cases were down
3.1percent, from 7,060 cases in 2007 to
6,841 cases in 2008.
     Rabies continues to affect wildlife more
often than domestic animals.  Raccoons,
bats, skunks, and foxes accounted for 93
percent of all rabies cases reported in
2008, according to a report issued by the
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (Atlanta) and published in a
September issue of the
Journal of the
American Veterinary Medical Association.  
dog-related cases were down about 19
percent, from 93 reports in 2007 to 75 in
2008.
     Rabies cases among cats, however,
increased, and that poses a health risk to
people and other animals, warn
veterinarians and public health officials.  
According to the CDC report, rabies in cats
was up 12 percent with 294 reported cases
compared with 262 in 2007.
CDC Releases Rabies Report
  Part of the increase is because cats more
frequently interact with wildlife where they're
prone to being bitten by a rabid animal,
said Jesse Blanton, an epidemiologist at
the CDC. Also, cats aren't getting the
vaccinations they need.
      "The CDC's general beleif is that
people are doing a good job vaccinating
their dogs but not their cats," Blanton said.  
"We have controlled canine rabies through
vaccination of domestic dogs, so we know
that vaccinating works."
    A seperate report from the American
Veterinary Medical Association
(Schaumburg, III.) indicates 36.3 percent of
U.S. cat-owning households didn't visit a
veterinarian in 2006.  The simple act of
vaccinating a pet, Blanton said, provides
protection to the animal and the humans
with whom it may come in contact.  
Vaterianarians can vaccinate dogs and
cats, and they will advise clients on the
recommended or required frequency of
vaccination needed.
Cats were the only domestic animal to show increased rabies cases in 2008
Article taken from petage December 2009
April 2010