“WHISKERS” MAY 2009
May is finally here and we have had some 80+ degree days here in Southern Ohio, and I am very happy to see the warm weather.
I hope you find the information in this issue interesting and useful. If you have comment, questions, or suggestions, please feel free to Email me at davegannon@verizon.net.
The Spring Cleaning Sale announced in the last issue has been well received, and we are extending the sale through May 31, 2009 — $3 Off all quart products, and $6 Off all gallon products.
Top 10 Cat-Friendly Cities
Tampa, Phoenix, San Francisco, Portland (Ore.), Denver, Boston,
Seattle, San Diego, Atlanta and Minneapolis were recently named the Top 10 Cat-Friendly Cities in America by the CATalyst Council. The council is a coalition of the veterinary community, academia, nonprofits, industry and animal welfare organizations. The list was compiled after reviewing the top 25 standard metropolitan areas for data such as cat ownership per capita, level of veterinary care, microchipping and cat-friendly local ordinances.
“Cats really are America’s number one companion,” says Dan Kramer, senior marketing manager of industry relations for Pfizer Animal Health and chair of the CATalyst Council. The council also named Ithaca, N.Y., home of the Cornell Feline Health Center, which educates the public about felines and their health, as an honorable mention city.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association’s 2007 U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographics Sourcebook, the number of cats owned (81.7 million) outnumbers that of canines (72 million) by nearly 10 million.
For more information, visit www.catalystcouncil.org.
=======================================
Increase in Parasite-Transmitted Diseases
Experts are warning that hotter summers and milder winters have a hidden health impact for disease-carrying pests in more countries. Scientists from around the globe recently gathered for the 4th Symposium of the CVBD (canine vector-borne disease) World Forum and issued a plea for dog owners to be more vigilant about protecting their pets and themselves from diseases spread by blood-sucking parasites. They say global warming will cause local temperatures to rise across the seasons. And, dogs are particularly vulnerable to attack from a variety of parasites, such as ticks, fleas, sand flies, stable flies and mosquitoes, all of which are capable of transmitting dangerous pathogens. Some of these pathogens may lead to severe diseases in the dog, and, if left undiagnosed and untreated, may in some cases, be lethal.
Dr. Xavier Roura, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Universitat Autonoma de
Barcelona, Spain, says, “Ongoing climate change, as well as the increased
movement of dogs through travel and importation has enabled the wider spread of infectious agents, with ticks, fleas and mosquitoes now finding niches in new countries. Pet owners need to understand the severity of diseases such as leishmaniosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, hepatozoonosis and
Lyme disease, and do what they can to treat and prevent them.”
For more info, go to www.cvbd.org.
==================================
Puppy and Kitten Teeth
Dental health care should begin as soon as your pets start sprouting teeth.
“Puppies begin to get their primary, or “baby” teeth when they are 3 to 4 weeks old, and kittens begin getting their teeth at 2 to 3 weeks,” says Dr. Johnathan Dodd, a clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. “Permanent teeth begin to come in when puppies and kittens are 3 to 4 months old,” he says.
Teething may seem like an uncomfortable experience for your pet, but it actually does not cause them much discomfort. Primary teeth start to cause problems when they wear out their welcome by staying too long and leaving the permanent teeth with nowhere to go. “To help avoid occlusion problems from primary teeth that have not fallen out before permanent teeth begin to come in, have your pets teeth examined when they are 5-6 months old,” says Dodd. “If there are any problems, the primary teeth can be pulled to make room for the permanent set.”
The way our pet’s teeth come together is somewhat similar to humans,” he says. Bottom teeth should never hit the roof the pet’s mouth; the teeth should never be digging into the gums.Veterinarians specially trained in orthodontics are able to perform procedures and implant devices that can help give your pet the proper bite.
Whiskers would like to thank Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences for the information in this story.
=======================================
Six Steps to Help Homeless Pets
The statistics vary across the country, but the story is the same. Every day the national help desk at Best Friends Animal Society receives hundreds of urgent requests from rescue groups struggling to stay open, people losing their jobs and no longer able to afford their pets, shelters that cannot keep up with flow of animals into their shelters, and reports of cats and dogs left behind to fend for themselves after a foreclosure.
6 simple steps to help homeless pets:
- Make a small donation to your local rescue group or shelter and get five of your friends to do the same. Small amounts add up fast.
- Volunteer at your local shelter or rescue group.
- Foster a homeless pet and promote it for adoption.
- Spay/neuter your pets. If you can afford to do so, donate the cost of a
spay/neuter for a neighbor, who cannot pay to have a pet altered.
- Consider adopting one more dog or one more cat.
- Donate to the local pet food bank (in many communities there are
organizations dedicated to distributing pet food and some traditional food banks also accommodate pet owners).
To find out more about how you can help on a local level, go to www.bestfriends.org.
================================
Allergies Commonplace Among Cats and Dogs
Treatments for your cat’s or dog’s accounted for one out of five claims and cost VPI policy holders $16 million in 2007. For both dogs and cats, ear infections and skin allergies topped the list. While cats had far fewer allergies than dogs, they did have a higher frequency of eye inflammation and bronchitis/asthma.
| 2007 Top Claims With Links to Allergies | |||
| Canine | Feline | ||
| 1. Otitis Externa (ear infections) | 5.22% | 1. Atopic Dermatitis (skin allergies) | 1.72% |
| 2. Atopic Dermatitis (skin allergies) | 4.66% | 2. Otitis Externa (ear infections) | 1.57% |
| 3. Pyoderma/Hot Spots | 3.02% | 3. Conjunctivitis (eye inflammation) | 1.44% |
| 4. Conjunctivitis (eye inflammation) | 1.33% | 4. Bronchitis/Asthma | 0.84% |
| 5. Bronchitis/Asthma | 0.19% | 5. Pyoderma/Hot Spots | 0.57% |
“Many pet owners are unaware that chronic ear infections and breathing difficulties may be the result of allergies,” said Dr. Carol McConnell, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “Due to physiological differences, pets manifest allergies in a variety of ways that humans do not. They may lick their itchy paws, scratch their itchy ears, and/or rub their itchy eyes,” she said. To exacerbate the problem, with each lick, scratch and rub, they can traumatize their skin, allowing bacteria and yeast to cause secondary infections.
Pet allergies are usually related to flea bites, seasonal pollens and/or specific foods in the diet. Exposure to allergens can be reduced with the application of flea control products, the use of air filters, and/or a change in diet. Additionally, a veterinarian may dispense a hypoallergenic shampoo to soothe a pet’s skin and help alleviate the itch. If allergies persist, a veterinarian may prescribe antihistamines or anti-inflammatory medications.
More advanced treatment includes immunotherapy or hyposensitization, in which a pet is slowly exposed to small amounts of a serum containing reactive allergens. Even with advanced treatments, however, allergies often persist and some pets may never be completely allergy free.
Would a Bird Suit Your Lifestyle?
Is a bird the pet for you? Space, cost, time, family, and life longevity must be taken into consideration, says Dr. Sharman Hoppes, an avian specialist at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.
Cages take up a considerable amount of space – especially for large birds. And, birds should have a play gym to encourage exercise, Hoppes says.
Because of their eating habits, birds regularly require their owners to clean up around the cage, and some are rather noisy. A bird’s water and papers should be changed daily and a pelleted bird diet mixed with healthy fruits and vegetables should be maintained. Since they are flock animals, birds need a lot of socialization, so sitting alone all day in a cage can be very stressful, Hoppes says. Birds can bite, and large birds can bite even harder – so small children should be monitored very closely around pet birds. A cockatiel can live for up to 25 years, and a macaw or cockatoo can live for 60 years.
Veterinary costs should also be considered. Parrots are prey animals and hide signs of illness or disease. Chlamydophila, a zoonotic disease, can be transferred not only from bird to bird, but bird to person, and can be found in some birds. Their wings and nails need to be trimmed two to three times a year.
MAY 2009 SUBSCRIBER AND CUSTOMER SPECIALS
Spring Cleaning Sale Extended Through May 31, 2009.
Order during this time and you will receive $3 Off all quart products, $6 Off all gallon products, and $6 Off both the Carpet Deodorizer Kit and the Carpet Cleaning Special. And you receive free catnip balls, and a free bottle of Spot & Stain Eliminator with every order ($12.95 value).
To order click here http://www.odorbgoneproducts.com
You will automatically receive the discounted prices. It’s our way of saying thank you for being a subscriber and customer. Until next time.
Dave Gannon
