Are Jerky treats safe for your dog and cat? Of course, not all Jerky treats are unsafe, but there has been a considerable volume of evidence recently that suggests an association with their consumption and illnesses such as salmonella. Not only is salmonella a risk to your pets, but it’s a risk to you as well. Pets have human-like symptoms including cramping, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. A routine sampling by the Colorado Department of Agriculture Feed Program recently found Woofers Dog Treats to be contaminated. The items were recalled.

According to the Animal Health Foundation, other kinds of treats were recently recalled as well and they include Nature’s Deli Chicken Jerky Treats, Yoghund Frozen Yogurt Dog Treats, and Boots and Barkley Pig Ears.
Should you suspect contamination in your pet’s treats, you may report a complaint to www.fda.gov. The Food and Drug Administration is the authority in such cases.

We wish you all happy holidays! To keep them happy, please consider the following tips:

1. Snow Globes contain a highly toxic substance, ethylene glycol, that is like anti-freeze in our cars. This is very sweet and appealing to our pets. It may be fatal causing kidney failure. Place them cautiously in your home, out of reach of your pets.
2. Various holiday foods such as chocolate, bread dough, and fruitcake are prevalent at this time of year. So is alcohol. All may cause illness when ingested. Keep all of these items out of paws' reach.
3. You never know what's contained in wrapped presents or gift bags. Remember that pets have a much greater sense of smell than their humans. Be careful placing gifts under the tree and in other pet accessible places.
4. Guests may bring their medications to your home and leave them out-- not realizing how deadly they may be to pets. Have your guests put their medications in a closed cabinet and take them in a bathroom where they may close the door so if one tablet is dropped, they can find it before your pet does. A list of the names, milligram strength, and number of pills from your guests is useful in an emergency situation.
5. Salty treats are tempting for our pets. Salt can be found in holiday products such as dough ornaments, homemade treats, and ice melt. Be sure your pets avoid making contact with these dangerous items.

I often read the ASPCA website and found the above especially pertinent at this time of year. I wanted to share it accordingly. Should you have reason to believe your pet has been poisoned, call your vet immediately. If you are unable to reach your vet, you may call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center 24/7/365 at (888)426-4435.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

It’s that time of year when we’re wrapping packages and generously giving holiday treats to our beloved pets. But did you know that your pets actually prefer praise to treats? It’s true. Research reveals, such as in a recent article that was published in Science of Us, that “most dogs would take affection-verbal good boy or a belly rub-over food.”

A recent study in the Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Journal used an MRI scan. Dogs were put in a maze: some with food at the end; others with their owners at the end. Most dogs, with only a few exceptions, preferred their owners. Doesn’t that just feel good? So while I won’t discourage you from buying gifts for your pets during this holiday season, I will remind you to keep safety as the top criteria for gift selection. And remember, your pup would likely prefer your attention over anything you can find in a store, anyway.

Happy Holidays!

There are 10 most common human medications that are poisonous to pets:

a. Ibuprofen - Advil/Motrin - most common medication ingested by pets. These have a sweet outer coating that makes it appealing to pets. Ibuprofen can cause stomach ulcers and kidney failure.

b. Tramadol - Ultram - is a pain reliever. Your vet may prescribe it for your pet but only at a dose that's appropriate for your pet. Too much tramadol can cause sedation or agitation, wobbliness, disorientation, vomiting, tremors, and possibly seizures.

c. Alprazolam - Xanax - is an anti-anxiety medication and sleep-aid. Pets who ingest this medication may become sleepy and wobbly; however a few will become agitated instead. Often people leave them on their nightstand so they remember to take them. Large doses can lowere the blood pressure and could cause weakness or collapse.

d. Adderall - a combination of 4 different amphetamines and used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. It acts as a stimulant in out pets and causes elevated heart rate and body temperature, along with hyperactivity, tremors, and seizures.

e. Zolpidem - Ambien - is a sleep-aid for people. Pets often eat pills left on the nightstand. This medication may make cats wobbly and sleepy, but most pets become agitated and develop elevated heart rates.

f. Clonazepam - Klonopin - used as an anti-convulsant and anti-anxiety medication and sometimes prescribed as a sleep-aid. When animals ingest clonazepam, they can become sleepy and wobbly but too much may cause low blood pressure, leading to weakness and collapse.

g. Acetaminophen _ Tylenol - is a very common pain killer. Cats are extremely sensitive to this medication but dogs can be affected also. Acetaminophen can cause liver damage. It may also cause damage to cat's red blood cells so that the cells are unable to carry oxygen.

h. Naproxen - Aleve, Naprosyn - over the counter pain reliever. Dogs and cats are very sensitive to naproxen and even small amounts can cause stomach ulcers and kidney failure.

i. Duloxetine - Cymbalta - prescribed as an anti-depressant and anti-anxiety agent. When ingested by pets it can cause agitation, vocalization, tremors, and seizures.

j. Venlafaxine - Effexor - is an anti-depressant for people. Cats love to eat the capsules. Ingestion may cause agitation, vocalization, tremors, and seizures.

Always keep human medications away from pets unless you are specifically instructed by a vet to give the medication.

*Information in this article was obtained from the American Veterinary Medical Association

Most clients do not realize that rabies vaccinations-- even for indoor cats-- is state law. Even an indoor cat can escape outdoors if a door is left open or there is a fire in the house. The main animals that get rabies include raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats. Cats are more likely to be reported rabid in the US since they are often in close contact with both humans and wild animals. Bats, for example, can and often do get into homes through the attic or chimney. Their bites are so small that they are not visible on human skin and humans often do not even feel them. Animals can get bitten similarly. Children often report a bird in their bedroom when it is actually a bat. The bat should be captured alive or dead and the local animal control official notified. Please keep your cats-- whether indoor or outdoor-- current on their Rabies Vaccination.

*Information for this article was obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The fear and anxiety associated with noise is commonly called noise sensitivity or thunderstorm fear. Common triggers for fear are fireworks, thunder, celebrations, construction work, or traffic or street noise. If left untreated, noise aversion can progress resulting in an increased intensity of signs. There is a new FDA-approved treatment indicated for the treatment of this aversion. The drug is known as Sileo and is comes in a convenient gel-dosing syringe which is given orally to a dog. Please contact your vet to help your dog with this fear.

*Information for this article was obtained from Zoetis.

As Spring begins to show her lovely blooms, please remember to keep your dogs and cats away from lilies (any of the plants of the genus Lilium). Lilies are often poisonous and therefore potentially toxic to your pets. Lilies typically have bright colored, trumpet-shaped flowers. Ingestions can cause tremors, anorexia, gastrointestinal distress, and depression. If your dog or cat consumes lilies and these signs appear, immediately contact your pet care provider or an emergency clinic.