Previously published on Jul 31, 2010 in DVM NEWSMAGAZINE
Brea, Calif. -- VPI Pet Insurance has released numbers on the most common toxins behind its pet poisoning claims after trips to the veterinarian. VPI reports its policyholders spent more than $6.6 million between 2005 and 2009 treating their pets for poisoning. Accidental ingestion of pet or human medications drugs was the most common source of pet poisoning claims between 2005 and 2009, costing policyholders an average of $791 per claim and accounting for nearly 25 percent of the total poisoning claims. The most expensive type of poisoning, heavy metal poisoning, cost an average of $952 per claim. These are the number of claims by toxin for VPI Pet Insurance claims from 2005 to 2009. Poison / No. of claims
Drug reactions/accidental ingestion of drugs: 5,131
Rodenticide: 4,028
Methylxanthine: 3,661
Plant poisoning: 2,808
Household chemicals: 1,669
Metaldehyde: 396
Insecticide/organophosphate: 323
Heavy metal toxicity: 288
Toad poisoning: 270
Antifreeze: 213
Walnuts: 100
Alcohol: 75
Strychnine: 28
When in doubt, call an animal poison control (e.g., Pet Poison Helpline at 800-213-6680) for assistance with treating poisoning cases!
Letter from P&G - please read about the recall July 2010! The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) issued a voluntary recall on July 25, 2010 of two specific lots of its therapeutic renal dry cat food in North America due to a possible salmonella health risk. As a further precaution, P&G is voluntarily expanding its recall to include additional veterinary formulas and some specialized Eukanuba dry pet food. P&G Pet Care wanted to make sure veterinarians were aware of the situation as soon as possible to help you address any client concerns. The health and welfare of pets and their owners is our top priority.
These products are made in a single, specialized facility. In cooperation with FDA, P&G determined that some products made at this facility have the potential for salmonella contamination. No salmonella-related illnesses have been confirmed. As a precautionary measure, P&G is suspending operations at this facility and recalling all dry pet food products manufactured at this plant, which include:
Product Name Version “Best-By” Dates UPC Codes
Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas All dry sizes and varieties 01Jul10 – 01Dec11 All UPC Codes
Eukanuba Naturally Wild All dry sizes and varieties 01Jul10 – 01Dec11 All UPC Codes
Eukanuba Pure All dry sizes and varieties 01Jul10 – 01Dec11 All UPC Codes
Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin All dry sizes 01Jul10 – 01Dec11 All UPC Codes
No canned food, biscuits/treats or supplements, including ProstoraMax are affected by this announcement.
If you need additional information, please call our veterinary line at 800-535-8387. Concerned pet owners may be directed to call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8823. We apologize for any inconvenience this situation may cause you and want to assure you that P&G Pet Care is taking all the necessary steps to ensure our product quality meets your expectations.
May 3, 2010 | By Kevin Kisthart, previously published on Zootoo. After a long, stressful day, nothing is better than coming home to your best friend frantically awaiting your arrival right at the front door. As excited as you are to see your pet, there is no doubt that your pup is just as excited to see you. This initial excitement is very easy for humans to pick up on, but during many other times throughout the day, you are on the same wavelength as your dog and may not even know it. According to a survey done by Pup-Peroni and Kelton Research company, 75% of people say that by reading their dog's body language and facial expressions, they can tell exactly what their dog is thinking. We can tell when they are happy or sad, and they can tell the same about us. The Pup-Peroni survey reports that over 40% of people agreed that their dog would be more likely to pick up on their bad mood than their best friend. Dogs are very perceptive animals and can sense our feelings and emotions, as they have a good understanding of human social cues. Though your pup may not always know exactly what we are thinking, their expressions and body language usually tell us everything. We know when they are happy and want to play, and we know when they are sad and know when they have done something wrong. And there’s no bigger sign of what your dog is thinking than seeing him with his head cowered and ears flat — right before finding out the garbage is all over the kitchen floor.
Read more...
As an animal-lover, I can’t resist browsing through the pet boutique catalogs that come my way. After all, how else are my pets going to be the cool kids on the block? With the advent of the Internet, we’re seeing lots of pet products marketed towards our four-legged friends. That said, just because you love your poochie doesn’t mean you should buy indiscriminately. Dog lovers spend $43 billion dollars(1) a year on pet products, but that doesn’t mean that all of us have “SUCKER” written across our forehead, does it? As a vet, I look with even more critical eyes—and frankly, a lot of what I see makes me cringe. Well, when it comes to certain products, heed this vet’s advice and avoid these losers.
Magnetic beds
Perhaps you’re thinking about spending a pretty penny on an anti-arthritis, magnet-laden bed. There’s pretty extensive human research disputing the benefits of magnets and their ability to increase circulation and reduce inflammation. Most research shows that it’s the placebo affect that is beneficial, and not the magnet itself. While there isn’t any veterinary research, it’d be worth doing - as pets aren’t affected by the placebo affect to the extent that humans are. In the meantime, Dr. Choi, an associate professor in integrative medicine at the University of Minnesota, recommends seeking more aggressive treatment for arthritis (like weight loss, cartilage-protective drugs like glucosamine chondroitin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, and acupuncture) instead of just “support” itself (like a magnetic bed), as the magnets just don’t cut it.
Read more...
|
|
