We all remember the recent pet food recalls.  The following is an exerpt from a posting from the FDA website about the epidemic recall. 

     On March 15, 2007 the FDA learned that certain pet foods were sickening and killing cats and dogs. The FDA found contaminants in vegetable proteins imported into the United States from China and used as ingredients in pet food.

     A portion of the tainted pet food was used to produce farm animal feed and fish feed. FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture discovered that some animals that ate the tainted feed had been processed into human food. Government scientists have determined that there is very low risk to human health from consuming food from animals that ate tainted feed. All tainted pet food, animal and fish feed, and vegetable proteins continue to be recalled and destroyed.

The above statement is from www.fda.gov.

 
Sugar Substitute Can Make Dogs Ill

   
    The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has a report which provides clinical evidence that the sugar substitute Xylitol may cause liver failure in dogs. While veterinarians have suspected that the sugar substitute Xylitol can make dogs sick, there is now evidence of an association between the product and severe illness. Apparently a person can absorb about 50 percent of Xylitol, but dogs seem to absorb almost 100 percent. Not all dogs become ill after ingesting Xylitol, but it has been suggested that if an owner suspects that a dog has eaten Xylitol, they should immediately contact their veterinarian.

    As Xylitol is being used in more baked goods, candies, chewing gum, and toothpaste, veterinarians are seeing more cases of illness in dogs. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, (ASPCA) Poison Control Center reports that in 2003 they had 3 cases of Xylitol poisoning. However, the number of Xylitol poisonings has been growing each year. In 2004 there were 82 cases, in 2005, 193 cases and 140 cases during the first half of this year. This article is brought to you by the APPMA Government Affairs group.

Thanks to Fastags.com who granted us permission to post this article.  We're proud to sell Fastags at our shop in Phoenix.

Pet Cancer & Secondhand Smoke...

   Research shows pets are adversely affected by secondhand smoke.  In fact, the risk of lymphoma more than doubles for pets living in households where their owners smoke. 

  A number of recent scientific papers have reported about the significant health threat secondhand smoke poses to pets.  Research has linked secondhand smoke to oral cancer and lymphoma in cats, lung and nasal cancer in dogs, as well as lung cancer in birds.

  Cats living in homes with smokers are twice as likely to get malignant lymphoma.  This form of cancer is fatal to 75% of cats within 12 months of developing it.

   Cats are so sensitive to secondhand smoke is because of their grooming habits.  Cats constantly lick themselves while grooming and pick up cancer-causing carcinogens from their fur.  This exposes the mucous membrane of their mouths to the cancer causing carcinogens.  Inhaling smoke is not the only danger cigarettes pose to pets, curious cats can eat tobacco products that cause nicotine poisoning when ingested. 

   Another study at Colorado State University found higher incidences of nasal tumors in long-nosed dogs and higher rates of lung cancer in shorter-nosed dogs living in homes where they were exposed to secondhand smoke.  Short and medium nosed dogs like pugs and bull dogs tend to build up carcinogens in their lungs.

   To read more about research on the impact of secondhand smoke on pets click here.   So please stop and think before you light up again...