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Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa (Nov 13th, 2008)

Iowa State University veterinary researchers may have found a cure for a previously incurable disease that causes dogs to go blind suddenly.

In the past few months, two dogs have been successfully treated for sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome (SARDS) by a research team led by ISU veterinary ophthalmologist Dr. Sinisa Grozdanic in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

The experimental treatment is the first to reverse blindness and restore sight to dogs diagnosed with SARDS. The treatment restored sight to the two dogs that were treated on April 12 and April 27.

SARDS was first identified in the 1980s and blinds as many as 4,000 dogs each year in North America, he said. The dogs have a sudden loss of vision despite no structural changes to the eyes or damage to the retinas in the early stages of the disease. Their eyes appear completely normal, but their retinas show no electrical activity.

Although the treatment has worked in two SARDS dogs, not every dog is a good candidate, Grozdanic cautions. Dogs with severe cardiac or kidney disease cannot tolerate IVIg. And it won’t work in a dog whose retina degeneration is advanced. “Once a dog gets SARDS, the retina degenerates quickly, so it’s important the dog is treated with IVIg very soon after diagnosis,” he said. “Usually dogs that have SARDS for longer than two months have severe retinal changes. The sooner it’s treated, the better chance it will work.”

Diagnostic tests cost about $700. If the dog is a good candidate for treatment, hospitalization and intensive care fees will be about $1,200. The IVIg cost will be between $35-40 per pound of the dog’s body weight. Grozdanic recommends owners visit the nearest veterinary ophthalmologist as soon as a dog exhibits any loss in vision.

Albuquerque is trying to prevent pets from being abandoned by families and senior citizens who are having a tough time making ends meet and can no longer feed their dog or cat.

Petco Animal Supplies Inc., through its foundation, will donate 2 tons of pet food each month to The Storehouse, an Albuquerque organization that helps low-income people with such things as clothing and household goods, Mayor Martin Chavez announced Tuesday.

People also can donate pet food to St. Vincent de Paul for the low-income families, take pet food to The Storehouse themselves or leave it at any city fire station, he said.

The program, which began Tuesday, is administered by The Storehouse at no cost to taxpayers, he said. “I think that’s as good as it gets,” the mayor said.

Chavez read a national news article about tough economic times forcing people to give up their pets and wanted to do something to keep people from having to make “those terrible choices” between feeding their pet or being able to afford their own food and medicine.

“And animals lose out,” he said.

Albuquerque’s animal shelter takes in 27,000 animals a year, about 7,000 of which have been abandoned by their owners for a variety of reasons, said Jeanine Patterson, director of the city’s animal welfare department.

City officials, in discussing partnerships with Petco, mentioned wanting donations of pet food for low-income families, Patterson said. Petco representatives pointed them to the company’s foundation.

That resulted in the donation—”fresh food coming right out of the factory, 2,000 pounds a month,” Patterson said.

“We’re trying to keep people from having to give up that animal. … They should be lifelong members of the family,” she said.

Petco Foundation, the charity arm of Petco, said this summer it was establishing a national program to provide up to $5,000 in grants to shelters to train, care for or find new homes for pets abandoned during the foreclosure crisis. The program also was designed to supply food to disadvantaged homeowners who want to keep their animals.

Albuquerque needed a way to distribute the food in a fair way and turned to The Storehouse because it already has screened low-income clients, Chavez and Patterson said. The Storehouse hasn’t previously offered pet food to help families keep pets, they said.

There are pet food pantries in other communities. The Animal Welfare League in Chicago Ridge, Ill., runs one, as does the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Santa Cruz, Calif., for example.

Chavez said he had no idea how many people might take advantage of the pet pantry.

“We’ll see how this goes,” he said. “If the demand very quickly outstrips supply, we may be talking to other large manufacturers to help.”

All About Dogs and Cats applauds the Petco Foundation and the citizens of Albquerque for this venture.

On November 7, Massachusetts citizens voted to prohibit commercial greyhound racing statewide by voting YES on ballot Question 3, The Greyhound Protection Act (pdf).  The Greyhound Protection Act will phase out dog racing in the state by 2010. This inhumane “sport” has already been banned in Vermont, Idaho, Washington, North Carolina, Virginia, Nevada and Pennsylvania.

The greyhound racing industry in Massachusetts has proven itself incapable—or unwilling—to treat dogs humanely. The state’s two dog tracks, Wonderland and Raynham Park, each maintain a population of over 1,000 greyhound dogs. These dogs are confined for 20 or more hours per day to small cages barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around. To reduce costs, the tracks feed greyhounds raw meat from dying, diseased or downed livestock that has been deemed unfit for human consumption. In fact, this meat often contains denatured charcoal to discourage human use.

Racing greyhounds regularly endure serious, even fatal injuries. According to state records, more than 800 dogs have been injured on the tracks since 2002. On average, a Massachusetts racing greyhound is injured every three to four days, with over 81 percent of these incidents involving fractures, dislocation, head trauma, seizures, cardiac arrest, paralysis, or instant death. The majority of these injuries also involve broken legs.

Congratulations, Massachusetts, for passing the ban on dog racing!

Christmas Idea: 

Pet parents can decorate their Christmas tree with “create your own’ ornaments featuring their favorite pictures of their fur kids.

These keepsake ornaments make a lovely addition to the family tree, and  also make great gifts for pet lovers. No special skills are required…Just a clear picture of the pet ( cropped to a size suitable for the ornament) And you can preview the finished product before you place the order.

For more information, visit The Pet Boutique at All About Dogs and Cats.

Pet Parents BEWARE!

Please do not leave your precious pets unattended outdoors on Halloween. There are freaks out there who will torture and do unthinkable things to your furry companions!

Make sure your pet has a safe Halloween by following these guidelines from the ASPCA:

 “Many of our favorite Halloween traditions could pose a potential threat to our companion animals. As pet parents start to make plans for trick-or-treating or costumes, they should be aware of Halloween-related products and activities that can be potentially dangerous to pets.” warns Dr. Steven Hansen, Senior Vice President, ASPCA Animal Health Services, including the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, IL

The following are just a few precautions you should take:

No Chocolate: Even if your pet has a sweet tooth, ingesting chocolate—especially baker’s and dark chocolate—can be dangerous for dogs and cats, possibly causing vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity and even seizures.

No Sweets for the Sweet: Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, which leads to depression, lack of coordination and seizures.

Dangerous Décor: Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach. If chewed, your pet could experience damage to his mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

Don’t Play with Fire: Keep your pets away from jack-o-lanterns with lit candles inside—knocking the pumpkin over can easily cause a fire. And curious kittens can get burned or singed by candle flames.

Costume Caution: Please don’t put your pet in a costume unless you know that he or she loves it. Costumes can cause skin irritations, obstruct a pet’s vision or impede his breathing.

For more information on having a safe Halloween with your pets, please visit the complete list of Halloween Safety Tips. And if your pet accidentally ingests potentially harmful products, immediately consult your veterinarian or the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Platina Luna Blade Runner, an eighteen month old male Russian Blue, with a shimmering blue-gray coat and emerald green eyes triumphed over 248 other cats in 41 breeds to become the first Russian Blue cat to win the Cat Fanciers’ Association title of Best Of The Best.

Runner, with owners Teresa Keiger and Rob Miller.

Runner, from Greensboro, North Carolina, was named Best-in-Show at the CFA-Iams Cat Championship held at Madison Square Garden in New York on October 18-19.

First runner-up was Deydream High Hopes, a 3 ½-year-old Manx Grand Premier from Easthampton, New Jersey and second runner-up Tigerboy Keymaster of Wishes, a 6-month-old Exotic kitten from Hong Kong.

The total number of entrants this year was down from 325 in 2007 to 248 , a drop that is thought to be due to the nationwide economic slowdown and higher energy costs that made it harder for owners who do this for the love of cats rather than fame or fortune to travel to New York. But Tiger Boy, an Exotic Shorthair tabby and this year’s second runner-up, came all the way from Hong Kong to participate.

ASPCA News Alert  New York, October 17, 2008

Prescription and over-the-counter medications may help you feel much better, but they can make our pets feel much, much worse. In 2007, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) handled 89,000 cases of pets exposed to human medications—by far, the most common cause of household poisonings in small animals.

To help you prevent an accident from happening, ASPCA experts have drafted a list of the top 10 human medications that most often poison our furry friends. Here’s a sneak peek at their research:

• Pets are ultra-sensitive to anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen and naproxen, which can cause stomach and intestinal ulcers and kidney damage in cats.
• Nothing like antidepressants to bring a pet down—they can trigger vomiting, lethargy and a frightening condition called serotonin syndrome.
• The popular pain remedy acetaminophen is especially toxic to cats, and can damage red blood cells and interfere with oxygen flow.
• Pseudoephedrine is a decongestant found in many cold remedies, but acts like a stimulant in cats and dogs, who can experience elevated heart rates and seizures.

Pets often snatch pill vials from counters and nightstands or gobble up meds accidentally dropped on the floor. The solution? “Keep all medications in a cabinet,” advises Dr. Helen Myers, veterinary toxicologist at the ASPCA. “And consider taking your pills in a bathroom, so if you drop one, you can shut the door and prevent your pet from accessing the room until the medication is found.”

Dr. Myers also recommends learning the name, dosage and quantity of all of your prescriptions should the unthinkable occur. “For example, if you keep several medications in a bottle in your purse, put in a known amount,” she says. “So if your dog gets into the bottle, you know what the worst case scenario is.” If your pet does swallow any meds, stay calm and try to assess how many are left in the bottle versus how many might have been consumed. This information is crucial for veterinarians when assigning your pet’s risk level and determining a proper course of treatment.

If you suspect your pet has ingested any human medications—or other toxic substances—please call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435. To read the complete top 10 list of dangerous drugs, visit APCC online.

New York, New York – October 14, 2008 – The week of October 13 in New York is going to be cat-tastic!  Cats will be everywhere, from city transit buses wrapped in cats to New York’s highest peak, the Empire State Building!  All will be celebrating the 6^th annual CFA-Iams Cat Championship.

The legendary Empire State Building will be celebrating the show by spotlighting the colors of the CFA-Iams Cat Championship from Friday, October 17 to October 19.   From bottom to top, the colors of the Empire State Building will be purple, orange, and white. 

Celebrating this historical moment in the show’s history, the event will be incorporating images of the Empire State Building throughout the show.  Empire State Building visuals can seen on the cover of the official Spectators Show Guide, the columns of host Madison Square Garden and the show’s official logo mark.  Pictures of the Empire State Building in its official show colors will also be posted on the show’s Web site.  (For more information on the show, please call 1-877-232-7469.)
“To be honored by the Empire State Building is the highest accolade that the CFA could ever dream,” said Pam DelaBar, president of the Cat Fanciers’ Association.  “The CFA and Iams are so very proud to be honored by the one of the world’s most majestic wonders.”

1. Be aware.  Get to know and look out for the animals in your neighborhood. By being aware, you’re more likely to notice, for example, that the dog next door who was once hefty has lost weight rapidly—a possible indicator of abuse.

2. Learn to recognize animal cruelty. Here are some signs and symptoms :

• Tick or flea infestations. Such a condition, if left untreated by a veterinarian, can lead to an animal’s death.
• Wounds on the body.
• Patches of missing hair.
• Extremely thin, starving animals.
• Limping.
• An owner striking or otherwise physically abusing an animal.
• Dogs who are repeatedly left alone without food and water, often chained up in a yard.
• Dogs who have been hit by cars-or are showing any of the signs listed above-and have not been taken to a veterinarian.
• Dogs who are kept outside without shelter in extreme weather conditions.
• Animals who cower in fear or act aggressively when approached by their owners.

3. Know who to call to report animal cruelty. Every state and province, and even every town is different. In some areas, you may have to rely on the police department to investigate animal cruelty; in others, you may have to contact local animal control or another municipal agency.

4. Provide as much as information as possible when reporting animal cruelty. The details that you provide can go a long way toward assisting the investigating officer. It helps to write down the type of cruelty that you witnessed, who was involved, the date of the incident and where it took place.

5. Call or write your local law enforcement department and let them know that investigating animal cruelty should be a priority. Animal cruelty is a CRIME—and the police MUST investigate these crimes.

6. Know your state’s or province’s animal cruelty laws. These vary from state to state, province to province, and  from city to city. You can visit the ASPCA’s online database of more than 550 animal cruelty laws—and their penalties—in all 50 states.

7. Fight for the passage of strong anti-cruelty laws on federal and local levels. Write letters encouraging your legislators to pass these laws-and you can send them directly from our website.

8. Set a good example for others. If you have pets, be sure to always show them the love and good care that they deserve - more than just food, water, and adequate shelter. If you think your animal is sick, bring him to the veterinarian. Be responsible and have your animals spayed or neutered.

9. Teach children  how to treat animals with kindness and respect.  Tell kids that their dog or cat would really appreciate fresh water every day,  a warm place to live, and love and play time. Help children understand that animals are living creatures who have the ability to feel pain, joy and sadness.

10. Support your local shelter or animal rescue organization. Make a difference. If possible, foster animals who have been abused in their former homes, giving these dogs and cats the chance they deserve to have a good life. Find a list of shelters and rescue groups in your area:

• Dog Breed Rescue Directory  (USA,  Canada, UK)
• Purebred Cat Rescue (USA, Canada, UK)
• Pet Rescue (USA, Canada, UK) 
• National Shelter Directory (US)

ASPCA News Alert

Trying to shed its reputation as “The Puppy Mill Capital of the East,” the Pennsylvania Legislature on Wednesday night( Oct 8, 2008) passed HB 2525, a bill that will improve the lives of tens of thousands of dogs living in Pennsylvania’s puppy mills.

Introduced in May, HB 2525 doubles the cage space required for dogs in Pennsylvania’s commercial breeding facilities, prohibits wire flooring and the stacking of cages, mandates exercise and twice-yearly veterinary exams for all dogs, and requires that animals be humanely euthanized by licensed veterinarians.

The ASPCA has been working with the Governor’s Office and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture for over three years to increase enforcement and standards of care for dogs in the state’s commercial kennels. They lobbied for passage of HB 2525 by activating the Pennsylvania members of the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade and by spending much of the past several months in Harrisburg, the state capital, promoting the bill to legislators. Governor Ed Rendell signed HB 2525 into law the day after it was passed.

Learn more about Puppy Mills