Blog

At least 360 dogs and one cat reportedly have died in the U.S. after eating chicken jerky pet treats made in China, even as claims of illnesses tied to the products have topped 2,200, federal veterinary health officials said.

Food and Drug Administration officials this week issued the first summary of reports of pet deaths linked to the jerky treats in the past 18 months, along with the strongest suggestion to date that owners might want to avoid the products all together. “The FDA is reminding pet owners that jerky pet treats are not necessary for pets to have a fully balanced diet, so eliminating them will not harm pets,” agency officials said in an online report.

At the same time, the FDA said it will begin testing treats to see whether irradiation of the products may have contributed to reports of treat-related problems ranging from diarrhea and vomiting to kidney failure, Fanconi syndrome and death.

In 2009, the Australian government halted irradiation used to sterilize cat food after reports of paralysis and other problems appeared to be linked to the process. Ninety cats were sickened, of which 30 died, according to press reports at the time.

U.S. regulations allow pet food, including pet treats, to be irradiated up to a maximum of 50 kiloGrays to provide microbial disinfection or elimination of other pathogens. By contrast, most foods for human consumption are limited to far lower levels, 1 kiloGray maximum for fresh foods and 3 kiloGrays for fresh shell eggs to eliminate salmonella, for instance. The upper limit is 30 kiloGrays for spices or dry dehydrated seasonings — except for frozen packaged meats for astronauts, which may be irradiated at levels up to 44 kiloGrays.

It’s not clear whether or how irradiation may contribute to illnesses in pets. The process is widely regarded as safe and even necessary by food safety experts such as Christina Bruhn, a researcher in food science and technology at the University of California at Davis.

Keith Schopp, a spokesman for Nestle Purina PetCare Co., confirmed that his firm’s Waggin’ Train brand products are irradiated. “This is similar to what is used in sterilizing spices, apples, tomatoes and meat for human food,” he said in an email to NBC News. “The extra precaution is taken to assure pet owners the treats they buy are safe and healthy.”

FDA officials indicated they would ask NASA — which has expertise in the effects of irradiated food — for help in their analysis.
Investigating irradiation’s effects on pet treats will be the latest avenue for an agency stumped by rising reports of deaths and illnesses in pets. The treats are part of an estimated nearly 86 million pounds of pet food imported to the U.S. from China each year.

In China, people mostly prefer the dark meat of chicken, leaving a large amount of light meat products available for export. Much of that has been funneled into pet treats, including pet jerky treats that are considered the fastest growing segment of the pet food market, the FDA indicated.

Read more at NBC News

Scientists are saying that with the climate disruption they are seeing we can expect a lot more extreme weather events – droughts, wildfires, extreme heat and strange storm patterns with names like “derecho” are the future.

So it’s important to know how best to help our four-legged family members fare these extreme weather events. Here’s 10 things to know about pets and extreme weather that I have compiled from various sources:

1. We’ll start with the one that seems most obvious, but continues to be the top killer when it comes to heatwaves! Never leave a pet unattended in a car on a warm or extremely hot day. Seriously, this one is such a no-brainer. And leaving the windows open is not enough to stop the temperature from rising. Think about this: on a day that it is 78 degrees, your car in the shade can reach temperatures over 90 degrees – in the sun your car can reach 160 degrees!!

2. Keep cool and fresh water available all day and night. One thing scientists tell us is happening is that there is less relief from heat at night then there used to be, so don’t forget that your pets will probably be looking for water at night as much as they are in the day.

3. You might like running on a super-hot day, but your dog probably doesn’t. Let Fido stay home and skip the excercise because with all that hair they just can’t cope with heat as well as us hairless apes.

4. You know how walking in barefeet on concrete or ashphalt burns? Well its the same for your pet. So if you are taking them for a walk, make sure they have on some cute little booties or better yet, take them to a park where they can run on the grass or dirt instead. When it is 77 degrees, pavement can be 125 degrees.

5. Heatstroke can happen in minutes in cats and dogs so watch for signs of heat distress: panting, open-mouth breathing, inactivity, lack of appetite and diarrhea.

6. If your pet is showing signs of overheating move him into the shade, wet the coat and use a fan to blow cool air. If that isn’t working put icepacks or wet towels in the arm/leg pits and the groin area. And, of course, call your local vet.

7. Got a white cat? Did you know they get sunburned? Keep your white kitten inside on hot days.

8. Some breeds of dogs, like Bulldogs, Pekingese, Shih Tzu, Pugs and Boston Terriers, are not very efficient panters, so pay extra special attention if you own one because they are much more susceptible to overheating.

9. A lot of dogs and cats HATE thunder (along with many humans I might add). So in these times of extreme weather, if your pet is afraid of thunder you can help them out by remaining calm yourself, try to play a game with them to distract and offer your pet a nice, quiet place they can go if possible.

10. On especially hot days give your cat or dog some cool relief by placing a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a cloth in their bed. The peas contour to their body and offer some immediate sweet relief. Just remember, don’t leave your pet unsupervised as they may be tempted to ingest the cloth or the bag.

The Fourth of July has so many awesome associations for humans: cookouts, trips to the beach, an excuse to bust out the red-white-and-blue clothing, and of course fireworks displays.

But what we hominids think of fondly as fun and exciting traditions, the dog is just hassled by. He’s not allowed to belly up to the picnic table with his people, he’s not really that big a fan of the goofy flag t-shirt he’s forced to wear so you can get a cute Facebook photo…and he hate hate haaaaaates the fireworks. But why?

The answer seems pretty obvious. …Well, it seems obvious to this sensitive-eared correspondent, who spent most of her childhood praying for rain on Independence Day so she wouldn’t have to pretend to enjoy a fusillade of cringingly loud explosions. So, we can only imagine how it feels for dogs, whose hearing is much more receptive than ours (they have three times as many muscles devoted to it, and according to some sources, the range of frequencies a dog can hear is at least twice that of the range available to us).

Dr. Marty Becker of Vetstreet.com points out that it’s perfectly logical for dogs to hate fireworks: “Fireworks are bombs, for Pete’s sake. It makes sense to be scared!” Marc Elias, principal officer of Pooch Pals LLC, agrees: “Simply put, fireworks, to your dog, is like an artificial lightning/thunderstorm times ten!” Humans may come to enjoy the explosive annual tradition, because of the visual payoff – or because everyone around us is enjoying them, Becker theorizes: “I think our intellect allows us to learn to like these, based on peer input. I remember taking my niece to a baseball game with fireworks after[ward] when she was a toddler. We had to leave because she was terrified. That is not abnormal. She likes fireworks now…a cultural adaptation?” Dogs won’t learn to like them the same way; to a dog, it’s just a bunch of big bangs – not generally something pooches view as a positive. “I bet an adult who grew up a war zone or a soldier with PTSD doesn’t dig the Fourth of July,” Becker says.

And it’s not just the volume; it’s the unpredictability. Elias points out that, although many dogs hate thunderstorms also, at least an incoming cloudburst gives the hound some notice. Fireworks, not so much. “Unlike a thunderstorm where there are subtle precursors — barometric pressure changes, amount of light in the sky, humidity etc. — there is no ‘warning’ so to speak with fireworks,” Elias says. “Without a warning, psychologically most pets get excited very quickly and have to cope with that excitement, fear and anxiety.”

And many dogs’ method of coping – bolting at top speed, then hiding — is why animal shelters see such a big uptick in intakes right around the Fourth, Elias adds. “There are two directions they can take, flight or fight.” Dr. Becker’s daughter Mikkel, a pet-training expert, elaborates that a fearful dog will declare its own version of independence: “It’s especially important during this time that dogs are prevented from getting out of the house or yard, because dogs that are afraid are more likely to dash out and keep running, often getting right into danger of traffic or getting lost.”

Fido may also fear the fireworks because you fear them…or you fear his fearing them. In other words, you know he’s going to freak out – so he picks up on your anxiety about that, and gets even more anxious himself. Amy Robinson, dog trainer and proprietor of DroolSchool.com, theorizes in the case of thunderstorms that the human’s reactions may influence the pooch, and/or aggravate his angst: “If we flinch, pace, or dart concerned glances at the dog and mutter, ‘Uh-oh, here it comes,’ then the dog’s fears are confirmed.” We can probably assume that the same goes for fireworks.

Elias concurs: “Constant petting or coaxing your pet to come say hello to you can send that energy to your pet. Pets often know how you feel, before you know how you feel.” The Pooch Pals website has a bunch of tips for desensitizing the dog to the fireworks – but Elias mentions building your own “chill kit” (chocolate, a phone to call a friend, maybe a glass of vino), and calming yourself down so as not to aggravate the dog’s fears with your own. “Our recommendations and tips as trainers become vastly less effective when being implemented by a very nervous human.”

It’s probably too late to start desensitizing your dog for the fireworks this year – but Mikkel Becker recommends creating a “thunder room,” a safe place for the dog with no (or blocked) windows: “Basements work well for this.” Find a place where the dog can hibernate, she says, and create white noise to block out the sounds – loud music, a TV turned up high, or special “albums” for dogs like “Through a Dog’s Ear” or “Music My Pet.”

Copyright © 2012 Yahoo Inc.