Only the Love is Contagious . . . .
ONLY THE LOVE IS CONTAGIOUS–the title of an advertisement for H3N8, the canine influenza respiratory infection. The new vaccine is a killed virus manufactured by INTERVET. Since it is also a new flu virtually every exposed dog will be infected. No one claims a flu connection between people and their pets. However, Geisinger, in its “Health Alert”, discusses H1N1 (swine origin) with symptoms that might suggest a similarity with the canine flu–fever plus cough and sore throat with or without body aches, runny nose and stomach upset. And, both flus may be treated with Tamiflu! Makes you realize how appropriate and important veterinarian Roger Mahr’s “One Health” concept is. (Remember “kennel cough” also uses nasal protection!)
(From time to time I am selected for a questionnaire from Geisinger regarding a recent visit. When possible I comment on the presence of my family pets and my concern for their well-being if anything would happen to me. All pet owners should take the time to discuss their pet’s care with their doctor–it affects our quality of life and even medical decisions!! Do we need volunteers to help pet owners when they return home after surgery and/or illness? A pet support team for illnesses like AIDs has been in place for over 20 years.)
THANK GOODNESS NO ONE HAS GIVEN WALKING BO CREDIT FOR MICHELLE OBAMA’S GREAT UPPER ARMS! AT LEAST NOT YET–BUT WAIT FOR A BO OBAMA ARMS WORK-OUT FOR OWNERS!
HAIR JEWELRY REDUX. In last week’s BLOG we discussed hair jewelry–an ancient form of keeping a family bond alive. Modern technology has intervened in pet grief to create crystal jewelry using a portion of the cremains. Go to www.crystalcompanion.com or call 732-458-8700.
CHICKEN NOT SO LITTLE. For those of you who want to add a little something extra to your dog’s food, eggs are cheap right now according to poultry raisers. Dr. Ben Sheffy, one of Cornell’s leading nutritionists, used to claim that the egg was the perfect “supplement”. Uncooked egg whites are bad for dogs but a hard-boiled egg is a low-calorie treat. Chickens, of course, are easily trained using a clicker. When I attended a poultry show to interview Martha Stewart I saw trained chickens riding on people’s shoulders. Studies have shown that hens can teach one another to complete tasks and roosters use verbal clues to alert hens that a predator is close–and even can alert others about whether the feed is a good quality. And, veterinarians try to manage the chicken environment so that there is less stress (SKY NOT FALLING IN) and more opportunity for hens to express normal behavior.
Since researchers are not allowed to use animals in ways that can hurt them, eggs are often used instead of live animals. So far we have not had a Sputnik egg of any species except the famed Kennedy Russian dog.
Sep 27, 2009 | | Uncategorized