Deadly Parvovirus outbreak across Queensland prompts calls to vaccinate dogs

Dearly Parvovirus strikes Queensland dogs.

 

Hundreds of dogs have been infected with canine parvovirus during one of the worst outbreaks of the virus seen during recent years. 

Parvovirus is a deadly infectious disease of dogs which causes severe diarrhoea, vomiting, collapse and death.  The virus is highly transmissable as it is very difficult to destroy even with antiseptics and it is shed in large quantities in vomit and faeces, and tiny amounts are infectious to susceptable dogs.  Even a puppy smelling their owners shoe where they have stepped in faeces from an infected dog can easily result in infection.

Cairns had its own severe parvovirus outbreak early in 2012, with dozens of dogs becoming infected and many dying or being euthanased.  The virus affected numerous pets and also dogs as welfare shelters resulting in a lot of heartbreak for owners and workers at welfare agencies like the RSPCA.  There were also outbreaks of  Parvovirus in Queensland after the 2011 flooding/

Cairns has a fairly high risk of getting a parvovirus outbreak because we have high population influx at this time of year.  People travelling for work or leisure often bring their pets with them, and dogs carrying parvovirus may seem to be well until they suddently deteriorate.  By the time they are obviously very sick, a number of other dogs may be infected.  This can be a big problem if they are staying with friends with dogs, or at a Caravan park with other dogs or in a shelter environment.  Even dog parks can be risky, so its critical that dogs are fully vaccinated before being allowed to go places where other dogs have been.

 

Fortunately, there is a safe and highly effective vaccine for Parvovirus.  All pups should be vaccinated 2 or 3 times from 6-8 weeks of age and annually thereafter.  Routine dog vaccines normally include Parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis and kennel cough. In Cairns, outdoor dogs should also be vaccinated for Leptospirosis and sometimes tetanus depending on their location and lifestyle.

Your vet can give you accurate, reliable information about how to protect your pet from common but deadly diseases like parvovirus, leptospirosis, ticks, intestinal worms and heartworm.

Puppies should be kept inside and away from all unvaccinated dogs until 2 weeks after their parvovirus vaccination.  Puppies also need worm treatment every 2 weeks: pups with worms are at higher risk of contracting diseases like parvovirus because they

Read more about the last Parvovirus outbreak in Cairns at the Cairns Post http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2012/01/06/199645_local-news.html

Fleas can cause serious human health problems

Fleas can be more that an annoyance they can cause serious disease in your family

Insects like fleas cause a wide variety of human health problems (remember the black death or bubonic plague which killed half the population of Europe in the 14th century?  This was caused by Yersinia Pestis, carried by fleas). 

Recent studies have linked exposure to pets, fleas and flea-borne diseases such as the bacterial infection bartonella, which causes cat scratch fever.

Fleas linked to rheumatoid arthritis

Read article at onmedica

Fleas linked to rheumatoid arthritis Bartonella, a bacterium historically associated with cat scratch fever and transmitted predominately by fleas, may play a role in human rheumatoid illnesses such as arthritis, according to a report in Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Researchers from North Carolina State University tested blood samples from 296 patients for evidence of Bartonella infection. The patients had previously been diagnosed with conditions ranging from Lyme disease to arthritis to chronic fatigue. Since rheumatic symptoms have sometimes been reported following cat scratch disease, the researchers wanted to see if these patients tested positive for Bartonella henselae. B. henselae cause cat scratch disease and is a species of Bartonella that can be carried in a cat’s blood for months to years.

How to have pets and avoid flea borne disease

Having pets is a great part of life, but keeping them free of parasites and other diseases is critical both for their health and the health of your whole family.

The good news is fleas are reasonably easy to control nowadays.  There are some new fast, easy and effective flea and tick treatments for cats and dogs which means you just don't need to put up with itchy pets and the health risks of parasites like fleas in your home.

Read more about how effective flea control can keep your family healthy at Cairns Pet News.

Cat Friendly Vet Trip Tips

How to train your cat to love its cat cage

Cats often hate travelling to the vet.  Lets face it, cats hate anything which interrupts them spending the day lying around, eating and generally living the good life.

This Video from the Catalyst Council has some tips to make trips to the vet less stressful.

Cairns Vet does recommend all cats come to the vet in a cat carrier/cage.  A cat that is carried into a vet clinic can panic when it sees, hears or smells other animals, wheras they feel safe and protected in a cat cage. 

This is made clear when we finish seeing a cat at a consult: clients always comment that the cat hides when they see the cage at home, but then they happily jump straight back into the cage when its time to go home: they know the cage is the "taxi" to get back to kitty heaven.

Read more Cairns Pet News and Cairns Vet Cat Tips
 

 

Blood and Bone Fertiliser is toxic to dogs

Cairns Vet Clinic treated three dogs last week which had been eating blood and bone fertiliser which is toxic to dogs.  As the weather warms up its time to get into the garden and fertilise your plants, but make sure you keep garden chemicals and fertilisers out of reach of your pets!

Doggy Delicacy: Blood and Bone

Blood and Bone: Great for Gardens, not for dogs!

One surprisingly popular delicacy (not sure if you can call it that if they eat it by the kilo though?) is Blood and Bone garden fertiliser.  Some dogs develop quite a taste for this and will eat all they can get their grubby little paws on.  I guess this kind of makes sense, given it is made of meat and bone scraps.  The processing converts this from being food into something totally undigestable though, and dogs can get very sick from eating it.

Don’t let a little chicken poo put you off:

Some dogs don’t stop at blood and bone: Dynamic Lifter and similar natural fertilisers are mostly composed of chicken manure, often with added blood and bone.  These are also eaten by dogs with toxic results.  Keep all fertilisers away from your pets.  This is a common cause of toxicity and dogs (and less commonly cats): the RSPCA advises pet owners to keep toxic fertilisers away from pets

RSPCA Australia recommends that owners take active steps to ensure that their dogs and other pets do not ingest any type of fertilizer material. If an owner suspects their dog or other pet has ingested fertilizer they should contact their local vet immediately for further advice. For information relating to specific fertilizer products or any other questions regarding fertilizer ingestion by dogs or other pets we suggest you contact your local vet.

Other types of fertilizer such as bone meal and blood meal may be eaten in large quantities by dogs which can cause significant gastrointestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea, constipation) and possibly pancreatitis. Certain fertilizers may also contain bacterial or fungal toxins which can have serious side effects if ingested.

Fertilizers can also be caustic, which irritates the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. In some cases ingestion may lead to gastrointestinal ulceration. Impaction (gastrointestinal blockage) with fertilizer material may also occur in some cases.

Symptoms may be more severe however, if a large amount of fertilizer is ingested or if additives such as insecticides and iron are part of the fertilizer mix. Some fertilizers contain a significant amount of iron which can result in iron toxicity. Though heavy metals such as iron are generally not readily absorbed into the animal’s system, they can pose a hazard when dogs ingest large amounts. A few fertilizers also contain insecticides such as disulfoton, a highly toxic organophosphate which when ingested can cause a sudden onset of seizures and pancreatitis.

Dallas McMillan
Cairns Veterinary Clinic 

Read Cairns Vet pet advice and Pet news on the web.

 

Seeing Eye dog for the blind (dog) - amazing pet news

Here is a remarkable story of a blind dog who has her own seeing eye dog:
Actually many blind dogs do very well without their sight, aided by their exceptional smell and hearing... as long as you don't change the furniture too often.

Great story though.
Dallas McMillan
Cairns Veterinary Clinic 

http://www.news.com.au/world/blind-great-dane-and-her-guide-dog-mate-need-a-home/story-e6frfkyi-1226175852946

Lily and her best friend, Maddison, are inseparable and the animal shelter where they live wants them to be kept together. Picture: AP Source: AP

AN ANIMAL shelter has been inundated with offers of help after it requested a home for a pair of Great Danes - one of which is blind, and totally dependent on the other.

Louise Campbell, the manager of Dogs Trust Shrewsbury, in the UK, said more than 200 people have responded to the call for help and possibly a new home since the shelter - near the Welsh town of Newport - went public about the dogs' plight a few days ago.

"It's been phenomenal," she said, adding that it is still too early to say if a suitable home can be found.

Ms Campbell said six-year-old Lily became reliant on Maddison, seven, after a rare medical problem called entropion caused her eyelashes to grow into her eyeballs, leaving them so severely damaged that they had to be removed.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world/blind-great-dane-and-her-guide-dog-mate-need-a-home/story-e6frfkyi-1226175852946#ixzz1bmQ75Xbq

Cairns Pets Paralysis Tick Reminder

Paralysis Ticks Are Still A Problem for Cairns Pets

Cairns Pets are at greatest risk of tick paralysis from June to December, with August being a peak paralysis tick season.  However, the last couple of years have been atypical due to unusual weather patterns.   2010 was overall too wet for ticks, and 2011 has really been a bit too dry.

Paralysis ticks seem to thrive best and poison more pets when the weather is warm, and not too wet: partly this may reflect wildlife like bandicoots coming into the same habitat as pets and vice versa: eg in dry weather bandicoots often come into people's yards to dig for food in gardens and lawns.  Cairns Pet Tick paralysis cases often surge in the week after rainfall: perhaps some rain triggers the ticks to hatch or mature.

Tick Paralysis occurs several days after a tick has attached to a pet, and can cause difficulty breathing, weakness, wobbliness, coughing, vomiting and death.

 

All this means that the next week or so could be a high risk time for tick paralysis: check your pet regularly and use a preventative product as recommended by your vet.

Search Your Pet Daily for Paralysis Ticks: no Preventative works 100% of the time.

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) has done a Press Release to warn owners of the risk of tick paralysis to their pets: this is geared at a south-east Australian audience but still has valid points for Tick Paralysis in Cairns Pets.

 

Dallas McMillan
Cairns Veterinary Clinic 

 

Excerpt Below: from Australian Eye: Read the full article http://www.theaustralianeye.com/news/deadly-tick-season-threatens-pets-aoi3587871.html

“Ticks release a toxin when they feed, which leads to a condition known as tick paralysis. Common signs of tick paralysis include gurgling and choking. Dogs will often be unable to bark properly due to paralysis of the throat,” said Dr Wilson.

“Other animals may start to cough when eating or drinking, or may cough up water or food. Some animals may also have trouble breathing. It’s vital to take action immediately if you notice any of these symptoms,” she said.

Ideally pet owners should check dogs and cats daily if they live in tick-prone areas. This is most usefully done by running your hands over the animal to feel for anything unusual. In cats ticks often latch on around the back of the neck where they cannot groom, so it’s important to pay special attention to this area.

“Even if you find and remove a tick it’s important to keep an eye on your pet as they can be affected by the toxin for up to 24 hours after removal,” said Dr Wilson.

Your local vet can give further advice on effective trick prevention products and ways to remove ticks. If you have any concerns about a pet you should contact your local vet for advice.

For further information and requests for interviews contact:
Jacob O’Shaughnessy, Media Relations Manager
Ph: 02 9431 5062 or 0439 628 898

The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is the national professional association of veterinary surgeons in Australia. Founded in 1921, the AVA today represents 5000 members working in all areas of animal science, health and welfare.

Read the whole article at

http://www.theaustralianeye.com/news/deadly-tick-season-threatens-pets-aoi3587871.html

 

What price fashion? Animals skinned alive to produce Fashion footwear sold in Australian stores

Animals skinned alive to produce fur lined boots sold in Australian stores

Fur from raccoon dogs, a carnivore farmed in China, is being used in ugg-style boots sold in Australian stores. The boots, which are made of sheepskin (and thus have wool inside) are lined with the soft fur.
The price of fashion? Fur farm animals in china are treated very poorly through their life but their deaths are truly dreadful: they are “stunned” by a blow to the head which seems pretty ineffective: the animals are kicking and wriggling as they are hung up and skinned, and are clearly alive and able to lift their heads and struggle AFTER they have been skinned and thrown onto the ground. Horrible.

Caution: Video may offend – I couldn’t watch it all.

Horrific cruelty in Chinese fur farms: Raccoon dogs skinned alive

Read more at about the cruel fur trade of raccoon dogs at news.com.au  (excerpt below)
http://www.news.com.au/features/environment/australian-fur-trade-using-cruel-raccoon-dog-from-china-in-clothes-and-ugg-boots/story-e6frflp0-1226157064496#ixzz1ZlhU9l6o

 

Many clothing manufacturers are turning to the raccoon dog as a source of cheap fur after the Australian Government banned the import of dog and cat fur from China. Picture: Courtesy of Flickr

Some Australian ugg boots contain raccoon fur according to the Humane Society International. Picture: supplied

SOME Australian ugg boot makers are using pelts from animals skinned alive in China for the footwear and labelling it as wool and other materials, according to an animal rights group.

Investigators from The Humane Society International have today revealed the results of tests on a range of clothing including a brand of the iconic Aussie ugg boot and claim many samples contain the fur of raccoon dogs.

Raccoon dog fur is mainly farmed in China where the animals are kept in unbelievably cruel conditions before being beaten and then skinned alive.

The raccoon dog is indigenous to east Asia and is closely related to carnivorous and omnivorous mammals which includes wolves, foxes, jackals, coyotes, and domestic dogs.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/features/environment/australian-fur-trade-using-cruel-raccoon-dog-from-china-in-clothes-and-ugg-boots/story-e6frflp0-1226157064496#ixzz1ZlhU9l6o

Dallas McMillan

Read Cairns Vet pet advice and Pet news on the web.