Rabies Alert

Another confirmed case of rabies was announced on December 1^st.  A stray cat in Olmstead County, in the southeastern portion of the state, was taken in by a family at the end of October.  The cat was spayed and vaccinated, after which the cat started developing neurologic signs such as aggression, vocalization, wobbly in the rear end and scooting.  The cat was euthanized and tested for rabies then.  The unvaccinated cats in the home also euthanized while the vaccinated cats in the home have to be quarantined.   The owner, three relatives and four veterinary staff members all need to be treated with post-exposure prophylaxis shots.  This is just another serious and sad reminder of how important it is to keep our pets up-to-date on their vaccines, especially their rabies vaccine.

Canine Influenza Update

In a national survey of pet care facilities, over a quarter of all surveyed are now requiring that dogs be vaccinated for canine influenza virus (dog flu) before being allowed to board or stay at the facility.  Even if a facility is not requiring the vaccine, please consider getting the canine influenza virus vaccine that we offer to help protect your dog wherever you go – boarding, grooming, dog parks, doggie daycare.

While we get into the spirit of the season with decorations and food, remember that these things can cause serious disease and even death in our four-legged family members. Cats love to eat ribbons and bows which can get stuck in their mouth or stomach and may even have to be removed surgically. Many dogs love the food we do but remember that too many rich foods, such as cookies and meat, can lead to an upset stomach that may require hospitalization for treatment. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, can lead to an increased heart rate and death in our canine friends so please keep those candies out of reach.

Graphic courtesy of Fine Line Web Design (Cat in the graphic courtesy of Can Stock Photo)

Dog flu, first identified in September 2005, is a contagious respiratory disease in dogs caused by a specific Type A influenza virus referred to as a “canine influenza virus.” This is a disease of dogs, not of humans.

The symptoms of this illness in dogs are cough, runny nose and fever. However, a small portion of dogs can develop severe disease.

The number of dogs infected with this disease that die is very small. Some dogs have asymptomatic infections (no symptoms) while some have severe infections. Severe illness is characterized by the onset of pneumonia. Although this is a relatively new cause of disease in dogs and nearly all dogs are susceptible to infection, about 80 percent of dogs will have a mild form of the disease.

Canine influenza virus can be spread by direct contact with infected dogs, by contact with contaminated objects and by people moving between infected and uninfected dogs. Dog owners whose dogs are coughing or showing other signs of respiratory disease should not participate in activities or bring their dogs to facilities where other dogs can be exposed to the virus.

Clothing, equipment, surfaces and hands should be cleaned and disinfected after exposure to dogs showing signs of respiratory disease.

Treatment for milder cases of dog flu may include medication to make your dog more comfortable and fluids to ensure that your dog remains well-hydrated. Broad spectrum antibiotics may be prescribed if a secondary bacterial infection is suspected.

What you can do to help protect your pet…

There is now a canine influenza vaccine available at Skyline for $20.99 and is effective for this flu season. It is especially recommended if your dog boards, gets groomed or visits any off-leash park with other dogs.  Ask Dr. Speltz about it today at 763-574-9892!

Here is a picture walk-through following the new furnaces and air conditioners as we had them replaced this October.  They were replacing the original  fixtures put in when Skyline was built in 1970.  They served us well for 41 years and deserve their retirement!

The first rabies positive dog of the year in Minnesotay was found on Tuesday October 18th in Lincoln County in the southwestern part of the state. The dog was not vaccinated for rabies. Approximately three weeks ago the dog was seen with a wound on its neck and subsequently started developing incoordination and exaggerated movements which progressed to paralysis of the back legs. Since the family had all been exposed to the dog while the dog was shedding virus, all members must get the series of shots to help protect them from developing rabies too. The other unvaccinated dog in that family will also have to be euthanized to test for rabies. Here in Minnesota the rabies virus is always present in the wildlife, primarily skunks and of course bats. Keeping your dog’s rabies vaccine current is not just a way to protect your pet from this deadly virus but also to protect your family. Rabies is nearly always fatal once contracted. The virus is spread through saliva mainly from bite wounds of a rabid animal but you can also get it if you get the drool from an infected animal in any cut or wound you already have in your skin. Here are a few important rules to follow to help keep you and your family (four-legged members and all) protected from rabies:
• Keep your dog, cat and horse’s rabies vaccine up-to-date.
• Stay away from all skunks, especially ones acting oddly or coming close to your house. Call the animal control to deal with them.
• Please call us immediately if you suspect your pet may have had any contact with a skunk or bat.  Remember, bats carry and spread the virus but do not show any signs of illness so just being in contact with a bat is considered possible exposure to rabies.

I’m armed and dangerous!

An important canine virus that is becoming more prevalent in our wildlife is canine distemper virus.  Many raccoons in Minnesota and even the Twin Cities area are infected with the virus. These raccoons may show similar signs to rabies, such as incoordination and muscle spasms.  Unfortunately this disease also is highly fatal in both dogs and raccoons.  Thankfully the distemper vaccine is highly effective at protecting our canine friends from the disease.  The other good news (if there can be good news with a deadly virus) is that canine distemper virus does not affect people or cats.  Basically the same general principles for protection of you and your family apply to canine distemper virus as to rabies virus.

Please welcome the newest member of our staff, Jolene. Jolene comes to us from Champlain Park High School and will be working evenings and weekends doing kennels and assisting where ever needed. Please say “Hi” to Jolene when you come in and make her feel like a welcome member of the Skyline team.

Does your cat have enough energy for 10 cats, eat every morsel of food in sight and is still losing weight, vomiting frequently or having diarrhea?  If so your cat may have hyperthyroidism.  For those of you that have a cat diagnosed with hyperthyroidism already, are you tired of giving your cat a pill or a liquid medication every day to keep the hyperthyroidism in check?  Does your cat just hate to see you coming with that dreaded bottle?  Well Hill’s Prescription Food line has a new food option that may be just right for your feline friend.  It is called y/d and is a diet designed to manage a cat’s high thyroid hormone levels to be within the normal range without any extra medications. Once transitioned to the y/d diet, your cat will need to be rechecked at 4 and 8 weeks after.  After 4 weeks the thyroid hormone level should be down and after 8 weeks it should be within the normal range in most cats.  And don’t worry if your cat has kidney disease, you can use this diet in your cat also but may need more regular rechecks to manage both conditions.  If you are interested in more information about this new thyroid management diet for your feline companion, please call us at 763-574-9892 and talk to a doctor to see if y/d is right for your cat.

Recently these two pet food recalls have been announced due  to possible Salmonella contamination.  If you have any concerns that you or your pet may have been exposed to these food, please feel free to call us at 763-574-9892.

Purina One Pet Food Recall

Contact:

Consumer:

Nestlé Purina PetCare Office of Consumer Affairs:

1-800-982-6559

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- July 29, 2011 – Nestlé Purina PetCare Company (NPPC) is voluntarily recalling
a limited number of 3.5- and 7-pound bags of its Purina ONE Vibrant Maturity 7+
Dry Cat Food from a single production run and shipped to customers in 12 states
in December 2010. This is being done because some bags of the product have been
found to be contaminated with Salmonella. Only Purina ONE Vibrant
Maturity 7+ Dry Cat Food with both the “Best By” date and the production code
shown are included in this voluntary recall :

Merrick Pet Care Recalls Doggie
Wishbone (Item # 29050, Lot 11031 Best By 30 Jan 2013)

Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk

Contact:

Consumer:

(800) 664-7387

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 8, 2011 – Merrick Pet Care, Inc. of
Amarillo, Texas is recalling a single lot of its Doggie Wishbone pet treat
(ITEM # 29050, UPC # 2280829050, Lot 11031 Best By 30 Jan 2013) because they
have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Merrick Pet Care
has made the decision to recall the Doggie Wishbone pet treats in the abundance
of caution. 248 cases of this lot were manufactured and shipped to distributors
in 10 states. Those distributors have been notified. Only one lot of Doggie
Wishbone is affected by this recall. No additional Merrick Pet Care products
are involved in this recall. No other Merrick brand products are involved.

Nestlé Purina Recalls Limited Number of
Dry Cat Food Bags Due to a Potential Health Risk (Shipped Only to Colorado,
Idaho and Oregon)

Consumer Contact: Nestlé Purina PetCare Office of Consumer
Affairs: 1-800-982-6559
Media Contact: Jill Winte 314-982-3032
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: ST. LOUIS, MO, June 27, 2011—Nestlé Purina
PetCare Company (NPPC) is voluntarily recalling approximately 870 bags of dry
cat food shipped to Colorado, Idaho and Oregon. This is being done as a
precautionary measure, as the product has the potential to be contaminated with
Salmonella. Only the following products with both the “Best
By” date and production codes shown are included in this voluntary recall:

* “Best By” Date and Production Code is found on the
back or bottom of the bag.

The bags of dry cat food in this recall were distributed in error
in February, 2011 to a small number of customers in Colorado, Idaho and Oregon,
which may have further distributed the product to other Western states. There
have been no consumer complaints and no reports of illness. No additional
Purina cat or dog products are involved. Only products which match the
“Best By” date and production codes above are involved.
 
Consumers who have purchased any of these dry cat food products
with these “Best By” Dates and Production Codes should discard it.
 
Salmonella
can affect animals eating the product and there is a risk to humans from
handling contaminated products. People handling contaminated dry pet food can
become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly
washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product.
Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for
the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping and
fever. Rarely, Salmonella can result in more serious ailments including
arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and
urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact
with this product should contact their healthcare providers.
 
Pets with Salmonella infections may exhibit decreased
appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic
and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but
otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If
your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please
contact your veterinarian.
At Nestlé Purina PetCare, the safety and efficacy of our products
are our top priority. We apologize for any inconvenience due to this voluntary
recall. For further information or to obtain a product refund, please call NPPC
toll-free at 1-800-982-6559 weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time, or visit www.purina.com.