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Rabies Alert!
On September 13, 2009, Colorado State University reported a positive
Rabies test in a horse from the Black Forest area of North El Paso
County. A couple of months earlier, the owners of the horse noticed a
skunk nearby acting strangely.
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Since January
1, 2009 their have been 29 cases of verified rabies in skunks in Colorado.
Eight skunks have tested positive for rabies in El Paso County this year.
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Cats led
the list of domestic animals with reported cases in 2008 with 294
reported cases. This is up about 12 percent from reported cases in 2007.
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Rabies
continues to affect wildlife much more than domestic animals. Wild
animals, especially skunks, raccoons, bats and foxes, accounted for 93% of
all rabies cases reported in 2008.
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Rabies is
responsible for killing more than 55,000 people every year according to the
World Health Organization.
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World Rabies
Day, the third annual, is September 28, 2009.
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Make certain
that your pets' are current on their rabies vaccines.
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For more
information, please visit
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/dc/zoonosis/rabies
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Check
out your plants inside and out for toxicity and limit animals access to
potentially harmful plants.
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Know
what food products are toxic to pets such as chocolate, chewing gum,
raisins, grapes, macadamia nuts, onions, and garlic, and keep in area where
pets cannot get to.
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Keep
medications (including inhalers, dietary aids, and supplements) safely
stored behind secure cupboard doors. DON”T LEAVE THEM ON TABLETOPS OR
COUNTERS
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Never
medicate your pets with human products without first speaking to your
veterinarian. Most human products (e.g. ibuprofen) are toxic to animals.
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Keep
pets away from cleaning products. Keep pets out of the room when using
them.
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Keep
toilet lids closed to keep pets from drinking the water, especially if you
use automatic chemical bowl or tank treatments
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Keep
home fragrance products, including potpourri, out of reach and do not spray
heavily around birds or other caged animals.
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Keep
rodenticides far away from a pet’s access. Keep in mind that rodents can
transfer the toxins to accessible locations. Best not to use one’s that can
be toxic to your pet because some do not have treatment antidotes.
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Do
not use insecticides around your pet without knowing their toxicological
profile. Read labels and use only as recommended. Do not use dog flea and
tick products on cats.
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Grub
or snail killers can be extremely toxic even in small quantities. Keep
these products out of garden or garage if your pet could potentially come in
contact with them.
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Keep
all automotive products, especially antifreeze (ethylene glycol) which can
be extremely toxic, away from pets. If you spill any antifreeze, windshield
cleaner, or engine lubricants, clean up immediately and thoroughly by
diluting with several gallons of water.
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Keep
garbage behind closed doors. Trash and compost bins can contain many toxins
to pets such as cigarette butts, coffee grounds, moldy dairy products, and
chicken bones.
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Don’t
leave batteries of any type lying around. If chewed on or ingested can lead
to serious harm.
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Keep
alcoholic beverages, cigarettes and nicotine replacement products beyond
reach.
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Glues
can be tasty, but can be toxic. Keep home-improvement and craft projects
behind closed doors to avoid accidental harm through curious investigation.
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Canine Influenza Vaccine
St. Francis Animal Hospital is now offering the new
Canine Influenza Vaccine (CIV). Canine Influenza, also called the H3N8
Virus, is a potentially severe upper respiratory disease specific to dogs only.
It is spread through direct contact with infected dogs, via coughing and
sneezing, and by contact with contaminated surfaces. The symptoms may be
hard to distinguish from Kennel Cough disease in it's milder form and dogs
without any symptoms can carry the virus to other dogs. The mortality rate
for dogs with symptoms is reported to be 5-8 percent. There have been
confirmed cases throughout Colorado Springs, including the humane society, and
certain boarding facilities are now requiring the vaccine for all boarding dogs.
The CIV, or Influenza vaccine helps
by decreasing the severity of the symptoms, decreases the days that the virus is
shed in the environment, and protects the dog against forming lung lesions. The vaccine is given initially as a series of
two injections, 3-4 weeks apart, and then it is boosted annually. The
vaccine can be given in dogs older than six weeks. So far we have seen no
adverse reactions in pets from the administration of this vaccine. If you
have any questions regarding the vaccine or to see if you should consider this
vaccine for your dog, please call us. We also have informational brochures
available.
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Online Prescriptions warning
The Food and Drug Administration
has issued a warning for consumers who purchase veterinary products over the
internet. Although there are some reputable internet pharmacies, the FDA
indicates there are also many companies that are fronts for unscrupulous
businesses. If you happen to unknowingly choose one of these illegal
pharmacies, you could be purchasing products for your pets that are unapproved
by the FDA. Although some of these products may be cheaper, they also could be
dangerous or ineffective and/or expired.
The FDA regulates the distribution of veterinary drugs but the state boards of
pharmacy regulate the dispensing of these products. However, many of these
internet pharmacies avoid regulation by operating in different states or foreign
countries. Online pharmacies cannot purchase items from the companies that
manufacture them and must acquire them through other means. The guarantee that
accompanies these drugs from the manufacturer only applies if the drug was
purchased through the pet’s veterinarian.
There are also internet companies that indicate they have veterinarians on their
staff who will sign a prescription for your pet. This is illegal. If the
pharmacy is doing this illegally, can you really trust them to sell you a safe
and effective product? By law, a veterinarian must personally examine your pet
to legally prescribe any prescription drug. The two most commonly prescribed
drugs over the internet for dogs are pain medications for arthritis and
heartworm preventives. It is important for your pet’s health that blood testing
be performed before starting your pet on these medications. Also, dogs on
arthritis medications should have their blood checked routinely for side
effects.
To protect your pet from potentially harmful medications, the FDA recommends
that you only deal with websites that:
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Are located in the United States
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Are licensed by the state board of pharmacy in the
state where the website is operating (visit
www.nabp.info for a list of state boards of pharmacy)
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Are recognized by the NABP with a Verified
Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites Seal, also known as a VIPPS seal
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Have a licensed pharmacist available to answer
your questions
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Require a prescription directly from your
veterinarian to fill a prescription
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Provide reliable company contact information
Please visit the FDA website at
www.fda.gov for more extensive information regarding the concern over online
pharmacies.
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