The Veterinary Information Network (VIN) has an interesting article about feeding your pets raw meats.  They quote a New Hampshire veterinarian, Dr. Richard McAroy, who is against it and doesn’t allow it in boarding clients. Here’s a sample of the article, but do read the whole.  It is a balanced report of the pros and cons of feeding your do or cat uncooked meat.

VIN News.

November 22, 2010
By: Carrie Peyton Dahlberg
For The VIN News Service

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Pet insurance is a complicated issue.  It can be a great help if one of your pets needs major surgery or chemotherapy, but there are also pitfalls with it.  Just like human health insurance, it doesn’t always cover pre-existing conditions.

There are two excellent web sites devoted to helping pet owners understand the ins and outs of pet insurance.  The first and most comprehensive is the Pet Insurance University.  This site takes an in-depth look  at pet insurance, offers comparison charts between the plans and lists alternatives.

The second site, the Pet Insurance Fact Sheet, is a one page primer on pet health insurance including this advice on how to select a plan:

How to Select a Pet Insurance Plan

Selecting a pet insurance plan is an individual choice because each person has different needs depending on the pet’s breed, owner’s geographical location and the owner’s budget. First determine if you need pet insurance.

If you can cover the “worst case scenario costs” for your geographic location out of your own pocket, then you may not need pet insurance.

If you determine that you need pet insurance, make sure the pet insurance company you choose has the following attributes:

1) Has good medical coverage .To get the most comprehensive coverage, you want to purchase a plan that covers accidents/injuries AND illnesses. The illness part of the coverage must include (these are common ailments in veterinary medicine):

a) Coverage for cancer

b) Coverage for chronic disease Chronic diseases are illnesses that have long duration and generally slow progression. Examples include: cancer, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and chronic liver disease.

c) Continual coverage for chronic disease If you do not get this coverage, the chronic disease will only be covered in the policy year it was diagnosed, after that, you will have to pay for any continuing medications or diagnostic monitoring yourself. Treatment for most chronic diseases will last beyond the first year of diagnosis.

d) Coverage for Hereditary & Congenital Diseases

e) Coverage for Diseases that are Common to your Pet’s Breed

2) Has a good reputation: Research a pet insurance company’s reputation using:

• • • Pet Insurance Review
    • Better Business Bureau
    • Your state’s Department of Insurance

3) Has a strong underwriter The underwriter is the company that is financially responsible for paying your claim. Use AM Best’s website to research the strength of the underwriter.

4) Has a maximum payout limit that will cover the “worst case scenario costs” for your geographic location. The maximum payout limit is the maximum amount of money the insurance company will reimburse you. This payout limit can be annually, lifetime, per incident, per body system or based on a predetermined benefit schedule. You want to pick a maximum payout structure that will cover the “worst case scenario costs” that could happen for you.

5) Has an affordable premium

6) Pays claims in a timely fashion

7) Does not have unreasonable exclusions and requirements.

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According to the Veterinary Pet Insurance Company, here’s a list of the ten most common cancers.  This list is based on claims submitted to the company between 2003 and 2009.

• Lymphosarcoma
• Mast Cell Tumor
• Bone Cancer
• Cancer of the Eyelid
• Cancer of the Spleen
• Liver Cancer
• Fibrosarcoma (which stem from connective tissues)
• Cancer of the Thorax
• Oral Cancer
• Hemangiopericytoma (a tumor generally arising on a limb)

There is some good news on pet cancer front,  a Canine Melanoma Vaccine has been licensed by the FDA.  Survival  rates for Bone Cancer have increased.  A study at the Rogosin Institute at the New York Weill Cornell Medical Center using enhanced biological feedback control to control the growth  of tumors has been successful enough that they are beginning human trials.

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The Cat Fanciers Association has a new web site for cat lovers.  From their announcement flier:

“Do you love cats? Are you curious about cat breeds and personalities? Did a lovable stray stroll into your life and win your heart?

If so, join us as we celebrate the felines in our lives with this exciting new website!

CatsCenterstage.org is the newest and most comprehensive Internet resource for cat lovers.

The website provides an immense wealth of detailed information about cats!  Our online forum is up and running. and ready for discussion about everything feline.  As a forum member you will find discounts on products, opportunities to pose questions to our experts, enter contests, and tell others about your cats and your work helping cats in need.

CatsCenterstage is attracting cat owners every day!

You, too, can-

• Determine the color/pattern of your cat – a mackerel tabby, a bi-color, or maybe a calico.
• Learn about feline health and behavior issues, and discuss them in the forum.
• Find out about the personalities of all the CFA recognized breeds.
• Read about how to show your cat, or participate in feline agility competition.
• Enjoy games, puzzles and quizes about cats.
• Become acquainted with the basic nature of the cat.
• Discover grooming tips from professionals.
• Hear all about laws that affect cat ownership.
• Be prepared in case of a disaster in your area.
• Be a part of life saving efforts for stray and feral cats.

Visit CatsCenterstage.org today!”

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From the FDA’s web site:

Feline’s Pride is announcing a voluntary recall of Feline’s Pride Raw food with ground bone for cats and kittens, Natural Chicken Formula, Net Wt. 2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg., 40 oz.) produced on 6/10/10, because it may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The product is packaged in uncoded plastic containers and sold frozen to private consumers nationwide. Once thawed, the pet food has a shelf life of about 1 week. The firm manufactures the pet food by an as-ordered basis. This recall affects only those orders placed and shipped from June 10 through June 17, 2010.

The firm and FDA are investigating this matter to determine the source of this problem, and will take any additional steps necessary to protect the public health.

To date, both the firm and the FDA have received no reports of Salmonella infection relating to this product.

Consumers with questions should contact the company at (716) 580-3096, Monday –Friday from 10 am – 4 pm EDT.

United Pet Group, Cincinnati, Ohio is voluntarily expanding its recent recall of its Pro-Pet Adult Daily Vitamin Supplement tablets for Dogs to include additional pet nutritional supplement products for dogs and cats due to possible Salmonella contamination. The list of recalled products is provided below.

The recalled products are sold nationally at various retailers. The products include various United Pet Group Pro-Pet and Excel branded products for dogs and cats, and certain other private label brands of the same products. All of the affected products are in tablet and powdered form. These products are being removed from retail stores and consumers should immediately stop feeding these supplements to their pets. The affected products are those with expiration dates that include and are between “01/2013″ and “06/2013.” Products with expiration dates earlier than 01/2013 or later than 06/2013 are not included in this recall. The expiration date can be found imprinted vertically on the right side of the product label.

Consumers who have purchased the affected products are urged to contact United Pet Group or the place of purchase for further direction. Consumers may contact United Pet Group at 1-877-399-5226, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm EST.

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As a precautionary measure, Proctor and Gamble is voluntarily recalling all varieties of Iams ProActive Health Canned Cat and Kitten Food in 3 oz & 5.5 oz cans with the dates 09/2011 to 06/2012 on the bottom of the cans.  Diagnostic testing indicated that the product may contain insufficient levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1), which is essential for cats.  Cats that were fed these canned products as their only food are at greater risk for developing signs of thiamine deficiency.

Early signs of thiamine deficiency may include loss of appetite, salivation, vomiting and weight loss.  In advanced cases, signs may include ventroflexion (downward curving) of the neck, wobbly gait, falling, circling and seizures.  Contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat is displaying any of these signs.  If treated promptly, thiamine deficiency is typically reversible.

Consumers who have purchased canned cat food with these codes should discard it.  For further information or a product refund call P&G toll-free at 877-340-8826 (Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST).

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Many pet owners turn to online pharmacies and other sources for their pet medicines and flea products. While many online stores are reputable, there are some that are questionable.  To help you in your search, the FDA has a web page and a pdf  booklet to help you pick a reputable source for your pet’s medicines.  Some of their warning signs to look for are:

• Site does not require veterinary prescriptions for prescription drug orders.
• Site has no licensed pharmacist available to answer questions.
• Can someone answer your questions about your pet’s medicines?
• Site does not list physical business address, phone number, or other contact information.
• Site is not based in the US.
• Site is not licensed by the State Board of Pharmacy where the business is based.
• Site’s prices are dramatically lower than your veterinarian’s or other website’s prices.
• Site ships you medicine that you didn’t order or that looks very different from what your pet normally takes.

Counterfeit Advantage/Frontline

You’ve found your Frontline or Advantage on line for a great price.  How do you tell if it is the real thing?  The EPA has a great web page explaining  how to tell if it the real thing.   It lists the registration numbers for legitimate products and then gives lists of what to look for:

The pesticide products are sold in a carton. It is difficult to distinguish counterfeit products from EPA-registered products because they look very much alike. To determine if the product you have purchased is legitimate, check to see if it meets the following criteria. If the product fails any one of these criteria, it most likely is an illegitimate product and should be disposed of properly.

The only way to tell whether or not Advantage is counterfeit is to open the package and check the applicator tubes.  With Frontline, there may be a difference between the carton and the instructions and certain wording may not be on the instructions.

Before using Advantage or Frontline that you bought online, print out the EPA’s page and have it handy.

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Now that Spring is coming to New Hampshire, many pet owners thoughts are turning to gardening.  VIN is reporting that incidences of pets being poisoned by ingesting Sago Palms are increasing nationwide.  Although originally from the South, Sago Palms are now being sold in gardening centers and the big box stores nationwide.  Sometimes they are only called “Miniature Palm Tree.”

If you are tempted to buy one of these, remember that your pet can die within hours of nibbling on a Sago Palm.  For some reason, dogs and cats seem to be attracted to these plants.

The ASPCA Poison Control Center has list of toxic and nontoxic plants.

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Due to a significant increase in adverse incidents, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking a series of actions to increase the safety of spot-on pesticide products for flea and tick control for cats and dogs. Immediately, EPA will begin reviewing labels to determine which ones need stronger and clearer labeling statements. Next, EPA will develop more stringent testing and evaluation requirements for both existing and new products. EPA expects these steps will help prevent adverse reactions. In dogs and cats that can include skin effects, such as irritation, redness, or gastrointestinal problems that include vomiting or diarrhea, or effects to the nervous system, such as trembling, appearing depressed or seizures—from pet spot-on products.

“EPA is committed to better protecting the health and safety of pets and families in all communities across our nation,” said Steve Owens, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. “New restrictions will be placed on these products, and pet owners need to carefully read and follow all labeling before exposing your pet to a pesticide.”

Following the 2008 increase in incident reports, EPA received additional information from the pet spot-on pesticide registrants and others and began an intensive evaluation of these products.

Some of the recommendations include:

• Dosing. To address concerns about dosing, the Agency is pursuing requiring label and/or packaging changes that would result in more narrow pet weight ranges per vial size. This means there will be more categories for the weights of pets so that small, medium, and large dogs get the right amount of product. Pet owners should always be aware of the weight of their pet and purchase and use the correct product for their pet’s weight.

• Improve labeling to avoid confusion between dog and cat products. Because there were problems reported with cats exposed to dog products, the Agency needs to address this problem and is pursuing the following actions:
  • Label changes that prohibit the use of the same brand names on cat and dog products; and
  • Requiring appropriate, clear label statements to address concerns with cat exposure to dog products as a result of direct application or interactions between cats and dogs in multi-pet households after the application of dog products.

• Make labels more understandable. To improve label clarity, EPA will pursue changes such as larger fonts and pictograms.

• Make other label changes as needed. EPA will meet with companies individually to review their products and discuss additional changes to labels or ingredients that the Agency feels are needed. These actions may include anything from adding a more complete list of potential side effects to product labels to canceling products.

• Inert Ingredients. To address uncertainties about the “inert” (non-active) ingredients in these products and how they might contribute to toxicity, EPA will be pursuing the following actions:
  • No longer allow the interchangeable use of inert ingredients in these formulations;
  • Determine whether additional information is needed and, if so, require that information to evaluate certain inert ingredients; and
  • Disallow inerts that have suspected toxic effects when and if these are identified.

Tighter Regulation

• Standardized reporting. To be able to monitor these products better, EPA is pursuing more standardized reporting on adverse effects and sales. This will allow the Agency to more effectively review incidents, and if concerns are raised, give EPA information to act.

• Pre-market clinical trials and post-market surveillance. The Agency is taking steps to bring data requirements in line with FDA’s requirements for similar products. This will allow EPA to be more consistent with how FDA regulates similar animal drugs, which includes pre-market clinical trials and a formal post-market surveillance program, and will allow the Agency to more thoroughly assess the safety of the products.

• Grant conditional registrations for new products. Future pet spot-on registrations and amendments to new registrations will be restricted by appropriate conditions and time-limitations to allow EPA to continue to ensure the safety of these products after they are available to the public.

In addition, to improve the regulatory oversight of pet products, EPA will require more standardized post-market surveillance reporting on adverse effects, require submission of more sales information so the agency can better evaluate incident rates, and bring up-to-date the scientific data requirements on pre- and post-market testing so they are more in line with the Food and Drug Administration’s requirements.

Flea and tick products can be appropriate treatments for protecting pets and public health because fleas and ticks can transmit disease to animals and humans. While most people use the products with no harm to their pets, the agency’s analysis determined that smaller dogs tend to be disproportionately affected by some products and that the exposure of cats to some dog products is a concern.

People should carefully follow label directions and monitor their pets for any signs of an adverse reaction after application, particularly when using these products for the first time.

EPA recommends that owners consult a veterinarian about the best way to protect their pets from fleas and ticks or whether pesticides are needed, especially before using any product on weak, aged, medicated, sick, pregnant or nursing pets, or on pets that have previously shown signs of sensitivity to pesticide products.

EPA is coordinating these actions with Health Canada as Canada also identified similar concerns about the use of spot-on flea and tick products last year, and with the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine.

The agency is inviting public comment on how best to implement these new measures. A Federal Register notice announcing the opening of a docket will be published on March 19, 2010. The docket number is EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0229.

EPA’s report on the evaluation of products and incidents is available at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/petproductseval.html

EPA recommends that veterinarians use the National Pesticide Information Center’s Veterinary Pesticide Adverse Effects Portal to report incidents: http://npic.orst.edu/vet

More information on pet products and safety tips: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/pets.htm

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Tufts is reporting that reading labels is not always the best way to help your pet lose weight.

“There is so much information — and misinformation — about pet foods, it’s understandable that people are confused about what to feed their dogs and cats,” said co-author Dr. Lisa Freeman, professor of nutrition at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. “To counteract these myths, people are accustomed to turning to the labels on food — but, as this study shows, packaging might not always be a reliable source of information.”

more at Science Daily.

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