Dog Flu and Harbor Seals

These Mature Harbor Seals on the beach are apparently healthy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One source I haven't mentioned before is Mypet.com, mostly because it's run by Merck, which is a major player in BigPharma, if you know what I mean.  The bottom line is that the site is there to sell you on their products, but that doesn't mean that they are automatically wrong, just that you have to consider their goals as well as your own.  So, keeping that in mind, I just got an email from them about dog flu (several viruses, including H3N8).  They want people to vaccinate their dogs against dog flu (which is not -- so far-- transferable to humans), and they have a point, especially if your dog comes into contact with other dogs, or if your dog has a chronic health issue (like diabetes, for example) that would make a bout of the flu more hazardous than it would be for a healthy dog.  Their dog flu page is very cute, with a puppet video.  However, if you want to know more, you have to leave the site for another Merck page.

Not surprisingly, WebMd has information on H3N8, which you may have heard referred to as bird flu.  Horses and seals are also susceptible to it, and it can kill.  A WebMd Health News article reports that "Over a four-month period beginning last September [2011], 162 harbor seals were found dead or dying along the coast of New England" from H3N8.  Makes you want to get your dog vaccinated, doesn't it?     

Related articles

• Sick as a Dog: How Flu Season Affects Fido (arkansasmatters.com)
• Flu epidemic strikes millions of Americans already vaccinated against the flu (insomniacs2.wordpress.com)
• How to Survive Flu Season (atlantablackstar.com)

Diabetic Dogs in a Winter Wonderland

English: Two Siberian Huskies (Max & Moritz)
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I hope your holidays are going well so far.  I just received an email from WebMd's Healthy Dogs newsletter and was appalled to find that the article links don't seem to be working.  Since others may be having the same problem (and since the search program on WebMd seems to have trouble finding pet articles, too), I thought it would be worth posting how to get to them.

The first article is on frostbite in dogs, and I found this a real eye-opener, as I never thought about it before.  I mean, the dogs I've spent the most time with throughout my life have all been breeds (Pomeranians, Great Pyrenees, Siberian huskies, etc) that originated in cold climates, and you just don't imagine them having too many problems in the winter.  In fact, I've always had more of a problem getting the dogs to come back indoors in the winter.  It turns out that cold weather is especially hazardous for diabetic dogs, because "Prolonged cold exposure burns up stored energy and results in a low blood sugar."  Their instructions on emergency care for dogs suffering from hypothermia include giving honey or sugar water as part of the treatment.  Good to know!

The article on winter safety in general is also a good read, if only to refresh your memory, but it brings up a few things, for example, the hazards of doggie sweaters (!), that may not have occurred to you.

Finally, one of the things I found on my own turned out to be another good source:  the vet blogs at WebMd-- I didn't know they had these, but I should have guessed that they would.  There's a post from a vet in New York about winter paw care, and much more.

That's all for now.  Best wishes for a happy -- and healthy-- new year!
 

Related articles

• Beat the Winter Blues with Your Dog (petcarerx.com)
• Beat Your Pet's Arthritis This Winter (petcarerx.com)
• Game of Thrones inspired Huskie craze goes cold as owners give up on dogs (independent.co.uk)
• Great Pyrenees pup helps committee lobbying for dog park in Bethel (bangordailynews.com)
• Siberian Husky stolen outside bar in North Portland (kgw.com)
• Diabetes Dogs: K9 Insulin Monitors (wwlp.com)

A Terrific Source Re: Pets and Hurricane Sandy

Flickr: doxella

I've been sorting through my email today, and I came across one from DogChannel.com listing their article "How You Can Help Pets Affected By Sandy."  Now, I've gotten a bunch of similar messages since the storm, but this one is really helpful if you want to know who's doing what.  For example, the American Kennel Club's new Sandy Fund is providing grant money to clubs in the areas hit by the storm.  DogChannel.com has links for all of the 15 organizations leading the charge to provide relief to those who need it.

I should also mention that theanimalrescuesite.com is involved in relief efforts as well.  If you've never been to the site, you should try it.  You can help FOR FREE by clicking on the page!  No, it's not a scam.  The site donates the ad money generated by your click to shelters, and throughout November, all donations are going to Sandy relief.

And, while I'm at it (and considering that Thanksgiving is less than a week away), once you've clicked on theanimalrescuesite, click on each of the tabs on the top of the page to give similar help to relieve human hunger, help homeless vets, and other worthy causes via the Greater Good Network. 

Thanks.

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