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West Nile Virus and Your Pet
Can my pets get West Nile Virus from an infected bird?
There is not any documented evidence of this occurring, but it is
possible if dogs or cats eat a dead infected bird that they may become
infected as well.
Can my pets get West Nile Virus from a mosquito?
Yes. Dogs and cats can contract WNV from mosquito bites, just as humans.
Horses also become infected by the bite of an infectious mosquito and
can become extremely ill and even die. You can contact your veterinarian
about a newly licensed equine vaccine for areas where WNV is prevalent.
 Can
I get West Nile Virus from my pets?
West Nile Virus is transmitted from infected mosquitoes. There is not
any documented evidence of animal-to-person, or even person-to-person,
transmission. However, for infected horses normal veterinary infection
control precautions should be followed. More information regarding West
Nile Virus can be found at the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention West
Nile Virus Homepage.
Are my pets at risk?
Unless your pet is equine, most experts don’t seem to think there’s a
great risk.
Pet birds, theoretically, would probably be as susceptible to the virus
as wild birds if they were exposed to mosquitoes on a regular basis.
Since this generally isn’t the case, there has been little reported on
West Nile in pet birds, nor has the virus caused significant problems
for poultry.
Dogs and cats can become infected with West Nile virus by the bite of an
infected mosquito, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health,
but they appear to be very resistant to developing disease.
A 1999 study of dogs in the borough of Queens in New York (the epicenter
of the human outbreak) showed that 5 to 11 percent of dogs tested had
been exposed to West Nile virus, but none of the dogs’ owners reported
that their pets had been ill. Only one cat is known to have died from
West Nile virus infection.
Although most non-equine pets do not seem to be at risk, if you’re
worried, experts recommend minimizing your animals’ exposure to
mosquitoes.
How can I protect my animals from West Nile?
Limiting exposure to mosquitoes is considered the most effective way of
preventing West Nile infection. To protect your animals—and
yourself—authorities from APHIS have issued several recommendations.
First, take steps to reduce the population of mosquitoes in your area.
Remove all man-made sources of stagnant water where mosquitoes might
breed, and dispose of water holding-containers, including old tires.
Turn unused kiddie pools, water troughs, and wheelbarrows over when not
in use. If containers must be left outdoors where they can collect
water, drill holes in the bottoms for drainage.
Homeowners should clean their gutters annually, and aerate any
ornamental pools or stock them with fish that eat mosquito larvae. Clean
and chlorinate swimming pools that are not in use, and eliminate
standing water on swimming pool covers. You can also use landscaping to
eliminate standing water in your yard. Remember, mosquitoes can breed in
any puddle that remains for more than four days.
Local mosquito control authorities may be able to help you assess
mosquito breeding risks associated with your property, and offer ideas
on how to reduce them.
Taking the above steps will help keep mosquito populations low by
discouraging breeding—but it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to eliminate
mosquitoes altogether. So APHIS also recommends taking steps to minimize
animals’ exposure.
One option is keeping animals in barns or sheds with well-maintained
insect screens—as long as you’ve ensured there are no mosquitoes already
in the building. The use of fans may also help prevent mosquitoes from
feeding on horses.
Insect repellents may be of some value in decreasing horses’ exposure,
but authorities caution against relying upon them exclusively because of
practical limitations in coverage area and limited duration of
effectiveness.
Repellents should be used according to their label instructions. Topical
application of a product containing a synthetic pyrethroid compound
(like permethrin) as the active ingredient may offer the best
combination of safety and efficacy, according to APHIS.
Because it’s not yet clear when the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile
are most active, authorities have not made recommendations against
allowing animals outside at certain hours of the day. But one recently
completed epidemiological study of West Nile suggests that keeping
horses in stalls at night may be helpful in reducing their risk of
infection, according to APHIS.
Flea Allergies
Dermatitis (FAD)
 Flea
allergy dermatitis, or FAD, is the most common allergic skin disorder in
pets. Here are the symptoms and reasons, below are the answers to help
you and your pet find both instant and long-term relief!
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Fleas bite and suck blood
from a host to feed themselves in the same way that a mosquito does.
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Unlike a mosquito, who
eats once and goes off to digest its meal, fleas continue to bite a
host animal long after their hunger is satisfied.
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They do this to produce
flea droppings containing undigested blood.
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These droppings are very
high in protein and iron and are eaten by the immature stage of a
flea's life cycle.
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A flea bite may leave no
mark at all, but it can leave instead a small, red spot surrounded by
a reddened halo if the host is sensitive to its bite.
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Unless there is an
allergic skin reaction, there may not be any swelling.
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But many dogs and cats
develop an allergic reaction to flea saliva, occasionally producing
severe skin reactions.
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In dogs, there is no
preferred breed or sex for development of FAD. Most cases are observed
in dogs between one and six years of age.
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Animals can be different,
with different sensitivities and tolerances. It is possible to have
two pets living together in the same environment and have one react
violently to flea bites with severe scratching and rubbing, while the
other shows little or no reaction.
Tips:
Canine Hip Dysplasia
Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) is a
developmental disorder of the hip that begins with joint laxity and
progresses to arthritis over a period of several months to years. It is
one of the most common skeletal diseases seen by veterinarians. The
condition is very common in large breed dogs, but can be seen in any
breed.
 Multiple
genes are involved in the inheritance of hip dysplasia, and many other
factors influence its development, including body type, size, growth
rate, and nutrition. Overfeeding and dietary supplementation for maximal
growth has been shown to increase the incidence of hip dysplasia in
young, growing and large breed dogs. Conversely the development of hip
dysplasia can be delayed, and its severity diminished when the growth
rate of pups is restricted.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of hip dysplasia is based on history, physical
examination, and radiographic evaluation. A typical history may include
any or all of the following:
- difficulty or stiffness upon rising
- rising using front legs only and
dragging rear
- "bunny hopping" gait
- short stride in rear legs
- reluctance to exercise or climb
stairs
- rear limb lameness
- soreness in hips
- waddling rear limb gait
The clinical signs commonly begin between
five to eight months of age or after skeletal maturity. Some dogs don't
have noticeable problems until eight to ten years of age or older. The
onset of clinical signs may appear sudden or gradual. This variability
is due to the individual severity of the disease as well as pain
tolerance of the pet.
Most dogs with CHD are most painful when the hips are extended by
pulling the rear legs back behind the body. Palpation of the hips
usually reveals joint laxity, although anesthesia may be required to
detect it in some cases.
Radiographs are necessary to confirm the diagnosis and evaluate the
severity of CHD. In young dogs or in very mild cases, joint laxity may
be the only detectable abnormality. Later in the disease arthritic
changes are seen. The standard radiographic position is with the dog
lying on its back with both rear legs pulled straight back and parallel
to each other. Most dogs with CHD are too painful to tolerate this
position awake, so sedation or anesthesia is usually necessary. Proper
radiographic positioning is very important to accurately evaluate the
hips and to determine the best treatment.
Treatment
Medical and/or surgical treatment may be recommended for CHD, depending
on the individual circumstances. Medical management usually consists of
exercise restriction, body weight management, and symptomatic pain
management with analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. A non-weight
bearing activity like swimming is the preferred type of exercise since
it places minimal stress on the joints.
Several surgical options are now
available for treating the various stages of hip dysplasia. They include
the triple pelvic osteotomy, femoral head and neck excision, and total
hip replacement.
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The
Komedy Kennel
- Leash: A strap which attaches to
your collar, enabling you to lead your person where you want him/her to
go.
- Dog Bed: Any soft, clean surface,
such as the white bedspread in the guest room or the newly upholstered
couch in the living room.
- Drool: A liquid which, when
combined with sad eyes, forces humans to give you their food. To do this
properly you must sit as close as you can and get the drool on the
human.
- Sniff: A social custom used to
greet other dogs, similar to the human exchange of business cards.
- Garbage Can: A container which
your neighbors put out once a week to test your ingenuity. You must
stand on your hind legs and try to push the lid off with your nose. If
you do it right you are rewarded with margarine wrappers to shred, beef
bones to consume and moldy crusts of bread.
- Bicycles: Two-wheeled exercise
machines, invented for dogs to control body fat. To get maximum aerobic
benefit, you must hide behind a bush and dash out, bark loudly and run
alongside for a few yards; the person then swerves and falls into the
bushes, and you prance away.
- Deafness: This is a malady which
affects dogs when their person wants them in and they want to stay out.
Symptoms include staring blankly at the person, then running in the
opposite direction, or lying down.
- Thunder: This is a signal that
the world is coming to an end. Humans remain amazingly calm during
thunderstorms, so it is necessary to warn them of the danger by
trembling uncontrollably, panting, rolling your eyes wildly, and
following at their heels.
- Wastebasket: This is a dog toy
filled with paper, envelopes, and old candy wrappers. It is important to
evenly distribute its contents throughout the house before your person
comes home.
- Bath: If you find something
especially good to roll in, humans get jealous and use this degrading
form of torture to get even. Be sure to shake only when next to a person
or a piece of furniture.
- Lean: Every good dog's response
to the command "sit!", especially if your person is dressed for an
evening out. Incredibly effective before black-tie events.
- Bump: The best way to get your
human's attention when they are drinking a fresh cup of coffee or tea.
- Goose Bump: A maneuver to use as
a last resort when the regular Bump doesn't get the attention your
require ... especially effective when combined with The Sniff. See
above.
- Children: Short humans of optimal
petting height. Standing close to one assures some good petting. When
running they are good to chase. If they fall down, they are comfortable
to sit on.
- Love: A feeling of intense
affection, given freely and without restriction. The best way you can
show your love is to wag your tail. If you're lucky, a human will love
you in return.
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