Leptospirosis Risk Increased in Flooded Areas of Texas and Florida

Health officials in Texas and Florida are warning people to avoid standing water. The obvious dangers include poisonous snakes, toxins, alligators and downed electrical lines. The less obvious reasons include infectious diseases like leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a disease carried by rats and rodents. The infective form called a spirochete is transmitted through the urine or …

Plague Found In New Mexico and Arizona

Another outbreak of plague has been found in New Mexico and Arizona. From January to July 2017, New Mexico has three confirmed cases of Yersinia pestis.  This bacteria causes plague in humans. Arizona prairie dogs in Cocinino county near Williams, Arizona suddenly started dying this summer. Testing revealed Y. pestis bacterium caused their deaths. Now, fleas …

H3N2 Dog Flu Hits Arizona

H3N2 dog flu has come to Arizona.  In 2015, a new strain of canine influenza hit the Midwest sickening more than 1,000 dogs.  At first, the outbreak was attributed to Influenza A H3N8, a virus that was first observed in the United States in 2004. But further testing by researchers at the University of Wisconsin and Cornell University identified …

Blue Buffalo and Wellness Voluntarily Recall Dog Food After Three Dogs Suffered From Thyroid Toxicity

On March 17, 2017, the FDA announced that Blue Buffalo and Wellness dog food companies were voluntarily recalling some of their products because of excessive levels of beef thyroid hormone. The food contained gullets which are the larynx from cows and steers. Unfortunately, the gullets were not properly cleaned and contained thyroid glands which was …

Update on Coated With Fur: A Veterinarian’s Heart

As many of you know, I am the author of the Coated With Fur series of books.  They recount stories from my days as a young veterinarian owning the Minnesota Veterinary Center. The first book, Coated With Fur: A Vet’s Life, covers the first year of the practice. Readers meet Ivan, the timid doberman,  a wonderful gerbil …

China Announces Decision to End Ivory Trade

On December 30, China announced that ivory sales would be banned by the end of 2017. As the largest consumer of ivory, this news is welcomed by wildlife advocates who believe it will put poachers out of business. The ban will start with the shuttering of legal ivory processing factories by March 31st. The Chinese …

In Honor of The Search and Rescue Dogs of 9/11

Fifteen years ago, search and rescue dogs descended upon the world trade center in search of survivors. Dogs and their handlers worked day and night to help the victims. One of those teams included a young Golden retriever on her first deployment, named Bretagne and her handler, Denise Corliss. It was the first deployment in a …

Keep Pets Safe from Firecrackers Hidden in Tennis Balls and Other Household Items

The Fourth of July is a dangerous time for pets. Backyard barbecues lead to dogs and cats eating all kinds of things that are bad for them. From the high fat ribs that cause pancreatitis to chocolate laden deserts, our feasts create a lot of problems when shared with our pets. Another common problem is …

Zika Virus in Dogs and Cats

Zika virus was first discovered in Africa back in the 1940’s in a monkey with a mild fever. Since then, the disease has spread all over the world. In humans, the virus causes a birth defect called microcephaly which means ‘small brain’. In animals, the virus has  been found primarily  in non-human primates. Most exposed monkeys and apes show …