SECONDHAND SMOKE...FIRSTHAND PROBLEMS

Much has been said and printed about the dangers of Secondhand Smoke, as it relates to humans. However, only recently have we become aware of the dangers of secondhand smoke for our pets, both dogs and cats. The ASPCA released a news alert this past week for the purpose of helping pet owners become more mindful of the imminent dangers posed for their dogs and cats if they are exposed not only to secondhand smoke but also to other tobacco products and by-products. More on this topic will follow below....

Helpful Buckeye is very grateful that there will plenty more opportunities to see and visit with...Junebug, as a result of things that happened this past week! Ah, yes, our long-time readers will remember that Junebug was the lead "guest" for our first issue of June 2008 and she prompted numerous positive comments. Helpful Buckeye and Desperado are also thankful that Junebug's human "mama and papa," our two favorite "Cowpokes," will continue to be enduring friends and, in the words of Simon & Garfunkel, Old Friends: "Old friends, Winter companions, The old men Lost in their overcoats, Waiting for the sunset. The sounds of the city, Sifting through the trees, Settle like dust On the shoulders Of the old friends. Can you imagine us Years from today, Sharing a park bench quietly? How terribly strange to be seventy." Hold that thought and listen to Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel perform the song from 1968: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPTOY8FrvNw
The "Cowpokes" will understand the significance of this....the rest of you can just sit back and enjoy a really nice, sentimental oldie!

Helpful Buckeye is always trying to learn something new and what I have learned this past week is that perhaps our readers aren't interested in a polling question that resembles a test question! We had the fewest responses to last week's question since the introduction of this feature. For those of you who were interested in the difference between infectious and contagious but were reluctant to answer the question, all 6 choices are infectious but only 3 choices are contagious. From the definitions you were given last week, that a contagious disease is easily passed directly from dog to dog or cat to cat, the correct choices were Sarcoptic Mange, Roundworms, and Rabies. The other 3 choices, Heartworms, Lyme Disease, and Tapeworms, require some other form of life in between. Be sure to take a look at this week's poll questions (If you dare!)...that's right, there are two questions this week in the left column and participate.

For those of you who are new to Questions On Dogs and Cats, you will find a listing in the left column under the heading of "Labels." These topics serve as an index of what we've covered the past year. Click on any of those topics and it will take you to the particular issue with that topic.

CURRENT NEWS OF INTEREST

1) As an important follow-up of the news release from the AVMA last week, the Environmental Protection Agency has provided a more thorough description of the flea and tick products that are under more intense scrutiny: http://www.pawnation.com/2009/04/20/flea-medications-injure-44-000-pets/?icid=mainhtmlws-maindl5link4http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pawnation.com%2F2009%2F04%2F20%2Fflea-medications-injure-44-000-pets%2F

As many as 44,000 pets were adversely affected by over-the-counter flea and tick products in 2008 and the EPA has offered this further news release: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/health/flea-tick-control.html Their product information is currently being updated; therefore, if you are using any over-the-counter products, you should check back with this web site soon to see if you need to be more careful in your choice of products.

2) From the AVMA, a New Jersey appeals court issued a precedent-setting decision this week when it ruled that a pet's "special subjective value" to its owner should be considered in custody cases. Previously, courts have ruled that "pets are personal property lacking in the unique values typically associated with heirlooms, family treasures, and works of art that induce a strong sentimental attachment." For the rest of the story: http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/may09/090501j.asp

3) The Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine has announced that the National Center for Veterinary Parasitology, launched in late February, will be based in the university's Center for Veterinary Health Sciences in Stillwater. The whole news release: http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/may09/090501l.asp 4) Regular readers of Questions On Dogs and Cats will remember that we have addressed the topic of bequests for dogs in 2 previous issues, which can be found at: http://questionsondogsandcats.blogspot.com/search/label/Bequests%20for%20Dogs . The original news report stated that Leona Helmsley's estate of $8 billion would go mostly "to the dogs!" Now that the estate has been allocated by the trustees, the Humane Society of the US is disappointed in the results. The $8 billion now translates into just $1 million: http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2009/04/leona-helmsley.html

5) Normally, Helpful Buckeye steers away from news items that seem to be mostly of "shock" value...however, I'll let you decide on this one. A group of scientists in South Korea has come up with a "glowing puppy!" Here's a picture of the puppy, followed by the news release:

http://news.aol.com/article/glowing-puppy/445317?icid=mainhtmlws-maindl1link3http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Fglowing-puppy%2F445317 Read the report and you make the call....

DISEASES, AILMENTS, AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Helpful Buckeye can remember when the concept of Secondhand Smoke and its effects on non-smokers was first being discussed. As evidence piled up, the direct relationship was established beyond a doubt. During my years of veterinary practice, we may have felt that there was some type of influence on respiratory function of pets by secondhand smoke, but there was no medical evidence to back that up. Well, now there is medical evidence and it's piling up as more research is done. The ASPCA has now taken up the cause of calling attention to this growing problem of dogs and cats being kept in an environment where there are smokers: http://www.aspca.org/news/national/04-24-09.html#1

Helpful Buckeye addressed this concern in a previous issue: http://questionsondogsandcats.blogspot.com/2008_11_02_archive.html , including references to some of the studies done on the subject. In addition to the established links to nasal and lung cancers in dogs and lymphomas in cats, secondhand smoke has also been implicated in many inflammatory-type respiratory disorders in pets.

Let's let Maggie, of the Utah Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (http://www.tobaccofreeutah.org/smokingpets.htm), describe the further concerns about pets living in a smoking environment:
OTHER PROBLEMS IN ADDITION TO SMOKE:

• Ingestion of cigarette or cigar butts which contain toxins


• Drinking water that contains cigar or cigarette butts (which usually have high concentrations of nicotine)


• Ingestion of nicotine patches or gum

HEALTH EFFECTS:

• Breathing problems in dogs and asthmatic-like symptoms in cats


• Salivation


• Diarrhea


• Vomiting


• Cardiac abnormalities


• Respiratory difficulties and/or distress


• Death....From 1-5 cigarettes and from 1/3-1 cigar can be fatal if ingested

PREVENTION:

• As in the case of children and others in the home, don't smoke in the house


• Don't allow others to smoke around your pets


• Keep ashtrays clean....Don't leave butts in them for pets to find


• Dispose of nicotine gum and patches in receptacles that can't be accessed by your pets

Lastly, Breathe New Hampshire has published the following considerations at http://www.breathenh.org/Document.Doc?id=29 :

• Dogs that inhale secondhand smoke are three times more likely to develop lung or nasal cancer than dogs living in smoke-free homes.


• Dogs can experience allergic reactions to secondhand smoke. Common symptoms of this allergic reaction are the scratching, biting, and chewing of their skin. Their owners often confuse this action with fleas of food allergies.


• Cigarette butts can also be deadly. Two butts, if eaten by a puppy, can cause death in a relatively short period of time.


• Birds can react badly to secondhand smoke and may develop eye problems, as well as other respiratory problems like coughing and wheezing.


• Birds that sit on a smoker's hand can experience contact dermatitis from the nicotine that remains on the smoker's fingers. This can cause them (the birds) to pull out their feathers.


• Cats exposed to secondhand smoke in the home have a higher rate of an oral cancer called squamous cell carcinoma, which may be due to the way cats groom themselves. When cats groom themselves, they swallow the poisons from secondhand smoke that have settled on their fur.


• Cats exposed to secondhand smoke have a higher rate of feline lymphoma, a deadly form of cancer, than cats not exposed to secondhand smoke.


• Cats can develop respiratory problems, lung inflammation, and asthma as a result of secondhand smoke.

NON-MEDICAL CONCERNS

1) As Sharon Peters writes in her recent column in The USA Today, there are so many things to be aware of that might be a danger for your pets. To this list, she has added...the retractable leash. You've all seen these and probably have used one on your dog.

Ms. Peters presents several scenarios involving retractable leashes that you will want to avoid: http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/pettalk/2009-04-14-retractable-leashes_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

2) An ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Officer made an interesting discovery when responding to a call about a dead dog. He started the ball rolling for what would be a nice adoption story later on: http://www.aspca.org/news/national/04-24-09.html#2

GENERAL INTEREST

1) The American Kennel Club maintains a list of Breed Rescue Groups on their web site. Many of the AKC-recognized pure breeds are represented on this list. If you might be considering adopting a rescued pure breed dog, check out the list at: http://www.akc.org/breeds/rescue.cfm

2) To see some of the "Top Dogs, by City," browse through these photos. Perhaps you'll see one of your "Top Dogs!": http://www.pawnation.com/2009/04/21/top-dogs-by-city/?icid=mainhtmlws-maindl5link3http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pawnation.com%2F2009%2F04%2F21%2Ftop-dogs-by-city%2F

3) Singer Sara McLachlan accompanies this Public Service Announcement from the ASPCA: https://secure2.convio.net/aspca/site/Donation2?idb=0&df_id=6521&6521.donation=form1&autologin=true&s_subsrc=07pc3&JServSessionIdr010=3j4kwiah95.app28a

4) "A white-and-ginger-colored cat with odd markings, lopsided ears and a grumpy expression has become an online celeb with followers so devoted they eagerly await his every post and rally to contribute to animal causes he promotes." So begins a story in The USA Today by Sharon Peters about Romeo, the "Twitter Cat." Read Romeo's fascinating journey through the cyber world of Twitterers in his efforts to raise donations for animal shelters and rescue groups: http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/pettalk/2009-04-21-romeo-cat-twitter_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

5) The Mayo Clinic has published a column on Friendships: Enrich Your Life and Improve Your Health. One of the many suggestions they offer concerns pets: Get out with your pet. Seek out a popular dog park. Make conversation with those who stop to talk on your daily neighborhood jaunts, or make pet play dates. For the rest of this informative column, go to: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/friendships/MH00125 ....Sounds a little like the movie, Must Love Dogs, huh?

6) A heart-warming story from Minnesota showed up this week about a large cat named Bob, which got lost from his owners. Read the story and watch the video of his reunion, thanks in part to a Facebook entry his owners had made: http://wcco.com/pets/cat.found.facebook.2.984902.html

7) A few weeks ago, Questions On Dogs and Cats ran a story about Pet Hospice and several of our readers sent in positive comments about it. The Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine has a Pet Hospice Program which has been receiving some attention as well: http://www.argusinstitute.colostate.edu/PHabout.htm

8) An innovative program, Paws To Read, combining the efforts of the local medical center, the school district, and Delta Society-registered therapy dogs, has been showing some success in Flagstaff, AZ. Paws To Read lets students practice reading aloud by reading to a therapy dog. For the rest of the story, go to: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/04/26/20090426edpeck0426.html

9) Just 28 years ago, on 24 April 1981, IBM introduced the first personal computer. Not so long ago, is it? Without the PC, we wouldn't be doing this blog.

SPORTS NEWS

The Los Angeles Dodgers are currently tied for the best record in the National League. Our hitters have been getting the job done even though some of our pitchers haven't.

The Arizona Cardinals have made "Beanie Wells," from Ohio State, their #1 draft choice. Helpful Buckeye is already looking forward to summer training camp, here in Flagstaff.

The San Antonio Spurs are down 3-1 in their playoff series. This series will be over shortly.

PERSONAL STUFF

This past Wednesday was Earth Day. Any special observances on your part? To some, it was just another day. As Jay Leno said: "Happy Earth Day... or as the oil companies call it — Wednesday."

Helpful Buckeye will leave you with these two thoughts on happiness: First, from Mahatma Gandhi: “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” Second, from Vincent Van Gogh: "Happiness... it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort."

~~The goal of this blog is to provide general information and advice to help you be a better pet owner and to have a more rewarding relationship with your pet. This blog does not intend to replace the professional one-on-one care your pet receives from a practicing veterinarian. When in doubt about your pet's health, always visit a veterinarian.~~

PUT ME IN COACH...I'M READY TO PLAY, TODAY!

PUT ME IN COACH...I CAN BE CENTERFIELD! Ah, yes, it's that time of year again, when all the Major League Baseball teams are equal and "there's new grass on the field," as John Fogerty sings in the song, Centerfield. Enjoy this video of John Fogerty, accompanied by Keith Urban, as they sing what Helpful Buckeye considers the best of all the baseball songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTl-NnuLjaE Go ahead and turn up the volume, you'll enjoy this one! For extra points, send me an e-mail with a description of John Fogerty's "guitar", to: dogcatvethelp@gmail.com

Opening Day always stirs the passions of any baseball fan, human or otherwise, as you can see in the opening photo. The dog even looks like he's in the centerfield area of the ballpark, doesn't he? Baseball has always been Helpful Buckeye's favorite sport, both to play and to follow. Growing up and following the Dodgers when they were still in Brooklyn, Helpful Buckeye always wanted to be Duke Snider, the centerfielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Like the song says, "I can be centerfield"....

Last week's poll question confirmed what Helpful Buckeye has suspected for a long time. We've got some really smart followers of Questions On Dogs and Cats! Everybody but one got the right answer of Lyme, Connecticut! There are still many of you who are sending your answer to our e-mail address, and that's OK. It still gets included in the poll results. However, you can simply mark the box for your answer right there in the polling section and click "Vote." Be sure to check out this week's poll question in the left column and be sure to vote!

Another comment from Holly showed up this week:
"Once again, I turn to you to start off a week with some background, additional pet thoughts for consideration, and a feeling of gratitude for all the work that you put into this labor of love! Have a great week, Doc, with my thanks!"

Holly, you'll spoil me if you keep this up! But, thanks for the kind words....and where do I send the check???

Remember, you can submit a comment by clicking on "Comments" at the very end of each blog issue. The process is very easy to follow and your comment will then appear with the others. You can send it anonymously or with your name. You can also send an e-mail to: dogcatvethelp@gmail.com

CURRENT NEWS OF INTEREST

1) A story in the news this past week concerns the use of carbon monoxide gas for euthanasia of unwanted pets in animals shelters across the USA. Twelve states currently do not allow this form of euthanasia and several more are considering adopting the ban. Humane societies feel the use of carbon monoxide is an inhumane method of euthanasia, while many of the people who put these animals to sleep, including some veterinarians, feel that it is a necessary addition to their choices of euthanasia, especially where a wild, impossible to handle animal is involved. Read the whole story from the USA Today at: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-04-01-animalgaschamber_N.htm

2) The American Veterinary Medical Association has released this pod cast on food safety and the role of the veterinarian. With all the publicity concerning food contamination and the resulting sicknesses, both in humans and their pets, this audio report describes the contributions of the veterinary medical profession to the goal of food safety: http://www.avmamedia.org/display.asp?sid=129&NAME=Chew_on_This:_Veterinarians_Keep_My_Food_Safe?_Really

3) Most of you are familiar with the concept of hospice care, if not in your immediate family, at least in your circle of acquaintances. Well, a veterinarian in Chicago has started a hospice for pets and has been instrumental in forming a group that is trying to make this available nationally. Modeled after human hospice, pet hospice emphasizes managing a patient's terminal illnesses while preparing the family for the end. This is done in a number of ways, from the use of grief counselors to pain management techniques. For the rest of this really interesting concept, read this: http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/apr09/090415o.asp

4) Now that Helpful Buckeye has just finishing discussing Borreliosis (Lyme Disease) last week, you will appreciate that April has been designated as "Prevent Lyme in Dogs Month." Here is the press release from the AVMA: http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/apr09/090415p.asp You should also understand that this press release is partly funded by Merial Co., which is one of the producers of the Lyme Disease vaccine, and we discussed last week the uncertainties involved in using the vaccine.

DISEASES, AILMENTS, AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Helpful Buckeye spent last week discussing the main diseases carried by ticks, some of the 8-legged parasites that confront your dogs and cats. This week, another of those 8-legged parasites, the ear mite, will be the topic for discussion. Ear mites are fairly common in both dogs and cats, especially the younger ones that tend to roam and have contact with other dogs and cats. Ear mites are spread from pet to pet by casual or close contact with a dog or cat already infected with the mites.

Ear mites are tiny, almost microscopic parasites, although the adults can be seen by someone with good eye sight. These mites crawl down into the ear canal of your dog or cat and cause a very intense irritation of the skin in the ear canal. Your dog or cat will start with excessive head shaking and/or scratching at their ears. They may scratch to the point that it creates bleeding sores around the ear flaps. You might even notice a strong, offensive odor coming from the ears, in addition to seeing a brown or black waxy discharge building up in the ear canal. Your veterinarian can determine if ear mites are involved by using an otoscope to look down into the ear canal.

The magnifying portion of the otoscope will illuminate the ear mites and confirm the diagnosis. The magnified adult ear mite looks like this: and, if you have good eyes, those adults are visible (the white ovals) on the end of the otoscope speculum:

Treatment of ear mites involves the thorough cleaning of the ear canal, followed by administration of a medication that will kill the mites (a miticide). If the ear mite infection is advanced enough, your veterinarian may need to do the ear cleaning under sedation or anesthesia. A topical treatment will be sent home with you to help kill any mites left in the ear canal. Due to the life cycle of the ear mite, you should use this medication for a 2-4 week period. If your veterinarian feels that some of the ear mites are also damaging the skin around the ear flap, they might recommend a product for more general usage on the skin.

Helpful Buckeye will finish the discussion of mite diseases in next week's issue of Questions On Dogs and Cats.

Under the theory that humor is the best medicine (and, possibly, the best instructor), enjoy this cartoon from The New Yorker: NON-MEDICAL CONCERNS

1) Most of us are aware of the contributions that dogs make to the betterment of certain humans' lives. Now, the American Kennel Club is sponsoring a "Canine Hero" contest that will award a prize in the following five categories: law enforcement, search and rescue, therapy, service, and exemplary companion dog. To read the rest of this very interesting story, go to: http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3798

If you know of a dog that is deserving, go ahead and send in your entry!

2) The Centers For Disease Control has released the results of a study that evaluated pet-related falling injuries and the results were pretty amazing! It turns out that many of us are tripping, stumbling, or just plain being dragged to an injury by our pets. "An average of more than 86,000 people are seen by hospital emergency departments every year because they trip and fall over their pets or their pets' paraphernalia. This accounts for approximately 240 visits per day, but only 1 percent of the total trip-and-fall injuries. Most of the injuries occur at home, and children and seniors were more commonly injured." The rest of the report provides further details of these falls and offers several suggestions to help us avoid them: http://www.avma.org/aa/pet_induced_falling_injuries.asp

3) Since we are getting back into spring-time weather, with its warmer wind patterns, thunderstorms will be spreading across much of the USA. Thunderstorms affect every pet in different ways. Some dogs and cats act as if they don't even hear the thunder, while others seem to become frantic at the first thunder clap. Helpful Buckeye covered this topic last summer, which you can access by clicking on "Thunderstorms" under "Labels" in the left column. Then, go to this article from the USA Today for another perspective on how involved this relationship can be between a dog and a thunderstorm: http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/pettalk/2009-03-31-thunder-dogs_N.htm

PRODUCTS OF THE WEEK

Since April has been designated by the ASPCA as the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, it is only fitting that Helpful Buckeye direct you to the ASPCA's web site for their "Go Orange" products that are available: http://www.aspcaonlinestore.com/

GENERAL INTEREST

1) Several weeks ago, we talked about the increasing presence of pets in the workplace. Now, the new trend seems to be pets showing up in church! The USA Today called it "Paws in the Pews" in an article this past week: http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-03-30-dog-church_N.htm

2) For a different view on the types of bedding now available for pets, take a look at these: http://home.aol.com/new_in_home/photogallerytall/_a/outrageous-pet-beds/20090310190709990001?icid=mainhtmlws-maindl7link7http%3A%2F%2Fhome.aol.com%2Fnew_in_home%2Fphotogallerytall%2F_a%2Foutrageous-pet-beds%2F20090310190709990001

Which are you thinking about acquiring?

3) We hear so much about "reducing our carbon footprint" in these times of "Green" concern. Yes, there are now some suggestions for reducing the carbon "pawprint" of your pets: http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2009/03/30/news/national/20090330_us_ne_193624.txt

4) This quote from comedian Bob Hope provides some humor for the week: "They say animal behavior can warn you when an earthquake is coming. Like the night before that last earthquake hit, our family dog took the car keys and drove to Arizona."

5) Most of you have probably seen David Letterman and his "Stupid Dog Tricks," some of which are pretty funny. Here's one that maybe takes top prize: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DalB-CvO7Qc

6) For those of you who may be getting a cat for the first time and have been wondering where might be the best place to put the cat's litter pan, here are a few suggestions: http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/life-strategies/ask-real-simple/where-put-cat-litter-box-00000000011531/?xid=askrsnews

7) With the onset of warmer weather in most locations, many plants and flowers will be soon coming into full growth and blooms. A lot of you will even have "forced" bulbs to bloom indoors. This warning about the toxicity of lily plants, from the American Association of Feline Practitioners, may be beneficial to your cat: http://www.catvets.com/newsroom/?Id=410

8) For those of you who were wondering if Donald Trump ever had a dog:

9) A new breed of dog was discovered in Flagstaff recently: .....a Black Metallic Terrier?

SPORTS NEWS

Rabid Fans Face Health Risk
ORLANDO, Fla. (UPI) -- A California cardiologist says living and dying by the success or failure of a favorite sports team can be deadly. Robert A. Kloner, director of research at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, said there was an increased number of deaths for two weeks following the closely contested 1980 Super Bowl between the Los Angeles Rams and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Four years later, deaths fell after the LA Raiders easily beat the Washington Redskins, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday. Similar results were reported following major sporting events in Germany and France. Kloner said becoming emotionally involved in a team isn't always good for the heart. He is presenting the research at an American College of Cardiology meeting in Orlando, Fla., the newspaper said.

Wow, Helpful Buckeye might need to pull back just a little on the enthusiasm level for certain teams...nah, it's too much fun living and dying with my teams and their level of success.

On that note, with college basketball almost finished for the year and my team, Pitt, out of the running, Helpful Buckeye will just sit back and enjoy the Michigan State Spartans trying to disrupt the exploits of the North Carolina Tarheels. At just about the same time as that game is tipping off, my Los Angeles Dodgers will be seeing the first pitch of the baseball season, in their defense of their NL West Champion title.

This song will be played and sung countless times during the baseball season at all of the ballparks, but how many of you knew that there were verses to the song? Sing along and enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4-gsdLSSQ0

PERSONAL STUFF

This quote from Rene Descartes, French philosopher and mathematician, helps to settle a burning question we all have asked: "Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has."

Common sense decrees that this is the "End":

~~The goal of this blog is to provide general information and advice to help you be a better pet owner and to have a more rewarding relationship with your pet. This blog does not intend to replace the professional one-on-one care your pet receives from a practicing veterinarian. When in doubt about your pet's health, always visit a veterinarian.~~