Results tagged “health” from Petfinder Blog

Lately there's been a lot of discussion about cat and dog vaccines -- when people should vaccinate, whether they should, and what kinds of vaccines are necessary to keep pets safe.

(Check out the comments on vet blogger Doolittler's recent post on the rabies vaccine.)

Vaccines protect pets from upper respiratory infections, distemper and parvo, in addition to rabies, which is transferable to humans. So why all the debate?

The issue is that some pets have adverse reactions to vaccines. In fact, the American Veterinary Medical Association's brochure on vaccinations warns of just that possibility:

The most common adverse responses [to vaccines] are mild and short-term, including fever, sluggishness, and reduced appetite. ...

Rarely, more serious adverse reactions can occur. Allergic reactions appear within minutes or hours of a vaccination and may include repeated vomiting or diarrhea, whole body itching, swelling of the face or legs, difficulty breathing or collapse. ... In very rare instances, death could occur from an allergic reaction.

Today, Oct. 1, is World Vegetarian Day. Consider giving up meat for this one day.

There are two reasons to be vegetarian. First, a vegetarian diet shows compassion for animals, because most farm animals are mistreated before they grace your table. That's reason enough for many of us.

(My husband and I became vegan about two years ago, which means we don't eat any animal products. We also try to buy non-leather shoes and handbags -- although that gets problematic at times, so I'm kind of a compromised vegan.) [Editor's note: Joan and her husband look GREAT and are living advertisements for veganism--Emily]

There's a common sense reason to give up meat for a day, too. The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization has said that meat production accounts for nearly a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. Habitat destruction associated with raising cattle and other animals for meat is also an issue.

It would be good if more of us found we could live without meat for a day -- then one day a week -- then maybe more than that. So give it a try. As an animal lover, and as an environmentalist, you'll feel good about your decision.

Kudos to Dr. Lila Miller of the ASPCA, who was awarded the 2008 AVMA Animal Welfare Award. The award was given to recognize Dr. Miller's many achievements in advancing the welfare of animals via her leadership, public service, education, research and advocacy -- and I couldn't agree more with the choice!

We all know how important our relationships with our best friends' doctors are. (I'm struggling personally right now because my own trusted veterinarian has moved too far away for us to visit regularly, leaving me too frozen with anxiety and indecision to select the right new doctor to partner with in my pets' health care.) 

Last month, we asked subscribers to our newsletter: What healthy human foods do you prepare for both you and your pet?

The replies ran the gamut from A (steamed artichoke leaves) to Z (zucchini). Besides meats, raw carrots were mentioned most often.

As for fruit, bananas were a favorite, although Cheryl C.'s potbellied pig, Harley, loves to eat papaya. "I cut it in chunks and he eats it with a smile on his face, smacking as he eats," she writes.

Here's another fun answer we received:

Kirby, our little Pomeranian mix, loves raw baby carrots. Our Chow Chow tried them, only because she saw Kirby eating them with such gusto. Afraid that she might be missing out on a good thing, she decided to beg for one; she really, really tried to like it, but the faces she made reminded me of a little kid trying to eat Brussels sprouts. Just too funny! But she at least tried a healthy snack; that's more than I can say about my husband.

My most-recent addition (and Petfinder alumna!) has not had an easy life. Adopted from Friends of Homeless Animals of Northern NJ, 10-year-old Gretel is missing an eye and part of an ear, is FIV positive and had been shifted through several homes due to unforeseeable tragedies. 

Gretel joined my senior-focused household in March and shares the space with a tabby named Lucy (adopted at the age of 18) and a 13-year-old German Shepherd mix named Dexter (adopted at age 10).

 

While Gretel seemed to fit in seamlessly (she LOVES Dexter), something was brewing underneath. Her blood work kept coming back anemic and finally two ultrasounds determined she had mast cell tumors in her spleen. Shortening a very long story, off we went to see the fine folks at NYC Veterinary Specialists.