Learn how to keep your pets safe this Halloween with tips from veterinarians.org. These Halloween Pet Safety Tips can prevent illness and injury. First, keep Halloween candy out of reach. Dogs and cats should not eat candy. If your pet goes trick or treating with you or your children, you need to be very aware of this danger. Put all Halloween treats in a closed jar to keep them away from your pet. Encourage children to discard the wrappers and get them involved. Consider making cooked pumpkin or peanut butter treats if you want your pet to have a snack. But check all labels first to make sure that the peanut butter is xylitol-free, since it is poisonous to dogs. Raisins, grapes, sultanas, and currents are toxic for dogs and cats. Call your vet immediately if your pet eats … [Read more...]
Raw Feeding in Dogs Associated With Cattle-like E. Coli in Feces
Raw feeding in dogs is associated with excretion of "cattle-like" antibiotic resistant E. coli in their feces, which poses a "significant zoonotic threat," according to a study conducted at the University of Bristol and published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. The study, which was conducted on six hundred dogs in England, found that carriage of these pathogens in rural dogs was phylogenetically associated with interaction with local cattle and epidemiologically associated with feeding raw meat. A zoonotic disease is one that can make the leap from animals to humans. People are more likely to be colonized by antibacterial resistant E. coli if they interact with certain animals, including domestic pet dogs. Third generation cephalosporin-resistant E. coli (3GR-E. coli) … [Read more...]
