It can be tricky getting them to take their meds One of the latest health scares has been over a strain of meningitis that’s killed multiple people. According to WebMD, the meningitis originates from a compounding pharmacy in Massachusetts. Compounding is the practice of putting more than one type of medication in a pill, or basically changing the medication in some way from its original formula. How is this relevant for the pet owner? Compounding is a common practice in pet medications. Before you worry: the meningitis came from a human medication for back pain and it seems the authorities … Continue reading →

When I prepared my house for Hurricane Irene last year I gathered all of the essential supplies. I had a plan for how to evacuate with my pets in case it was necessary, although I really didn’t think the flooding would get that bad in my area. Still, I was prepared. Another thing I did while I still had my power and access to the Internet was to make sure that I had the local emergency veterinary services number written down. We all know what number to dial when we have a human medical emergency, but do we have that … Continue reading →

I can’t believe I have to take to my keyboard again so soon on this issue, but here I am. More Salmonella-related recalls have been issued for dog food, and once again they’re from parent company Diamond Pet Foods. This is all just getting so confusing and ridiculous. The problem is that several brands with different names are all manufactured at the same plant, so it’s hard to keep track of what’s safe and what might be infected. Eleven different brands of pet food are all under a voluntary recall for potential Salmonella contamination. They are: Chicken Soup for the … Continue reading →