Nestlé USA’s Baking Division has been informed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it has found E. coli 0157:H7 in Nestlé TOLL HOUSE refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough bar. The product has a day code of 9041 and a “Best before 10 JUN 2009″ notation.

Over 70 people become ill after eating raw cookie dough, in which bacterial contamination was confirmed. The raw cookie dough is contaminated with a bacteria called E. coli, commonly found in feces. People in 30 states have been affected with severe vomiting and diarrhea as a result.

The feds are investigating Nestle’s Danville, Virginia plant that produced the refrigerated dough to to find the source of the deadly strain of the bacteria. According to the the Centers for Disease Control over the majority of people affected are under the age of 20.

Pets fed this dough are also at risk so please don’t feed any Nestles cookie dough, to your dog or cat this holiday weekend. Never feed raw cookie dough to dogs or cats as the raw dough expands in their stomachs and can lead to severe stomach upset, intestinal cramping and bloat.

Nestle is fully cooperating with the federal inspections and have provided a complete listing of the recalled products. For questions about this contact Nestle consumer services at 1-800-559-5025.

Bookmark www.carolonpets.com for the latest pet health news and information.

Holistic veterinarian, Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM, is available for pet health questions and personal pet consultations. Dr. Carol can be contacted email at drcarol@drcarol.com or call her office toll free at 1-866-372-2765.

The owners of a Nevada pet food company pled guilty in federal court to distributing tainted ingredients intended for pet food that led to a nationwide recall in and the deaths of countless pets.
Millions of pet owners were devastated by the pet food recall in 2007. The conduct of these defendants in violating federal health and safety standards caused the deaths and illness of thousands of family pets, as well as anxiety among dog and cat owners across the country and economic harm to many pet food manufacturers.”

The business owners, Sally and her husband Stephen Miller, of Las Vegas, pled guilty of selling adulterated food and one count of selling misbranded pet food through their company, ChemNutra.

ChemNutra bought food ingredients in China then sold them throughout the U.S. to food companies including the industrial component, melamine, used to make plastics and cleaning products, which contaminated the wheat gluten, giving it a higher protein count.

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Results arrived this week revealing toxic zinc levels in an unopened bag of Nutro Max Cat Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor food. The Nutro cat food bag stated it was best if used by June 7, 2010. The zinc levels were deadly coming in at 2100 parts per million. A cat eating this food would receive over 38 times the amount of zinc recommended by the National Research Council, or 175 mg of zinc a day. A 9 pound cat would ingest a lethal dose of this food in just over 2 days. Chances of any cat surviving after eating this food would be very unlikely. Signs of Zinc toxicity are similar to those of pancreatitis with severe episodes of vomiting and diarrhea. If the cats survived long enough liver and kidney damage could be possible consequences as well.

The receipt for the purchase of this food showed that it was purchased 1 day AFTER the Nutro Cat Food recall was announced. Apparently Nutro had not yet informed the retail store of the problem. Nutro didn’t seem to be overly concerned. Pfpsa.org is glad to work with clients and law firm’s interested in pursuing a class action against Nutro Pet Products.

Most of us remember the deadly pet food recalls of 2007. What few people realize, is that AAFCO aggressively lobbied for allowing non-protein nitrogen in pet food and was able to slip this allowance past numerous state legislatures, including Washington State. By AAFCO standards, melamine and cyanuric acid in pet food was nothing more than a labeling violation. AAFCO sees nothing wrong with including those substances in pet food at up to 1.25%. Using cyanuric acid, for example, by AAFCO standards, would allow 5,875 ppm cyanuric acid content in pet food, provided the label included a decidedly deceptive disclaimer of “This includes not more than 1.25% equivalent crude protein, which is not nutritionally available as protein”. What is the real value of the pet food safety guidelines offered by AAFCO? If pet owners purchase pet foods and products that comply with AFFCO guidelines, how would they impact the health of their pets? In one study, as little as 30 mg/kg day of cyanuric acid destroyed the kidneys of lab animals in just six months.

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Feeding candy licorice to your dog – or any kind of confection, for that matter – is a definite no-no. But the herbal form of licorice is a time-tested remedy for gastrointestinal upset and skin problems such as allergies. And some veterinarians use it as an anti-inflammatory for problems such as itching in the place of powerful drugs like steroids.

“The most important thing for people to understand is that the effects of licorice are slow and cumulative, as opposed to a steroid injection,” says holistic veterinarian, Carol Osborne, DVM, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, author of “Dr. Carol’s Naturally Healthy Dogs” (Marshall Editions, 2006). With the latter, “about four hours later the animal is in great shape, which lasts for about 10 days, but then you have the side effects of steroids, like stress on liver and kidneys.”

As with any herb, it is important to discuss licorice use with your veterinarian. The active ingredient in licorice is the nearly impossible to pronounce chemical component glycyrrhizin, which stimulates the adrenal glands and produces an anti-inflammatory response similar to that of corticosteroids such as prednisone.

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Holistic Veterinarian, Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM., is featured on the cover story for the June/July 2009 Issue of:
Dogs for Kids Magazine: Help My Dog Stinks Pages 28-32; By Donna Martin.

Over the last decade advances in veterinary medicine have nearly doubled the canine life span. The technological innovations we now offer for pets, parallel those available for people, reaching far beyond our previous expectations. What are the factors limiting longevity in pets? What impact do anti-oxidant supplementation and dietary intervention have on lengthening healthy life spans for pets? Successful techniques for rejuvenating the body and lengthening life spans in people have been documented. Would similar strategies prove effective for dogs?

George, a 7 year old Dalmatian not only suffered from severe arthritis, he was also paralyzed, due to a spinal injury. Surgery cost was estimated at $4000, with no guarantee of success and little hope of him ever walking again. George’s owners, Don and Pam Brennan were devastated and sadly carried George out of the office that day on a stretcher. He couldn’t even stand up to go to the bathroom. With tears streaming down their faces, they knew it was the end. They spent that night together saying their final goodbyes.

The next morning a friend told them about ongoing clinical trials of an anti-aging pet product. This was their last chance. They had nothing to lose, so they gave it a try. Within 30 days, George was out in the front yard playing with the other dogs. He was back to the way he used to be, playful like a puppy. George enjoyed several healthy, happy years thereafter. Pam and Don were thrilled-they got their dog back!

Anti-Aging medicine, although not yet formally recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association, is the newest clinical medical specialty offered to human physicians. So, why wouldn’t this be applicable for veterinarians as well?
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In our on-going war against parasites, “spot-on” medications have vanquished billions of blood thirsty fleas. But, along the way thousands of pets have suffered significant, even deadly, adverse reactions. Is this an acceptable trade-off and risk? Should we take these kinds of chances with our pets’ health?

For more than a decade, pet owners have relied on flea and tick products that claim safe and effective solutions to a persistent problem. Historically, pesticides to control fleas and ticks were harsh and seemingly caused as many problems to the pets as they did to the parasites. With the advent of new topical or “spot-on” products, pet owners breathed a sigh of relief.

But now the EPA has raised a red flag and is warning pet owners about serious adverse effects seen with the use of these products. Citing a “sharp spike” in reported incidents, the EPA has increased scrutiny and may consider restricting their use.

Many different spot-on products are available to pet owners, both through their veterinarians and over-the-counter (OTC) outlets like grocery stores. Since these “medications” are regulated by the EPA and not the FDA, there is no need for a prescription, allowing anyone from the local pet store to individuals on Ebay to sell the products.

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We trust that medications for our families and our pets are made with the highest regard for purity and safety. But, several recent high profile cases have unnerved many people and created a negative spotlight for compounding pharmacies. So, can you trust the medications your veterinarian orders for your pet?

From the very first time our ancient ancestors mixed certain tree barks with water to create a pain-deadening tea, the art and science of pharmacology have flourished. Through great civilizations like Rome, into the Middle Ages and straight through to modern times, the pharmacist (or “chemist”) has been an integral part of patient care in both human and veterinary practices.

Most people do not realize there are two types of pharmacies. Compounding pharmacies are those that actually make, mix or “compound” therapeutic medications “in-house” as compared to those that simply count and dispense prepared medications.

This concept is not new…in fact, for most of this profession’s history, pharmacists used their knowledge of chemicals and base ingredients to create the appropriate drug ordered by the doctor. It has only been within the last 50 years that pharmacists have moved from being compounders of medicines to dispensers of pre-made drugs.

But even the modernization and convenience of prepared pharmaceutical drugs did not remove the need for many special or out of production drugs to be made on site. Some patients have allergies to ingredients in the medications. Others, especially children and veterinary patients, require unique flavorings to help disguise bitter drugs and improve compliance. And, as the age old joke describes, giving a pill to a cat can be a hair-raising experience!

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I just got this heart warming note from one of my clients and wanted to share it with everyone who may have lost hope for one of their beloved canine companions diagnosed with a terminal illness like cancer.

Harley’s Story,

Hi! My name is Harley (short for Harley Dawson Tug Hampton the first). I am a Dogue de Bordeaux (French mastiff). I was born AUGUST 3rd, 2005 and my journey starts there. I’m not sure where I was born or who my real parents are. All I know is that one day 2 ladies came and took me home from the pet store. I was 8 weeks old and 18 pounds. I had this giant head that was so heavy for my body to hold up for long periods of time. Despite my looks my new mommies loved me. In addition my feline and canine companions learned to tolerate my endless drool and ungraceful mobility. Over time I grew into an incredibly handsome dog. However, I never did outgrow the drooling or clumsiness.

I attended puppy school so that I could learn to listen to my mommies. I did quite well for the most part. My best friend was a Yorkshire terrier – wasn’t that bizarre to watch. I actually am 1 class away from being a “therapy dog”. Both of my mommies are nurses, and as a puppy I would go visit the residents in the nursing home they worked at. I used to love the smiles I would bring to their faces just by being there. I also loved the scratches I would get and the occasional biscuit. Face it, it was an easy job and mastiffs are rather lazy so I loved it! Give a paw here or there, sit, down, speak – what dog in his right mind wouldn’t.

I moved to a new home when I was around 1 ½ years old. The place must have been made for a big lug like me. I had so much room to get around that for a second I forgot how clumsy I really was. My mommies got really busy working so I started staying home a lot more. On the rare occasion I would get to go visit at my moms job I always found myself looking in one room for one little lady. I would go to her bed and put my head on it – she would get a bright smile on her face and give me a big kiss and scratch. The last time I was there I couldn’t find her. Guess she had to go away and very soon I will go away too.

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Although automobile accidents are the number one cause of broken bones in pets, surprisingly enough the second most common cause of fractures in pets is furniture in your home. Pets jump or fall from, for example, your couch or bed and break a bone. A recent survey of pet fractures sums up the most common ways, from which broken bones in pets result. In 2008, hit by cars topped the list, followed by accidents in which pets fell or jumped, primarily from everyday household furniture.

Top 10 Ways Pets Break Bones

1. Hit by Car
2. Jumping
3. Falling
4. Fighting With Other Pets or Animals
5. Running and Slipping
6. Being Hit or Struck With an Object
7. Getting Caught in or Between an Object
8. Running into Object
9. Getting Stepped On
10. Being Injured in a Car Accident
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