Blindness cured with a shot is now a reality for pet owners whose dogs have suddenly gone blind due to a disease called SARDS.

Within the last 60 days, two blind dogs can now see! SARDS stands for an eye disease called sudden acquired retinal degeneration syndrome.

The SARDS research team led by Iowa State University veterinary ophthalmologist, Dr. Sinisa Grozdanic, DVM., in the College of Veterinary Medicine is responsible.

This is the first time  that blindness in dogs caused by SARDS has been reversed successfully and all with just a few injections performed for a nominal fee. The treatment restored sight to two dogs that were treated this April, 2010.

The therapy consists of injecting a substance called immunoglobulin (IVIg), which is a blood product from people that contains antibodies.  This immunoglobulin has also been used to treat various immune disorders, inflammatory diseases and autoimmune problems in people.

SARDS was first detected about 20 years ago and blinds nearly 4,000 dogs each year in the US. The dogs have a sudden loss of vision with no apparent cause or warning signs. The affected dogs eyes look normal, but their retinas have no electrical activity, which is how the diagnosis is made.

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Last year nearly 150,000 cases of pet poisoning and pet toxicities were reported for dogs and cats. To help ensure pets and their people enjoy a safe, healthy holiday this New Year here are a few safety tips to boost your pet health holiday IQ.

Plants and Medications to avoid with Dogs and Cats.

Holiday Plants are actually more of a problem with cats than with dogs, although curious puppies often enjoy a nibble.

Dr. Carol’s TIP: place plants up out of paw reach or consider safe alternatives like artificial arrangements made from silk.

Lilly’s are lovely but many varieties: Tiger, Asian, Japanese Show, Stargazer and Casa Blanca can cause kidney failure in cats

Poinsettia’s are often talked about, but are very overrated. At worst they can cause an upset stomach in dogs and cats.
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Pet Rescuers Target Natural Disasters

When wildfires ravaged the West Coast, animals rescuers are on the spot leading horses and livestock to safety. When floods drown the Midwest, they are there rescuing pets and finding temporary shelters for them. When hurricanes and tornado’s devastate entire communities, once again they appear to provide relief and rescue. “They” are the thousands of volunteers who put aside their jobs and family to help save pets and other animals when disaster strikes.

Although pet loving volunteers are generally available to provide relief, the flurry of storms and wildfires have taught us that disaster responders and temporary shelters are often unprepared to cope with both people AND their pets. Many animal welfare groups and official Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (VMAT’s) are available to lend aid, but coordinated efforts with authorities is often lacking.
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Each year in the United States, thousands of people lose their lives to fire. Tens of thousands are injured and the financial costs can reach into the billions of dollars. Almost forgotten in these tragedies are the hundreds of thousands of family pets who suffer death or injury as well.

Fires are very scary! We use controlled fires to heat our water, cook our meals and power our cities, but for most people, fire is a wild, ravaging beast. And, despite educational programs that start in pre-school, every year more than three thousand people die in house fires. Sadly, those who survive a house fire often lose cherished four-legged family members to the smoke and flames.

According to the US Fire Administration’s website more than 1.7 million uncontrolled fires occur annually in the US. The Fire Administration does not keep tally, but other groups have estimated that more than 500,000 pets are killed by house fires each year. Why we are so good at saving human lives, yet our pets seem to perish?

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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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For most of us the holidays are a time to eat, drink and enjoy good friends and family. Pet expert, veterinarian and author, Dr Carol Osborne, DVM helps pet owners refresh their pet health IQ and offers some helpful hints so the traditions are as joyous for you as they are for your pets.

Pet Holiday Safety Basics

Be sure your dog and cat are healthy, has his or her Identification tags and collar. Take a few safety precautions and use lots of every day common sense!

Try decorating your home according to the age, activity level and temperament of your pets and children. If they are young and active, consider homemade expendable ornaments. These are also a great, safe and fun family project.

Holidays are hectic for all of us and that means stress for pets! To minimize your pets stress try to keep your pets diet, snacks and routine as close to normal as possible. Be sure your pet has a quiet place to go so he or she can relax when he’s had enough. This helps avoid behavioral problems especially with children.

Herbal Stress Remedy: Flowers/Bach’s Rescue Remedy is wonderful, effective and very safe for dogs, cats and people. Place a few drops in your pet’s mouth, food or water bowl to relieve stress and anxiety.
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With Spring in the air, many homeowners and gardeners are sure to be outside getting their hands dirty. But veterinarians say cocoa mulch made by Hershey’s has a sweet-smell attractive to pets but also may be deadly to dogs and cats if ingested.

“Cocoa mulch is a risk, especially to dogs,” said Dr. Carol Osborne, DVM of American Pet Institute in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

Available at most home garden centers, cocoa mulch is known for its fine texture and the sweet smell the fresh mulch gives off. What’s unusual is that, it smells like a chocolate Pop Tart. That’s the best way to describe it. It really does have a chocolate scent. Aside from the odor, cocoa mulch can be dangerous if a dog or cat decides to eat it. It contains two key ingredients found in chocolate: theobromine and caffeine. Similar to eating chocolate, pets that eat just a few ounces of cocoa mulch may starting having stomach problems, which become worse as more is ingested.

“Pets may become restless and excited. With time tremors and seriously seizures can develop which can be life threatening and in some cases fatal,” Osborne explained. “Puppies are naturally curious and many are attracted to various things around the yard. It seems to be more severe for small dog breeds and toxicity is dose dependant,” Osborne said. For pet owners it’s best to just avoid using cocoa mulch in your yard and/or garden.
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Dear Dr. Carol,

I am writing you this letter to express my gratitude. You are an amazing professional, empathetic human being, and truly a pleasure to know. Here is some background on my story. I have a long haired Chihuahua named Senor Paco. Paco is 13 years young and has always been healthy as can be. I had purchased Dr. Carol’s senior pet vitamins for my dog in March 2008 after seeing the pet vitamins on an infomercial. I began giving him half a pill in the AM and half in the PM.

In June 2008, Paco and I left for a summer vacation for 8 weeks in Florida. I figured that I would need some type of treat for Paco when he was behaving extra well. I purchased dog treats at my local pet retailer. I began giving them to Paco in July. He ate them daily as well as half of his vitamin in the AM and half in the PM.

Everything was going fine until August 15, 2008. My dog had a minor seizure. It may have been minor but to me it was a major life changing event. I am 30 years old with no children as of yet. Senor Paco is my child and the love of my life. To see him go through this was beyond devastating. I spoke to my personal vet and she told me to get him to a vet for blood work. I did. In no time we were heading back home to NJ.

During this time I continued to give Paco the treats but not the vitamins. I figured since he had the seizure I should stop the vitamins. I continued to live in fear thinking if he would every have another seizure. Then on September 28, 2008 Paco had another minor seizure. I was beside myself. I spoke to my personal vet and she said we would probably have to put Paco on medication. She scheduled him for blood work that Thursday. I did not know what to think anymore or where to turn.

I am a very religious woman and prayed non stop for my baby. I even asked for a sign from up above to lead me in the right direction with this situation. On October 1, 2008 (Wednesday) something clicked inside me and told me to call Dr. Carol and ask her if we put Paco on meds would he still be able to take the vitamins. When I called Dr. Carol she was so helpful, optimistic, and honest.

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Sharing this note about a Non-Healing Leg Wound in a Dog
My Golden Retriever was hit by a car on June 20; had to have one back leg amputated.

The remaining back leg had a degloving injury on lower paw. He later developed a bad ulcer at the inner aspect of that joint from the bandage and from apparently chewing on it even though he had an E collar on 99% of the time. The latter wound is worse now than the degloving injury.

He is 7 weeks post op from the amputation and repair of paw. Surgeon said to come in for dressing changes in 5 days (after the dressing change 2 days ago) even though the wound is not healing well; it is not infected at this point though. It gets better, then he develops another bandage related ulcer and we go backward again.

He continues on Cephalexin; now is on tranquilizers to keep him sedated and keep off of it. Continues w/ E collar.

I just changed the dressing (they gave me enough for one dressing change, I am an RN with 30 years of OR experience, but not as a dog nurse!) There is another ulcerated area over the paw now.

They are putting Telfa w/ Silvadene on it against the open wounds (joint wound is about the 4 cm long and 2 cm wide) on the inner aspect of the first joint up from the paw)

My questions are these;

Q: How often is ideal to do these dressing changes? I feel they are not being done often enough.

A: Every 3-5 days

Q: They are using Telfa w/ Silvadene, Soft roll-like wrap, Kling, the Vet Wrap (all 4″.) in that order.

A: That’s fine

Q: Would you recommend wiping/ minimal irrigating the wound w/Hibilclens mixture before changing it each time? Two weeks ago I had to take him in on Saturday (d/t no surgeon on call) and that vet did that vet used some powder in the wound rather than Silvadene. The surgeon said he finds the powder has more incidences of infections.

A: Flush it with lactated ringers or .9% NACL solution and avoid powder

Q: Any special food or supplements that could promote healing? He weighs 75#.

A: An organic or homemade diet and PAAWS vitamin supplement ill boost internal immunity and promote healing

I hope you are able to see this and provide some help.

We had Barkley in again today for another dressing change; some improvement in wounds.
It is interesting, just as amongst people surgeons, there are various opinions and ways of doing things. The Vet today said weekly bandage changes are better than even every other day, as long as Barkley is not favoring that leg and seems comfortable, due to giving more time for granulation tissue to develop. He said removing the bandage peels off that layer if done too often.

Do you concur with that?

He also said no dog food is better than another including grocery store brands and would not recommend any supplements.

Again, thank you so much for your response.

Hi Barb,

I agree that weekly bandage changes are fine. The diet answer is incorrect. You are what you eat and so is your dog! Nutrition is vital to health and critical to healing. The supplement answer is also incorrect. As a veterinarian for 20+years I can tell you that diet and supplements make a huge difference in both overall health and the body’s ability to heal itself. The vast majority of veterinarians unfortunately are not trained in either nutrition or supplements.

A good organic or home-made diet along with a natural vitamin supplement like PAAWS will boost internal immunity, enhance overall wellness and promote healing and recovery of your dog’s wound.
I am glad to talk to you and am available toll free at 1-866-372-2765

Thank you,
Dr Carol.