October 16, 2017
COLORADO revokes license of service dog training company
Noelle’s Dogs Four Hope, a service animal training company in Colorado Springs, Colo., surrendered its license after a state investigation found recordkeeping and sanitation violations as well as several cases of dogs with undisclosed illnesses or behavioral problems being placed in homes.
KKTV-TV (Colorado Springs) (10/13)
October 9, 2017
Feline panleukopenia outbreak closes Maine shelter
About 20 cats and kittens at a shelter in Waterville, Maine, have died of feline panleukopenia, and the shelter is expected to stay closed until Oct. 16. A veterinarian who specializes in infectious diseases is assisting, the shelter will be disinfected, and cats and kittens will get a second round of vaccinations.
Kennebec Journal (Maine) (10/6)
September 28, 2017
Well-meaning pet transport networks might put pets, people at risk
Volunteer pet transport groups sprang to life in 2005 after shelters in Louisiana were overwhelmed by an influx of pets orphaned by Hurricane Katrina, and the networks ostensibly free up needed space in shelters and reduce euthanasia of adoptable pets. But the groups are unregulated, and pets with significant behavior or health problems have been taken in by unsuspecting volunteers.
September 28, 2017
Veterinarian donates oxygen masks to first responders
Veterinary Emergency and Referral Center President Dr. Nichole Danova donated oxygen masks for dogs and cats to first responders in Lackawanna County, Pa. Providing oxygen to dogs and cats at the scene of a fire is “one of the most important things that they need to do at the scene, and having the right equipment makes it that much more efficient,” Dr. Danova said.
WNEP-TV (Moosic, Pa.) (9/27)
September 15, 2017
Symptoms of illness may be subtle in cats
Behavioral changes such as sleeping more than usual may signal illness or injury in cats, says veterinarian Stacy Eckman of the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. Other symptoms that should prompt a visit to a veterinarian include a reluctance to be touched, vomiting, unusual food or water consumption, or changes in litter box use, Dr. Eckman says.Texas A&M University (College Station) (9/14)
September 14. 2017
Veterinarians in Texas county warn about parvo outbreak
Veterinarians in Hansford County, Texas, say they are treating two or three cases of parvovirus each day, and they are advising dog owners to ensure their pets are vaccinated. Puppies should be kept away from other dogs until they are fully vaccinated.
September 12, 2017
The AVMA strongly discourages the practice of declawing cats, and many individual veterinarians refuse to perform the procedure, but the AVMA recognizes the scientific evidence that cats displaying “destructive scratching behavior are more likely to be euthanized, or more readily relinquished, released or abandoned, thereby contributing to the homeless cat population.” Veterinarians who perform the procedure say they do it infrequently and only after advising cat owners to try nonsurgical alternatives first.
September 12, 2017
Cat owners use “catios” to protect felines outdoors
Cat owners in England and the United States have found a way to keep felines safe while giving them freedom to play and explore outside. Many owners have commissioned custom, luxury “catios,” wire window boxes for their cats to enjoy the outdoors, complete with bug-attracting cat gardens, climbing frames and benches.
September 5, 2017
OKLAHOMA City Zoo show off their artistic talents
A nearly 50-year-old salmon-crested cockatoo named Zeppy contributed again this year to the Oklahoma City Zoo’s Art Gone Wild annual benefit, which includes artwork by reptiles, wild cats, sea lions, great apes, Asian elephants, a rhinoceros, two juvenile flamingos and juvenile Galapagos tortoises. The animals voluntarily create the artwork using nontoxic paint as part of an enrichment program.
September 5, 2017
TEXAS A&M veterinary team continues emergency operation in Gulf region
Members of the Texas A&M University Veterinary Emergency Team have been in the Texas Gulf region rescuing, decontaminating and providing veterinary care for animals affected by storm Harvey. “We’ve probably seen, to my knowledge, close to 60 animals,” including cats, dogs, goats and horses, said team member Angela Clendenin.
