Urgent Press Release From LA County Public Health Re Rabid Bat At Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health sent out the attached press release today. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release: June 22, 2012 Persons who may have had contact with rabid bat sought: Bat found at Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area in Irwindale LOS ANGELES – County health officials are seeking help from the community in locating anyone who may have touched or had contact with a bat found at the Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area in Irwindale on Saturday, June 9, 2012. The bat was found clinging to the side of a rock column inside the snack area near the boat and bike rental concession. A crowd of people, including children, were gathered around the bat for about 30 minutes before park officials intervened. The bat was captured and tested positive for rabies. “It is very important that any individuals who touched or had contact with this bat contact our department. We can help determine if you will need to receive urgent rabies preventive treatment,” said Jonathan E. Fielding, MD, MPH, Director of Public Health and Health Officer. Individuals who touched or may have had contact with the bat found at the Santa Fe Dam Recreational Area on June 9th should contact Public Health’s Acute Communicable Disease Control unit at (213) 240-7941 for evaluation. Eleven rabid bats have been found in Los Angeles County so far this year, suggesting that the disease is increasing in bats. Although the vast majority of bats in nature do not have rabies, on average, about eight to 12 rabid bats are detected per year. Public health officials have not determined why there is an increase. Any contact with bats and other wild animals should be avoided, as it is not always possible to visually determine if an animal has rabies. A bite from a rabid animal could cause rabies infection in people or other animals. “Bat bites can be undetectable as they have very small, very sharp teeth. No one should touch or handle bats found near or on the ground, and children should be taught to avoid touching bats or other wild animals,” said Dr. Fielding. “Make sure you maintain current rabies vaccines for your pets as well. If a bat may have bitten a person or a pet, contain the bat as safely as possible without touching it and contact your local animal control department. Individuals or pets who may have been bitten should seek immediate medical attention.” The Department of Public Health is committed to protecting and improving the health of the nearly 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. Through a variety of programs, community partnerships and services, Public Health oversees environmental health, disease control, and community and family health. Public Health comprises nearly 4,000 employees and has an annual budget exceeding $750 million. To learn more about Public Health and the work we do please visit http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov, visit our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/lapublichealth, find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/lapublichealth, or follow us on Twitter: LAPublicHealth. _______________________________________________________________________________ This press release may be shared freely. Please help us spread the word about rabies and find those who might have had contact with the rabid bat. Additional information about local bat rabies, including maps showing where they have been found, is posted on the Veterinary Public Health website:: Program web site: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/vet/index.htm 2012 Bat Rabies info: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/vet/rabiesmap2012.htm

Upper Respiratory Infections - Human and Feline

As I sit at home this holiday weekend, trying with marginal success to fight off this nasty cold/bronchitis/laryngitis, I thought I would address some of the issues my clients express concern about with human and feline "colds".

Firstly, I did NOT catch this bug from any of my patients. Humans cannot catch feline upper respiratory viruses - most of those are due to FELINE herpesvirus, and most of the rest are due to FELINE calicivirus. I almost certainly caught my illness from the sick toddler I sat next to on the flight from LAX to Minneapolis, or perhaps in one of the three airports I was in that day, or even at the very busy shopping mall the next day.

Secondly, I am always a little concerned about spreading this sort of thing to my patients or my own cats because it IS possible for a few of the hundreds of human cold viruses to be spread to cats. This is known as a reverse zoonosis or an (and I like this word better, it's so scientific-sounding) anthroponosis. Fortunately, if a cat should be unlucky enough to catch it from me, it would tend to be fairly mild and self-limiting, and would not be able to spread on to other cats or back into humans - it would come to a dead end in that particular cat.

Thirdly, if this had been influenza instead of a cold (it's far too mild to be flu), I would have some serious concerns about spread to cats, but only if I had failed to get immunized against H1N1 influenza. That is the strain that was in the news so much a couple of years ago - I was vaccinated against it then, and I noted that it is also a component of this years routine annual flu shot. H1N1 has in the past spread to an unfortunate few cats and had a mortality rate of about 50%, so I consider it imperative that I protect myself as a way of protecting my patients and my own pets, along with humans.

Lastly, let's go back to that nasty feline herpesvirus. This is the bug that causes the majority of feline upper respiratory disease AND nontraumatic eye disease. It is probably the most common pathogen in cats, and one we have vaccinated cats against for decades. Being a herpesvirus, cats can only catch it once - then they have it, for life. So one would think that vaccinations at that point would have no value. But it turns out that cats with strong immunity to the virus from annual vaccinations do a better job of fighting the darned thing when they have those seemingly inevitable "recrudescences". Back before the recession, when most of my patients were current on their annual FVRCP-C vaccination, I rarely saw cats with upper respiratory or herpes-related eye problems that warranted any treatment whatsoever. But now that so many cats are overdue on vaccinations and their immunity is waning, medical intervention and good home nursing care are much more necessary.

So I guess the gist of this post is (big surprise here): get your annual flu shot, and get your cat vaccinated annually, too. The alternative is much bigger vet bills, and often a much sicker cat.

Here is my current likely nemesis - a picornavirus (actually, a whole cluster of the little devils - if you look close you can even see their horns and cloven feet):

38 Cases of Bat Rabies in Los Angeles County in 2011

LA County Veterinary Public Health has published this latest information about the tremendous increase in bat rabies this year.

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Circumstances of rabid bats found in 2011

1. Palmdale. Bat found in airplane hangar.
2. Agoura Hills. Bat found sick, alive, outside.
3. Saugus. Bat found on ground in daylight in parking lot.
4. Los Angeles. Bat found stuck to sticky rat trap in apartment near Downtown LA. Eight people and one dog exposed.
5. Bellflower. Bat found dead on front porch.
6. Agoura Hills. Bat found sick, alive, outside.
7. Cerritos. Bat found on ground at a high school campus.
8. Canyon Country. Rabid bat being carried around by a dog, in the dog's mouth, in a condo complex.
9. Glendale. Bat found in elevator shaft in apartment complex.
10. Santa Clarita. Bat found in pool.
11. Newhall. Bat found in backyard on lawn.
12. Baldwin park. Bat found near a car.
13. Newhall. Found alive on ground outside, next to garage door.
14 and 15. Woodland Hills. Two rabid bats found on front lawn on same property. An additional bat in home tested negative for rabies.
16. Hollywood Hills. Bat found on ground outside home.
17. Topanga. Bat fell into fish pond.
18. Valencia. Found outside a home.
19. Santa Clarita. Found dead outside a home.
20. Malibu. Bat was found outside the home on a patio.
21. Valencia. Found alive on ground near school.
22. Stevenson Ranch. Dead bat found outside front door.
23. Newhall. Bat found alive clinging to stucco wall in daylight, high above ground.
24. Valencia. Bat on floor in bathroom at a school latched on to student's sandal, but reportedly did not bite the student.
25. Burbank. Bat found alive, at a private home.
26. West Covina. Bat found alive, at a private home.
27. Valencia. Bat found clinging high up on a wall at a school.
28. Pasadena. Found dead in a basement.
29. Arcadia. Found on ground, alive, outdoors.
30. La Verne. Bat found dead outdoors.
31. Monrovia. Bat found dead outdoors.
32. Canyon Country. Found alive outdoors while gardening.
33. Long Beach. Found along a bike path.
34. Agoura Hills. Bat hanging in daylight from eaves of home, one wing hanging down.
35. Santa Clarita. Found alive outside an elementary school.
36. Sylmar. Found alive near front door.
37. Glendora. Found alive on floor of warehouse.
38. Santa Clarita. Bat found on front porch. Seemed dead until lightly touched with stick - it squeaked.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Get those cats in for annual checkups and vaccinations (which always include rabies vaccination at Cat's Meow Veterinary Clinic, regardless of the cat's lifestyle and owner misperceptions of risk)!

A Particularly Important Reason to Never Feed Your Cat Raw Meat

If NDM-1-containing Salmonella ever gets established in poultry farms in the US, it's game-set-match in the battle against this particular food-borne bacterial infection. If you don't care about your own life, I can't make you. But I care about mine and that of my staff and patients and clients. I have seen presumed Salmonella infection in several cats that were fed raw poultry, and it can make kitties (and humans who associate with them) extremely ill. If we have no antibiotics to fight it, cats will have to be euthanized and humans will simply die if they catch it.

NO RAW MEATS. USE GOOD FOOD HANDLING SAFETY TECHNIQUES IN YOUR KITCHEN. BE INFORMED - READ ABOUT NDM-1 IN SALMONELLA HERE.

Salmonella Redux

It seems like this is one that will just never go away. Salmonella, a bacterium, causes far too much illness in the US and lack of adequate poultry testing from farm to table is the main problem. Without following the entire chain of custody, there is no way to know how or where the Salmonella is getting into the food supply.

This excellent article over at iwatchnews.com is an excellent backgrounder for the interested lay public. I wish the not-so-interested lay public would read about it, too, but I suppose that's hoping for too much.

ETA: The whole point of this post, which I forgot to mention, is that Salmonella in poultry is a potential health threat to our kitties, too. And a major reason why I oppose feeding raw meats.

Today is World Rabies Day

The World Health Organization and CDC team up every year to promote rabies education and prevention around the nation and the world. Rabies is primarily a human threat in Third World countries, but only an active animal rabies prevention effort makes it the minor threat in the US that it currently is.

~~~~~~~~
From the CDC website:

Rabies is a deadly virus that can kill anyone who gets it. Every year, an estimated 40,000 people in the U.S. receive a series of shots known as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) due to potential exposure to rabies. In addition, the U.S. public health cost associated with rabies is more than $300 million a year. Each year around the world, rabies results in more than 55,000 deaths – approximately one death every 10 minutes. Most deaths are reported from Africa and Asia with almost 50% of the victims being children under the age of 15.

The Challenge of Rabies
Rabies is present on every inhabited continent. People usually get rabies when they are bitten by an animal that has the virus. In the U.S., the animals that most often get rabies are wild animals. Fortunately, the U.S. has been successful in eliminating a particular kind of rabies – known as canine rabies – that is responsible for rabies spreading from dog-to-dog.

However, canine rabies has not been controlled in many regions of the world, further threatening the health of humans and animals in these areas. In addition, some areas of the world have problems with large numbers of stray dogs, which can often come in contact with wild animals that have rabies. This often causes an increased number of rabid animals that have the potential to transmit the virus to humans.

The good news is that people can easily take steps to help prevent and control rabies.

Keep Away From Wildlife and Unfamiliar Animals
More than 90% of all animal rabies cases reported to CDC each year occur in wild animals. The main animals that get rabies include raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes.

One of the best ways to protect yourself and your family is to avoid contact with wild animals. Do not feed or handle them, even if they seem friendly.

Unfamiliar animals that are often thought of as pets, such as dogs and cats, should also be avoided. These animals are often in contact with wildlife and can also transmit rabies to humans.

If you see an animal acting strangely, report it to animal control. Some things to look for are:

General sickness
Problems swallowing
Lots of drool or saliva
An animal that appears more tame than you would expect
An animal that bites at everything
An animal that's having trouble moving or may even be paralyzed
Sometimes, people may come across a dead animal. Never pick up or touch dead animals. The rabies virus may still be present in the saliva or nervous tissue, especially if they have only been dead for a short time. If you see a dead animal, call animal control to take care of the animal's body.



Take Pets to a Veterinarian for Their Rabies Shot
Make sure to take your pets, such as dogs and cats, to the veterinarian each year. A veterinarian can make sure your pets are up to date on their rabies shot, which can protect them from getting rabies. This in important, since animals that have not received a rabies shot and are exposed to rabies must be quarantined for six months, or put down.

Talk to your veterinarian about spaying or neutering your pet. This helps cut down on the number of unwanted and stray animals. These animals often do not have their rabies shot and are in close contact with wild animals.

Stay Rabies Free In and Around Your Home
No matter where you live, rabies can threaten your family's health. Fortunately, there are things you can do around the home to help reduce the risk of getting rabies.

Keep your pets indoors. When a dog goes outside, make sure an adult is there to watch it and keep it safe.
Do not feed or put water for your pets outside and keep garbage securely covered. These items may attract wild animals or stray animals to your yard.
Teach children never to handle wild animals or unfamiliar domestic animals.
While most wild animals are found primarily outdoors, bats can sometimes fly into buildings. This includes your home and even the room where you sleep. If you see a bat in your home, confine the bat to a room by closing all doors and windows leading out of the room except those to the outside. The bat will probably leave soon. If not, approach it slowly, and when it lands and place a box or coffee can over it. Slide a piece of cardboard under the container to trap the bat inside. Tape the cardboard to the container securely. Be sure to contact your health department or animal control authority so they can test the bat for rabies.

There are also steps you can take to "bat-proof" your home. Learn more about bats and how to ";bat-proof"; your home.

~~~~~~~~~

Visit the CDC rabies web page for links to more information, including rabies safety during travel.

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Rabies/?s_cid=fb1169

And if your cat is overdue for its rabies vaccination, make an appointment today!

Today is World Rabies Day

The World Health Organization and CDC team up every year to promote rabies education and prevention around the nation and the world. Rabies is primarily a human threat in Third World countries, but only an active animal rabies prevention effort makes it the minor threat in the US that it currently is.

~~~~~~~~

Rabies is a deadly virus that can kill anyone who gets it. Every year, an estimated 40,000 people in the U.S. receive a series of shots known as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) due to potential exposure to rabies. In addition, the U.S. public health cost associated with rabies is more than $300 million a year. Each year around the world, rabies results in more than 55,000 deaths – approximately one death every 10 minutes. Most deaths are reported from Africa and Asia with almost 50% of the victims being children under the age of 15.

The Challenge of Rabies
Rabies is present on every inhabited continent. People usually get rabies when they are bitten by an animal that has the virus. In the U.S., the animals that most often get rabies are wild animals. Fortunately, the U.S. has been successful in eliminating a particular kind of rabies – known as canine rabies – that is responsible for rabies spreading from dog-to-dog.

However, canine rabies has not been controlled in many regions of the world, further threatening the health of humans and animals in these areas. In addition, some areas of the world have problems with large numbers of stray dogs, which can often come in contact with wild animals that have rabies. This often causes an increased number of rabid animals that have the potential to transmit the virus to humans.

The good news is that people can easily take steps to help prevent and control rabies.

Keep Away From Wildlife and Unfamiliar Animals
More than 90% of all animal rabies cases reported to CDC each year occur in wild animals. The main animals that get rabies include raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes.

One of the best ways to protect yourself and your family is to avoid contact with wild animals. Do not feed or handle them, even if they seem friendly.

Unfamiliar animals that are often thought of as pets, such as dogs and cats, should also be avoided. These animals are often in contact with wildlife and can also transmit rabies to humans.

If you see an animal acting strangely, report it to animal control. Some things to look for are:

General sickness
Problems swallowing
Lots of drool or saliva
An animal that appears more tame than you would expect
An animal that bites at everything
An animal that's having trouble moving or may even be paralyzed
Sometimes, people may come across a dead animal. Never pick up or touch dead animals. The rabies virus may still be present in the saliva or nervous tissue, especially if they have only been dead for a short time. If you see a dead animal, call animal control to take care of the animal's body.



Take Pets to a Veterinarian for Their Rabies Shot
Make sure to take your pets, such as dogs and cats, to the veterinarian each year. A veterinarian can make sure your pets are up to date on their rabies shot, which can protect them from getting rabies. This in important, since animals that have not received a rabies shot and are exposed to rabies must be quarantined for six months, or put down.

Talk to your veterinarian about spaying or neutering your pet. This helps cut down on the number of unwanted and stray animals. These animals often do not have their rabies shot and are in close contact with wild animals.

Stay Rabies Free In and Around Your Home
No matter where you live, rabies can threaten your family's health. Fortunately, there are things you can do around the home to help reduce the risk of getting rabies.

Keep your pets indoors. When a dog goes outside, make sure an adult is there to watch it and keep it safe.
Do not feed or put water for your pets outside and keep garbage securely covered. These items may attract wild animals or stray animals to your yard.
Teach children never to handle wild animals or unfamiliar domestic animals.
While most wild animals are found primarily outdoors, bats can sometimes fly into buildings. This includes your home and even the room where you sleep. If you see a bat in your home, confine the bat to a room by closing all doors and windows leading out of the room except those to the outside. The bat will probably leave soon. If not, approach it slowly, and when it lands and place a box or coffee can over it. Slide a piece of cardboard under the container to trap the bat inside. Tape the cardboard to the container securely. Be sure to contact your health department or animal control authority so they can test the bat for rabies.

There are also steps you can take to "bat-proof" your home. Learn more about bats and how to ";bat-proof"; your home.

~~~~~~~~~

Visit the CDC rabies web page for links to more information, including rabies safety during travel.

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Rabies/?s_cid=fb1169

And if your cat is overdue for its rabies vaccination, make an appointment today!

Health Officials Issue Warning on Rabid Bats

Gleaned directly from our own Los Angeles Times:

"In the wake of a recent uptick of rabid bats in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, health officials are warning the public not to handle bats or other wildlife.

"Twelve rabid bats have been found scattered across Los Angeles County since the beginning of the year, numbers that are above normal.

"Typically, about eight to 10 rabid bats are found each year, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Heath.

snip

"These numbers do not mean that the public should become alarmed. Most bats do not have rabies," Dr. Jonathan Fielding, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, said in a statement Friday. "However we want everyone to be aware of what they should do if they see a bat on the ground, or if they or their pets come into contact with a bat."

~~~~~
Read the rest of the article at the link.

10 Bats Test Positive for Rabies in Moorpark

Here I go again with another rabies post - but we can never do enough to get the word about this very real deadly disease threat in our own neighborhood. Moorpark, like much of Los Angeles County, has a bat rabies problem. And these rabid bats can and do get inside people's homes on a regular basis. So this report from the Sacramento Bee comes as absolutely NO surprise. Well, other than that we have to find out about this from a newspaper up north.....

This serves as a reminder that we need to keep our cats (and dogs) current on their rabies vaccinations at all times and regardless of their lifestyles. Rabies vaccine is extremely safe and highly effective, so there is no medical justification for not giving it (other than recent fever or physical debilitation).

And of course annual rabies vaccinations are an important time for your cat to get its annual or semi-annual physical exam to ensure that all its health needs are being met.

Read more about rabies at CDC's web page.

Nestle Purina Recall

The Nestle Purina dry cat food recall does NOT involve food sold in California, but stay tuned just in case it expands.

ETA: Many people don't realize that half the concern about Salmonella contamination of dry pet food is due to the risk of it spreading to humans. Salmonellosis is a zoonosis (a disease spread from animals to humans) - in this case, the food is the device by which such spread is accomplished.

CDC has an excellent page that discusses how to minimize the risk of catching Salmonella from pet food.

Feral cats identified as possible Willow Creek rabies source; victim currently in stable condition

For decades I have been harping on the subject of rabies as a public health issue, constantly telling clients, friends, family, and a whole host of other acquaintances that the rabies threat is real, that it is and will always be with us here in North America, and that cats should never be ignored as potential rabies vectors. We have a huge feral cat population in Los Angeles, and they have always troubled me because they are by and large unprotected against this ancient scourge. Our local bats are an ongoing rabies threat, and cats by their curious and predatory natures are especially at risk when rabid bats are around. Where this case occurred rabies is also common in skunks and gray foxes.

So it appears now that a perfect storm of events may have occurred in Northern California: high local incidence of rabid skunks and foxes, with some rabid local bats also; significant feral cat population; susceptible humans. The result is a woman in a fight for her life, and the only good news is that the Milwaukee Protocol appears to be working and she is now in stable condition. Every one of the half dozen rabies survivors worldwide is a small miracle because this viral disease has the highest mortality rate of any infectious disease: essentially 100%.

While I am thrilled at the woman's probable survival, I worry that people will use this as an excuse to have an even more lackadaisical attitude toward rabies than they do now (and that's really saying something). We have a serious feral cat issue here, and they pose a significant zoonotic disease threat even without taking rabies into consideration.

We still need to, as a community, come together to eliminate the feral cat problem, not just perpetuate it by dumping the poor things out on the street after neutering and a one-time vaccination and calling it good. Cats are NOT a native species and have no place in any North American ecosystem other than our households. As domestic animals, they have every right to a clean, safe home; protection from the elements and outdoor hazards; and most importantly, ongoing and adequate medical and preventive care by a licensed veterinarian.

I hope this is a wake up call for Angelenos. I fear that it will not be.

Cowpox in a Dog

Oh noes!! What is that crazy Doctor Robison writing about NOW that has nothing to do with cats??

Well, patience has its virtue. Do read on at this link, because cowpox has more relevance to cats and their owners than it does dogs, as Scott Weese over at Worms and Germs explains.

I don't think we have endemic cowpox in our local rat population, but it is always possible. So it's one MORE reason to keep your cats indoors to minimize their contact with wild rodents.

I don't spend time worrying about this one, perhaps because I am fond of our friend cowpox, which gave us the smallpox vaccine (smallpox being the only deadly human virus mankind has ever completely wiped out in nature, a huge public health victory). Read more about that here.

MT wildlife expert offers raccoon advice

I found this piece online that discusses some of the dangers raccoons can pose to public health. While we don't have raccoon rabies here in Southern California, the local raccoons can and do carry the very dangerous raccoon roundworm, Baylisascaris procyonis, which is not mentioned in the very brief piece by a tv station (typical!).

Don't let raccoons set up a latrine on your property. If they do, clean it up using good hygiene to minimize the risk to human and animal health. Baylisascaris can infect and kill perfectly healthy humans and their pets.

Wikipedia entry on B. procyonis

B. procyonis factsheet from Wisconsin's DHS

Animal Bite Reporting

I just got off the phone with a woman whose husband was just bitten by their son's cat, a patient of mine. In addition to advising her that he should see his physician promptly, I told her of my obligation to report the bite to the health department. She wasn't happy to hear that, but the law is quite clear in these things. And because the cat was indoor/outdoor and its vaccination status unknown as of the only visit to me in September, this could very well end badly for the cat. Quarantine or immediate euthanasia for rabies testing are the only two options.

To complicate matters, the owner's mother hates the cat, is insistent that it be euthanized without any involvement of the health department, and refused to provide me with the bite victim's name to aid in my reporting obligation. This, despite her near-hysterical concern about the possibility of her husband contracting some disease from the cat.

Veterinarians have a duty to work closely with public health authorities to minimize the risk of zoonotic diseases in humans. But we need the unconditional and complete cooperation of pet owners in order to do so. It is most unhelpful to refuse medical treatment of parasites, refuse vaccinations, allow your pet outdoors in spite of said lack of vaccinations and parasite control, refuse to cooperate with measures designed to keep you safe and healthy, and then verbally upbraid the one person who is working overtime to protect you from your bad decisions.

Los Angeles County Veterinary Public Health has an excellent online portal for animal bite reporting. Anyone who is aware of an animal bite has an obligation to do so, not just the physician or veterinarian involved. The purpose of this reporting is to ensure that no rabid animals slip through the cracks, resulting in needless human rabies deaths.

My biggest concern in this case now is that the owner's mother will take the cat elsewhere for euthanasia, withhold information about the recent human bite, and in doing so allow the cat to go untested. This will then, because I have already reported the bite, lead to mandatory rabies treatment for not only the bite victim but everyone else who handled the cat in the past 10 days. Expensive, inconvenient, painful, and perhaps completely unnecessary.

Just yesterday, LAVPH emailed me with an update on the bat rabies situation this year, and it's not good. They have diagnosed rabies in over 20 bats locally in 2010, more than double the normal number. If your cat goes outdoors AT ALL, it is at risk. And even if it never goes outdoors it is not at zero risk because rabid bats do get into homes all the time. So it's time for another shameless plug: VACCINATE YOUR CAT FOR RABIES EVERY YEAR REGARDLESS OF ITS LIFESTYLE.

Only YOU can prevent gastric ulcers and forehead bruising in your veterinarian.

Tuesday is World Rabies Day

Public health veterinarians and the veterinary community at large are observing the 4th annual World Rabies Day tomorrow, September 28. This terrible and universally fatal disease still kills an average of 55,000 people around the world every year. Fortunately, human rabies cases in the US are minimal, but that is in large part because of aggressive animal vaccinations and leash laws, and ongoing educational efforts to keep the public and the medical community informed.

AVMA has an excellent new podcast of an interview of Dr. Lynne White-Shim, assistant director of the AVMA’s Scientific Activities Division about rabies in the world today. The Global Alliance for Rabies Control has this excellent series of videos about rabies which you can use to teach your families and children about the problem and how to minimize risk.

We strongly encourage that all cats, regardless of personal circumstances, receive annual rabies vaccinations. There is really only one valid reason not to, and that is if the cat is actively fighting an acute bacterial or viral infection and has had a fever within a week or so. Los Angeles County is reporting an increase in bat rabies cases this year, and I have seen a number of cats over the years in this area that have found and played with bats, potentially exposing them to rabies. We DO have it here, and it IS a real threat.

One Health - An Idea Long Overdue

One of the reasons I am so excited about my upcoming interview by Los Angeles Veterinary Public Health for a podcast on their website about that rabies case I was involved in back in 1987 is that it is going to provide another excellent opportunity to put the concept of One Health into action. Dr. Beeler has indicated that she wants to use the interview in presentations to both veterinary students at WU and also physicians at UCLA. We need to take advantage of every chance we get to tighten up the connections between the two professions in recognition that there isn't just "animal health" and "human health" - it's all a continuum, dubbed One Health.

Dr. Weese at Worms & Germs has an excellent post about the concept that is worth a read. He brings up an important point that I don't think I have addressed here yet: that people who know they are immunosuppressed need to be proactive and inform their veterinarians so we can keep them advised of how to safely approach pet ownership.

And because the situation is ever-changing, a single discussion is not enough. It needs to be an ongoing conversation. Back in the early days of AIDS, we veterinarians mistakenly thought that people with the disease simply couldn't own pets because of the risk of zoonotic diseases. Now we know that's not true, and can advise clients how to stay safe and still enjoy Fluffy or Spot. Also, people can forget over time that the transplant they had and are still on medication for might affect their immune system function, as will chemotherapy for cancer, spleen removal, and a host of other conditions and situations.

But we can't spend time telling everyone who walks in the door all this, so we need clients to step up and start the conversation.

So let's hope that One Health gets enough publicity that ALL physicians and All veterinarians hear about and understand their important roles in keeping all animals healthy, even the human animals.

Procter & Gamble Voluntarily Recalls Two Lots of Therapeutic Renal Dry Cat Food

We don't carry IVF diets, but it's possible some of our clients feed this food or know people who do. Here's the info via AVMA:

~~~~~~~~~~

The following notice was received by the AVMA from Procter & Gamble on Sunday, July 25, 2010:

The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) (NYSE:PG), is voluntarily recalling two specific lots of its therapeutic renal dry cat food in North America as a precautionary measure, as it has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella. No illnesses have been reported. However, P&G Pet Care wanted to make sure veterinarians were aware of the situation as soon as possible.

The health and welfare of pets and their owners is our top priority. P&G Pet Care is working swiftly to minimize any potential health risk to pets and working closely with the FDA to resolve the issue. Veterinary clinics that were affected have already been notified.

This product is available through veterinary clinics and is limited to those bags with the lot codes listed below. Lot codes can be found on the lower right corner of the back of the bags.

Product Name Lot Code UPC Code
Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal 5.5 lbs 01384174B4 0 19014 21405 1
Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal 5.5 lbs 01384174B2 0 19014 21405 1

If you need additional information, please call our veterinary line at 800-535-8387. Concerned pet owners may be directed to call P&G toll-free at 877-894-4458.

We apologize for any inconvenience this situation may cause you and want to assure you that P&G Pet Care is taking all the necessary steps to ensure our product quality meets your expectations.

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For clarification - Salmonella bacteria can and do infect cats and can cause seerious illness or even death, plus affected cats can spread the disease to humans. People can also get the infection just from handling the food and not washing their hands adequately.

I can't fathom how kibble could GET contaminated by Salmonella. Maybe they have really dirty production facilities??? Pigeon or rat poop??? Inadequate heat processing of the kibble???

Rabies Update at Worms & Germs

Anytime you start thinking I am a bit obsessive about rabies, go over to Dr. Scott Weese's blog, Worms & Germs. He posts about it probably four times as often as I do, and most of the rest of the time he's posting about, well, worms and other germs.

Anyway, he has some great comments, and then a link to ProMed's actual update.

The ProMed report states that the majority of human rabies cases in the US are caused by the bat strain. I have read elsewhere that in most of those cases, the actual bat contact appeared to have gone unnoticed and unremarked. I find myself wondering if CATS infected with the bat strain could be serving as a vector - it would go unnoticed, and would explain the lack of known bat contact........Back east most feline rabies is due to the raccoon strain (because the raccoon rabies there is seriously out of control), but here in the west, if I remember correctly, cats tend to get the bat strain more than anything else.

Things that make you go HMMMMMM.........

Toxoplasmosis - What Your Ob-Gyn Doesn't Know

Well, for about the hundred-seventy-ninth time in my career a client has come to me for information about toxoplasmosis after having been frightened half to death or completely misinformed about it by their or their wife's ob-gyn.

Now, a physician whose job is to keep a pregnant woman and her fetus healthy for 9 months should know a great deal about the most dangerous zoonotic threat during pregnancy, right?? One would think.

And given the vast storehouse of medical information available on the internet, and the universal access by physicians to said internet, and the extensive education of said physicians which would allow them to read, understand, and put to use said professionally relevant information, one would logically conclude that ob-gyns would know at least as much about toxoplasmosis as your average lowly cat doctor, right??

The sad truth? The aforementioned ob-gyn, who will remain unnamed so as to avoid outing him as the complete fool he is, after warning his patient (who fortunately is not yet pregnant but will be trying to become so soon) about this terribly dangerous disease, then told her (and I am quoting here), "But I really don't know anything about it." Or care, apparently. He then sent her home where, in the middle of the night after working herself into a completely understandable frenzy, she placed a panicked phone call to my answering machine. Fortunately I had answers and set her mind at ease in short order.

It may come as a shock to you, but this really is a huge improvement over the situation here in Los Angeles 25 years ago when a client came to me completely hysterical because she had just found out she was pregnant and her ob-gyn informed her in no uncertain terms that she HAD TO DESTROY HER CAT. So, really, there has been progress. I think.

So now I have to take time out of my Sunday (yeah, right, like I don't LIKE blogging, lol) to enlighten you, Constant Reader, and hopefully more than a few ob-gyns if enough people link back to this page from elsewhere on the net where they are commenting on this matter in sheer outrage (that is what's known as a hint).

Toxoplasmosis IS a serious disease. It can do grave harm to developing fetuses. But problems with toxo are pretty darn easy to avoid. Here's the CDC's web page on Toxoplasma gondii and the disease it causes, toxoplasmosis. It has lots of links and there is a whole lot of material to read for those who are interested.

Here's CDC's special page on toxo geared specifically toward pregnant women. Somebody with more gumption than me needs to email that link to every ob-gyn in the country so they have NO MORE EXCUSES FOR IGNORANCE.



I was gonna settle my outrage with a glass of chardonnay, because I am pretty hot under the collar about this. But then I remembered I used that bottle to start some white wine vinegar after I learned all about how to do that on the internet.

Initiative is such an amazing thing. And in such short supply.

ETA: my fist-waving, cussing smilie avatar appears to be broken, but I'll leave him up because he's cute enough as he is.

Also ETA some CDC brochures:

Toxoplasmosis: An Important Message For Women

Toxoplasmosis: An Important Message For Cat Owners

CDC Toxoplasmosis Fact Sheet to hand to worried family members so they will stop bugging you about the cat.

Feline’s Pride Issues Nationwide Recall of its Natural Chicken Formula Cat Food Due to Salmonella Contamination

The FDA issued this press release on July 1:

Contact:
Shelby Gomas,
Tel: 1-716-580-3096

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 1, 2010 - Buffalo, NY – Feline’s Pride is announcing a voluntary recall of Feline’s Pride Raw food with ground bone for cats and kittens, Natural Chicken Formula, Net Wt. 2.5 lbs. (1.13 kg., 40 oz.) produced on 6/10/10, because it may be contaminated with Salmonella. People handling raw pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with the raw pet food or any surfaces exposed to the product.

When consumed by humans, Salmonella can cause an infection, salmonellosis. The symptoms of salmonellosis include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, minimal diarrhea, fever, and headache. Certain vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems, are particularly susceptible to acquiring salmonellosis from such pet food products and may experience more severe symptoms.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

The product is packaged in uncoded plastic containers and sold frozen to private consumers nationwide. Once thawed, the pet food has a shelf life of about 1 week. The firm manufactures the pet food by an as-ordered basis. This recall affects only those orders placed and shipped from June 10 through June 17, 2010.

The firm and FDA are investigating this matter to determine the source of this problem, and will take any additional steps necessary to protect the public health.

To date, both the firm and the FDA have received no reports of Salmonella infection relating to this product.

This product should not be fed to pets but should instead be disposed of in a safe manner (e.g., in a securely covered trash receptacle). People who are experiencing the symptoms of Salmonella infection after having handled the pet food product should seek medical attention, and report their use of the product and illness to the nearest FDA office.

People should thoroughly wash their hands after handling the pet food – especially those made from raw animal protein such as meat or fish -- to help prevent infection. People may risk bacterial infection not only by handling pet foods, but by contact with pets or surfaces exposed to these foods, so it is important that they thoroughly wash their hands with hot water and soap.

Since certain vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems, are particularly at risk from exposure they should avoid handling this product.

Consumers with questions should contact the company at (716) 580-3096, Monday –Friday from 10 am - 4 pm EDT.

###

In a nutshell, Salmonella-contaminated cat food like this can make your cat ill and then you can catch the disease from your cat, but ALSO you can catch it directly from the food just by handling it (if any of it contacts your mouth). This is one of the main reasons I NEVER recommend raw meat or foods containing raw meat for cats. I occasionally have to treat suspected Salmonella in cats because the owner won't listen to my advice or never even thought to discuss cat food with a veterinarian.