Brazilian Association of the Pet Product Industry releases safety manual

The Brazilian Association of the Pet Product Industry recently published its Pet Food Brasil Manual with the goal of constantly improving petfood production.   
The new publication is an update of the current PIQ PET Manual, which was developed six years ago by the entity's technical groups of professionals from associated companies and universities.

The goal of the publication is to provide the public, academic and private institutions of the pet product sector with a reference for food quality and safety. The manual also has information on technical and quality standards of raw material, nutritional parameters, applicable analytical methodologies and the ideal production conditions in order to ensure safe petfood for domestic and international markets. 

Fourth of July dog safety tips

Keep your dog inside: Many anxious dogs on the 4th of July have been known to run away from home and jump yard walls or fences, and dogs or puppies that are tied up outside may run away in fear and have so much fear and anxiety that they choke and strangle themselves if left tied up. (Never have your dog tied up outside without human
supervision.)
Stay home with your dog: Just because your dog or puppy is inside does not mean they will be safe or relaxed. Many anxious and fearful or phobic dogs on the 4th of July will become destructive in the house. This may include, but not limited to, trying to jump through open or closed windows, pulling down window curtains or blinds, jumping at, clawing or scratching at doors or screens to try to escape, running and hiding under furniture, destructive chewing, marking or fearfully urinating or defecating in the house, pacing, hyperventilating, and even self-mutilating behavior. Some anxious dogs left in dog crates, kennels or runs may try to chew their way out and do damage to their teeth and gums, or try to claw or paw their way out, doing damage to their nails, pads, and feet. Don't come home to a bloody mess or a bloody dog.
Desensitize your dog: Several weeks before the 4th of July, start a program of behavior modification to desensitize your dog to the loud sounds of the 4th of July fireworks. Desensitization is exposing your dog to the fearful sounds in a slow, quiet and progressive way, pairing a positive reinforcer like a very high-value food treat, toy reward, pleasant massage, or petting, with the sounds of fireworks. You can download fireworks sounds from iTunes, and begin by playing the sounds of fireworks at a very low and non-threatening volume. Play with your dog and reward calm, relaxing behavior. Begin to teach your dog to relax on cue by pairing the timing of the reward at the exact moment of your dog's relaxed behavior, while at the same time saying the word "RELAX." If your timing is just right, most dogs can be trained to relax in about 20 to 30 very short desensitization sessions. Always start with the sound very low, and over time, as your dog learns to relax to the sounds, gently and gradually increase the volume and continue to reward and put on cue relaxed behavior.
Consider anti-anxiety medication: Talk to your Veterinarian about short-term anti-anxiety medication for your dog or puppy. In some cases medication may be warranted and a needed option. There are many safe FDA approved behavioral medications for your dog, their fears, phobias and anxiety.
Tips courtesy of: www.tlck9academy.com/

Veterinarians warn pet owners about Halloween dangers: 4 common hazards

During the week of Halloween, calls to the veterinarians at Pet Poison Helpline increase by 12 percent, making it the call center’s busiest time of year. The helpline, which is a 24-hour service, assists pet owners, veterinarians and veterinary technicians who are treating potentially poisoned pets.

The four most common food-related Halloween hazards for pets:

1. Chocolate – Of all candy, chocolate is one of the most toxic to pets. Over the past year, more than 1,100 calls to Pet Poison Helpline involved exposure to chocolate and 98 percent of them involved dogs. Many dogs are inherently attracted to the smell and taste of chocolate, making it a significant threat. In general, the darker and more bitter the chocolate, the more poisonous it is. The chemicals in chocolate that are dangerous to pets, methylxanthines, are similar to caffeine and more heavily concentrated in the darker varieties. In fact, a 50-pound dog can be sickened by ingesting only one ounce of Baker’s chocolate! On the other hand, it may take up to eight ounces, (half a pound) of milk chocolate to cause poisoning in that same sized dog. White chocolate contains very low amounts of methylxanthine and rarely causes poisoning. To avoid issues, keep Halloween candy well out of the reach of pets at all times. If you think your pet may have ingested chocolate, symptoms to watch for include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, agitation, increased thirst, an elevated heart rate, and in severe cases, seizures.   

2. Candy overindulgence – Pets are indiscriminate when it comes to eating tasty treats and can gorge themselves on snacks and food meant for humans. Large ingestions of sugary, high-fat candy can lead to pancreatitis in pets. Potentially fatal, pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas and very painful. It may not show up for two to four days after the pet ingests the candy. Symptoms include decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, abdominal pain, and potentially, kidney failure or organ damage.

3. Raisins – Some people prefer to distribute healthy snacks instead of candy on Halloween, such as mini-boxes of raisins. These are extremely are poisonous to dogs! Very small amounts of raisins (and grapes) can cause kidney failure in dogs and, potentially, cats. When it comes to your pets, raisins deserve the same pet-proofing treatment as chocolate – stored in secure containers far from their reach. Unfortunately, some dogs develop idiosyncratic reactions at any dose – in other words, they can ingest any amount and potentially be poisoned. Therefore, any ingestion of raisins or grapes should be treated as a “poisoning” case. Symptoms include vomiting, nausea, decreased appetite, lethargy, abdominal pain, and severe kidney failure.

4. Candy wrappers – Generally when pets eat candy, they don’t bother to remove the wrappers. Ingestion of foil and cellophane wrappers can cause a life-threatening bowel obstruction, which if severe, can require surgical intervention to correct. Watch for vomiting, decreased appetite, not defecating, straining to defecate, or lethargy. X-rays may be necessary to diagnose this problem.

For more tips, click here.

PetSafe set to fund behaviorist position

PetSafe, a manufacturer of pet safety and behavior products, will fund one of the few veterinary school behaviorist positions in the USA.
The newest Chair in Veterinary Behavior will work at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Tennessee.
The position was formed to research and gain understanding of animal behaviors that may jeopardize a pet remaining in a home environment. The ultimate goal of an animal behaviorist is to help protect the bond between a human and companion animal.

FDA launches pet widget

The US Food and Drug Administration recently launched a pet health and safety widget for consumers as part of an ongoing effort to provide timely public health information.
The widget – a portable application embedded in a Web page that can be copied onto any other Web site or blog – will include topics such as how to report a problem with petfood, purchasing pet drugs online and caring for a pet in a disaster.