I met Baby, a 24 year-old blue-fronted Amazon parrot in September 2012. Her dad brought her to see me because he was concerned about some fatty tumors another avian vet had diagnosed three years earlier.

As I examined Baby for the first time, I noticed her feathers were dull. She was over-grooming her lower abdomen, so the feathers there were unkempt and tattered. But more concerning to me were the large fat deposits that were accumulating over her keel (her breastbone), as well as several lipomas, which are benign fatty masses, that I could feel on both her legs.

Parrots Like Baby Are Prone to Overeating

Many pet parrots develop issues as a result of a sedentary lifestyle. For example, Amazon parrots have a tendency to become obese if their guardians don’t make weight management a priority.

Parrots like Baby who have been bred in captivity as pets are smart, vocal and animated. If you’re owned by one of these delightful birds, you know they are foodies with feathers. In other words, they enjoy eating! Consequently, overeating can become a real problem over a 70+ year lifespan.

In addition, these parrots are very popular as pets because they have more of a type “B” personality – they prefer hanging out to the constant activity seen in type “A” parrot personalities. The combination of a love of food and laidback personality can be a recipe for metabolic problems with these birds.

Evaluation of Baby’s diet revealed that like most pet birds, she wasn’t choosing to eat a balanced diet. Given the option to eat either seeds (preferably sunflower and safflower seeds) or fresh food, she would eat only seeds – a very unhealthy diet. And like many people owned by parrots, Baby’s dad fed his pet what she most enjoyed eating: high fat seeds. Although he did occasionally offer fresh foods, Baby preferred her seeds and didn’t regularly consume fresh foods or pellets.

The Dangers of Obesity in Parrots

Many animals, including parrots, store excess calories as fatty masses called lipomas. In addition to being overweight (over fat), Baby had additional fat accumulations that caused her to be “lumpy” in places. My biggest concern about Baby’s weight was that often when an Amazon’s body grows obese, there is also the presence of a secondary and potentially fatal condition called hepatic lipidosis, or fatty liver disease.

Fatty liver disease is caused by excessive fat accumulation in the liver. The condition is typically a slowly progressive disease in which healthy liver tissue is replaced with fat. The many tasks the liver performs are eventually compromised, and when overall liver function is poor, birds begin showing symptoms.

These can vary depending on how much liver function remains and include mild to profound lethargy, weight loss, decreasing appetite leading to anorexia, a fluffed appearance, weakness, sitting in the bottom of the cage, labored breathing (tail bobbing), a change in stool color (usually it becomes much more green), diarrhea and a swollen abdomen.

Birds with chronic, low-grade hepatic lipidosis can also have beaks that grow unusually fast or a change in feather pigmentation. Sadly, if the disease is progressed, a bird can appear suddenly ill or even die before the owners have a chance to seek veterinary care.

I suggested to Baby’s owner that we complete some blood work to check her liver function, and as I suspected, her liver enzyme (AST) was elevated (page 1). Thankfully, Baby’s quality of life was not yet impaired by her liver condition.

Switching Baby to a Healthier Diet

I immediately informed Baby’s dad that he would need to feed his bird differently. Baby needed to be weaned off her favorite seed-based diet and switched to a variety of fresh living foods to supply her body with enzymes, phytonutrients, antioxidants and fiber. For most birds (and their owners), a change in diet like this can be a wildly difficult undertaking.

Many birds are actually addicted to seeds, and like cats, they cannot skip meals without endangering their health. Birds can and will starve themselves to death, so the process of transitioning to healthier foods involves some trickery.

The first step with Baby was to start the transition with fresh foods she liked, which included apples, grapes and corn. We would use these three fresh foods as lures to open her mind and taste buds to other fresh foods with a higher nutrient value.

The next step was to finely chop other fresh foods like broccoli, blueberries, pomegranate, pepper, and dark leafy green veggies, and mix them with the three foods she liked so she could experience a bit of nutritional variety.

Some birds are so finicky about trying new foods that it’s necessary to sprout their unhealthy seeds. Ironically, sprouting turns seeds from unhealthy and high fat, to very healthy and low fat. Mixing sprouted seeds with dry seeds, and then slowly increasing the amount of sprouted seeds while decreasing the dry seeds is another good way to transition a super-finicky bird away from an all-seed diet.

For Baby, I also recommended an organic bird pellet made by Harrison's Bird Foods. I instructed her owner to grind the pellets into a powder and add 1 tablespoon of powder to 1 tablespoon of seeds so that all the seeds were coated with the powder. Birds hull seeds, so as Baby picked up and shelled her seeds, she would roll the seed around in her mouth and acquire the new taste of a nutritionally balanced pellet. I also instructed her dad to add a tablespoon of whole pellets into this mix, since occasionally birds are inquisitive enough to try new foods without hesitation.

I also prescribed milk thistle, an herb that helps hepatocytes (liver cells) regenerate and detoxify, and asked Baby’s dad to recheck her blood work in three months.

Within Three Months, Baby’s Health Was Much Improved

At Baby’s next appointment in December 2012, her dad reported that the diet change was successful. Fortunately, Baby liked the new organic bird pellets right away and he was able to gradually decrease the high fat seeds and ultimately eliminate them altogether. He was offering Baby a nice variety of fruits and veggies and she was eating well.

Baby’s feathers appeared less dull at this visit, and more importantly, her liver enzyme values had improved, but were still too high (page 2).

I suggested Baby’s dad continue the detox protocol and recheck her blood work in another three months. Thankfully, in March, Baby’s liver function was back to normal (page 3). Her owner was able to discontinue her detox protocol, but of course continued with a diet of healthy fresh foods and organic pellets, as well as Sunshine Factor, a supplement to help improve feather health.

Baby’s lean body mass was improving and her lipomas were not continuing to grow -- all good signs.

Optimizing Your Pet Bird’s Environment

There are a number of recommendations I offer to all bird owners interested in optimizing their pet’s environment, including:

• Ensure birds get 8 to 10 hours of restful sleep at night in a dark, quiet room (a nightlight is ok, but no additional light should be provided).
• Provide pure water, free from fluoride, chlorine and heavy metals.
• Provide UV light. Birds must have direct sunlight (not through a window) for optimal health. If you can’t take your bird outside, get a bird light and leave it on 6-10 hours a day.
• Provide a variety of natural perches of various sizes for optimal foot health.
• Offer pesticide-free food. Organic fresh fruits and veggies are best. If you can’t buy organic, wash all produce very well before feeding.
• Ensure adequate exercise. Birds were meant to fly. If you don’t let your bird fly, you’ll have to get creative on how to help him “dance” (flap on your hand or a perch), walk or move to maintain muscle tone and optimal weight.
• Birds should be weighed weekly to ensure they are maintaining their weight. Before birds become visibly sick they lose weight.
• Provide coconut oil. Organic, cold pressed, unrefined coconut oil is excellent for all birds. It provides lauric acid that supports a healthy immune system.

Eliminating Environmental Stressors

Part of optimizing a bird’s environment is removing stressors. These include:

• Dowel perches and perch covers. Sandpaper covers cause bumblefoot, or open foot sores, so please don’t use them. Trim your bird’s nails if they are too long.
• Grit. Psittacine parrots do not need grit, so please don’t offer it to them.
• Mite and lice cage fumigators. Because these ectoparasites are rare and the fumigation products designed to eliminate them are ineffective, the majority of birds trapped next to these toxic “accessories” derive no benefit from them, and they can be harmful.
• Wrapping or covering birdcages at night. This practice was recommended back when most houses were drafty, prior to the introduction of energy efficient homes. If your house was built in the last 50 years you don’t have to protect your bird from drafts. Covering cages has been linked to increased respiratory disease in birds. If you have a drafty home, cover 3 sides of the cage with a light fabric.
• Cigarette smoke. Birds are tremendously susceptible to the toxins in second hand smoke. They are much more at risk than mammals, because birds have air sacs. There is no question a bird’s health will be compromised if the humans in her home smoke.
• Pellets and seeds containing additives, preservatives, colors and dyes. Any brightly colored commercial diet you purchase for your bird contains dyes that are unnecessary for avian health. Birds are very susceptible to environmental chemicals, so read all labels carefully.
• Teflon. Burning food on Teflon pans creates a toxic gas that is fatal to birds.
• Toys made in China. Birds mouth everything. Make sure your bird’s belongings are toxin free by buying only toys and cage accessories made in the U.S.
• Paint chipping off cages. Most paints and coatings contain heavy metals that birds can ingest as they use their beaks to climb around the cage. If your bird’s cage paint or powder coating is beginning to flake off, purchase a new cage, preferably stainless steel.

Watch as five very contrite dogs try to deal with their feelings of guilt!

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), also called pancreatic insufficiency and maldigestion syndrome, is thought to be rare in cats. However, according to dvm360, new research suggests veterinarians should look more closely at EPI as a potential cause of diarrhea and chronic weight loss in kitties.

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

The pancreas has many functions. It produces not only insulin, but also various enzymes that provide for the digestion of food. Many people are aware the pancreas plays a role in insulin production and diabetes; relatively few people realize the role the pancreas can play in digestive diseases.

Pancreatic enzymes include amylase, which breaks down starches; lipase, which breaks down fats; and trypsin and chymotrypsin, which break down proteins.

The actions of these enzymes are crucial to the digestive process. They allow nutrients from the diet to be absorbed by the cells of the intestine, where they pass into the bloodstream and are transported throughout the body for use by tissues. When a cat eats, the pancreas gets a signal to release digestive enzymes, which travel into the small intestine via the pancreatic duct (“exocrine” glands secrete their products into ducts, whereas “endocrine” glands secrete their products directly into the bloodstream).

Once they reach the center of the intestine, the enzymes go to work breaking down food particles.

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency means there is a decrease or lack of digestive enzymes being produced by the pancreas. In kitties with the disorder, proteins, starches and fats from the diet aren’t broken down sufficiently to be absorbed through the intestinal wall. This means nutrients can’t get into the bloodstream to supply nourishment to the body’s tissues. Much of the food that is eaten remains undigested in the GI tract and ultimately leaves the body in feces. If left untreated, a cat with EPI can literally starve to death despite how much food is consumed.

Causes, Symptoms and Diagnosis of EPI

Pancreatic insufficiency can have several potential causes, but the most common source in cats is chronic inflammation of the pancreas. Other causes are parasitic infestations, as well as cancer.

Signs a kitty may be dealing with EPI include weight loss; constant hunger; lots of watery, loose or semi-loose stools that may have a foul odor and contain large quantities of undigested fat; and poor coat condition. Cats with this disorder look and behave as though they are starving to death … because they are.

Occasionally, cats with EPI are also diabetic.

A test called the feline trypsin-like immunoreactivity (fTLI) assay is considered diagnostic for EPI. Prior to the availability of the fTLI, diagnosis was trickier and involved taking a symptom history and running repeated fecal digestion tests.

Results of Largest Feline EPI Study to Date

In 2010, the GI Laboratory at Texas A&M University received 775 samples from veterinarians of fTLI assay results that were consistent with a diagnosis of feline EPI.

Then in 2011, researchers from the GI Laboratory and Department of Clinical Sciences at Texas A&M conducted an EPI survey of veterinarians who submitted samples. One hundred-fifty surveys were returned. The average age of affected cats with the condition was eight years. Males represented 59 percent of the samples; females, 41 percent.

Average body condition of the kitties was poor. Of the cats for which cobalamin (vitamin B12) levels were measured, 77 percent were deficient and many had no detectable levels of B12 at all. For those that had folate concentrations tested, 47 percent showed an increase.

As for symptoms, in 91 percent of the cats, weight loss was the primary symptom. Weight loss varied from 1.4 ounces to 15 pounds, with an average of 3 pounds. Loose stools were seen in 62 percent of affected cats; poor haircoat in 50 percent; loss of appetite in 45 percent and increased appetite in 42 percent; and depression was present in 40 percent of the kitties. Almost 60 percent of the cats had coexisting diseases including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diabetes, pancreatitis and hepatic lipidosis.

Of the kitties with EPI, 68 percent were given pancreatic enzyme supplementation. Of those, 66 percent showed a good response, 24 percent had a partial response, and 10 percent had a poor response to the treatment.

What These Results Mean for Cat Owners and Vets

According to dvm360, the results of the survey are evidence that exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is not as uncommon in cats as previously thought. However, symptoms in cats vary noticeably from canine symptoms. In cases of feline EPI, diarrhea isn’t a consistent finding and isn’t as severe as it is in dogs dealing with the disease. Also in cats, excessive hunger is not consistently present, and in fact about half the cats in the survey showed a decrease in appetite.

Treatment with pancreatic enzyme supplementation appears to be successful in a large percentage of kitties with EPI. If there are also low cobalamin levels, subcutaneous (under the skin) supplementation for several weeks is often required to help resolve gastrointestinal symptoms.

Also, EPI can be associated with small intestinal dysbiosis (also called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO), especially when low B12 and high folate levels are present.

Cat owners and especially veterinarians should consider fTLI, cobalamin and folate tests for kitties with unexplained weight loss or chronic diarrhea, regardless of the pet’s age. These tests could conceivably eliminate the need for more expensive and invasive diagnostic procedures.

EPI should also be viewed as a possible concurrent condition in diabetic cats whose blood sugar levels are well controlled but who have weight loss and/or diarrhea.

Nylah manages to remove the toy mouse from the vase, but then decides the vase is more fun than the toy!

Many people are aware that the American Kennel Club (AKC) is the governing body for dog shows, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

But what you might not know is that law enforcement officials investigating complaints of animal abuse have raided breeders of AKC-registered dogs – including breeders who’ve passed AKC kennel inspections. Critics feel the AKC is derelict in its duty to inspect breeders it supports. According to the New York Times:

“… The A.K.C. is increasingly finding itself ostracized in the dog world, in the cross hairs of animal protection services, law enforcement agencies and lawmakers who say that the club is lax in performing inspections and that it often lobbies against basic animal rights bills because they could cut into dog registration fees.”

Registration fees account for about 40 percent of the AKC’s $61 million annual revenue, including fees from breeders of dubious character and puppy mill owners.

Critics of the AKC Include the ASPCA

One of the AKC’s critics is the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). According to president Ed Sayres, a majority of commercial breeder raids the ASPCA has participated in have involved AKC-registered litters. Many of these dogs are genetically compromised and come from traumatic environments, according to Sayres.

Needless to say, the AKC disputes such allegations and says it is not a law enforcement agency and can’t be responsible for every breeder. The club has nine breeder inspectors and is “proactive in ferreting out animal abuse,” according to Lisa Peterson, communications director.  

While many breeders of AKC-registered dogs take excellent care of their animals, many others are looking for a quick sale to pet stores or individuals and aren’t at all concerned about the care the dogs receive before or after the sale.

Unfortunately, many people who buy an AKC-registered pet believe the AKC “stamp of approval” actually means something in terms of the health and background of the dog. In reality, the only thing AKC registration papers insure is that both parents of your dog are also registered. AKC registration says nothing about the quality of your dog or his health.

All it takes to get an AKC ‘blue slip’ registration is to send an application and the required fee. If your pet’s parents are registered, your pet will be entered into the database as well. He’ll receive a registration number, which will appear on the blue slip you receive back from the AKC.

Is the AKC Pencil Whipping Kennel Inspections?

The AKC website says the club has inspected over 55,000 kennels since 2000.

According to the New York Times, AKC inspectors found a kennel in Montana “in compliance” in both 2008 and 2009, with about 60 dogs in residence. But in 2011 the kennel was raided, and officials found “… 161 severely malnourished malamutes living off their own feces in small cages.” They also found that:

“Many of the dogs had diseases; one had advanced cancerous growths. Dead dogs were stacked outside small kennels, and empty, dirty water bowls were littered about.

“Five of the rescued dogs died within weeks. Authorities seized 18 pregnant female dogs, and half of their litters died of lack of nutrition upon delivery.”

The owner of that kennel received a five-year sentence on 91 counts of animal cruelty and neglect. It took over 70 volunteers and more than $500,000 to perform the rescue. The Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) picked up most of the cost.

Three months before police raided a Great Dane and mastiff kennel in North Carolina, the AKC performed an inspection and deemed the conditions “acceptable,” and “in compliance with AKC’s Care Conditions Policy,” despite the fact that the giant breed dogs did not get daily exercise outside their cages.

During the raid, officials removed 28 of the dogs, most of them in poor condition and suffering from various injuries and illnesses, all of which were serious to severe according to veterinarians. Additionally, the injuries appeared to be chronic and long-standing.

Why Does the AKC Oppose Legislation to Improve Conditions for Animals?

According to the Times, AKC critics claim the club has opposed legislation to improve conditions at breeding kennels and to reduce the number of abusive high-volume breeders.

One Rhode Island bill the AKC opposed would have prevented dogs from being held in cages or tethered for more than 14 hours a day. The club also opposed a Massachusetts bill defining how law enforcement could go about removing animals and recouping expenses from people suspected of animal cruelty. And in Louisiana, the AKC opposed a bill to prevent the stacking of wire-floored cages.

In defense of the club’s opposition to certain legislative bills, AKC communications director Peterson explained that some bills are too broad in scope; other bills would permanently remove dogs from their owners-turned-defendants (a practice the AKC doesn’t necessarily agree with); and in the case of the bill to stop stacking wire-floored cages, she cites other situations in which it is common practice.

Unfortunately, without reading each bill in question in its entirety as well as the AKC’s efforts to oppose it, it’s impossible to say whether the club is generally focused on improving the lives of dogs, or keeping breeders happy. Their critics certainly believe it’s the latter.

If you’d like to learn more about the AKC’s involvement in canine legislation, you can visit the club’s Legislative Alerts page.

Some Breeders Speak Out Against the AKC

In October 2012, a longtime breeder of Coton de Tulear dogs, Hailey Parker, filed a lawsuit against the AKC.

According to Out of the Cage, the majority of Coton breeders, individual Coton owners, and the national rescue organization for Cotons have decided to stay away from the AKC:

The AKC has a reputation for being associated with puppy mills and other large-size commercial breeding operations, both of which are often cited for practices not good for the health of either fully grown dogs or the pups they are continually birthing. In addition, according to Parker, once a breed is part of the AKC it becomes hard to control the lineage of the population. There is both an increased chance of inbreeding as well as a risk that the purity of the breed will be diluted. “You simply may not be getting a purebred dog or a healthy dog if you get an AKC dog,” says Parker. She also believes that breeds that become part of the AKC begin to be bred so that their physical look is altered to maximize their appearance for the show ring, which can also lead to health problems.

Longtime Breeder Called “Traitor” for Supporting Breeding Limits

In 2009, Oregon lawmakers introduced legislation to limit the number of intact dogs a breeder could have to 25. Ted Paul, a Salem collie breeder, past president of the Collie Club of America, and dog show judge for over 40 years was asked by lawmakers to lend his support to the bill, and he agreed. Soon he was reading on Internet websites that he was a “traitor,” and AKC-affiliated dog show organizers stopped inviting him to judge events.

The breeding limits bill passed, but Ted Paul has been unofficially banned from judging dog shows because he put his support behind it.

It seems clear there is growing dissent among reputable breeders and dog owners against some of the AKC’s policies and practices. Hopefully pressure from these groups and animal welfare organizations like the ASPCA and the HSUS will prompt the American Kennel Club to take a more active role in promoting and enforcing responsible breeding practices.

By Dr. Becker

Blastomycosis is a systemic fungal infection caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis, an organism that grows in rotting wood and wet soil.

The Blastomyces fungus thrives in wet environments like swamps, lakes, and on riverbanks where damp soil and lack of direct sunlight encourage its growth. The fungus is also found in locations that harbor decaying organic matter like wooded areas, forests, and farms. Blastomycosis infections are prevalent in locations near water, including the Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri, and Tennessee River basins.

Pets at Highest Risk for Blastomycosis

The infection is seen most often in large breed male dogs, and especially in hunting dogs, sporting breeds, and dogs that spend a lot of time in environments where the Blastomyces organism exists. Female dogs are also susceptible, of course. And occasionally, cats also acquire the infection.

Studies indicate most dogs that acquire a blastomycosis infection live within a quarter mile of a body of water.

Methods of Transmission

The fungus releases airborne spores into the environment that can be inhaled by people and animals. This is the most frequent method of transmission, though the spores can also enter through the skin. In fact, just digging in the soil can release the spores. Once inhaled, the spores travel through the lungs and become large, thick-walled, yeast-like organisms that multiply within the lungs and other tissues of the body.

Blasto is known as a dimorphic pathogen, meaning it occurs in two distinct forms: it grows as a mold in the environment, and as yeast in tissue. Blastomycosis has the potential to cause significant pulmonary disease. The yeast also tends to travel to other sites in the body, especially the skin, eyes, and joints.

If your dog has a blastomycosis infection, he can't directly infect other members of the family – humans or pets. However, care should be taken when handling any secretions. For example, in draining lesions, you should use protective gloves and wash your hands thoroughly after you've had contact with your infected pet's sores.

There's no need to isolate infected pets from other family members. However, you should take care to avoid the area where your dog likely picked up the Blastomyces spores. This is particularly important for infants and toddlers, elderly family members, and anyone who is immunocompromised.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Symptoms of blastomycosis infection in dogs include loss of appetite, fever, weight loss, depression, inflammation of the iris of the eye and discharge from the eyes as well, coughing, wheezing, and pus-filled skin lesions. More serious symptoms can include sudden blindness, lameness, inflammation of the testicles, enlarged lymph nodes, and seizures.

Unfortunately, blastomycosis is often misdiagnosed -- even by the best veterinarians --sometimes as cancer and sometimes as a bacterial lung infection. Needless to say, treatments for cancer and antibiotics for bacterial infections will not address the fungal infection and can lead to permanent damage or even death, if your pet doesn't get an accurate diagnosis.

If your dog has been showing any of the above symptoms for six weeks or more with no noticeable improvement, and if he could have been in an environment that harbored the Blastomyces fungus, your veterinarian should test for a fungal infection.

Blastomycosis is best diagnosed through examination of a lymph node, a fluid drain from skin lesions by a transtracheal wash, or by examining lung tissue. Tissue samples may need to be taken to check for fungal organisms.

There's also a blood test called an AGID test or antigen ID test for exposure to Blasto. But a positive result doesn't mean your dog necessarily has the infection, only that he's been exposed.

Chest X-rays of a dog with blastomycosis often reveal a sort of snowstorm-type pattern. Urine screening tests can also be very beneficial for diagnosis.

Treatment Options

Traditional treatment for a blastomycosis infection is oral administration of an antifungal drug. These medications all require long-term treatment, sometimes for many months. They are very expensive. And of course, all of them carry serious potential side effects.

The preferred antifungal at the moment for dogs diagnosed with this infection is Itraconazole, which is better tolerated and has fewer side effects than older antifungal drugs. I also recommend a nutraceutical called quantum nucleotide, which helps to stimulate an immediate immune system reaction, as well as oil of oregano in capsule form, which is excellent support for a body fighting a fungal infection.

For many dogs, the critical period during treatment is the first 24 to 72 hours, as the antifungal drug begins to kick in and kill off the fungi. Since there are typically a large number of organisms in the lungs, there can be an overwhelming inflammatory response that can result as the fungi die off. Respiratory distress can be a big problem during the first few days of treatment.

Whatever drug is used, it must be given for a full month past all signs of infection. Dogs with severe breathing difficulties may require supplemental oxygen until their lungs return to normal function.

Blastomycosis is a serious fungal infection. The sooner you seek treatment, the better chance your dog has to fully recover.

Marnie, a blue ringneck parrot, is very excited to receive a new stuffed bunny.

Right around this time each year there are warnings in the media about pet frogs and turtles transmitting salmonella bacteria to children.

According to CDC public health advisor Shauna Mettee Zarecki, “Amphibians and reptiles should never be kept in homes with children less than 5 years old or with people who have immune deficiencies.” This advice also extends to day care centers and nursing homes.

Like in 2010 and 2011, this year’s warning once again identifies African dwarf frogs as the source of a nationwide outbreak of salmonella infections, primarily in children.

Aquarium Water is Primary Source of Contamination

The Salmonella Typhimurium Outbreak Investigation Team, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has been investigating the impact of contact with African dwarf frogs on human health.

The team looked at an outbreak of the typhimurium salmonella strain from 2008 to 2011 and identified 376 cases in 44 states. About 70 percent of those infected were kids under 10 years of age, and 29 percent of patients – mostly children – were hospitalized. About 60 percent of the 114 patients the team interviewed reported exposure to frogs. Of the patients who knew what type of frog they’d been exposed to, about 80 percent identified the African dwarf frog.

The conclusion of the investigators was that most of the children got sick not through direct contact with the frogs, but through indirect exposure like handling aquarium water. The team stressed that reptile and amphibian habitats should be washed outside to avoid contaminating sinks or bathtubs. The investigators also pointed out that aquarium water can grow increasingly contaminated over time.

The team tested water samples from aquariums in affected patients’ homes, in pet stores and at a day care center. In 2011, the source of infected African dwarf frogs was identified as Blue Lobster Farms in Madera County, California. Even though the discovery was made two years ago, frogs from this breeder could still be in people’s homes, since these little guys can live up to 18 years.

Keeping Your Household Safe

People who keep reptiles and amphibians should be aware that bacteria normal to the species can cause infection in humans. Many of these animals can make wonderful pets as long as you recognize the risks associated with potential bacterial contamination.

The following handling tips will help keep everyone in the family safe from infection:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling any amphibian or reptile, or anything your pet has come in contact with – especially aquarium water.
• Closely supervise any children who handle amphibians, reptiles or their habitats, and help the little ones wash their hands properly.
• Children five and under should not handle these pets or their habitats.
• Elderly members of the household or anyone with a compromised immune system should also avoid contact with these pets and their habitats.
• If a member of the family develops the symptoms of salmonella infection, contact a health care provider and advise them of any contact with reptiles or amphibians.
• Amphibians and reptiles should not be kept in childcare centers where hands-on activities are encouraged, nor should they be housed in children's bedrooms.
• Don't allow these pets to roam around your house, and especially not in food and drink preparation areas.
• When cleaning a reptile or amphibian habitat, wear disposable gloves and if possible, do the cleaning outdoors. Don't clean the habitat near food or drink preparation areas, sources of food or drinking water, or the kitchen sink. Discard the gloves after cleaning the habitat, and wash your hands and any exposed areas of your arms thoroughly.
• Don't bathe these pets in the kitchen sink or near any food or drink preparation areas. If you bathe your reptiles or amphibians in the bathtub or use it for habitat cleaning, thoroughly clean and disinfect it afterward to kill any bacteria that may have transferred to tub surfaces.
• Reduce the shedding of salmonella bacteria by reducing environmental stress. House turtles and other reptile or amphibian pets in an optimal environment, with appropriate water quality and filtration, cage size, temperature, UV light and feed species-appropriate nutrition.
• Avoid purchasing African dwarf frogs and juvenile turtles (smaller than four inches), and don’t support street vendors participating in the exploitation of exotic animals.

For more information visit the CDC’s Reptiles, Amphibians and Salmonella page.

Signs of a Salmonella Infection

Infection with salmonella bacteria can cause fever, abdominal cramping, vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear within 12 to 72 hours after infection, and the illness typically runs from four to seven days. Infection is diagnosed through a stool sample.

Many people are able to fight off the infection, but thousands are hospitalized with symptoms each year. If the bacteria spreads from the intestines to the bloodstream and other organs in the body, death can result unless prompt treatment is given.

The elderly and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to become severely ill from salmonella infection, as are young children whose immune systems are still developing.

Recently the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) opened the Behavioral Rehabilitation Center at St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison, NJ, as part of a two-year research project.

Per an ASPCA press release, the center is “the first-ever facility dedicated strictly to providing behavioral rehabilitation to canine victims of cruelty, such as those confiscated from puppy mills and hoarding cases.” According to center director Kristen Collins, the center will also treat a certain number of dogs that have been confined for long periods because they are “evidence” in court cases.

The Behavior Rehabilitation Center’s canine patients will come from shelters across the U.S. as well as from ASPCA-involved seizures from puppy mills and hoarders. According to Collins, the center is the first facility of its kind in that it will be focused exclusively on providing rehabilitation for dogs that are victims of animal cruelty.

The Center’s findings as part of the two-year research project will be shared with shelters and rescue organizations throughout the U.S.

Dogs with Extreme Fear Disorders Are Euthanasia Candidates

Dogs suffering from extreme fear are prone to symptoms such as shaking, cowering, loss of bladder control, growling and biting. In some cases, the fear is always present and causes the animal a great deal of pain. These cases are very hard to treat.

This level of fear is commonly seen in dogs that have survived life in puppy mills or hoarding situations. Once free, fear consumes them because their previous miserable, often abusive existence is all they’ve ever known. Typically, these animals are turned over to shelters and rescue groups who try to work with the dogs to help them overcome their fears. The alternative for many of these dogs is, sadly, euthanasia.

Dogs cowering in the back of their shelter kennels certainly have no quality of life, and prospective owners seldom choose them. If they do get adopted, without treatment they are ill-prepared to blend into a family environment, and many new owners are disappointed or at a loss to know what to do to help their new four-legged family member.

One of the things the ASPCA’s research project will do is provide some statistics to work with. Presently, no one really knows how many dogs with fear disorders are placed in adoptive homes, or how they do once they go to their new families. The Behavioral Rehabilitation Center staff will follow up on placed animals to document how well they are doing in their new environment.

Most Dogs Will Stay at the Center for Six to Eight Weeks

The ASPCA’s new center has over two dozen kennels, treatment rooms, “real life” rooms, common areas, and an office. There are 10 people on staff at the center, including two behavior experts from St. Hubert’s. There are also volunteers and caretakers who feed the dogs and clean their kennels.

Center behaviorists will provide customized behavior modification therapy to reduce fear and anxiety in abused dogs. From a recent press release:

"Treatment plans will incorporate the use of scientifically sound techniques designed to reduce the dogs' fear of people and other dogs, acquainting them to unfamiliar objects, sounds, living areas, and real-life situations that can induce trauma and severe stress among this population."

The ASPCA spent over half a million dollars on the center, and will foot the bill for all patient expenses, including veterinary care.

Most dogs will stay at the facility for six to eight weeks, with some requiring a more lengthy or shorter stay, depending on their individual situation. “Graduates” of the center will return to a shelter for placement, and ongoing therapy will be provided as needed.

"For some animals, the reality is that after a lifetime of neglect and abuse, the rescue is just the beginning of their journey to recovery," said Dr. Pamela Reid, vice president of the ASPCA's Anti-Cruelty Behavior Team. The Behavioral Rehabilitation Center’s goal is to provide rescued dogs individualized behavior therapy and more time to recover from past abuse. This will increase the likelihood of successful adoption.

Rescued Alaskan Malamutes Some of Center’s First Residents

Some of the first patients at the new center were a few Alaskan malamutes taken from a Montana breeder who was convicted in December 2012 of over 90 counts of animal cruelty. A total of 213 malamutes were rescued from starvation and filthy living conditions in that case. The dogs were transferred to other kennels and kept as evidence for 16 months during trial preparation.

Eighteen of the dogs were pregnant, one of which weighed just 48 pounds (the average weight of an Alaskan malamute is 75 pounds). She delivered a litter of eight puppies. Only one survived.

Once the dogs were no longer “evidence,” they were sent to a humane society in Helena where they were spayed and neutered. Another animal welfare group helped begin placing the dogs. Some of the malamutes have found new homes; some are living in rescues awaiting adoption.

One of the dogs was adopted by the president of the Alaska Malamute Assistance League in Anchorage. The dog, a 6 year-old female named Cinder, is missing the tip of one ear, has broken teeth and a broken toe – all caused by food fights among the starving dogs while they lived at the breeding facility in Montana. According to Cinder’s owner, many of the malamutes are missing their tongues for the same reason.

Cinder’s owner, Bob Sutherland, says she has come a long way:

"We took a shy dog, and she's all grins and giggles now. If you work with these dogs, they rise and shine. That's why this ASPCA facility is so valuable to us. We were super excited to get these dogs in there to go through a training regimen. It saves us a lot of heartbreak about what we do with these dogs.”

Hope for the Future of Mistreated Animals

Sadly, there will be dogs that cannot overcome their fear, no matter how extensive the rehabilitation. But the center’s behaviorists are committed to do everything possible to help dogs recover. Euthanasia will be a last resort for dogs with an extremely poor quality of life, or those who pose a significant threat to people or other animals.

The Behavioral Rehabilitation Center will only be able to handle about 400 animals during the two-year project, so it won’t take much burden off shelters in the immediate future. The hope is that researchers will develop new ways to treat fear, anxiety and shyness in dogs that have been abused, and those techniques can be shared on a broad scale with other facilities and groups doing similar work.

According to Collins, success with this project could expand future projects to include fighting dogs, and even cats.

And we think human babies grow up fast!

Dust mite allergies are extremely common among dogs and cats (and humans), but because house dust mites are microscopic, many pet owners think they couldn’t possibly present much of a problem.

But the fact is when we decided to bring pets into our homes and onto our furniture and beds, we increased their exposure to these mites. Over time, our dogs and cats have become sensitized to the little critters just as we have.

House Dust Mites

Dermatophagoides farina and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, more commonly known as dust mites, are found in materials like carpeting, upholstered furniture, mattresses, bedding, and cloth toys. They thrive in warm, moist air (the kind we exhale during sleep) and darkness -- which is why they are often found in bedding. Their bodies are translucent.

Dust mites survive on a diet of dead skin, bacteria, fungi and viruses in the environment. They prefer to feed on the skin of hypersensitive (allergic) individuals because the lipids in their skin are different from those of non-allergic people.

What makes dust mites allergenic for pets and people is a protein found in their feces.

Symptoms of Dust Mite Allergies in Your Pet

Because house dust mites are a problem year-round, allergies to them tend not to be seasonal. However, they are known to be worse in the spring and fall.

From 30 to 80 percent of allergic dogs and cats test positive for dust mite sensitivity. Pets that once lived primarily outdoors can develop sensitivity after they’ve lived indoors for a period of time.

In dogs, signs of a dust mite allergy include bacterial skin infections; itching, especially around the face and on the feet; recurrent ear inflammation or infections; and seborrhea (a red, itchy rash with white scales).

Kitties with a dust mite allergy may develop something called eosinophilic granuloma complex that results in skin lesions; itching; acne on the chin; recurrent ear inflammation or infections; and a disease of the foot pads called plasma cell pododermatitis, or “pillow foot.”

Diagnosing and Treating Dust Mite Allergies

Your vet will look for a history that indicates your pet’s condition is non-seasonal, and is not related to either food sensitivities or skin parasites. Next your dog or cat should be either skin or serum-tested for sensitivity to dust mites.

Once your pet has a confirmed diagnosis of dust mite allergy, I recommend first trying to rid his environment of mites. This is a bit of a challenge, because studies show the most effective method of treatment is to air out fabrics your pet is exposed to on either a hot, sunny or cold dry day for 12 hours, then vacuuming.

Other suggestions include:

• Switching to mattress covers made of micro-porous fabric (“dust mite” covers)
• Covering your pet’s bed in a sheet that repels dust mites and washing it weekly
• Washing bedding in hot water at least monthly, or in cold water and tea tree oil
• Removing carpets from bedrooms
• Vacuuming all carpets and upholstery often (at least weekly) using a vacuum with a HEPA filter
• Steam cleaning mattresses, pet bedding and upholstered furniture

Many veterinarians recommend immunotherapy (allergy shots or under-the-tongue drops). This is a much safer option than immuno-suppressant drugs like cyclosporine or corticosteroids. I prefer to hold off on powerful drugs that shut down the immune system in favor of dealing with the animal’s environment first, in conjunction with some other safe, common sense steps. These include regular foot soaks and bathing to wash away allergens and soothe irritated skin; feeding a species-appropriate, anti-inflammatory diet; providing fresh, good quality drinking water; and avoiding over-vaccinating/over-medicating to insure your pet’s immune system remains strong and resilient.

You can also consider investing in an air purifier to control dust mites, and switching to non-toxic cleaning agents to lessen your pet’s overall toxic load.

Keep in mind it only takes a miniscule amount of dust mite allergen to create an allergic response in your dog or cat. So the more effective your mite eradication efforts, the more comfortable your allergic pet will be.

Veterinary hydrotherapy -- the use of movement in water to help manage painful conditions in animals -- is no longer just for dogs and horses.

'She took to it very quickly.'

A 4 year-old continental giant rabbit named Heidi in Hampshire, England, is using hydrotherapy to relieve arthritis pain in her hips and knees.

Before she goes in the water, the rabbit’s rehab therapist puts her into a bright orange life jacket, and since Heidi doesn’t like getting her huge, floppy ears wet, the therapist ties them back with a scrunchie so they don’t make contact with the water.

Then into the heated water Heidi goes, where she bunny paddles around the 4 feet deep pool for 7-minute sessions.

"None of us thought she would tolerate one minute in the water, but in her first session she took to it very quickly," said Heidi’s owner, Amanda Williams. "As soon as she hit the water she just instinctively started paddling."

The rabbit, an impressive handful at over 3 feet and 15 pounds, is lifted from the water after each session and dried with a fluffy towel.

'It has worked wonders for her confidence.'

Heidi’s movement problems are caused by arthritis in her hips and knees and spondylosis in her neck. Right around Christmastime last year, she stopped moving altogether, so her mom took her to the vet. He suggested trying hydrotherapy – a first for a rabbit patient in his practice, and a first as well for the hydrotherapy pool in Milford on Sea, Hampshire.

No one thought Heidi would want to be in the water, but she fooled everyone. During her first session she began paddling as soon as she hit the water, and even leapt off the platform into the pool!

Fortunately, the hydrotherapy sessions are doing Heidi a world of good. According to her owner, the rabbit’s gait and posture are significantly improved and she is able to move around much more freely.

According to her rehab therapist, who is thrilled with the results, “Heidi is much more confident now and buzzing around the house and garden. It has worked wonders for her confidence.”

When not paddling around the pool, Heidi calls a converted garage at her mom’s place home. Her apartment is outfitted with couches, carpet, and air conditioning, and she shares her digs with giant bunny roommates Greta and Herman.

Watch how intently “Bubba” watches his dad waiting for his next command.