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Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College are calling for dog owners and veterinary surgeons to recognise the signs of a potentially fatal bacterial pneumonia-type disease that has been increasing in the canine community over the past five years, to ensure rapid treatment and help contribute to research to limit further spread.

The bacterium (Streptococcus zooepidemicus) is most commonly found in kennels and among racing greyhounds and can cause a ‘toxic shock-like’ form of disease and is warning dog owners to look out for rapid development of a fever, nasal discharge and lethargy.

Streptococcus zooepidemicus is a bacterial infection that manifests itself similarly to human Toxic Shock Syndrome, causing a severe, bloody pneumonia in dogs. It has an acute onset and in a small proportion of cases the disease has been known to kill dogs within 24 hours of contracting the infection.

Outbreaks are sporadic, but particularly occur in situations where dogs mix in groups, such as rehoming or boarding kennels and in hunting and racing greyhound communities. Although it is rarer in family pets, researchers are still keen to highlight the signs to owners, particularly if they regularly visit kennels or attend events where large groups of animals gather.

In the early stages, signs are similar to those of “kennel cough”, which is seen in similar environments. However, in Streptococcus zooepidemicus outbreaks, dogs rapidly become very ill and show very severe signs, with a mortality rate of up to 50% reported. In contrast to this, in more typical cases of kennel cough, most dogs will have a relatively mild illness and deaths are rare.

Researcher and Veterinary Pathologist Dr Simon Priestnall from the Royal Veterinary College said: “Although Streptococcus zooepidemicus was first identified in dogs in the 1970s, veterinarians and researchers have seen the number of cases spiral upwards over the past five years, particularly within rehoming kennels and the greyhound community. This suggests that the bacterium may have mutated to become more virulent and contagious.”

“There is currently very limited public awareness of the problem. Signs for owners to look out for in their pets include a fever, which is usually accompanied by sneezing and nasal discharge which is often bloody, and their animal becoming lethargic. If owners notice the rapid onset of these signs, they are advised to seek veterinary help immediately. With prompt identification, medical treatment and supportive care, dogs can make a full recovery.”

In 2007 at one rehoming centre in California over a thousand dogs were estimated to have suffered or died from haemorrhagic pneumonia caused by Streptococcus zooepidemicus. In 2009 around 30 dogs a day were developing pneumonia at a kennel in South Korea. Smaller, sporadic outbreaks have occurred during this time in the United Kingdom but all have so far been only reported anecdotally.

Dr Priestnall and his colleagues are working alongside the Animal Health Trust (Dr Andrew Waller) and the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science (Drs Jenny Stavisky and Janet Daly) to investigate this potentially fatal bacterial pathogen. They are developing a test that will allow them to determine, from a nasal or throat swab, how many dogs are suffering from the disease and how many are carriers (i.e. dogs that have the potential to ‘silently’ pass the bacterium on to other animals because although they do not appear ill they are harbouring the bacterium). The hope is that by detecting patterns within the bacterial isolates or the infected dogs, they can uncover potential risk factors and limit the spread of the disease.

In particular, they are seeking the help of UK veterinarians who are treating affected dogs and might be able to submit swab samples to aide research.

If vets want more information or would like to submit samples to help with the research into this potentially fatal disease, they can get in touch via spriestnall@rvc.ac.uk.

In recent years, pet travel between Britain and other EU countries has opened up a great deal due to the introduction of pet passports, writes Melissa Hathaway. These documents allow properly vaccinated and health checked animals to travel abroad and (crucially) re-enter the UK without pets and owners having to go through the excruciating process of pet quarantine confinement.

This has allowed loving owners to take their pets with them when going on holiday. However, should you wish to take your beloved canine companion with you on holiday, there remain certain things to consider – the main question being: Do the benefits of taking your pet with you outweigh the problems and distress it may cause? In many cases, the answer is ‘Yes’. Although kennels are often extremely good, and many people can find kind neighbours to look after their pets in the familiarity of their own homes, some dogs find separation from their owners distressing.

This is particularly true of rescue dogs which may have been passed from home to home in the past, and fear that each new separation will be forever. It’s not just the dogs who have separation problems, wither. A 2007 survey suggests that a massive 72% of owners worry about their pets when on holiday, and many are likely to take shorter holidays due to the need to return swiftly for the sake of a dog or a cat. Many people and pets thus clearly cannot relax properly when the human part of the partnership is away on holiday. For these people, pet passports are a boon. However, for those who have dogs with less separation problems, or less prone to personal worry about their dog’s welfare, there may be a few more factors to weigh up when deciding whether or not to take your dog abroad.

Transportation

Transportation of animals to faraway locations is a perennial problem. People going on long-haul flights often worry that their animals will become distressed, confined in pet carriers and exposed to all the noise, pressure changes, strange smells and so on which are inherent in an aeroplane flight. Such things are often scary for people, and it is impossible to explain them to animals. Sedation is one option if the journey is not a long one, and most vets will be experienced in such matters and able to provide drugs which will either calm your animal or send them to sleep for the duration. It is well worth noting that animal protection legislation ensures that all European airlines have to treat your pets with the greatest care and respect – although this may not be true of airlines elsewhere in the world, so be sure to research your plane provider’s pet policies before booking a flight. Sea travel is another option, for those who have the time to spare. Some Transatlantic travellers have found an excellent solution to the transportation problem in the form of travel by boat. The British have long been renowned as avid pet-lovers, which perhaps explains why the British Cunard Line is the first in the world to allow animals onto a specially adapted cruise liner. The Queen Mary 2 has a ‘Pets on Deck’ programme, in which cats and dogs can be brought on board ship and treated like honoured guests for the duration of the voyage. The liner treats lucky pets to luxury kennels (with their own ‘butler’), an indoor animal play-area, plentiful walks on deck, gourmet pet food, and frequent owner visiting hours. Ideal – if you can afford it!

Dangers and Diseases

When the pet passport scheme was first introduced, it was controversial due to the worry that it would allow diseases like rabies to re-establish themselves in the UK. Over the past few decades, the UK authorities have been extremely successful in eradicating dangerous animal-borne diseases from the British Isles. However, they remain at large in many other countries worldwide, raising concerns that the free movement of pets between such countries and the UK would undo the good work of the past few decades and once again see rabies sweep across Britain. However, the authorities were not immune to such concerns. The pet passport scheme ensures that only the most stringently health-checked and vaccinated animals are allowed to travel, and imposes restrictions upon countries were dangerous animal diseases are particularly prevalent. Nonetheless, you may want to have a look at the disease dangers for dogs within the nation you are planning to visit, and either have your dog vaccinated against them or take relevant precautions against them. Some dangers, of course, are not infectious, but no less dangerous for the health of your dog. Particular plants and fungi, deadly to dogs, grow in certain parts of the world. Take note of the kind of poison-hazards you may have to watch out for. Furthermore, be aware that road safety rules are not as stringently enforced in many places as they are in Britain – so it will be a good idea to keep your dog on a tight lead when near main roads!

Is Your Holiday Pet-Friendly?

Finally, the accommodation you stay in and the kind of activities you want to participate in are of extreme relevance. Is your hotel or apartment dog-friendly? If you plan to have a beach holiday, are there dog-friendly beaches? If you want to spend your time going round museums, who will look after the dog while you are out? If you’re going on a holiday with plenty of walking through the countryside – then that would naturally be a fantastic experience for your dog, and one on which it would be a shame for him/her to miss out!

Often Worthwhile

With all of this in mind, it should be remembered that, with the right consideration and precautions, taking your dog on holiday can be a fantastic experience. You will not be worried about your dog’s welfare at home, your dog will not be pining for you, and you will both get to enjoy all the delights that foreign climes have to offer.

Photo by kajo0069

With thousands of dogs being abandoned every day and the problem seeming to never end, we’ve decided to use today’s blog post to highlight seven dogs looking for new homes and pick out each’s star quality/superpower.

1) Dougal!

Bio: 1 year old black Patterdale Terrier boy.
Star quality: He can fit in your bag (or suitcase) which may make you think he’s a handbag dog but anyone who’s ever encountered a Terrier will know they may be small in size but they’ll fill your home with many memories.

Find out more: http://www.dogsblog.com/dougal-18

2) Mary!

Bio: 18 month old Staffordshire Bull Terrier girl.
Star quality: With ears like this, she’ll be able to tune your satellite TV in 🙂 Seriously, this girl is adorable. Her star quality is that she doesn’t quite know how precious she is and how much the loyalty she can offer is a gift many would benefit from.

Find out more: http://www.dogsblog.com/mary-26

3) Meg!

Bio: 3 month old  Jack Russell cross Bichon Frise.
Star quality: The ability to melt any heart. Where’s her superhero cape we say!

Find out more online: http://www.dogsblog.com/meg-64

4) Bertie!

Bio: 1 year old Cross-Breed boy.
Star quality: This boy came into rescue in December. After being rehomed, he found himself back in rescue 3 months later as he bonded with all of the family, including the other family dog, but hadn’t bonded so well with the husband. Such a shame. Let’s hope for third time lucky for this boy and fate may mean his forever home lies around the corner.

Find out more online: http://www.dogsblog.com/bertie-82

5) Sandy!

Bio: 11 year old Cross-Breed.
Star quality: A bit of an escape artist – to keep you on your toes 🙂 This older girl is looking for a new home where she can benefit from long walks, roast chicken and lots of cuddles.

Find out more online:  http://www.dogsblog.com/sandy-65

6) Carlisle!

Bio: 3 year old Jack Russell Terrier.
Star quality: Which came first – the dog or the place? Well, the place. But seriously this dog’s star quality is that he has the ability via the medium of ears to direct you left or right, like a sat nav. Be warned – the direction his ears may take may be towards his namesake in Cumbria.

Find out more online: http://www.dogsblog.com/carlisle

7) Irina!

Bio: 2 year old Cross-Breed girl.
Star quality: Can touch her toes – look, we’re serious. Irina had a terrible start in life and she embodies the resilience and forgiving nature of dogs. Settling into her foster home very quickly, she showed how flexible she could be (flexible, get it!). This gorgeous girl is seeking a loving forever home to call her own.

Find out more: http://www.dogsblog.com/irina

You can find hundreds more on dog adoption site, www.dogsblog.com, sponsored by pet insurer the Co-operative Insurance, find your favourite and share far and wide to help them find a loving new home if you can’t offer a new home.

Do you want to know what your beloved pet does behind your back? Channel 5 are looking for animals to take part in ‘The Secret Life of Pets’. Whether your dog is stealing your food, your cat is disappearing all day or your hamster is acting strangely we will find out what is really going on.

The Secret Life of Pets is an entertaining and informative brand new 8 part TV series for Channel 5. The show looks into the extraordinary and bizarre secret lives of our pets. We discover what our pets really get up to behind those puppy dog eyes, what they are hiding in the garden and how they have learnt to open the fridge door! Using the latest and most innovative filming techniques this series shows us what life is like from a pet’s-eye-view.

To be in with a chance of getting your pet on TV please can you email me some information about your pet along with a photo of you and your pet, your contact number and address. Apply ASAP by emailing rob.myler@itn.co.uk to avoid disappointment!

Photo by MarcooJethro®

If you think your elderly dog may be going senile and losing his mind, you may be right.

Studies have shown that over one third of 11 year old dogs suffer from dementia, or canine cognitive dysfunction. By the time they reach 16 years, they are all showing some signs of this condition, writes Audrey Harvey BVSc(Hons).

Dogs with dementia typically have memory loss, confusion and disorientation. They stare into space and wander aimlessly around your house. They forget their toilet training, and act like they’ve never had any obedience training at all. Night times can be difficult; they are often wakeful and pace the floor, which keeps you awake too. These symptoms are due to a lack of dopamine in the brain.

The characteristic behaviours associated with dementia in dogs appear slowly and progress gradually, so it’s easy to miss the early stages of this disease in your four legged family member.

What can be done to make life easier for your old friend?

Medication

Drugs such as L-deprenyl can improve your dog’s condition because it makes what dopamine that is left in your dog’s brain last longer. It can take a couple of months to see any response, but over 75% of dogs showed improvement on this treatment. The earlier your dog starts taking this medication, the better his response is likely to be.

Diet

Antioxidants and omega fatty acids can improve your dog’s mental abilities, and positive results can be seen within 8 weeks of changing his diet. There are commercial kibbles available from your veterinarian that are specifically designed to treat dementia in dogs.

Training and Environment

Even though your dog is getting older, he can still learn new tricks. It’s a good idea to use hand signals as well as verbal commands so that if one of his senses fails, he can still understand what you want him to do. Use food rewards and take into account his reduced mobility when you are training him. This will help to slow the onset of dementia.

Environmental enrichment includes such things as playdates with other dogs, and daily play time with interactive toys. These too have been shown to improve an elderly dog’s mind.

With a little bit of effort on your part, your older dog will be better able to cope with the changes in his mental abilities. Old age isn’t an illness and dementia shouldn’t stop you enjoying the company of your canine senior citizen.

Photo by normanack

The last thing you worry about when you child is playing with the pet dog is that they are going to contract some sort of deadly infectious disease, but a new study suggests that dogs and cats could be responsible for spreading new emerging infectious diseases, writes Melissa Hathaway.

Michael Day, Professor of Veterinary Pathology at the University of Bristol, recently published a study online at ‘Emerging Infectious Diseases,’ which concludes that a global monitoring system for infectious diseases in dogs and cats needs to be established.

Is Your Dog Safe?

First of all, don’t panic and run off to the vet to get your dog checked for every infectious disease under the sun. There is no immediate danger, but the study does highlight an important discrepancy in how pets are monitored for disease. Currently there is a system in place which tracks all infectious disease found in livestock, but there is no such system for household pets. Given the fact that dogs and cats often share the same living space as their owners, the potential for disease spreading is significant. Pets are vaccinated and checked by vets to make sure they are safe, but new emerging infectious diseases could be a future problem. It is well worth investing in pet insurance so that you can get your dog immediate treatment if he or she suddenly becomes sick, but more importantly pets need to be monitored regularly for new infectious diseases, as recommended by Professor Day’s study. However, a globally co-ordinated effort is required if a new system of monitoring is to be successful.

Worldwide Backing

Lots of animal associations and health organisations agree with Professor Day’s findings. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have all backed the need for a co-ordinated worldwide disease monitoring system for veterinarians who work at animal practices that treat small companions animals like dogs and cats.

Creating a global monitoring system will be no easy feat, but if it can be done for humans and livestock then it can be done for pet animals. For example, the WHO keeps track of the influenza virus in humans through 111 centres across 83 different countries. A scheme to monitor companion animal diseases would require significant funding and political support, which could take some time to achieve. However, a monitoring system is in everybody’s best interest, as Professor Day explained, “Control of diseases among dogs and cats is a good way to prevent spread to humans.”

With the number of pet dogs and cats in households across the world continually growing, a system needs to be put in place sooner than later. The numbers are staggering, as Professor Day explained. “For example there are an estimated eight to ten million dogs living in up to 31 per cent of UK homes and in the USA, 72 million dogs in 37 per cent of homes.”

Recognising the Benefits of Animal Companions

The study is by no means trying to shine a bad light on the strong relationship many families have with their pet dog, but simply wants to bring to everyone’s attention the potential threat that they could cause, and suggests that something should be done about it now to avoid the problem. Humans have lived happily with animals for centuries, but now the closeness of relationships between man and dog has grown, as has their proximity.

Day explained, “In developed countries the relationship between man and dogs and cats has deepened, with these animals now closely sharing the human indoor environment.”

He went on to say, ‘‘The benefits of pet ownership on human health, well-being and development are unquestionable, but as dogs and cats have moved from the barn, to the house, to the bedroom, the potential for disease spread to humans increases.”

Small companion animals have much more close human contact than wild animals or livestock, and this significantly raises the possibility that an infectious disease could be passed from pet to owner. Day sees the proliferation of animals being kept as pets as having the potential to be a serious problem in terms of diseases transmission from animals to humans, but he wants to protect the relationship people and society as a whole have with dogs. Hopefully his words of warning will spur governments across the world into action.

Photo by Tobyotter

The number of complaints about animal poisoning reported to the RSPCA has increased by nearly 10% in the space of a year.

The figures were revealed today as the charity warns owners about accidentally poisoning their pets by giving them harmful treats, such as chocolate, this Easter.

The RSPCA received 1,154 poisoning complaints last year from concerned members of the public. This was up from 1,055 in 2012.

It is a criminal offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to intentionally administer a poison to an animal. However, some people may be giving their pets harmful substances, simply because they don’t realise they could be dangerous.

The charity’s chief veterinary officer James Yeates said it was worrying to see a rise in complaints of poisoning, but he stressed that many accidental poisonings could be avoided if people are more aware of the dangers around their home.

He said: “Chocolate poisoning is one of the most commonly reported types of animal poisoning, so Easter is the ideal time to remind people of the hazards around their home that could accidentally poison their pets.

“Easter eggs are a tasty treat for many of us, but a hefty vet’s bill won’t be quite so easy to swallow if your pet ends up wolfing them down before you.

“It isn’t just chocolate that is dangerous for animals though. For example, did you know that rhubarb is poisonous to rabbits, or that grapes could kill your ferret?

“There are so many hidden dangers to animals around the home and we want owners to do their homework and keep their pets safe and healthy.”

Owners can find out more by visiting the RSPCA’s poisoning advice pages at www.rspca.org.uk/poisoning