Vampire bats, normally only found south of the border, feed on livestock and wildlife but have been known to attack people as well. In 2010, one case of human rabies in Louisiana was documented to have occurred secondary to a vampire bat bite sustained while the person was visiting Mexico. Soon, though, such visitation may not be necessary for exposure for Americans. That's because vampire bats are slowly moving north.

The CDC states that "although vampire bats currently are found only in Latin America, research suggests that the range of these bats might be expanding as a result of changes in climate. Expansion of vampire bats into the United States likely would lead to increased bat exposures to both humans and animals and substantially alter rabies virus dynamics and ecology in the southern United States." Climate change strikes again! Let's just hope those critters favor True Blood over the real thing.

Until then, be sure your pet stays current on that rabies vaccine.

"What is the risk to humans from this virus? To date, there is no evidence of transmission of canine influenza virus from dogs to people and there has not been a single reported case of human infection with the canine influenza virus. While this virus infects dogs and spreads between dogs, there is no evidence that this virus infects humans.

However, human infections with new influenza viruses (against which the human population has little immunity) would be concerning if they occurred. Influenza viruses are constantly changing and it is possible for a virus to change so that it could infect humans and spread easily between humans. Such a virus could represent a pandemic influenza threat. For this reason, CDC and its partners are monitoring the H3N8 influenza virus (as well as other animal influenza viruses) along with instances of possible human exposure to these viruses very closely. In general, however, canine influenza viruses are considered to pose a low threat to humans. As mentioned earlier, while these viruses are well established in horse and dog populations, there is no evidence of infection among humans with this virus."

Did you catch that word, "however" at the beginning of the preceding paragraph? I don't know about you, but it makes me a bit nervous when the CDC says something like this. If a species cross-over did occur, it could have disastrous public health consequences, similar to the Spanish Flu outbreak in 1918 (which itself resulted from a species cross-over). And we all know what happened back then.

So my thought is this: If the majority of the U.S. dog population remains unvaccinated and the virus is allowed to spread and propagate, wouldn't the opportunity (however improbable) for a species cross-over to occur increase accordingly?

Hmm. Makes you think...

The particular strain of lepto involved can cause serious disease in humans as well. While most cases we've seen are related to exposure to raccoons, coyotes, and other wildlife located in more rural settings, these cases are occurring in more suburban/urban settings. The vector - rats.

Fortunately, most people don't have rat infestation problems in their neighborhoods. But for those who do, you may want to have your dog vaccinated against this disease. Also, if stray dogs like to hang around your neighborhood, that can pose a risk as well, since strays are the ones most likely to come into contact with infected rodents. And we all know how homeless dogs like to mark their territories with their urine (which is the primary method of spread for lepto).

Leptospirosis can attack the liver and kidneys of infected pets, ultimately causing failure of those organs if not caught and treated soon enough. And as mentioned before, it is zoonotic, meaning people can get it too.

Interestingly enough, the family pet is not the only source of human exposure to this organism. Another common source of exposure in people are aluminum soda and beer cans. Apparently, rodents that reside in distribution warehouses where these cans are often stored like to urinate on said cans. And if the rim of the can is not washed prior to drinking from it, well...you get the picture.

Bottom line: Wash those cans prior to drinking!

More than 2 million dogs die each year from hemangiosarcoma, a tumor that originates on the spleen and can spread to other organs if not detected early enough. Large breeds such as German Shepherds, Labs, Goldens, Boxers, etc. seem to have a higher incidence of this cancer than other (smaller) breeds.

Caught in its early stages, hemangiosarcoma can often be successfully cured by simply removing the spleen. But it needs to be caught.

So how is early detection accomplished? An ultrasound of the spleen can usually detect small masses, yet this depends on the skill of the vet doing and reading the ultrasound. And its not cheap. Routine ultrasounds can run from $200 to $600 (or more), again, depending on the vet.

An alternative screening test for these high risk breeds is the CBC (complete blood count). This simple blood test costs much less than an ultrasound ($65 to $75), and can screen for changes in platelets and red blood cell volumes that could be indicative of a problem.

For most of the dogs I diagnose with hemangiosarcoma, I do so with a good history, physical examination, and CBC findings. As far as the ultrasound is concerned, I usually reserve that to confirm the diagnosis following abnormal CBC findings.

If you own a large breed at risk of developing hemangiosarcoma, it would be a worthy investment to have a CBC performed every year. Yes, its an extra expense. But its one that just may save your pet's life one day.

Did you know that if you care for feral animals or foster pets, you may qualify for a tax deduction for out-of-pocket expenses? In a recent court case (Van Dusen v. Commissioner, 136 TC No.25), the court ruled in favor of a taxpayer who deducted out-of-pocket expenses (as charitable contributions) that went toward the care of foster animals. These expenses included veterinary services, pet supplies, and a portion of the household utilities.

Interesting, huh? Now, before you start planning ways to spend your big refund check, understand that you just can't go out and rescue or foster animals and then automatically claim a big deduction on your taxes. In order to do so, the pet(s) in question must be "sponsored" by a qualified charitable organization. And "qualified" means that the organization you work with must be qualified through IRS tax codes as a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization.

If everything lines up, Uncle Sam requires you to keep good records and receipts of all expenses incurred, including veterinary expenses, as well a copy of the animal's veterinary medical record itself. And keep in mind that I'm not an accountant, so check with yours about this before heeding any of this advice.

Were you aware that over 3.5 million homeless Americans keep dogs as companions? In some cases, they are the only friends they have. Not only that, many rely on their dogs for protection and,yes,warmth during those frigid winter nights.

I just wanted to make you aware of a cool non-profit organization that provides veterinary care and pet food and supplies to the four-legged friends of our homeless brothers and sisters. They are called Pets of the Homeless (petsofthehomeless.org).

Pets of the Homeless delivers supplies to participating food banks and soup kitchens, as well as offers grants to veterinarians and shelters who offer their services to the homeless. Since most homeless shelters have strict "no pets" policies (meaning, no non-crated pets), many homeless choose to brave the elements rather than abandon their best friends.

Because of this, Pets of the Homeless also provides dog crates so that both owner and pet can move inside the shelter and seek refuge from those elements. If you're looking for a neat charity to this holiday season, this is it. For more info, check out the organization's website at www.petsofthehomeless.org

Bathing a pet too often can be detrimental to both the skin and the haircoat. Yet some otherwise healthy pets, even after a good bath, can revert to smelling like a South Texas feral hog in no time. So what is an owner to do?

Try baking soda.
 
Baking soda can be used as a dry shampoo (or be added to the bath water) to neutralize odors and to keep a haircoat in top condition. Baking soda is gentle on the skin and I've never known a dog to be allergic to it. If used as a dry shampoo, just rub a small amount into the haircoat and brush it in well.

Baking soda neutralizes odors, not just covers them up. Also, it'll help soak up excess skin oils that can turn rancid and cause odor. As an added bonus, fleas don't like it either.

Increase in Parvo Cases

Vets in some part of the country are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of parvo cases coming into their hospitals. In Arizona alone, a 330% increase in the number of cases is being reported. So what's causing it?

Some feel the poor economy is to blame, with pet owners failing to spend money to vaccinate their dogs, especially new puppies (however, the increases are affecting adult dogs as well). Others attribute the spike in the number of cases to the abberrant weather patterns the U.S. has experienced over the past 12 months, which has created conditions that favor viral reemergence. Finally, many vets feel the relaxation in parvo vaccine recommendations over the past three years has contributed to the increase (although this hypothesis is rejected by others).

As a rule, acetaminophen or combination products containing the drug should not be used in dogs and cats. Cats especially are extremely sensitive to acetaminophen and can die after consuming only very small amounts. Dogs do not metabolize acetaminophen as well as humans and can develop liver disease because of it.

And that brings me to A VERY IMPORTANT POINT! And it deals with us, not our pets. As you may have seen or heard, the FDA recently updated the hazard warnings on packages of products containing acetaminophen, and for good reason. Do you know the reason for this? If not, don't feel bad. Most people don't. And that ignorance not only threatens their health, but that of their children as well.

When taken in excessive amounts, acetaminophen can lead to liver disease and liver failure in humans. This is happening with increasing frequency. The problem is that so many over-the-counter products contain acetaminophen. And that means that cold or allergy suffers who take multiple OTC medications for their symptoms could be unwittingly overdosing on acetaminophen and damaging their livers.

In addition, acetaminophen and alcohol is a deadly combination for your liver. People who drink and take acetaminophen at the same time (i.e. for a hangover headaches, or cold/ allergy sufferers who drink) are at risk of blowing out their livers. As a result, it is vital to stress to your drinking age loved ones (and to your underage kids) to NEVER take Tylenol or another product containing acetaminophen when alcohol is around. To do so could be tragic.

It's amazing how so few people know this. Please pass the word