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This was posted on the Menu Foods website yesterday:

"Menu Foods Income Fund (TSX: MEW.UN) announced that the parties to the Pet Food Multi-District Litigation (including Menu Foods) today advised the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey that their mediation has produced a comprehensive, cross-border agreement in principle between the parties, addressing all major terms of settlement.

The settlement in principle is subject to several conditions, including the approval of certain other parties, the execution of a definitive settlement agreement and review and approval of the U.S. District Court and the Canadian courts. The parties advised the court that they are confident that a definitive settlement agreement can be reached.

The definitive terms of settlement, together with a motion for preliminary approval thereof, are scheduled to be filed with the U.S. District Court on May 1, 2008, with the hearing scheduled to occur at 11:00 a.m. on May 14, 2008. The scheduling for Canadian court approval has not yet been determined, but is expected to occur in a similar time frame.

The settlement amount will be funded by the defendants, including Menu Foods and its product liability insurer. Menu Foods’ estimate for recall costs remains unchanged at Cdn.$55 million. Pet owners with potential claims should not contact Menu Foods regarding the agreement in principle. If and when a definitive settlement agreement and claims process have been finalized and approved, the administrator of the settlement fund will give notice to pet owners with details on the procedure for making claims on the settlement fund."

So if you are a pet owner/retailer etc thank goodness this ordeal didn't drag out like some lawsuits can and I hope that everyone involved finds some peace.

Helping to celebrate this special month the ASPCA wants to remind you that:

"On Thursday, April 10, cities all over the country will be going orange to celebrate the ASPCA’s victories on behalf of animals and the joy they bring to pet parents everywhere. Lend us your voice on April 10 by dressing yourself, your kids, your pet—even your school or company!—in ASPCA orange, and show the world you support the ASPCA and the pets we protect. Visit the ASPCA Day Online Community Group to give—and get—good ideas for going orange."

So show your support of your SPCA and get out those orange shirts, pants, socks whatever you have. 

Vaccine Reactions, although rare, can sometimes occur. The protection against disease that vaccines provide far outweighs the potential risks associated with vaccination. You should consider scheduling your pet's vaccinations for a time when you can spend several hours with your pet following vaccination. By being able to observe your pet during this time period, you can contact us should complications arise. Your pet may be slightly lethargic, have a decreased appetite, be itchy at the site of the injection, and/or run a slight fever for the first 24-72 hours after receiving vaccines. Rarely, a more serious reaction can occur (similar to humans with bee sting reactions).

Symptoms of a more severe vaccine reaction may include: 1) severe and prolonged salivation, vomiting, and/or diarrhea and/or 2) skin hives, facial swelling, etc. These more serious vaccine reactions usually occur within a matter of minutes to a few hours following vaccination. If any of these occur, your pet needs to be seen as quickly as possible as these symptoms can progress to trouble breathing and heart trouble. With veterinary attention, these side effects can be reversed. Make sure to advise your veterinarian if your pet has experienced a vaccine reaction in the past as there are precautions that can be taken to minimize the risk of future reactions.

Another fairly common finding after receiving a vaccine can be a small, marble-sized mass at the injection site. This is most commonly seen in association with rabies vaccines, but can occur after any injection. As long as there is no overt pain or discharge, this side effect is not considered dangerous. This lump can sometimes persist for up to 3 months. If it is painful, has a discharge, gets bigger than a large marble, or lasts greater than 3 months, call your veterinarian to have it looked at.

Cat allergy symptoms afflict many people. Sufferers are in real trouble if they happen to own a cat. This might not make sense to the ordinary person but to a cat lover it does. The symptoms may developed long after they have acquired their furry companion so getting rid of the rascal my simply not be an option. So for many cat lovers and owners living with cat allergies is a real problem that they have to live with.

Allergies in general are still not completely understood by the medical community. Inroads have been made but the fact remains that not enough knowledge has been gained on allergies to completely eliminate them. Some of the best experts on allergies in the medical community are themselves allergy sufferers. This in itself has allowed them to make the observations necessary to gain a better understanding of allergy symptoms.

Cat allergy symptoms can manifest themselves in many forms. They can appear singularly or in combination. They can come and go for no apparent reason. So you may have been mistaking your symptoms for a lingering cold and or a sore throat that comes and goes. A rash that sometimes responds to topical treatment and sometimes doesn’t. Sneezing fits that you blame on dust or pollen allergies.

Some of the symptoms are clogged and ringing ears. Sneezing fits. Red and watering eyes. Burning eyes. Skin rashes. Cold-like symptoms. Sore throat. Sound familiar? If you are a cat owner and you have these symptoms on a regular basis that you may be suffering from cat allergies. You can however take steps to reduce your suffering and still keep your beloved friend.

Until recently the actual cause of the allergy symptoms was a mystery. People thought they knew but in the end no one really knew for sure what in fact was on the cat that was causing the suffering. Hair?small skin flakes? The cat box? It turns out it is the cats saliva that is the culprit. By licking its hair, which is a cats favorite past time, your cat is spreading the stuff that is the root of your suffering.

The best method of determining if you are suffering from cat allergies is to remove your cat from the house for about two weeks and vacuum and clean anything your cat is in contact with and see if the symptoms disappear or are lessened. Not doing a thorough cleaning defeats the purpose of this test. This is a common test for most allergy sufferers. Remove the suspect material and see if it goes away.

Assuming that you have made a determination that you are in fact suffering from cat allergies then the next question is what to do about it. The easiest and most complete solution short of finding your cat a new home is to make it an outside cat. This might seem like a great sacrifice to yourself but your cat may love it once it has adjusted. A cat door can be installed on a side room or garage so it can still come in from the weather.

Other solutions can be had but they are not as completely as effective as putting your cat outside. Vacuuming and cleaning your house more often helps. It’s a lot more work for yourself but the allergen can be removed. Receiving medical treatment for your allergies can be effective if you respond positively to the treatment. Limiting your cats access to your

A while back I wrote a post about distemper and how I thought the disease may be making a come back in Canada.  Today I read on the Reuters.com website that Thailand is experiencing an outbreak of this disease.  I certainly hope that this disease does not continue to spread as it did in the 60's and 70's causing a lot of heart ache for owners. There has been a lot of talk about how we overvaccinate our pets but knowing that I could prevent the loss of my pet I certainly vaccinate every year. 

 "BANGKOK (Reuters) - Buddhist temples in central Thailand have been flooded with abandoned cats and dogs after an outbreak of feline and canine distemper killed hundreds of pets in the past month, newspapers reported on Wednesday. One temple in the rice growing province of Phichit, 350 km (220 miles) north of Bangkok, had to put up a sign asking pet owners to stop "supplying" the monastery with cats and dogs.

"Wat Bung has enough of cats and dogs," said a sign at the monastery posted on newspaper Web site www.manager.co.th.

"We prefer bricks, stones, sand, cement or paint," for construction in the temple, it said.

Each of the 50 monks' living quarters is shared by two to five cats, the Bangkok Post newspaper quoted a monk at the temple, where chicken owners abandoned their birds when the province was hit by a deadly bird flu outbreak, as saying.

The panic prompt cat-loving Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and other state agencies to urge people to take their pets back from the temples and have them vaccinated.

"Don't worry. The vets say they are hit by cat measles or cat flu," Samak told reporters. "It didn't bother me when six of my cats died at one time."

Temples remain community centers in predominantly Buddhist Thailand and people make donation to monks or temples hoping the good deeds will bring them a better next life.

"Those who abandon their pets at the temples are giving themselves sin, not merit," a senior official at the National Buddhism Office was quoted in the Thai Rath daily as saying."

I know some of us can't believe it but summer is coming.  Do you know what the signs of dehydration are in a pet?  Do you know what to do?

I read this on the BBC News website this am. 

"Talisker, a border collie, was living on borrowed time after vets found his heart had become dangerously enlarged.

The dog, three, from Yardley Hastings, Northamptonshire, passes out when he gets excited because his blood cannot pump quickly enough around his body.

But, since taking Viagra, the blood flow to Talisker's heart has improved, according to owner Lesley Strong, 58.

Vets advised Ms Strong to give Viagra to the dog after they found he was suffering from a potentially lethal heart condition."

What a wonder drug for both man and dog!!

Can you remember the first time you gave a dog a milkbone treat?  Well Milkbone turns 100 this year......that's 700 in dog years lol.  So to celebrate Milkbone is having a contest.

 

"The top 100 Milk-Bone Moments™ will be posted on www.Milk-Bone.com and America will vote and determine the favorite Milk-Bone Moment™ grand prize winner who will receive a $100,000 contract to serve as the first-ever Milk-Bone® 100th Anniversary SpokesDog.

Nationwide Search for America’s First-Ever Milk-Bone® SpokesDog

The Make a Milk-Bone MomentTM contest will launch on Thursday, January 31, 2008 and pet parents can enter their most memorable Milk-Bone Moment™ by visiting the brand’s Website. One lucky dog who shares the most memorable moment with his or her pet parent will win the Make a Milk-Bone Moment™ Grand Prize — a $100,000 contract to serve as the first-ever Milk-Bone® 100th Anniversary SpokesDog, plus a digital camera to record the year’s activities. Ninety-nine runners up will also receive a digital camera to continue capturing those special Milk-Bone Moments™. Pet parents have until September 18, 2008 to enter their four-legged friends into the Make a Milk-Bone MomentTM contest.

Milk-Bone® is looking for dogs and their pet parents to show what it means to have a Milk-Bone Moment™. Almost any dog can do tricks, but in celebration of 100 years, Milk-Bone® is looking for pictures and videos that capture those irreplaceable, special times that you have with your best friend. The contest will recognize the top 100 Milk-Bone Moments™, moments of joy that strengthen the bond between a pet and his or her pet parent — a head on your lap when you are snuggling on the couch together, a little dance when he learns you are taking a walk together or even a sloppy kiss on the cheek to remind you how much he loves you.

To enter the Make a Milk-Bone MomentTM contest, pet parents are asked to send a favorite video or photo of a special moment with their dog — from the extraordinary to the everyday — along with a short essay that explains why the Milk-Bone Moment™, is so meaningful to them. The top 100 Milk-Bone Moments™ will be posted on Milk-Bone.com and America will vote on their favorite Milk-Bone Moments™. The moment with the most votes wins."

According to some economists the total pet health spending (services and products) is expected to increase 6.7% to nearly $30 billion in 2011.  Why is this?  Well over the last ten years the 60% of households that own pets have doubled their spending on pets.  This is mainly due in part to advances in veterinary technology that are keeping our friends alive longer.  Preventative care (ie vitamins, medicines and yearly check ups) have increased the lives of our pets by an average of 2 years.  With increased longevity comes more health conditions therefore an increase use in veterinary services and pharmaceuticals.  And with most of us treating our pets like "kids" we will spend money on preventatives and the wide range of products to help keep them comfortable and alive later in life.   In order to help defray health costs, more owners will invest in pet insurance, which is forecast to grow at double-digit rates

While cats accounted for 45 percent of all pets in 2006, more dollars are spent on dog health care. In fact, dog health care products accounted for 65 percent of total pet health care product demand. This difference is partially due to the fact dogs are more likely to be outdoors for extended periods of time, and their potential exposure to pests, bacteria and viruses then becomes higher than an indoor only cat. In addition, dogs tend to be more prone than cats to some medical conditions, such as heart disease. As a result, health care products for dogs will remain the largest segment of pet health products demand.

So good numbers if you own shares in a pet pharmaceutical company and great numbers for those of us who want our pets to be around a little bit longer. 

Traveling is rarely a fun endeavor. There are so many small details to tend to and if you’re taking the family pet along, it can become even more stressful. Many airlines have strict regulations in place when it comes to bringing a dog or cat on board and you want to be certain you are completely clear on those before you get to the airport. Nothing is quite as frustrating as being told the furry member of your family can’t fly. To avoid this type of situation always ensure you are traveling with airline approved pet carriers.

There are two different ways to transport your animal on an airplane and it really is dependent on how big they are. For all large dogs you’ll have to check the animal and they will be stored in the airplane. You’ll need one of the oversized airline approved pet carriers for this. Before the animal will be accepted at check-in you’ll be required to supply your name and address and final destination. This information will be attached to the container holding your pet in case something goes amiss and the animal is separated from your flights.

Many people choose to bring their pets on board as a piece of carry-on luggage. This is really only acceptable if you are using a small dog carrier or a small cat carrier. These must match the dimensions specified by the airline as being appropriate for a carry-on. You’ll want to be able to store it under the seat in front of you as opposed to the overhead storage bins. This helps your four-legged friend feel more relaxed because they know you are close by.

A good rule of thumb to remember when you are looking for one of these handy pet must-haves is that your animal must fit comfortably in it. You can’t try and fit a large dog into a small carrier. The animal has to be able to lie down and it must have enough room for your dog or cat to turn around. All airline approved pet carriers have to accommodate your pet in these ways. If they don’t, you likely won’t be able to bring the pet with you, which will mean a delay in your trip.

We all know how much more convenient it is to travel with luggage that allows for ease of movement. This means you’ll really want to consider airline approved pet carriers that have wheels. This is true regardless if you are buying one for a small, lightweight animal or a very large dog. Your pet will be much more comfortable being pulled in a carrier that has wheels than they would be if you were carrying them. Just imagine how much smoother it will be for them.

If you consider your pet to be part of your family you’ll want to make certain that they are as safe as possible when traveling by air. Buy a carrier that meets airline regulations and allows your pet room to move and rest. This way you’ll know that they’ll always be snug and secure.

One of my first jobs as an animal health technologist was with a small animal housecall practice.  I really enjoyed this practice as I got to see pets in their own enviroment, met a lot of great people and when you are on the road you sure get to know a new city quickly.  Here are some advantages for pets and their owners that I could list:

• Pets think of the doctor as a visiting friend and are more comfortable and relaxed at home

• Multiple pet households find Mobile Vet easier and more affordable

• Reduce stress and trauma to injured or sick pets by avoiding traumatic car rides

• Let your delicate pets stay at home

• Many problems are better evaluated in the natural environment

• Avoid diseases found outside and in animal hospitals

• Clients would rather wait at home

• Private, dignified euthanasia

• Simple solution for the elderly, handicapped and busy people

• Aviary and animal collection problems can be accurately evaluated

• Protection from germs and diseases found in clinics, treatment vans and hospitals

This is a recall for Canadian dogs and their owners...... 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Rollover Premium Pet Food Ltd. are warning consumers not to purchase or use the Rollover Pork Tenders Premium Dog Treat described below. This product may be contaminated with the bacteria responsible for salmonellosis in humans.

The affected Rollover Pork Tenders Premium Dog Treat was sold in 50 g packages bearing

UPC 0 60766 88138 1. All lots up to and including 07 MAR 10 are affected by this alert.

Rollover Pork Tenders Premium Dog Treat was distributed nationally.

There has been one illness reported associated with this product.

People may risk bacterial infection by handling the treats directly or by contact with pets who have used the treats. Anyone who may have handled the treats should wash their hands with warm water and soap. Consumers should dispose of these treats in the trash.

Common symptoms of Salmonella infection are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea, although more serious consequences are possible, especially in young children, the elderly, and in people with weakened immune systems.

Rollover Premium Pet Food Ltd., High River, Alberta, is voluntarily recalling the affected product from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

According to law.com the lawyers for both Menu Foods and the plaintiffs are close to making a deal.   

"New Jersey's federal district has been made the venue for litigation charging that contaminated food caused death or injury to pets, and attorneys on both sides say a settlement could be a few weeks away.

On Feb. 19, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated suits from around the nation, finding they involve questions of fact common to 31 cases already assigned to U.S. District Judge Noel Hillman, who sits in Camden.

Menu Foods' lawyer, Amy Schulman of DLA Piper in New York City, wrote to Hillman on Feb. 28, saying the parties have made substantial progress during mediation. Hillman gave them until March 19 to report back.

Michael Ferrara Jr. of Cherry Hill, N.J.'s Ferrara Law Firm, who along with co-counsel in Chicago and San Francisco represent a dozen plaintiffs, agrees that his cases are likely to be resolved soon.

Suits were filed soon after Menu Foods Inc., of Ontario, Canada, recalled 60 million containers of 90 brands of pet food early last year. Pet owners alleged that by February 2007, the company was receiving complaints of pet illness and death due to contaminated food. The products contained whole-wheat flour, imported from China, that was later found to be tainted with melamine, a toxin."

Amazing that this can happen so fast in a judicial system that seems flawed in so many ways. 

Catnip (Nepatia cataria) is part of the mint family of plants, and believe it or not, it actually smells like mint. Catnip is native to North America and its active ingredient is nepetalactone. Nepetalactone is a chemical found in the natural essential oils of the plant’s leaves.

Although it’s non-addictive (it just seems that way for cats), catnip gives felines an intense high that lasts anywhere from a few minutes to more than ten.

A cat’s reaction to the nepetalactone is called the “catnip response.” In scientific terms, this means your cat will go absolutely bonkers. Besides running from the farthest reaches of your home to reach the catnip in record time, most of a cat’s reaction to catnip mimics that of stalking and capturing prey.

While some cats eat the catnip, the actual response is generated through their sense of smell (or their olfactory organs for you scientific types). It all adds up to one happy cat, and what – from your cat’s point of view – could be better than that?

Recently I have been trying out facebook, I know I'm a little behind the times, but I also found this site petpop.com which is a site similar to facebook but only for your pets.  Build your own community and keep your pet friends all in one place. Meet new pets in your area and check out other breeds like you from all around. See who has a top rated profile... look through top rated photos and videos... check out the newest PetStars. There is also an adoption section and it looks like a good place to network.