A search is on for a woman in Spring Hill, Florida who was attacked by a rabid cat while jogging. The cat apparently jumped on the woman’s back without provocation while she was out for a jog. The cat was later caught and found to be rabid, but not until after it had attacked
Rat bite fever
Rats can be really interesting pets. They can be quite social and are interesting to watch. Being larger than hamsters and gerbils, they can also be more easily and safely handled. They can still bite, however, particularly if they are not properly socialized and/or they are handled by people who don’t know how to do
Lungworms in dogs: Parasite risk or marketing ploy?
I read a press release today entitled "New Parasite Infection Killing Pet Dogs in Southern England". It’s about the lungworm Angiostrongylus vasorum. The main reservoir for this parasite in England is the common red fox. Slugs and snails are involved in transmission of the worm as well. Infection of dogs most
European bat lyssavirus in cats
Some areas of the world are fortunate enough to be rabies-free. However, there’s a closely related virus that is of concern in many of these areas: European bat lyssavirus (EBLV). This virus is present in bats in various countries and can occasionally be transmitted to other animals. A recent report in the journal Emerging Infectious
Deworming kittens and puppies
Deworming adult cats and dogs is a rather controversial area at the moment. Balancing concerns about animal health, zoonotic disease transmission, drug resistance, compliance and cost is difficult. Risks vary between different regions/climates and there are no clear answers. One area that is much less controversial is deworming of kittens and puppies (less than 6
New York Times and Pet Health Advice: Bad Combination
I used the think the New York Times was a reputable newspaper and source of reasonable information. However, considering some of the articles I’ve seen, I no longer have a good opinion of this newspaper. One example from a few years ago came across my desk recently. The article is basically an infomercial for an
Cheap rabies vaccine clinics… good vs bad
Rabies clinics are common in some areas. They are typically one or two day events where people can get their pets vaccinated against rabies at very low cost. The good aspect of these clinics is that some animals that get vaccinated there would not otherwise be vaccinated. The downside of rabies clinics is that
Plague isn’t back… It never went away
Plague (aka the "black death") is a fascinating disease. It is one of the most important diseases in human history because it had a devastating impact of the human population during various outbreaks. Many people may not realize it, but plague is not just a historical problem – it is still alive and well
Rabies survival: good news, but don’t get too excited
Until a few years ago, rabies was described as "invariably fatal" in people. A case of rabies in a 15-year-old girl in Wisconsin a few years ago changed that. She managed to survive this deadly disease due to a very aggressive treatment protocol, that was subsequently named the Milwaukee Protocol. This led people
Cats and pregnancy: Not-so-“expert” advice
A recent column by pediatrician Dr. T. Berry Brazelton has caused quite a stir. Dr. Brazleton is apparently a very well known syndicated columnist, and he answered a question from a reader about her pregnant daughter and her cats. The reader was concerned about the cats lying on the baby. However, Dr. Brazleton focused