It seems like whenever a hit TV show or movie features an animal, there’s concern about the "101 Dalmatians effect," whereby there’s a mad rush to get the animal for a pet. When 101 Dalmatians was a hit movie, there was a huge spike in sales of this rather unusual breed – a
Nontraditional Pets and Children: Beware
A report about the health risks in children associated with nontraditional pets was recently published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The report also discusses diseases associated with animals in public settings such as petting zoos and pet stores. Although contact with pets and animals can be beneficial
Tularemia Trouble
A case of pneumonic tularemia was recently reported in New York City.
Tularemia is a disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. It causes different signs of illness depending on how the bacteria enter the body. If the bacteria are inhaled, it tends to cause pneumonia (pneumonic tularemia). If the bacteria get in