The cat food was distributed throughout North America. The recalled product includes all varieties of Iams ProActive Health Cat and Kitten Food in 3 oz. and 5.5 oz. cans.

Dates on the bottom of the recalled cans range from 09/2011 to 06/2012.

Cats have to get plenty of thiamine (vitamin B1). If they don’t get enough thiamine, they get sick.

Early symptoms of thiamine deficiency may include:

• Loss of appetite
• Salivation
• Vomiting
• Weight loss

Advanced symptoms of thiamine deficiency may include:

• Downward curving of the neck (ventroflexion)
• Wobbly gait
• Falling
• Circling
• Seizures

If your cat shows any sign of thiamine deficiency, contact your veterinarian immediately. Treated promptly, thiamine deficiency is reversible.

Pet owners who bought the recalled product should throw it out. Refunds are available via a toll-free call to Procter & Gamble weekdays from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. Eastern time at 877-340-8826.

With HealthMap’s Outbreaks Near Me application, you have all of HealthMap’s latest real-time disease outbreak information at your fingertips. Open the app and see all current outbreaks in your neighborhood, including news about H1N1 influenza (“swine flu”). Search and browse outbreak reports on the interactive map, and set up the app to alert you with a notice automatically whenever an outbreak is occurring in your area. If you spy an outbreak, be the first to report it using the app’s unique outbreak reporting feature. You will get credit as a disease detective and your find will be featured on the website.

HealthMap App on iPhone

Fairfax County authorities on Friday publicly confirmed at least six cases of the H3N8 virus, or canine influenza, in dogs, one of them fatal — the first identified cases in the state.

The Fairfax County Animal Shelter shut down its kennel last week, quarantining about 26 dogs with suspected symptoms, said shelter director Karen Diviney. New dogs brought to the shelter are being held in a separate area.

Humans cannot contract the virus, commonly referred to as "dog flu," but dogs can easily catch it from each other, especially in close quarters, and it can be spread to dogs from humans who have come into contact with infected animals, officials said.

Owners are being encouraged to follow the same precautions as with strains of human influenza: Wash your hands, and do not panic.

Symptoms include sneezing, lethargy, loss of appetite, coughing and wheezing, said Wanda Pool, a veterinarian at Deepwood Veterinary Clinic in Centreville. If a dog is showing these symptoms, owners are urged to contact their veterinarians for testing and possible vaccination.

1st Dog Flu Cases in Va. Close Fairfax Kennel – washingtonpost.com

“A rule of thumb is that the prettier it is, the more likely it is to be toxic,” says Dr. Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, a veterinarian and board-certified toxicologist who is vice president of the Animal Poison Control Center, based in Urbana, Ill.

Source:

I am happy to tell you that he took his first normal steps today!! In the last few hours he even tried to play, though it was short lived. He seems more alert and slowly coming back to life and out of the fog he’s been cloaked in. When outside for potty breaks he was able to walk back inside by himself instead of being carried. He’s even wagged his tail and given me kisses today, believe me that’s the best kiss I could have gotten.

He still has a long way to go and it remains to be seen if he will be left with any long term negative effects. I hope and pray  the rambunctious little guy that loved to go jogging with my husband will be able to do that again in the future. For right now I am very thankful, he can walk and we’ll build from there.

Now here we are a year later and it’s time for for his check up and shots. I take him in yesterday afternoon and he’s a healthy healthy happy little guy that everyone loves there.  We’ve boarded him a couple of times and they let him follow Katie, his favorite tech around as she works.  Even the Doctor comes in and chuckles how much he adores Katie.

So what happened yesterday? As usual he was pre-medicated with Benadryl   and then given several boosters for Distemper, Bordetella, and Rabies. On top of that for the first time he was given topical Advantix for fleas and ticks since he is going hiking next weekend in Maryland and staying in a wooded area. I bring him home from the Vet’s and he yelps going up the stairs and starts acting strange. At bedtime I give him a dose of children’s Benadryl and hope he’ll be back to his old rambunctious self in the morning.

This morning he could hardly stand, I carried him outside and sat him in the grass, he tried to stand, he goes in circles, nipping at his back legs, he finally pees and sits down in the grass, wouldn’t even walk inside, I carried him. He won’t eat, drink, walk and is very lethargic. By afternoon I am back at the Animal Hospital with a dog that is clearly having a reaction. I’ve also Googled Advantix side effects and am a bit concerned given Poco’s past history to reactions.

At the Vet’s he has a temp of 103 which is a little elevated for a dog, he has a complete examination and when placed on the floor has a very difficult time walking, he goes in circles, his one hind leg sticks out. He is unable to walk to me standing 5 feet away.  This is clearly NOT the same dog the Doctor saw 24 hours ago. I question the Advantix and am told most dogs do not have a problem with it.  Since Poco had so many boosters yesterday who can say what is the culprit? All I know my perfectly healthy Chihuahua can hardly walk today! He was given an injection of Prednisone and  oral tablets 2.5 mg which I start tonight and continue in varying doses for many days. 

As of tonight he won’t walk, I bring him water and coax him to eat bites of food as he’s huddled in his blanket, twitching.  I am very worried and hope tomorrow after tonight’s dose of Prednisone  there will be improvement.

Pretty neat whoever came up with this idea! I could see where this would be very useful for Mothers pushing a stroller as well as the joggers. Not sure it would work on little guys like Poco but on medium to large sized dogs it would be great.  I have to wonder if it’s hard to train them though?

Image from http://images.google.com/ 

A cheap web hosting is a good deal if it offers a dedicated server along with a reliable domain registration.

This is not a good day to be a dog , Poco is not liking this one bit. These wind gusts about knock him over when I try to get him to go outside. Poor little guy.

Our winter vacation can’t arrive soon enough!