Pet Nutrition Q & A: Help for Aches & Pains
I can tell that my 14-year-old cat is achy. I’d like to see if the vet can prescribe something for her, but I’m worried because she makes it impossible to give her any medicine. She makes gagging noises at everything I offer her, except for dry cat food. How can I get her to take something to relieve the aches?
―LouAnne
You are most likely correct that your cat is suffering from aches and pains, LouAnne. Older cats and dogs often do have age-related musculoskeletal changes, and we understand why you are anxious to give her some relief. We do want to caution you not to give her pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen (Tylenol). These medications are toxic to cats. Aspirin, too, can be toxic. Your veterinarian should be able to recommend some safer alternatives after giving your cat a complete examination. Glucosamine supplements are helpful for some felines, and pain medications may be recommended in certain cases...
Labels: Pet Care
posted by ASPCA at 11:26 AM PERMALINK
1 Comments:
The ASPCA Forum's not loading new topics, so this is the best I could do!
In a message dated 3/17/2007 4:15:49 AM Pacific Daylight Time, CaninesCorner writes:
Menu Food's "cuts and gravy" style food
March 17, 2007 - 2:25AM EDT
Menu Foods - a major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger and other store brands - announced a recall of 60 million containers of wet pet food late Friday after reports of kidney failure and deaths in dogs and cats.
An unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food, Menu Foods said in announcing the North American recall. Product testing has not revealed a link explaining the reported cases of illness and death, the company said. This pet food product is sold under several store brands at Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger, PetSmart and other stores. The recall covers the company's "cuts and gravy" style food, which consists of chunks of meat in gravy, sold in cans and small foil pouches between Dec. 3 and March 6 throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Menu Foods said a full list of brand names and lot numbers covered by the recall would be posted on its Web site - www.menufoods.com/recall - by 6AM early Saturday (3/17/07) - list is also posted below for your convenience. The company said it manufacturers for 17 of the top 20 North American retailers. It is also a contract manufacturer for the top branded pet food companies, including Procter & Gamble Co.
P&G announced Friday the recall of specific 3 oz., 5.5 oz., 6 oz. and 13.2 oz. canned and 3 oz. and 5.3 oz. foil pouch cat and dog wet food products made by Menu Foods but sold under the Iams and Eukanuba brands. Menu Foods' three U.S. and one Canadian factory produce more than 1 billion containers of wet pet food a year. The recall covers pet food made at company plants in Emporia, Kansas, and Pennsauken, New Jersey. Menu Foods is the leading North American manufacturer of private labeled wet food products sold by supermarket retailers, mass merchandisers, pet specialty retailers and other pet suppliers.
The company received an undisclosed number of owner complaints of vomiting and kidney failure in dogs and cats after they had been fed its products. It has tested its products but not found a cause for the sickness yet. The company alerted the Food and Drug Administration, which already has inspectors in one of the two plants. The FDA was working to nail down brand names covered by the recall still (so I'd advise you to keep checking back at the Menu Foods website if you have wet food brands that aren't listed on their initial list to be sure before you feed your pets!).
PetSmart sent out a list shortly before 8:30 p.m. Friday stating that the following wet food brands would be taken off their shelves due to the recall: Sophisticat, Authority, O-ward, Great Choice, Iams, Eukanuba, Neutro, Science cat, Mighty Dog, Mixables (source: NBC4.com http://www.nbc4.com/news/11274986/detail.html)
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Menu Foods - Recalled Dog Product Information - Recall Information 1-866-895-2708
http://www.menufoods.com/recall/product_dog.html
Americas Choice, Authority, Award, Best Choice, Big Bet, Big Red, Bloom, Bruiser, Cadillac, Companion, Demoulas Market Basket, Fine Feline Cat, Food Lion, Giant Companion, Great Choice, Hannaford, Hill Country Fare, Hy-Vee, Key Food, Laura Lynn, Loving Meals, Main Choice, Mixables, My True Friend, Nutriplan, Nutro Max, Nutro Natural Choice, Nutro, Ol'Roy, Paws, Pet Essentials, Pet Pride, Preferred Pets, Presidents Choice, Price Chopper, Priority, Publix, Roche Bros, Save-A-Lot, Schnucks, Shep Dog, Springsfield Pride, Sprout, Stater Bros, Total Pet, Western Family, White Rose, Winn Dixie, Your Pet
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Menu Foods - Recalled Cat Product Information - Recall Information 1-866-895-2708
http://www.menufoods.com/recall/product_cat.html
Americas Choice, Authority, Best Choice, Companion, Compliments, Demoulas Market Basket, Fine Feline Cat,
Food Lion, Foodtown, Giant Companion, Good n Meaty, Hannaford, Hill Country Fare, Hy-Vee, Key Food, Laura Lynn,
Li'l Red, Loving Meals, Main Choice, My True Friend, Nutriplan, Nutro Max Gourmet Classics, Nutro Natural Choice,
Paws, Preferred Pets, Presidents Choice, Price Chopper, Priority, Save-A-Lot, Schnucks, Sophistacat, Special Kitty,
Springfield Pride, Sprout, Total Pet, Wegmans, Western Family, White Rose, Winn Dixie
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More information and links:
1-866-895-2708 (Special Note: I tried calling this number off and on for over an hour and couldn't get through as it kept ringing busy - I have some of the product, so I'm just going to return them to the store today with a copy of this email in case they have a problem at the store or don't know about this yet - The Lady)
AOL: http://articles.news.aol.com/business/_a/pet-deaths-prompt-recall-of-pet-food/20070316185209990005?ncid=NWS00010000000001
Globe & Mail : http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070316.wmenu0316/BNStory/Business/home
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Acute Kidney failure signs in dogs
(but PLEASE seek out your vet's attention immediately if you even suspect this might be a problem!!):
1) Dehydration (To test for this, gently pull the skin away from your dog's middle. If the skin does not immediately spring back, the dog may be dehydrated.)
2) Stiff-legged gait and arched back (a sign of painful kidneys)
3) Little or no urine production
http://www.petshealth.com/dr_library/caninekidney.html
Renal Failure in dogs at Vet Info ~~~> http://www.vetinfo.com/drenal.html
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Don't breed or buy if a shelter animal has to die!
Canines Corner - http://www.caninescorner.org
Join the fight against the dog & cat fur trade!
http://www.caninescorner.org/topics/dogfur/furtradeissue-index.htm
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