Caring for Your Dog » Big Dog Blog

I just received an email from a wholesaler this morning and this is the report:

There has been a recall of the Greenies Dental products. These items are no longer available for ordering through our wholesale site. At this time we don’t have any information as to when they will be available again, but we will let you know. This only affects the hard chewable Greenies and the Greenies Bits which are listed below, not the pill pockets or the treats.

GE-00319 4/ct Jumbo Size Greenies
GE-00317 8/ct Large Size Greenies
GE-00314 14/ct Regular Size Greenies
GE-00311 24/ct Petite Size Greenies
GE-01567 48/ct Teenie Size Greenies
GE-08351 10oz Greenies Lil’ Bits for Pocket Pets
GE-07311 16oz Greenies Lil’ Bits for Dogs

Does this mean a full recall?

Update: In my attempt to find out actual information I made two calls, one to Greenies® and one to Neeps Wholesale. The CSR person at Greenies®, sounding a bit flustered had said “no, they are not being recalled” and transferred me to a voicemail. I then spoke to Dawn of Neeps Wholesale, and although she wasn’t entirely sure of what exactly happened, she does know that Linda, I assume her associate, got an email Friday to pull all those listed above as they were being recalled. Dawn said they were likely to be recalled by the manufacturer, possibly the Heinz corporation as it owns Greenies®. She will hopefully call me back once she speaks to her associate.
So, bottom line, still unsure.

UPDATE:

Spoke with Janet, the Consumer Care Manager at Greenies today and she informed me that it was a reclaim, not a recall and that the difference is voluntary versus mandatory.

Dogs are such a huge part of our lives that many of us dream of having them come to work with us. Well, more and more companies are allowing dogs in the office and yours may be next.

Google Headquarters (Googleplex)

Part of an 11 picture Photo Essay of “Life in the Googleplex“, where Googlers are permitted to bring their dogs (but not cats) to the workplace.

Research has shown that having pets in the workplace reduces stress and increases the feeling of well-being. And that’s precisely why Relay Recruitment, a company in West Yorkshire brought in Rupert, a Cocker Spaniel. What management experienced was beyond their expectations. Rupert indeed helped with the post-holiday blues, but also encouraged 4 people to quit smoking and others to lose weight by going on walks during break. It worked out so well that “Bosses now plan to provide dogs for their staff in Leeds, Halifax and York.”

Kennel Space - (or Office Space?)

Rhonda Abrams at the Arizona Republic wrote ‘A Dog-Friendly Office Good for Workers, Pets‘ that illustrates how companies benefit by allowing dogs at work. The practice improves morale, employees are likely to work later, and the environment helps to attract and retain better employees.

“In my company, we indicate we’re a “dog-friendly workplace” in our help-wanted ads. That’s increased both the number and quality of applicants. And once someone gets used to bringing their dog to work, they’re less likely to leave. Even the delivery folks love the dogs. The UPS man, Paul, gives each dog a biscuit every day, so my dog Cosmo knows exactly what brown can do for him.”

Am I working by myself here?

So has your office made the jump? If not, they may need a bit of a nudge and that’s why Rhonda added her “Key to a Dog-Friendly Workplace“.

This includes a set of rules for all dogs, and considerations for people. A few are listed below:

• Enforce the NO Fleas rule
• 3 Strikes and You’re Out
• No Barking
• Keep a Supply of Antihistamine
• Thank Your Lucky Stars

Have you planned for an emergency such as a terrorist attack or natural disaster? With all of these things becoming more common preparing for an emergency is something we should all consider. The Office of Homeland Security and Ready.gov, have been providing tips on how to prepare, plan and stay informed since 9/11, and now have a section for pets.

Prepare

Food
Water
Medicines and Medical Records
First aid kit
Collar with ID tag, harness or leash
Crate or other pet carrier
Sanitation kit
A picture of you and your pet together
Familiar items like a favorite toy.

“If you are like millions of animal owners nationwide, your pet is an important member of your household. The likelihood that you and your animals will survive an emergency such as a fire or flood, tornado or terrorist attack depends largely on emergency planning done today. Some of the things you can do to prepare for the unexpected, such as assembling an animal emergency supply kit and developing a pet care buddy system, are the same for any emergency. Whether you decide to stay put in an emergency or evacuate to a safer location, you will need to make plans in advance for your pets. Keep in mind that what’s best for you is typically what’s best for your animals.” From http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/pets.html

Plan

Create a plan
Develop a Buddy System
Talk to your Vet
Gather Contact information for emergency animal treatment.

Tick diseases are often not the first thing that comes to your or your vet’s mind when your dog is sick.  But these diseases can be very damaging to your dog’s health and most can be fatal (with the exception being the crippling Lyme disease).  Not only is your dog susceptable to these diseases but most can be spread to humans. 

Babesiosis is most commonly found in kennel type evironments but can be found in single pet homes.  Not all dogs show symptoms but still are carriers of the disease.  The most common symptoms are:

• intermittent fever
• weakness
• jaundice
• more serious effects such as internal bleeding

In severe cases of Babesiosis, the dog will not survive even with the best care.  Those that survive can suffer from relapse as the disease can never be fully eradicated.

Ehrlichiosis is a bacteria that can be spread by ticks.  The symptoms can differ between dogs but the most common are:

• lethargy
• chronic weight loss
• loss of appetite. 

In more severe cases syptoms can include:

• arthritis
• bleeding from the nose
• muscle wasting
• neurological damage 

Ehrlichiosis can cause numerous relapses because treatment can’t eradicate all of the bug.  German Shepherds for some reason are more vulnerable to the disease.

As a person from Southeast Connecticut, Lyme Disease is a constant threat to both the health of dogs and humans.  This disease is caused by the Borrellia Burgdorferi bacteria and is spread mainly by Deer ticks.  These ticks are small and can go unoticed long enough for the bacteria to be passed.  The early symptoms are:

• limping 
• raised temperature 

Lyme disease attacks the joint and causes a lot of pain.  As the disease progresses the dog will go from a slight limp to being unable to use the leg.  The disease is easily detected through blood tests and early treatment can send the disease into remission before any long term damage is done. 

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is caused by an organism called Rickettsia Rickettsii.  Some dogs remain uneffected but can still act as carriers.  Common symptoms are:

• lethargy
• weight loss
• intermittant fever
• vomitting (possible)
• diarrhea (possible)

Antibiotics can treat Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and early detection increases the chance of a full recovery.The disease is easier to catch as the symptoms are presented within weeks of the tick bite whereas the others may take months.

Remember the best treatment is prevention.  Stay away from bushes and grassy areas.  Check yourself and your pets for ticks regularly during tick season.  And use preventative medications such Frontline, Advantix and other products.

 Information for the article was found at http://www.ask-the-vet.com/ticks-tick-diseases.htm  and for more detailed infomation a good site to go to is http://www.mirage-samoyeds.com/tick.htm and the links on that page.  There is also more information on ticks in the Big Paws Only Pawpedia. 

Though the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are most notably known for diagnosing diseases that can kill us, they have recently come out with a reminder for parents. It seems as the seasons change and more children are active this summer that the risk for dog bites and attacks increase. Perhaps it is the increase in children out of school, perhaps the heat is consuming the dogs or maybe it is a combination of heat and lack of knowledge in the children that together creates a lethal combination in the minds of those CDC. Either way, they have issued some reminders to parents so that both the kids and dogs stay safe this summer.

Here are the rules:

1. Don’t approach a dog you don’t know.
2. Don’t try to touch a dog that is eating or is with its puppies.
3. Don’t scream and run wildly around a dog.
4. If an unknown dog comes up to you, let it smell you before walking away.
5. Make sure an adult is nearby when a child is playing with a dog.