pet connection

Use care when handling new thyroid medication: Felimazole was approved by the FDA seven months ago to treat hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) in cats.  The active ingredient is methimazole, a thyroid drug for humans that veterinarians have been successfully using off label for years.   Felimazole works just fine, but Edie Lau at the VIN News Service cautions us that owners and vets need to use great care in handling it:

For example, the label for Felimazole has a section headed “Human Warnings” that reads, in part: “Wash hands with soap and water after administration to avoid exposure to drug. Do not break or crush tablets. Wear protective gloves to prevent direct contact with litter, feces, urine or vomit of treated cats, and broken or moistened tablets. Wash hands after contact with the litter of treated cats.” (…)

Laura Alvey, a spokeswoman for the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, confirmed that labels are prepared with the intended patient population in mind.

In the case of Felimazole, “This is potentially a lifetime drug (assuming alternative treatment is not pursued), and since cats don’t self-medicate, they rely on their owners to administer the medication,” Alvey wrote by e-mail. “Because cats often don’t cooperate with administration of oral medication, there is potential for the pill to become wet/mushy/coating lost with re-administration, which could expose the owners to the drug unknowingly, if the coating is melted away. If they don’t wash their hands after administering the medication, repeated exposure could pose a risk to humans.”

Does this mean you can never touch the medication?  No.  Just be careful, and be sure to wash your hands thoroughly or use gloves when handling the drug, as well as any bodily fluids from cats being treated with Felimazole.

Bravo to BAHAC from Maddie’s Fund: Kudos to the East Bay! The Berkeley Alliance for Homeless Animals Coalition, better known as BAHAC, has been recognized with the Maddie’s^® Lifesaving Award.  This is a well-deserved honor for a tireless, dedicated organization.  BAHAC has demonstrated how the “pit bull problem” needn’t be a problem at all. Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society director Sara Kersey explains:

Busting myths about pit bulls is step one. “The biggest problem facing homeless pit bulls is the lack of accurate information,” said Kersey. “How you educate people is crucial, so it’s equally crucial that you first educate your staff and volunteers to do a good job talking about the dogs. People have a lot of misconceptions, so all our staff is trained to know the right answers to give and the best way to introduce people to these great dogs.”

Kersey recommends letting the dogs themselves be your best teaching tool. “When you do outreach into the community, such as satellite adoptions, remember to focus on the dogs as dogs,” she said. “What people love about pit bulls is what people love about dogs: they are soft with people, and they get their feelings hurt easily, but they’re wonderful clownish dogs that everyone really loves.

And do you know who works with Maddie’s Fund?  My extraordinary Pet Connection colleague Christie Keith.  Just sayin’.

Flying across the country, we have two stories from the Grey Lady of Gotham:

The debate over debarking: Mike Marder is a veterinarian in New York, and he has two dogs.   Truffle is a long haired dachshund puppy, and he barks like a normal dachshund puppy (for now). Nestlé is a terrier-dachshund mix, and doesn’t.  Well he does, but not so well that you can hear it. Nestlé’s vocal cords were surgically altered after co-op neighbors complained.   Read the article (thanks for the link, Gina), then feel free to discuss.   Looking forward to reading the comments….

Farewell to Bix and Harry: If you’ve lived in an apartment building that allows pets, you know how they become uniquely integral with the fabric of the community.   Everyone sees them, knows them, and both residents and staff develop relationships with them.      On New York’s upper west side, a tight-knit building is mourning the passing of not one but two memorable personalities, Bix and Harry, who each died over the course of the same weekend.

Speaking of memorials…. I have donated money to plant trees in memory of loved ones.  Now, courtesy of Trees for a Change, you can plant a tree in a US national forest in your pet’s memory.   This is a wonderfully thoughtful gesture, and helps restore sections of national forests destroyed by wildfire.

Making the rounds with Oscar: I didn’t intend to have three stories in a row related to death, but this one has stuck in my memory for three years.   You might remember that in 2007, the New England Journal of Medicine had a story about a cat named Oscar who lived in a Rhode Island nursing home.  Oscar had an eerie, and almost infallible talent.  He could predict when a patient was going to pass away.  Now Oscar’s story is being published.  “Making the Rounds with Oscar” is already on my Amazon wish list.  Thanks for the tip, Bill.

Got a tip?  Got a story?  Don’t keep it to yourself.  Send it to me or give me a shout in the comments.

Photo Credits:  Grey cat, bigstockphoto. Oscar, Stew Milne AP.