Keeping pets healthy, keeps your family healthy

Listen to internet radio with Roger Welton DVM on Blog Talk Radio

Airs Wed March 28, 2012, 9PM EST. Listen to this podcast directly from my show page by CLICKING HERE.

Dear Listeners, Viewers, and Readers:

This evening, I am following up on my latest You Tube show, The Web-DVM, which was an objective outlook on recent news reports that were sparked by a 2010 journal article written by veterinarian, Dr. Bruno Chomel, warning against the dangers of sleeping in bed with one’s pets.  In this video cast, I acknowledged that the dangers these news reports warned of are real, but that for the sake of attracting an audience, were a bit overblown and I ventured to present it more realistically and less sensationally. 
        

I personally am not against people sharing their bed with their pets, but I am against people sharing their beds with pets that are not properly monitored and cared for properly to keep them free of disease that is potentially communicable to humans.   I am especially against this when it comes to children sleeping pets not properly cared for.  Sometimes this lack of proper preventive and wellness care that protects both pets and the family they live with is due to pet owner apathy, laziness, stubbornness, or cheapness.  For others, the intentions may be there, but the information has not yet come their way.   This evening’s broadcast is for the latter, and I will be highlighting diseases and less than ideal circumstances where pets can pose an infectious disease risk to their human families, as well as how to prevent those diseases and less than ideal circumstances.  This goes far beyond just vaccines folks, so be sure to tune in and find out how you can protect your family, while still enjoying the unconditional love of your pet.

As always, I invite you to post comments right here at the blog or submit e-mail comments/questions to be addressed by me on the air, by sending them to comments@web-dvm.net.

Thank you as always for caring about what I have to say!

Roger Welton, DVM

Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.

Sleeping With Pets...Deadly Nightmare or Sweet Dreams?

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO AT MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Transcript from this week's episode of The Web-DVM:

Most pet owners don’t read or keep copies of the periodical, Emerging Infectious Diseases. But, when a newspaper cited this journal in an article describing the dangers of sleeping with pets, people took notice. When the same story was repeated hundreds of times, across all kinds of markets over 18 months, more and more individuals began to wonder if their pets should be on the floor instead of their bed.

It all started in 2010 when a professor at the University of California at Davis, Dr. Bruno Chomel, published an article stating that sleeping with your pets includes the possible risk of zoonotic disease. Zoonoses are illnesses that have the potential of spreading from animals to people.

Despite knowing that it would be an unpopular opinion, Dr. Chomel flatly stated that “pets don’t belong in your bed.” News outlets across the country took the opportunity to share this information with their audiences, generating headlines like “Sleeping With Pets Can Endanger Your Health”.

Make no mistake, the risks of contracting a disease or a parasite are very real. Fungal diseases like ringworm, bacterial infections like the plague and even certain parasites are all capable of transmission from our pets directly to us. The real questions, though, are just how common are these issues and what can pet owners do to prevent the diseases?

The good news is that it is not difficult to prevent or minimize the risks for zoonotic diseases. Dr. Elizabeth Bradt, a veterinarian in Salem, MA says that “maintaining good hygiene practices and always washing your hands after interacting with your pet goes a long way to prevent these sorts of problems.”

Beyond routine hygiene, regular preventive care for your pets is another great safety precaution that any pet owner can take to avoid zoonotic diseases. Pet owners should carefully consider their veterinarian’s recommendations in order to keep the whole family healthy.

As an example, fleas are the natural carriers of the bacteria causing the plague. Keeping pets on safe and effective flea medications can help prevent this deadly illness. In a case listed in Dr. Chomel’s article, a young boy contracted plague because he slept with his flea infested cat. If this cat had been on a flea preventive, the likelihood of the boy contracting this illness would have been greatly reduced.

Dr. Bradt also says that “the bottom line is that you can catch a disease from your pet whether you sleep with them or not. There is nothing inherently dangerous about sleeping with a pet.” Don’t let unfounded fears keep you from the unconditional love of a pet. Ask your veterinarian how you can keep your pet healthy and a part of your family.

So, what about those headlines? Keep in mind that any news media outlet has a strong desire to keep and build their audience. Controversial and edgy subjects will always draw or “hook”, more viewers and readers. The media was not purposefully misleading anyone; they simply were doing their job and encouraging people to “tune in at 11:00”!

This is Roger Welton reporting, for The Web-DVM.

Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.

Separation anxiety with special guest, Steve Brooks, CPDT

Listen to internet radio with Roger Welton DVM on Blog Talk Radio

Airs Wed March 14, 2012, 9PM EST. Listen to this podcast directly from my show page by CLICKING HERE.


Dear Listeners, Viewers, and Readers:


Tonight I will be discussing the common behavioral disorder in dogs known as separation anxiety.  You are in for a treat tonight, as I have the pleasure of discussing this topic with L.A. based Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Steve Brooks.  From recognizing the problem, to managing dogs affected with this behavioral issue, Steve enlightens us on all aspects of this long recognized behavioral disease in dogs.  For more about Steve, his expertise, and services, we encourage you to visit SteveBrooksK9U.


As always, I invite you to post comments right here at the blog or submit e-mail comments/questions to be addressed by me on the air, by sending them to comments@web-dvm.net.

Thank you as always for caring about what I have to say!

Sincerely,


Roger Welton, DVM

Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.

Spring Break

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO AT MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Dear Fans:


I will be taking this week off for a little "spring break" to play catch up with various matters at my clinic that need to be addressed, as well as prepare for the rest of my spring media season.  For my podcast fans, I will be returning with a new show airing Wed, March 14, 2012, with a special interview with canine behaviorist Steve Brooks.  He will be educating us about the common canine behavioral disorder, separation anxiety, while taking behavioral questions from listeners submitted by e-mail (comments@web-dvm.net).  Feel free to post your behavioral question to be addressed by Steve on the air.


I will return with a new YouTube webcast Wed, March 21, 2012.  In the mean time, please enjoy this popular repeat episode from earlier this season.  I look forward to talking to you all again soon!  Thanks for your support!


Sincerely,


Roger Welton, DVM

Dr. Roger Welton is the President and chief veterinarian at Maybeck Animal Hospital in West Melbourne Florida, as well as CEO of the veterinary advice and health management website Web-DVM.net.