The poor excuse that passes for food safety in America has reached a new low when a study in the journal Pedatrics warns us about the problems with handling dry pet foods connected to Salmonella, the most frequently reported cause of foodborne illness.

Of the 79 patients living in 21 states tracked in the study who suffered Salmonella-related infections, nearly half of them were children age 2 or younger. Even worse, just handling dry pet food -- presumably, from the bowl or off the floor -- and dirty food bowls, or touching pets that were carriers of salmonella were the problems. According to Dr. Casey Behravesh, a veterinarian working for the CDC and the lead researcher for the study, kids didn't increase their risk of getting sick merely by eating dry pet food.

The Pediatrics study couldn't be timed better, considering Procter & Gamble recalled varieties of its Iams and Eukanuba dry dog and cat foods in late July due to concerns about Salmonella contamination.

This problem underscores the need for thorough and frequent hand-washing by EVERYONE after handling pets and their foods, as well as placing and cleaning your pet's food bowls in the kitchen, according to the study.

FYI, after beginning her research, Dr. Behravesh, the mother of a 4-year-old child, relocated the feeding area for her pets -- a cat, dog and bird -- to a sunroom and away from her kitchen.

Pediatrics August 9, 2010

Yahoo News August 9, 2010

USA Today August 8, 2010

Chicago Tribune: ProblemSolver August 3, 2010

You may recall a post I wrote about the extraordinary sense of smell many animals have that may detect the scent of various human diseases, including tuberculosis and some forms of cancer. This post-Father's Day study from Europe documents the training of a Belgian Malinois shepherd dog to sniff out prostate cancer, virtually without fail, in urine samples.

Science has been looking for more effective methods to detect malignant tumors linked to prostate cancer from benign ones to cut down on the needless tests and stress men face after receiving a positive result from a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.

Prostate cancer can be detected in a male patient's urine. In fact, some molecules exude a distinctive odor, but, unfortunately, there's no scientific testing available yet that can separate the variety of odors in urine and detect prostate cancer. That's where the talented snout of this Belgian Malinois shepherd, who has already been trained to sniff out bombs and bombs, comes in.

After two years of training on urine samples to ferret out which ones did or did not have prostate cancer, this beautiful dog was given the ultimate test: Identify which one of five samples contained prostate cancer. Out of 66 tests, the dog correctly spotted the right prostate cancer specimen in all but three cases (all false positives). Interestingly, among the three false positives the dog identified, a follow-up biopsy detected the presence of prostate cancer in one of them.

How prostate cancer detection will eventually "go to the dogs," and other animals is anyone's guess. All we know for the moment is how our pets save our lives just by being them…

Image source: Wikipedia

MedicineNet.com June 1, 2010

Los Angeles Times: Booster Shots June 1, 2010

WebMD June 2, 2010

Bloomberg Businessweek June 2, 2010

We've compared the "burden" your lovable dog has on the environment to that of an SUV more than once to comedic effect in this space. The more realistic and serious question for your two- and four-legged family members, however, is what can you do to lessen Mr. Fido's cancer burden? Not as much as you'd assume, says Wall Street Journal writer Melinda Beck in her recent Health Journal column about dog breeds and their propensity for cancer.

It's a familiar subject for Beck. Her family recently lost their seven-year-old, golden retriever Cody, not a complete surprise because an amazing 60 percent -- more than double the average of any other breed -- die from cancer. And, if the variety of cancer a golden retriever has is hemangiosarcoma, the first sign (sudden death) may be the only one.

Perhaps, the key problem: Cancers usually crop up in dogs after their breeding years, which is why some non-profit groups like the Morris Animal Foundation are sponsoring research projects to identify specific genetic markers that can pinpoint signs of cancer long before any breeding. Still, whether pure-bred dogs are more prone to cancer than mixed breeds remains very much up in the air, although a few studies have given the latter a 10 percent lifespan bump.

The dog breeds with the highest probability of encountering cancer during their lifetimes: Boxer, Golden Retriever, Rottweiler and Bernese mountain dog (review the WSJ below for a fuller list of breeds).

The cancer risks are definitely real and not limited to dogs either. We lost our oldest boy cat, Mr. Fido, at age 12 nearly two summers ago, after an 18-month bout with fibrosarcoma, a condition in which cancerous tumors grow beyond control on patches of skin where a pet has been vaccinated.

Wall Street Journal: Health Journal May 4, 2010

New York Times: Well May 5, 2010

It could be back to the drawing board for makers of insect repellants sooner than later, after European researchers discovered resistance to DEET, the active ingredient used in many products, can be passed on from some bugs to others rather quickly through the gene pool.

Experts were unsure why DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) repelled many bugs in the first place, and, for a long while, it was assumed that the chemical disrupted an insect's ability to smell. That is, until a 2008 study found mosquitoes avoided DEET's odor.

The "a ha!" moment came for scientists after they bred female yellow fever mosquitoes that were already equipped genetically to resist the smell of DEET with ordinary male mosquitoes. The number of mosquitoes that were born without DEET sensitivity more than quadrupled to more than 50 percent in a single generation. The difference-maker: Smell receptors on the antennae of some bugs doesn't work as well to detect DEET.

Nevertheless, some believe DEET's reign as the go-to insect repellant isn't over yet, considering it's taken a half-century for some bugs to begin to develop a resistance, and, among wild populations, the transition to resistance can be very slow.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences May 3, 2010

healthfinder.gov May 3, 2010

Wired Science May 3, 2010

We LOVE talking about pets in this space, and not only because they're part of our family: Taking care of them is good for our collective spiritual and physical health.

That said, I've gotten into trouble before with dog-loving members of my family for a late January post I wrote about a medium-sized pooch potentially having a larger carbon footprint than a Toyota SUV. I don't expect this latest post about elevating your child's chances of asthma by owning a dog will improve my peacetime chances for détente anytime soon.

Long story short, based on a study of some 380 children with a history of asthma in their pet-owning families, kids exposed to high levels of dog allergens were more likely at age 7 to be diagnosed with asthma. Scientists believe the culprit may be endotoxin. These microscopic invaders generated by bacteria can cause inflammation in a child's airways, perhaps, because continued exposure to dogs doesn't confer an immune response. On the other hand, researchers found no connection between a kid's asthma risks and exposure to cat allergens.

Which is why researchers believe families should base their decisions to own pets on their desire to have them, not on the potential asthma risk. And, for the record, I've been diagnosed with asthma in recent years, but would sooner cut off my right hand than to give up any of our four-legged family members. Pay a visit to the your local branch of the Anti-Cruelty Society, however, and you'll find many folks have given up their cats for that very reason.

By the way, if you haven't noticed, I'm always on the lookout for very unique and fun pictures of pets to grace these random blog posts, like the one of Wrigley taken by my pal Kristen Siebecker. If you have a picture of Fido you've always wanted to share with the world, feel free to send them to my attention at waynebeamer.cnca@att.net. All responses will be acknowledged, and you'll receive the proper credit if and when we use them.

Can't wait to see 'em…

Image source: Kristen Siebecker of her beloved Wrigley

Pediatric Allergy and Immunology March 19, 2010

KDKA.com April 9, 2010

MSNBC April 7, 2010

With spring having sprung in most parts of America and pets taking their family members out on daily walks for their better health, our furry friends are more susceptible than ever during the warmer months of the year to ticks, the primary source of Lyme disease.

Just be careful about how you use the products you get from your local vet or pet store, particularly after a recent announcement by the EPA about mandating tougher restrictions, possible changes in product formulas and easier-to-understand consumer labeling for flea and tick treatments applied to a pet's skin.

Stiffer regulations were necessary after the agency received some 44,000 reports of pets being harmed by topical flea and tick products in 2008, an alarming 53 percent increase over the previous year. The big problem, according to one EPA administrator: Consumers didn't understand they needed to give their pets a safe and proper dosage based on their weight.

Contrary to what you might have assumed about this problem, cats are far more susceptible to injury and death from the overuse of flea and tick treatments, according to an American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals published last year. (I understand that concern all too well, as our delightful boy cat, Mr. Loverboy, tipping the scales at a "big-boned" 17 pounds, has been prescribed larger, dog-sized doses of flea medicines by our veterinarian due to his weight.)

You'll learn even more about protecting your pets from Lyme disease after watching this awesome eHow video.

Image source: Medical writer Amy Glenn Vega, Nursing Novellas

EPA.gov March 19, 2010

Wall Street Journal March 18, 2010

The Boston Globe March 17, 2010

I took some major heat in some corners for my last pet-related post about Mr. Fido potentially being a bigger polluter of the environment than your average SUV. I've returned to the scene of the crime with an olive branch for pet owners that may go a bit farther toward explaining why caring for pets may be so beneficial for your health.

It may have a little bit to do with anthropomorphism, our predilection toward attributing human characteristics to abstract objects (what do you call your work computer on a good day?), various phenomena (think hurricanes), sports teams (not going there) and, yes, pets (my Miss Annie whose beautiful mug graces this blogpost is single, but not available).

Chalk it up to a bit of selfishness and ego on our part that gives us a false sense of control over our world, according to a Harvard University study that asked folks to write essays about objects, either as if they were human or truly as things. Interestingly, people who wrote about objects with a spin toward anthropomorphism felt they "understood" them better than their peers who were assigned to describe objects for what they really are.

Researchers believe loneliness -- a strong emotion that could harm your health if not properly handled -- may contribute to our collective use of anthropomorphism too. To the good, one social psychologist told LiveScience anthropomorphism may enable humans to learn how to treat endangered species and the disadvantaged more fairly and with compassion.

In this space, however, we draw the line when it comes to dressing up pets, as this hilarious YouTube video illustrates all too well.

Association for Psychological Science February 25, 2010

LiveScience March 3, 2010

Considering a recent study that found Michiganders were more motivated to give up smoking for the sake of their pets than their own health, you shouldn't be surprised to learn why a British pet expert concluded pet owners were better off walking their dogs than having health club memberships.

Based on a study of some 5,000 patients, including 3,000 dog owners, the proof is all about the numbers. Only 16 percent of the respondents polled enjoyed exercising in a gym, while some 70 percent considered going to one a chore.

Conversely, only 22 percent of the dog owners polled felt walking the dog was work, a far cry from the 86 percent who enjoyed daily walks with their furry companions. What's more, non-dog owners generally exercised far less on their own or in a gym (90 minutes every week) as compared to folks who walked their canines about eight hours a week on average. Even more revealing, 47 percent of all non-pet owners admitted they did no exercise at all.

Learn more about the impact of pet ownership on your health, via the Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) program launched two years ago by our sister organization, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, that uses our four-legged friends to ease the anxiety, pain, discomfort and stress felt by cancer patients and their loved ones in this awesome feature.

And, if you're not too tired of watching everyone else playing and exercising with their own four-legged family members (think the Cable TV mainstay Animal Planet), watch this video from Better.tv for a first-hand look at the range of health benefits connected with pet ownership.

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UPI.com January 1, 2010

Telegraph.co.uk November 27, 2009

Amazing, but true, your adorable, precocious medium-sized dog whose presence in your life is a boon to your health, and, only occasionally a burden, also generates a carbon footprint larger than an SUV.

Taking into account the land needed to grow the food to feed a dog, a New Zealander couple who wrote the book Time to Eat The Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living calculated a medium-sized Fido has a carbon footprint of slightly more than 2 acres. By comparison, a Toyota Land Cruiser that gets an estimated 18 MPG in highway driving and is driven an unrealistic 6,200 miles annually generates a footprint about half that size or 1.01 acres.

Cat owners aren't in the clear either, as the average feline's carbon footprint is about a third of an acre, slightly less than what it takes to drive a Volkswagen Golf annually. And, the land required to feed all the felines living in just the top 10 cat-owning countries in the world amounts to 400,000 square kilometers, or 1.5 times the size of New Zealand. (All of the calculations made in the aforementioned book were independently calculated and verified by the Stockholm Environment Institute.)

Assuming getting rid of your pets is not an option for everyone reading this post, here are some things you can do to lessen their impact on the environment:

* Train your cat to use the litter box and don't flush their remains down the toilet or let them "do their business" outdoors.

* When walking your dog, stay away from wildlife areas, protecting more fragile ecosystems.

* Because meat production accounts for much of a pet's "eco-footprint," be a little more mindful about your furry family member's diet.

Physorg.Com December 21, 2009

New Scientist October 23, 2009

With the flu season in full swing, many folks are wondering if this current strain of H1N1 swine flu may be an issue for their four-legged family members. The answer, according to pet experts, is a fairly straight-forward "No," depending on the health and smarts of their owners.

Although many pet owners began worrying early on, after reports started surfacing in early October about a handful of cats and ferrets testing positive for H1N1, the spread of swine flu actually began even sooner, in the summer among livestock (pigs and turkeys), says Dr. Chris Olsen, a public health professor and associate dean at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine.

To date, however, there have been no reported H1N1 cases among dogs in the U.S. The problem isn't Annie T. Cat or Larry and his ferret family passing on the flu to their Pet Parents. Fact is, it's the other way around...

The consensus among the experts suggests that humans sickened by H1N1 may be passing it on to their pets. What's more, an advisory from The Humane Society of the United States reports animals infected with H1N1 suffer from many of the same symptoms as do their owners (sneezing, coughing, lethargy and labored breathing, to name just a few).

The best ways to protect your pets from swine flu mirror those very same common-sense considerations you extend to other humans: Wash your hands often, especially before and after contact with sick two-legged members of your family, and, if you're sick, keep your distance from them until you're feeling better.

Pets can save your health and your life just by being their attention-starved selves. Don't forget to return the favor...

Colorado State University December 4, 2009

Humane Society of the United States November 30, 2009

Healthfinder.gov November 4, 2009

There's a growing body of evidence demonstrating how pets save our health and our lives, sometimes through special training and occasionally by their heroic deeds, but more often than not, just by being their finicky, attention-starved selves.

With pets living in at least 60 percent of all American homes, it's no wonder pet ownership has been linked to improved health, especially among seniors and patients recovering from major illnesses, as far back as a 2005 study in the British Medical Journal.

In fact, a more recent study of some 3,300 patients in southeastern Michigan demonstrated how smokers are more inclined to kick the habit to protect the lives of their pets than to improve their own health. Moreover, nearly 30 percent of the smokers polled vowed to give up smoking, and some 23 percent more said they would asked their living partners to give up smoking or ask them to smoke outdoors.

So much so, the University of Missouri's College of Veterinary Medicine Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction is jointly sponsoring a conference later this month in Kansas City that will explore the human-animal bond and how it affects the health and lives of both for the good.

With that in mind, you'll want to watch this heart-warming video about a Katrina volunteer who survived all the rigors associated with breast cancer -- not to mention a broken neck -- thanks to her love for protecting animals and one particular dog she "couldn't imagine leaving behind."

ScienceDaily, September 29, 2009

ScienceDaily February 10, 2009

CNN.com December 9, 2008

ScienceDaily November 25, 2005

Although it certainly sounds far-fetched, a growing body of research is proving how an animal's extraordinary sense of smell may detect such diseases as tuberculosis, diabetes and even certain forms of cancer.

Some of the more interesting results have come from the Pine Street Foundation, a California-based non-profit group whose mission is to help cancer patients make better treatment decisions through education and research, through their work with dogs. Just three years ago, international research funded by the foundation discovered that a dog's keen sense of smell could rule out or detect the presence of early or late-stage lung and breast cancer an astonishing 90 percent of the time.

With the support of governmental funding, Pine Street researchers are taking the "sniff" test a step further, to determine if a trained group of dogs can detect early-stage ovarian cancer in samples of exhaled breath.

What's more, an Irish study published late last year in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine tracked anecdotal reports from 212 dog owners, all Type 1 diabetics, who reported warnings from their pets about hypoglycemic events.

Even more amazing is how the African pouched rat can be trained to detect explosives as well as tuberculosis cells in a Petri dish more efficiently than conventional methods, as you can see in this awesome YouTube video.

Pine Street Foundation May 14, 2009

People: Pets August 18, 2009

Health.com August 16, 2009

National Geographic June 2, 2009

Your dog could be exposed to fluoride levels as much as 2.5 times greater than the national standard for drinking water set by the EPA in their dog food, according to independent testing funded by the Environmental Working Group. Out of 10 national brands tested, the amount of fluoride detected in eight brands of dog food exceeded levels that were linked to a greater risk of bone cancer among young boys in a Harvard study conducted three years ago.

The likely culprit: Ingredients described as a "animal meal" product -- think chicken meal and beef and bone meal -- consist of ground bones that are cooked, dried and made to be a cheap filler for dog food. The eight brands under the under scrutiny contained almost 9 milligrams per kilogram.

Putting the percentages into perspective, the average canine may drink as much as 0.5-1.0 milligrams of fluoride from tap water per kilogram of body weight. Feeding your 10-pound dog a cup of dog food may expose him to as much as .25 milligrams of fluoride every day.

For the record, more than 8,000 dogs are diagnosed annually with osteosarcoma, the most common kind of malignant bone cancer, at a rate nine times greater than their owners.

Environmental Working Group June 26, 2009

Environmental Working Group Research June 2009

Not only will the right mix of supplements complement the diet and enhance the continuing health of Mr. Fido as he reaches his own Baby Boomer years, you may be surprised to learn the market for pet nutritional products is booming, exceeding $1 billion annually.

Before you head for the pet store, however, Dr. Tod Cooperman of ConsumerLab.com warns the quality of supplements made for pets is worse than those marketed for their two-legged owners.

Some tips for evaluating the right nutritional mix for your Fluffy from Dr. John Bauer of Texas A&M University's College of Veterinary Medicine:

* Learn more from your veterinarian about the functional, active ingredients in that specific product and don't hesitate to contact the manufacturer for more information.

* Ensure all the ingredients can be safely tolerated by your pet.

* Use the very same scrutiny in rigorously evaluating the foods your pet eats as you would any other nutritional product.

Examiner.com May 22, 2009

AgWeek May 15, 2009

CNN December 11, 2007