This recall is not for the consumer but those in the medical field. However, it’s commonly used in veterinary  medicine so if your pet is having surgery it’s something you want to be aware of.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 16, 2009 – Teva Pharmaceuticals USA is initiating a voluntary recall of Propofol Injectable Emulsion 10 mg/mL 100 mL vials, lot numbers 31305429B and 31305430B. The product lots identified are being recalled due to the presence of elevated endotoxin levels in some vials within these lot numbers.

Teva has been notified of 41 propofol-treated patients who experienced post-operative fever, chills and other flu-like symptoms. Based on available information it appears that all febrile or flu-like reactions were self-limiting with spontaneous resolution.

Adverse health effects, such as fever, chills, or rigors, are possible with exposure to product with elevated levels of endotoxins. Serious adverse effects, such as disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, acute respiratory distress syndrome, shock, and death, are possible with exposure to product with high endotoxin levels.

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A few years ago we took Bo to a holistic vet to try acupuncture. He had been having some issues with his back legs and there wasn’t much the vet could do. Lisa had watched a special about a dog who had undergone some treatments with great results and we decided to give it a try.

The first time we showed up for the appointment we weren’t sure what to expect. The vet, who also practiced traditional medicine, had been using acupuncture on dogs for years and was a big believer in its power. After the first appointment we did notice some difference. We went on to complete the suggested four sessions and were very pleased with the results.

I can only share Bo’s experience with you because that’s all I have to go on, but based on his results I would definitely suggest it. That isn’t to say holistic treatment replaces traditional, sometimes it requires both, and sometimes there is nothing left that can be done using standard medicine.

Here’s a post from the examiner.com, written by Donita Mason, about acupuncture being used to help treat asthma and lung problems in animals. Today the 2nd point which is used for lung and respiratory distress, including asthma and bronchial coughs, is covered. In a prior article GV27, the first of six points,  which treats heart distress was discussed.

Lung 7 (LU7), also known as Broken Sequence, is located on the inside of the front paw on the side closest to the body, just above the wrist. You will find it in the depression above the small protrusion at the end of the radius bone. You will massage this in an up and down and circular motion.

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This is an interesting article about a 6-year-old sheltie that could barely walk due to arthritis, and a new technique to treat it.

Owner Vicki Rusconi had tried numerous procedures to try and help her dog Abby, but nothing worked.  Abby’s pain was so bad that euthanasia was being considered.

All that changed when Rosconi found out about a treatment using Abby’s own stem cells.

When a vet at the animal clinic where she works recommended injecting stem cells using Abby’s own fat, she figured she had nothing to lose.

“I was skeptical to be honest, but I was willing to try anything,” Rusconi said. “I think when you get to the point where it’s either euthanize your dog or try a new procedure, you’re willing to try it.”

Since the first round worked so well, Abby is now undergoing a second round of stem cell injections using her own fat.

“The stem cells come from the fat sample from the abdomen, and they get as much stem cells out of that as they do from bone marrow,” explained Dr. Gary Brown.

The procedure is still experimental and can run about $3000, so it doesn’t come cheap.  According to the company who developed the procedure, hundreds of dog have undergone the stem cell therapy, about 80 percent showed improvement.

Abby was one of the lucky ones, she has done very well. Hopefully her second round of treatment will be just as successful. That’s great news for dogs who suffer from this condition, the therapy definitely sounds promising.

* The cutie above is A.J., he starred in a school play, check out his page.

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Here’s a very interesting story, scientists have discovered a genetic link between ALS  and a similar disease in dogs. The findings, which were published in the Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences, could one day lead to therapies to help dogs and humans.

 (HealthDay News) Lou Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the central and peripheral nervous systems. It causes progressive muscle atrophy and weakness, resulting in paralysis and death. There is no cure. A similar disease in dogs is called degenerative myelopathy (DM).

A genetic mutation that causes ALS in humans is the same one that causes DM in dogs, according to researchers from the University of Missouri, in Columbia, Mo., and the Broad Institute, in Cambridge, Mass. This means that dogs can be used to help test treatments for ALS, according to a news release from the university.

Prior to this discovery research on ALS has been done mostly on rodents. Now with dogs, scientists will more likely have a more reliable model.

 ”Compared with the rodent model for ALS, dogs with DM are more similar to people in size, structure and complexity of their nervous systems, and duration of the disease,” Gary Johnson, associate professor of veterinary pathobiology at Missouri, said in the news release. “The results from clinical trials conducted with DM-affected dogs may better predict the efficacies of therapeutic interventions for treating ALS in humans.”

This sounds very promising, we will definitely be on the lookout for any follow up stories to keep you updated.

* The pic above is Jack Flash, he passed from DM and his owner now has a support group to help others.

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For anyone in Colorado Springs (CO), there is an  outbreak of dog flu in the area.  Two dog daycare centers have voluntarily closed their doors while the situation is being dealt with.

Dr. Susan Bloss of Cheyenne Mountain Animal Hospital says the current string is extremely contagious.

“If they’re (dogs) around a dog who’s in the contagious period, which is usually the first two to five days of the infection, they can definitely contract it,” Dr. Bloss says.

Dr. Bloss says the dog flu is a respiratory virus with no vaccine. Although it’s rarely fatal, she says your dog can still get very sick. All it takes is a sneeze from one dog, and a sniff from another to contract it.

The dog flu can be very dangerous, and potentially fatal if not treated with antibiotics.  If you notice your dog is coughing, not eating, or just not feeling well, you should  go to vet for a check-up.

* If you are sick you need to get plenty of rest like Ernie.

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Okay, not like Jamie Summers, but he did have an elbow replacement. Jake is an 11-year old Labrador Retriever, he is only the eleventh dog in the world to have this surgery.  He lives in Grand Rapids, MI and was the first dog to get the procedure in the Midwest.

Sue Falk, his owner, was originally worried Jake might need to be euthanized from the pain he was experiencing. Then she was referred to MSU and met with Dr. Loic Dejardin, who performed the four-hour surgery in April.

Now, after six months of rehabilitation that includes running on an underwater treadmill, Jake is giving high fives, jumping off the bed and going without his leash.

“He’s actually acting like he’s a younger dog again, which is so cool,” owner Sue Falk said. “He’s just more playful and not as concerned about each step.”

Jake’s turnaround is a dramatic difference from several years ago, when he had a bad limp and refused to go on daily walks in the woods behind Falk’s home.

The prosthesis is a new type that reduces infection as well as wear and tear.  Surgery didn’t come cheap, it was $5000 and performed at the Michigan State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

Amazingly, the elbow has worked so well in dogs that it’s being considered for use in ankle replacement in humans.

* Photo Courtesy T.J. Hamilton/Press Photo

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