ASPCA Lists Top Ten Pet Poisons of 2009

The ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center handles thousands of calls every year from pet owners concerned that their animal has ingested something harmful. In 2009, they received more than 140,000 calls about pets exposed to toxic substances, and they took the liberty of compiling a list of the most common. I've listed them—with examples—below.

Azaleas may look pretty, but they can be poisonous to dogs.

1. Human Medications (e.g. painkillers, cold medications, antidepressants, and dietary supplements)
2. Insecticides (those used around the home as well as misused flea and tick products)
3. People Food (grapes/raisins, avocado, chocolate, and things containing xylitol, like gum)
4. Plants (azalea, rhododendron, sago palm, lilies, kalanchoe, and schefflera, to name a few)
5. Veterinary Medications
6. Rodenticides (rat and mouse poisons)
7. Household Cleaners (bleaches, detergents, and disinfectants)
8. Heavy Metals (lead, zinc, and mercury in the form of paint chips, linoleum, lead dust, etc.)
9. Garden Products (fertilizer)
10. Chemical Hazards (antifreeze, paint thinner, drain cleaners, and pool/spa cleaners)

To read the ASPCA's entire list, including details, click here. And of course, it may be a good idea to keep the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center number on hand somewhere that's easily accessible: 888-426-4435. I've called them before and they were extraordinarily helpful.

New Dog Cancer Drug is Approved

The USDA has approved a new canine melanoma vaccine, Oncept, designed to extend the lives of dogs with oral melanoma. One of my dogs growing up ultimately died from oral melanoma, so I can appreciate as much as anyone the importance of this type of development.

According to the company's press release: "Melanoma is a common type of cancer in dogs and is the most common malignant tumor of the dog's mouth and can also occur in the nail and footpad. Canine oral melanoma may affect any breed and is a highly aggressive cancer. Normal treatment for canine oral melanoma includes surgery and/or radiation, but even after successful local treatment, the melanoma frequently spreads throughout the body, including the lymph nodes, liver, lungs and kidneys, and is often resistant to chemotherapy."

Since I'm not veterinarian and don't want to misstate anything, I'll continue to quote directly from the company release: "ONCEPT(TM) significantly extends survival time following primary tumor removal. Dogs with stage II or III malignant melanoma typically have survival times of less than six months when treated with surgery alone. In a controlled study, dogs vaccinated with ONCEPT(TM) following surgery had significantly better survival times than unvaccinated dogs (p<0.0001). Median survival time could not be determined for vaccinated dogs, since more than 50% of the treated dogs were still surviving at the time of publication of the study."

Exciting news, right? To read more about Oncept, read the release on CNNMoney here.

15 California Chihuahuas Arrive in NYC

On Wednesday, Virgin Airlines flew 15 Chihuahuas to New York City from San Francisco Animal Care and Control in search of new homes. According to the ASPCA, " over the past year, California shelters have seen a dramatic increase in Chihuahua intakes—this toy breed now makes up more than 30% of the state’s shelter dog population. While demand for Chihuahuas has declined in much of the Golden State, their popularity in New York City is as high as ever."

I was so impressed with this entire initiative and all of the people involved. Take a look at the ASPCA's video below.

If you'd like to adopt one of these guys, the dogs will be available for viewing at the ASPCA Adoption Center on Wednesday, January 13, between Noon and 7:00 P.M. Says the ASPCA: "Adoption fees will range from $75 to $200, and include all medical and behavioral treatments, vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery and a microchip."

For additional information, please visit ASPCA.org or call the Operation Chihuahua” hotline at (212) 876-7700, ext. 3210.

Stars and Their Dogs

On New Year's Day, the New York Daily News created a slideshow of celebrities and their animals. To be honest, I hadn't a clue that half the celebs they included even own dogs. Some noteworthy findings: Christina Ricci's dog is basically bigger than she is (shocker); Ashley Tisdale apparently dyes her hair to match her pooch; home wrecker Sienna Miller's dog, Bess, is darling; Dog the Bounty Hunter apparently owns a Boston Terrier (who knew?); and Matthew McConaughey's dogs look like they're sick and freakin' tired of jogging after him on the beach.

Check it the slideshow here.

Happy Friday!

You may have already seen this, but it's worth watching again either way. Amazing. Get yourself a box of Kleenex first.