Veterinarians Stress Importance of Handwashing
Schaumburg, Ill.
— The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) is joining other U.S. public health organizations in urging everyone to take their health into their hands by observing National Handwashing Awareness Week, December 7-13.
Created in 1999 by physician Dr. Will Sawyer due to a flu vaccine shortage in Cincinnati, National Handwashing Awareness Week is now an officially declared observation by governor's offices and state departments of health across the country.
According to Dr. James O. Cook, president of the AVMA, proper handwashing can greatly reduce the spread of disease between animals and people, known as zoonotic disease.
"We are exposed to germs or expose others to germs as we go through our day, interacting with animals and other people," says Dr. Cook. "Keeping our hands free of germs through proper handwashing is often the best way to avoid getting sick or spreading diseases to other people."
Dogs and cats, especially those that go outside, can carry germs from the environment into the home on their fur, paws, or in their mouths. Some animals, like turtles, iguanas, snakes, and lizards, often carry Salmonella bacteria.
Petting zoos, farms, county fairs, and other sites that allow human contact with farm animals pose a risk for the spread of E. coli, among other diseases. Simple hand washing can reduce the risk of spreading these diseases.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year 5,000 people die from food-borne illnesses. A direct link to many of these deaths is poor handwashing. In addition, there are 76 million food-borne illnesses resulting in more than 300,000 hospital admissions each year.
Dr. Cook says that it is critical to wash your hands before and after food preparation and eating, as well as after handling animals. Use soap and running water and scrub all surfaces of your hands for 20 seconds before drying with a paper towel.
If soap and water aren't available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used to clean hands of germs. Since 2002, the CDC has recommended that health care workers use these sanitizers after treating patients, and Dr. Cook has fitted his animal hospital with sanitizer dispensers outside of each exam room.
"Simple steps such as these go a long way in preventing the spread of disease among my staff and clients," said Dr. Cook.
For more information on zoonotic disease, visit the AVMA's Web site at www.avma.org. Media requests for an expert on zoonotic disease should be made to Michael San Filippo, AVMA media relations assistant, at 847-285-6687 (office), 847-732-6194 (cell), or msanfilippo@avma.org.
For more information on National Handwashing Awareness Week, visit www.henrythehand.com/.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
FDA planning to ban cattle brains, spinal cords from all animal feed
Federal authorities are accepting comments on a planned regulation that would prohibit use of some cattle tissues in all animal feeds by late April.
The regulation published by the Food and Drug Administration is intended to reduce the risk of transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy by prohibiting use of brains and spinal cords from cattle 30 months and older in all animal feed. The materials are already prohibited from use in feed for ruminants, including cattle, sheep, and goats.
"The added measure of excluding high-risk materials from all animal feeds addresses risks associated with accidental feeding of such material to cattle, which could occur through cross-contamination of ruminant feed with non-ruminant feed or feed ingredients during manufacture and transport or through misfeeding of non-ruminant feed to ruminants on the farm," states a Nov. 25 update from the FDA.
The FDA is accepting comments through Jan. 26. The proposed rule is scheduled take effect April 27.
The regulation would also ban from animal feed the entire carcasses of all BSE test-positive cattle, the entire carcass of any cow 30 months or older that is not inspected and passed for human consumption and from which the brain and spinal cord is not removed, tallow derived from the prohibited materials that contain more than 0.15 percent insoluble impurities, and mechanically separated beef derived from the prohibited materials, according to information from the FDA.
Consumption of beef infected with BSE is presumed to cause variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.
The FDA also released in late November a report indicating that, of 7,876 firms that handle materials prohibited from use in ruminant feed, none had violations of the Ruminant Feed Ban that warranted regulatory sanctions during their most recent inspections, and 121 required voluntary corrective action. The firms examined by state and federal inspectors include renderers, feed mills, protein blenders, ruminant feeders, on-farm mixers, pet food manufacturers, animal feed salvagers, distributors, retailers, and animal feed transporters.
The regulation published by the Food and Drug Administration is intended to reduce the risk of transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy by prohibiting use of brains and spinal cords from cattle 30 months and older in all animal feed. The materials are already prohibited from use in feed for ruminants, including cattle, sheep, and goats.
"The added measure of excluding high-risk materials from all animal feeds addresses risks associated with accidental feeding of such material to cattle, which could occur through cross-contamination of ruminant feed with non-ruminant feed or feed ingredients during manufacture and transport or through misfeeding of non-ruminant feed to ruminants on the farm," states a Nov. 25 update from the FDA.
The FDA is accepting comments through Jan. 26. The proposed rule is scheduled take effect April 27.
The regulation would also ban from animal feed the entire carcasses of all BSE test-positive cattle, the entire carcass of any cow 30 months or older that is not inspected and passed for human consumption and from which the brain and spinal cord is not removed, tallow derived from the prohibited materials that contain more than 0.15 percent insoluble impurities, and mechanically separated beef derived from the prohibited materials, according to information from the FDA.
Consumption of beef infected with BSE is presumed to cause variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.
The FDA also released in late November a report indicating that, of 7,876 firms that handle materials prohibited from use in ruminant feed, none had violations of the Ruminant Feed Ban that warranted regulatory sanctions during their most recent inspections, and 121 required voluntary corrective action. The firms examined by state and federal inspectors include renderers, feed mills, protein blenders, ruminant feeders, on-farm mixers, pet food manufacturers, animal feed salvagers, distributors, retailers, and animal feed transporters.
FDA Continues to Receive Complaints About Chicken Jerky Products
FDA Continues to Receive Complaints About Chicken Jerky Products
Schaumburg, Ill.
— More than a year after warning consumers about a possible link between certain chicken jerky products imported from China and illness in dogs, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to receive complaints from pet owners and veterinarians claiming these products are making dogs sick.
In addition, the University of Sydney is currently investigating an association between illness in dogs and the consumption of chicken jerky after recent complaints in Australia, and one Australian firm has recalled their chicken jerky product, which the company says was manufactured in China.
In a statement released Friday afternoon, the FDA says that "the continued trend of consumer complaints coupled with the information obtained from Australia warrants an additional reminder and animal health notification."
To date, no definitive cause has been determined for the reported illnesses. The FDA and several veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the United States continue to perform extensive chemical and microbial testing but have yet to identify a contaminant in the products.
The FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs chicken jerky products to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs which may occur within hours to days of feeding the product: decreased appetite, although some may continue to consume the treats to the exclusion of other foods; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; and increased water consumption and/or increased urination.
If the dog shows any of these signs, owners stop feeding the chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Urine and blood tests may be consistent with Fanconi syndrome. Although most dogs appear to recover, some reports to the FDA have involved dogs that have died.
Suspected cases should be reported to the FDA. To find the number for the FDA district office consumer complaint coordinator in your region, visit www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html.
The AVMA is monitoring the situation and will provide updated information on our Web site (www.avma.org) as soon as it becomes available. Like all information on our Web site, we will only post information that is credible and has been confirmed.
For more information from the FDA, visit http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/jerky122408.html.
For more information, contact Michael San Filippo, AVMA media relations assistant, at 847-285-6687 (office), 847-732-6194 (cell), or msanfilippo@avma.org.
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The AVMA and its more than 76,000 member veterinarians are engaged in a wide variety of activities dedicated to advancing the science and art of animal, human and public health. Visit the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org for more information.
Schaumburg, Ill.
— More than a year after warning consumers about a possible link between certain chicken jerky products imported from China and illness in dogs, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to receive complaints from pet owners and veterinarians claiming these products are making dogs sick.
In addition, the University of Sydney is currently investigating an association between illness in dogs and the consumption of chicken jerky after recent complaints in Australia, and one Australian firm has recalled their chicken jerky product, which the company says was manufactured in China.
In a statement released Friday afternoon, the FDA says that "the continued trend of consumer complaints coupled with the information obtained from Australia warrants an additional reminder and animal health notification."
To date, no definitive cause has been determined for the reported illnesses. The FDA and several veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the United States continue to perform extensive chemical and microbial testing but have yet to identify a contaminant in the products.
The FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs chicken jerky products to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs which may occur within hours to days of feeding the product: decreased appetite, although some may continue to consume the treats to the exclusion of other foods; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; and increased water consumption and/or increased urination.
If the dog shows any of these signs, owners stop feeding the chicken jerky product. Owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Urine and blood tests may be consistent with Fanconi syndrome. Although most dogs appear to recover, some reports to the FDA have involved dogs that have died.
Suspected cases should be reported to the FDA. To find the number for the FDA district office consumer complaint coordinator in your region, visit www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html.
The AVMA is monitoring the situation and will provide updated information on our Web site (www.avma.org) as soon as it becomes available. Like all information on our Web site, we will only post information that is credible and has been confirmed.
For more information from the FDA, visit http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/jerky122408.html.
For more information, contact Michael San Filippo, AVMA media relations assistant, at 847-285-6687 (office), 847-732-6194 (cell), or msanfilippo@avma.org.
###
The AVMA and its more than 76,000 member veterinarians are engaged in a wide variety of activities dedicated to advancing the science and art of animal, human and public health. Visit the AVMA Web site at www.avma.org for more information.
Good video
I don't believe in drinking milk because I am a vegan but is video discusses soda vs. milk. It's good.
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