H1N1 Influenza Information

For more information regarding H1N1 Influenza (Swine Flu) please check out or website at http://aevm.tamu.edu and looking under the title "Swine Flu". The CDC has a check list of what you can do to stay healthy.

What You Can Do to Stay Healthy

* Stay informed.
* Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.
* Take everyday actions to stay healthy.
o Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
o Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
o Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
o Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
* Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
* Develop a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of food, medicines, facemasks, alcohol-based hand rubs and other essential supplies.
* Call 1-800-CDC-INFO for more information.

Springtime Yard Hazards for Pets

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the Web at http://tamunews.tamu.edu/.





Springtime is garden time. Spring is when we plant new plants and get our yards ready to shine. While you are preparing your outdoor areas for your family to enjoy just make sure you take the steps to ensure that it is safe for your pets to enjoy as well.



"When planting your garden it is important to note that there are numerous house and garden plants which can be toxic to animals," warns Dr. Murl Bailey, professor of toxicology at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. "Several that come to mind initially are brunfelsia, lilies, cycads, kolanchoe, and oleander."



Brunfelsia, more commonly known as the yesterday, today & tomorrow plant, causes convulsive seizures in dogs that resemble strychnine poisoning.



"We haven't seen any problems in cats from brunfelsia, as of this date," notes Bailey. "While this plant is mostly a house plant, it could be in sheltered gardens in the southern part of Texas."



Cycads, low growing palm trees which are used both indoors and outdoors, are another type of plant that is toxic to dogs as they tend to chew on the roots. The cycad has a toxin in the root and stems that is toxic to the liver.



"When the liver is affected, the dog's body stops producing the normal, endogenous clotting factors and the dogs start bleeding excessively--to the extent that they can bleed to death," explains Bailey.



While brunfelsia and cycads may not be known to cause problems in cats, lilies are especially harmful to them. Once cats ingest lilies, they develop nausea and vomiting. Then they get depressed, and stop eating.



"Why cats like to eat them I don't know, probably boredom, but once they do these cats must be treated by a veterinarian, preferably within

24 hours and not later than 48 hours," states Bailey. "We do not know which toxin(s) are present in the lilies, but they are very toxic to the kidneys."



Kolanchoe is a type of house plant that is known to be toxic. This plant contains a chemical which is similar to the human heart medication, digoxin.



"The garden plant oleander also contains digoxin-like compounds. Both kolanchoe and oleander can be toxic to all animals, including dogs and cats, if ingested," says Bailey.



While spring is a time to plant beautiful flowers in your yard, it also brings pesky insects out in numbers. Because of this, another potential hazard this time of year is pesticides.



"All pesticides can cause problems in dogs and cats if the chemicals are stored incorrectly and misused," warns Bailey.



Bailey stresses that labels on all chemicals should be read very carefully and followed, especially when used around pets. He notes that animals do not have to eat the toxin; they can also become exposed through the skin and in the case of volatile agents, can be exposed just by breathing the contaminated air.



"If a pesticide is not specifically labeled to be used on dogs and/or cats, the pesticide can cause toxicities," Bailey states. "Some insecticides are labeled specifically for dogs and not for cats so it is important to read the labels thoroughly."



While there are more and more products out there that claim to be environmentally safe or "green," Bailey is not entirely convinced of their worth.



"Many alternative and "so-called" environmentally safe compounds are usually not very effective in controlling fleas, flies and ticks. The best thing for an animal owner to do is follow the labeled instructions," he adds.



Spring is a great time to enhance and enjoy the outdoors. Taking the time to make sure that everything you put in and on your yard is safe for your furry friends will ensure this time is special for the entire family.

Cattle escaping fire death may have secondary injuries

AgriLife Extension: Consult a veterinarian to identify additional inju
April 14, 2009
Writer(s):

Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5600,SKledbetter@ag.tamu.edu

Contact(s):Dr. Floron Faries, (979) 845-4353, ffaries@cvn.tamu.edu
Dr. Ted McCollum, (806) 677-5600, tmccollu@ag.tamu.edu
Dr. Ron Gill, (979) 845-1541, rgill@ag.tamu.edu

COLLEGE STATION � Analyzing injuries to cattle following a wildfire is important to minimize losses, said Texas AgriLife Extension Service specialists.

"It might look like they've made it and there was no visible physical damage," said Dr. Floron "Buddy" Faries, AgriLife Extension program leader for veterinary medicine. "However, it's important to have them looked at by a veterinarian as soon as possible because there could be secondary problems that lead to infections and further problems."

Health disorders such as burned eyes, feet, udders, sheaths and testicles, as well as smoke inhalation with lung inflammation and edema, are the most common problems, Faries said.

Wildfires have ripped across thousands of acres of ranchland, trapping cattle and causing injuries, and in some cases death, said Ron Gill, associate department head for animal science and AgriLife Extension livestock specialist in College Station.

In one single wildfire area, producers have lost more than 100 head of cattle. Other producers are reporting secondary problems, such as scorched or burned cattle.

"One of the immediate problems that has to be dealt with within two or three days is damage to the feet and the coronary band above the hoof," Gill said. "It may take 10 days to two weeks for the damage to start showing. The cattle will start sloughing the hoof wall and develop secondary infections and become lame and unable or unwilling to stand."

The main thing AgriLife Extension is working on with veterinarians is what symptoms to look for and what actions to take if lameness begins to appear, Gill said.

Another major concern is for lactating cows and the potential to develop mastitis, he said. Damage to teats and udders will prevent calves from nursing. Calves that survived the fire have a higher risk of becoming �dogie� calves due to the inability to nurse or the loss of their dam.

The fires came at a very inopportune time for ranchers who are beginning the calving season, said Dr. Ted McCollum, AgriLife Extension livestock specialist in Amarillo.

"We probably had a lot of calves that were laying out susceptible to the fire, as fast as it was moving across there," McCollum said. "They had no place to go. Also there will be a lot of mothers with potentially scorched udders. The calves that survived won't be able to suckle the mothers who have sore udders."

�Producers should be looking for bawling calves to provide replacement milk or to sell to someone who can care for these calves,� said Gill.

A veterinarian should be consulted to see if the animal can be treated, Faries said. If not, decisions concerning sending them to market need to be made immediately before secondary complications develop.

�Cattle that have an elevated temperature due to secondary infections or cannot stand or walk cannot be salvaged for slaughter,� Gill said. �If a veterinarian has determined that the prognosis for recovery is poor, the animal should be humanely euthanized and the carcass properly disposed of.�

Faries said animals that were not evacuated and remained in a fire danger zone, even if only for a short time, could suffer injuries. A fire-danger zone is the area where the livestock risk inhaling smoke, and changes according to the wind direction. Smoke can move for miles, and cattle that are not near the flames or heat could suffer some injury.

Contact with burning grass, weeds and brush causes immediate burns; however, inhalation of smoke causes immediate irritation to the lining of the respiratory system, including nasal passages, trachea and lungs, Faries said. This can lead to inflammation, edema and emphysema, with the severity determined by the duration of inhaled smoke.

"The time it takes to cause damage might only have to be a few minutes with high quantities of smoke and may be hours in low quantities of smoke," he said. In addition, the lining of the eyelids and eyeballs can be irritated and lead to secondary infections causing additional illness or even death, Faries said.

Once the fire has passed, a veterinarian should be consulted immediately for any animals with severe burns or direct smoke exposure. Other livestock should also be evaluated for possible health disorders and treatment or determining if the animal can be salvaged for slaughter or should be euthanized, he said.

The prognosis for mild cases may be good with treatment and will be cost-effective, Faries said.

Monitoring should continue for weeks after the event, he said, because of the secondary complications that could be indicated by a cough or cloudy eyes in the animals.

"Before these secondary complications of infection occur, immediate slaughter for human consumption may be the most appropriate, humane procedure," Faries said. "Prior to slaughter, an antemortem inspection will be conducted by veterinary meat inspectors to determine safety and wholesomeness for human food.� -30-

Early Detection of Fire Damage Can Minimize Cattle Losses Due to Fire

Early Detection of Fire Damage Can Minimize Cattle Losses Due to Fire

Writer: Kay Ledbetter, (806) 677-5608,skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Floron Faries, (979) 845-4353,ffaries@cvn.tamu.edu
Dr. Ted McCollum, (806) 677-5600,tmccollu@ag.tamu.edu
Dr. Ron Gill, (979) 845-1541,rgill@ag.tamu.edu

COLLEGE STATION – Analyzing injuries to cattle following a wildfire is important to minimize losses, said a Texas AgriLife Extension specialist.

"It might look like they've made it and there was no visible physical damage," said Dr. Floron "Buddy" Faries, Extension program leader for veterinary medicine. "However, it's important to have them looked at by a veterinarian as soon as possible because there could be secondary problems that lead to infections and further problems."

Health disorders such as burned eyes, feet, udders, sheaths and testicles, as well as smoke inhalation with lung inflammation and edema are the most common problems, Faries said.

Wildfires have ripped across thousands of acres of ranchland, trapping cattle and causing injuries, and in some cases (no comma) death, said Ron Gill, Associate Department Head and Extension livestock specialist in College Station.

In one single wildfire area, producers have lost over 100 head of cattle. Other producers are reporting secondary problems, such as scorched or burned cattle.

"One of the immediate problems that has to be dealt with within two or three days is damage to the feet from damage to the coronary band above the hoof," Gill said. "It may take 10 days to two weeks for the damage to start showing. The cattle will start sloughing the hoof wall and develop secondary infections and become lame and unable or unwilling to stand."

The main thing Extension is working on with veterinarians is what symptoms to look for and what actions to take if lameness begins to appear, he said.

"To assure the welfare of the affected animals, veterinarians need to be consulted," Faries said. "If, in the event the animal is not going to be able to be treated, decisions concerning sending them to market need to be made immediately before secondary complications develop."

“Cattle that have an elevated temperature due to secondary infections or cannot stand or walk cannot be salvaged for slaughter, “Gill said. “If a veterinarian has determined that the prognosis for recovery is poor the animal should be humanely euthanized and the carcass properly disposed of.”

Faries advised having an animal evacuation and rescue plan in place and implementing it ahead of a wildfire. The plans should include ways of moving livestock to premises out of the fire danger zone and preventing any damages.

This may include loading the livestock into trailers and hauling them, or opening gates or cutting fences and releasing the livestock to drive them to a safer place, he said.

A fire danger zone is the area where the livestock risk inhaling smoke, he said, and will change according to the wind direction.

Smoke can move for miles, and cattle that are not near the flames or heat could suffer some damage, Faries said.

Contact with burning grass, weeds and brush causes immediate burns, he said. The severity of the burns will be determined by the degree of heat.

However, inhalation of smoke causes immediate irritation to the lining of the respiratory system, including nasal passages, trachea and lungs, Faries said. This can lead to inflammation, edema and emphysema, with the severity determined by the duration of inhaled smoke, he said.

"The time it takes to cause damage might only have to be a few minutes with high quantities of smoke and may be hours in low quantities of smoke," he said.

In addition, the lining of the eyelids and eyeballs can be irritated and lead to secondary infections causing additional illness or even death, Faries said.

Once the fire has passed, a veterinarian should be consulted immediately for any animals with severe burns or direct smoke exposure. Other livestock should also be evaluated for possible health disorders and treatment or determining if the animal can be salvaged for slaughter or should be euthanized, he said.

The prognosis of mild cases may be good with treatment and will be cost-effective, Faries said.

Monitoring should continue for weeks after the event, he said, because of the secondary complications that could be indicated by a cough or cloudy eyes in the animals.

"Before these secondary complications of infection occur, immediate slaughter for human consumption may be the most appropriate humane procedure," Faries said. "Prior to slaughter, an antemortem inspection will be conducted by veterinary meat inspectors to determine safety and wholesomeness for human food."

When is the right time to deworm cattle?

Short grass is commonly thought of causing wormy cattle by the cattle grazing down where the worms are. But that thought is a misunderstanding. Producers assume that this is the right time to deworm since the cattle look wormy, when actually the poor body and hair coat conditions are related to malnutrition from low intake of roughages on short grass pastures. When grass is short from dry conditions and overgrazing, the worms are not in the soil; the larvae have died from the dryness and sunlight, and also from the heat in the summer.

Don't look at the cattle, look at the ground...any wet grass over a period of weeks?

To be ingested by cattle, the larvae swim up the grass blades while the grass is wet from rain or dew and the soil temperatures are above 55º F. As the grass dries, the larvae go back down with the evaporating moisture. When cattle graze dry grass, they do not ingest larvae, because the larvae cannot crawl up dry grass. While the grass is dry without dew or rain, the cattle do not get worms. After weeks of dry weather, larvae die, and without grass mats for cover, the pastures become free of contamination. Therefore, pastures during drought conditions and under good management practices are not contaminated.

The key is to time the deworming during recent optimal transmission when larvae are developing in the spring or fall or during inhibition of larvae in the summer before the larvae emerge in early fall. While pastures are contaminated with larvae, it may be cost‑effective to worm if the cattle have become exposed to enough larvae during 3‑6 weeks of continuous rains when the larvae are active in soil temperatures of 55‑85º F. If these conditions occur in the spring, summer or fall on contaminated pastures, the timing to deworm the cattle is following 3‑6 weeks of continuous rain. When the timing is right for deworming, the cost-effectiveness is expected in nursing calves and young cattle since they are more susceptible but is not always expected in adults since they are more resistant.

If rains do not come, cost‑effectiveness of deworming cattle is questioned. When it is dry in the spring, do not deworm; wait until the cattle get the worms. Spotty rains this year may be an indication that it is coming for some, but that has not been for many places.

The farms that did not receive rainfall during last fall did not receive pasture contamination going into the winter. Contamination on any farm was lost during the winter due to pasture larvae killed by desiccation if the farm has been under drought conditions. Cattle on drought pastures since last fall do not have worms and do not need deworming at this time. Ones must wait for the right time on their farm. It is understood by science that deworming drought-pastured cattle would not result in economic benefits.

_____________________________________________________
Floron C. Faries, Jr., DVM, MS
Professor and Extension Program Leader for Veterinary Medicine
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Texas A&M System
2487 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-2487
979-845-4353
ffaries@cvm.tamu.edu
http://aevm.tamu.edu

CARP - Shelter Function is Available

I would like to let everyone know that the Community Animal Response Plan (CARP) Guide for Sheltering has been completed and is available at: http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/emergency/Mar2009_ShelterFunction-CARP.pdf.