Rat Bite Disease

K-9s in question: Bay Area police dogs bite with little consequence Police dog bites can cause severe injuries but there has never been any legislation proposed or passed in California to regulate K-9s. In the Bay Area, San Jose police lead the pack with the most number of dog bites. MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - Joel Alejo was taking a nap in the backyard of his family's Mountain View home when he was startled awake by a German shepherd's teeth piercing his right leg. The attack, he said, seemed to go on forever.  "Dersh! Dersh! Dersh! Deeerrrsh!" the dog's Palo Alto police handler cried, compelling the animal in its native Czech to bite again and again.   "I'm still shaking to this day," Alejo told KTVU in a recent interview, as he remembered the June 2020 attack that left him physically and emotionally scarred.  The episode turned out to be a grievous error by law enforcement who were searching

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Show Caption Hide Caption What you need to know about rabies How to identify if an animal has rabies, how to protect your pets and more things you should know about the disease. Sady Swanson A bat in Larimer County has tested positive for rabies, the first instance so far this year. There is no evidence the bat ever came into contact with humans, according to the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment, but it did interact with two dogs. The dogs exposed to the bat were current on their vaccines and received rabies vaccine boosters after their exposure to the bat. The exposure occurred in the 3100 block of North Shields Street, north of U.S. Highway 287, on Friday, May 27. The health department reminds pet and livestock owners to make sure their animals have received rabies vaccines and to seek guidance from their veterinarians. Read on to learn more about rabies

If you have a dog, you've likely seen it: Your canine companion lying on the ground, pedaling its legs through the air, maybe growling or trying to bark... but the dog is asleep. If you haven't, you may not be paying close enough attention. But don't worry—one Reddit user, u/EliEatsBEANS, has captured the phenomenon in a video that has gone viral. The video, posted in Reddit's r/WhatsWrongWithYourDog forum, is titled "My dog started doing this while dreaming, he's never bared his teeth before. Angry dream" followed by a dog emoji. The 15-second clip shows the dog twitching and growling and showing its teeth—all while still asleep. The post has attracted over 13,000 upvotes and more than 280 comments, many of which were from users sharing similar stories of their dogs. U/Forward_Cobbler1319 commented "Ever had a dream that you're just kicking all the ass in the world? I like to imagine that's what's happening here." In a humorous com

Amy Norton THURSDAY, May 26, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers may finally have definitive proof of what's caused recent outbreaks of a rare polio-like illness in U.S. children: a respiratory virus that is usually harmless. The condition, called acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), attacks tissue in the spinal cord, causing muscles and reflexes to weaken suddenly. In some cases, it also impairs breathing muscles, forcing patients to go on a ventilator. Since 2014, the United States has seen mysterious spikes in AFM cases, almost all in young children. Experts have thought that a viral infection is the driver, with a respiratory virus called enterovirus D68 being the prime suspect. Now, researchers say, they have the strongest evidence yet that the virus is indeed to blame: They found genetic material from EV-D68 in spinal cord cells from a child who died of AFM.

Campylobacter gastroenteritis is a type of stomach infection that occurs due to Campylobacter bacteria. People may refer to it as food poisoning. Most cases are likely to occur as a result of eating undercooked meat such as chicken or beef or unwashed produce. The infection impacts the small intestine and causes a range of gastrointestinal symptoms. This article discusses campylobacter gastroenteritis, including its symptoms, causes, and treatment options. It also looks at ways to prevent the condition and examines its link to pet food and sandboxes. Campylobacter gastroenteritis is a common intestinal infection that occurs due to Campylobacter bacteria. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Campylobacter bacteria are the most common bacterial cause of diarrheal illness, affecting 1.5 million people in the United States each year. The bacteria may be present in the meat or milk of an animal or pass to water or produce through feces or contact with infec

This transcript has been edited for clarity. One of the worst things that can happen for a clinician is somebody with an infection, particularly if it's something you did surgery or you fit the contact lens. Whether it's a keratitis ophthalmitis, we really don't want it. And what we best want to do is treat it quickly and as best we can right away. One of the things that I'm talking about today is the ARMOR study. It's a surveillance study in the United States of ocular isolates. We've been doing it since 2009, so we have data over a decade, and I'm specifically talking today about staph infections. We saw over 3000 isolates of staph aureus, and nearly 2000 isolates of coagulase-negative staph, including Staph epidermidis. We continue to see a significant amount of methicillin-resistant staph. So in the staph aureus side, it's changed a little bit, it did go down from 39%, to about 37%. And in the coagulase-negative side, it also went down — [it] was ove

Show Caption Hide Caption Misha and Sadie frolic at the Billerica Dog Park Misha and Sadie frolic as their owners watch at the Billerica Dog Park on May 9, 2022. Margaret Smith, wickedlocal.com By all accounts, off-leash parks offer wellness benefits, both for people and dogs. The ASPCA supports dog parks for off-leash exercise, in particular for dogs in cities with limited exercise options, and as a chance to socialize with other dogs. However, most parks have rules to ensure safe and healthy enjoyment of the parks.  Many dog parks are run by volunteers, and need users' help to keep them clean and in good condition. More: MA Off-leash dog parks are fun for people and pets -- but users must follow rules More parks are proposed or in planning stages in several communities, including Westford, Framingham and Brewster, wh

There's no mistaking the low menacing rumble of a dog's growl. Dogs use this vocalization in all kinds of situations from guarding their favorite bone to playing tug-of-war. But what is the underlying motivation for growling? Is it aggression, fear, bossiness, or something else? And what can you do about it? Read on to learn why dogs growl, what it means, and how to handle it. Play Growls Just like barking, growling is a form of canine communication that has many triggers. It all depends on the situation and the dog. In fact, some growling is positive. Many dogs grunt and grumble during playtime because they're having fun. Have you ever seen two dogs wrestling? Chances are you heard some growling. You might have thought that meant the roughhousing had gone too far, but it was likely all part of the game. Growling during play does not mean your dog is aggressive. It simply means they're having a great time. Your dog might even grow

You can treat strep throat with antibiotics, which can relieve symptoms in as little as 24 hours.  To treat strep throat effectively, you will likely need to take antibiotics for 10 days to fully resolve the bacterial infection. You may also want to use these home remedies to treat strep throat and relieve your symptoms. This article was medically reviewed by Julia Blank, MD, family medicine physician at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice. Strep throat is a bacterial infection in the throat and tonsils that is highly contagious. It's commonly characterized by a sore and swollen throat, a fever, and pain when swallowing.  Antibiotics are the most effective form of treatment for strep throat, and they can help relieve symptoms in as little as 24 hours. Home remedies can also help soothe a sore throat,

Food aggression is dangerous for both dogs and their humans. (Picture Credit: Tatyana/Getty Images) Who owns the dog food in your house once it hits the bowl? Does Rover run you out of the kitchen when he is eating dinner? What happens if you need to take away a tasty bone or chew? If food, bones, or chews turn your sweetie into a growling, snarling monster, then your dog has an issue with resource guarding, or CPA — canine possession aggression. Food aggression is the most common form of CPA. Advertisement Here's what you should know about food aggression and guarding in dogs and what you can do about it. Does Your Dog Eat Alone Or In Good Company? We tend to teach our children to "leave the dog alone while they eat." This is for good reason, as most dogs view small children no differently than they view other dogs. However, if the adults in the family must also tip-toe around the dog when they're eating, the dog may perceive themselves as the true "o

Proper leash training can prevent pulling and injuries. (Picture Credit: Teamjackson/Getty Images) Pulling on the leash is a common problem, hence the old "Who's walking who?" joke. And many of us unknowingly perpetuate it by letting ourselves be dragged along like a hooked fish. So how do you stop it? First, stop rewarding the behavior. Advertisement Whether it's a new puppy or an older dog, never let your dog or pup get anywhere they're pulling. You're walking them, not the other way around. Here are a few things you should know about leash training your dog to get rid of that pulling habit. Why Is Your Dog Pulling? An energetic dog pulls because they're eager to go, go, go. A curious pup lunges toward a fascinating dog, person, shrub, butterfly, or whatever grabs their attention. A nervous pooch may drag you home in their eagerness to get back to the safety of their own turf. There are many reasons dogs pull, but they all boil down to this: dogs pull