Animal Rescue in Haiti Seeking Donations

Emma Clifford of Animal Balance based in San Francisco, sent SF Dogs Examiner the following list of supplies needed for the animal rescue efforts in Haiti.

Clifford has been in the Dominican Republic conducting a spay/neuter mission on behalf of Animal Balance since before the earthquake hit Haiti. She is now coordinating veterinary supplies that will be sent into Haiti.

In an e-mail SF Dogs Examiner received from Clifford, she says,

Hi Everyone,
As we haven’t heard yet from our contacts in Haiti as to what they exactly need, we have put together a supply list for animal medical emergencies. As soon as I hear from them I will update it and send it to you all. I will post this on Animal Balance’s site now, send to our database of vets and techs etc.. and ask that you send it out through your networks too.

Send all donations to this address:
H.A.L.O.
P.O.Box 595
St. Petersburg, FL 33731

or (if delivery requires a signature)
826 63 rd Ave. South
St. Petersburg FL 33705

Donations Needed:
(Please do not send out-of-date or opened items that cannot be shipped.)
Topical parasite medications – any brand
Gauze sponges – all sizes
Betadine
Suture – non absorbable, monofilament
Iodine
Exam gloves – all sizes
Surgical glue
Bandage materials
Needles – 20ga, 22ga,18ga with 1 inch needle
Syringes – 3 cc to 12 cc, 20 cc,1cc
Hydrogen peroxide
Surgical Instruments
Hacksaw
Surgery packs
Hemostats
Benzall
Fluids – LRS, NaCl 9%
IV lines – fluid administration set, 15 drop per ml sets
KMR or another kind of powdered form milk/energy replacer
Ensure.
Canned AD, baby foods, (to go though syringe for force feeding, high energy, low volume)
Stethoscopes
Thermometers
Disposable cloth gowns
Drape material in sterile sleeves
Toxiban
Activated Charcoal
Sterile surgery blades – sizes 10 and 15
Pyrantal
Metacam
Ivermectin
Injectable Vitamins: B complex, Vitamin B 12, Vitamin C
Injectable nsaid eg Rimadyl, Medacam or Kedoprohen (pain and fever relief)
Injectable penicillin, dual pin or Polyflex
Dexamthasone, dex SP
Soludelta cortef,
Antrophine

The original article is here.

Major veterinary drug recall gets bigger. Animal anesthetic drug pulled off market, but questions remain

Click here to go to the SFGate page.

What if your veterinarian was using a recalled drug — and didn’t know it?

That’s not a hypothetical question. On Sept. 4, at least two veterinary drugs made by Teva Animal Health, Inc., a division of Israeli-based Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, were recalled by the FDA, which shut the company down in July. But few veterinarians or pet owners were aware of the recall until the end of December.

Although the reported deaths of five cats led the FDA to issue public recall notices on Dec. 22 and Dec. 29, just what products are involved, and over what time period they were manufactured and sold, remains unclear.

The recalls involve two commonly used injectable veterinary drugs: butorphanol, a fast-acting opioid used to control pain from surgical procedures in dogs and cats, and the anesthetic agent ketamine.

Ketamine is part of a “cocktail” of drugs that induces anesthesia in animals, including dogs and cats. It can be used, usually with valium, prior to surgery, a dental cleaning and sometimes as a form of restraint for procedures such as an imaging scan. It’s not the only drug that can be used in this way, but it’s one of the most common.

The only explanation so far given as to just what’s wrong with the recalled ketamine came in a press release issued by the FDA on Dec. 22, which said, “This recall is being conducted as a result of an increased trend in serious adverse events associated with this product, including lack of effect, prolonged effect, and death.”

(more…)

“Mine” Lost Animal Documentary at Roxie Theatre in SF This Weekend

MINE is a feature-length, independent documentary about the essential bond between humans and animals, set against the backdrop of one of the worst natural disasters in modern U.S. history: Hurricane Katrina. This gripping, character-driven story follows New Orleans residents as they attempt the daunting task of trying to reunite with their pets who have been adopted by families all over the country, and chronicles the custody battles that arise when two families love the same pet. Who determines the fate of the animals—and the people—involved? A compelling meditation on race, class and the power of compassion, MINE examines how we treat animals as an extension of how we view and treat each other. Directed by: Geralyn Pezanoski. United States, 2009. Running time: 81 min.

Click here to visit the official website for the film.

The Roxie is located at 3117 16th Street in San Francisco. (415)-863-1087

Click here to see times and order tickets.