Serving Brooklyn's Off-Leash Community

West Nile

ASPCA ALERT ... ________________________________________________ 10/3/02 Welcome to ASPCA News Alert, a weekly e-mail newsletter from The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. ATTENTION, DOG OWNERS: IMPORTANT INFO ON WEST NILE VIRUS AND MOSQUITO CONTROL If there's a companion canine in your life, you may be wondering if Rover is at risk of contracting West Nile Virus (WNV). Good news--the vast majority of dogs are not in danger. Because there have been very few reported cases of canines suffering from WNV-related illness, dogs do not appear to be particularly susceptible to the virus. But to set minds at ease and educate dog owners on how to minimize exposure to mosquitoes that transmit various diseases, including WNV and heartworm, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) offers the following suggestions: • Keep pets indoors during times when mosquitoes are most active--dawn, dusk and early evening. Eliminate areas of standing water that can serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and remember to recheck after each rainfall. Be sure to change outdoor water bowls daily to prevent mosquitoes from using them to lay their eggs. • The APCC does not recommend the use of mosquito-control products that contain DEET. Dogs--and cats, too--are extremely sensitive to DEET and may develop neurological problems if a product formulated with DEET is applied to them. • Avoid using pest-control products with concentrated essential oils such as tea tree, pennyroyal and d-limonine. Not only can concentrates of these products cause weakness, paralysis, liver problems and seizures in pets, their effectiveness has not been proven.If you suspect that your pet has been poisoned by pesticides or any other potentially harmful substance, call your veterinarian or the APCC at (888)426-4355. For more information on WNV and pet poison prevention, visit APCC online. ==================================================== Know someone who cares about animals as much as you do? Please forward this issue of ASPCA News Alert to them. Anyone with an e-mail address can register directly at our website. And please tell teachers, humane educators and the children in your life about Animaland, the ASPCA's website for kids.