"Top Pet Toxins" From ASPCA List

The ASPCA released their annual list of top pet toxins on Friday, and for the third year in a row human medication topped that list.

In 2010, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) in Urbana, IL, fielded more than 167,000 phone calls about pets exposed to possibly poisonous substances. Almost one-quarter of calls received was about human medications ingested by pets.

The most common culprits include over the counter painkillers, antidepressants and ADHD medications. Many times the pet accidentally ingested the medication when a pill was dropped on the floor.
Next on the list are insecticides, which made up about 20% of the call volume. That was followed by substances commonly used to kill mice and rats, that was ingested by animals when left around the home.

People food like grapes, raisins, onions and garlic was also a major toxin, as was veterinary medication. Veterinary medication is designed to taste appealing to dogs, which means they are likely to eat all of it at once if given access to it.

Cleaning supplies also made the list. Bleach and detergents can cause corrosive injuries to the mouth and stomach.

Both house plants and outdoor plants can be harmful when ingested by pets. Lilies can cause life- threatening kidney failure in cats, while sago palms can cause liver failure in both dogs and cats.

Herbicides are also likely to be eaten by cats and dogs, as they typically have a salty taste the animals are drawn to.

Outdoor toxins such as antifreeze, fertilizers and ice melts round out the list. These items should be kept in securely locked sheds or up on shelves where pets cannot get to them.

www.wtkr.com

Virginian's Are Urged To Take Part In DEA National Take-Back Day

Governor Bob McDonnell today announced Virginia's participation in the first-ever U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Take-Back Day, a program in which communities will provide collection sites to allow citizens to safely dispose of unused, unwanted or expired medications, to help prevent prescription drug abuse. National Take-Back Day will be held on Saturday, September 25th, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM in more than 75 communities across the Commonwealth. More information about National Take-Back Day and a list of medication drop off sites in the Commonwealth is available online at www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/takeback/index.html or www.dea.gov.

The DEA is coordinating this one-day effort with the assistance of Virginia's Secretary of Public Safety, the Office of the Attorney General, the Virginia State Police, and local law enforcement agencies.

The Virginia Department of Health Professions, which houses the Virginia Prescription Monitoring Program, is spreading the word about National Take-Back Day with Virginias healthcare professionals, agencies, and members of the General Assembly. Speaking about National Take-Back Day, Governor McDonnell commented, "Drug abuse is directly related to increased crime rates, overdose deaths and emergency room visits. In Virginia, drug deaths are comparable to the number of traffic fatalities each year. We want to change the equation by taking preventative steps, including encouraging Virginians to get rid of old medications. People should not hold on to expired or unused medications, particularly in homes with children, teens and seniors which are especially vulnerable to this danger."

Important information about National Take-Back Day:

The program is anonymous and free
Prescription and over-the-counter medications are accepted
Intra-venous solutions, injectables, and needles will not be accepted
Illicit substances such as marijuana or methamphetamine are not a part of this initiative
Medications may be kept in original containers for disposal on National Take-Back Day
Public health officials and environmental quality experts recommend the following action steps for the ongoing disposal of medications:

Participate in community and national pharmaceutical take back programs
Remove unused, unwanted or expired prescription and over-the-counter drugs from their original container and mix with an undesirable substance such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter then place in nondescript sealable bags or containers such as empty cans or sealable bags for disposal

Public health officials now call prescription drug abuse an epidemic. It is the number 2 category of substance abuse, behind marijuana abuse which is number 1.
www.shoredailynews.com

Are Obama suicide panels real?

Watch this and you be the judge.

The American Seniors Association (ASA) a better alternative

As posted yesterday AARP has lost over 60,000 members and counting. Now the ASA has jumped on board and taking advantage of the loss of members by the AARP by offering perks to new members one of the attraction is mail them your torn AARP card and receive a 2 year- for- 1 year membership with ASA.

From the ASA website:

The American Seniors Association (ASA) invites any American Association of Retired Persons member to mail us your torn AARP card and receive a 2 year- for- 1 year membership with ASA. Our organization representing hundreds of thousands of members believes we need health care reform, but we want what is best for seniors. ASA wants to cut wasteful spending in Medicare. ASA wants to see the Congress work to curb frivolous lawsuits that drive up the costs of doctor’s malpractice insurance. Our system needs an overhaul, but we do not need expensive Obamacare or anything resembling it.

ASA is looking out for seniors by fighting a health care reform bill that will cost upward of $1.8 trillion over the next 10 years and cuts in Medicare of $500 billion. ASA wants seniors to live longer, more fulfilling years of life-- not an “end of life” continuum that this bill suggests.

So please mail ASA your torn AARP card and/or visit our website www.americanseniors.org and ensure your voice is heard.

American Seniors Association, 3700 Mansell Road,Suite 220, Alpharetta, GA 30022

AMERICAN SENIORS ASSOCIATION BLASTS OBAMA AARP HEATHCARE PUSH

“President Obama must think the American people are idiots if he thinks the healthcare rationing, restrictions and regulations being debated in Congress will save money and result in better preventative medicine,” says Stuart Barton, president of the Atlanta-based AmericanSeniors.org that represents hundreds of thousands of members nationwide.

“The president told the AARP meeting that opponents are “making people scared.” ”Well, they ought to be scared at current proposals,” Barton said. “The Congressional Budget Office estimates the plan’s cost over 10 years would be $1.2 to $1.8 trillion. That’s absurd in a recession, let alone good times.”

The ASA has three major concerns: 1) a government-run plan would limit patient- doctor choice 2) there would be an employer mandate that would kill jobs and lower wages and 3) the current legislation being debated attacks baby boomer and seniors by cutting $500 billion out of Medicare over the next 10 years.

“On page 425 of the bill, a person must go to counseling every five years to basically learn how to die,” Barton says. “As I read this and hear about no preventative care, it dawned on me that Obama’s plan is to let all these baby boomers die quicker so we don’t have to care for them in old age.”

For more information or to become a ASA member visit their website @ www.americanseniors.org

Unused Medications

Think Twice Before Flushing Meds

By Susan Hindman

Hospitals and long-term care facilities in the United States flush millions of pounds of unused pharmaceuticals down the drain each year, which in turn pumps contaminants into America’s drinking water, according to an ongoing Associated Press investigation. The meds being discarded are expired, spoiled, overprescribed, or unneeded. These actions, AP found, are part of an emerging problem: the presence of minute concentrations of pharmaceuticals in the nation’s drinking water supplies, which may be affecting aquatic species and even human cell growth.

Although large facilities handle the more powerful and toxic drugs, people at home need to be aware of the most environmentally sensitive way to discard their own medications. Dumping them down the sink or toilet is no longer a good idea. In February, the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) issued guidelines—since embraced by the federal government as well—that recommend against doing this. Instead, consumers, doctors, and pharmacies are being urged to dispose of most drugs in the household garbage.

APhA offer these guidelines for disposing of unused medications in the trash:

• Pour liquid medication into a sealable plastic bag. If the medication is a solid (pill, liquid capsule, etc.), crush it or add water to dissolve it.
• Add kitty litter, sawdust, coffee grounds—or any material that mixes with the medication and makes it less appealing for pets and children to eat—to the plastic bag. Seal the bag and put it in the household trash, out of the reach of children and pets.
• Remove and destroy all identifying personal information on the prescription label before recycling the containers or throwing them away.

Another option is to check for approved state and local collection alternatives such as community-based household hazardous waste collection programs. In certain states, you may be able to take your unused medications to your pharmacy or other location for disposal. Consult your pharmacist with any questions.

Earlier this year, APhA joined forces with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America to launch the SMARxT Disposal campaign. The campaign seeks to educate consumers about the environmental impact of improperly disposed medications. Click here for more information about the SMARxT Disposal campaign.