Are you at risk of getting the deadly new dog flu?

The Dog Flu Virus: Are You or Your Pet at Risk?

6.29.09 / New York Times

In today’s Science Times, health reporter Donald McNeil writes about a new flu virus circulating in dogs. Mr. McNeil writes:

While fears of a flu pandemic among humans have shifted from the lethal H5N1 avian flu to the relatively mild H1N1 swine flu, the H3N8 canine flu has been a quiet undercurrent in the United States, rarely discussed except among veterinarians and dog owners in the few areas where it has struck hard: Florida, New York City’s northern suburbs, Philadelphia and Denver.

Dr. Cynda Crawford, co-discoverer of the dog flu virus.

This week, Dr. Cynda Crawford, one of the discoverers of the virus and a veterinarian at the University of Florida veterinary school, joins the Consults blog to answers readers’ questions about the dog flu and the first vaccine approved for it.

Read Mr. McNeil’s full story, “New Flu Vaccine Approved — for Dogs.”

Do you have a question about canine flu? Post your questions for Dr. Crawford in the “Add your comments” box below. We will be posting Dr. Crawford’s responses in the coming week. Check back for regular updates.

Info behind stimulus check scams flooding the net

2009 Stimulus Check and Government Grants Scams Flood Internet

3.5.09 / J Powers / Associated Content

When I heard about the economic stimulus package, I Googled the search term to find out what I could about Obama’s $825 billion package. I found many leads on this but didn’t think much of it. Tonight on the news, however, they alerted the public into the most recent 2009 stimulus check scams on the Internet. There are many sites that take advantage of those trying to get a stimulus check, and they usually top the list of search results.

Look closely at the Internet site you go to. If they are charging shipping and handling for a packet of information, it is not a government-certified website. What is worse is many websites take you from one page to the next, and finally in small print in the middle of the Terms and Conditions, it stipulates you will pay a monthly fee. Some fees were a few measly dollars, but others are almost $100 a month!

In addition to stimulus check scams, there are many similar pitfalls out there for U.S. government grants. These websites operate under the same faulty terms and conditions as the economic stimulus packages. Once again, you should not have to pay for a report or list. If you are at a true government website, you should be able to get the information for free. Another form of this scam is by people’s personal accounts that direct you to another website. Stay clear of such examples as this one, which was directly highlighted on the news as one of the top scam sites out there.

Just remember to read all terms and conditions and stay clear of websites that want to charge you any type of fee. Whether it is a small one-time fee or a shipping and handling fee, stick to the government-regulated sites where you will not have to pay for information that should be free.