Search Results for: blog what is bird flu

Should You Get Your Dog A Flu Shot?

Today in “vaccines I didn’t know existed for dogs” (last time it was for Lyme disease): canine influenza. That’s right, you can get a flu shot for your dog. Pet website ZooToo takes a look at it. Apparently, dog flu is a thing. I have to say I’ve never heard of it, not the way I’ve heard about bird or even pig flus. The difference is that while those strains can pass to humans, canine influenza doesn’t. It’s basically just dogs getting the flu, in a particular strain that won’t infect us. So while we might have to worry about … Continue reading →

Insurance Blog Week in Review – Week of March 4 – 11, 2012

Posted on by

Each and every week, there can be anywhere between twelve and fourteen different blogs appearing on the Insurance Blog. Keeping up with the Insurance Blog is a good way to stay informed about insurance changes that can affect your family. Use the Week in Review is a quick way to “ketchup”! Examining a Potential Health Insurance Plan I am, once again, attempting to find an affordable health insurance policy. In this blog, I go over what some of the abbreviations, phrases, and numbers in the health plan I am looking at actually mean. The Insurance Podcast Roundup went up on … Continue reading →

Be Prepared for a Flu Pandemic

The 2009 appearance of H1N1, or Swine Flu, reminded us all of the real possibility of a devastating flu pandemic in our lifetimes. Because of this, it is good to be prepared. Knowing what to do in advance as well as how to prepare can minimize or eliminate the personal risk of a flu pandemic to you and your family. Here is what you need to know in order to be prepared. A flu pandemic is one that occurs worldwide. It could be made up of any kind of flu, from seasonal flu to bird flu to H1N1 to another … Continue reading →

Winter Birding With Your Preschooler

The air is cold and crisp, but not too crisp. It’s sunny out, and it’s perfect weather for birding. Before we go back to our usual deluge, we’ve been able to spot a lot of birds who cluster around our backyard feeder. We’re intermittent bird feeders in the summer, but winter birds can usually depend on us. My daughter and I love to watch them, especially after the first snowfall comes and the birds leave tiny footprints on the snow. Some of the birds in our area migrate to warmer places for the winter, while others move down from the … Continue reading →

Swine Flu: Overview

The flu is back in the news lately — specifically an outbreak of swine influenza in Mexico and parts of the United States. What is swine flu? It is a type A influenza virus that infects pigs. In general, swine flu has a high infection rate but a low death rate; it is most commonly seen in late fall and winter (similar to human influenza). Pigs can be infected by other strains of flu — including avian influenza and human influenza. When viruses are passed between different species, they can swap genes — known as reassorting — and create new … Continue reading →

Baby Blog Month in Review: September 2008

Here are all of the Baby Blog articles that were posted last month. September 1st Baby Blog Month in Review: August 2008 Isn’t it crazy the way babies grow so quickly? It seems that you just get used to one stage and boom they are already into another. Tonight, were busy getting the household all set for my eldest child’s first day of second grade. My two younger ones are excited and want to start school, too. It will be a busy month. September 2nd Babies Are Built to Say “Mama” and “Dada” First! Do you remember your baby’s first … Continue reading →

Baby Blog Month in Review: June 2008

June was my first official month posting for the Baby Blog. It has been a great experience. I love learning new things about babies and sharing it with friends. Of course, I could use your help. Whether you are a first-time mom or an experienced mom of a large family, I want to hear from you. Please share your advice, your questions and your comments. On which topics would you like to see more blogs? Meanwhile, take a look at all of the articles we had in June. June 2nd Introducing Babies to Birds Perhaps it is the fact that … Continue reading →

Introducing Babies to Birds

Perhaps it is the fact that my mother used to call me a Butterball turkey (I was a fat baby) or the many references to feathering one’s nest in preparation for a child or having a nesting instinct, but I have always seen an association between babies and birds. Both are delicate creatures that are tiny, cute and can make a lot of noise. Introducing your baby to birds can be a fun and educational experience for you both. Through birds, you can introduce the following concepts: Colors from a bright red cardinal to a dull brown mourning dove, brilliant … Continue reading →

Birds, Bees, and Fish: Sometimes the Topic Arises Earlier for Adopted Kids

Posted on by

I really hadn’t planned to talk about reproduction with Meg for quite a while yet. I guess I should have anticipated that knowing she had a birthmother and a foster mother before we became her parents would spark some questions like, “What exactly makes someone a birth parent, exactly, if “birth parent” does not refer to the people who are actually parenting her?” At some point the topic of skin color came up and Meg heard that it came from your parents. Since this obviously didn’t mesh with her experience, I had told her that it came from her birth … Continue reading →

Flu Type A vs. Type B

Lately, I find the flu capturing my interest. For a long time, I thought the flu was just the flu. Just another virus going around. But it turns out that there’s more than one type of flu… WAY more than one. The influenza virus is divided into three types: Type A: the most common version of the flu. It is also the most serious — the one that caused flu epidemics throughout history. Influenza A can infect people, birds, pigs, horses, and other animals. Type B: a milder version of the flu. Also to blame for epidemics in the past, … Continue reading →