Life-saving coronavirus drug 'major breakthrough.

Life-saving corona virus drug 'major breakthrough. A cheap and widely available drug can help save the lives of patients seriously ill with corona virus.

The low-dose steroid treatment dexamethasone is a major breakthrough in the fight against the deadly virus, UK experts say.

DOG HEALTH BASICS – A SIMPLE GUIDE TO GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT!

  A dog’s health is not limited to them looking or acting unwell, it can include anything that may bring them discomfort or inhibit their normal behavior, such as an excessively matted coat. We have labeled all the basic dog health factors you need to consistently check and maintain to keep your pup feeling healthy and happy.

   

Basic Dog Health Procedures

There are some elements of your dog’s health that require an unavoidable vet trip such as vaccinations or getting them spayed or neutered. Here are the basic dog health procedures you will have to consider.

Vaccinations

Both puppies and dogs require vaccinations to develop resistance against pathogens. This simply summarized means they avoid being affected by certain illnesses after having these shots. Puppies are particularly vulnerable to becoming ill due to a weak immune system. This is because they have not yet developed the resistance many adult dogs will have and therefore vaccinations will enable them to do this.

AGRIBUSINESS: How E-waste affects the environment and our health.

AGRIBUSINESS: How E-waste affects the environment and our health. What is E-waste? E-waste is a short form for electronic waste, it is a term for electronic products that have become unwanted, non-working or obsolete, and have essentially reached the end of their useful life. The effects of improper disposal of e-waste on the environment impacts and pose very real threats and dangers to the global environment at large. Improper disposal of these electronic wastes affect the soil, air, and water components of the environment. AGRIBUSINESS: How E-waste affects the environment and our health. Effects on air One of the most common effect of E-waste on air is through air pollution. For example, a British documentary about Lagos and its inhabitants, called Welcome to Lagos, shows a number of landfill scavengers who go through numerous landfills in Lagos looking for improperly disposed electronics which includes wires, blenders, etc., to make some income from the recycling of these wastes. These men were shown to burn wires to get the copper (a very valuable commodity) in them by open air burning which can release hydrocarbons into the air. Effects on water. When electronics containing heavy metals such as lead, barium, mercury, lithium (found in mobile phone and computer batteries), etc., are improperly disposed, these heavy metals leach through the soil to reach groundwater channels which eventually run to the surface as streams or small ponds of water. Local communities often depend on these bodies of water and the groundwater. Apart from these chemicals resulting in the death of some of the plants and animals that exist in the water, intake of the contaminated water by humans and land animals results in lead poisoning. Some of these heavy metals are also carcinogenic. Effects on soil Heavy metals and chemicals from e-waste enter the “soil-crop-food pathway,” one of the most significant routes for heavy metals’ exposure to humans. These chemicals are not biodegradable—they persist in the environment for long periods of time, increasing the risk of exposure. These dangers posed by improper disposal on the environment ultimately have impacts on human beings -human cost; the health effects of these toxins on humans include birth defects (irreversible), brain, heart, liver, kidney and skeletal system damage. They also significantly affect the nervous and reproductive systems of the human body. When computer monitors and other electronics are burned, they create cancer-producing dioxins which are released into the air we breathe. If electronics are thrown in landfills, these toxins may leach into groundwater and affect local resources. Thus improper disposal of e-waste not only has effects on the environment, it indirectly and ultimately poses grave dangers to humans and livestock.

Bovine tuberculosis a major source of human tuberculosis in Nigeria.

Bovine tuberculosis a major source of human tuberculosis in Nigeria. According to recent reports Nigeria ranks 4th in TB infection worldwide. Statistics also shows that 80% of TB cases in Nigeria are undetected and it claims 1.2 million lives annually,this is a sad scenario for a disease that is preventable and treatable.

Bovine tuberculosis has been identified as a major source of human tuberculosis infections which is usually fatal because of late detection and non-diagnosis.

Tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium spp is usually transmitted by aerosol route when one comes into contact with droplets of infected persons. The bacteria can also be transmitted through consumption of products from infected animals such as beef and unpasteurized milk.

 Tuberculosis can affect anybody but there is a higher incidence in men than women,and its also an occupational hazard for butchers,food processors, farmers and veterinarians.


The majority of infections in Nigeria can be traced to the abattoir,making it a foci of infection and re-infection. A percentage of cattle brought in for slaughter often are confirmed as having bovine tuberculosis,with the offals, and lymph nodes riddled with tubercles as shown in the picture.

 Butchers often refer to lungs with TB as "fuku elegusi" and in a bid to convince you its okay,cut part of the raw meat and eat it. This singular act by butchers have caused deaths of many of them who eventually develop tuberculosis,which is usually generalized.

 When the butchers start coughing,nobody thinks its TB, they start taking antibiotics for the cough but it does not stop it. These prolonged used of various antibiotics is the reason there is a prevalence of the drug-resistant type of TB.

These butchers still handle beef,working in the abattoir and spreading the droplets everywhere and even in their homes. Living conditions of most the people working in abattoirs is such that droplets can spread fast,as most live in congested rooms with poor ventilation and very dirty environment.

 A study carried out shows that most of the butchers have tuberculosis,but this is under reported as many of the butchers dont believe TB is real or can cause deaths,instead they link these deaths to rivalry and arrows from jealous colleagues.


 Veterinarians and public health officials are also at great risk of infection. Post mortem inspection is a major point of infection,handling the tuberculous organs is another route of infection and also consumption of tainted meat or offals .

Tuberculosis infection in officers have been overlooked sometimes,going undiagnosed and thereby potentiating the spread.

An officer who served for an extended period in the control post and abattoir recently died of cerebral tuberculosis,buttressing the study that bovine tuberculosis is a key factor of tuberculosis infection in man.

How tuberculosis hides in the body.

How tuberculosis hides in the body.The tuberculosis vaccine only works for children. BCG (bacille Calmette-Guerin) doesn't protect you as an adult. Now we know more about how the bacterium avoids being detected. Tuberculosis bacteria hide in the very cells that would normally kill them. Now we know more about how they evade recognition. Tuberculosis affects millions of people worldwide. Treatment for it is often prolonged, from six months to two years. We thus have a lot to gain -- and save -- by finding better treatment methods. Improving our understanding about how the bacterium works is key to achieving this. Tuberculosis.

How bacteria develop antibiotic resistance.

A study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has shown how bacteria evolve and resist antibiotics. The scientists Using quantitative approaches from physics, biophysicists discovered a surprising way that bacteria can evolve resistance to antibiotics. 

 The new research published in the journal Science, researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem report a startling alternative path to the evolution of resistance in bacteria.The bacteria evolve a sleeping mechanism after which the bacteria can then wake up and evolve resistance 20 times faster than normal -- at which point continuing to administer antibiotics won't kill the bacteria. 

 The results indicate that tolerance may play a crucial role in the evolution of resistance in bacterial populations under cyclic exposures to high antibiotic concentrations. To investigate this evolutionary process a group of biophysicists,exposed bacterial populations to a daily dose of antibiotics in controlled laboratory conditions, until resistance was established. 

By tracking the bacteria along the evolutionary process, they found that the lethal antibiotic dosage gave rise to bacteria that were transiently dormant, and were therefore protected from several types of antibiotics that target actively growing bacteria. 

 Once bacteria acquired the ability to go dormant, which is termed tolerance, they rapidly acquired mutations to resistance and were able to overcome the antibiotic treatment. First the bacteria evolved to sleep for most of the antibiotic treatment, and then this "sleeping mode" not only transiently protected them from the lethal action of the drug, but also actually worked as a stepping stone for the later acquisition of resistance factors.

Probiotics have a ‘positive effect’ on stress and anxiety: Meta-analysis

Probiotics have a ‘positive effect’ on stress and anxiety: Meta-analysis: Probiotics consumption may have advantageous effects on mental health by lessening the psychological symptoms of perceived stress, depression and anxiety, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis.

Wearable device for racehorses could help prevent fatal injuries.

The world’s top thoroughbreds and jockeys compete across multiple races for a prize pot that this year totals more than £6.5 million. It’s a dangerous sport, however. More than 150 of the UK’s 14,000 or so racehorses are killed each year and thousands more are injured. In the US, around 500 are killed a year. A wearable device that monitors a horse’s physical well-being during a race could help. Major horse-racing events attract animal-rights campaigners. TV presenter and conservationist Anneka Svenska attended this year’s Royal Ascot wearing the largest hat in the event’s history. Streamers of red roses cascaded to the ground to signify horses’ deaths at the races. Many of these deaths are due to over-exertion during a race or fractures that result in a horse being put down. The new device, called the Equimètre and developed by start-up Arioneo in Paris, France, is designed to reduce the number of fatalities and prevent injury as well as help trainers to hone a horse’s performance. The Equimètre’s sensor fits into the girth – a strap around a horse’s middle that keeps the saddle on. This records physiological data such as temperature and heart and respiratory rate – plus information about the animal’s movement such as acceleration and speed. The device also monitors environmental conditions, such as humidity. A trainer can view the data in real time via an app. There are existing smart devices for racehorses that capture this kind of data. But the Equimètre then runs the stats through algorithms that compare them with past performances. “A trainer’s eye is very important and we do not want to replace their expertise,” says Arioneo co-founder Valentin Rapin, “but this tool will give trainers information they don’t have today.” Rather than just showing an increase in heart rate, for example, the device can put this into context and tell the trainer what it means for that particular horse in those particular conditions. “It can prevent overtraining,” says Rapin. Rapin thinks the device will also help catch injuries such as bucked shins, where the tissue covering the shin bone becomes painfully inflamed. Around 70 per cent of young thoroughbred racehorses suffer from the condition and it can lead to more serious problems, such as stress fractures, which often result in a horse being killed. Rapin and his colleagues plan to launch the Equimètre in early 2017. Hervé Moreau, a horse vet based in La Ferté-Saint-Cyr, France, welcomes the device. “The early detection of locomotion problems can only improve diagnosis,” he says. “Similarly, optimizing the training programme will reduce the risk of stress fractures.” Contributed by the New scientist.

HOLLY THE HORSE BEATS LAMINITIS WITH 3D PRINTING .

Holly, a ten-year-old mare in Australia, suffered from laminitis, a crippling disease that is common among horses, ponies, and donkeys. Laminitis affects the hooves of these animals and Holly had been suffering from it for three years. The disease causes pain and inflammation between the hoof and bone (an attachment similar to that of our finger and nail) and if unattended, could have left Holly unable to walk. Her vet and farrier, Luke Wells-Smith from the Equine Podiatry and Lameness Centre, had heard of the work CSIRO (Australia’s national science agency) had done with a racehorse, aptly named “Titanium Prints”, using 3D printed titanium horse-shoes. CSIRO hadn’t previously used 3D printing to rehabilitate lame horses, but, with Holly, they had their first opportunity. Collaborating with horse podiatrists, they 3D scanned and designed a shoe that was a perfect fit for Holly’s hoof and 3D printed it in titanium. The custom shoe, a first of its kind ‘horse-thotic’ that can be made on-demand in less than a day, would equally redistribute the weight and stress on the hoof, encourage it to heal and give Holly a chance to recover. Story from 3dprintingindustry.com

Cattle Feeding Probiotics offer alternative to in-feed antibiotics.

Focusing on gut health may help cattle producers find replacements for in-feed antibiotics now that the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) is in place. By 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will require medically important antibiotics — those approved for use in both humans and animals — to be used in animals only under the order of a veterinarian. When producers incorporate specific medications into feed, the rate and timing must be based on a VFD issued by a licensed veterinarian. Producers will also be required to retain VFD records for two years. An easy, cost-effective additive — that is not regulated under a VFD — is a probiotic or direct-fed microbial (DFM). These natural products help tip the balance in favor of beneficial microbes in the gut. Supporting the dynamic and robust bacterial communities in the lower intestinal tract can naturally promote a positive systemic immune response within the animal. In turn, this positive response can act as a natural preventive to help reduce the need for treatment or even the use of on-arrival antibiotics. One probiotic, Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii CNCM I-1079, has been proven to naturally activate cattle’s immune response and decrease the need for treatment. In fact, S. c. boulardii CNCM I-1079 has been shown to improve cattle feed uptake, lower morbidity and lower mortality. In a study of cattle sourced from auction barns across the southeastern United States, cattle fed S. c. boulardii CNCM I-1079, had 39 percent fewer re-treatments for Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex (BRDC) as compared to controls.2 “Probiotics offer an alternative way to fight the battle against BRDC,” Dr. Barling says. “In many respects, the lower gut powers the day-to-day immunity and health of any animal.” Active dry yeast probiotics like S. c. boulardii CNCM I-1079 can be fed to cattle before or during a period of known stress. Then, it is typically fed after arrival while cattle are adjusting to their new surroundings. In addition, S. c. boulardii CNCM I-1079 can be fed in conjunction with vaccination and either feed grade or injectable antibiotic treatment programs. Instead of thinking about treating disease,think about improving an animal’s well-being so they’re better prepared to fight off health challenges. The losses are reduced on all fronts: losses from treatment expenses, costs from the additional labor required to pull and treat cattle, production declines and losses from mortality. source; drovers

Meat groups reassure consumers about antibiotics

Meat groups reassure consumers about antibiotics

MONEY_MAKING IN VET PRACTICE.# VETPRENEUR.

Working with animals is a whole new ball game and exciting money making opportunities. Animal lovers have a wide array to choose from and make a business out of their passion. 

 This post is to highlight opportunities in the animal health industry and how to link customers to producers. The categories include drugs and accessories,production,seminars,books and equipment. 

We will also look at production and packaging. interested??? join our team,subscribe to our newsletter for profitable vet tips. Get information on your phone,its fast and easy.Text vet to 35818 to sign up.

WATERMELON BENEFITS FOR ANIMALS.

Watermelon is a highly nutritious fruit packed with nutrients that help body function properly.It is made up of 92% of water,making it a perfect hydration source when body fluids are depleted.Its juice has a calming effect on blood vessels,thus making it valuable in management of hypertension. 


Potassium is of the minerals found in watermelon,this helps in regulation of water/electrolyte balance making it valuable in control of heart rate and blood pressure.It protects against stroke and coronary heart disease,regulating blood pressure.


 Watermelon contains vitamin C, B ,A, it also contains dietary fiber that is essential for digestive health.The watermelon is a colorful fruit ,adding color to meals,salad or snack bowl,the red pigment is as a result of lycopene which is in high quantity in the fruit.

 Lycopene is an antioxidant responsible for destroying any free radicals in the body which normally damage cells and destroys immune system.These free radicals are cancer causing elements,but lycopene mops them up thus preventing several types of cancer and lycopene helps to fight heart disease

 Watermelon contains flavonoids,carotenoids and tritepenoids which have anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties, this is the reason why watermelon prevent muscle soreness,joint pain and arthritis.The antioxidant property offers protection against colon,prostate,breast,endometrial,lung and pancreatic cancers.

 Watermelon contains citrulline which is an essential amino acid, this is converted to arginine another essential amino acid essentially by the kidneys.Watermelon has natural diuretic properties ,thus helping to maintain kidney health by flushing out of the tubule at regular interval thus preventing urolith formation.  Chicken ,goats and snails can also be fed with watermelon to harness these benefits.

The benefits of watermelon are enormous,and they also offer same benefits to the animal world. Dogs can be fed with watermelon to supplement their meal, or as a snack or treat, you can also use it as a treatment option in cases of kidney problems or weight management in dogs.

 Watermelon given to dogs must be clean,diced/cubed and seedless, and give moderate servings /mealtime. If your dog is eating poop; supplement with watermelon and you will be amazed at the result.

ANIMAL SECRETS THAT HOLD KEYS TO HUMAN HEALTH.

The interaction between animals and man cannot be overemphasized,we live with some as pets,some are a source of income,while many are sources of good protein and other nutrients for the body. Animals also act as reservoir for most of pathogenic agents that cause diseases in man.65% of diseases affecting man are of animal origin,so its only logical that emphasis on proper animal health will result in improved human health. Animal characteristics ,behavior and nature can shed light on mechanism of certain disorders in man.Dr Alison Woollard in his lecture titled life fantastic,said certain creatures help explain where life comes from and how we grow and age. Dr Woollard,talks about how study of a particular type of fish could give us clues about sleep disorder inn man. Here,look at what he said about sleep disorder, Our biological clock - is an internal mechanism which regulates almost every aspect of our physiology and behavior. One of the ways in which it does this in humans is by exposure to the light/dark cycle of day and night, without which our internal clock becomes out of sync with the external world. So what would happen to our body's everyday routine, if we lived in a pitch black cave? Many cave dwelling creatures like this blind Mexican cave fish are pale and lack eyes Blind Mexican cave fish live in complete darkness their entire lives, and yet they have still developed an internal body clock that helps to govern their feeding patterns. By identifying and understanding the genes which control their body clocks we may be able to shed light on how our genetic makeup contributes to our internal 'clock' and better understand sleep disorders.