CANINE OBESITY.

A morbidly obese Texas dachshund once dubbed “Fat Vincent” because his belly was so large it hit the ground when he walked, has found its way out of animal shelter care by dropping half its body weight, on track to become healthy enough for a new owner. The 7-year-old canine with a love for fast food weighed a whopping 38 pounds (17.24 kg) with a body mass index of over 60 percent body fat in September when he was surrendered to a Houston animal shelter after his elderly owner died, according to his foster mother. His ideal healthy weight is around 16 pounds. "Besides terribly high cholesterol and BMI, Vincent’s back sloped downward in the middle and our vet was fearful that one false move would cause his back to break", said Melissa Anderson with K-9 Angels Rescue in Houston. Now dubbed “Skinny Vinnie,” the dog weighs 17.5 pounds due to a healthier diet, swimming with a life jacket in a pool and long walks, Anderson said, adding his fast food craving comes to life every time she goes to a drive-through window of a national coffee house chain. “He hops over to the driver’s seat, sticks his head out the window and waits for the order,” Anderson said. “He is always disappointed when the coffee arrives, but he never gives up hope.” Read more at http://newsdaily.com/2016/04/morbidly-plump-texas-wiener-dog-loses-weight-and-fat-vincent-name/#mOYyI01KU0YXi8sC.99

EQUINE OBESITY.

Horses are inheritably couch potatoes ,and an overeating, slothful horse leads to an obese horse. However, horse owners often don't see the dangers of an obese horse unlike in man. Caretakers may see no harm in giving their horses rich foods, but obesity in horses is just as unhealthy as obesity in humans and can lead to fatal diseases. Philip Johnson, professor of veterinary medicine and surgery at the University of Missouri-Columbia ,says Some of the very same problems humans encounter with obesity may also occur in horses.There is a striking parallelism between humans and horses when it comes to obesity. Obesity in horses not only causes weight gain but also endocrine problems, including insulin resistance. The equine obesity risks have been less studied, but researchers believe horses have similar risks as humans, such as heart disease and diabetes. Obesity in horses also can cause laminitis, a painful condition that often affects the front hooves. The weight of the bone is suspended in the hoof with connecting tissue forming a structure similar to a swing on a swing set. The extra weight in obese horses forces the connective tissue to tear and the bone breaks through the nail-like texture of the hooves. Veterinarians have yet to find an effective treatment for the condition. In the worst cases of laminitis, veterinarians are forced to euthanize the horse. Horses that develop insulin resistance are at an increased risk for laminitis. Horse owners often want their horses to look well fed.while some horse owners may view a healthy weight on their horse as too thin and try to feed them more. Its a know fact that not only do owners often over feed their horses, but what is fed to horses is genetically altered grass meant for food animals. The genetically designed grass fed to horses was designed to fatten food animals quicker.The genetics of horses, like many species, allows for the extra storing of fat in preparation for winter, when there is typically less food available. In nature, horses would eat less in the winter and lose the weight by spring. Under human care, horses are fed generously year round and never lose the extra weight. Horses need to be exercised daily in meaningful ways and owners should push their horses for a more strenuous exercise. It's not enough to ride your horse twice a week for 20 minutes. A well formulated diet coupled with exercise is key to a healthy horse.

DIABETES IN DOGS.

Diabetes mellitus is a condition where the cells of the body cannot metabolize the glucose from the blood this results in rise in blood sugar levels. This condition results either because of lack of insulin or an inability of the cells to effectively utilize it. Diabetes usually begins in middle age and it is more common in females dogs than male dogs of certain breeds like puli,while in cats the male and female of all breeds are equally at risk. Diabetes mellitus in dogs is characterized by a high level of glucose in the blood. The level of glucose in the blood and its absorption by cells are regulated by a hormone called insulin, which is produced in the pancreas. If there isn't enough insulin, or if the cells can't use it effectively, then glucose levels in the blood increase, resulting in diabetes The signs develop overtime and these include drinking a lot of water, urinating more often than usual, an increased appetite, and weight loss. Delayed healing in cases of skin infections , where sores or skin infections that take a long time to heal or are resistant to treatment. Diabetes is usually diagnosed by measuring increased levels of glucose in the blood. If the level of glucose in the blood is high enough, it will lace the urine and can be detected . Mild cases of diabetes can sometimes be managed by diet, exercise, and weight control. Most cases of diabetes require insulin injections to keep the level of blood glucose in the normal range. Managing a dog with diabetes requires a commitment by owner and to stick to the same routine every day. Feed a fixed amount of a balanced diet, divided into equal morning and evening portions, treats and other snacks should not be given because they will interfere with the proper regulation of your pet's glucose level. Exercise also needs to be consistent to maintain a particular weight. There will be the need to check your dog's urine glucose on a daily basis and to return regularly for a blood glucose test. Once a routine / Pattern is established and the dog is used to it, checking a urine glucose level, keeping meals and exercise consistent, and administering insulin takes very little time. Dogs with diabetes,if properly managed can still live productive lives. If diabetes is not treated, metabolic byproducts of fat breakdown referred to as ketones will build up in the blood, leading to fatigue, poor appetite, and vomiting. When ketones accumulate in the body, the dog's breath will be foul .This odor is one of the pointers that your dog has a metabolic disorder.

EXERCISE SLOWS CANCER GROWTH.

There is a new benefit of exercise: mice who spent their free time on a running wheel were better able to shrink tumors (a 50% reduction in tumor size) compared to their less active counterparts. Researchers found that the surge of adrenaline that comes with a high-intensity workout helped to move cancer-killing immune (NK) cells toward lung, liver, or skin tumors implanted into the mice. "It is known that infiltration of natural killer (NK) immune cells can control and regulate the size of tumors, but nobody had looked at how exercise regulates the system," says senior study author Pernille Hojman, at the University of Copenhagen. "In our experiments, we tried to inject our mice with adrenaline to mimic this increase you see during exercise, and when we do that we see that the NK cells are mobilized to the bloodstream, and if there's a tumor present then the NK cells will find the tumor and home to it." "It is known that infiltration of natural killer (NK) immune cells can control and regulate the size of tumors, but nobody had looked at how exercise regulates the system," says senior study author Pernille Hojman, at the . "In our experiments, we tried to inject our mice with adrenaline to mimic this increase you see during exercise, and when we do that we see that the NK cells are mobilized to the bloodstream, and if there's a tumor present then the NK cells will find the tumor and home to it." The research group also discovered that an immune signaling molecule called IL-6 was the link between adrenaline-dependent mobilization of NK cells and tumor infiltration. It's known that IL-6 is released from muscle tissue during exercise, but Hojman presents evidence that adrenaline specifically aids IL-6 sensitive NK cells and that the IL-6 molecules helped guide the immune cells to the tumors. "That was actually a big surprise to us," she says, adding that IL-6 and its role in tumor biology can be a controversial topic. "In this study we show that the exercise-induced IL-6 seems to play a role in homing of NK cells to the tumor and also in the activation of those NK cells." This study appears Feb. 16, 2016 in Cell Metabolism, excerpts culled from science daily.

PROMOTING EQUINE JOINT HEALTH.

Horse owners are aware that the predominant factor limiting a horse's athletic longevity is musculoskeletal injury--particularly joint problems. A common assumption is that these injuries result from wear-and-tear and age. Consequently, owners further assume there's not much to be done about it. But think again: Using sensible strategies you can promote healthy equine joints capable of withstanding athletic demands. Balanced nutrition, sensible exercise, and prompt treatment can help a horse's joints function comfortable past their prime. Exercise management is crucial for the rapidly growing horse and is best coupled with a balanced feed ration. "Articular cartilage manages its nutrition and waste product production via normal use and weight bearing, . "Exercise is good but in excess could lead to -problems."Avoiding excessive exercise strain helps reduce potential injuries in foals that could result in growth plate trauma or subchondral (under the cartilage) bone cyst formation within joints. "Moderate exercise with gradual increases in intensity and duration results in better cartilage health and fewer injuries than that imposed by sudden, high-intensity loading.However, it is equally important not to limit a growing youngster's exercise too much since strain-force application (from loading the limbs) helps bone and soft tissue develop properly. There's evidence that articular cartilage responds in a 'handed' fashion--if a young horse works in one direction more than another, cartilage development can differ between limbs .The objective should be to familiarize the young horse with the longe line or round pen rather than attempting conditioning-training work. Implement early exercise in a thoughtful, deliberate manner that limits excessive repetition, which is challenging not only to joints but to tendon, ligament, and muscle as well. Preventing injury is the primary objective in long-term joint health management in horses of all ages. For the grown horse in training ,good body weight and muscle strength are the most important goals, along with conditioning for the specific exercise demands the horse will be performing. When a joint injury does occur, the owner plays an essential role in rapid detection. Close observation and knowing a horse's structure and personality are helpful. Get veterinary attention at the first notice of abnormal clinical signs; such as swelling, heat, pain, and/or lameness; joint effusion (excess fluid in a joint space) is typically the first abnormal sign seen after joint injury. With time and progression, a steady decline in performance associated with gait changes or a horse's reluctance to perform expected athletic efforts. read more here;http://www.thehorse.com/articles/29798/promoting-lifelong-equine-joint-health?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=older-horse-care&utm_campaign=11-27-2015

COLIC AT A GLANCE.

Colic refers to disturbances in the gastrointestinal track,it could be a mild discomfort to extreme abdominal pain.A mild case can resolve on its own,severe cases require surgery and extreme cases results in death. The common cases are usually associated with 1) changes in exercise routine. 2) changes in stabling routine 3) changes in feed,feeding portions and feeding times. 4)worm load and 5) teeth problems. The common symptoms are 1)restlessness .(frequent getting up and down) 2)flank watching(turning to look at abdomen frequently). 3)Frequent unsuccessful attempts to urinate. 4)fever. 5)high pulse rate. 6)pawing.(scrapping the ground). Colic cannot be prevented in all cases but certain procedures can be implemented to prevent occurrence; 1)Feeding protocol, give a little portion of feed at meal times,do not overfeed and dont allow access to excess water after exercise.When feed is to be changed,introduce new feed gradually and give cool fresh water. 2) Health protocol regular vet checks.2)follow a routine worming program. 3)clean paddock regularly to remove feces,this will reduce contamination of pasture with fecal eggs. 3)keep teeth rasped. Horses are use to routine so do not change routine suddenly. The changes to exercise routine should be gradual and also reduce stress on the horses.