Ultimate Tips for Happy, Healthy Cats.

   Ultimate Tips for Happy, Healthy Cats 

1)Bug Off :Protect your cat’s health from internal and external parasites all year long. Find whatever system works for you and be diligent about it. Even if your cat is inside all day there is still a chance he can get fleas, worms and other parasites, which can be harmful to your family and your cat.


 2) Develop a Purr-fect Palate:  What you should be feeding your cat can vary based on age, activity level and health concerns. Always consult your veterinarian to make sure you are using the right food in the right proportions. You want to make sure it is nourishing and delicious.

 3)Resist Treat Temptation: Allowing your cat to become overweight can result in numerous grave health problems. You can prevent obesity by feeding your cat the right food and avoiding too many treats. Instead, treat your cat by giving them toys to play with to keep them active.

More from Dr.Pol

AGRO-VETERINARY: Whole blood test for toxoplasmosis is sensitive and specific.

AGRO-VETERINARY: Whole blood test for toxoplasmosis is sensitive and specific.Transmission of toxoplasmosis from mother to fetus can lead to severe congenital problems and fetal death, and tests for the parasitic infection during pregnancy are critical. Now, researchers have showed the efficacy of a low-cost whole blood test for toxoplasmosis. Researchers reporting in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have showed the efficacy of a low-cost whole blood test for toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis results from infection with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, usually transmitted to humans from eating undercooked contaminated meat or through exposure to infected cat feces. Existing tests for the infection are serum tests, which require blood samples to be processed using infrastructure and technology which can be prohibitive in developing areas and unaffordable in developed countries like the United States.

Pigs Against Malaria.

                                Pigs Against Malaria.

Mosquito vector-borne diseases are serious global health threats. Malaria alone claims the lives of about 600,000 people annually. With such high death tolls, controlling vectors and the pathogens that they carry is of critical importance.

 Ivermectin is a broad spectrum antiparasitic medication that can be used both internally and topically for the treatment of myriad parasites, including filarial worms, gastrointestinal parasites, and scabies. And, as it turns out, ivermectin can even kill mosquitoes.

 Scientists have shown that having humans in an entire village take ivermectin can disrupt transmission of malaria and other vector-borne diseases.

Drones could speed up HIV tests in remote areas.

Malawi has started a test program that uses drones to improve access to HIV testing for babies. There are various factors such as poor roads and high transport costs, in remote areas that often result in delays in testing. This can prevent access to vital anti retroviral treatment early. Ten percent of Malawians suffer from HIV - one of the highest rates of the deadly condition in the world. Malawi has started testing the use of drones to speed up the time it takes to test infants living in rural areas for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The United Nations' (UN) children's agency UNICEF has partnered with US-based drone company Matternet to develop a program in which Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) pick up sample batches from local health centers and deliver them to specialist laboratories. There are only eight such laboratories across the country, which has a population of more than 16 million. Currently motorbike couriers are used to transport samples across often poorly-maintained roads. UNICEF and Matternet believe deliveries could be made more efficiently by air. The testing program is currently using simulated samples. The first successful test flight recently completed a 10 kilometer route from a community health center to the Kamuzu Central Hospital laboratory in the capital Lilongwe. UAVs have been used in the past for surveillance and assessments of disasters, but this is believed to be the first use of the technology on the continent for the improvement of HIV services. "There are many delays in the continuum of getting HIV positive children on treatment, they need to come in early for testing, ideally before two months, between six and eight weeks, their tests, the dry bloodspots need to get from the health facilities to one of the eight laboratories nationwide," said Judith Sherman, head of Unicef Malawi's HIV and Aids program. The plan is eventually for UAVs to be operated by health workers by virtue of a password and a GPS signal on their mobile phone. A simple swipe of a button will make the vehicle airborne. Each drone costs $7,000 USD but minimal battery charging costs make them cheaper over time than diesel fueled motorbikes. In 2014, about 40,000 children in Malawi were born to HIV positive mothers, according to UNICEF. Every year around 10,000 children die of the virus, a number the agency says could be tackled by early diagnosis and quality medical care. An estimated one million Malawians were living with HIV in 2013 and 48,000 died from HIV-related illnesses in the same year. A young child may be infected by their HIV-positive mother during pregnancy or breast-feeding, but drug treatment can reduce the risk of transmission. UNICEF estimates that if the flights are cost-effective the drones would be able to carry up to 250 tests at once. read more here;http://in.reuters.com/article/us-malawi-hiv-drones