Plant hormone may play a vital role in blood sugar control, diabetes management

A treatment for managing blood sugar levels might be as close as the local health food store, suggests a new research report. Specifically scientists have found that when the plant and mammal hormone, abscisic acid, is taken in low doses, glycemia in both rats and humans is reduced. Scientists examined the presence of abscisic acid in plants and fruits and explored the effect of abscisic acid-rich vegetable extracts on glycemia in rats and in humans. Synthetic abscisic acid, an abscisic acid-rich fruit extract, or placebo were administered to rats together with an oral glucose load. Then glycemia and insulinemia profiles were compared. read more here;http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151201115045.htm

FRANCE REPORTS 2 NEW CASES OF HPAI.

FRANCE - France's agriculture department has said that two further outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been detected as part of the emergency response to an outbreak identified last week. The French authorities immediately set up protection zones and surveillance around the backyard holding affected by the first outbreak, and as part of these measures, extra samples were taken from birds inside the cordons. The results from analysis of these samples revealed the presence of HPAI strains in poultry at two more farms in the Dordogne region, despite the birds exhibiting no mortalities or clinical signs. To protect and limit the spread of disease to other flocks of sensitive species, the Ministry of Agriculture said it is conducting the slaughter of all animals of the affected farms and have decided on further biosecurity measures. Story credit;The poultry site/news.

10 Things You Can Do to Make Veterinary Visits Better for Everyone

10 Things You Can Do to Make Veterinary Visits Better for Everyone; Accustom your pet to its carrier and to traveling in the car; If your veterinarian doesn't already have your pet's medical record on file, bring it with you or have your previous veterinary team send or fax the records – or, at a minimum, bring your own notes on your pet's health and medical history. Don't send your pet with a person who doesn't have the information the vet will need to help your pet - or if you have to do this, thoroughly document your pet's current condition on paper and make sure you're available by phone to answer questions that may come up; Arrive on time or a few minutes early for your appointment; Unless your children can sit quietly without distracting you or interfering with your veterinary team's ability to examine or treat your pet or talk to you about your pet, consider leaving your children with a babysitter while you take your pet to the veterinarian; Turn your cell phone off while you are in the exam room; Know what medications your pet is receiving (including supplements), as well as how much, how often and how long it is given, and/or bring them with you; Share your observations and concerns with your veterinarian – read more here;https://www.avma.org/public/YourVet/Pages/visits.aspx?utm_source=smartbrief&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=smartbrief-assoc-news

BIRD FLU TRIGGERS THE DESTRUCTION OF DUCK EGGS.

Sa Kaeo: Authorities have destroyed 500 duck eggs seized from two passenger vans at Rong Kluea border market, heading into Thailand, following reports of an outbreak of bird flu in Cambodia. At least 5 people have contracted the virus.. It was reported that Cambodian public health officials were alerted to the bird flu outbreak after five villagers in Battambang contracted the disease. According to authorities, the eggs were being smuggled into the country to be sold to migrant workers in eastern provinces. The spread of the bird flu virus must be curbed and as such purchase of poultry products from unknown sources should be prevented,and strict bio security compliance must be enforced on farms. read more here;http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/781049/bird-flu-flap-triggers-duck-egg-destruction.

COP21;FRANCE TO SPEND BILLION ON RENEWABLE ENERGY IN AFRICA.

France plans to spend billions of euros in renewable energy and other environmental projects in its former west African colonies and across Africa over the next five years said President François Hollande Africa produces little of the greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, produced by burning fossil fuels, linked by scientists to rapid climate change. But it is particularly vulnerable to a changing climate, as much of its population is poor, rural and dependent on rain-fed agriculture. Hollande told a conference on Africa, held as part of climate change talks in Paris, that his government would double investments in renewable energy generation, ranging from wind farms to solar power and hydroelectric projects, across the continent to €2bn between 2016 and 2020. One project, dubbed the “Great Green Wall“, was initially intended to create a barrier of trees reaching from the Sahel in west Africa to the Sahara in the east, but will now focus on creating pockets of trees to revive the soil while another aims to protect Lake Chad, which is threatened by pollution. read more here;http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/dec/01/cop21-france-to-spend-billions-on-african-renewable-energy-projects

HONEY A TOOL TO CURB ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE.

Honey is very useful in wound healing aside other benefits, but the wound healing properties are now extended to include the prevention of antibiotic resistance. Swedish researchers have successfully cured treatment-resistant wounds in horses, using a mixture of various lactic acid bacteria found in bees' honey stomachs and honey itself. The successful trial could help the medical community overcome the growing problem of global antibiotic resistance.Honey inhibits the formation of bio films, or communities of slimy disease-causing bacteria .Honey weakens bacterial virulence, rendering the bacteria more susceptible to conventional antibiotics. Honey is effective because it is filled with healthful poly phenols, or antioxidants.Honey has antibacterial, anti fungal and antiviral properties ,thats why its used in wound treatment and it has found tremendous use in cases of burns. watch video here;http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/832495e7f0e5390d05caf25e59f87643.htm

HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS AND HEALING POWER OF DOGS.

. Dogs have been identified as possessing healing powers, with most involved in assisted therapy.Dogs like most pets bring healing and love to their owners,thats why most doctors now advocate that patients with heart issues, and high blood pressure get dogs.Dog are also useful as diabetic alert agents,in patients with diabetes because they can actually detect a change in blood glucose level making them a life saver .Dogs have also found to be of help to people battling with post traumatic stress disorder. A new study shows how dogs are healing HIV positive patients; watch it here;http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/f2c007ba8cff46789e09cbf6ac9790b3.htm

RODENTICIDE POISONING IN DOGS.

Dogs are curious animals,running and rumbling through stuff and especially tasting and chewing all sorts.The responsibility of the pet owner is not only the nutrition and health of the pet, they must ensure environmental safety. 

Pets should be protected from harmful chemicals,irritating fluids and compounds that are generally harmful to them.

The cases of poisoning in pets are accidental and majorly from sheer carelessness where the pet owner keeps stuffs that are harmful to pets lying around.Its a known fact that stuff poisonous to dogs are usually household items that are non poisonous to man, so the point is for the pet owner to know what stuff to leave around and what stuff to hide/keep away. 

 Dogs get rodenticide poisoning in areas where rodent baits are commonly used and where there is a lack of proper disposal of dead rats. 

When de-ratization is to be carried out,the baits must be properly laid in areas where the pet will be restricted and a proper disposal mechanism must be enforced to prevent poisoning. 

Dogs usually get poisoned by ingesting the bait directly or by ingesting the dead rodents. The signs of rodenticide poisoning are 1) weakness 2) inappetence 3) bleeding in mouth and anal region.

The first step is to induce vomiting; using hydrogen peroxide, followed by a vitamin k injection to stop bleeding.

Give pet cool water to flush system. 

 When rodent control is to be carried out its in the interest of all to lay baits strategically.

CHRONICLES OF A VET.!!!

Every case is unique and the pet owners as well,so understanding your clients is the major step to success of the case. A client brought in a male dog today with the following signs; 1) swollen eye. 2) redness 3) watery discharges . The owner explained that the dog's eye was normal a day before,but early this morning these signs where obvious. When questioning the client further, he remembered the dog had killed a skunk overnight.This gave the clue to cause since all other questions had negative answers, the skunk must have sprayed some of the irritating fluid into the eye setting up an inflammatory reaction. Skunks common around most homes and they are not really aggressive ,they only spray their fluids to deter predators.The fluids are produced in the tail,have horrible smell that travels as far as 3 meters. The eye was examined and swabbed with normal saline , eye ointment with antibacterial and anti inflammatory properties was applied. The dog was placed on systemic antibiotics for 3 days and vitamin C. Pet owners need to ensure their home is pet-safe.!!!.

GLOBAL WARMING. !!! EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS.

World leaders have opened the UN climate conference in Paris known as COP21, aiming to forge a deal to limit global warming to 2°C.One Minute Climate Change Both US President Barack Obama and French President Francois Hollande issued rallying cries to officials on Monday, urging them to commit to reducing emissions.Obama said his country recognised its role in contributing to the climate change crisis, and would take the lead in fighting against it. He added that the meeting symbolized a global "act of defiance" that proves the world stands undeterred by attacks linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group in Europe and beyond."What greater rejection of those who would tear down our world than martialling our best efforts to save it," Obama said. watch here;http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/11/climate-conference-paris-cop21-limit-global-warming-151130052816546.html

EBOLA COMPLICATIONS!!!

. Ebola survivors have been noted to have complications ,usually relating to vision.The major complications are loss of vision, redness of eyes, , swollen eyes, pain and severe sensitivity to light. This is a pointer that the virus has a residual bank in some organs exhibiting various signs and probably a point of new infection. The virus is known to be present in semen of survivors, indicating some grey areas in the Ebola saga .Read the story of 2 survivors here;http://www.livescience.com/52902-ebola-survivor-eye-problems-sacra.html

US POULTRY MORE EQUIPPED TO TACKLE BIRD FLU.

The US poultry can tackle any outbreak better.The country has stepped up her bio security protocol to limit infection and prevent spread in cases of outbreak.The bird flu virus cost the poultry and egg industry 390m in August 2015 because they culled 43m birds, so changes have been made to safeguard livestock. read more here;http://www.globalmeatnews.com/Safety-Legislation/US-poultry-will-handle-new-virus-better

Cut meat consumption to battle global warming, warn experts

Cut meat consumption to battle global warming, warn experts

FRANCE HIT BY FIRST BIRD FLU OUTBREAK IN 8 YEARS.

The highly pathogenic bird flu virus H5N1 has been discovered on a farm in Dordogne,where it killed 75% of birds on the farm . A 10km surveillance radius has been established around farm to prevent spread to other poultry farms.The agriculture minister confirmed the outbreak,and south Korea has banned importation of poultry from France. The virus is deadly and spreads easily if bio security protocols are not enforced, hand washing after handling birds is very important.read more here; http://www.globalmeatnews.com/Industry-Markets/France-hit-by-first-bird-flu-outbreak-in-eight-years/?utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=30-Nov-2015&c=KviYxCjZMiXfdfZP1fvhvMG3x5RsDoMO&p2=

EYE HEALTH IN DOGS.

Eyes of the dog should be checked regularly as they are pointers to the state of health.Eye infections can be localized or it can be a spill over of a systemic infection.Eyes should be bright,clear ,clean and must not exhibit any discharges, must not be red or blood shoot. Dogs sometimes present sleepy dust,which is simply dried mucus ,a natural protective secretion that keeps eyes clean.This is easily removed by using moist cotton balls. The eye conditions include conjunctivitis, abscesses, pink eye,tumors, entropion and ectropion. Conjunctivitis is the most common,this is the inflammation of the eye's protective mucous membrane. The eye is usually red, swollen and with watery or mucoid discharges when its an irritation or allergy or trauma. When there is an infection ,the eyes are red,swollen and discharges become yellow to green. Treatment; 1)clean the affected eye.with moist cotton. 2)note type of discharge. 3) apply an eye drop; that has anti inflammatory and antibiotic properties. 4) give vitamin c supplement and cool water. 5) prevent exposure to sun.

FEVER IN DOGS.

Fever refers to an elevated temperature, also called hyperthermia occurs when the body temperature of the dog is way past the normal range.Fever is not a disease but an indication that pet is fighting an infection.Infections and inflammation results in fever in dogs.When a pet is exposed to infection or there is an underlying inflammatory reaction,the body's first response is to fight the infection and this is characterized with an elevated temperature. Fever occurs in bacterial,viral, fungal infection, cases of abscess,urinary tract infection and pneumonia. The cause can sometimes be unknown and its associated with immune system, fever if prolonged results in damage of internal organs. The common signs associated with fever are 1) inappetence. 2) weakness 3)depression 4) shivering 5)coughing 6) dehydration. Treatment; check older post.

EQUINE GRASS SICKNESS.

Equine grass sickness is fatal condition in horses on pasture, the condition results in colic and prognosis is guarded.The condition affects all age groups,can occur at any time but very common in wet conditions/seasons. The cause of the condition has been pinned as Clostridium botulinum,this bacteria lives in moist soil and when it spreads on grass its eaten by the horse,resulting in severe poisoning. The bacteria toxins affect the horses's intestinal tract which affects the nerves causing a dysfunction resulting in severe colic. The onset of the equine grass sickness could be per acute, acute and chronic.In per acute cases the horses are found dead.The prognosis in the chronic and acute cases are guarded. The acute case, the onset is sudden, with severe abdominal discomfort, high pulse rate and restlessness. The treatment is colic surgery.While the chronic case ,the horse slowly develops a persistent low grade colic with rapid weight loss.The upper eye lid is droopy and there is sticky nasal discharge, and fecal balls are hard and small.The treatment is pain relief and supportive therapy. Equine grass sickness can be prevented with pasture identification; if an area has record of such sickness avoid letting horses in area.Where there has been recent work lately, that involves soil works or turning should be avoided.Areas where dead animals are commonly found in pasture should be avoided.Horses that do not depend solely on grasses for nutrition hardly come down with grass sickness,thus feeding hay at pasture and bringing horses in to stable at night may help reduce its occurrence.

6 awesome TED talks about science and technology by Arabs

6 awesome TED talks about science and technology by Arabs

TREATMENT OF NEONATAL MALADJUSTMENT SYNDROME.

Watch video of treatment here;https://youtu.be/zmbhp4mbZX4 via @YouTube Using several loops of a soft rope to gently squeeze the foal’s upper torso for 20 minutes—to mimic the time spent experiencing birth canal’s pressure—can ease the disorder’s symptoms, researchers have found. Early cases have produced some success. foal maladjustment syndrome.

FOAL DISORDER LINKED TO AUTISM IN MAN.

Veterinary researchers at the University of California, Davis, are exploring possible ties between a foal disorder and autism.Abnormal levels of naturally occurring neuro -steroids may be the common link, according to a UC Davis release. The horse disorder—known as neonatal maladjustment syndrome—has been a mystery for a century. Signs of the little-understood condition that appear in 3 to 5 percent of live births are detachment, failure to recognize their mothers and no interest in nursing.“The behavioral abnormalities in these foals seem to resemble some of the symptoms in children with autism,” says John Madigan, DVM, MS, UC Davis veterinary professor and expert in equine neonatal health. Nursing newborn horses with the disorder is demanding. Eighty percent of foals survive with intensive care in a veterinary clinic and constant bottle or tube feeding for up to 10 days. Researchers are eying naturally occurring neurosteroids as a top suspect in causing the disorder. The compound acts as a sedative and keeps the foal “quiet” before birth.“Foals don’t gallop in utero,” Madigan says in the release. However, the foal must be able to run shortly after its birth. The biochemical change the newborn undergoes in the birth canal may be triggered by the physical pressure of the birthing process, researchers believe. read more here;http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/new-veterinary-treatment-foal-disorder-simulates-necessary-trigger-birthing-process