CAT MUSIC.

David Teie has developed music that’s designed specifically for cats. , Teie has been working on “species-specific” music since 2009. He figured starting with cats would be more practical than starting with, say, elephants.

The music is supposed to offer our beloved fuzzballs a comforting, enriching experience that allows us to bond more deeply with them. The process of designing cat music began with studies to figure out what sounds “elicit feline feelings.”

 As opposed to feline “Feelings.” We get our first taste of rhythm in our mothers’ wombs, but cats encounter them only after they’re born. I checked this out, and it’s true: Newborn kittens arrive deaf and blind and a cat's first comfort sound, for example, is likely its mother's purr, a very different rhythm than our moms’ slow and steady heartbeats.


 Cat music is based on this and other sounds that make a cat's ears pivot. Watch video here; http://www.slate.com/articles/video/video/2015/11/musician_creates_perfect_music_for_cats_thanks_to_scientists_video.html

VACCINATION OF HORSES AGAINST THE HENDRA VIRUS.

The disease is carried by bats and can be fatal for horses and humans.Hunter Valley vets are reporting a drop off in the number of people getting their horses vaccinated for Hendra virus.Ian Gollan recommends getting horses vaccinated, even though there have been no cases of the deadly disease locally.Read more here;http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-01/vets-urge-horse-owners-to-remain-vigilant-over-hendra-vaccinati/6988886

VETERINARIANS AND THE HENDRA VIRUS IN HORSES.

Horse owners concerned about the Hendra vaccine ,Unvaccinated horses die through lack of treatment. Veterinarians are skeptical about call out now,and they have made it clear that if horses are not vaccinated,they will not be handled. Currently, most vets refuse to treat sick or injured horses if the animal has not been vaccinated against the deadly virus, for reasons of legality and personal safety.However, in some extreme cases, horses have died while vets await blood test results to clear the animal of Hendra."I am working off of what horse owners are saying to me, and they are not happy with a few things that have reared their ugly head in recent times," Mr Pearce said."I've always thought to myself that [the vets] have a fair argument, but why can't vets use personal protective equipment (PPE) when they go to treat these horses?"If a vet is prepared to put on the gear, treat a horse, then they are doing the right thing."Those arguments don't stand up as far as I'm concerned because they have the protective equipment there for them to use, which would significantly reduce any risk they have."Mr Pearce speculated the reason vets refused to treat unvaccinated sick horses was not just about safety concerns, but he would not specify what other reasons there may be."I don't believe this argument is about PPE. There has to be something else that puts these vets in a situation where they say they won't treat horses unless they have been vaccinated," Vets are very cautious when handling sick horses especially if they have not taken the hendra vaccine, because some vets have died from exposure during treatment and also because of prosecution. A balance must be maintained among all parties to prevent further death. Read more here;http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-18/hendra-policy-opponents-gain-new-voice/6950790

HENDRA VIRUS IN HORSES.

Horses that came into contact with urine from black flying foxes were most likely to catch the virus, It has long been known that bats are the natural hosts of the Hendra virus and could pass it to horses, but exactly how that happens has been difficult to prove. Dr Hume Field is a science and policy advisor with US conservation group EcoHealth Alliance, and the former principal scientist with the Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases. He said a recent study of 3,000 bats from Charters Towers in north Queensland, to Sydney in New South Wales, indicated urine was the most likely link."The study took samples from urine, faeces, saliva, and nasal discharge and the clear evidence was that urine, by far, was the most common source in which the virus was found," Dr Field said."Faeces was further down the line and saliva and nasal discharge were very infrequent."But despite urine being the most likely source of contamination, Dr Field said more information was needed to establish how horses come into contact with it. if you had a horse that was resting or grazing under a tree where flying foxes were feeding, and flying foxes urinate a lot when foraging in trees, there is the potential for that horse stranding underneath to get directly contaminated."It can happen through the nose, the mucus membranes of the eyes or as well horses can ingest some urine on grass."Dr Hume said researchers had also identified which species of flying fox were more likely to pass on the disease, and said horse owners in areas where black flying foxes were common should be most wary. Dr Hume said the study explored three species; red flying foxes, black flying foxes, and grey-headed flying foxes.He said various information over the years made scientists think that not all flying foxes were the same when it came to the Hendra virus risk they posed.But this study into 3,000 animals across three species offered a better understanding, he said."It was abundantly clear that all of the positive detections of Hendra viruses came from black flying foxes and none came from little red flying foxes and none came from grey-headed flying foxes," he said."We know there are antibodies in all of those species, so they all get infected at some stage." The Department of Agriculture said vaccination was the best defence, and everyone should make their own choice. vaccination may be enforced in some cases to prevent death in horses. read more here;http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-27/hendra-urine-queensland/6650128

MUSIC AND THE POULTRY VALUE CHAIN.

The food industry is experiencing a lot of innovations with various researches on going to improve the quality and quantity of products within a stipulated time. A farmer has incorporated the use of classical music in his turkey production. He decided to incorporate the music to stabilize his birds, when he discovered they were uncomfortable/ restless. He started playing classical music to the poults and he discovered that it improved their health and happiness. He has now attracted more visitors to his farm, as they can hear the birds before they are visible. Expansion is the next move on the farmer's agenda because of the success of his birds. Ewart Sylvester plays baroque music to his turkeys and says it has made a big difference to their health and happiness."Initially it was done because the birds were very rowdy in the pen and to us it seemed to be too loud," he said."When we walk out from the house and we look across the paddock and you can see them winging it, well, it puts a smile on your face when you can see a happy bird."It makes a difference for them and we believe it makes for a more tender meat." Read more here;http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-28/organic-turkey-appeal/6728022 https://veterinarymedicineechbeebolanle-ojuri.blogspot.com/

FARMERS ROLE IN REDUCING MALNUTRITION AND OBESITY.

obesity and malnutrition have become serious problems in the developing world.High calorific food and poor cuts of meat high in fat are more available, and people do not need to work physically as hard to produce it.Professor Jonathan Rushton, of the Royal Veterinary College at the University of London, called it a "wicked problem".You have significant numbers of people who are undernourished and an increasing number of people who are overweight...It's an indication that something is not right with our system.Professor Robyn Alders, University of Sydney "If we feed our pigs ad lib they will get too fat to stand up, but we are doing that to ourselves," he said at a conference at Sydney University, called Resetting the Australian Table: Adding Value and Adding Health.Professors of sociology, economics, veterinary science and foreign aid, paediatricians, soil scientists, and plant breeders, gathered to nut out the problem at interdisciplinary level. "You have ongoing significant numbers of people who are undernourished and an increasing and significant number of people who are overweight," she said."It's an indication that something is not right with our system."Global average meat consumption has nearly tripled in 50 years and people are increasingly disconnected from its production."It's probably been given a boost since the 1960s with increased productivity from grain based systems," said Professor Rushton."So our grain crops started to be more productive, which have gone into pigs, poultry and cattle systems."If you look at the growth in production of meat, we've gone from 25 kilos consumption of meat to 62 kilos per person per year globally. "There's a disconnect between the urbanised population and food systems."Professor Rushton said just as farmers care about what they feed their animals, they should care about how their food is processed."Food production is driven by powerful companies, driven by profit motives, which need to have more social responsibility," he said."Urbanised consumers are dependent on a food system they know very little about. Chicken has been marketed as a healthy, low fat meat, winning the National Heart Foundation's tick of approval and Australian consumption has doubled to 43 kilos per person a year.But Dr Dixon she told the conference that "we are contradictions" and are buying the wrong chicken.Coated in batter and deep fried, chicken's goodness was undone . Read more here;http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-20/obesity-and-malnutrition-need-joined-up-thinking/6710870

HOW TO TRAIN DOGS TO AVOID SNAKES.

A vet, a dog trainer and a snake wrangler have teamed up for a unique series of training sessions aimed at teaching dogs to avoid potentially deadly snake encounters.Veterinarian Dr Shey Rogers hopes to see fewer clients this year.We had all of our dogs bitten by the same snake. And one of them actually got bitten twice in two weeks, so we were definite that we didn't want to have to go through that again.Dr Shey Rogers, Youngs Siding veterinarian Her Youngs Siding practice on Western Australia's south coast has become a meeting place for local dog owners eager to trial snake avoidance training."Basically my philosophy is prevention is better than cure," Dr Rogers said."I'd rather not see dogs come in here with snake bites and then have to treat them." Dr Rogers engaged Perth-based dog trainer Seth Pywell and snake wrangler Marcus Cosentino to run the sessions after all three of her dogs were bitten by a snake, one of them fatally, on her family property earlier this year. "We had all of our dogs bitten by the same snake. And one of them actually got bitten twice in two weeks, so we were definite that we didn't want to have to go through that again," Dr Rogers said."It was a very emotional process and a very expensive process as well.Venomous and non-venomous species are used in the training, from the placid Tiliqua Rugosa (shingleback lizard) to the deadly Notechis Scutatus (tiger snake) But it is not just dogs that are in need of protection : read more here,http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-25/protecting-pets-and-wildlife-training-teaches-dogs-avoid-snakes/6973094 Snake avoidance training is a relatively uncommon practice in Australia.Over two sessions, dogs are exposed to a range of reptiles and are taught to associate the creatures with a low-level electric shock delivered by a remote training collar.When a dog goes for it, it’s generally the bobtail that will come off worse.Marcus Cosentino, snake wrangler. The theory is that the next time the dog sees or smells the same reptile, it will avoid all contact.During training sessions, dogs are rewarded with treats when they choose the right behaviour."The dog's natural response is that of investigation," Mr Pywell said."We're teaching the dogs that investigation brings consequences and if they avoid it, it brings rewards."

POULTRY GUT HEALTH KEY TO REDUCED ANTIBIOTIC USE IN PRODUCTION.

Chicken guts health at a bacterial level could improve poultry health and reduce the need for antibiotics.Central Queensland University senior lecturer in microbiology Dana Stanley is looking into ways to improve the gut health of chickens and other agricultural animals.Dr Stanley's aim was to identify products in the gut which help chickens absorb more energy from seed and put on more muscle. The research was also finding ways to improve gut health so chickens would be more resistant to disease, which would reduce the need for the antibiotics used to prevent the spread of pathogens such as campylobacter and salmonella.The findings have implications for human health as well as animal health.There is a growing field in human research on the influence of intestinal bacteria on health. She said there was huge interest in finding alternatives to antibiotic use, including using natural products. Read the research here;http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-03/chicken-gut-health-could-be-secret-to-improved-poultry-health/6909410

Agribusiness and bitcoin wealth.

Queensland Egg Farmer Lays the Foundations For Agriculture Bitcoin Economy.

A chicken farmer on Queensland's Sunshine Coast wants his customers to pay him using the online currency, Bitcoin.  Bitcoin is a form of digital currency, which is created and held electronically.

Mark Burgunder, an organic chicken egg farmer at Conondale, is already using the virtual currency in his business.Mr Burgunder said he wants to create a local Bitcoin economy amongst Sunshine Coast farmers and consumers.

Bitcoin is an electronic currency that is not backed by a central bank, it is backed by a network of computers and mathematics.


 Bitcoins are stored on a Bitcoin wallet, which can be accessed via computer, phone or on a card similar to a credit card.

They can also be stored on debit cards, and can be used anywhere EFTPOS is available.  Read 

FOOD SECURITY AND SYNTHETIC FOOD.

Synthetic versions of beef, cheese and mayonnaise are being developed in the home of the biggest technology companies in the world, the Silicon Valley, California.Primary producers need to think about how to position their product in the market in competition with synthetic food, according to a new report released by the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand Council. The council's Peter O'Reagan said primary producers should be aware of up and coming technology that may one day present competition to their product."They are using natural products because they are using chickpeas and soybeans.It has the potential to solve a lot of food shortage problems.The innovation has also caught the eye of local academics. Read more here;http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-30/synthetic-food-silicon-valley/6899350

Tiger befriends goat instead of eating it!!!

Animal activists have reportedly called on an animal park in Russia to separate a goat from a tiger that befriended it instead of eating it.The goat, since named Timur, was given to the tiger Amur (another name for Siberian tigers) as live food.The Far Eastern Safari Park, in the Primorsky region bordering the Sea of Japan and North Korea, said it gives predators twice-weekly meals of live animals."Tiger Amur knows very well how to hunt goats and rabbits," a keeper told the Siberian Times."But recently he came across a goat that he refused to hunt."Instead, Timur chased Amur out of his sleeping quarters, banishing him to sleeping on the shelter's roof. watch video here; http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-29/separate-tiger-and-goat-fans-urge/6984212

BROTHERS FREE TRAPPED EAGLE.!!!

Brothers Michael and Neil Fletcher found a bald eagle stuck in a trap near Windy Lake in Ontario, Canada, which tried to fly away when the two men approached. Michael and Neal wrapped a jacket around the eagle to calm it down, and then managed to free its talon. read more here: http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/11/heroic-brothers-free-a-bald-eagle-from-a-trap-and-take-the-best-selfie-of-all-time,

HOW DOGS MAKE FRIENDS FOR THEIR OWNERS.

Thirty years ago, Paul Knott broke his neck in a car accident, landing him in a wheelchair and ending his career as a firefighter with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Since then, he’s gone back to school, finished his degree, started working as a “data cowboy” (his words), trained people on dispatch systems (still for CAL FIRE), and raised three Australian shepherds.He got his first dog, Bear, shortly before the accident, and ended up training him as a service dog to get around his landlords’ “no pets” policy. Bear and his successors—first Ed, now Charlie—have accompanied Knott everywhere: to work, on errands, around town. And he’s noticed that on their wanderings, Charlie draws in a lot of new friends. In studies observing the reactions people get while out and about with dogs, researchers have found that strangers offer more smiles and friendly glances to people with dogs, and are more likely to approach and have a conversation with someone with a canine companion. In one study from 2008, people helped a stranger who dropped a handful of coins pick them up more often if he had a dog with him, and were more likely to give him money for the bus when he asked. People typically treat strangers in public places with what the sociologist Erving Goffman termed “civil inattention.” They may acknowledge each other with brief glances, but they’ll look quickly away. The glancer is recognizing that the other person is there, but signaling that he himself doesn’t want to interact, and also being respectful of the fact that the other person probably doesn’t want to interact, either.But dogs do not give a hoot about our elaborate, chilly social dances. They’ll interact with whomever they like, thanks very much. This helps break the barrier of civil inattention in two ways: One, if you see someone with a dog, and you like dogs, then you know you have something in common with that person, making them a little bit less of an unknown. And two, “it is as if the interactional openness of pet dogs … is highly contagious, infecting and transforming anyone who accompanies them in public into ‘open persons.’” read more here; http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/11/how-dogs-make-friends-for-their-humans/417645/

BLOODY STOOL IN DOGS.

The Presence of bright red blood in feces of dogs is common with dogs with bleeding in the lumen of intestine.The common cause in older dogs is usually cancer ,while younger dogs parasites are the usual cause.The color of the blood will give an indication of where the problem is,if the feces is dark and tarry then its digested blood indicating the problem is in the small intestine and stomach, while if the blood is frank and bright red the problem lies in the colon/rectum. The diagnosis involves more than the color of the feces,the history and other signs in the dog will help draw a logical conclusion.The common causes of bloody stool include infectious agents such as bacteria, protozoa,viruses and intestinal parasites. Dietary intolerance, allergy, colitis,bowel disorders , constipation and clotting disorders are also likely causes of blood in stool. Treatment will depend on underlying cause such as 1) antibiotics. 2)deworming medication. 3)adsorbent to coat lumen. 4)changes in diet. 5) provision of plenty water.

How to rid your pets of ticks,fleas and lice.

Ticks, fleas,lice and mites are ectoparasites that cause severe discomfort in your pets.Ticks have also been fingered as a cause of lyme disease in man, so these ectoparasites have public health importance .
  The pets suffer severe irritation resulting in itching and loss of hair coat and blood loss.  These ectoparasites can be stopped by use of specially formulated shampoos,soaps, tick sprays and kennel sprays.

 Pet owners tend to experiment with a lot of chemicals which burns their pets,and others have been so unlucky to lose their pets because of use of harmful chemicals that are hazardous to the pets,the environment and children in the household.


 A client came to the clinic today with a dog with badly burnt coat and was off food .The owner admitted to using kerosene to wash the dog because of ticks. The dog had large scab areas on the skin and was in pain.

The dog was washed with water copiously followed by use of  shampoo. The dog was towel-dried and  then given a  rub down with coconut oil. The dog was given vitamins  to help with healing and appetite.

 Ticks, mites and fleas can be a nuisance but employing the right method to get rid of them will  ensure you do not kill your pet in the process.

 When you have mild infestation, you can  make a vinegar- water mix and simply spray the dog's coat and digits. 

Bathing  the dogs with ecto parasitic soaps and shampoo at scheduled intervals will  ensure your pet is tick- free. .

Chemicals can be used in kennels to kill ticks,the use of  flea collars are also advisable.

The environment must be clean and tick free to prevent re- infestation after the dog has been washed.

Grasses must be cut short and fumigation of environment is advisable.


Order your tick spray, kennel spray and other pet care products.


 We also offer pest control services, call us to fumigate your home and companies.

HIP DYSPLASIA. IN DOGS!!!.

Painful joints are increasing common in dogs, initially it was associated with aging, excessive weight loads on joints and limbs.Now a days the cases have been linked to poor breeding choices, where undesirable traits are masked and the litters come out with poor body conformations and resultant joint issues . The common breeds susceptible to hip dysplasia are German shepherd and golden retriever ,although any large breed can have joint issues with increasing age coupled with other factors. The smooth surface of joints wear down resulting in severe pain, the problem is a progressive one and the ability to note and identify changes in gait, exercise tolerance, stairs climbing and ease of raising self up from the floor by owner will give a good prognosis as treatment can be initiated immediately. The dog breeders and pet owners who feed high fat diet, high carbohydrate diets with intent to fatten pups within a short period of time actually set the ball rolling, because the weight will put so much pressure on joints that before the pup is a year old, signs of joint problems are noticed. The best way to manage the issue is by 1) weight reduction; reduce current weight to eliminate pressure from joints. 2) routine exercise is important to help tone the muscles,this will also take pressure off joints.3) medications include nonsteriodal anti inflammatory drug, glucosamine and chondrotin sulphate supplement and also incorporate fish oil in diet.

TIPS FOR BREEDING YOUR DOGS.

Thinking of breeding your bitch? then follow these steps to have a good crop of litter. 1) Identify the stud and check out health status. 2) The bitch should be up to date on her vaccinations and worming programme. 3) Note the size of the dogs and ensure there is no disparity. 4) bitch and stud must not be overweight. 5)bitch and stud must be examined by a vet, and certified healthy free from brucellosis; a sexually transmitted disease. 6) Take the bitch to stud. 7) The mating should be done twice around the twelfth day of estrus, when discharge is straw colored.The mating should be done at a day/two interval. 8) Ensure mating actually occurs. 9) Ensure you take adequate care of bitch, with proper feeding, minimal exercise and plenty of cool clean water.

COMMON CAUSES OF ABSENCE OF HEAT IN DOGS.

Dog owners and pet lovers eagerly await the time they can breed their pets.Breeding of dogs is a serious issue as so many intricacies must be considered. The breeding involves proven pedigrees that are crossed to extend a progeny and perpetuate certain traits. Breeding is time-consuming,expensive and a knowledge about your pets is required.The decision to breed should be based on inherited traits,health and temperament. The breeder must ensure that the litters have loving,caring homes that are ready to absorb them. The bitch have 2 oestrous period in a year, where the bitch responds to a stud and allows mating. The heat signs are 1) swollen vulva 2) bloody discharges 3) restlessness 4) frequent urination.The bitch will allow mating in the estrus phase of the cycle where the discharges are straw colored and there will be flagging of the tail,this is when the eggs are released and pregnancy is possible. There are cases where the owners will not observe heat signs, because the bitch is experiencing silent heat.In this situation ,the progesterone level will be a pointer that heat has actually occurred. Some other bitches are clever, and groom themselves continuously,thus making it difficult to note any discharges. Bitches can fail to come on heat if they have underlying conditions such as 1) diabetes 2)cancer 3)hypothyroidism 4) hyperadrenocorticism. When bitches have been observed to have heat problems, may be there has been no history of heat,or may be the bitch have come on heat before ,or there has been absence of heat after a whelp then a thorough examination must be carried out to ascertain status and proffer solution.

STRAY DOG SAVES A 3-DAY OLD BABY.

A stray dog has saved the life of a three-day-old baby girl who was apparently abandoned by her mother in a dustbin. Saudi Arabia’s daily ‘Sada' reported the news with breath taking pictures of the dog holding the newborn in his mouth.As per the reports published by the daily, the dog was hungry and was wandering on the streets in the search of some food but unfortunately he found nothing. It spotted a just born baby who had its umbilical cord still attached to her body,and what it did next has not only displayed the animal’s sensitivity towards humans but also proved why dog is called a loyal animal. The dog knew that the baby was not doing well so he ensured that the baby suffered no more harm further. He put the new born into his mouth and moved her out of the dangerous streets in search of a safe place.He took the baby to the nearest house and placed her on the porch. watch video here;http://www.indiatvnews.com/buzz/life/street-dog-saves-life-of-baby-girl-saudi-arabia-250.html

Why cats are picky eaters.

Cat owners and lovers have often wandered why their lovely pets snip up bits and pieces of her meal.It has been revealed that cats have multi functional bitter taste receptors, so they can actually determine what is beneficial and whats harmful.

These receptors are safety instincts that protect them from consuming potentially harmful substances, the research suggests that cats have at least seven functional bitter taste receptors. Further, a comparison of cat to related species with differing dietary habits reveals that there does not appear to be a strong relationship between the number of bitter receptors and the extent to which a species consumed plants in its diet.

 Feeding the right diet at the right time at required amounts will make your cats crave for meal times. Call to order cat food recipe book.

The findings question the common hypothesis that bitter taste developed primarily to protect animals from ingesting poisonous plant compound. Read more here;

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/10/151021144650.htm