VETERINARY MEDICINE: Why your dog is eating poop.

VETERINARY MEDICINE: Why your dog is eating poop. Dogs are energetic and always on the move,looking at stuff,digging,running around and all other stuff.Most dog owners can tolerate the fast paced life of these hairy creatures but detests the poop eating habit,yes habit! can be corrected. VETERINARY MEDICINE: Why your dog is eating poop.Dogs eat poop for various reasons such as 1) nutritional deficiencies. 2) social behavior. 3) Restlessness/boredom .4) environment .5)starvation. The poop eating habit of dogs though disgusting , may be a signal to the owner that the diet is not complete/balanced,the management techniques are wrong and house training is inadequate. Dog food must be a balanced ration of carbohydrate,protein,fats/oil with minerals and vitamins,hence dogs on incomplete rations are deficient in certain elements needed for growth and proper body functioning and maintenance of body systems.The dog will try to makeup for the inadequacy by eating up the poop with the intention of getting more nutrients. Dog training should include house training, dogs should have a schedule when they are taken out to poop and where the training is excellent ,dogs are prevented from eating poop.Dogs that are kept tied up for long periods without any supervision,can also resort to poop eating when hungry or out of sheer boredom. VETERINARY MEDICINE: Why your dog is eating poop. The environment also plays a role in the poop eating behavior; rural dwellers in certain countries encourage their dogs to eat poop, when humans poop they give it to their dogs,some others even allow the dog lick the bum of the child to clean it.Dogs living in such environment eating poop is normal,and since dogs learn by observation it spreads to the pack they run with and they also pass the habit down to their pups as the bitch normally eats poop of her pups to keep the kennel clean. Social behavior also contribute to dog eating poop, dogs in a pack that eats poop will also assume its normal and will follow suit while dogs running with another pack that eats poop will also pick up the habit. Dogs that are starved, or given small rations at longer intervals tend to look for alternate sources of food,this dog eating poop is not limited to their own but to poop of other animals.Dogs pick up certain habits out of boredom ; poop eating can also fall in this category. The prevention of this habit will depend on the underlining cause,and if this is corrected ,the dog will stop eating poop.

MEAT AND HUMAN HEALTH.

Human health is impacted by various factors hinged on animal health. It has been discovered that 60% of diseases in humans are caused by pathogens of animal origin,hence animal health is really human health. 

The various animal pathogen can affect man through consumption of their products and byproducts,hence proper handling,processing and packaging are very essential. Food handling plays a vital role in food safety and every protocol to ensure that meat is wholesome and fit for human consumption must be put in place.

The health status of the animals from the farm to slaughter is very important and must be addressed.Adequate inspection of carcasses in abattoirs is key to meat safety and consumption of wholesome meat and meat products . 

 Meat presented for sale must be clean,odorless,with no swellings/pus exuding.Meat must be hygienically processed and packaged before being adjudged wholesome and fit for human consumption. 

These pictures show diseased animal organs that should never be consumed,but condemned and discarded. MEAT AND HUMAN HEALTH.

AGRIBUSINESS: FOOD SAFETY IN THE MEAT INDUSTRY..

             FOOD SAFETY IN THE MEAT INDUSTRY.

.Food safety is of paramount importance in meat industry;handling,processing,packaging and storage are hazard analysis critical points(HACCP).Food safety deals with protocol/procedure that are employed to prevent food borne illness,which are usually fatal.

                   FOOD SAFETY IN THE MEAT INDUSTRY. 

 Food safety in meat industry actually begins on the farm where these animals are raised; the feeding,medication and management practice play vital roles in the quality of meat that is processed and sold.

The animals are fed on balanced rations,given required vaccination and medication.The animals are not raised on growth promoters or other hormones that impact human health,and all drugs administered must have been completely expelled from system before slaughter.

 FOOD SAFETY IN THE MEAT INDUSTRY. The animals presented for slaughter must be healthy,and certified fit by veterinarian at antemortem inspection.Sick,debilitated and pregnant animals are not to be slaughtered.

 The animals are to be slaughtered in a clean facility with clean water source,the food processors must be well equipped to prevent transfer of microorganism to the carcass.Water plays a vital role in the abattoir because its the medium used to clean the carcasses,floors,drains and working area.The carcass is duly inspected and diseased parts are condemned,or in some cases the entire carcass is condemned.

 Hand washing is very important; hands should be washed at intervals during processing to prevent food borne illness.Food can easily be contaminated during transportation and storage,hence proper cooling vans must be used in transporting meat,and these must be stored at right temperature to prevent growth of bacteria.


 Meat presented for sale must have following qualities;1) clean. 2) have no odor/foul smell. 3) have no lumps,pustules or swellings . 4) must not have holes/tunnel with flukes ,5)must not discharge any fluid/pus 6) must no give off any color-tinged fluid when pressed 7) must maintain original color. 

When meat is processed  it must be done at proper temperature,exposure of meat to environmental elements such as dust,flies, and excessive exposure to sun affect the quality of meat with resultant impact on human health.

  When next you are in the meat market , check it out properly before you buy.

FOOD SAFETY.

Food safety refers to methods,procedures and protocols that are practiced in food industry.These procedures/protocol are put in place during processing, packaging and transportation. Food safety is very important to human health because it prevents food-borne diseases that could be fatal.Food safety prevents hazards in food that cause injury,illness and sometimes death.These hazards could be physical,biological or chemical in nature , found in food and drinks, have varying impacts on human health.The susceptibility of individuals to these hazards vary with children being major subjects followed by elderly older than 65, then pregnant women and lastly immune compromised individuals. The physical hazard include stones,broken glass,plastic cuts,jewelry,rings,pieces of fabric(shredding table cloth ) and boards e.t.c.The hazard usually occur during processing,packing and storage.The food processors are usually the major cause of these form of hazard; the work unit,tools and personal hygiene have all being pinned as sources of food hazard. Chemical hazard include poisonous substances,chemicals ,soaps,detergents or cleaning liquids that are spilled during food processing.Pesticides,rodenticides and paints have also being fingered as hazard in food industry. Biological hazards are microorganism ,which include bacteria,viruses and parasites.The parasites are usually tiny worms in beef,pork and fish; these parasites are usually found in contaminated water,used in processing.Bacteria grow in food under certain conditions such as low temperatures,fecal contamination,or cross contamination which result in food spoilage and food borne illness.These bacteria contaminate food during processing handling and storage. Viruses in food usually contaminate food during processing ,these are usually from food processors that are coughing,sneezing,and picking nose.These can be prevented by maintaining high level of hygiene by food processors. Food borne illness can be prevented by implementing the following ;1) high standard of personal hygiene. 2)temperature control. 3) preventing of cross contamination between various food items. 4)cleaning of utensils,working area and cutting boards. 5) proper packaging and storage. Personal hygiene will include washing hands before handling meat,after using toilet and after handling various raw food.The food processor must not wear jewelry and accessories that can easily drop off during production, nails must be cut short and clean,hair must be covered and neat clean clothing must be worn. The processor must wear clean overall,gloves and clean working shoes.The health status of food processors play a vital role in the level of safety of the food ,hence processors that are ill, coughing,sneezing, vomiting or have diarrhea should not handle food.Food operators must undergo regular checkup to ascertain health status,any case tuberculosis,hepatitis,HIV/AIDS should be reported. Hand washing plays an important role in food safety and the benefits cannot be overemphasized; hand washing removes microorganisms and should be done throughout the day.

How to compound fish feed .

Fish feed could be natural ,using natural sources such ac insects,maggot,tadpoles,zoo plankton or plankton.Fish could also be fed a compounded ration, this could be home-made or finished feed. A combination of ingredients are used in stipulated amounts to boost growth. A combination of both natural and compounded ration can also be employed to save cost. FEED COMPOUNDING,Using fish meal,soya beans,groundnut cake,premix and binder. The ingredients are added as follows; fish meal...........50% soya beans...............24% groundnut cake............18% premix.................6% cornflour..............2%. The various ingredients are weighed out,grind ed and mixed thoroughly.These ingredients are mixed and held with use of binder(flour),the flour is mixed with water to form a paste,this is then added to the mixture and you continue to mix until a thick paste is formed.The mixture is dried in sun,and kept in air tight containers. The feed could be pelletized/granulated or fed as small lumps that break off when dropped in ponds.This will provide a good start for your fish at 12-28 days. Fish feed could also be made from fish meal,premix and raw egg as binder. The composition of the feed: fish meal ....92% premix ......8% and the raw egg as binder. All ingredients are mixed,the egg is mixed with water to form a paste,this then dried in the sun and kept in air tight containers.They can be presented as granular or fed as small lumps at pond corners. Unconventional feeding method is the use of grind-ed crayfish, which id grounded to fine particles, and mixed with fine chopped cassava flakes(garri).This is mixed with the crayfish to form a paste,this is then put in corners of the pond,to feed the fish.

COMMON FISH DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH NUTRIENT DEFICIENCY IN FEED.

Feed must be balanced in all essential nutrients in terms of carbohydrate,protein,fat and oil. Vitamins and minerals are also essential for growth,balance and total health status of fish.The various component manifest different signs when absent in feed,the most prominent sign is stunted growth,delayed harvest s=,reduced survival rate.Vitamins and minerals in feed are essential to regulate metabolism,thus any deficiency results in ill health,imbalance and deformations. Scoliosis refers to skeletal deformations in the body of fish.The fish is bent backwards,head tilted and skin peeling.This condition is as a result of vitamin c deficiency, it also occurs when calcium or phosphorus is also lacking in feed.Skeletal deformations can also result from contamination of pond with heavy metals such as mercury. Calcium and phosphorus deficiency could also result in "running horse disease"; where fish swim violently in groups around sides of pond in uncoordinated manner.Fish could also appear darkened(burnt out) or sometimes black,these fish have smaller bodies and big head.This condition is linked to anaemia,and has been traced to incomplete feed. Fish feed must be balanced for the value to be noticed ,hence nutrients must be properly balanced and mixed. Atovi premix is an essential part of feed,its complete with needed nutrients at required levels. Atovi premix ensures growth and early harvest of fish.The premix ensures a blend and perfect balance of the feed,it enhances the metabolism of feed ensuring proper absorption and reduce amount of waste.The use of atovi help prevent build up of nitrogenous waste thus purifies pond,there is a balance in aigae bloom,hence no death of micro organisms in filter.The atovi premix ensures proper inter-cellular function,hence there is no incidence of diseases in fish fed atovi premix.

FISH HEALTH .

Fish should be observed on a regular basis for signs of ill health,stress or any discomfort.This is the main reason why you must master your fish behavior;swimming patterns,feeding and response to stimuli so that any changes will be noticed and addressed. There must be an operational protocol,where the pipe works, pumps and general system are checked for leaks,damage,breaks or blockages . The pond is the controlled environment of the fish,and the health status of the fish is hinged on its stability and balance. Potential problems /deaths in ponds has been traced to biofilters.When nitrogenous wastes accumulate in ponds,they increase ammonia levels in ponds,causing death of microrganism in the biofilters which results in mass death of fish. The water parameters are to be checked at regular intervals as these are indicators of fish health status; dissolved oxygen,temperature,ammonia level,nitrate,nitrite,pH and phosphate are very important. Fish health can be judged good/bad based on observation.When fish are flicking or flashing its an indication of parasitic infestation or high nitrite concentration in water.Fish jumping also indicate parasitic infestation,gill problems or irritating contaminates in water. Rubbing against fish tank/wall is a clear indication of parasitic infestation.Stress is to be suspected when fish are swimming slowly,resting down in the pond and refusal of feed.Mucus covered fish points to stress as well as parasitic infestation Fish gasping for fresh air on water surface,or hanging around water inlet indicate a low level of dissolved oxygen in the pond. Parasitic infection could be by bacteria,fungi or viruses.Parasites could infect or infest the body of fish as in the case of fish lice,which causes severe irritation. When fish is observed with clamped fins,red streaks on skin its indicative of a bacterial infection,while whitish spots on fish giving a cotton-wool appearance is indicative of viral infection,these are usually complicated by secondary bacterial infection. Fish could also show lumps or pox-like lesion as in the case of carp pox,these usually disintegrate leaving ulcers that are also complicated by bacteria.Worms also affect health of fish,tapeworms in fish cause a change in body color resulting in dark-colored fish ,that are weak and swimming with open mouths The anchor worm causes proliferation of muscle. Fish farms must have some materials to facilitate easy management ,ease handling and ensure survival and health of fish.These include nets,water kit,bowl,gloves and indicator paper.