AVIAN INFLUENZA IN VIETNAM.

Hong Kong bans poultry from Vietnamese province

Meat groups reassure consumers about antibiotics

Meat groups reassure consumers about antibiotics

PYOTRAUMATIC DERMATITIS.

Pyotraumatic dermatitis also called hot spots are skin lesions on dogs that can grow rapidly. This is characterized by licking,biting and chewing of a spot on the skin endlessly.The spot increases in a space of some hours with pus in the spot.The biting, chewing and licking make the spot bloody and oozing pus.The spot looses hair rapidly and gives off an offensive odor. The common causes are 1 )allergic reactions to dust,chemicals and pollen.2) dogs with furry coat are highly susceptible to these spots,because of tangled and matted hair.This makes the coat a good platform for bacteria proliferation because of dead hair inside the skin.3) hypersensitivity in some dogs resulting in excessive chewing,licking and biting. Licking,biting and chewing on dog's coat results in trauma usually contaminated by secondary bacterial infection resulting in pus and pustule formation.The best way to treat this condition are as follows 1) isolate the spots,by trimming the hair and clean the spot with antibacterial soap. 2)apply topical ointment,to stop itching and odor.The use of coconut oil stops the itching immediately. 3)when pus is oozing out, clean pus and cover with topical antibacterial agent. PREVENTION; this will include grooming dogs with long coats regularly.Dogs that are hypersensitive, should be groomed with hypoallergenic shampoos and environment should be clean and free of harmful chemicals.

FACTORS AFFECTING GROWTH OF SNAILS.

Snails will grow when provided with proper environmental and nutritional conditions.The following factors affect growth of snails; these are 1) stress; sudden noise,vibration ,excessive light and excessive touching of snails are stressors that prevent normal growth. 2) overstocking; keeping too many snails per floor space,results in cannibalism , reduced growth and expected turn over. 3)feeding; snails can thrive on fruits,vegetables and compounded ration, but to get the desired growth the snails need to be placed on supplements to boost growth. 4)temperature;the higher the temperature the lower the growth.A temperature above 35 degrees will reduce growth rate of snails. 5) moisture content; the snailery must be moist to assist growth and reproduction,the lower the moisture content the slower the growth rate. All these factors are still centered on bio security protocols, if not ensured the snails will not grow at all and many will be riddled with disease and many more will die.

COMMON SIGNS OF DISEASE IN SNAILS.

Snails are easy to manage and are a good source of protein. The iron content makes it a good supplement for anemic patients.The snails are hardy and not easily predisposed to diseases except when management procedures are wrong. The signs of diseases are 1)inappetence 2) inactivity 3) dryness of the fleshy part 4) nodules on the surface. The predisposing factors are 1) high temperature in the snailery,temperature higher than 35degrees is detrimental to growth and health. 2)overstocking of snails, and stocking different ages together. 3)excessive amount of sunlight in snailery. 4)dryness of the snailery. 5)feeding moldy feed. 6)feeding contaminated feed, feed of low quality. 7) indiscriminate use of chemicals ,detergents and insecticides around snailery. 8) giving dirty water, or contaminated water. The best form of prevention is to ensure strict bio security protocol and provide better environmental conditions.

HOW TO BREAK UP A DOG FIGHT WITHOUT GETTING HURT.

There is no surefire way to break up a fight between dogs, and there is no guarantee that it can be done safely. There are always risks, but some techniques are better bets than others, and depending on the seriousness of the fight, you may be willing to take a big risk. If you ever have the misfortune to see dogs fighting with each other, consider your options and choose what you think is the best way to handle the situation. Some low risk options for breaking up a dog fight are not always that effective, but they aren’t likely to cause a problem, either. These include making a loud sound such banging any loud meal objects together, blowing an air horn or a sudden yelled, “Hey!” Often dogs ignore these attempts, but for dogs who are not that committed to the fight or who actually want to stop fighting, but can’t seem to break it off themselves, loud startling sounds can work. It’s true that spraying dogs with a hose may stop a fight, but dogs so rarely fight within reach of one. Even spraying them with water or dumping a bucket of water over them can work, but many dogs don’t seem to care. I’ve heard of cases in which fighting dogs were pushed in a pool and stopped, but again, there’s not always a pool handy when you need one. Spraying dogs with a citronella spray can have the same effect as water. Using a barrier to separate dogs is riskier than the above suggestions, but also more likely to work. Inserting a cookie sheet, a piece of plywood or even a thick piece of poster board between two dogs can break up a fight. That said, it’s a major feat of coordination to accomplish this in most cases during a highly active altercation. There is a risk of being bitten but the bigger the barrier, the lower the risk because you can keep your hands further away from the mouths of the dogs. Separating the dogs with direct physical contact has the best chance of stopping the fight, but also poses the biggest risk of you being bitten. It’s wise to lower that probability any way that you can. If two people are there, an option is for each person to grab the back legs of a dog and pull them away from each other. Yes, it can work, and yes, it’s awkward to time this right. Dogs have almost no power when their back legs are not in contact with the ground, which is why this is not likely to lead to a bite to the people. Of course, a failed attempt in which one dog is being held and the other gets away can put everybody at risk. I’ve seen people separate dogs by grabbing tails instead of hind legs. It’s not very pleasant for the dogs, but is generally better than continuing to fight. Read how a dog owner got severely beaten when she tried separating her dogs, yes ! her dogs.http://thebark.com/content/breaking-dog-fight-risky

PET SUMMIT.

A forum for dog lovers,owners, academicians,nutritionist and pet researchers, all came together to learn,rub minds and exchange ideas. Purina’s commitment to offering a forum of ideas is commendable. In a similar vein, the company hosted another notable event on November 7—a free live video cast of the Family Dog Project from Hungary—with over a dozen presentations by leading scientists and animal behaviorist exploring everything from canine cognition to sensory perception in dogs. Like the Pet Summit, it was a fascinating collection of concepts and dialogue, enriching to everybody who participated. The afternoon offered a room full of experiential exhibits—interactive displays that provided lessons in healthy environments, cognition, reading your pet, nutrition and your pet’s purpose. Manned by teams of experts, the well designed displays presented an immersive course in Dog and Cat 101. I’d love to see the exhibits showcased to the general public, those most in need of education and guidance in the proper care of pet companions.Read more about event here; http://thebark.com/content/better-pets-summit