Education, dog-friendly neighborhoods could tackle obesity

Education, dog-friendly neighborhoods could tackle obesity: Investing in dog owner education and facilities as a strategy to target physical inactivity and problems such as obesity in both people and their pets. It is estimated that 40% of dog owners don't take their dogs for a walk. In the UK, almost a quarter of households own a dog, but less than half of adults meet the recommended level of 150 minutes a week of physical activity.

Pets may help reduce your risk of heart disease

Pets may help reduce your risk of heart disease: Owning a pet, particularly a dog, could reduce your risk of heart disease. It is unclear whether owning a pet directly reduces risk. Despite the likely positive link, people shouldn't get a pet solely to reduce heart disease risk.

DIABETES IN DOGS.

Diabetes mellitus is a condition where the cells of the body cannot metabolize the glucose from the blood this results in rise in blood sugar levels. This condition results either because of lack of insulin or an inability of the cells to effectively utilize it. Diabetes usually begins in middle age and it is more common in females dogs than male dogs of certain breeds like puli,while in cats the male and female of all breeds are equally at risk. Diabetes mellitus in dogs is characterized by a high level of glucose in the blood. The level of glucose in the blood and its absorption by cells are regulated by a hormone called insulin, which is produced in the pancreas. If there isn't enough insulin, or if the cells can't use it effectively, then glucose levels in the blood increase, resulting in diabetes The signs develop overtime and these include drinking a lot of water, urinating more often than usual, an increased appetite, and weight loss. Delayed healing in cases of skin infections , where sores or skin infections that take a long time to heal or are resistant to treatment. Diabetes is usually diagnosed by measuring increased levels of glucose in the blood. If the level of glucose in the blood is high enough, it will lace the urine and can be detected . Mild cases of diabetes can sometimes be managed by diet, exercise, and weight control. Most cases of diabetes require insulin injections to keep the level of blood glucose in the normal range. Managing a dog with diabetes requires a commitment by owner and to stick to the same routine every day. Feed a fixed amount of a balanced diet, divided into equal morning and evening portions, treats and other snacks should not be given because they will interfere with the proper regulation of your pet's glucose level. Exercise also needs to be consistent to maintain a particular weight. There will be the need to check your dog's urine glucose on a daily basis and to return regularly for a blood glucose test. Once a routine / Pattern is established and the dog is used to it, checking a urine glucose level, keeping meals and exercise consistent, and administering insulin takes very little time. Dogs with diabetes,if properly managed can still live productive lives. If diabetes is not treated, metabolic byproducts of fat breakdown referred to as ketones will build up in the blood, leading to fatigue, poor appetite, and vomiting. When ketones accumulate in the body, the dog's breath will be foul .This odor is one of the pointers that your dog has a metabolic disorder.

AFRICAN SWINE FEVER AND THE RUSSIAN ANGLE.

African Swine Fever appears to be a never-ending story for Russia’s pig industry, as the virus has been observed to be very persistent and difficult to eradicate. Regional inspectors have noted that the disease often returns to regions where it occurred several years ago, in regions where ASF seems to be already defeated. On 15 June 15 2015, for instance, one ASF outbreak was detected at small farms in the Vladimir region, where the virus had not been detected since 2013. Wild boars has been fingered as source of the outbreak after a short investigation. There are other school of thought concerning the outbreak,acts of biological terrorism is been suggested and thus various law enforcement agents are to look into the situation and curb any such practice,also surveillance by agricultural officers,extension agents and field officers will help curb/prevent any of such practice. The recurring outbreaks in certain areas has also been linked to the way the affected animals are disposed. Hot beds as the burial sites are referred to these came into existence when the first wave of ASF took place in Russia. The authorities decided to introduce criminal liability for officials and in some cases for farmers in case ASF had penetrated their farm. With this step, the government agencies expected farmers to behave more responsibly; the opposite appears to have happened. The response of farmers to cases also contribute to recurring nature because upon the discovery of heavy pig mortality on-farm, most choose not to report the possible ASF outbreak out of fear of criminal liability . The farmers instead culled all pigs, take the infected corpses to nearby forests and have them buried there. It is believed there could be thousands of these so-called 'hotbeds' across the various regions of Russia. Due to the virus' high virulence, these places continue to infect wild boars, despite the efforts of authorities, reporting on the discovery of burial places each month.

Canine influenza transmitted to cats in Midwestern shelter.

It is called canine influenza, but an expert has confirmed that the virus that sickened a large number of dogs in the Midwest last year has now infected a group of cats in the region. According to Sandra Newbury, clinical assistant professor and director of the Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, has confirmed that the virus that sickened a large number of dogs in the Midwest last year has now infected a group of cats in the region. Sandra Newbury, in collaboration with Kathy Toohey-Kurth, virology section head at the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, recently tested multiple cats at an animal shelter in Northwest Indiana and found them positive for the H3N2 canine influenza virus. "Suspicions of an outbreak in the cats were initially raised when a group of them displayed unusual signs of respiratory disease," Newbury says. "While this first confirmed report of multiple cats testing positive for canine influenza in the U.S. shows the virus can affect cats, we hope that infections and illness in felines will continue to be quite rare." Feline cases previously reported in South Korea suggested that the virus -- which was not seen in the U.S. until 2015 -- was capable of making the leap from dogs to cats. However, just one cat tested positive for H3N2 on a single occasion in the U.S. last year. In that case, no repeated sampling was done because the sample was not known to be positive until long after the cat's symptoms had resolved.It now appears the virus can replicate and spread from cat to cat. "Sequential sampling of these individual cats have shown repeated positives and an increase in viral loads over time," Toohey-Kurth says, referring to the amount of virus found in any given sample.Cats that have contracted the virus in the shelter have displayed upper respiratory symptoms such as runny nose, congestion and general malaise, as well as lip smacking and excessive salivation. Symptoms have resolved quickly and so far, the virus has not been fatal in cats. Infected dogs may develop a persistent cough, runny nose and fever. Some dogs will show no symptoms, while others exhibit more severe signs of illness. The virus has been linked to some deaths in dogs, but most dogs recover with supportive care. Dogs and cats infected with canine influenza virus should be housed separately from other animals and precautions should be taken to prevent spread of the virus on hands and clothing.An H3N2 vaccine is now available for dogs, but no vaccine is currently approved or recommended for cats. Story from materials provided by University of Wisconsin-Madison

Nutritional strategies to reduce emissions from pig sty's..

Pig diets contain both dietary fiber (DF) and crude protein (CP), and the way pigs ferment these ingredients has an effect on the mission of nitrogenous gases and odor from pig manure and piggeries. A study , published in the Journal Animal Feed Science and Technology, the researchers delved into solutions to adapt the diet and to reduce these gas and odor emissions from farms. Nitrogen (N) in the faeces comprises undigested dietary N and endogenous N, mainly as amino acids (AA), and microbial N, partly present in nucleic acids. So one approach to reducing ammonia emission is through dietary manipulation. The inclusion of Dietary fiber and reduction of crude protein(less than 190g/kg) in pig diets seems to be an effective nutritional strategy that may counteract the negative effects of protein fermentation in the pig gut by reducing ammonia concentration, shifting N excretion pathways in the gut and minimizing the negative impact of intensive pig production on the environment. The inclusion of soluble fiber leads to a decrease of urinary N excretion.

Bio coding language makes it easier to hack living cells

Bio coding language makes it easier to hack living cells: A tool for designing computer chips will allow ordinary people to design their own DNA circuits to make smart bacteria perform a range of functions