Pet health with veterinary compounding.

It is natural for you to be concerned about your pet’s health because they’re part of the family. When your animal gets sick, they are generally taken to a veterinary clinic as quickly as possible. Your local vet will prescribe the most suitable medication for your pet based on the diagnosis. Whether you know it or not, the medications that you give your pet have most likely been produced by a compounding pharmacy. Customized medications are a vital part of keeping different animals healthy. Thousands of beloved pets all around South Florida receive such medicines every single day. Whether you own a horse or a hamster, he or she has probably received custom medicine. Pharmaceutical compounding pharmacies and Veterinary clinics work hand in hand with each other to broaden their prescribing abilities, and overall enhance and expand a veterinarian’s ability to treat a patient quickly in the most effective manner. Different dosages may be devised depending on an animal’s average size, for instance; dogs generally need larger doses than hamsters. Special flavoring may be used to make medicine more palatable to different animals – cats might receive chicken flavored medicine,continue

Stroke in dogs.

Strokes in dogs are less common than they are in people, but when one strikes the condition is equally as serious as a human stroke. There are three major forms of canine strokes, and it is very important for pet owners to be aware of their causes and warning signs so they will know what to do if their dog has a stroke. The two most common forms of canine strokes occur when an artery in the brain becomes blocked and cuts off oxygen to the area or when blood vessels in the brain rupture and hemorrhage. Both of these are serious conditions that need immediate treatment. These strokes are called cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) or transient ischemic attacks (TIA). The third type of stroke seen in dogs is called a fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE). It happens after a small piece of disc material inside the back breaks off and drifts into the spinal cord. This type of stroke happens very quickly when a dog is playing, jumping, or running. Dog owners may see a variety of signs immediately following a stroke, but some are subtle and hard to notice if you don’t know what to look for. To make matters worse, there are typically no signs warning that a stroke is going to happen. After a stroke occurs, problems can worsen in a short period of time if the stroke is left untreated. These are some common signs of a canine stroke:1)walking in circles or turning the wrong way when called 2) Head tilted to one side. 3) Difficulty with balance and standing.4) Extreme lethargy.5) Loss of control over bladder and bowels or vomiting.6) Worsening symptoms can include loss of eyesight, heart arrhythmia, and the dog could also collapse. If you suspect your dog has had a stroke, look inside her mouth for dark red gums or check her inner eyelids to see if they are dark red. This may indicate a decrease in oxygen to the body. If there is any suspicion of a stroke, it is vital that you take your dog to a veterinarian immediately. Strokes can be fatal in dogs, but the good news is that, when the cause is found and prompt treatment is given, dogs have a greater chance for a full recovery than humans, even if the stroke is severe. Elderly dogs are more prone to strokes, but the condition is seen most often in dogs with these health problems:1)Head injury 2)Heart disease 3)Diabetes 4)Kidney disease 5)Thyroid disease 6)Cushing’s disease 8)Brain tumors 9)Poison and some parasites 10)Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The best tools to determine if your dog has had a stroke are a CT scan or MRI. About 50 percent of all canine strokes do not have a specific cause. While canine strokes can be extremely serious, the majority of dogs have a good outcome, especially when they receive quick veterinary intervention. The best practice for dog owners is to know the warning signs, be aware of the factors that make some dogs more prone to stroke, and act fast if they suspect their dog is having, or has had, a stroke. Contributed by Sharon Seltzer is the founder of Lessons from a Paralyzed Dog, a website for dogs with strokes and other neurological or mobility problems.

Stroke in dogs.

Strokes in dogs are less common than they are in people, but when one strikes the condition is equally as serious as a human stroke. There are three major forms of canine strokes, and it is very important for pet owners to be aware of their causes and warning signs so they will know what to do if their dog has a stroke. The two most common forms of canine strokes occur when an artery in the brain becomes blocked and cuts off oxygen to the area or when blood vessels in the brain rupture and hemorrhage. Both of these are serious conditions that need immediate treatment. These strokes are called cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) or transient ischemic attacks (TIA). The third type of stroke seen in dogs is called a fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE). It happens after a small piece of disc material inside the back breaks off and drifts into the spinal cord. This type of stroke happens very quickly when a dog is playing, jumping, or running. Dog owners may see a variety of signs immediately following a stroke, but some are subtle and hard to notice if you don’t know what to look for. To make matters worse, there are typically no signs warning that a stroke is going to happen. After a stroke occurs, problems can worsen in a short period of time if the stroke is left untreated. These are some common signs of a canine stroke:1)walking in circles or turning the wrong way when called 2) Head tilted to one side. 3) Difficulty with balance and standing.4) Extreme lethargy.5) Loss of control over bladder and bowels or vomiting.6) Worsening symptoms can include loss of eyesight, heart arrhythmia, and the dog could also collapse. If you suspect your dog has had a stroke, look inside her mouth for dark red gums or check her inner eyelids to see if they are dark red. This may indicate a decrease in oxygen to the body. If there is any suspicion of a stroke, it is vital that you take your dog to a veterinarian immediately. Strokes can be fatal in dogs, but the good news is that, when the cause is found and prompt treatment is given, dogs have a greater chance for a full recovery than humans, even if the stroke is severe. Elderly dogs are more prone to strokes, but the condition is seen most often in dogs with these health problems:1)Head injury 2)Heart disease 3)Diabetes 4)Kidney disease 5)Thyroid disease 6)Cushing’s disease 8)Brain tumors 9)Poison and some parasites 10)Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The best tools to determine if your dog has had a stroke are a CT scan or MRI. About 50 percent of all canine strokes do not have a specific cause. While canine strokes can be extremely serious, the majority of dogs have a good outcome, especially when they receive quick veterinary intervention. The best practice for dog owners is to know the warning signs, be aware of the factors that make some dogs more prone to stroke, and act fast if they suspect their dog is having, or has had, a stroke. Contributed by Sharon Seltzer is the founder of Lessons from a Paralyzed Dog, a website for dogs with strokes and other neurological or mobility problems.

Feline facts!!!

If you are a devoted cat lover, you probably enjoy learning about their likes, dislikes, and what makes them so purrfectly perplexing. We’ve got some good “mews!” We rounded up five facts to help you discover a bit more about them. It’s in the DNA Throughout their lives, our cat companions face a number of serious health concerns, such as kidney disease and hyperthyroidism. Now, 99 Lives, a genome sequencing research collaboration, is developing genetic tools for cutting-edge feline healthcare. According to Leslie Lyons, PhD, professor of comparative medicine at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, the project is expected to not only prevent problems for future generations, but help to cure cats who are sick now. In doing so, researchers also hope to translate any gene and drug therapies they find for cats for use in humans and other species. The analysis is expected to be completed this fall, but the project’s early success with trios—a duo of two siblings, two distantly related cats of the same breed with the same disease, and a single cat with a rare recessive trait—is proving the project’s dataset is becoming useful for a “precision medicine” approach for cats, Lyons said. continue

Feral felines deployed in NYC war on rats.

Multitudes of feral cats roam New York City’s concrete jungle. Thanks to a new program, their health needs are being addressed and some now even have a job: They’re helping curb the city’s rat population. A group of volunteers trained by the NYC Feral Cat Initiative traps wild cat colonies that have become a nuisance or been threatened by construction, then spays or neuters and vaccinates them. The goal is to return them to their home territory, but some end up in areas rife with rats. Feline rat patrols keep watch over city delis, bodegas, car dealerships and even the grounds of a Greenwich Village church. Four cats roam the loading dock at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, where food deliveries and garbage have drawn rodents for years. “We used to hire exterminators, but nature has a better solution,” said Rebecca Marshall, the sustainability manager at the 1.8-million-square-foot center. “And cats don’t cost anything.”About 6,000 volunteers have completed workshops where they’ve learned proper ways to trap cats. The program is run through the privately funded Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, a coalition of more than 150 animal rescue groups and shelters. The alliance estimates as many as half a million feral and stray cats roam New York’s five boroughs. The life of a street cat is a tough one. Some are former pets, abandoned by owners. Plenty die of disease and malnutrition or are hit by vehicles. Others ingest poisoned cat food — set deliberately to get rid of them, cat advocates say. Many of the animals are displaced as a result of New York’s development. New construction creates perilous conditions for cats that once inhabited the city’s nooks and crannies, vacant lots, decaying factories and empty warehouses. One colony of two dozen cats living in a lot on Manhattan’s West Side are about to be displaced by construction on a new $3 billion office tower. A city council member is working with residents and developers to make sure the creatures are moved to a safe location. The Javits Center’s quartet of cats — Sylvester, Alfreda, Mama Cat and Ginger — were lured to its 56 loading docks about two years ago with pet food brought by animal-loving employees. On a recent fall morning, Sylvester stationed himself next to a commercial truck, ready to pounce if needed. The cats are predators but don’t necessarily kill rats. Instead, experts say the feline scent and droppings repel the rodents. “A mother rat will never give birth near a predator because the cats would eat the babies,” said Jane Hoffman, president of the mayor’s alliance. The cat population is controlled through spaying and neutering, provided free of charge by the Humane Society of New York and the ASPCA. In most cases, adoption is out of the question for feral cats because they are just too wild to be domesticated.more

Understanding diabetes in pets.

November is National Pet Diabetes Month, a time for pet owners to educate themselves on the signs of diabetes and its risk factors. While the existence of diabetes in humans is well-known, not everyone knows that diabetes can affect our pets too. If a pet is lethargic, excessively thirsty or frequently urinating, take it to be examined by a veterinarian because these signs may mean the pet is diabetic. With early diagnosis and proper care, a pet with diabetes can live a happy, healthy and active life with proper management based on diagnosis. Diabetic animals require frequent monitoring, including blood tests, and insulin-dependent diabetics typically require injections every 12 hours. It is much easier to prevent diabetes than it is to treat it, especially in cats, so maintain your pet at an appropriate weight and get regular veterinary exams. If your pet is displaying the signs of diabetes, have it examined very soon before it progresses to a life-threatening state. A study shows that diabetes can't always be prevented that is why obesity has shown to be a contributing factor, especially in pet cats. Age, genetics, disorders such as chronic pancreatitis or hyperthyroidism and neutering in males are among the risk factors in cats. While age, genetics and intact females are the risk for pet dogs. The breeds that have a higher risk of developing diabetes are Cocker Spaniels, Pomeranians, Golden Retrievers and Dachshunds. more

How a traumatized dog inspired a sharing economy business.

Before Aaron Hirschhorn went travelling, he put Rocky, his beloved golden labradoodle, into kennels. "But I came back to a $1,400 bill and my dog Rocky hiding under my desk, clearly traumatized, for about three days," he says. So he decided to start a company, Santa Monica-based DogVacay, to match travelling dog owners with host families, instead of traditional kennels. Mr Hirschhorn and his wife were the first hosts, looking after 110 dogs in their home in the first year. They earned $35,000 (£28,185) which they used to develop a website. DogVacay hosts - there are now 35,000 - are normally fellow dog owners, says Mr Hirschhorn. Owners can opt to receive daily photos of their pets by way of reassurance.The website and obligatory app feature profiles of the hosts, their locations, and charges. And you can book and pay online. continue