Lumps On Dogs: When To Get Them Checked By A Veterinarian.

Lumps On Dogs: When To Get Them Checked By A Veterinarian. When people find lumps on dogs, they often panic. It’s easy to assume the worst. And then we often avoid finding out more. But really: what should you do? Get lumps on dogs checked by a veterinarian. ASAP. Most of the time the lumps are benign … but when they’re not, the longer you wait to get them checked out, the worse the situation becomes. continue

Brain cells may prevent fat burning when dieting.

Brain cells may prevent fat burning when dieting.Study in mice may help explain why dieting can be an inefficient way to lose weight as key brain cells may act to prevent calorie burning. Your brain may be the biggest obstacle to weight loss while dieting, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Cambridge. The study identified a new mechanism where the body adapts to low caloric intake and limits weight loss in studies in mice. Researchers found that key brain cells act as a trigger to prevent the body from burning calories when calories are limited. The weight loss strategies are often inefficient because the body works like a thermostat and couples the amount of calories we burn to the amount of calories we eat,more

Dog reunited with owner after two-year absence and 2200-mile journey.

Dog reunited with owner after two-year absence and 2200-mile journey.Tammy Crews waited anxiously in the Nashville airport to be reunited with her dog named Trixie Love Crews. Trixie had been missing for two and a half years, and it wasn’t until Crews got a call from an animal shelter in California – more than 2,000 miles away – that she had any hope of seeing her again. As she sat by the baggage claim, Crews thought she heard whimpering but couldn’t be sure it wasn’t just a squeaky wheel. Then she saw the dog carrier and broke into tears. As the Maltese pawed at the bars of her cage, an airport employee cut away the last bit of wiring holding the door shut. The two reunited with a hug and affectionate kisses. full story

Importance of Wellness Exams For Pets.

Importance of Wellness Exams For Pets can not be over emphasized as veterinarians recommend regular wellness exams for the same reason your physician and dentist recommend them . The logic is prevention is better than cure so if you can detect a problem in its early stages, it's more likely to be treated and resolved with less expense, less difficulty and better success. Vaccinations, heartworm prevention and routine deworming are important components of wellness care and can prevent diseases that are not only life-threatening, but very expensive to treat,thus prevention should be a better option. A wellness programme can be recommended based on your pet's breed as some breeds are predisposed to certain health problems, age, lifestyle and overall health.

Antibodies from Ebola survival protects against deadly virus.

Antibodies from Ebola survival protects against deadly virus. Researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases report in the journal Cell that two antibodies from an Ebola survivor protected ferrets and mice from infection. The antibodies blocked various types of Ebola from causing infection in the animals, and they protected human cells from infection in a laboratory setting. Antibodies from Ebola survival protects against deadly virus. Previous studies have identified one antibody from a mouse that was able to protect other mice against multiple different species in Ebola virus lineage. more

Animal immunotherapy shows promise against 11 types of cancer.

Animal immunotherapy shows promise against 11 types of cancer. Veterinarian Mark Suckow pioneered a new veterinary cancer treatment called VetiVax, an injection series that primes an animal's immune system to fight cancer, and the $1,200 treatment has been used in over 150 animals, demonstrated initial response against 11 types of cancer and given 60% of patients longer life than expected. "Immunotherapy is the future of cancer medicine, not only for animals but for humans as well," said Ashley Kalinauskas, CEO of Torigen Pharmaceuticals, the maker of VetiVax. source

Diet predisposes black rhinos to insulin resistance.

Diet predisposes black rhinos to insulin resistance. A new study shows that captive black rhinos – but not their wild counterparts – are at high risk for two common health problems suffered by millions of humans which are inflammation and insulin resistance. The finding suggests captive black rhinos have metabolic problems. In humans, these same conditions can both result from a rich diet and sedentary lifestyle and contribute to obesity and other diseases. The African black rhinoceroses living in captivity are known to be at higher risk for a number of unusual diseases that include anemia, degraded muscle tissue, skin ulcers, liver disease, iron overload and low phosphate in the blood. Low phosphate in the blood is common to most of the health problems observed in captive black rhinos and low phosphate has been linked to insulin resistance in humans as well. While some of these conditions can be treated, they often lead to death. In one large study of black rhinos living in North American zoos over a 70-year period, 73 percent of the captive-born animals died before reproducing. more