Rare human disease found in dogs.

The study published in the journal Veterinary Pathology, shows that rare severe form of pulmonary hypertension, which up until now, has only been classified as a human lung disease, has also been discovered in dogs. This study according to a Michigan State University, the research is the first to document the existence of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease, or PVOD, in dogs," said Kurt Williams, the lead author of the study and an expert in respiratory pathology in MSU's College of Veterinary Medicine. "PVOD is considered one of the most severe forms of pulmonary hypertension." PVOD might be more common in dogs than in people, but this has yet to be determined and needs to be looked at closely. Pulmonary hypertension develops because of abnormal blood vessels in the lungs, which makes it harder for the heart to push blood through and provide oxygen to the rest of the body. In cases of PVOD, the small veins in the lungs become blocked, increasing pressure in these blood vessels, and ultimately causing heart failure. The same process happens in canines,.these dogs also come in with similar symptoms as humans, yet because subtle changes in health may not be recognized as quickly in dogs, death can occur quickly once the animal is seen by a veterinarian. Symptoms include cough, increased rate of breathing, respiratory distress, loss of appetite and chronic fatigue. Fatal progression of the disease in humans can last up to two years. Unfortunately, there are very few effective treatment options for PVOD and a lung transplant often becomes the best choice. PVOD is a poorly understood disease not just because it's so rare, but also because there has been no other animals known to have the disease, but this finding aids the diagnosis. The discovery could be important for human medicine because the canine disease may serve as a model for human PVOD. Cases like this help to show how important veterinary medicine is to medicine in general, medical professionals in the human medical community are becoming much more aware of the many diseases shared by our respective patients and how together we can learn from each other. The value of one world one health can not be underestimated.

UC Davis Veterinarians Help Paralyzed Dog Walk Again.

Doctors at the UC Davis Veterinary Hospital were faced with the incredible challenge of helping a paralyzed dog walk again. Leah’s deer encounter nearly took her dear life. The 4-year-old border collie was kicked in the head by a stubborn buck, but at first it looked like a stubborn wound. “She had a gash in her face and was recovering nicely but on the third day she had a very devastating deterioration in her condition,” her owner Fran Cole said. Suddenly, she stopped moving. UC Davis veterinarians discovered Leah was actually left paralyzed after her skull had been dislocated from her spine.“Most times when this happens the animal or the person dies,” said Dr. Karen Vernau. She was one of the surgeons who helped put Leah back together. “What we did in surgery was to drill away part of the bone and the bone fragments that were pressing on her spinal cord,” she said. Cole was faced with the real possibility Leah would be paralyzed forever. I said to him, ‘Do you think my dog will ever walk again?’ and he said ‘If your dog walks again, it’ll be the biggest feat of my residency,’ which is not a comforting statement,” she said. What is comforting is seeing Leah spending days doing water therapy and learning how to use her muscles again. Now, she can get up, move her head and stand on all fours. She’s now home with her family in Grass Valley. She’s still doing water therapy and getting acupuncture, but she’s doing doggie stuff, too, like chasing squirrels, digging and loving life again. culled from CBS Sacremento

CAMEL,GENES AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

The findings published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that the dromedary camel has their genetic diversity shaped by ancient trade routes. Scientists examined DNA samples from more than 1,000 one-humped camels. Despite populations being hundreds of miles apart, they were genetically very similar.Scientists explained that centuries of cross-continental trade had led to this "blurring" of genetics. One of the team, Prof Olivier Hanotte, from Nottingham University, explained that what made the dromedary so biologically fascinating was its close link to human history. They have moved with people, through trading So analyzing dromedaries, can help find a signature of our own past. In search of this signature, the researchers compared samples of DNA - the carrier of genetic information - from populations across the camels' range. Our international collaboration meant we were able to get samples from West Africa, Pakistan, Oman and even Syria. The domesticated dromedary was adopted as a beast of burden around 3,000 years ago and, well into the 20th Century, trade caravans that sometimes consisted of thousands of animals, would transport goods across the deserts of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Prof Hanotte explained: "People would travel hundreds of miles with their camels carrying all their precious goods. And when they reached the Mediterranean, the animals would be exhausted. "So they would leave those animals to recover and take new animals for their return journey." This caused centuries of genetic "shuffling", making dromedaries that are separated by entire continents remarkably similar. Crucially, this has also ensured that the animals maintained their genetic diversity - constantly mixing up the population. This means that dromedaries are likely to be much more adaptable in the face of a changing environment. Climate change, is characterized by rising temperatures, more extreme weather patterns and more areas becoming less suitable for livestock, .The dromedary will be our better option for livestock production - of meat and milk. These could replace cattle and even sheep and goats that are less well-adapted. read more from BBC NEWS.

Howell County rabies diagnosis leads to euthanization of dogs.

The Howell County Health Department says a six-week-old puppy that showed symptoms and died recently tested positive for rabies. The puppy had been given to another family, but originated from the Moody area The health department says eight other unvaccinated dogs, including the puppy's mother and litter mates, had to be euthanized. "Unfortunately, the rabies virus can incubate six months to 2 years, and so as a general rule, when you have a really certain exposure from a known rabid animal, we generally recommend that those animals be destroyed, unfortunately," says Dr. Eugene Ulmanis of Animal Clinic of West Plains. The Howell County Health Department says 32 people, including some children, who may have been exposed to the animals are starting rabies post-exposure treatment. They feel they have contacted everyone who came in contact with the animals. "It's really the best way to get protected, because once you actually start to show symptoms. Public health investigators don't know for sure where the rabies exposure originated, but say the puppy's original owners, near the Moody area, witnessed two dead skunks in the area about four weeks prior to the puppy getting sick. Dr. Ulmanis says, "Apparently, the dogs had killed two skunks, according to the owner that was in, because we did vaccinate the owner's other dogs, so I actually did talk to the owner of the original incident yesterday." Officials think the mother dog may have killed a rabid skunk, then licked her puppies to pass on the deadly virus. The rabies case happens to coincide with low cost annual rabies vaccine events in Howell County. Dr. Ulmanis' clinic charges 7 dollars ,if an animal has already been exposed to rabies, a vaccine won't help. Culled from http://www.ky3.com/

Army Veterinary Corps marks 100 years of service

On June 3, the Veterinary Corps will celebrate its centennial with a ceremony at the U.S. Army Medical Department Museum at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, where a monument depicting aspects of the corps’ history and mission will be unveiled (see “A century of history in bronze”). The centennial is a benchmark highlighting the diverse services the corps has provided to the nation over the past 100 years, explained Maj. Troy Creason, a veterinarian and assistant to the chief of the Army Veterinary Corps. The Army Veterinary Corps’ 880 personnel include 600 active-duty Veterinary Corps officers and 280 officers in the Army Reserve. Supporting this small force of veterinary professionals are almost 1,600 enlisted food inspection specialists, 560 animal care technicians, and approximately 425 civilian employees. All told, there are just over 3,400 members that constitute the U.S. Army Veterinary Service. The vets being the ‘mechanics’ of a horse-powered Army in 1916 to developing tests for detecting botulism in canned foods during the intra–World War years, and current efforts to develop a human vaccine for Ebola, the accomplishments of the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps span the spectrum of the veterinary profession. Army Veterinary Corps marks 100 years of service years

VIRTUAL MINISTRY.

This is virtual ministry,a place of hope,prayer and faith. In most cases of violence,abuse or neglect,people move to the extreme because they lack knowledge and dont know how to communicate. Some people find it difficult to reach out because of shame,pain and confusion. This is to reach out to those in need of a shoulder to lean on,just relax sit tight and enjoy. Its new and fresh,take it with you and remember YOU ARE NOT ALONE,JESUS LOVES YOU.

AGRIBUSINESS: THE BUNNY STORY!!!

AGRIBUSINESS: THE BUNNY STORY!!! Story time!!!! A piece from our educational series for kids. It’s the bunny show, look for the common words in the bunny kingdom. Puzzle time!!! KEY 1) KITS 2) KINDLE 3) FUR 4) CLAW 5) CARROT 6) COPROPHAGY 7) CABBAGE 8) GREENS 9) HUTCH 10) NEWZEALAND WHITE 11) CHINCHILLA 12) WATER 13) GROOMING.