If a pet is overweight, a grain-free food will not help it lose weight faster than another food. Animal nutritionists and veterinarians agree that there is no data to support the idea that grain-free diets are better for pets. “Claims like no gluten, no grains and no soy generally mean no science.” Source: Washington Post, August 15, 2017 (paywall). Some pet owners have a … [Read more...]
Empathy important during that special time
The incredible bond that develops between military personnel and the animals that support them into battle is in a category all its own. This was evident July 26 as Marine veteran Jeff DeYoung carried his best friend Cena past a line of well-wishers on a decommissioned Navy ship to be euthanized. The 10-year-old black Labrador suffered from bone cancer. Source: Washington … [Read more...]
10 myths about farming to remember when you buy groceries
For those of us not actively engaged in farming and ranching, Jenna Gallegos, a plant biologist, offers important clarifications for pervasive myths about agriculture. Source: Washington Post, July 2, 2017 (paywall). Most farms are corporate-owned. This myth is probably the most pervasive on the list. It is also the furthest off-base. Nearly 99 percent of U.S. farms are … [Read more...]
No. Goats are not taking away human jobs
Western Michigan University rented a crew of 20 goats to clear brush and weeds this summer. This was met with a grievance from a chapter of the American Federal of State County and Municipal Employees. It stated the goats are taking jobs away from laid-off union workers. Christopher Ingraham’s analysis, albeit back of the envelope, says it’s not so. Source: The Washington … [Read more...]
Overweight pet population doesn’t mirror overweight owner population
You might think that states with the highest rates of overweight people would have the highest rates of overweight pets. This isn’t the case, according to a Banfield report about pet obesity that was mentioned in The Washington Post. Source: The Washington Post, June 27, 2017 (paywall). Not according to a new report based on the physiques of more than 2.5 million dogs and … [Read more...]
Cage-free not necessarily better for hens
John Brunnquell runs Egg Innovations, the largest free-range layer operation in the industry. It didn’t come naturally. He grew up on a traditional chicken farm and can substantiate the benefits of caged egg production. However, he’s spent the last two decades perfecting his current operation. He and other industry experts admit that cage-free egg production still has a long … [Read more...]
Treating a dog with a severe spinal injury
Most of us enjoy a story about passionate pet owners and their efforts to return an ill or injured pet as close to normal as possible. It takes heart, collaboration and effort from the pet owner, the veterinary staff and others. Enjoy this heartwarming story of Chuckie and those who have improved his quality of life. Source: Washington Post, June 13, 2017. Chuckie … [Read more...]
Don’t hug your chickens
America’s love affair with backyard chickens is making a few of us sick. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says eight salmonella outbreaks linked to petting pet poultry have occurred in the U.S. this year. They’ve sickened more than 370 people in 47 states, 71 of whom had to be hospitalized. No one has died this year – yet. Last year, three people died … [Read more...]
It’s aliiiive!
Nature can be beautiful. Or, disgusting. Be your own judge as you watch this snake throw up. Source: Washington Post, June 3, 2017 (paywall). The footage is slimy, gross and absolutely compelling – like watching some mixture of a prison break and an alien birth. … [Read more...]
One-legged sleeping mystery solved
Atlanta biologists Young-Hui Chang of Georgia Tech and Lena ting of Emory University wanted to find out how Flamingos can sleep standing on one leg. Their findings that were published in Biology Letters this week are surprising. Source: The Washington Post, May 24, 2017 (paywall). The duo began examining them, when something happened. Chang held one of the cadavers up by … [Read more...]
Current bird flu strain increases pandemic risks
With bird flu surging, people in the U.S. need to do more to prevent a possible pandemic. The U.S. Government Accountability Office says efforts to protect chickens and turkeys from bird flu rely on voluntary and often inadequate measures by poultry producers. Controlling the virus in poultry is the main way to reduce human infection and prevent a pandemic, the GAO … [Read more...]
5 myths about the circus
Ringling Bros. announced the closure of its circus earlier this year and the Big Apple Circus filed for bankruptcy in in 2016. Janet M. Davis, a professor of history and American studies at the University of Texas at Austin, debunks five myths about the circus and offers a perspective of how animal rights activity has affected the industry and society in general. Source: … [Read more...]
Does America have enough dogs for everyone who wants one?
Research funded by the Pet Leadership Council sought to establish data on the number of pet dogs Americans want each year and the sources available to fill that demand. Estimates from advocacy groups whose “adopt, don’t shop” campaigns urge consumers to shun breeders and pet stores and get dogs from shelters and rescue groups may have skewed data to support local law changes … [Read more...]
Animals get first-class treatment at JFK
It doesn’t qualify as an airport lounge, but the new ARK at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City provides top-flight services to animals travelling by air. Racebrook, the company backing the project, partnered with Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the New York State Department of Agriculture, to build the world’s first privately owned … [Read more...]
Addicts using pets and vets to get their fix
Hydrocodone, Ketamine, Tramadol and Valium are opioids that some pet owners are trying to get for themselves by causing or not treating pet injuries or illnesses. Authorities are unsure how widespread the practice is. Veterinarians believe it to be a small problem. Source: Washington Post, January 23, 2017 (limited free views). John de Jong, former chairman of the board of … [Read more...]
Dogs should get to keep their tails
Surgical operations such as tail docking and ear cropping are commonly performed on certain dog breeds. They’ve become so common for some breeds, that’s is difficult to recognize dogs with intact ears and tails. Katelyn Mills, a graduate student at the University of British Columbia became interested in unnecessary surgeries. She, her animal welfare professor and fellow student … [Read more...]
Looking for a job? Your boss may know.
Even if you use personal email and phones to correspond with prospective employers, don’t assume your activity is confidential. You may leave a perfect data trail for your existing boss to see. Source: Washington Post, September 6, 2016. The startup, Joberate, scrapes publicly available data from millions of individuals’ online social media accounts, or buys it from other … [Read more...]
Music at work makes a difference
Little research has been done about how music played in retail and office settings affects employees. So, a group of Cornell PhDs recruited 188 undergrads to participate in a voluntary contribution mechanism experiment. It measures and manipulates cooperative behavior among research subjects. One third of the group listened to “happy” music, another third listened to “unhappy” … [Read more...]
More dogs prefer praise over food
Those dog treats, coupled with praise for a dog’s job well-done may not be necessary, new research suggests. “Awake Canine fMRI Predicts Dogs’ Preference for Praise Versus Food,” was recently published online in the Journal Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. It confirms more dogs prefer praise over food. Gregory Berns, a neuroscientist with Emory University used an … [Read more...]
Anthrax spreads from reindeer to humans in Siberian heat wave
For the first time since 1941, there is an anthrax outbreak. One child has died, and almost 100 other persons have been hospitalized, with dozens of confirmed cases. More than 2,300 reindeer have succumbed to the disease. “There is no epidemic in Yamal. Only a small area was quarantined,” the region’s governor told the Associated Press. Yamal is a subdivision of … [Read more...]
Racehorse deaths are preventable
Activist Patrick Batuello confirmed 953 horse deaths on America’s horseracing tracks. That statistic doesn’t include all states, nor does it count the number of horses euthanized away from tracks. Batuello, trainers, an owner, a politician and veterinarians recently shared their viewpoints of the U.S. horseracing business with The Washington Post. Shelia Lyons, DVM and founder … [Read more...]
Cats speak for good reasons
Since we can’t understand their body language, cats learn to vocalize based on their needs and human environments. Veterinary teams and retail associates will find this interesting, as will animal health pros who own cats. Source: Washington Post, February 24, 2016. Swedish phonetics expert and cat lover Susanne Schötz has developed a program to analyze and interpret cat … [Read more...]
Write like a third grader
If you want people to reply to your emails, write like a third grader. According to the makers of the Boomerang mail plug-in, this reading level is about the right complexity for the average message. Source: Washington Post, February 16, 2016. To get replies, the company suggests using shorter, simpler sentences – hence the third-grade level. Writing this way generally gets … [Read more...]
Editorial – Antibiotic resistance: perception or reality
It is good that humans continue to challenge antibiotic use out of the fear of superbugs. The press is often quick to condemn the negative resulting in a new wave of “I told you so” public opinion. Like it or not, this column in the Washington Post does not bode well for continuing antibiotic use. Worth noting is that printed circulation is upwards of 440,000 and there were … [Read more...]
How Apple’s Trojan horse will eat the credit card industry
Lower fees, better service, and faster transactions. We won’t need to carry paper money and credit cards any more – just our cellphones. Can it be real? More secure? Can we trust it? All this and more is presented in this intriguing story relevant to anyone who carries credit cards or accepts them at their businesses. Source: Washington Post, December 21, 2015. Apple Pay … [Read more...]
Pet travel accessories for keeping Fido safe on the road
My dogs had always been greater than 50 pounds until recently, so travel with them involved crates in the back of my pickup secured with tie-downs. However, an 11-pound Morkie now runs our household, hates crates and loves to go on rides. This story comes from a subscriber who thought veterinary hospital personnel and animal health pros who travel with pets would want to know … [Read more...]