The holidays bring cheer, color, food and so much more to many, but if you’re not careful, they can also bring headaches and worse when it comes to your pets. Elements of holiday decorating that can be part of a festive routine, such as ornaments, ribbons and wreath, can be tempting for pets to play with and eat, potentially causing choking or intestinal blockage. Other potential hazards include electric lights, candles and certain types of plants. On this show, Dr. Jake Wolf, an emergency and critical care specialist, will address some of the most common issues seen by veterinarians at this time of year and what can be done to prevent the problems from occurring.
Author: Carlos Morales
Dogs flying in style
With millions of pets on flights each year, airlines are struggling to safely and comfortably accommodate them. That’s where Bark Air comes in — at least for dogs.
Launched in May 2024, Bark Air touts canine-centric flights without a dog crate in sight. Charter flights transport the dogs — with or without their parents. Upon booking, a Bark Air concierge collects the dog’s information and later facilitates check-in. During the flight, pooch pampering includes calming blankets and pillows, spa sessions, snacks and drinks and more.
So far, Bark Air only flies between New York and Los Angeles — at a cost of $6,000 — and between New York and London — at a fee of $8,500. To date, that hasn’t deterred hundreds of pet parents from using their services.
What is degenerative myelopathy and how does it impact dogs?
Degenerative myelopathy [my-ah-LAH-pah-thee] is a progressive disorder that targets a dog’s spine, ultimately reducing their ability to use their hind legs.
The cause remains a mystery, but it likely involves a genetic mutation. Larger breeds — like German shepherds, boxers, huskies, and Labrador retrievers — are at greatest risk, especially as they age.
Parents of affected dogs may first notice their buddies having trouble rising, their hind legs stumbling or exhibiting generalized weakness. The condition isn’t painful, but usually worsens over weeks to months.
If your dog displays this sort of behavior, contact your veterinarian. Other spinal diseases can have similar symptoms, so it’s important to have a diagnosis before making treatment decisions.
How cats perceive their flexibility
Do you ever feel like it’s our cats’ world and we’re just living in it? At the very least, we spend considerable time trying to decipher — and adapt to — their behavior.
Take a cat’s nearly uncanny ability to slip through almost any opening. It makes you wonder whether they know how wide and tall they are — that is, whether they have body size awareness. In a series of at-home experiments, researchers studied cats’ ability and readiness to squeeze through increasingly smaller apertures. When it came to narrow spaces, the cats never quit trying, but they seemed to know their height limit.
In practical terms, cats know just how to use their impressive flexibility. That can help us design more stimulating feline play areas and keep our buddies safe at home.
Enriching dairy calves’ lives
Providing enrichment for dairy calves may not be an industry requirement, but it improves their well-being. The resulting stress reduction may even have production benefits down the road.
Calves generally need five types of enrichment to engage in normal behavior. Sensory enrichment can be offered by wall-mounted brushes, which all ages of cattle tend to enjoy. Social enrichment — like housing calves in pairs or groups — increases their resilience to stress.
Providing nipples on bottles and wall-mounted pacifiers satisfies their urge to suckle. And offering hay provides both occupational and physical enrichment by keeping calves mentally and physically engaged. Providing space for exercise is essential too.
Debunking Pet Food Myths: The Truth About “Allergies” and Diet
Is your furry friend constantly scratching or experiencing digestive issues? Join us on Animal Airwaves-Live as Dr. Richard Hill, a small animal internal medicine and nutrition specialist, dives into the complex world of pet food allergies and immune-mediated diseases. Dr. Hill will shed light on the misconceptions surrounding dietary allergies in dogs and cats, explain the importance of proper diet trials, and discuss why there are no quick fixes when it comes to identifying and managing food sensitivities.
The healing power of vitamin D
Kids will be kids, and that means broken bones can and will happen — sometimes in the most unexpected ways.
As adults, of course we sympathize with our children and do everything we can to help them heal. But we also might assume children’s growing bodies are resilient and able to bounce back from nearly anything.
One recent study from the University of Florida, however, offers some perspective on children’s ability to heal themselves.
Researchers suggest that children with fractures or broken bones who are deficient in vitamin D take much longer to heal than those with sufficient levels.
For example, children in the study who had vitamin D deficiencies and sustained leg fractures that didn’t require surgery took 20 days longer to heal. These fractures also took two months longer before they were no longer noticeable on X-ray.
For cases that required surgery, vitamin D-deficient children took an extra month to heal, and it was four months before the fractures could no longer be seen on X-rays.
The findings underscore the importance of providing children with a well-balanced diet high in vitamin D.
Some foods rich in the nutrient include salmon and other types of oily fish, egg yolks, fortified cereal, milk, cheese, and mushrooms. Our bodies will even produce it, if we get outdoors and into the sunshine.
The study suggests that in cases of children whose broken bones aren’t healing as quickly as expected, vitamin D might be to blame.
Broken bones may be unavoidable in active children. As parents and caregivers, we can help children be as prepared as possible by providing a healthy diet and plenty of outside play — no bones about it.
ARCHIVE: Itchy Pets
If your pet is constantly “itchy” or prone to ear infections, you may be dealing with an allergy of some kind. Persistent scratching and itching can be hard on your pet, but also on you, sorting out the cause of the problem can be frustrating and may take time. When is it time to call your veterinarian or visit a specialist? Dr. Rosanna Marsella, a veterinary dermatology specialist, will discuss some of the most common allergies seen in pets, including the single most common culprit – flea allergic dermatitis.
Slimy surgical method could someday spell relief for spine patients
For those recovering from spinal surgery, the process can be lengthy — and precarious, as patients try to circumvent infection and regain mobility. A key hiccup? The ever-present risk of a herniated disc.
Now, Swedish researchers may have identified an unlikely solution in the form of a slime, inspired by the slick coating that covers parasites in the stomach of cows. This slimy coating helps the parasites duck the immune system and prevents immune cells from recognizing them.
That’s right, slime. The process is simple: Before surgery is complete, researchers apply a synthetic mucin [mew-sin] gel to form a protective barrier around the discs, shielding them from immune system attacks against their delicate centers.
Herniated discs can cause severe pain and impairment, often requiring another surgery to relieve pressure on the spine’s nerves.
After surgery, patients typically rely on anti-inflammatory drugs or steroid injections, but these treatments are more bandage than solution.
A patient’s own immune response can exacerbate the injury, leaving many in prolonged discomfort.
This new gel not only could address a significant gap in post-surgery care, but also aims to ease recovery and enhance patients’ quality of life.
The study found that the mucin gel effectively suppresses immune cell activation, preventing further disc damage.
By focusing on controlling the immune response rather than merely repairing damaged discs, the research may pave the way for more effective treatments — and reach individuals in need of more relief.
Sometimes an idea comes from the least likely place … like a cow’s stomach.
Organized slap fighting can cause brain damage
Believe it or not, slap fighting is a thing, a relatively new sport with its own fanbase. Televised competitions are common. Don’t mistake a slap, however, as a harmless alternative to damage seen in other contact sports.
It packs the punch of boxing as far as your brain is concerned.
University of Pittsburgh researchers conducted what they billed as the first academic examination of slap fighting. They found competitors often face the same kind of injuries boxers do.
The rules are straightforward. Two competitors face off on a podium and take turns slapping each other until one is knocked unconscious or when judges declare a winner. Muscular participants deliver powerful blows, with rules usually requiring an open-hand slap between jaw and cheekbone.
Unlike a weaving boxer, or a running back evading defenders, the slap recipient stands defenseless.
The study examined 333 slaps across 78 fights and revealed a troubling pattern. In more than half the slap sequences, the fighter receiving the blow showed visible signs of concussion.
Those included motor coordination issues, slowness getting up after falling to the floor, and a blank, vacant look on the face.
Slap fighting, researchers say, can lead to short- and long-term neurological problems. Traumatic brain injury is a danger, along with its cognitive impacts in later life.
The sport is increasing in popularity and is starting to attract wider attention. And because it’s new, it’s seen little scrutiny.
Whether administered by slap, punch, tackle, or errant baseball, any head impact can cause lasting damage.
To your brain, they’re all the same.