Leading pet food manufacturing company, Burns Pet Nutrition which is based in Wales is sponsoring a project that has helped countless children across the UK and America to learn to read with the help of a four-legged canine friend. Danny is a rescue Greyhound who was found wandering the streets of Cork in Ireland. He was adopted by Tony [...]
Burns Pet Nutrition Sponsoring Education Project is a post from: Dog News
Veterinarians have completed the first global study that clinically documents the prevalence of hypothermia in dogs after surgery and after diagnostic tests that require anesthetic. The 83.6% of the 1,525 dogs studied presented this complication, whereas in humans this percentage is between 30 and 60% of cases.
A novel gene associated with canine atopic dermatitis has been identified. The gene encodes a protein called plakophilin 2, which is crucial for the formation and proper functioning of the skin structure, suggesting an aberrant skin barrier as a potential risk factor for atopic dermatitis.
Owning a pet, particularly a dog, could reduce your risk of heart disease. It is unclear whether owning a pet directly reduces risk. Despite the likely positive link, people shouldn’t get a pet solely to reduce heart disease risk.
Engineers have created a system of sensors that detects fruit odors more effectively than the human sense of smell. For now, the device can distinguish between the odors compounds emitted by pears and apples. Scientists have created an electronic nose with 32 sensors that can identify the odors given off by chopped pears and apples.
As soon as puppies are born and start nursing, they get natural immunity from their mother’s milk that protects them from most diseases. The mother’s milk contains colostrum which is passed on to the puppies within the first 48 hours after birth. The puppies have this immunity for the first 5-6 weeks of their lives. Puppies in general obtain different amounts of colostrum from their mother. The amount of immunity they get from the colostrum also varies with each puppy. The immunity that these puppies get, even in the same litter, wears off at different times.
That is why it is so important that immediately after the 5-6 weeks after birth you start vaccinating your puppy to protect him against diseases. Talk to your veterinarian about your puppy and discuss what type of vaccinations he should start getting. Your veterinarian will recommend a series of vaccinations. Some puppies carry the immunity they get from their mother beyond their 5-6weeks of age, so any shots they get against distemper, parvo virus or other diseases will have no effect on them.
However, after the 5-6weeks after birth, this immunity has already worn off from other puppies. These puppies will definitely need the immunization shots to protect them against any diseases. It is so important then to repeat some of these vaccinations several weeks apart to ensure that your puppy continues to be protected against all diseases. You need to realize though, that puppies who start getting their shots at an early age can still get deadly diseases like parvovirus.
There are certain essential vaccines that all puppies should get. These are canine adenovirus-2 (hepatitis and respiratory disease), canine parvovirus-2 and rabies. Other vaccinations for diseases such as bordetella, canine parinfluenza, coronavirus, leptospirosis and lyme are optional. Some of these shots are not necessary for all puppies and are not very effective. For instance, lyme disease vaccines are only given in certain parts of the country. Whereas, coronavirus is mostly given to very young puppies as the older puppies are not easily affected by this virus.
The question is, at what age should you start vaccinating your puppy? This is debatable as there are some people who are unsure as to what age to begin. Some people who believe that their puppies may have a high risk of catching the parvo disease start at 5 weeks old and there are others who start at 9 weeks old. One schedule that you can use is to begin your puppy’s vaccinations at 5 weeks old, then again between 6-9 weeks old and thereafter between 12-16 weeks old. Most people prefer to give their puppies their rabies shot between 12-16 weeks, but preferably separate from other shots, because they disrupt their immune system.
Vaccinations are given at different periods, once a year, every two years and every three years. Each of these vaccinations provides your dog with immunity for over one year. You should discuss with your veterinarian what type of vaccinations are necessary for your dog and which are the ones that he should get during these periods.
Remember that it is very important that you keep your dog’s vaccinations schedule up to date. This is the best way for you to make sure that you have a healthy dog.
An assortment of saber-toothed cats, hyenas, an extinct ‘bear-dog’, ancestors of the red panda and several other carnivores died under unusual circumstances in a Spanish cave near Madrid approximately 9-10 million years ago. It now appears that the animals may have entered the cave intentionally and been trapped there, according to new research.
Research from the Royal Veterinary College, commissioned by the RSPCA, released today has highlighted the most urgent issues that need to be rectified for the improvement of pet dog welfare in Britain. These include owners’ lack of awareness of welfare needs, poor health due to obesity, inherited disease or exaggerated physical features, intensive and unregulated [...]
Research Highlights Biggest Threats To Pet Welfare is a post from: Dog News
It may be slighter later than expected but spring finally seems to be upon us. Unfortunately, this also means the start of the tick season, both for humans and for their pets. But when exactly is the risk of dogs’ picking up ticks greatest?
It may be slighter later than expected but spring finally seems to be upon us. Unfortunately, this also means the start of the tick season, both for humans and for their pets. But when exactly is the risk of dogs’ picking up ticks greatest?