Cats Get Diabetes Too

In America, cats are extremely popular pets to have. Just like a man’s best friend, cats also make great pets and are extremely loving. Like most pets, your cat could get sick too. At these moments, the first thing you should do is consult your veterinarian.

Diabetes might be far more common amongst humans, rather than cats, but cats can get affected. If your cat does, it is an extremely serious illness for a cat to have, and the best treatment and care must be sought from a well known and reputed veterinarian.

How is diabetes caused? When the pancreas are no longer able to produce the amount of insulin needed by the body, that is when diabetes kicks in. Insulin is the hormone which controls the level of sugar in the blood.
Symptoms of feline diabetes are many. The usual symptom that all cats will show is an increased thirst and urination. Other symptoms include weight loss and loss of appetite. If your cat suddenly shows no interest in his food and this continues and he starts to lose weight, then feline diabetes could be the reason.

Always ensure that you keep a close eye on your pet cat so that you are attentive enough to pick up on any symptoms that could point towards feline diabetes or any other disease.
Feline diabetes could be fatal if left untreated.

If your cat suffers from feline diabetes, then ensure that he is fed at regular intervals. It is best if you have a set schedule for him every day. You will also need to keep your cat indoors, as you will have to administer one or two shots of insulin, depending on how serious the illness is. Remember, good attention and care will ensure that your cat will live a long and happy life, regardless of feline diabetes.

Fish Feel Pain, Says New Research

When animal testing was first performed a few hundred years ago, scientists dismissed cries made by the animals as mere reflexes. At this time, animals such as monkeys were used for all kinds of tests. Today, it is common knowledge that mammals are able to feel pain, however, fish and other types of animals are still thought to not be capable of feeling pain. With fish, sportsmen argue that they do not possess the brain power to feel pain.

However, new research proves otherwise. Janicke Nordgreen, a doctoral student at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science says that her research on pain and nociception in teleost fish indicates that fish are actually aware of pain. Nociception refers to the physiological response to stimuli that could potentially cause tissue damage.

This kind of research is important, especially taking animal welfare and rights into consideration. The newly published research will not be received well by sportsmen who favour fishing.

The dissertation looked into the response made towards potentially pain-causing stimuli in various fish such as the Atlantic Salmon, Goldfish and Rainbow Trout. Like, for example, the water the goldfish was in, was raised to 38 degree Celsius, which is a temperature deadly enough for a goldfish. During this experiment, the goldfish showed what Nordgreen calls ‘escape responses’. Likewise, the other two fish also underwent similar experiments to which each fish responded to potential harm and pain.

However, experts point out that one experiment is unsubstantial to determine the fact that fish can actually feel pain.

Einstein: The World’s Tiniest Horse

New Hampshire could possibly claim to have the world’s tiniest horse. A diminutive horse born at the Tiz A Miniature Horse Farm in Barnstead, a pinto stallion measured a mere 14 inches in height and weighed only nine pounds at birth. The foal’s proportions are quite similar to that of a baby, but are really tiny in terms of a horse. The tiny horse, named Einstein could be the titled holder in the Guinness Book of Records for being the smallest newborn horse.

Co-owners of Einstein, Judy Smith and Dr. Rachel Wagner both are extremely fond of him and say he will continue to reside at the farm.

Measuring just about seven inches short in comparison to a normal miniature foal, Einstein apparently does not seem to be in danger of suffering from dwarfism, according to breeders. The current record holder of the tiniest horse title, Thumbelina, unfortunately does.

Smith told reporters that Einstein was not born prematurely but three days after the due date. She even quipped that if he had been born prematurely, he could have been ever tinier.

The Tiz A Miniature Horse Farm houses 48 miniature horses, all averaging around 21 inches in height at birth, and weighing 18 pounds. Contrary to popular belief, miniature horses are actually horses and not ponies. Their tiny stature comes from continuous breeding carried out over many years. Miniature horses are sometimes even used as ‘seeing-eye dogs’ and movies.

Thumbelina does not have the same proportions as Einstein. She has crooked legs, which she has had from birth, and thus has specially made shoes for jumping.

Does Your Dog Have Dandruff?

If your dog has dandruff, you first need to understand what causes it before you start thinking of treatment. Here are some of the main causes for dandruff in dogs:

• Bad hygiene
• Insufficient liquid intake
• Low humidity
• Lack of natural oils in the body
• Fat deficiency
• Lack of exercise
• Inadequate nutrients
• Irregular brushing of your dog’s coat

Home remedies

Dandruff is caused by dry, flaky skin. To avoid this, ensure that you give your dog a bath on a regular basis. During the winter, your dog should be given a bath only once a month. In summer, you should switch this practice to once a fortnight. When bathing your dog, ensure that the water temperature is not hot, but only lukewarm. If the dandruff condition is really bad, then invest in a dandruff shampoo tailor-made for dogs. Massage it well onto your dog’s skin. Once you have rinsed off the shampoo, make sure you dry our dog’s coat off completely.

Some people tend to use dandruff shampoos made for human use on their dogs. This should not be practiced at all as it could affect your dog quite badly. Instead, look for pet dandruff shampoos that include salicylic acid or sulfur. Once you massage the shampoo in, let it sit for around five minutes. If the shampoo contains insecticide, then do not use it, as it will tend to dry out the skin even more.

Spraying an oil rinse on your dog’s coat is also an excellent way to moisturize it. The food you give your dog should be high in minerals and vitamins. Check with your veterinarian regarding any extra nutrient supplements for your dog.

Meth-Intoxicated Sheep, Tasered; New Study Carried Out By Taser International

Taser International set out to test the outcome of being high on meth and then being tasered. They first decided to try this out on some sheep. Why? Two reasons. The first being that methamphetamine is extremely popular amongst humans. The second reason is that when a person, high on meth is arrested, a stun gun might be used on him, and the safety of that is yet undetermined.

To test this theory out, Taser International rounded up 16 sheep. They put them on an IV drip of meth, which was then followed by a few taser blasts which was needed by researchers to investigate the effect it had on the heart.

Animal rights activists were appalled by this, stating that drug taking was a human choice and methods and safety of law enforcement should be determined in acceptable manners. Such animal research seems completely unnecessary, when compared to that carried out for finding a cure for cancer. Who knows what could be next in line!

The research carried out by Taser International does not even seem valid. The effect meth and an electric voltage would have on a sheep and a human would certainly differ. In the case of this research, the sheep were under anaesthesia, which really does not mean the experiment was carried out as the real situation could have been.

Take into consideration that stress induced cardiac arrests are quite different between an anesthetized sheep and a meth-intoxicated human who is probably paranoid and keeps resisting arrest.

All in all, TI’s experiment only proves that tasers can be used on sheep that are asleep, which probably adds so much towards the advancement of society and law enforcement.