Is your horse’s back doing OK? You might want to check again. A study conducted by researchers from the University of Guelph in Canada and the University of Rennes in France found that only a small number of cases of back pain in horses are discovered by owners and caregivers. Below are select portions from the research […]
Friday Links: Altruistic Animals, Homeopathy and Cancer, Hero Dog Returns Home
No More Cosmetics Animal Testing in India India recently banned animal testing for cosmetics, making them the first country in South Asia to do so. The Humane Society International’s Be Cruelty-Free campaign manager in India, Alokparna Sengupta, said “This is a major victory for countless animals who will no longer be made to suffer, and […]
Friday Links: Canine OCD, Immunotherapy, and Mind-Controlling Parasites
Similar Brain Abnormalities in Dogs and Humans with OCD Disorder Researchers from Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and McLean Imaging Center found that the abnormalities in the brains of dogs with OCD were the same as those found in humans with the same disorder. Niwako Ogata, BVSc, Ph.D, who lead the research team said “It […]
Friday Links: Hero Rats, Talking Parrots and Endangered Chimpanzees
Sycamore and Box Elder Trees to Blame for Equine Atypical Myopathy A team of international researchers believe they have found the cause for this often fatal condition: a toxin (hypoglycin A) in the seeds of sycamore trees (Acer pseudoplatanus) in Europe and box elder trees (Acer negundo) in the US. University of Liege University of […]
Friday Links: Spaying and Neutering, Intelligent Animals, and The Dangers of Smoke and Wifi
Passive Smoking Kills Pets Too I personally never thought it didn’t, but now we have scientific proof: pets owned by smokers are twice as likely to develop certain cancers. Dogs have increased risk for nose and lung cancer, and cats get a double whammy since they not only inhale the smoke, but also lick it […]
Friday Links: Lavender Essential Oil, Non-Human Persons, Dogs and Dopamine
Study Confirms That Horses Make Us Emotionally Smarter Researchers at the University of Kentucky recently completed a two-year study where a number of nurses attended hour-long daily Equine Guided Leadership Education (EGLE) workshops to see if that had an impact on their EQ (Emotional Intelligence). It did: at the end of the study, all participants […]
Friday Links: Smart Dogs, Problem Solving Mules, Essential Oil and MRSA
Dogs May Understand The Human Point of View This isn’t really news to anyone who has ever lived with a dog, but it’s now confirmed by scientific research: dogs know that they can get away with things when you’re not looking. In a study conducted by Dr. Juliane Kaminski of the University of Portsmouth’s Department […]
Friday Links: Corpulent Cats, Natural Tick Repellent, Homeopathy and Cat Allergies
Wow, that week flew by! So excited about the long weekend. We had planned a few days in the mountains and a trail ride, but with all day rains forecasted, it’ll be a cozy weekend at home instead. Hope you all have a lovely Memorial Day! Here are some of the stories that caught my […]
Friday Links: Electric Dancing Bees, Lazy Horses, and Is Your State Bad For Pets?
Does Where You Live Impact Your Pet’s Longevity? Research done by Banfield Pet Hospital suggests that among several other factors, the state you live in can play a role in your pet’s overall health and longevity. Colorado and Montana are among the best states for both dogs and cats, whereas Louisiana and Mississippi are among […]
Applied Zoopharmacognosy – Helping Domestic Animals Self-Medicate
Zoopharmacognosy is the scientific term for the fascinating way that animals self-medicate with the help of plants. The term was coined by biochemist Dr. Eloy Rodriguez, Professor at Cornell University, and anthropologist Richard Wrangham of Harvard, and comes from the Greek “zoo” (meaning animal), “pharmaco” (remedy) and “gnosy” (knowing). Animals in the wild have been […]