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 attention this week:
Arthritis and Obesity Way Up in Dogs and Cats
Remember the Banfield pet longevity report from last Friday’s links? Delving into it a bit more also reveals that arthritis rates in both dogs and cats have gone up significantly in the last five years. The pet obesity epidemic is likely a big contributing factor, and according to the same report, obesity is up 37% in dogs and 90% in cats (!!) from where it was five years ago.
State of Pet Health Report
Good News For Cat Allergy Sufferers
Homeopathy can help, according to researchers at the University of Johannesburg. In a 4-week double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled clinical trial, adults who tested positive for cat allergy were given the homeopathic remedies Cat saliva 9cH and Histaminum 9cH to take twice a day, and the control group got a placebo. The study found that the homeopathic remedies produced a highly statistically significant reduction in the wheal diameter of the cat allergen SPT, whereas the placebo group showed no statistically significant change.
National Center for Biotechnology Information
Geraniol: A Very Effective Natural Insect Repellant
Lab and field studies by the University of Florida in Gainesville showed that Geraniol is not only more effective than 6.75-percent DEET, musk oil and 10-percent citronella, it repels a much broader range of insects, including mosquitoes, house flies, stable flies, cockroaches, fire ants, fleas, gnats, dog ticks, lone star ticks, and no-see-ums. Jerry Butler, entomologist with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences says “After relying on DEET-based products for more than 40 years, this is a breakthrough that should revolutionize the market.”
In Applied Zoopharmacognosy, Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) essential oil is said to balance the mind and body, help with depression and anxiety, and relieve congestion.
Animal homeopath Shirley Moore suggests putting a few drops of Geranium essential oil on your dog’s collar to help protect against ticks.
University of Florida
That Fat Is Going Right To His Nose
Researchers at Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Auburn University discovered that a high fat, low protein diet helps improve the scenting abilities of detection dogs. The reason for this, according to Joseph Wakshlag, associate professor of clinical studies and chief of nutrition at Cornell, is that this type of diet helps lower the dog’s body temperature faster after exercise, which in turn stops panting, thereby improving sniffing.
Cornell University
Cute story of the week: Romeo and Julius
New Zealand wildlife rescuer Heather Loughlin found an abandoned duckling in a field. The little guy, whom she named Julius, was in bad shape, clinging to life, so she took him in and nursed him back to health. Her boxer, Romeo, took an instant liking to Julius and they soon became best friends.
Yahoo News
