Livingston Aloha Mobile Veterinary Care

03/01/2025

05/24/2023

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/05/18/chile-firefighting-goats/?wpisrc=nl_sb_smartbrief&utm_content=273A6579-F805-4409-A5E6-31DE7A3AD89D

Their superpower: Eating. Uncomplainingly and just about unceasingly, the ungulates reduce the vegetation that dries out in the summer, reducing fuel for the flames.

05/24/2023

https://www.whsv.com/2023/05/17/porcupine-quills-causing-medical-problems-dogs-valley/
A mouthful of quills is no laughing matter
Porcupine quills can damage tissue and cause inflammation, abscesses and infection, but removing quills from a dog's mouth must be done correctly by a veterinary professional, says veterinary technician Jessie Vint. Porcupines are nocturnal and don't have good vision, and Vint says keeping dogs leashed when outdoors at night is the best way to protect them.

Porcupine quills have caused medical issues to dogs that bite them in the Valley.

05/24/2023

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2023/05/dog-anxiety-meds-treatment-antidepressants/674050/

Instead of scolding pets, consider exposure therapy and antidepressants.

05/24/2023

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/may/20/covid-resistant-bats-could-be-key-to-fighting-the-next-pandemic
Why researchers are sequencing bat genomes
Bats' immune systems enable them to carry a number of viruses that can kill other mammals, including humans, without suffering ill effects and thus "have the potential to teach us a great deal about how to fight off disease," says Emma Teeling, a researcher at University College Dublin who helped establish the Bat1K research project. Bats' immune systems tamp down inflammation, and researchers with Bat1K are sequencing bat genomes in an attempt to find out how

The only mammals that fly are not affected by coronaviruses. Scientists are trying to work out why

05/24/2023

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/2nd-chance-for-hoarded-cats-1.6849824
Fearful cat rehab program could be game changer for shelters
Cats rescued from hoarding situations were more amenable to human interaction after being given a dose of gabapentin, and they were rehabilitated and adoptable sooner than cats that received the same rehabilitation program without the drug, researchers reported in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The rehabilitation protocol developed by Bailey Eagan, a graduate student in the University of British Columbia's Animal Welfare Program, has been a "game changer" for cats at a shelter in the province, says Kim Monteith, the shelter's manager of animal behavior and welfare

A PhD student at UBC in Vancouver is helping to rehabilitate cats rescued from hoarding environments so they can avoid being euthanized.

05/24/2023

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clw957w23gvo
Bears at zoos like visitors; marsupials aren't enthused
Bears at zoos like visitors; marsupials aren't enthused
Zoo elephants display fewer signs of boredom when people are around, and positive behaviors also increase among grizzly bears, polar bears, cheetahs, cockatoos and penguins at zoos when they have visitors, according to a study in Animals. Conversely, marsupials, flightless birds, odd and even-toed ungulates, tuatara and hedgehogs at zoos don't react positively to human visitors.

Researchers find some animals react better than others to the presence of visitors.

05/01/2023

https://www.iflscience.com/why-do-cats-purr-the-answer-is-stranger-than-you-may-think-68660 Email
A purring cat is a happy cat, except when it isn't
Cats purr when they are contented, but they also purr when they are anxious or fearful and when they are soliciting food. Animal behaviorists have only recently begun studying cat behavior in earnest, says veterinarian Gary Weitzman, and they've found that purring may promote bone and muscle health.

Are cats... magic?

04/29/2023

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/apr/28/dogs-with-dementia-also-have-sleep-problems-finds-study
Dogs with dementia might sleep poorly
Impaired sleep is common in people with dementia, and a study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science suggests the same is true for dogs with canine cognitive dysfunction, which "demonstrates the importance of speaking to your vet if you notice any concerning changes in your dog, including unusual sleeping behaviors," said dog health expert Nick Sutton, who was not involved with the study. Elderly dogs in the study with high dementia scores took longer than others to fall asleep, slept for shorter periods of time and had shallower rapid eye movement sleep.

Humans with condition can have disturbed sleep, and similar symptoms in dogs indicate cognitive decline is under way

04/29/2023

https://www.reuters.com/science/good-dog-with-great-genes-1920s-alaska-sled-relay-hero-balto-2023-04-27/
Hero sled dog had diverse, healthy genome
Genome sequencing and comparison revealed that a famous sled dog named Balto had certain gene variants that might have enabled him to thrive in extreme conditions, and he was more genetically diverse and healthy than today's dogs, researchers with the Zoonomia Project reported in Science. In 1925, the 6-year-old dog led a 13-dog team on the final 53 miles of a 674-mile relay through blizzard conditions and delivered medicine to Nome, Alaska, during a diphtheria outbreak, and although he was initially honored as a hero, the next few years of his life were not spent in the lap of luxury

In 1925, a handsome male sled dog named Balto led a 13-dog team that braved blizzard conditions during the grueling final 53-mile (85-km) leg of a 674-mile (1,088-km) dogsled relay, bringing lifesaving medicine to the Alaskan city of Nome during a diphtheria outbreak.

04/29/2023

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animal-emotions/202304/why-bad-dogs-need-love-and-help-not-punishment
Veterinarian's book teaches children how to live in harmony with dogs
Veterinarian Kendal Shepherd's book "The Canine Commandments: Be Happy and Safe With Dogs" is an easy-to-read book that teaches children and the adults they live with how to avoid dog bites, based on canine research and Dr. Shepherd's experience. Dr. Shepherd dispels misbeliefs and misunderstandings about dogs using simple language and "seeks to create empathy with dogs by making many references to how a child might feel in equivalent situations," writes animal behaviorist Marc Bekoff.

"The Canine Commandments" is a must read for kids and adults.

04/29/2023

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/parrots-who-learn-to-video-call-feathered-friends-feel-less-lonely-study-finds-1.6822228
Parrots learned to make video calls
A group of parrots were taught to ring a bell to indicate they wanted access to a tablet computer, which they used to make video calls to other parrots, and experts say the approach could be used to improve animal welfare. The birds tapped the screen with their beaks to select a specific parrot to "talk" with, and the birds sang back and forth and even developed preferences for certain feathered friends.

A study from Northeastern University in Boston shows that parrots become less isolated after being taught how to video call other parrots. Co-researcher Rébecca Kleinberger said the birds were taught the association between ringing a bell and their owner bringing an iPad with a selection of birds t...

04/29/2023

https://www.npr.org/2023/04/25/1172005594/study-finds-parrots-can-find-friendship-through-video-chat

Parrots are known to be chatty, social animals. But when they're kept as pets, they can get lonely. A group of scientists found that video chatting with other parrots helps them feel less so.

04/27/2023

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/pet-owners-dogs-cats-avian-flu-1.6821976
Veterinarian urges pet owners to avoid dead birds
Veterinarian Nicole Jewett with the New Brunswick Veterinary Medical Association says dogs and cats should be kept away from dead birds to avoid the risk of catching avian influenza. People who keep chickens in their yards should also take steps to prevent their birds from coming in contact with wild birds, newly acquired chickens should be quarantined for 30 days before being introduced to the flock, and people should avoid tracking manure around on footwear

With geese and other wild birds returning to the region every day, New Brunswick dog and cat owners should be aware of the risk of avian influenza, says the registrar of the New Brunswick Veterinary Medical Association.

04/27/2023

https://www.coloradoan.com/picture-gallery/life/2023/04/20/meet-unicorn-loveland-cat-shelters-extremely-rare-male-calico-kitten/11707772002/?fbclid=IwAR1PBBhmIEJ65bVhq0k7BinGR4p0NSgAWSW7VCLuKKAleRyu7s7aGbdxIOA

Males make up one of roughly every 3,000 calico births, making them, "the unicorns of cats."

04/27/2023

https://www.washingtonpost.com/home/2023/04/25/make-home-safer-senior-dog/?wpisrc=nl_sb_smartbrief&utm_content=4BE99907-172C-4DA7-8973-BFEDD860BBC8
Simple accommodations make life easier for old dogs
Geriatric dogs may benefit from some simple living space accommodations such as carpets or nonslip rugs on slick floors and stairs, a coat of anti-skid paint on exterior stairs, comfortable cushions, a raised food and water bowl stand and nightlights. Dogs can be trained not to go up and down stairs that can't be blocked or to use stairs safely, support and mobility harnesses can help owners help their dogs get up and walk, and food scavenger hunts or puzzles can keep older dogs' minds engaged, experts say.

Easy improvements, recommended by veterinarians and other experts, to prevent injuries and help your aging pup get around easier

04/27/2023

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animal-minds/202304/cats-get-the-point-of-pointing
Study: Cats can follow people pointing
A study published in the Journal of Comparative Psychology found that cats investigated objects a person had pointed to directly or across their body often enough to suggest that cats, like babies, dogs and goats, understand human gestures. Researchers tested nine cats at a shelter that were not anxious when isolated in a room with a stranger, and the cats followed gestures toward a cup containing food about 75% of the time.

Some cats understand what a human means when they point to an object.

04/25/2023

https://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/world-penguin-day-2023-uk-wildlife-photographer-shares-finest-king-penguin-images-from-recent-expedition-4115971

A British wildlife photographer has shared his finest king penguin images from a recent expedition for World Penguin Day