geboy veterinary madicine

home myPet save animal papervet vidio gallery

geboy inside:

Friday, May 01, 2009

papervet: Primary chondrosarcoma in the skull of a dog

Abstract journal:
Chondrosarcoma of the skull is a rare primary malignant tumor that is slow-growing, but locally aggressive. A 5- year-old, golden retriever was presented to our hospital with a swelling in the left side of her head, and the swelling had slowly enlarged over the previous month. There were no significant changes on the neurological examination. A computed tomography scan revealed a large mass involving bone destruction and prominent matrix mineralization. T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging showed a slightly low-signal intensity area and a T2-weighted image revealed marked, high-signal intensity. There was compression of the adjacent brain parenchyma. Histopathological examination confirmed the lesion to be a chondrosarcoma.

full text from:

J.VetSci

Labels: home, papervet

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 9:13 AM 0 comments

papervet: Fish vaccines

Abstract journal:
Fish vaccines can be delivered the same way we immunize warm-blooded animals. Fish can be immunized by immersion in vaccine for a short period of time—30 seconds to 2 minutes. They can be immunized by injection, intramuscularly or intraperitoneally, and orally by mixing vaccines with feed either by top dressing or by incorporating into feed as an ingredient. Fish also respond to vaccine the same way as other animals do, but since fish are cold-blooded animals, the response to vaccine depends largely on the water temperature. In general, the higher the water temperature, the faster the immune response of fish to the vaccine.

During the past 20 years fish vccines have become an established, proven, and cost-effective method of controlling certain infectious diseases in aquaculture worldwide. Fish vaccines can significantly reduce specific disease-related losses resulting in a reduction of antibiotics use. The final result is the decrease of overall unit costs and more predictable production. Fish vaccines are advantageous over antibiotics because they are natural biological materials that leave no residue in the product or environment, and therefore will not induce a resistant strain of the disease organism. Fish vaccines are licensed by the federal government and closely regulated in the same manner as all other veterinary vaccines to ensure safety, potency, and efficacy.

Even though commercial vaccines for aquaculture work really well in terms of protecting the fish against certain diseases, they should be used only as part of the overall fish health management program, because fish vaccines are not a cure-all. Animal husbandry is still the key to success in aquaculture.

full text from:

sciencedirect.com

Labels: home, papervet

» Read more: papervet: Fish vaccines...

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 8:50 AM 0 comments

papervet: Nutritional effects on vaccination

Abstract journal:
Immune-induced cachetic response is an example of a biological opportunity to develop technologies that ensure imporved performance in animal agriculture. We have estimated that reduced performance of immune stimulated animals, whether by exposure to conventional environments or through vaccination, results in more than U.S. $500 million in reduced productivity. Nontraditional methods to alleviate the adverse effects of the immune response provide an opportunity for those skilled in the art of vaccinology and immunology to develop new technologies and feeding practices. Too often, biologists are blinded by the limits of their disciplines and rarely venture to the fringe of their field to engage in collaborations that at first glance do not seem logical. The examples of CLA and antigastrointestinal peptides suggest that new opportunities await in ensuring that the cost of the immune response is minimized and that new approaches to animal agriculture await discovery.

full text from:

sciencedirect.com

Labels: home, papervet

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 8:49 AM 0 comments

papervet: Effects of stress on leukocyte trafficking and immune responses: Implications for vaccination

Abstract journal:
Increased susceptibility of animals to infectious disease during the periparturient period results in suffering and economic losses. Stress appears to delay inflammation by reducing efficiency of CD62L-mediated immune surveillance by phagocytes. It is important to note that the effects of stress are not limited to alteration of leukocyte trafficking patterns since various stressors (e.g., transport, parturition, and castration) also decrease IFN-γ secretion by lymphocytes, and may decrease antigen presentation efficiency by down-regulating class II molecule expression on antigen presenting cells, and delay or impair immune responses to vaccination.

Documented immunosuppression in periparturient animals, particularly the bias toward Th2 immune responses, and also changes in general leukocyte trafficking patterns suggest that vaccination intending to elicit cell-mediated immunity may not be efficacious at this point of the production cycle. Based on findings of numerous periparturient studies on immunosuppression in cattle, waiting at least 30 days after parturition before administering routine vaccinations is recommended.

full text from:

sciencedirect.com

Labels: home, papervet

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 8:49 AM 0 comments

papervet: Viral vectors for veterinary vaccines

Abstract journal:
Whatever strategy is adopted for the development of viral vectors for delivery of veterinary vaccines there are several key points to consider: (1) Will the vectored vaccine give a delivery advantage compared to what's already available? (2) Will the vectored vaccine give a manufacturing advantage compared to what's already available? (3) Will the vectored vaccine provide improved safety compared to what's already available? (5) Will the vectored vaccine increase the duration of immunity compared to what's already available? (6) Will the vectored vaccine be more convenient to store compared to what's already available? (7) Is the vectored vaccine compatible with other vaccines? If there is no other alternative available then the answer to these questions is easy.

However, if there are alternative vaccines available then the answers to these questions become veryimportant because the answers will determine whether a vectored vaccine is merely a good laboratory idea or a successful vaccine.

full text from:

sciencedirect.com

Labels: home, papervet

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 8:49 AM 0 comments

papervet: Progress and expectations for helminth vaccines

Abstract journal:
Viability by targeting parasite molecules crucial for nutrition or survival in the host. The individual or combined action of these two vaccination procedures will need to be evaluated with respect to their potential effects on animal health and productivity in the field. To this effect, more data are required concerning the level and duration of immunity of the vaccine-induced protection using acceptable adjuvant systems. In addition, the age at which vaccination is effective and the effect of vaccination on highly susceptible or temporarily immunosupressed individuals will need to be considered.

In the case of gastrointestinal nematodes, the level of pasture contamination with infective larvae is dependent on the worm burdens in the host animal and, in turn, affects the buildup of natural resistance in the host. An appreciation of these complex interactive factors is best achieved through computer simulation models using the powerful simulation software that has recently become available. Further animal trials will need to be performed to establish the necessary data to incorporate into the models and to adapt the model outcomes to the trial results. These epidemiologic and simulation studies should be pursued in parallel with vaccine development so that a better appreciation is gained of the requirements of a successful commercial vaccine.

full text from:

sciencedirect.com

Labels: home, papervet

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 8:49 AM 0 comments

papervet: Birth of puppies after intrauterine and intratubal insemination with frozen-thawed canine semen

Abstract journal:
The present study was performed to assess the fertility of frozen-thawed dog semen prepared by freezing with 6% glycerol and thawing at 70¨¬C for 8 sec, and to evaluate the least number of post-thaw spermatozoa necessary to achieve pregnancy by intrauterine or intratubal artificial insemination. It was found that the pregnancy rate of intrauterine artificial insemination was 100% using 6% glycerol buffer and thawing at 70¨¬C for 8 sec with 5 ¡¿ 107 spermatozoa. Even though the pregnancy rate (80%) and the whelping rate (24.5%) in the 5 ¡¿ 106 spermatozoa inseminated group were lower than those of the 5 ¡¿ 107 spermatozoa group, conception was confirmed with 5 ¡¿ 106 spermatozoa. Although the pregnancy rate of intratubal insemination was low (20%) with 4 ¡¿ 106 spermatozoa, this study is the first report to show the pregnancy rate of intratubal insemination with frozen-thawed ejaculated canine semen. In order to improve the pregnancy rate with intratubal insemination of canine spermatozoa, it is necessary to investigate the optimal insemination site of the uterine tube, the appropriate number of sperm, and the direct effect of buffer on oocytes.

full text from:

J.VetSci

Labels: home, papervet

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 8:34 AM 0 comments

Thursday, April 30, 2009

news: Bill to restore protections to american icon passes house natural resources committee

Washington, DC (April 29, 2009) – The Restoring Our American Mustangs Act (H.R. 1018) today passed out of the House Natural Resources Committee. Known as the ROAM Act, the bill was introduced by Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (D-WV) and National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee Chairman Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) earlier this year. It is intended to restore protections for America’s wild horses and burros that were stripped out of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act in recent years.

“Protection and management of the wild horses and burros on our public lands is an important federal responsibility - but it is clear that the federal government has not been adequately meeting that responsibility,” said Chairman Rahall (D-WV). “This legislation will remedy many of the critical lapses that are taking place under the 1971 Act by invoking a number of commonsense measures, including preventing the BLM from resorting to slaughter as a solution for management.”

Originally intended to prevent the sale of America’s wild horses and burros for commercial purposes, a key provision of the original 1971 Act was gutted when then Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) attached a midnight rider to an Omnibus spending bill in 2004 that instructed the Bureau of Land Management to sell horses “without limitation”. In reality, this meant that the captured animals were destined for livestock auctions where they would be purchased for slaughter.

“Ever since the Burns rider became law it’s been a game of constant vigilance for the American public and members of Congress. The simple and right thing to do is to restore this provision while revamping and improving the larger statute. Not only will the ROAM Act ensure that our mustangs and burros are once again protected from slaughter, but it seeks to reclaim land – some 19 million acres – taken away from these magnificent animals since the 1971 Act was signed into law,” said Chris Heyde, Deputy Director of Government and Legal Affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute. “The Animal Welfare Institute is immensely grateful to Chairman Rahall and Chairman Grijalva for their leadership on this responsible legislation.”

At a time when there are nearly as many wild horses and burros in captivity as there are in the wild, the legislation has met with enthusiasm from the public and within the humane and wild horse advocacy community. Passage of the ROAM Act will mean that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which currently has primary authority for managing these animals, must focus on managing them as an integral part of the thriving natural ecological balance.

“It is imperative that we protect and preserve America's wild horses as a ‘living national treasure,’” said Subcommittee Chairman Raúl M. Grijalva. “The antiquated policies concerning these magnificent creatures must be change to reflect what Americans want for these horses today.”

The ROAM Act now moves to the full House of Representatives for consideration.

AWI Press Release

Labels: home, news, save animal

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 1:44 PM 0 comments

Monday, April 27, 2009

papervet: Carotid body tumor in dog: A case report

Z. Deim, F. Szalay, R. Glávits, A. Bauer, and G. Cserni
Central Veterinary Institute, Department of Mammalian Pathology, Budapest, Hungary (Deim, Glávits); Department of Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Szent István University, Budapest, Hungary (Szalay); Saint Crown Surgery, Budapest, Hungary (Bauer); Bács-Kiskun County Teaching Hospital, Department of Surgical Pathology, Kecskemét, Hungary (Cserni)
Address all correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Deim; e-mail: z.deim@chello.hu

Tumors of chemoreceptor organs are called chemodectomas or paragangliomas. These chemoreceptor organs are responsible for detecting changes in blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, and in blood pH. The aortic and carotid bodies are the most common sites for the development of paragangliomas in dogs (1,2) and cats (3). The aortic body is located in the aortic arch at the bifurcation of the subclavian artery and the carotic body is located at the bifurcation of the common carotid artery.

Aortic body tumors are reported to occur 4 to 5 times more frequently than carotid body tumors in dogs (2,4). These tumors usually express neuroendocrine markers that can be detected by using immunohistochemical staining, such as neuron specific enolase (NSE), synaptophysin, and chromogranin A (4–6). Ultrastructurally, the cytoplasm of the tumor cells contains neurosecretory dense core granules (7).

Many carotid body tumors are malignant, in contrast to aortic body tumors (8), and occasionally metastasize to regional lymph nodes, lung, liver, pancreas, bone, and kidney (9–11).

We diagnosed a carotid body tumor in an 8-year-old, female, white puli dog. The owners observed that the dog became moody and inactive, and developed hoarseness. The dog was given long-acting antibiotics and a combined vitamin (A + D3 + E) injection. After this treatment, the dog’s physical status slightly improved. The dog was returned to the clinic after 37 d with the following signs: distress, hyperpnea, dyspnea, increased intra-ocular pressure (glaucoma) of the left eye, and bilateral dilation of the pupils. At the beginning of the clinical examination, the dog collapsed and was given oxygen after intubation. On physical examination, an extensive, firm mass surrounding the larynx was found, but the parotid, mandibular, and the retropharyngeal lymph nodes were normal. The owners opted for euthanasia.

Necropsy disclosed a 105- × 30-mm, firm, and multilobulated tumor in the left lateral laryngeal region (Figure 1). The swelling extended to the Y-shaped fusion of the linguofacial and maxillary veins forming the external jugular vein, but it was not associated with these veins. Medial to this branching, the tumor masked the bifurcation of the common carotid artery, the origin of the occipital, lingual, and facial arteries, and the vagosympathetic trunk. The tumor was not associated with the neighboring salivary glands. Caudal to the tumor, the common carotid artery was distended. The tumor was dark tan to purple, well circumscribed, and encapsulated. The cut surface revealed a greyish-red septate mass around the internal carotid artery, with multiple areas of hemorrhage and cystic degeneration (Figure 2).

Figure 1

Carotid body tumor (dotted line) in the dog as seen during autopsy. A: sternothyroid muscle, B: B: laryngeal prominence.

Figure 2

The cross-section of the common carotid artery (dotted line) and its relation with the tumor mass.

Histologically, the tumor tissue was divided into lobules by prominent branching trabeculae of connective tissue contiguous with the fibrous capsule, and many blood vessels were present. The cells were polygonal or oval, and they contained variable amounts of granular, slightly basophilic cytoplasm. Areas of spindle cells and giant cells with bizarre-shaped, double, and enlarged nuclei with prominent nucleoli were encountered (Figure 3). Nuclear anaplasia and hyperchromatism were seen, but mitotic figures were rare. Immunohistochemical evaluation utilized 4-μm paraffinembedded tissue sections and standard streptavidin-biotin indirect immunoperoxidase methods with a panel of commercially available mouse and rabbit anti-human primary monoclonal antibodies recognizing alpha-smooth muscle actin (DAKO Corp.), vimentin (HRP, DAKO Corp.), cytokeratin (MNF116, DAKO Corp.), desmin (DAKO Corp.), neuron-specific enolase (NSE, DAKO Corp.), synaptophysin (SYN, Biogenics Corp.), S-100 (DAKO Corp.), and Ki-67 (DAKO Corp.). The positive controls were feline pancreas (NSE, SYN) and canine skin (S-100). Negative controls included staining reactions in which the primary antibody was omitted.

Figure 3

Areas of spindle-shaped cells, with binucleate cells and enlarged nuclei with prominent nucleoli. Hematoxylin and eosin stain; magnification: Bar = 100 μm.

All tumor cells were negative for cytokeratin (MNF 116), desmin, S-100, and smooth muscle actin, and strongly positive for vimentin and synaptophysin. Some tumor cells also stained positively for neuron-specific enolase, and the number of Ki-67 positive cells was low. By electron microscopy, the neoplastic cells contained neurosecretory dense core granules (Figure 4). The location of the tumor and its morphological and immunohistochemical features pointed to the diagnosis of paraganglioma (carotid body tumor).

Figure 4

In the electron micrograph, characteristic chief cells possessed abundant dense core granules in the cytoplasm adjacent to the nucleus. Bar = 0.15 μm.

Having the pathological diagnosis, the clinical signs can be explained in a coherent way. The hoarse voice can be explained by the compression of the laryngeal nerves. Hyperpnea and dyspnea can be explained on the basis of the dysregulation of the chemoreceptors of the carotid body. In human patients with hypertonia or arteriosclerosis, collapse may result from volume changes of the carotid sinus, with activation of the stretch receptors and consequential downregulation of the blood pressure (12). Compression of the internal carotid artery also affects the tissues perfused by this artery on the same side, including the eye. The majority of the retinal blood supply arrives from the internal ophthalmic artery via the central retinal artery; therefore, the unilateral ocular signs were probably the result of retinal ischemia rather than glaucoma. The phenomenon is referred to as amaurosis fugax in human medicine (13).

Carotid body tumors are rare neoplasms that tend to splay the carotid bifurcation as they enlarge, and can extend along the internal carotid to the base of the skull. The paraganglioma is histologically similar to the normal carotid body, except that cell clusters tend to be larger and contain vascular areas and giant cells with bizarre-shaped nuclei, binucleation, and karyomegaly with prominent nucleoli. Nuclear pleomorphism and cellular hyperchromatism are common and should not be considered as the only indicator of malignancy (14). In fact, there are no clear histologic characteristics of malignancy, except for the presence of metastases, which were absent in the present case.

Footnotes

Dr. Deim’s current address is Central Veterinary Institute, Department of Mammalian Pathology, Budapest Tabornok u.2 1149 Hungary.

References

1.Johnson KH. Aortic body tumors in the dog. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1968;152:154–160.

2.Hayes HM, Sass B. Chemoreceptor neoplasia: A study of the epidemiological features of 357 canine cases. Zentralbl Veterinarmed [A]. 1988;35:401–408.

3.Tillson DM, Fingland RB, Andrews GA. Chemodectoma in a cat. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 1994;30:586–590.

4.Kimura N, Sasano N, Yamada R, Satoh J. Immunohistochemical study of chromogranin in 100 cases of pheochromocytoma, carotid body tumour, medullary thyroid carcinoma and carcinoid tumour. Virchows Archiv A Pathol Anat Histopathol. 1988;413:33–38.

5.Brown PJ, Rema A, Gartner F. Immunohistochemical characteristics of canine aortic and carotid body tumours. J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med. 2003;50:140–144. [PubMed]

6.Johnson TL, Zarbo RJ, Lloyd RV, Crissman JD. Paragangliomas of the head and neck: Immunohistochemical neuroendocrine and intermediate filament typing. Mod Pathol. 1988;1:216–223. [PubMed]

7.Kliewer KE, Cochran AJ. A review of the histology, ultrastructure, immunohistology, and molecular biology of extra-adrenal paragangliomas. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 1989;113:1209–1218. [PubMed]

8.Obradovich JE, Withrow SJ, Powers BE, Walshaw R. Carotid body tumors in the dog. Eleven cases (1978–1988). J Vet Intern Med. 1992;6:96–101. [PubMed]

9.Szczech GM, Blevins WE, Carlton WW, et al. Chemodectoma with metastasis to bone in a dog. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1973;162:376–378. [PubMed]

10.Capen CC. Endocrine system. In: Jubb KVF, Kennedy PC, Palmer N, editors. Pathology of Domestic Animals. 4. San Diego, Calif: Acad Pr; 1993. pp. 345–347.

11.Callanan JJ, McNeil PE, Andersen TJ, Laird H. Metastatic aortic body tumour causing neck pain in a dog. J Small Anim Pract. 1991;32:525–528.

12.Kapoor WN, Karpf M, Wieand S, Peterson JR, Levey GS. A prospective evaluation and follow-up of patients with syncope. N Engl J Med. 1983;309:197–204. [PubMed]

13.De Schryver EL, Algra A, Donders RC, van Gijn J, Kappelle LJ. Type of stroke after transient monocular blindness or retinal infarction of presumed arterial origin. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2006;77:734–738. [PubMed]

14.Sander CH, Whitenack DL. Canine malignant carotid body tumor. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1970;156:606–610. [PubMed]

Labels: home, papervet

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 1:06 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

news: Senator Kerry introduces the Shark Conservation Act of 2009

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 22, 2009) – Sharks may soon receive much-needed protection from finning, a practice by which their fins are cut off while the animal is still alive. Their mutilated bodies are then thrown back into the ocean, where they endure long, painful deaths from blood loss, suffocation or predation by other species. This cruel practice kills an estimated 73 million sharks each year, and was therefore outlawed in the U.S. in 2000. Enforcement of the law, however, has been hampered by loopholes.

Today, Senator John Kerry (D-MA) introduced the Shark Conservation Act of 2009, which will close these loopholes and strengthen the federal ban on shark finning. “Shark finning fueled by the foreign fin trade has led to serious population decline and disruption of our waters,” the Senator said. “We need much stronger solutions to end this illicit trade and current protections haven’t gotten the job done. We need to get serious.” The House version of the bill, introduced by Representative Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU), was approved by the House of Representatives in March.

The bill requires that any fin aboard a vessel be naturally attached to the body of a shark, including fins that are transferred from one vessel to another. Enforcement officials have stated that this requirement is the only way to fully uphold a shark finning ban.

Since sharks are a top predator in the oceans, their removal damages the rest of the marine ecosystem. As animals who are slow to mature, with already small populations, sharks are extremely vulnerable to overfishing and exploitation. Unfortunately, millions of sharks are still targeted for their fins to meet the demand for shark fin soup, and millions more die annually as bycatch. Some species whose fins are highly prized include the spiny dogfish, as well as blue, hammerhead and whale sharks, which only reach sexual maturity at around 25 years of age.

“We are grateful to Senator Kerry for his leadership in seeking protection of sharks, and we look forward to the enactment of this vital law by Congress,” says Serda Ozbenian of the Animal Welfare Institute.

AWI Press Release

Labels: home, news, save animal

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 10:56 AM 0 comments

Monday, April 20, 2009

papervet: The Virtuous Bicycle: a delivery vehicle for improved farm animal welfare

Abstract journal:
The aim of this study was to investigate whether moderate physical activity and group size influence physical fitness, the level of social interactions in the home cage and rats' performance in the Elevated Plus Maze and a handling test. Forty-eight male Sprague Dawley rats were kept in groups of two, four or eight for seven weeks in cages adjusted to the group size. Home cage social interactions were studied during direct observations. Half of the number of rats from each cage were subjected to moderate exercise on a treadmill for five weeks. An exercise test was performed at the beginning and end of the experimental period, during which time lactate levels were analysed via blood sampling.

Rats living in groups of four or eight performed better in the second exercise test, had more social interactions and showed more activity, open-arm entries and risk assessment in the Elevated Plus Maze test, compared to rats living in pairs. The trained rats had lower blood lactate levels in the second exercise test, lower bodyweight and plasma insulin levels and had a greater relative heart weight at the end of the study compared to control rats. In conclusion, rats kept in larger groups had more social interactions, a lower lactate response during exercise and showed less emotional reactivity. Moderate treadmill exercise resulted in the expected increase in the rats' physical fitness. The results show that both group size and physical activity are important factors for animal welfare.

full text from:

ufaw.org.uk

Labels: home, papervet, save animal

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 11:49 AM 0 comments

Sunday, April 12, 2009

papervet: Stocking density and stress induction affect production and stress parameters in broiler chickens

Abstract journal:
The objective of this paper is to analyse the effects of three different stocking densities on the production, stress and fear parameters of female broilers during a 46-day production period. Chickens were randomly distributed among nine floor pens in groups of 30 broilers with different space allowances for each treatment; namely eight, 20 and 30 chicks m−2. Chicken growth rate was monitored from day eleven to 46 and indicators of stress, including haematocrit, heterophil/lymphocyte ratio and concentrations of plasma corticosterone, as well as tonic immobility, were measured on days 22 and 46.

On day 46, the incidence of foot and skin lesions was assessed, and stress was induced to analyse the response of broilers to each stocking density. High stocking densities cause acute stress in broilers; the effects of low and intermediate stocking densities, however, are not so evident, particularly in relation to tonic immobility and response to acute stress.

full text from:

ufaw.org.uk

Labels: home, papervet, save animal

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 11:55 AM 0 comments

Saturday, April 11, 2009

papervet: Effects of physical activity and group size on animal welfare in laboratory rats

ufaw.org.uk

Labels: home, papervet, save animal

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 11:55 AM 0 comments

Thursday, April 02, 2009

myPet: My T-shirts

Golden Pack Leader White T-Shirt
The most comfortable t-shirt ever! Our 100% cotton, Hanes Authentic Tagless T-Shirt is preshrunk, durable and guaranteed.
* 6.1 oz. 100% cotton
* Standard fit

Browse more products:

Golden Pack Leader Kids T-Shirt
The pint-sized version of our popular adult favorite. It's preshrunk and durable - just what a playful, active tyke needs.
* 6.1 oz. 100% cotton
* Standard Fit

Golden Pack Leader Long Sleeve T-Shirt
The most comfortable t-shirt ever! Our 100% cotton, Hanes Beefy-T is preshrunk, durable and guaranteed.
* 6.1 oz. 100% luxuriously soft ring spun cotton
* Standard fit
* Ribbed sleeve cuffs

Golden Pack Leader Jr. Jersey T-Shirt
Turn heads in this hot, hip, curve-hugging tee from American Apparel. Made of ultra-fine, ring-spun cotton, it gets softer with each washing. Lightweight for summer comfort or winter layering, it's a casual, effortless way to ensure you're stylin' in comfort.
* 4.3 oz. 100% ultra-fine combed ringspun jersey
* Made in the U.S.A., by American Apparel
* Size up for a looser fit

Golden Pack Leader Infant/Toddler T-Shirt
Our 100% cotton infant/toddler tee will look great on your little ones.
* 5.5 oz. 100% cotton
* Standard fit

Labels: home, myPet

» Read more: myPet: My T-shirts...

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 1:33 PM 0 comments

Monday, March 23, 2009

news: Exxon Valdez Oil Spill - Remembering the Millions Who Died and the Ongoing Devastating Consequences

Washington, DC (March 23, 2009) – 20 years ago tomorrow, the single-hulled Exxon Valdez oil tanker collided with the Bligh Reef in Alaska, spilling 11 million gallons of crude oil into the pristine and ecologically significant Prince William Sound. The massive spill – caused by human error and lack of oversight - ruined one of America’s most treasured natural areas and caused the deaths of millions of animals. Some species are still unrecovered today and the environment remains blanketed in oil. The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) remembers the more than 3,000 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250,000 murres, 14 orcas, and countless fish, benthic invertebrates, and other species who died, oftentimes horrible deaths, because of the spill.

A 2009 status report from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council states, ”…Exxon Valdez oil persists in the environment and, in places, is nearly as toxic as it was the first few weeks after the spill”. Although two decades have passed, as much as 16,000 gallons of oil persists in the Sound's intertidal zones, continuing to poison wildlife.

Animals such as the harlequin duck have been slow to recover and show elevated levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from continued exposure to oil. The persistence of subsurface oils is particularly problematic for species like sea otters who dig for clams, exposing buried oil in the process. Pacific herring and the pigeon guillemot populations have still not recovered. The small AT1 population of orcas will likely become extinct, marking the death of a priceless genetic lineage and a complex society that has inhabited the region for thousands of years.

The Oil Spill Pollution Act was unanimously passed by Congress in 1990 in response to public concern over the spill. The Act contains provisions to prevent similar catastrophes from recurring including a conversion of oil tankers to double-hulled, the establishment of spill contingency plans, and the creation of regional advisory councils to monitor the actions of the oil industry. Although we may now be better prepared to respond to further spills, human and mechanical errors are still huge risks that can never be eliminated. "It took the deaths of over a million creatures for improvements to be mandated on the oil companies" said Serda Ozbenian, AWI Research Assistant "let them not have died in vain."

AWI Press Release

Labels: home, news, save animal

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 10:44 AM 0 comments

Saturday, March 14, 2009

papervet: Condition-dependent female remating resistance generates sexual selection on male size in a ladybird beetle

Abstract article
Behavioural resistance to remating by females is common, but the causes and consequences of resistance are rarely explained. Prominent hypotheses include resistance as a means of avoiding costly and superfluous mating, or as a means of biasing mating towards high-quality males. In species in which males produce nutritious nuptial gifts, females may further modulate resistance according to their need for nutrition. We investigated these hypotheses in the ladybeetle Adalia bipunctata, in which females frequently display vigorous resistance before copulation and ingest a spermatophore after copulation. In two experiments, we manipulated female nutritional state, depriving or satiating females for a short (16 h) or long (96 h) interval before a remating trial. We found that food-deprived females resisted mating more frequently and for longer periods than satiated females and consequently remated less frequently.

This condition dependence of resistance supports the hypothesis that resistance functions to reduce superfluous and costly mating. Our finding that food-deprived females were more resistant suggests that mating imposes energetic costs, and that nuptial feeding does not offset these costs. In a third experiment, we investigated whether the extent of resistance depended on male size or whether resistance itself biased mating towards large males. The extent of female resistance was independent of male size, but resistance itself resulted in a mating bias towards large males. In summary, our results support the hypotheses that females resist mating simply because it is costly and superfluous, and that a side effect of resistance is sexual selection for large male size.

full text from:

sciencedirect.com

Labels: home, papervet, save animal

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 11:00 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

papervet: From operant learning to cognitive enrichment in farm animal housing: bases and applicability

Abstract Journal:
This study has its basis in recent findings by our own and other laboratories and proposes a type of rewarded operant learning that seeks the detection of discriminatory cues as a cognitive enrichment in intensive husbandry systems. This type of cognitive enrichment has the ability to activate the intrinsically-rewarding mesolimbic brain axis when an animal acquires successful strategies to cope with environmental demands. It provides animals with the opportunity to develop positive affects through control of their environment and the anticipation of consummatory reward.

If true animal welfare is considered more than simply the absence of stress and harm, provoking better affective conditions may be a suitable way of increasing the well-being of intensively-housed animals. Recent research with elaborated operant learning equipment, under experimental and quasi-commercial conditions, revealed better health, reduced boredom and less maladaptive behaviour as potentially practical advantages. A number of the issues regarding the transfer of this suggested form of cognitive enrichment to large scale, commercial farming are discussed.

full text from:

ufaw.org.uk/

Labels: home, papervet, save animal

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 11:37 AM 0 comments

Sunday, February 15, 2009

papervet: ‘Freedom from hunger’ and preventing obesity: the animal welfare implications of reducing food quantity or quality

Abstract article
In animals, including humans, free access to high-quality (generally energy-dense) food can result in obesity, leading to physiological and health problems. Consequently, various captive animals, including laboratory and companion animals and certain farm animals, are often kept on a restricted diet. Quantitative restriction of food is associated with signs of hunger such as increases in feeding motivation, activity and redirected oral behaviours which may develop into stereotypies. An alternative approach to energy intake restriction is to provide more food, but of a reduced quality. Such alternative diets are usually high in fibre and have lower energy density. The benefits of these alternative diets for animals are controversial: some authors argue that they result in more normal feeding behaviour, promote satiety and so improve animal welfare; others argue that ‘metabolic hunger’ remains no matter how the restriction of energy intake and weight gain is achieved. We discuss the different arguments behind this controversy, focusing on two well-researched cases of food-restricted farmed livestock: pregnant sows and broiler breeders..

Disagreement between experts results from differences in assumptions about what determines and controls feeding behaviour and food intake, from the methodology of assessing animal hunger and from the weighting placed on ‘naturalness’ of behaviour as a determinant of welfare. Problems with commonly used behavioural and physiological measures of hunger are discussed. Future research into animal feeding preferences, in particular the relative weight placed on food quantity and quality, would be valuable, alongside more fundamental research into the changes in feeding physiology associated with alternative diets

full text from:

sciencedirect.com

Labels: home, papervet, save animal

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 11:00 AM 0 comments

Friday, February 13, 2009

papervet: Decision making in plant selection during the faecal-marking behaviour of wild wolves

Abstract article
The function of wolf, Canis lupus, faeces in chemical communication and the selection of raised and conspicuous substrates to increase their effectiveness as visual scent marks are well documented. Therefore, I hypothesized that faecal marks are not placed randomly on plants, and that wolves will select specific plants according to characteristics that enhance faeces as visual scent marks and ensure greater support and persistence of these marks over time. Analysis of the physical properties of plants marked by Iberian wolves showed that the choice of plants was clearly not random. The factors that determined selection were plant diameter, height and species. The mean height and diameter of faeces-marked plants were significantly greater than those of unmarked plants.

Furthermore, plant use in relation to size (diameter and height) and species did not depend on availability in the environment. Persistence time was independent of the substratum type, height and altitude, but did depend on the scat content, being longer when the scat contained bone than when it contained hair or undetermined matter. These results indicate that the physical appearance of the plant is important for the wolf when deciding where to deposit faecal marks. Thus, the use of standard species and sizes of plants maximizes visual localization of faecal marks deposited by intruder and resident wolves.

full text from:

sciencedirect.com

Labels: home, papervet, save animal

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 10:59 AM 0 comments

Saturday, December 13, 2008

papervet: Three-dimensional crevice structure affects retreat site selection by reptiles

Abstract article
When selecting retreat sites, rock-dwelling animals assess thermal and hydric properties of the rocks under which they shelter. Another obvious, but harder to measure, factor that may affect retreat site selection is the size and structure of the three-dimensional crevice beneath the rock. We developed a novel technique to quantify crevice structure beneath rocks and compared crevices used by snakes and lizards with unused crevices. Multiple attributes of crevice structure such as the height of the crevice above the substrate, the area of the crevice suitable for fitting the entire body of the animal, the degree of closure of the crevice and the amount of fragmentation within the crevice affected the suitability of a crevice as a retreat site.

Therefore, crevice structural attributes, not simply size and thickness of the overlying rock, may be important factors driving retreat site selection by ectotherms. We also found that crevice structure directly alters thermal regimes, and may be more important than rock thickness in this respect. Understanding the characteristics of the space actually occupied by animals can yield a greater understanding of habitat selection, and our novel technique for quantifying crevice geometry should be readily transferable to other systems.

full text from:

sciencedirect.com

Labels: home, papervet

posted by ali maftuh,DVM @ 10:55 AM 0 comments