|
News you need to know  Top
When – and where – the dust settles
The good news is that the horse is still in the barn. The bad news? So is lots of barn dust. According to a study by investigators at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, millions of Americans working in the equine industry may be at risk of developing respiratory symptoms due to poor air quality in horse barns. The study, which polled more than 80 New England horse barn workers, found that half of the people working in barns complained of coughing, wheezing or other ailments in the last year, compared to just 15 percent in a control group. For more information, contact Tom Keppeler at 508-839-7910 or tom.keppeler@tufts.edu.
Do ovaries contribute to longevity?
A new study – the first of its kind in dogs – supports recent findings in women that females live longer the longer they keep their ovaries. The latest study, conducted by a research team led by veterinarian David J. Waters at the Gerald P. Murphy Cancer Foundation's Center for Exceptional Longevity Studies, is the first to indicate a link between retaining ovaries and reaching exceptional longevity in mammals. Waters and his colleagues found that Rottweiler dogs that kept their ovaries for at least six years were four times more likely to live exceptionally long, compared to those who had the shortest lifetime ovary exposure. Taken together, the research from women and dogs questions the established procedure of routinely removing ovaries at the time of hysterectomy. Moreover, the findings highlight the prospect of utilizing pet dogs as a unique field laboratory for studying the underlying mechanisms of human aging and longevity. For more information, contact Dr. Waters at 765-775-1009 or waters@purdue.edu.
Bird flu, shoo
Remember the "bird flu?" Virologists like Dr. Yoshihiro Kawaoka sure do, even if the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus has bumped its H5N1 cousin out of the media spotlight. The H5N1 virus remains a deadly global health threat, and Kawaoka, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, reports in a recent study that a new compound proves to be highly effective against the H5N1 virus, even more powerful than the antiviral drug best known by the trade name Tamiflu. The new compound – T-705 – can even protect against illness three days after infection. For more information, contact Lori Strelow at 608-263-6914 or at lstrelow@vetmed.wisc.edu.
News you might not know Top
There when you need them
From Katrina to California wildfires and Midwest flooding, few of us are immune from disaster. That's why North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine is now requiring that all of its students take a formal disaster response training program as part of their veterinary curriculum. The recently launched program makes NC State the first veterinary school in the nation to require the training. The program embodies the concept of One Health, which focuses on the belief that human and animal health, as well as the environment they share, are intertwined, especially when it comes to natural disaster. The students are being trained in all aspects of emergency animal response, whether those at risk are beloved family pets or valuable livestock. For more information, contact David Green at 919-513-6662 or david_green@ncsu.edu.
News you can use Top
A sampling of interesting upcoming events and pet-related campaigns …
North American Veterinary Conference, Jan. 16, 2010 – Jan. 20, 2010: More than 100 media members joined thousands of veterinarians at last year's NAVC Conference, which is held annually in Orlando, Fla. For more information, go to www.tnavc.org.
National Pet Dental Health Month, Feb. 1, 2010 – Feb. 28, 2010: February is National Pet Dental Health Month, a time for pet owners to focus on the importance of regular dental care and how good dental care contributes to overall good health. For more information, go to the Pet Dental Web site.
|
