Category: Blog

Drug or Poison? Keep Your Pet Safe!

Posted on by admintrans

MOST NIGERIANS ARE QUITE FAMILIAR WITH INDOMETHACIN UNDER THE GENERIC NAMES INDOCID® OR INDOCIN®.

While some know it as an analgesic (painkiller), others know it as a rodenticide (rat poison). Indomethacin can and does provide relief against pain in different forms, but its intake can also be fatal.

ABOUT INDOMETHACIN

Indomethacin is classified as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and was introduced in 1963 for the treatment of several conditions including gout, rheumatoid arthritis, degenerative joint diseases, acute musculoskeletal disorders, ankylosing spondylitis, inflammation and oedema following surgical procedures, amongst others.

The discovery of the drug however, came with reports of adverse effects.

NSAIDs in general have been known to cause stomach ulcers especially following long term use or overdose. There have been several scientific studies and reports that substantiate the danger of Indomethacin overuse. And stomach ulcers aren’t the only after effects. There is scientific evidence that Indomethacin can also hurt the liver, kidney, testes, intestines and possibly the brain.

WHY IS INDOMETHACIN STILL IN USE IN NIGERIA?

At this point, so many questions come to mind. Why do we still take Indocid so frequently in Nigeria? Why is Indocid the first resort for killing rats in many households in Nigeria?

To address these points, we would start with the most obvious plausible answer to these – Indocid is way too cheap. Matter of fact, it is even cheaper than Paracetamol, which is probably one of the cheapest drugs in the Nigerian drug market. So, why would I buy Paracetamol when I can get Indocid for cheaper? To further ice the cake, Indocid can do more than Paracetamol. Both Indomethacin and Paracetamol can alleviate pains and aches, but for sure Paracetamol no dey kill rat!

This brings me to the second plausible answer to the frequency of Indomethacin use. Let’s be real, Nigerian rats are annoying! They’re just everywhere, whether urban or rural or anything in-between. They always find a way to creep into your house.

WHAT’S THE WAY FORWARD?

In more civilized countries, the use of Indomethacin as an analgesic or antipyretic (for managing fevers) has reduced, because of the high incidence of side-effects associated with its long-term use. The drug however still remains readily available over-the-counter in most underdeveloped countries. In fact, as the therapeutic use of the drug waned in developed countries, it even became cheaper and more readily available in most third world countries, especially in Nigeria.

We are basically enjoying what has been rejected elsewhere.

Surprisingly, there is almost no public awareness campaign existing about this drug in Nigeria. You know the even more saddening fact? You can stroll into any hospital or drug store and demand for this drug, without a prescription. Talk about regulatory irresponsibility.

There needs to be an urgent enlightenment campaign across Nigeria concerning the dangers of the abuse (yes, taking drugs without consulting a professional is abuse) of Indomethacin. Some might argue that they only use it as a rat killer. Have you considered what may happen if your pet or child accidentally overdoses on your stash recklessly kept somewhere in the house?

Dr Chidi Ubachukwu is a Diagnostic Pathologist, Veterinary Doctor, Musician, Writer and Activist. He writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

Image Credits: IB Times

How To Make Money Breeding Dogs

Posted on by admintrans

First and foremost, dog breeding can be profitable; but dog breeding can also be loss-making or simply break you even. Obviously, just like with every activity from farming to a Doctor, the execution matters more than the idea.

Breeding dogs is not for the faint of heart. It’s like parenting. You don’t go into it blindly – though many people make this mistake and end up being terrible at it. Breeding dogs is a professional and humane undertaking. You have to go into this armed with a real love of animals, cash (good Dogs won’t come cheap), and a desire to breed dogs for the right reasons and according to ethical standards. Of course, when done right and following ethical standards, breeding dogs can be financially-rewarding as well. However, don’t quit your day job, as you will find that this won’t happen overnight and can be a rather fickle and sometimes heart-breaking venture.

When breeding dogs, you have to consider the following:

  1. Know the type of dog you’d like to breed: In Nigeria, the most popular breeds are German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Mastiff breeds (Boer Boel, Bull mastiff), Lhasa Apso, Caucasian and Labrador. Why do you need to know? Because you will need pet lovers to buy those puppies when you breed them, right?
  2. Take into account your chemistry with the dog you wish to breed: Your personality and the dog’s should mesh through and through even during rough spots in the breeding process. Yes, even in the dog world, chemistry is everything. 
  3. Know your potential market by researching on how large your market share is, the demand for the dog you plan to breed, and how much your market pays for such a breed. 
  4. Become friends with established and reputable dog breeders who can mentor you about this. You cannot go at this alone and it will take someone who has been in this longer than you have. In fact, do this before making a decision about which breed you will go for. 
  5. Purchase a dog with the best possible lineage. Ask questions about the dog’s parental history, genetics, behavior issues, and health issues, among others. It’s also ideal to purchase your dog from a respected breeder than a puppy mill. The former does this for the love of it while the latter does it for money alone. 
  6. Get the advice of a good veterinarian when it comes to canine health, housing, and grooming. The kind of veterinarian that specializes in breeds. Better still work in tandem with a veterinarian and an experienced breeder.  Dogs breed and spawn best when they are healthy and happy. 
  7. Participate in pet shows & Seminars not because it’s a popularity or beauty contest of sorts but because this is an educational tool that will give you the opportunity to observe other breeds and improve your dog’s line as well. 
  8. Immerse yourself fully into stages like whelping or even C-sections. Prepare yourself for this eventuality by asking your veterinarian or fellow breeder to allow you to witness or participate on this process first-hand. 
  9. Prepare to advertise your business – Social medias like Instagram, imo, Facebook are excellent tools and guess what? They are free!
  10. Get to know your buyers, ensure that your puppies are going into a good family, and even when your puppies have been taken into a new family, become an ever-present part of your puppies’ life like a real biological parent.

 

If you seriously embark on these pertinent steps and become a sound businessman while also being an animal lover, in the long term, this will make great returns both financially and on repeat buyers

How Dogs Can Improve your Mental and Physical Health

Posted on by admintrans

Dogs are essential pets because of the company they provide. The great thing about this companionship is that it helps boost your mental and physical health. The bond and companionship developed makes you feel calm and relaxed, thus boosting your overall health. In this article we will discuss other ways that dogs can improve your mental and physical health.

The bond and companionship developed makes you feel calm and relaxed, thus boosting your overall health.

1. Help reduce anxiety, stress and depression

Spending your time with your dog gives you high levels of comfort and brings in a connection that enhances your mood by minimizing anxiety, stress and depression. The presence of your pet makes your body produce oxytocin. This is a strong neurochemical that helps reduce stress by helping in reduction of Cortisol, which is a stress hormone in your body.
With a dog, you tend to recover faster from stress. When you play with your pet, you also reduce the risks of developing depression because of increased serotonin and dopamine levels that make you feel relaxed and calm. The acceptance, love and attention dogs offer puts you in a good mood, thus boosting your mental health.

2. Enhance your physical fitness

Dogs help boost your physical health as you run and play with them. As you play and run, you burn extra calories and strengthen your muscles and bones. If you walk regularly with your dog, you are likely to attain your exercise requirements.
Other small activities such as jumping, tossing a ball, walking and others help reduce your blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels. With the physical activities you engage in with your dog, you also reduce the risk of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and obesity among others.

3. Reduce risks of cardiovascular problems

Dog training involves both physical and mental activities that allow you attain full body fitness. The physical activities you take together with your dog such as walking, playing, hiking and running helps reduce stress, triglycerides and cholesterol. This helps reduce risks of cardiovascular health problems such as coronary ailments, stroke and hypertension.

4. Enhance your self-confidence and esteem

Having low self-confidence and esteem can have detrimental effects to your overall health. The fact that your dog accepts you and gives you unconditional love helps boost your self-esteem and confidence. The feeling of being accepted and loved makes you to hold yourself high.

5. Boost your immune system against allergies

Dogs help you develop strong immunity against allergies. This is not only beneficial to you, but also to your children. Studies have shown that children in homes with dogs that have a lot of fur in their bodies have lower risks of developing common allergic reactions. This is because when the body gets used to fur, other agents that lead to allergic reactions such as grass and dust are less likely to affect you.

6. Assist in management of long term mental health conditions

If you suffer from a long term mental health condition, dogs can help you in the management process. They offer great social and emotional support that distracts the symptoms from affecting you more.
The companionship they offer and time you spend with them playing ensures that you do not focus more on your problems, thus improving your overall wellbeing. If you are recovering from a mental health condition, you will recover faster because of the great company provided by your dog.
If you suffer from a long term mental health condition, dogs can help you in the management process

7. Boost vitality in your life

At older ages you might be at an elevated risk of losing vitality in your life. You might feel weak and mentally disturbed. With dogs on your side you can have more energy. This is because they encourage exercise, laughter, playfulness and other activities that help boost your energy and overall immune system.
Smaller breeds such as Yorkies or Schnauzers make great companions for those who aren’t mobile since these breeds need less exercise to stay healthy. Having a small companion who thinks they own the place tends to elevate the mood in the room. A cute 4-legged companion also encourages more social interaction.

8. Help in weight loss

If you are looking for a great way to lose weight, then dogs can be of great help. When training your dog, you run, jump and engage in other activities that help in burning extra calories and fat from your body.

9. Dogs have the ability to detect terminal illnesses

It has been proven that dogs have the ability to detect certain forms of cancer. While not fully understood, there are many documented cases of someone’s pet dog knowing something was wrong before their owner even goes to a doctor.

Some scientists believe that this ability can be trained to a high degree of accuracy and that certain breeds can be used to screen patients.

Conclusion
The above are just some of the ways that dogs can improve your mental and physical health. Therefore, you need to ensure that you take care of your dogs to ensure they are in perfect health too.

ASK AN EXPERT

Posted on by admintrans

QUESTION: Regarding life stages, the bag of food says for all life stages on the puppy and adult formulas. Can you please explain all life stages food? Thank you

 

ANSWER:  AAFCO (The Association of American Feed Control Officials) defines nutrient level requirements for two categories; Adult Maintenance, and Growth and Reproduction. The majority of essential nutrients listed by AAFCO have a minimum requirement, but no defined maximum, and for those with defined maximums, the acceptable range is typically quite large.

Growth and Reproduction are life phases with increased nutrient requirements. A formula with nutrient levels above the minimum requirements for growth and reproduction will automatically also be above the minimum nutrient requirements for adult maintenance, so legally, a pet food company is permitted to claim “all life stages” in the AAFCO statement if it chooses.   While it may seem more convenient to offer the same formula regardless of age and activity level,, if you would like your pet to thrive throughout their whole life I believe that you need to tailor their nutrition to the specific needs of each life stage.

 

Puppies have different nutrient requirements while they are growing than their adult counterparts. Senior pets require additional support as they age in order to maintain healthy organs. Even the life style of a dog will change through its different life stages. A once very active puppy will not have the same activity level as a senior dog. Not only will the energy requirements differ at different life stages but levels of vitamins and minerals can be tailored to specifically support the different needs of each life stage.

 

It is important when choosing a formula that you consider the needs of your dog and the nutrients provided in the formula to meet those needs.

 

Culled from: http://www.petfoodnutrition.com/ask-an-expert/

Dogs Are Even More Like Us Than We Thought

Posted on by admintrans

For one, canines shun people who are mean to their owners, a new study says.
By Maya Wei-Haas, National Geographic
PUBLISHED JULY 20, 2015
It’s likely no surprise to dog owners, but growing research suggests that man’s best friend often acts more human than canine.

Dogs can read facial expressions, communicate jealousy, display empathy, and even watch TV, studies have shown. They’ve picked up these people-like traits during their evolution from wolves to domesticated pets, which occurred between 11,000 and 16,000 years ago, experts say.

In particular, “paying attention to us, getting along with us, [and] tolerating us” has led to particular characteristics that often mirror ours, says Laurie Santos, director of the Yale Comparative Cognition Laboratory. (Read more about how dogs evolved in National Geographic magazine.)

Here are a few of the latest studies showing the human side of our canine companions.
EAVESDROPPING DOGS
Social eavesdropping—or people-watching—is central to human social interactions, since it allows us to figure out who’s nice and who’s mean.

According to a study published in August in the journal Animal Behaviour, our dogs listen in too. (Read “Animal Minds” in National Geographic magazine.)

In a new study, scientists tested 54 dogs that each watched their owners struggle to retrieve a roll of tape from a container. The dogs were divided into three groups: helper, non-helper, and control.

In the helper group, the owner requested help from another person, who held the container. In the non-helper group, the owner asked for help from a person, who then turned their back without helping. In the control group, the additional person turned his or her back without being asked for help. In all experiments, a third, “neutral” person sat in the room.

After the first round of experiments, the neutral person and the helper or non-helper both offered treats to the dog.

In the non-helper group, canines most frequently favored the neutral person’s treat, shunning the non-helper. However, in the helper group, the dogs did not favor either the helper or the neutral person over the other. Scientists have previously observed similar results in human infants and tufted capuchin monkeys. (See “Can Dogs Feel Our Emotions? Yawn Study Suggests Yes.”)

So are dogs taking sides by ignoring the people who are mean to their owners? Only future research will tell.

MADE YOU LOOK
Gaze following is instinctual for many animals—including humans, chimps, goats, dolphins, and even the red-footed tortoise—because it alerts animals to everything from immediate threats to “a particularly tasty berry bush,” says Lisa Wallis, a doctoral student at the Messerli Research Institute in Vienna, Austria.

Dogs were previously thought to follow human gazes only when food or toys were involved. Now, a new study suggests dogs also follow human gazes into blank space—but only if they’re untrained. (See “5 Amazing Stories of Devoted Dogs.”)

“We know they should be able to do it,” says Wallis, leader of the research published in August in the journal Animal Behaviour, but training was the “missing piece of the puzzle.”

In recent experiments, Wallis and her colleagues recruited 145 pet border collies with a range of training levels and ages. The researchers wanted to see if age, habituation, or training influenced the dog’s tendency to follow a human’s gaze.

Wallis then observed the dogs’ reactions as she gazed toward a door. Surprisingly, only the untrained border collies followed her gaze—the trained animals ignored it. That may be because trained dogs learn to focus on a person’s face, and not where the person is looking.

When Wallis and colleagues spent just five minutes teaching the untrained dogs to look at her face, they began ignoring the instinct to follow her gaze.

Even more surprising is that the untrained dogs often glanced back and forth between her and the door, baffled at what she was looking at. The behavior, only seen before in humans and chimps, is called “check backs” or “double looking,” she said. (Read about war dogs in National Geographic magazine.)

“It’s a lesson for us all that we should always examine whether training has an effect in these types of studies,” says Wallis.

NEXT STEPS IN DOG RESEARCH
In humans, aging hastens declines in short-term memory and logical reasoning skills, making it more difficult to learn new tasks. Previous research has found similar declines in dogs, but long-term memory is a little-known aspect of dog biology. (See “Many Animals—Including Your Dog—May Have Horrible Short-Term Memories.”)

That’s why Wallis and colleagues are studying how dogs both young and old memorize tasks, and whether the animals can remember them months later.

The results are still in the works, but Wallis expects to discover that it’s tough—but not impossible—to teach old dogs new tricks.

Culled from nationalgeographic.com