Louisiana State University veterinarian Frank Andrews has found that sea-buckthorn berry products fed to horses with stomach ulcers resolved the condition in the lower portion of the stomach. Ulcers that form in the upper part of the stomach, an area lined with esophageal cells, aren’t affected by the berries and must be treated with medication, Dr. Andrews noted.

A University professor took horses back to the basics last year, using natural berries rather than pharmaceuticals to heal their stomach ulcers.

Veterinary medicine professor Frank Andrews studied the effects of horse stomach ulcer treatment, finding seabuckthorn berries healed some parts of the stomach just as well as prescribed medication.

“What I wanted to do was find a natural product that would prevent those ulcers from recurring,” Andrews said.

Andrews tested the use of a natural product called SeaBuck Gastro Plus, a feed additive made from berries from the seabuckthorn shrub.

Andrews used two groups of eight horses from the University Vet School and fed each group the same type and quantity of food. He said he added four ounces of the natural treatment to each horse’s food in one group while leaving the other group without the treatment.

They inserted a 9-foot endoscope through each horse’s nose to reach the stomach for periodic examination, he said.

After 35 days, Andrews said the glandular ulcers in the lower two-thirds of the stomach of the treated group were gone, but the ulcers in the squamous mucosa, the upper one-third of the stomach, did not go away.

The natural treatment resembled a treatment used to help stomach problems in humans, he said. A horse’s lower stomach is similar to that of a human stomach, so the medication had a similar effect on eliminating the ulcers.

Andrews concluded a horse owner would have to use a prescription to take care of the remaining ulcers in the upper part of the stomach.

While some horses tend to be more likely to develop ulcers than others, Andrews said the ulcers may be caused in part by nature and nurture. He said owners feed horses differently from the way they are fed in a “wild

horse lifestyle.”

Many horses eat sweet feed, which contains corn and molasses. The horses enjoy it, but Andrews said sweet feed does not necessarily promote the best health for the stomach.

Andrews also said esophageal tissue lines the upper one-third of the stomach. When the horse engages in activities like racing, the stomach acid splashes onto the upper stomach area and can cause ulcers.

“The problem is in the anatomy of the stomach,” he said. “The whole horse’s digestive tract was made to walk around in the pasture and eat.”

Bruce McMullin, CEO and founder of Seabuck, said using natural products saves money and prevents the side effects that come with taking prescribed products.

Though a natural diet in horses surpasses prescribed products, McMullin said implementing this diet in horses has not yet caught on with many people.

“Typically, people get a level of comfort with something they’ve used in the past, and it’s hard for them to try something new,” McMullin said.

Why do dogs prefer some toys over others? A recent study found the critical component was human interaction with the dog and the toy. Other features of the toys offered to the dogs such as size, shape, color, texture and sounds were important points of interest, but they mostly resulted in only transient attention. “For an animal as social as a dog, toys only become really exciting when they are part of a game with a person,” said John Bradshaw, a researcher in the University of Bristol’s Veterinary School. For dogs left alone, the most appealing toys are those that make noise, or chewy toys, especially those meant to be eaten.

Ever bring a new toy home for your dog — only for the gizmo to end up neglected and ignored on the floor?

It turns out there could be a way to avoid such flops in the future with new research detailing which toys will either interest or bore canines. The study, published in the journal Animal Cognition, sheds light on why dogs ignore some toys after just a minute of investigation, while other toys become coveted favorites.

“Because we think that dogs perceive toys in the same way that wolves perceive prey, they prefer toys that either taste like food or can be torn apart, however the latter can cause health problems if the dog accidentally swallows some of the pieces,” co-author John Bradshaw, a researcher in the University of Bristol’s Veterinary School, told Discovery News.

Co-author Anne Pullen, also at the University of Bristol, added that dog toys should be “soft, easily manipulable toys that can be chewed easily and/or make a noise.”

As for what toys cause many dogs to grow bored, Pullen said, “Dogs quickly lose interest in toys with hard unyielding surfaces, and those that don’t make a noise when manipulated.”

Prior research has looked at other dogs, but Labradors were chosen for this study “because they’re are very popular pets,” Merrill told Discovery News.

Bradshaw added that Labradors, due to their breeding, are one of the most playful breeds “and we had to be sure that the dogs we studied would play with the toys for a few minutes at least, otherwise we couldn’t have measured what would get them playing again once they’d lost interest in the original toy.”

They presented the dogs with toys of varying types, including different colors and odors. The researchers then gave the dogs a unique toy that contrasted with whatever one the canines were playing with first.

It was clear that all of the dogs showed intense, but transient, interest toward nearly all new toys. Dogs appear to be hard-wired to explore any novel object — toy or not. In the case of toys, the problem is that dogs can become habituated to them quickly, which leads to boredom and neglected toys.

Changing the delay from habituation to presentation of the second toy, between 10 seconds and 15 minutes, did not affect the dogs’ duration of play. No single toy characteristic altered the test results much either, suggesting that getting used to the stimulus qualities of a toy — be they through smell, sound, color, texture — is the clincher for canine boredom.

If that happens, there’s only one solution: the owner needs to jump in and play with the dog and toy too.

“For an animal as social as a dog,” Bradshaw explained, “toys only become really exciting when they are part of a game with a person. Few toys will sustain a dog’s interest for long if the owner is not around to offer encouragement.”

He added, “If a dog has to be left on its own, it is most likely to enjoy toys that can be chewed, make a noise when played with, or are designed to be eaten as they disintegrate (such as a chew).”

At least one of the many reasons why dogs make such good pets is that they are renowned for routinely engaging in play, even as adults. Certain other animals mostly only play when they are juveniles, growing out of the behavior as they get older.

Dolce is an 8-year-old German Shepherd/Siberian Husky mix who works for the FBI. He’s not your typical K9 officer. He doesn’t sniff out drugs or bombs, or work on crime scenes in the traditional role. Instead he calms people with his lovable nature and listens as they speak. Dolce is the Bureau’s one and only therapy dog.

His handler and owner Rachel Pierce, is a child psychologist. She joined the FBI five years ago, having previously worked for the Department of Defense and law enforcement. She got Dolce in 2004 from a local shelter because she was looking for a puppy she could train to be a service dog, as she suffers from rheumatoid arthritis.

“I thought it would be nice to have a dog that did some things around the house for me when my symptoms flared up,” she said. “There are days I can’t move or even lift a sheet,” says Pierce.

Dolce easily passed his service-dog training. When it became clear to Pierce how much Dolce loved people she thought he could be an excellent therapy dog as well. She spent several years training him, and he graduated with flying colors. “He’s a good service dog, but he’s an amazing therapy dog,” says Pierce.

The pair now work in the Bureau’s K9-Assisted Victim Assistance Program together. They work in the field with victims of a wide range of crimes such as child pornography, kidnapping cases, violent robberies, and white-collar crime cases as well as death notifications. With his lovable personality, Dolce excels at comforting crime victims and their families.

Dolce also goes to scenes of violent crime, to de-escalate the chaos and stress of the situation. Just the presence of a dog can produce a calming effect. “It can lower blood pressure and make you feel more relaxed,” explains Pierce. A calm witness can better help investigators with information about the crime.

Having seen the positive influence Dolce has had on victims and their families, she suggested a therapy-dog program to leadership, who embraced the idea. Pierce then set about to create and implement a therapy dog program. It became the first of its kind for the Bureau.

Last year, Rachel Pierce and Dolce received the FBI Director’s Award for Excellence for “distinguished service for assisting victims of crime.” Dolce is not retiring just yet, but Pierce is training her new puppy, Kevlar, to take over Dolce’s important work. Pierce also hopes to see the therapy dog program expanded to other FBI offices. “I know a lot of other victim specialists around the country who would be interested in training and working with a therapy dog. I would love to see that happen.”

Charlee Bear Products

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 1, 2012

Consumer Contact:  1-800-396-8893    info@charleebear.com

CHARLEE BEAR PRODUCTS RECALLS “PROTEIN CRUNCH BARS” BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE SALMONELLA HEALTH RISK

ST. FRANCIS – Wis.

– Charlee Bear Products announced today that it is voluntarily recalling certain lots of its Protein Crunch Bar products because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

The following products are being recalled

Charlee Bear Protein Crunch Bars – Chicken Recipe with Carrots

5.5 oz packages; UPC Code: 8710890000

Lot number 19812; Best by date: 07-16-2015

Lot number 19912; Best by date: 07-17-2015

Lot number 20012; Best by date: 07-18-2015

Lot number 20212; Best by date: 07-20-2015

Charlee Bear Protein Crunch Bars – Chicken Recipe with Sweet Potatoes

5.5 oz packages; UPC Code: 8710890001

Lot number 20112; Best by date: 07-19-2015

There have been no reported animal or human illnesses related to these products.

The potential for contamination was noted after a finished product sample of Protein Crunch Bars – Chicken Recipe with Carrots (Lot no. 19812) tested positive for the presence of Salmonella. Charlee Bear is recalling that lot number and, out of an abundance of caution, the additional lot numbers identified above, all of which are manufactured by a contract manufacturer that is not otherwise involved in the production of any other products in the Charlee Bear line.

Please note that this recall applies only to these lots of Charlee Bear

Protein Crunch Bars.

The recalled Charlee Bear

Protein Crunch Bars were distributed nationally in September and October 2012.

Charlee Bear recall/ADD ONE

Pets with Salmonella infections may have decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, pets may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian.

Individuals handling contaminated product can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product. Healthy people who believe they may have been exposed to Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. According to the Centers for Disease Control, people who are more likely to be affected by Salmonella include infants, children younger than 5 years old, organ transplant patients, people with HIV/AIDS and people receiving treatment for cancer.

No illnesses have been reported to date in animals or humans in connection to these products.

Consumers who have purchased these specific recalled lots of Charlee Bear Protein Crunch Bars are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions should visit

www.charleebear.com, email info@charleebear.com or call 1-800-396-8893.

At Charlee Bear, providing safe, wholesome, nutritious all-natural products is our top priority. We apologize for any inconvenience this voluntary recall may have caused and are working diligently to address the situation.

October 30, 2012 – WellPet LLC of Tewksbury, MA has announced the withdrawal of a limited number of one of its dry kibble products due to possible moisture contamination.

Thank Dog! Bootcamp is an exercise program geared toward dogs and owners that offers people a chance to slim down with their pets while getting obedience training for their furry workout buddies. The hourlong classes include cardio, strength training and obedience training. The Washington Post (10/23)

Thank Dog! Bootcamp: That’s not drill sergeants barking

Homesick college students should carefully consider several factors before adopting a pet such as a dog, writes veterinarian Ann Hohenhaus. Dogs can need preventative medical care such as vaccinations and spay or neuter surgery as well as emergency care, not to mention everyday living supplies, Dr. Hohenhaus notes. There are several other factors to evaluate, Dr. Hohenhaus points out, but if students have done their homework and determine that they still want a pet, they will likely benefit from the friendship they’ll forge. WebMD/Tales from the Pet Clinic blog

Read about how AHF helps Orangutans

By Ian Williams NBC News Correspondent

One of the Sumatran orangutan’s richest habitats, an area of swampland containing the highest density of the red apes on the planet, is being illegally slashed and burned by palm oil companies to make way for palm oil plantations.

“If we can’t stop them here, then there really is no hope,” said Ian Singleton as we stood on the edge of what had once been pristine forest, home to hundreds of orangutans, but now reduced to a charred wilderness as far as the eye could see. As he spoke we could hear the distant sound of a chain saw.

Singleton runs the Sumatra Orangutan Conservation Programme, an organization at the forefront of a battle to save what remains of the forest and the apes.

There are fewer than 7,000 of the critically endangered Sumatran orangutans left in the wild, according to a 2008 survey completed by Singleton and other scientists. The largest number live in a vast area of swampland and lowland forest close to the northern tip of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

“Orangutan paradise,” Singleton calls the area – but it’s a paradise under threat.

Land cleared, drained and burned in the Tripa Peat Swamp Forest.

The key battleground for Singleton is the Tripa Peat Swamp Forest, much of which has already been converted to palm oil plantations. The relentless march of the palm oil business is the biggest threat facing the orangutans.

A cheap, edible oil, palm oil is found in almost half of all packaged supermarket products, from instant noodles, to cookies to ice cream, and Indonesia is the world’s biggest supplier.

“Look, look,” said Singleton, handing me a pair of field glasses. In the distance a large male orangutan moved gracefully across the canopy of trees. We would soon see three more.

WATCH ROCK CENTER VIDEO: ‘Orangutans are dying here as we speak’

There is something spell-binding about seeing an orangutan in its natural habitat, and for a while we were glued to that point, watching these high-wire masters at play. But excitement here was quickly tempered by the realization that the area of forest we were looking at was isolated and surrounded on three sides by plantations that were moving ever closer.

Singleton concluded that these apes had just about enough forest to survive – for now.

When he believes an orangutan is in danger, he said, he sends in a team to track and sedate it, transferring the animal to a sprawling rescue center he runs on the edge of the Sumatran city of Medan.

Singleton sometimes refers to the center as a “refugee camp.”

“These are the lucky few,” Singleton told me during a visit there. “They are effectively refugees from forests that no longer exist.”

And like in refugee camps across the world, there was no shortage of agonizing stories of suffering and survival, but also resilience and hope.

Chocolate, a 2-year-old toddler, rescued from animal traders

Among the 55 orangutans in Singleton’s care was a scrawny and bewildered 2-year-old named Chocolate, the newest arrival. Merely a toddler, Chocolate wrapped his arms and legs around Singleton, who lifted him carefully from a cot designed for a child.

“He’s a bit thin, but otherwise quite fit and feisty,” Singleton said. He believes the mother was probably shot.

“There’s no way a mother would allow a baby to be taken from her, not while she’s still alive – never in a million years,” said Singleton. Among orangutans, the bond between mother and child is one of the strongest in the animal kingdom, a child staying with its mom for as many as nine years.

Most orangutans arrive at the center as toddlers, many lacking even the basic confidence to climb trees. You’d have thought that came naturally to a great ape, but some youngsters will only scale the branches in the presence of a keeper, who acts as a surrogate mom.

That’s not a term Singleton likes. The aim of his organization is to build the animals’ skills and independence for an eventual return to the wild, though initially many are dependent on him and his staff.

He also introduced me to Leuser, a big male, probably more than 40 years old and blind.

“One day he went too near farmers at the edge of the forest and they took pot shots at him. They put 62 air rifle pellets into him, mostly around the head,“ Singleton said. Forty-eight are still there, and the X-ray resembles the speckled roof of a planetarium.

In the top corner of a nearby cage, 9-year-old Bahroeni was sitting inside a large tire, one of his legs dangling, encased in a cast. He, too, had been sold as a pet when he was a toddler and, as he grew up, the nylon rope that tied him to a fence was never removed.

Plantation owners and small holders frequently regard orangutans as pests, though there is profit to be had in illegally selling off the babies as pets.

“The law is very clear, but the enforcement is very weak,” Singleton said, tickling one of the toddlers, who reacts with child-like convulsions.

The center aims to return its refugees to the wild, in an undisturbed part of the forest, as soon as they are able to go.

As we spoke, a group of keepers from the rescue center carried on a stretcher an anaesthetised young male named Dito. They lay him out on an operating table in the medical center and after making a small insertion in his neck, they implanted a transmitter.

The transmitter will help Singleton monitor Dito’s movements, “so you know what they’re doing, where they’re going. That they are OK.”

Singleton and colleague Graham Usher launch drone with camera to monitor illegal deforestation.

On the Tripa frontline, Singleton and his team are now deploying a powerful new weapon: a drone, equipped with a small camera that will help them identify illegal forest clearing.

The area is supposed to be a protected forest, and using fire to clear the land as well as converting deep peat are illegal practices under Indonesian law.

Conservationists did have one recent victory, when one of the worst culprits, a company called Kallista Alam, had one of its operating permits revoked. That’s never happened before, since Indonesia has a terrible track record in enforcing its own environmental laws.

And Singleton says satellite imagery shows that burning has continued, even after Kallista Alam’s permit was revoked.

He is now urging criminal action against such companies and others involved in the illegal clearing, asking for their permits to be revoked, and the peat land to be restored.

For all the horrible destruction laid out before us in Tripa, Singleton remains optimistic, believing that the tide may now be turning in favor of Indonesia’s once lonely conservationists, and that the impunity with which the plantations destroyed the forest is at last being challenged.

Before leaving Sumatra, Singleton took me to an area where his refugees are being re-located. He told me that for him nothing can quite match the satisfaction of seeing the often bruised and terrified animals that turn up at his rescue center back in the wild.

“Now they have a second chance of spending 30 or 40 years in the wild, and of having four or five babies,” he told me as we tracked some recently released orangutans days later.

There was a sudden movement of red fur through the thick forest canopy above us.

“I get a real kick out of this,” Singleton said. “It’s as if they never left, and if we’d not been here they’d have died.”

Editor’s Note: Ian Williams’ full report, ‘At What Cost?’ airs Thursday, October 18 at 10pm/9c on NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams.

Kasel Associated Industries Recalls Boots & Barkley Roasted American Pig Ears And Boots & Barkley American Variety Pack Dog Treats Because of Possible Salmonella Health Risk