300 Pets May Have Died From Contaminated Pet Food Due To Lethal Combination Of Contaminants

A survey, commissioned by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians and designed and implemented by Michigan State University toxicologists, has found that more than 300 dogs and cats may have died earlier this year as a result of eating contaminated pet food.

In addition, the survey also determined that the cause of death may have been related to two food contaminants which, separately, are relatively harmless, but together can be deadly.

On March 30, the Food and Drug Administration announced that the pet food in question had been contaminated with a substance called melamine. It was later determined that other contaminants – cyanuric acid, ammelide and ammeline – were also in the food. However, the focus was placed on melamine and cyanuric acid.

“Separately, those two compounds are pretty harmless,” said Wilson Rumbeiha, an associate professor in MSU’s Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health. “But when combined, they form crystals which can block the kidneys.

“And, unfortunately, these crystals don’t dissolve easily. They go away slowly, if at all, so there is the potential for chronic toxicity.”

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Choosing dry or wet food for cats

Eventhough society is accustomed to seeing Garfield-sized cats, obese, middle-aged cats can have a variety of problems including diabetes mellitus, which can be fatal. The causes of diabetes mellitus in cats remain unknown eventhough there has been a strong debate about whether a dry food diet puts cats at greater risk for diabetes. A new study from a University of Missouri-Columbia veterinarian suggests that weight gain, not the type of diet, is more important when trying to prevent diabetes in cats.

Because dry cat food contains more starch and more carbohydrates than canned cat food, some have argued that a diet containing large amounts of carbohydrates is unnatural for a cat that is anatomically and physiologically designed to be a carnivore. Carbohydrates constitute between 30 percent and 40 percent of dry cat food. Some have been concerned that this unnatural diet is harmful to cats and leads to increased occurence rate of diabetes. Wet cat food, conversely, is high in protein and more similar to a natural carnivore diet.

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Dogs Can Classify Complex Photos In Categories Like Humans Do

Like us, our canine friends are able to form abstract concepts. Friederike Range and colleagues from the University of Vienna in Austria have shown for the first time that dogs can classify complex color photographs and place them into categories in the same way that humans do. And the dogs successfully demonstrate their learning through the use of computer automated touch-screens, eliminating potential human influence.

In order to test whether dogs can visually categorize pictures, and transfer their knowledge to new situations, four dogs were shown landscape and dog photographs, and expected to make a selection on a computer touch-screen.

In the training phase, the dogs were shown both the landscape and dog photographs simultaneously and were rewarded with a food pellet if they selected the dog picture.

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Zero Gravity Cat...

Oprah still the Greatest (with a capital G)

While Leona Helmsley's pooch may have inherited 12 million, Oprah's dogs are rumored to be willed 30 million dollars upon her death (granted it is assumed this will be split among all five dogs, at 6 million each, Trouble can still gloat at all the parties).

This may be one of the many reasons Oprah has topped this years list of best celebrity pet owners.

Not surprisingly, Britney Spears, whose dogs "disappeared" when she had children, was named this years winning worst. Paris Hilton took second losing winner, for "treating her dogs like accesories". And creating an entire market for luxury pet accesories while she was at it.

Cat Bed Made from Old Computer Monitor

Leona Helmsley's Dog Gets $12 Million in Will...

Leona Helmsley's dog will continue to live an opulent life, and then be buried alongside her in a mausoleum. But two of Helmsley's grandchildren got nothing from the late luxury hotelier and real estate billionaire's estate.

Helmsley left her beloved white Maltese, named Trouble, a $12 million trust fund, according to her will, which was made public Tuesday Aug 28, 2007 in surrogate court.

She also left millions for her brother, Alvin Rosenthal, who was named to care for Trouble in her absence, as well as two of four grandchildren from her late son Jay Panzirer -- so long as they visit their father's grave site once each calendar year.

Otherwise, she wrote, neither will get a penny of the $5 million she left for each.

Helmsley left nothing to two of Jay Panzirer's other children -- Craig and Meegan Panzirer -- for "reasons that are known to them," she wrote.

But no one made out better than Trouble, who once appeared in ads for the Helmsley Hotels, and lived up to her name by biting a housekeeper.

"I direct that when my dog, Trouble, dies, her remains shall be buried next to my remains in the Helmsley mausoleum," Helmsley wrote in her will.

The mausoleum, she ordered, must be "washed or steam-cleaned at least once a year." She left behind $3 million for the upkeep of her final resting place in Westchester County, where she is buried with her husband, Harry Helmsley.

She also left her chauffeur, Nicholas Celea, $100,000.

She ordered that cash from sales of the Helmsley's residences and belongings, reported to be worth billions, be sold and that the money be given to the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust.

Her longtime spokesman, Howard Rubenstein, had no comment.

Helmsley died at her Connecticut home. She became known as a symbol of 1980s greed and earned the nickname "the Queen of Mean" after her 1988 indictment and subsequent conviction for tax evasion. One employee had quoted her as snarling, "Only the little people pay taxes."

Caged monkeys await their fate at a medical laboratory in Hubei Province, China.

It's my party and i'll cry if i want to...

The holidays are coming!

Path to Alternative Fuel Found in Termite Guts

Anyone who’s ever had a termite problem knows that the pests can eat up walls fairly quickly. Their secret is a type of gut bacteria that turns wood into digestible sugar. Now researchers have moved closer to harnessing these unique microbes to help fuel much bigger things, like cars.

Thus far, significant amounts of alternative fuels like ethanol have been made from a limited number of crops, such as corn. Even then, only the kernels are used since the cob, stalk and leaves contain cellulose, a complex molecule that needs to be broken into sugar down before conversion.

The microbes may solve this problem since they unleash special enzymes that break down cellulose and other rugged compounds. This possibility is being explored by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute, where researchers analyzed the DNA of more than 100 species of termite gut bacteria.

The researchers have isolated two microbes that release the wood-degrading enzymes.

One of the microbes, fibrobacters, has bacterial relatives known to degrade cellulose in cows’ guts, explained Phil Hugenholtz, who co-authored a study on this work, detailed in the Nov. 22 issue of the journal Nature. Stomach bacteria in cows are also being studied in hopes of improving biofuel production.

Still, "adapting these findings for an industrial-scale system is far from easy," said Eddy Rubin, JGI director. "Termites can efficiently convert milligrams of lignocellulose into fermentable sugars in their tiny bioreactor hindguts. Scaling up this process so that biomass factories can produce biofuels more efficiently and economically is another story.”

To get there, he added, researchers need to conduct additional studies to define the specific genes responsible for the breakdown of cellulose.

Endangered Brazilian Ocelot Kitten Born: Birth Significant For Species

An endangered Brazilian ocelot kitten was born at the Louisville Zoo Sept. 23. This was the first offspring for mom Miguela and second for father Itirapua.

The birth is very significant and important for the species. There are only 26 Brazilian ocelots in American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) institutions nationwide. The birth is also notable because of the passing on of Itirapua’s vital founder stock genetic diversity.

When Itirapua’s mother, who lived in the wild, was hit by a car, she was taken to a local animal hospital where Itirapua was born. He was named after that local Brazilian town—Itirapua. He is known as Itty for short.

“There are only seven Brazilian ocelots considered founder stock in AZA institutions,” said Louisville Zoo Assistant Animal Curator Candy McMahan. “So Itty’s genes are critical for the species.”

El Conquistador garnered his name when at 2 days old he wandered from his mother’s side and squeezed through fencing into a hallway for keeper staff on the back side of the exhibit.

“And he did all this when he was unable to see,” McMahan laughed. “He was so young, his eyes were still closed. So, we named him El Conquistador because he is definitely an explorer and conqueror.”

Ocelots are a new species to the Louisville Zoo, just arriving earlier this summer.

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LOLbirds!

moar funny pictures

Doggie Bags!?

I found this; here:

"What is the most popular accessory today? No, it’s not a strand of pearls or a cell phone. It’s a small dog! You’ve probably seen everyone from Paris Hilton to your next-door neighbor with a little dog on they’re arm. And why not! Small dogs are cute, they’re cuddly and best of all you can take them almost anywhere! The most convenient way to transport your pooch is with dog purses."

I don't know what i think about it, do you like "doggie bags?" I feel that the dogs aren't "accessories" they are pets and animal friends. Doesn't the dog need to walk around to get exercise! I mean you leave him in your house sitting on your lap all day, then when he finally gets outside for a breath of fresh air you put him in a bag?! Come on! Let you little friend run about, if only for a short while while you pick up that new Gucci sweater!

Lawn Dog!