| Veterinary Medicine Update |
Diagnostic tests detect prions in urine and nasal swabs
Two new diagnostic tests -- one that screens urine and the other nasal swabs -- can detect prions associated with brain-wasting diseases. The urine test was only effective for the variant form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, seen in humans exposed to tissue from cows infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy. As many as 1 in 2,000 people in the U.K. may be carriers of the BSE-linked prion, although it's not clear how many of them will develop illness. Reuters
(8/7), LiveScience.com
(8/6)
Penn veterinary school researcher tackling viral proliferation
In an effort to find a treatment for viruses such as Ebola, microbiologist Ronald Harty, an associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, and his team are developing a compound that could stop viruses from spreading. The agent would prevent new virus particles from budding off an infected host cell, effectively halting the proliferation. KYW-TV (Philadelphia)
(8/5)
Other News
|
Neighbors rally to rescue 16-year-old dog from drain pipe
Tennessee residents helped rescue a 16-year-old dog who'd been stuck in a drain pipe for three days -- and many of them didn't even know the owner. When her owner Jimmi Winstead was away, Sierra the Siberian husky wandered off and ended up stuck. People organized assistance and called police, and soon Sierra was freed. After treatment by a local veterinarian, Sierra is doing well. WVLT-TV (Knoxville, Tenn.)
(8/6)
Another adorable zonkey, a bipedal bear and the best gorilla yawn ever
There is never a shortage of cuteness and animal oddities online. Today's best includes a zonkey, the result of breeding between a donkey and a zebra, that was born at a private zoo in Crimea last week. In New Jersey, a resident filmed a bear walking on its hind legs through the neighborhood, apparently due to a paw injury. And an Australian newspaper shares its best animal photos, including a yawning baby gorilla, a giant mantis close up and a surprised-looking spider monkey. Yahoo/Agence France-Presse
(8/7), NBC News
(8/7), Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia) (tiered subscription model)
(8/8)
Other News
|
Why your heart, not money, is the key to a satisfying career
Successful people such as Steve Jobs and Richard Branson show that perseverance in pursuing what you love, not taking the wrong job for more money, will lead to satisfaction, Graham Young writes. "Follow your fears and attack them until you find your true calling," he writes. "When your heart and mind match up, you become an unstoppable force." Fast Company online
(8/7)
|
Jerky treats webinar
FDA veterinarians will be providing an update on the jerky pet treat investigation during a free webinar Wednesday, Aug. 13, from noon to 2 p.m. (EST). The webinar will include an overview of the investigation, examination of the illnesses reported in association with consumption of the treats and a summary of the testing that has been performed. Questions can be submitted before and during the webinar. Space is limited, so register today! Learn more about the Jerky Pet Treat Webinar.
|
 |
Patience often gets the credit that belongs to fatigue."
-- Franklin Jones, American journalist
|
|
|
The news summaries appearing in Animal
Health SmartBrief are based on original information from news organizations
and are produced by SmartBrief, Inc., an independent e-mail newsletter
publisher. The AVMA is not responsible for the content of sites that are
external to the AVMA. Linking to a website does not constitute an
endorsement by the AVMA of the site or the information presented on the
site. Questions and comments should be directed to SmartBrief at
avma@smartbrief.com.
|
Please contact one of our specialists for advertising opportunities,
editorial inquiries, job placements, or any other questions.
|
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004
|
|
|
