Tag: Dogs

Posted on by

Now Dogs Can Detect Epileptic Seizures in Humans

humans emit a specific odor during epileptic seizures that some dogs can recognize.

We are all aware of Canines strength when it comes on to smelling. This miraculous ability of dogs has made them worthy for various tasks, especially in the field of medical science. No human technology can achieve, such as sniffing out drugs, explosives, and even diseases like cancer. Dogs are trained to respond to and even sense epileptic seizures before they occur, though effectiveness varies widely, and there’s been little solid scientific evidence that such a thing is possible. Further, it hasn’t been understood how dogs might be capable of such a feat.

As per the report published in media, a new study suggests that humans emit a specific odor during epileptic seizures that some dogs can recognize.

A paper published in the journal Scientific Reports says, researchers took sweat samples from seven patients with different types of epilepsy across a range of activities, such as resting, exercising, or having a seizure.

The scientists then placed the sweat samples in cans and showed that five dogs could be trained to recognize which one contained the samples collected during epileptic seizures.

This is the first time that it’s been shown in a published study that humans do emit some odorous chemicals during epileptic seizures, ones that dogs can pick up on. The paper opens the door to future tests or training approaches that might allow dogs to better respond or even sense seizures before they progress, says study lead author Amelie Catala a doctoral student at France’s University of Rennes.

To be clear, this study uses samples taken during a seizure, not before, and has not identified what these chemicals are or at what point they are released.

 

 

 

To read more, subscribe to Buddy Life!

Posted on by

Dogs Held Great Eminence in the Ancient World

 

Canines had developed a close partnership with people.

Only a dog lover can define the passion behind sharing your life with a furry four footed friend. Their eminence was even identified by our early ancestors. Speedy, Tiger, She-Wolf: These were some of the names given for a dog 2,000 years ago, according to the Roman writer Columella. Ideal dog names are not too short, but “not very long, so that each may obey more quickly when he is called”, She explained.

According to a report published in media, already thousands of years before the Romans were weighing in with opinions about their canine companions, dogs had developed a close partnership with people around the world. Researchers are still trying to pinpoint exactly when and where dogs were domesticated but we do know that by 12,000 years ago they were being depicted on stone columns and buried in the arms of humans.

While not all ancient cultures have left us with such exacting canine insights as the Romans did, their relationships with dogs shine through in the art they created and the objects they left behind for archaeologists to discover. Here’s a look at some of our favorites.

 

 

To read more, subscribe to Buddy Life!

Posted on by

Two Booked for Dislocating and Killing Stray Dogs

 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, population of strays cannot be dislocated. 

In a recent incident Ghaziabad police has book two residents of Amprapali village for allegedly killing and dislocating stray dogs. As per the report Deepak Kumar, Resident Welfare Association (RWA) president, and Swaroop Bhattacharya, a resident of Amrapali Village in Indirapuram, under Section 429 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, for the alleged killing of a stray dog and dislocation of other strays in the society area on Sunday, February 24.

According to the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, population of strays and spread of rabies may be controlled by sterilization and immunization, and do not provide for dislocation and killing of the dogs. The government had notified these Rules, and the Supreme Court has ordered their nationwide implementation.

 Though, this task did not turn out to be an easy one.  Animal rights activists received constant threats from the residents and initially police also ignored their calls as the dislocation was happening, when they tried to stop them.  

Definition of Territory

The dog is born there. It is its home. If it steps out of its territory, it will be attacked by other dogs. So, the area that the dog roams around in is its territory. Local authorities are supposed to ensure stray dogs which are sterilised are identified in a way which allows them to be returned to their territory.

 

 

To read more, subscribe to Buddy Life!

Posted on by

Dogs Sniffing out Vanishing creatures in Australia

Their amazing sense of smell is being utilized for preserving wildlife

Bear the border collie-koolie cross’s high-octane personality meant his days were numbered as a pet, but a leading animal charity is harnessing his playfulness to help find endangered Australian quolls. The International Fund for Animal Welfare sponsored blue-eyed Bear through rigorous training when his skillset saw him chosen to become a frontline champion for the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Detection Dog Unit. Having gained fame for sniffing out the scent of koalas so they can be saved when loggers get to work in eucalyptus plantations, Bear is now being deployed to save some of Australia’s most precious creatures.
As reported by express.co.uk, with their shrew-like snouts and spotted coats, quolls look like a fantasy animal designed by a class of eight year olds. In fact, they were discovered by one of Britain’s greatest explorers, Captain James Cook, on his legendary 18th Century expedition in HMS Endeavour.

As some of largest carnivorous marsupials, distantly related to the notorious Tasmanian devil, quolls are vital to the sensitive ecology of Australia, yet are being bedevilled by many modern dangers. Mining, housing development, opening land up to farming and pest control poisons have conspired against them. The arrival of predatory cats and foxes followed by cane toads, a juicy but highly toxic meal, has also taken a toll on the quoll.
Protecting and preserving the four distinct species spread across Australia has become an environmental imperative. Finding these shy, nocturnal creatures requires the endeavor of the famous sea captain and this is where Bear is sailing to the rescue of the highly nocturnal and endangered northern quoll species on the Mount Emerald windfarm in Queensland.
Before the heat of the day takes hold and earthworks begin, Bear is out with handler Riana Gardiner. One sniff of essence of quoll and Bear drops to the ground, responding to the command of “show me” by indicating where the quoll is holed up in its den. Lots of play and exclamations of “good boy” follow, something that Bear can revel in as he was given up by his original owners because of his high energy and playfulness.

Sniffing out a quoll allows a worksite to be cordoned off or the animal relocated to a safer area. One of his recent finds saw a mother and her “joeys” protected with a works operation being halted in the area. Saving denning females is vital. Males can easily be translocated, although most die off at around the age of one because intense mating drives them to early graves.

IFAW has sponsored Bear throughout his rigorous training as part of the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Detection Dog Unit. The charity continues to cover his upkeep as a qualified detection dog.

To read more, subscribe to Buddy Life!

Posted on by

Celebrating Valentine’s Day With Dog! Survey Says It’s Normal

25 percent said they stayed in relationships because they liked that person’s dog.

Are you planning Valentine’s Day Date with your Dog or Pup? You’re not alone, according to a new survey by Rover.com. About a third of people said they planned a Valentine’s Day celebration with their dog to include things like buying them a new outfit or baking a dessert.
Rover.com released a report on the “real power of dog love” just in time for the romantic holiday. In January 2019, they interviewed 1,450 adult dog owners via SurveyMonkey who are dating or in a relationship.
About half of those surveyed said they snuggle with their dog more often than their partner. Women are more likely to choose a canine cuddle companion.
And if a partner couldn’t live with their dog, a majority of people said they’d pick their pet. Fifty-three percent said they’d consider ending a relationship if their partner didn’t like dogs or was severely allergic. From an opposite perspective though, about 25 percent of those surveyed said they stayed in relationships with friends or romantic partners because they liked that person’s dog.
It’s not uncommon to bring a dog along on a date, and one in three people who responded to the survey do it. Some said they bring their dog because it is a good judge of character, and others said having their pup around makes them feel more comfortable.
Being a “dog-person” is a big draw for many seeking a romantic relationship. Sixty-nine percent of people said they’d be more interested in dating a person after finding out he or she is a dog lover. As per the story by kcrg.com if the camera roll on your phone is mostly pet pictures, that’s not unusual either. A quarter of those surveyed said they take more photos with their dog than friends, family or a significant other.

Their Love Gaze
All of this love and affection we have for our dogs is not one-sided.
According to Phil Tedeschi, a human-animal connection expert with Rover.com, dogs intentionally return our loving gaze as a way to connect with us.
“The chromosomes of dogs hold unusual evidence of dogs having a special place in the genetic makeup, affiliative attention to people and super-socialability. This genetic predisposition doesn’t mean every dog loves people, but rather that dogs are looking for evidence in their relationship that you are also gazing and want to be friends. This confirms that a dog’s love does go deeper than the treats,” Tedeschi told Gray News.
The majority of people surveyed (67 percent) said they return that loving gaze into their dog’s eyes. The eye contact actually increases a “love hormone” called oxytocin.
Your dog might tell you often how much he loves you; you just have to know the signs.
“To understand the significance of these nuanced communications we need to recognize that people and dogs adore each other because we have co-evolved for tens of thousands of years,” Tedeschi said.
According to Tedeschi, play is one of the biggest ways your pup is saying, “I love you.” Look for body language like a play bow. In a dog’s world, playing sends a message of love and friendship.
If you want to express love to your dog, it’s pretty simple. Tedeschi says you can mimic their mothers who lick, nuzzle and comfort young pups. Humans can show this type of maternal affection with gentle petting and nuzzling.

To read more, subscribe to Buddy Life!

Posted on by

Next batch of emoji includes people with disabilities, guide dog

The new batch includes waffles, butter, falafel, oysters, juice boxes and ice cubes.

Representation matters and people living with disabilities are finally getting their fair share on their mobile devices.
Unicode Consortium approved a new batch of emoji that includes an array of disabilities and guide dogs. Users will have the option to send an ear with a hearing aid, a deaf person, a blind person, mechanical wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs, mechanical limbs and more, according to a report by Tech Crunch.
According to Media reports, Apple proposed the more representative emoji in a letter sent to Unicode Consortium last march, CNN reported.
“Currently, emoji provide a wide range of options, but may not represent the experiences of those with disabilities. Diversifying the options available helps fill a significant gap and provides a more inclusive experience for all,” Apple wrote in its proposal.
In recent years, emoji have grown to include different skin tones, flags and occupations. Indian users will find a sari, tuk-tuk and diya lamp among the new emoji.
You should also expect to find new food emoji. The new batch includes waffles, butter, falafel, oysters, juice boxes and ice cubes.
There’s no timetable on when you can expect to see the new options. It really just depends on how soon the different platforms can get them coded and when the update is released.

To read more, subscribe to Buddy Life!

Posted on by

FDA approves drug for dogs scared by noise

The drug was developed to treat epilepsy but can treat anxiety, too

While many people love the spectacle of fireworks,
dog owners typically dread them. The loud,
chest-pounding booms send quivering pups
under the bed or into dark corners of the house
looking for a place to escape the noise. These dogs often
have a similar experience during thunderstorms. For dog
owners, it can be a helpless feeling to see their pet panic.
Most pets don’t like loud noises, but some dogs really lose
their cool when they hear fireworks or even loud traffic —
vomiting, howling and damaging furniture. Now vets can
prescribe a drug to help keep them calm.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new
drug, Pexion, to treat dogs freaked out by noises. The drug
is approved in other countries for use in treating epilepsy.
Known generically as imepitoin, the drug is similar to
Valium and other benzodiazepines but works in a different
way to treat noise aversion. Other seizure drugs, such as
gabapentin, can also treat some types of anxiety. “Dogs
with noise aversion are sensitive to loud noises such
as fireworks, street/traffic noises, and gun shots,” the
FDA said. “Dogs may show their distress through hiding;
vocalizing (whining, barking, howling); panting, shaking or
trembling; or may vomit, urinate or defecate. Some dogs
may damage furniture, doors, dog beds, or other items

in their surroundings.”

To read more, subscribe to Buddy Life!