Animal Airwaves

Peregrine [peh·ruh·gruhn] falcons are one of nature’s marvels. Achieving speeds of at least 200 miles per hour in a hunting dive, they’re the world’s fastest birds. They’ve also learned to thrive in cities, making nests high on bridges and buildings.

Decades ago, their numbers were decimated by pesticides, and now they’re in another struggle.

This time, the culprit is avian flu. Peregrines hunt other birds, and along the coasts, those include ducks, geese and other waterfowl — the birds most often infected with avian flu. Ironically, while coastal populations of peregrines are declining, their urban brethren that live on songbirds and pigeons are faring much better.

In fact, New York City, with its 30 nesting pairs, may now have the world’s most concentrated population of peregrine falcons.

In our well-meaning attempts to help wildlife, we often do more harm than good — like when we try to rescue what we assume are abandoned offspring. Most of these animals aren’t abandoned at all.

Many wild animals leave their young alone for relatively long periods as they search for food. For example, cottontail rabbits and deer may check in with their young only every 12 hours or so. And sometimes, fledgling birds and baby squirrels fall out of their nests when their parents are away.

Wildlife parents rarely abandon healthy offspring. If you think a fledgling or another youngster has been abandoned, monitor it from afar for several hours to see if a parent returns. If an animal has an obvious injury or is still on its own, contact your veterinarian or local Fish and Wildlife office.

Vaccination is one of the best ways to keep your horse healthy. But which vaccinations are necessary?

Every horse needs what are called core vaccinations to protect against highly contagious and often fatal diseases. These include rabies, tetanus, West Nile virus and equine encephalitis. In contrast, risk-based vaccinations may be recommended based on location, activities and exposure risk. Some examples include vaccination against influenza, rhinopneumonitis or Strep equi [Strĕp EE-kwee].

Be sure to follow a vaccination schedule recommended by your veterinarian. Annual rabies vaccinations are the rule, while other core vaccines are generally administered twice a year. The timing of risk-based vaccinations depends in large part on your horse’s exposure risk.

During a single month in the spring of 2025, sixteen horses in Delaware died soon after showing neurologic signs. Testing ruled out infection, and postmortem findings pointed to a toxin. Feed analysis finally revealed the culprit: fumonisin [foo-MON-ah-sin], a fungal toxin.

Fumonisin is produced by mold growing on corn — that is, it’s a type of mycotoxin [my-koh-tock-sin]. Although mycotoxins can harm all kinds of animals, horses are among the most sensitive. Telltale damage involves softening of the brain, which causes a variety of symptoms — like head pressing, blindness and a lack of coordination — and can be fatal.

The only treatment is supportive care, so prevention is crucial. That includes buying feed guaranteed to be mycotoxin-free and storing all feed appropriately.

Most horses in the U.S. have some degree of asthma and nearly 15 percent have a severe case. But now, thanks to collaboration between a medical school and a veterinary college, a specially designed equine respirator may help these horses while cutting down on their medications.

Although human respirators cover the mouth and nose, a horse needs its mouth free to graze and drink. After considering many approaches, researchers eventually designed a respirator that covers only a horse’s nose by snuggly fitting on its bridle. A flexible silicone seal keeps it in place, and a foam filter reduces the amount of dust the horse inhales.

Most horses get used to wearing the respirator all the time. That’s important, since they’re constantly exposed to particulate irritants in hay.

A recent article in a medical journal highlighted the looming threat of the H5N1 avian flu. Virologists from over 40 countries signed on, urging global leaders to increase surveillance, boost biosecurity and prepare for person-to-person transmission.

The paper’s authors cited some sobering facts. Over 995 dairy herds and at least 70 people have been infected with bird flu. Some cases have been severe and at least one person has died.

Among the suggested mitigation strategies are continuous animal and caretaker surveillance, tracking H5N1 evolution that could lead to human-to-human transmission, self-administered diagnostic testing and vaccine development.

The good news is that past pandemics have left us with many tools for preventing viruses’ spread.

Dogs are an integral part of most Native American communities, but in low-income environments, veterinary needs often run up against financial challenges. That’s when First Nations Vet steps in.

Also known as Friends of the Rez Dogs, this nonprofit group offers free exams, spay and neuter services and wellness care — like vaccinations and flea and tick preventatives — to both dogs and cats. Even microchipping is covered. In addition, First Nations partners with Fences for Fido, which sets up free fences and insulated dog houses.

Grant funding helps First Nations Vet volunteers travel to reservations, where their work prevents about 300 animal births per reservation. This reduces cases of aggression and pet surrenders due to overpopulation, benefiting both pets and people.

Ehrlichiosis [air-leek-ee-OH-sis] is a tickborne disease, particularly affecting dogs in Southeastern and Southwestern states.

Rickettsial organisms — a genus of bacteria — spread the disease. The most common carrier is the brown dog tick, but other tick species can also be carriers.

Most dogs are diagnosed in the acute stage of disease, when they may have a fever, swollen lymph nodes, bleeding disorders or neurologic signs. From there, they may clear the infection or progress to a relatively symptom-free stage. The final stage, chronic ehrlichiosis, is associated with a wide range of serious clinical signs.

Prevention of ehrlichiosis is much easier than treatment. That’s why canine tick preventatives are crucial year-round.

Pet food labeling is regulated at the federal and state levels to ensure product safety, but there are key differences in how human food and pet food are labeled, contributing to consumer confusion about what they’re really feeding their animals. On this archive episode of Animal Airwaves Live, Dr. Richard Hill, a veterinary internal medicine and nutrition specialist at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine, explains key differences in pet and human food labeling, how to understand what to look for, and what’s most important to keep in mind when choosing a pet food to ensure your dog or cat is receiving optimal nutrition to meet dietary needs.

With hurricane season in full swing, Dr. Larry Garcia, Clinical Associate Professor and Medical Director of UF’s Veterinary Emergency Treatment Service (VETS), is roaring the readiness alert on disaster preparedness and the importance of planning for the safety of pets before disaster strikes. Every tail, paw, hoof and claw deserves a disaster plan that includes evacuation plans, pet-friendly shelters, an emergency evacuation kit and more. Under Garcia, the UF VETS team is composed of experienced professionals who provide disaster response and animal technical rescue in the face of emergencies like hurricanes, disease outbreaks and more. When a state of emergency knocks, UF VETS doesn’t just answer – they show up for our agricultural and animal companions with the boots, brains, skills and strategic expertise to deliver critical logistical support and mutual aid.