Animal Airwaves

Because horses are natural grazers, many people don’t know that seemingly benign vegetation might be dangerous.

Take grass clippings, for example. They’re so tasty that horses may bolt them down, risking esophageal obstruction. What’s more, their high digestibility causes rapid hindgut fermentation that could result in laminitis. Clippings that mold in wet weather can also increase the risk of colic.

Trimmings from certain shrubs and trees are highly toxic as well. Yew tops the list, but rhododendrons and azaleas are poisonous too. Oak and red maple are also dangerous, and there’s a long list of toxic ornamental plants and weeds.

So, be sure to do your research—and then caution your family, neighbors and gardeners not to treat your horse to anything you haven’t approved.

This spring, the US Food and Drug Administration made legally available a treatment for a parasitic disease that commonly affects fish often kept in home aquariums and outdoor ponds.

Informally known as “ich,” pronounced ‘ick,’ or “white spot disease,” this condition causes white spots on a fish’s skin or gills, lethargy and decreased appetite. Ich is highly contagious and can kill all fish in a tank in a short period of time. It’s easily introduced into water by adding new fish or using equipment from an area housing infected fish.

The FDA has added Faunamor to its Index of Legally Marketed Unapproved New Animal Drugs for Minor Species. That makes Faunamor the only legal drug currently on the market to treat Ich. It’s available over the counter as a liquid to be added to tank water as directed.

Chances are you’ve heard about the environmental impacts of free-roaming domestic cats — but that doesn’t mean our pooches are off the hook.

An Australian review of existing studies recently reported that pet dogs have a far more troubling impact on the environment than was recently known. The study calls out dogs as the large carnivore most commonly implicated in killing and disturbing native wildlife, especially shore birds. Indirect effects are rampant too, particularly involving dog waste, which affects soil chemistry and plant growth as well as leaving odors that scare off other animals.

These problems are easily remedied — if pooch parents would walk their dogs, leash them in restricted areas, keep them away from wildlife and pick up after them.

Chronic kidney disease, or CKD, is the most common cause of death in senior cats. Unfortunately, it’s usually not diagnosed until symptoms are advanced. But when it’s caught early, targeted treatments can keep your cat happy and active for as long as possible.

As CKD progresses, cellular toxins build up and increased amounts of fluid are lost in the urine. These processes can be measured by blood and urine testing.

Annual testing is recommended when your cat reaches four years of age. By the age of seven, screening should be ramped up to every six months.

There’s no cure for CKD, but there are more treatments than ever before to help manage its progress and symptoms. The earlier the diagnosis, the sooner your veterinarian can develop a treatment plan for your feline friend.

The US Food and Drug Administration recently announced that, for the development of certain drugs, it will be phasing out animal testing in favor of more effective, human-centered methods — like AI-based models, organoids and organ-on-a-chip systems.

Artificial intelligence can predict a drug’s behavior in the human body. Organoids are clusters of lab-grown human cells that mimic individual organs, which can be used to assess a drug’s safety. Organs-on-a-chip are thumb drive sized translucent chips that contain tiny channels lined with organ-specific human cells. They’re designed to recreate the physiology of the organ, such as the flow of blood or air, making them exquisite models for diseases and drugs.

Not only will these systems be human-specific — they’ll save countless animals’ lives.

Aquatic animals are fascinating, and many opportunities exist for training in a variety of disciplines relating to aquatic animal health. Veterinary students at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine who hope for careers in the field can tailor their curriculum by pursuing a certificate in aquatic animal health; others, including graduate students and other professionals can hone their knowledge in areas such as aquatic animal care and conservation. On this show, Dr. Iske Larkin, director of UF’s Aquatic Animal Health program, will discuss the variety of training opportunities available to those who aspire to work with the intriguing creatures that inhabit our oceans and aquariums.

Join us on Animal Airwaves-Live as we welcome Dr. Chi-Yen Wu, a veterinary dermatology specialist, to discuss ear infections in dogs. Dr. Wu will explore why dogs suffer from itchy, painful ears, focusing on allergies as the primary trigger. He’ll help pet owners recognize signs of ear trouble and explain when to seek veterinary care and how specialists can help with persistent cases. Listeners will learn about advanced treatment options for chronic ear problems that haven’t responded to standard approaches.

Join us on Animal Airwaves-Live as Dr. Caryn Plummer, veterinary ophthalmology specialist from UF, discusses cataracts across pets and horses. She’ll help owners identify early signs like eye cloudiness and changes in navigation, explain the difference between normal aging and cataracts, and outline modern treatment options. Dr. Plummer will share insights on surgical procedures, recovery expectations, and species-specific considerations, equipping owners with knowledge to protect their companions’ vision and quality of life whether they have hooves or paws.

Advanced diagnostic imaging tools can be life-saving for large and small animals. Expertise in this key area of veterinary medicine is critical for both pinpointing diseases and guiding the treatment process.

On this show, Dr. Federico Vilaplana Grosso, a clinical associate professor and diagnostic imaging specialist, will discuss some of the tools used most frequently these days in veterinary medicine to diagnose diseases. He’ll also discuss how veterinary specialists can supplement what general practitioners are able to do when the need for diagnostic images arises, and how technology has evolved to enable the veterinary care team to obtain faster and ever more accurate diagnoses in order to ensure the best possible outcome for your pet or horse.

NEADS Service Dogs receive a unique form of training. After early socialization, each 12-week-old pup is assigned to live with a handler in the Prison PUP Program — that is, with an incarcerated person who has met strict behavioral criteria and commits to the 12- to 18-month training program.

Each pup accompanies their handler everywhere — to obedience classes, grooming sessions and dining halls — and they sleep in their handler’s dormitory-style room. On weekends, outside volunteers take the dogs home and introduce them to the wider world.

It’s a win-win-win situation. The dogs receive excellent care, and disabled people adopt well-trained companions. As for the incarcerated handlers, experiencing the unconditional love of a dog is often life-changing.

You can learn more about the program at www.neads.org.