UF Health Podcasts

Colic — or abdominal pain resulting from gastrointestinal conditions — is one of the most common equine emergencies. While it can occur any time of year, there are specific causes of so-called “winter colic” and “spring colic.”

Winter colic most often involves impactions from horses eating drier diets, like hay. In freezing temperatures, horses also drink less water and exercise less, which results in dehydration and decreased gut motility.

In contrast, spring colic usually involves gas accumulation in the colon due to consumption of high-sugar, rapidly fermentable spring grass. Sudden shifts from hay to grass diets also lead to rapid changes in the gut’s microbial population.

That’s why it’s important to gradually introduce grass pasture. Ask your equine veterinarian for other tips to fend off spring colic.

Did you know that some of the longest animal migrations in the world are the river journeys of freshwater fish? You’ve likely heard of salmon or eel migrations, but billions of fish make epic treks, some as long as seven thousand miles across continents.

But now, these migrations are under threat by overfishing, pollution flowing into rivers and lakes, and dams blocking crucial waterways. Looming over it all is the ever-present threat of climate change causing water temperatures to rise.

Migratory freshwater fish that feed millions of people are some of the most vulnerable wildlife species on the planet. In fact, global freshwater fish populations have plummeted by 81 percent since 1970. Now is the time for nations to work across borders to solve the problem — before it’s too late.

For those who live near highways and are nearing the big 4-0, listen up.

A new study from the University of Connecticut and Tufts University has found that adults over 40 who live near highways completed a cognitive task-switching test 12% faster after one month of using a quality air purifier.

The research study found that tiny pollution particles that drift indoors from nearby highways may affect more than just our breathing. They may alter our thinking, too.

The results support growing evidence that air pollution takes more of a toll on our bodies than we knew.

The researchers recruited Massachusetts residents living within 650 feet of highways — close enough that traffic pollutants regularly seeped inside.

Participants were healthy nonsmokers, ages 30 and older.

Each household received two air purifiers, one for the living room and another for the bedroom. Participants spent one month using real HEPA [HEP-uh] machines and another month with fake ones. They were not told about the difference.

Before and after each monitoring period, a researcher tested participants. The first section asked test-takers to connect numbered dots in order as fast as possible, testing visual memory and hand speed. The second part was harder, alternating between numbers and letters in sequence.

In a surprise turn, the average time for those 40 and older to complete the harder part of the test was 54 seconds after using the HEPA filters, compared with 61.4 seconds after using the fake ones.

There was no significant speed difference for those under 40.

Researchers say the finding raises many questions. In the meantime, an air filter might improve more than just air quality.

Many dogs don’t miss a trick, especially when it comes to behavior repeated right in front of them. That’s how we inadvertently teach them the very dangerous habit of opening doors.

Lever-style and bar handle mechanisms make it easiest for dogs, since opening the door requires them to only hook their paw or mouth and press in a single direction to open the door. In contrast, round knobs require a turn and pull with an opposable thumb, which is an exclusively human ability.

If replacing hardware isn’t an option, child-proof mechanisms can prevent dogs from using lever-type handles. Child-proof locks also work to keep dogs out of cabinets and refrigerators.

Instead of frustrating your dog once he’s perfected the habit, try to dog-proof doors ahead of time.

Chronic pain is a costly condition in the United States.

Affecting one in four adults, its annual tab is estimated to be more than $722 billon paid in a combination of medical bills and lost work time.

A new study, however, might hold hope for a future with a little less chronic pain, which is generally defined as pain lasting longer than three to six months.

University of Colorado scientists found that a sugar-cube-sized region of the brain holds a small command center that tells the body to keep pain signals alive well after an injury has healed. The region is tucked inside the insula [in-suh-luh], a part of the brain that helps us process sensations.

In laboratory studies, shutting down that brain circuit not only prevented chronic pain, but also turned it off after the pain began.

For the new research, scientists used fluorescent proteins to track which nerve cells activated in rats after a sciatic nerve injury. Then, they used advanced neuroscience tools to flip genes on or off.

The results showed that the region of the brain responsible for chronic pain is likely key to pain that lingers over time.

When the scientists turned off this pathway shortly after injury, pain was brief. Once chronic pain developed, disabling the circuit caused pain to let up.

Researchers don’t know why the brain sometimes sends bogus pain signals. But they envision a future of targeted injections or infusions that stop the false alarms. Perhaps a wearable device. Or an implant.

Now that technology allows scientists to target specific parts of the brain, they say new treatments are likely to come much faster.

Both animals and people can overdose on opioids, like fentanyl or heroine. Dogs — especially those on police K9 units — are the animals most at risk, since they explore their environment by sniffing and licking.

Affected dogs become lethargic and weak, then collapse and develop rapid, shallow breathing. At high doses, respiratory depression can quickly become fatal.

Once a dog has collapsed, administration of naloxone can reverse the effects of opioids within minutes. Narcan, the spray formulation, can be applied inside a dog’s nostrils. It’s harmless — even in the absence of an overdose — and can be accessed without a prescription at many retail pharmacies.

Narcan may have to be given more than once. And remember — any animal exposed to opioids should see a veterinarian immediately.

A chatbot a day keeps the doctor away — or so it seems for millions of Americans, according to a new survey from the West Health-Gallup Center.

The survey polled 5,500 American adults and found that one in four used AI for health information. While 95% reported using it as a tool before a visit to the doctor, 14% claimed that the advice was enough to skip the trip altogether.

When applied to a larger population, that would mean approximately 14 million Americans are relying solely on AI.

Still, many approach with caution. Only 4% claimed to strongly trust chatbots for their accuracy, while one-third openly distrusted them.

So why are people turning to AI despite these doubts? For many, AI offers answers that traditional healthcare cannot: immediate answers, convenience and lack of judgment. Even when users question its accuracy, the ease of getting a response can outweigh hesitation.

Conversations with AI ranged from interpreting doctor’s notes to a focus on nutrition, medication or diagnosis. And while being more informed is usually a good thing, there are deeper implications.

Reliance on AI often reflects who can and cannot afford healthcare. Of those surveyed, 27% said they turned to AI because they could not afford a doctor’s visit. While wealthier patients may use AI as a supplement before seeing a physician, lower-income patients may be forced to use it in place of one, widening an already existing healthcare gap.

Regardless of how you feel, AI is likely here to stay. So next time you’re under the weather, Dr. Chatbot can be a helpful first step — just maybe not the final diagnosis.

Canine epilepsy, which results in chronic intermittent seizure activity, is the most common neurologic condition in dogs. While most dogs with seizures fall down, shake and foam at the mouth, about one-third of them have much more subtle signs that are tougher to identify.

Electroencephalography, or EEG, uses small sensors placed on the head to examine brainwaves and is the diagnostic test of choice in people with seizures. While the variety of head shapes across canine breeds has limited its use in dogs, study of 3-D dog skull models has helped determine the optimal placement of EEG sensors. This information — along with use of wireless EEG equipment housed in a doggie backpack — allows veterinary neurologists to gather diagnostic information from active dogs at home — even between seizures.

Look what the cat dragged in. It isn’t pretty. Our beloved pet felines, when allowed to wander outdoors, can bring home parasites and pathogens aplenty. Some of those can cause health problems for their human owners.

A new study led by Canadian researchers shows that outdoor pet cats are just as likely to test positive for pathogens as feral cats. Each type of wandering kitty sports a pathogen positivity rate of 18%.

The fact that our purring pets regularly visit the vet, eat healthy food and sleep in a clean space doesn’t shield them. In fact, they are three to five times more likely to bring home nasty guests than indoor cats.

The study analyzed data from 174,000 cats in 88 countries and identified 124 pathogen species. Of those, 97 were zoonotic, meaning they can also infect people.

The findings will inform public health efforts against the spread of the disease caused by these infections. Up to now, health officials have usually focused on feral cats.

Among the bugs that can be carried into our homes, the study says, are parasites that can cause pregnancy complications and neurological problems. Other hitchhikers include parasitic roundworms, the bacteria that cause cat-scratch fever and many others.

So, what’s up?

The short answer is that it doesn’t take long to come in contact with infected prey or other sources of contamination. Don’t forget: That loveable kitty snuggling with you likes to hunt.

Keeping your cat indoors protects your cat and your family. Also, consider this horrific fact. Scientists estimate that outdoor cats in a municipality of just 12,000 homes collectively deposit 77 tons of fecal matter annually.

You’re forewarned. Watch your step.

Spring and summer are boom times for newborn wildlife like raccoons, foxes, skunks and coyotes. As they learn to navigate the world, they’re susceptible to many threats, including infection by the canine distemper virus. Dogs are vulnerable, too — and right now, distemper is flaring in some parts of the U.S.

Canine distemper spreads by bodily secretions — especially respiratory droplets — so dogs don’t need to directly contact a sick animal to get infected. What’s more, dogs may not show signs until two weeks after infection. Subsequently, respiratory, gastrointestinal and neurologic signs build until most sick animals die.

There’s no curative treatment for canine distemper, but vaccines are extremely effective. So, make sure your pooch is protected before going out where wildlife may spread distemper.