UF Health Podcasts

Infectious upper respiratory disease, or I-U-R-D, is a scourge to kittens — especially those in multi-cat situations. Beyond targeting the respiratory tract, the pathogens — like herpesvirus — can cause severe eye infections. IURD is one of the main reasons kittens are euthanized in shelters.

IURD treatment often involves the antibiotic doxycycline [dox-uh-CĪ-clin]. But a new study has found that adding the antiviral famciclovir [fam-CĪ-cluh-veer] to treatment plans can lead to quicker recoveries and fewer cases of eye disease.

If mildly affected kittens can be treated with this combined regimen, they may recover and find their forever homes. That’s great for them — and it opens space for another cat in need of shelter care.

Our senior pets need more attention and care than they did in their younger years. But that begs the question — when is a pet considered a senior?

To a large extent, it depends on the animal’s size. Cats are considered seniors when they reach 10 years of age. It’s more complicated with dogs because of their pronounced size differences. In general, dogs are considered seniors when they reach the last quarter of their breed’s estimated lifespan. For example, dogs weighing under 20 pounds are considered seniors at eight to 11 years of age, but those over 90 pounds reach their golden years when they’re only six to seven years old.

Remember, old age isn’t a disease, but in both people and pets, health issues become more common with age.

Most people know you can’t enjoy a stack of pancakes without a healthy drizzle of syrup. But the sweet breakfast staple might make more than just your tongue happy.

New research suggests that replacing refined sugar with pure maple syrup could decrease risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.

Canadian researchers studied 42 healthy participants between the ages of 18 and 75 with body mass indexes between 23 and 40. The study targeted overweight adults with mild cardiovascular and metabolic abnormalities that can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Each participant replaced 5% of their daily calories with either a refined sugar syrup or maple syrup for eight weeks. They took a four-week break and then repeated the process for another eight-week cycle.

The researchers found that those who replaced 5% of their calories with maple syrup saw a significant reduction in risk factors associated with heart disease and diabetes compared with those who used the refined sugar syrup.

The maple syrup group had better control over their blood sugar, lower blood pressure, reduced abdominal fat, and improved gut health. Poor blood pressure control, high blood pressure, belly fat, and harmful gut bacteria have all been linked to an increased risk for heart disease and diabetes.

The researchers said maple syrup is beneficial because it has 12% fewer calories than light corn syrup, and it also contains essential nutrients like manganese, calcium, thiamin, potassium, and copper.

Please don’t take this as an invitation to drown your flapjacks in syrup. But in moderation, maple syrup may deserve a spot on your breakfast plate.

As we turn the page to 2025 and pack away decorations after another holiday season, it’s a great time to evaluate our own health and well-being.

After all, like many adults in the United States, you could have a health condition and not even know it.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, more than 40% of American adults who have hypertension, or high blood pressure, are unaware of that fact. Left untreated, this can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. In some cases, it can lead to premature death.

The American College of Cardiology defines hypertension as having a systolic blood pressure of 130 over a diastolic blood pressure of 80.

The new report revealed that just over half of adults with high blood pressure were currently taking medication to lower blood pressure. But only about 20% of adults who knew of their high blood pressure had it under control.

Several factors such as old age, genetics, being overweight, not being physically active, a high-salt diet, and drinking too much alcohol can increase your chances of hypertension. Severe headaches, chest pain, dizziness, and nausea are among its many symptoms.

Lifestyle changes can help. From eating more vegetables and fruits to becoming more physically active, there are ways to tackle high blood pressure.

You can also lower your risk by managing stress more effectively, monitoring your blood pressure with regular checks, reducing your exposure to polluted air, and using medications for high blood pressure treatment.

Whatever you do, don’t wait until it’s too late.

Join us for a riveting episode of Animal Airwaves – Live! featuring Dr. Cory Woliver, an emergency and critical care expert at the UF Small Animal Hospital. Dr. Woliver delves into the lives of coral snakes, discussing what happens from an envenomation and what makes these snakes unique among venomous serpents. Dr. Woliver will also discuss his groundbreaking clinical trial, which is being used to treat dogs envenomated by coral snakes. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain potentially life-saving knowledge about this elusive fossorial species and the latest advancement in treatment.

With the holiday season in the rearview for another year, many of us are looking at getting a fresh start and forgetting about past diet and exercise challenges.

For our fat cells, that’s easier said than done.

A new study shows that fat cells “remember” being overweight, thanks to chemical markers that control which genes are activated in our cells.

These chemical stamps make it easier for fat cells to return to their previously plump state with little effort. This evidence provides a biological reason that confirms the suspicions of many who have struggled to maintain weight loss — that even if you lose weight, it’s incredibly easy to gain it back.

Researchers said that fat cells live for about 10 years on average before being replaced by new ones, which explains the cells’ extended memory. While there are currently no medications available that can erase our fat cells’ memory, it’s an area researchers hope to study more.

In the meantime, researchers emphasize prevention through maintaining a healthy diet and exercise regimen, especially for young people. The best way to avoid regaining weight is not to gain it to begin with.

The same team is also delving into whether other types of cells, like those in our brains or blood vessels, might also harbor weight-gain memories. If that’s the case, the research could offer even more insight into why keeping the pounds off can feel like a losing battle.

While we’d like to forget about times when we were overweight, our fat cells aren’t so quick to move on. Let’s hope that as we take a stroll down memory lane after the 2025 holiday season, we won’t remember any undue weight gain.

When it comes to nutrition, eggs have been a tough nut — or shell — to crack.

The small, oval, protein-packed goodies were once declared a no-no because they are naturally high in cholesterol. More recently, eggs have swung back into the good foods category, thanks to their high levels of vitamins, minerals, protein, and good fats.

Now, a new study offers more evidence favoring the humble egg. Researchers found that women aged 55 and over who ate eggs on a regular basis saw notable improvements in their brain health. The women experienced less decline in executive brain functions and less memory loss over time.

The researchers accounted for a variety of factors, including age, education, cholesterol levels, and lifestyle factors — and the positive results remained.

So, eggs are good for women’s brain health, but how many eggs should women consume to see these positive benefits? Researchers found that five eggs per week seems to be the optimal number, so nearly an egg per day.

Interestingly, the study did not note any significant link between egg consumption and improved brain health for men.

Researchers said the reason for the healthy brain boost in women isn’t completely clear, but they suggest the lesser-known nutrients packed into eggs, like choline [ko-lean] and lutein [loo-teen], may have something to do with it. These nutrients are known to benefit brain health.

This study ultimately puts another point in the “good” category for eggs and adds to the ever-growing collection of evidence showing that the once-spurned egg may not be as bad as it’s cracked up to be.

Scented candles are a great way to spruce things up at home. But there may be health risks, based on the candle you choose.

The primary concern: candles made from a byproduct sourced from a refinement of petroleum called paraffin. The National Candle Association says paraffin is the most used candle wax in the world.

A paraffin candle releases volatile organic compounds, also known as V-O-Cs, that quickly vaporize into the air at room temperature. These compounds are commonly emitted from paints, cleaning products, car exhaust, and fuel-burning appliances like gas stoves, among other things.

VOCs are harmful on their own and react to gases to form pollutants in the air.

Toluene and benzene are two VOCs released from paraffin candles. Toluene [tall-you-een] is a registered toxin with exposure limits because it’s a neurotoxin associated with dizziness and headaches. Benzene is a known carcinogen with long-term exposure linked to blood disorders such as leukemia.

Research shows that candles made from soy wax, beeswax, coconut oil, or animal fats are considered healthier. But anything that is burned emits harmful particulates or chemicals — it’s just that paraffin wax is more polluting.

Experts say there are several ways you can minimize health ramifications. Choose candles labeled as 100% soy wax, beeswax, or stearin [steer-in] wax, and ensure the wick is cotton, wood, or synthetic. If you can’t resist scented candles, look for those with essential oils or candles labeled as phthalate-free. It’s also important to avoid dyed candles.

These precautions will go a long way in keeping your room as fresh as it is healthy.

More than a billion people around the world have asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, called COPD [C-O-P-D).

That’s a lot of huffing, wheezing, and coughing. And when those conditions flare up, breathing can be restricted, sending them to emergency rooms for help.

For the past 50 or so years, the standard treatment for flare-ups has been steroid pills. The steroid can reduce lung inflammation, but it also can mean side effects like diabetes and osteoporosis. And it doesn’t always work on the first try.

Now a new study led by researchers in the United Kingdom suggests a new treatment that could shift the landscape for those with asthma and COPD.

Their study finds that an injection given during breathing attacks works better than current treatments and cuts the need for more treatment by 30%.

The drug is called benralizamab [ben-ruh-lie-zoo-mab], a monoclonal antibody that targets specific white blood cells to reduce lung inflammation. It is now used to treat severe asthma.

The researchers separated 158 people at high risk of an asthma or COPD attack into three groups. One group received an injection of benralizumab and a placebo tablet, a second received the usual steroid tablets and a placebo injection, and the third group received both the benralizumab injection and steroids.

After 28 days, the groups treated with benralizumab had less coughing, wheezing, and breathlessness. After 90 days, they were four times less likely to have had to repeat a treatment, compared with the steroid group.

An extra benefit: Patients can manage the injection themselves, so a flare-up would not necessarily require an ER visit.

What a breath of fresh air.

As is tradition, the new year brings about a flurry of new habits we’d like to form to become our best selves.

But if you’ve ever struggled to break a bad habit — let alone form a good one — you might be interested in some expert tips that could make all the difference.

Irish researchers have uncovered a framework for habit change that taps into your brain’s unique systems for automatic responses and goal-directed control.

The idea is simple: Habits are shaped by two brain systems. One triggers automatic actions based on familiar cues (like scrolling through social media when you’re bored), while the other helps us exercise conscious control (like putting the phone away to focus on work).

The trick, their study discovered, is finding the right balance between these systems. When automatic responses outweigh our conscious control, bad habits take over. But by understanding how these systems work together, we can use it to our advantage.

The study emphasizes the role of repetition and rewards. Repeating a behavior strengthens the brain’s connection between cues and responses, making habits stick. To break a bad habit, the key is to replace old behaviors with new ones, creating competing automatic responses.

Your environment also plays a big role. Adjusting your surroundings to make good habits easier and bad habits harder can help, such as picking a gym that is on your way home from work.

Keep in mind that stress and fatigue can trigger old patterns, so staying mindful and intentional is crucial when trying to form lasting good habits, like reaching for a carrot instead of a candy bar when a deadline draws near.