UF Health Podcasts

Many dogs love to scarf up “treats” whenever and wherever they find them. You might be surprised how dangerous a common household or yard source can be.

Compost is a tempting grab bag of goodies for some dogs. On the surface, it might seem safe enough. After all, it’s just bits of food we might share with our dogs when they’re fresh. But once these items sit for a while and get moldy, they develop toxins that can cause severe neurologic problems when ingested.

Within 30 minutes of eating food containing these mycotoxins, dogs can develop weakness and tremors, which can lead to seizures. At that point, they need emergency care ASAP.

So, before this happens to your pooch, make sure your compost pile is off limits.

Chronic kidney disease, or CKD, affects 50% of cats in general and up to 80% of cats over 15 years of age. There’s no cure, and nutrition is the only intervention known to slow its progression.

That’s why veterinary specialists now recommend that cats start a therapeutic diet as soon as they’re diagnosed with CKD — one with enough protein to help maintain lean body mass but not so much that the kidneys are taxed. A good choice for most cats with CKD is an easily digestible diet low in phosphorus, high in omega-3 fatty acids and rich in essential amino acids — and of course it needs to be tasty.

As cats age, they’re more at risk for CKD. Be sure to adjust veterinary visits accordingly to catch signs of CKD as soon as possible.

We do everything to help our feline friends, so it’s heartbreaking when a medication that’s meant to help ends up being life-threatening.

Ingredients like eprinomectin [epp-rin-oh-MEC-tin], ivermectin [eye-ver-MEC-tin], selamectin [sell-ah-MEC-tin] and cisapride [SIS-ah-pride] are found in popular medications, including parasiticides. They’re safe and effective in most cats but can cause serious adverse effects in cats with a mutation in the MDR1 gene. These cats can’t prevent drugs like these — and maybe others —  from entering the brain and causing severe, sometimes fatal, neurotoxic reactions.

Researchers estimate that up to 4% of cats — about 4 million just in the U.S. — have at least one copy of the MDR1 mutation. That’s why they recommend that all cats be tested to ensure their medications won’t hurt them.a

In the U.S., H5N1 avian influenza — aka the bird flu — has been sickening and killing wild and commercially raised birds since 2021. The virus has also spread to some mammals, including livestock and pets.

Cats are particularly vulnerable, especially outdoor cats that hunt birds. They don’t need to eat their prey — close contact is enough for an infection to spread. And once infected, cats have a high death rate from bird flu.

Feeding cats raw meat diets, especially poultry — also increases the risk of infection. Now with the appearance of H5N1 in cattle, feeding raw beef is risky, too. Offering unpasteurized milk also puts cats at risk.

Avoiding these risks can give cats the best chance of dodging potentially deadly infections.

If your dog seems to have morning sickness, it might be BVS

Dogs can vomit for many reasons — even if they haven’t eaten for a while.

If your dog throws up yellow fluid or foam first thing in the morning, it could be from bilious [BILL-ee-us] vomiting syndrome, or BVS. For some dogs, waiting all night to eat is a bit too much. Come morning, they may not be interested in food or may exhibit nausea by drooling or smacking their lips.

If this sounds familiar, schedule a visit with your veterinarian to sort out the cause. If it’s due to BVS, the recommendation might be to feed more frequent smaller meals, including one just before bedtime. If that’s the case, take care not to add more total daily calories, just readjust feedings. Every dog has different needs, so check with your veterinarian before making changes.

Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases are devastating to individuals and the families who care for them. Family members are often left to watch helplessly as their loved one slowly succumbs to cognitive decline. Once-simple tasks become impossible and familiar faces become unrecognizable.

Now, there is new hope for the victims and families of this destructive group of diseases, in the form of a machine-learning algorithm.

It has been generally accepted by science that the clumping of microscopic proteins in the brain is deeply connected to dementia, but it is unknown why the clumping process happens in the first place. And it has been extremely challenging to study the tiny building blocks to draw any conclusions about how to combat the condition.

A free, open-source algorithm — developed by researchers in Denmark —can track these proteins clumping in real-time. Additionally, it can map and track the development and characteristics of the proteins that are part of dementia.

With the algorithm making it much easier to study the clumping proteins, researchers hope the development will lead to a greater understanding of dementia-related diseases as well as quicker development of new drugs and therapies.

The scientists are also applying the same tool to study the same kind of protein clumping in insulin molecules, which impact our ability to regulate blood sugar.

Ultimately, the researchers hope the algorithm will inspire a push to learn more about the shapes and functions of proteins and molecules.

While countless families have been impacted by the ravages of dementia, there is hope for more effective treatments in the future.

Some people view the explanation as an all-too-convenient excuse. And just try telling this to your boss after you slur words and act tipsy in a staff meeting.

“I don’t drink, boss. My gut, however, is a brewery.”

Yup, tell it to HR.

It is, however, a real condition. And it’s called auto-brewery syndrome, or ABS. While ABS is rarely diagnosed, stories of individuals with the disorder occasionally make headlines. Take the case of a wife who was so suspicious that her husband was a secret drinker that she set up a hidden camera to catch him in the act. All she saw was her spouse playing video games all day.

A Belgian man was recently acquitted of DUI after three doctors who examined him testified that they had medically confirmed his internal brewery.

As outlandish as ABS seems, researchers have previously discovered a straightforward biological explanation. The problem is that these individuals have fungus in their gut that ferments carbohydrates, converting them into ethanol.

Some people with ABS tend to be less affected by their self-brewed alcohol and might appear sober. However, many others exhibit the telltale signs of inebriation that can lead to the same mishaps and misunderstandings as a person who is drinking heavily. They get awful hangovers. If untreated, they can even die of alcohol poisoning.

The syndrome is more common in those diagnosed with diabetes, a bowel obstruction, or liver dysfunction. Doctors usually suggest patients cut dietary carbs and take an antifungal agent.

ABS won’t get you out of a jam absent clear medical evidence. So, better bring your doctor and a stack of test results to that meeting with HR.

Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease can be stressful and challenging for family members. All too often, families are unable to afford professional help. So, the burden can fall entirely on them.

A 2023 Alzheimer’s Association report notes that about 11 million people — family members and others — provide unpaid care for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia. That amounts to 18 billion hours.

The association also notes that 70% of caregivers confirm that coordinating care is stressful. Three out of four say they have become concerned for their own health given the stress and difficulty of the job.

Of course, the demands of care increase as the disease progresses. Even so, people step up every day to face the challenge, to give all their energy and commitment to someone with whom they share a bond of love stronger than any hardship.

Experts say caring for a family member can actually strengthen those bonds. But the hardship is real, too.

They note that caregivers need to maintain their own health. It’s OK to seek help from extended family and friends. Alzheimer’s and dementia family support groups, both in person and virtual, can offer valuable advice.

Nobody, experts note, should be afraid of asking for that assistance. It is crucial to take care of yourself during a trying time.

Eat nutritiously. Exercise. Take a break when you can. Keep in touch with friends. Maintain your favorite hobby. Seek professional help if you feel depressed.

This will help a caregiver achieve this final and dignified expression of love for a spouse or other family member in a way that maintains them physically and mentally.

Scientists believe mammograms have helped reduce breast cancer mortality in the U.S. by almost 40 percent since 1990. That’s an enormous burden of human suffering erased. Yet, modern preventive medical procedures are sometimes taken for granted.

Do women know when they should begin getting mammograms? And how often? Confusion about timing can lead to delayed diagnoses of cancer.

The guidance has evolved over the years as science and research have advanced. The latest recommendations were recently issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in JAMA [JAM-uh], a leading peer-reviewed medical journal.

An independent panel of medical experts advises that women should begin getting mammograms every other year at age 40 and continue through age 74. Previous recommendations suggested starting at age 50.

The latest guidance applies to anyone assigned female at birth. Additionally, those with a family history of dense breasts or breast cancer are urged to follow the new recommendations.

Researchers said the latest science shows that starting mammograms earlier can save up to nearly 20% more lives than the earlier recommendations.

While some medical groups suggest getting a mammogram annually, the task force notes that screening every year results in a 50% greater chance of false-positive results. That can lead to unnecessary anxiety and increase medical costs.

It’s said that age is just a number, but when that number hits 40, the latest science says it’s a good idea to have a mammogram every other year.

As always, it’s a good idea to consult with your doctor to discuss the procedure.

You might want to sit down for this. It turns out, while too much sitting can be bad for your health, not all kinds of sitting are equal.

How’s that? We’ve all been told that sitting too long raises the risk of cardiovascular disease and other health problems. But research suggests that leisure-time sitting has a greater risk of heart disease than sitting at work.

For more than eight years, Columbia University researchers followed nearly 4,000 people who reported how much time they spent sitting at home and how much they sat at work. They also reported how much time they spent exercising each week.

Those who watched TV for four or more hours a day had a 50% greater risk of heart problems and death compared with those who spent less than two hours a day in front of the TV. But those who sat the most at work had the same health risks as those who sat the least.

The difference appears to be what you do when you’re not sitting. Even moderate exercise like walking cut the risk of heart attacks and strokes for those who spent the most time sitting around at home. And those who exercised the recommended 150 minutes or more each week had no greater health risks even if they were glued to the tube for four or more hours a day.

The researchers said it could be that people who watch TV for hours rarely get up, while those at work move around more. Any kind of exercise, even walking around at work, is beneficial.

As for those workers who can’t get up and stretch, like truck drivers, the key may be to offset those down hours with as much physical activity as possible. What you do outside of work may be what really counts.