Cat a lot
The weight-loss drug trend sweeping the nation could be coming for your furry friends. Okava Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company based in San Francisco, is expected to announce on Tuesday that it has launched a pilot study testing a GLP-1 drug in obese cats. Unlike humans who receive weekly injections of drugs originally developed for diabetes but used for weight loss – the cats in Okava’s study will get a small implant under the skin, just slightly larger than a microchip. The device is designed to slowly release the medication over a period of up to six months, offering a low-maintenance alternative that researchers hope could help tackle rising rates of obesity in pets. Pet owners’ awareness of their pets’ weight appears to be rising. Meanwhile, more owners recognized their cats and dogs are overweight or obese. Okava hopes to price its GLP-1 implant at $100 a month or less, making it comparable to high-end pet food, and potentially saving owners money if it helps prevent or manage diabetes.
However, the cost may still be prohibitive for some, and not all pet owners may want the drug. Other experts point to Slentrol, an older appetite-suppressing dog medication, as an example. While effective, many owners disliked its effect because feeding their pets is a primary way they show affection. “Diabetes is technically completely treatable, and we are doing such a lousy job treating it. also called the implant “magic.” Some veterinarians have begun using human GLP-1 drugs off-label for diabetic cats, but the high cost and limited effectiveness, especially for advanced cases, remain challenges, according to Texas A&M.
Can’t swim, take the stairs
Amsterdam has allocated up to $120,000 to install steps along city center canals to help cats get out of the water. The tiny wooden staircases aim to save felines and other animals from drowning in areas with high walls. According to animal welfare organization Dierenambulance Amsterdam, 19 cats have drowned in the city’s canals in the last six months – six of them in the city center. The Party for the Animals proposed that Amsterdam spend an unused fund found in the city’s biodiversity plan to fund the wildlife exit points. On 10 July, the Amsterdam City Council voted in favor of Krom’s motion. Krom said: “A simple measure can prevent enormous animal suffering. “The adopted motion demonstrates that as a city, we take responsibility for protecting the lives of animals.” The Dutch capital will work with “Dierenambulance” to identify areas where cats are most likely to drown before the small animal escape routes are installed. Steps will then be built at the highest-risk locations later this year to help cats safely climb back onto the shore. Amersfoort councilor Johnas van Lammeren said: “Unfortunately, animals that end up in water in areas with high quays or quay walls can’t get out and drown. We’ll be installing hundreds of them in the coming period, preventing a great deal of animal suffering.”
Veterinary Versions
My Vet told me yesterday that dogs can’t possibly operate the MRI machine.
But Catscan.
A veterinarian went to his doctor appointment.
The nurse gets his vitals, puts him in the exam room. The physician comes in and sits down.
Doc: “Tell me what’s wrong.”
Vet: “You really have it so easy don’t you, Doc?”
I took my dog to the vet because he was losing hair on his head.
Apparently, he’s got male patting baldness.
My dog ate a whole bag of Scrabble tiles, so I took him to the vet.
“No word yet.”
December 4th Birthdays
1973 – Tyra Banks, 1965 – Marissa Tomei, 1955 – Cassandra Wilson, 1942 – Gemma Jones
1982 – Nick Vujicic, 1998 – Ruru Madrid, 1949 – Jeff Bridges, 1974 – Dan Bongino