Gut Parasites That Can Infect Humans May Be Widespread In Domestic And Wild Animals

The gut protozoans Giardia duodenalis and various species of Cryptosporidium are extremely contagious single-celled parasites liable to cause digestive disease in both humans and animals. Some species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium and Giardia are important zooneses, as they occur in both animals and humans. Zooneses are diseases that may be transmitted between animals and people.
Inger Sofie Hamnes showed in her doctorate that parasites of the groups Cryptosporidium and Giardia are extremely widespread in domestic animals, wild deer species and the red fox in Norway. Genotyping of Giardia isolated from elk, wild reindeer and red foxes showed that Giardia duodenalis in these animals may potentially infect humans.
Hamnes studied the occurrence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in calves, dogs, wild deer species (elk, wild reindeer, red deer, roe deer and Svalbard reindeer), piglets and red fox in Norway, by analysis of scats. Read full story..

source: science daily

If You're Aggressive, Your Dog Will Be Too, Says Veterinary Study

In a new, year-long University of Pennsylvania survey of dog owners who use confrontational or aversive methods to train aggressive pets, veterinary researchers have found that most of these animals will continue to be aggressive unless training techniques are modified.

The study, published in the current issue of Applied Animal Behavior Science, also showed that using non-aversive or neutral training methods such as additional exercise or rewards elicited very few aggressive responses.

“Nationwide, the No. 1 reason why dog owners take their pet to a veterinary behaviorist is to manage aggressive behavior,” Meghan E. Herron, lead author of the study, said. “Our study demonstrated that many confrontational training methods, whether staring down dogs, striking them or intimidating them with physical manipulation does little to correct improper behavior and can elicit aggressive responses.”

source: science daily..

If you have this, what will you do??