Krill oil may reduce arthritis symptoms: Mouse study

Daily supplements of krill oil may reduce the symptoms of arthritis, with the benefits linked to the omega-3 and antioxidant content of the ingredient, suggests a new study.

The study, which compares krill oil (Superba Krill Oil, Aker BioMarine) and fish oil, showed that addition of EPA and DHA to the diet of mice reduced levels of inflammation in a mouse model of arthritis.

“Krill oil provides protection in terms of arthritis scores and joint pathology in the CIA model. Thus, this source of (omega-3) fatty acids deserves more investigation as a food supplement for patients suffering from not only RA but also osteoarthritis and other inflammatory conditions,” wrote researchers from MD Biosciences (Zurich, Switzerland), Aker BioMarine, and Clanet (Finland) in the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders.

Understanding krill

Krill are tiny shrimp gaining attention as a rich source of omega-3, as well as other nutrients.

There are about 85 species of the deepwater marine planktonic crustacean, or deepwater shrimp, which the planet's most abundant animal biomass and which when captured and converted to oil, pack 48 times the antioxidant punch of standard fish oils, according to ORAC antioxidant scales.

Study details

The researchers used an animal model of arthritis to evaluate the effects of krill or fish oil on markers of joint health. The levels of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in the krill oil was 0.44 g of 100 grams of diet and 0.47 grams per 100 grams of diet in fish oil group.

Daily supplements of krill oil may reduce the symptoms of arthritis, with the benefits linked to the omega-3 and antioxidant content of the ingredient, suggests a new study.

The study, which compares krill oil (Superba Krill Oil, Aker BioMarine) and fish oil, showed that addition of EPA and DHA to the diet of mice reduced levels of inflammation in a mouse model of arthritis.

“Krill oil provides protection in terms of arthritis scores and joint pathology in the CIA model. Thus, this source of (omega-3) fatty acids deserves more investigation as a food supplement for patients suffering from not only RA but also osteoarthritis and other inflammatory conditions,” wrote researchers from MD Biosciences (Zurich, Switzerland), Aker BioMarine, and Clanet (Finland) in the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders.

Understanding krill

Krill are tiny shrimp gaining attention as a rich source of omega-3, as well as other nutrients.

There are about 85 species of the deepwater marine planktonic crustacean, or deepwater shrimp, which the planet's most abundant animal biomass and which when captured and converted to oil, pack 48 times the antioxidant punch of standard fish oils, according to ORAC antioxidant scales.

Study details

The researchers used an animal model of arthritis to evaluate the effects of krill or fish oil on markers of joint health. The levels of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in the krill oil was 0.44 g of 100 grams of diet and 0.47 grams per 100 grams of diet in fish oil group.

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Whey proteins show blood pressure lowering powers

Beverages formulated with whey proteins may offer a dietary approach to reducing blood pressure in people at risk of hypertension, suggests a new study.

Young adults in the early stages of developing high blood pressure (hypertension) experienced significant decreases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures following six weeks of drinking a whey-rich beverage every day, according to findings published in the International Dairy Journal.

Effects were observed whether the subjects consumed hydrolyzed or non-hydrolyzed whey beverages, leading the researchers to propose that the benefits were due to a factor other than the presence of antihypertensive peptides was produced during hydrolysis.

“The majority of the subjects enjoyed the taste and convenience of the functional whey protein beverages. Taste and convenience are both important to ensure compliance during a dietary intervention,” wrote researchers from Washington State University.

“Whey protein beverages may be a valuable dietary intervention in the treatment of hypertension,” they added.

High blood pressure (hypertension),defined as having a systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) greater than 140 and 90 mmHg, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) - a disease that causes almost 50 per cent of deaths in Europe, and reported to cost the EU economy an estimated €169bn ($202bn) per year.

Study details

Led by Susan Fluegel, the WSU researchers recruited 71 young men and women with an average age of 20 and an average BMI of 24.6 kg/m2 and randomly assigned them to receive either a beverage containing 28 grams of whey protein concentrate 80 (WPC80 TemPro, Leprino Foods) or a beverage containing 28 grams of hydrolyzed WPC80.

After six weeks of intervention, the researchers noted no overall differences in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), or mean arterial pressure (MAP) between the groups.

Beverages formulated with whey proteins may offer a dietary approach to reducing blood pressure in people at risk of hypertension, suggests a new study.

Young adults in the early stages of developing high blood pressure (hypertension) experienced significant decreases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures following six weeks of drinking a whey-rich beverage every day, according to findings published in the International Dairy Journal.

Effects were observed whether the subjects consumed hydrolyzed or non-hydrolyzed whey beverages, leading the researchers to propose that the benefits were due to a factor other than the presence of antihypertensive peptides was produced during hydrolysis.

“The majority of the subjects enjoyed the taste and convenience of the functional whey protein beverages. Taste and convenience are both important to ensure compliance during a dietary intervention,” wrote researchers from Washington State University.

“Whey protein beverages may be a valuable dietary intervention in the treatment of hypertension,” they added.

High blood pressure (hypertension),defined as having a systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) greater than 140 and 90 mmHg, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) - a disease that causes almost 50 per cent of deaths in Europe, and reported to cost the EU economy an estimated €169bn ($202bn) per year.

Study details

Led by Susan Fluegel, the WSU researchers recruited 71 young men and women with an average age of 20 and an average BMI of 24.6 kg/m2 and randomly assigned them to receive either a beverage containing 28 grams of whey protein concentrate 80 (WPC80 TemPro, Leprino Foods) or a beverage containing 28 grams of hydrolyzed WPC80.

After six weeks of intervention, the researchers noted no overall differences in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), or mean arterial pressure (MAP) between the groups.

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20 Things You Need to Know About Perimenopause and Menopause

Hot flashes, irregular periods, headaches, cold hands and feet, forgetfulness – these are common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Affecting each woman differently, the symptoms of menopause signify the cessation of menses and the end of the fertile phase in a woman’s life, usually occurring during their late 40s or early 50s. This transition is brought on by a major reduction in hormonal production, which is either due to the natural aging process or through artificial means, such as a surgical hysterectomy.

1. Menopause itself is technically just one point in time: the day when an entire year has passed since the end of a woman's last menstrual cycle. The average age on this day is 51 years, but women may be as young as 40 or as old as 58 and still be within the normal range for menopause. Just as the timing of this change in ovarian function differs from one woman to another, so do the timing and intensity of menopausal symptoms. Some women barely notice a hot flash or two. We've even spoken with women who had "cold flashes" rather than hot flashes.

- Joe Graedon, M.S. and Teresa Graedon, Ph.D., Best Choices From the People's Pharmacy

2. “Natural menopause" is simply menopause not caused by any medical intervention, as opposed to "induced menopause," which is usually due to removal of both ovaries (surgical menopause), but can also be secondary to drugs (such as chemotherapy) or radiation treatment. Natural menopause can also refer to the experience of menopause without the use of replacement hormones, such as estrogen or progesterone.

- Bradley J. Willcox, D. Craig Willcox, and Makoto Suzuki, The Okinawa Program: How the World's Longest-Lived People Achieve Everlasting Health

3. Menopause occurs when there are no longer any active eggs left in the ovaries due to normal aging or as a result of chemotherapy or surgery.

- Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods

4. Estrogen production after menopause or hysterectomy decreases bone calcium and strength. Most if not all American women are deficient in calcium.

- Joseph E. Mario, Anti-Aging Manual: The Encyclopedia of Natural Health

5. During the perimenopausal period, many women have irregular periods.

- Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods

6. The most common complaints of perimenopause and menopause are hot flashes, headaches, atrophic vaginitis (vaginal dryness and irritation due to lack of estrogen), frequent urinary tract infections, cold hands and feet, forgetfulness, and inability to concentrate.

- Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods

7. In the United States, 65 to 80 percent of menopausal women experience hot flashes to some degree.

- Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods

8. Over half of women who have ovary-sparing "partial" hysterectomies experience early menopause.

- Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements

9. Osteoporosis in women typically starts in their mid-thirties, often 15 years before menopause, with a bone loss rate of about I to 1.5 percent a year. At menopause, that rate increases to 3 to 5 percent for about five years, then levels off and continues at about 1.5 percent per year. If estrogen prevents osteoporosis, he asks, "why does bone loss occur 10 to 15 years before menopause, when estrogen levels are still normal?" The answer, he says, is that levels of the hormone progesterone (the other hormone manufactured by the ovaries of menstruating women) begin to fall during a woman's mid-thirties.

- Bill Gottlieb, Alternative Cures: The Most Effective Natural Home Remedies for 160 Health Problems

10. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is taken by many women in order to alleviate unpleasant effects of menopause, protect bone health and prevent coronary heart disease. However, it is now becoming widely acknowledged that HRT is not as beneficial as once thought, and it may have certain severe side effects.

- T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. and Thomas M. Campbell II, The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health

11. Menopausal and post-menopausal women have an even greater risk for UTIs because of their hormone imbalance. Estrogen and progesterone help prevent bladder infections by reinforcing the urethral cells and attracting and trapping bacteria that enter the urinary tract. When women lack these hormones, the body is not able to expel bacteria properly, allowing them to remain in the bladder and urethra and cause infection.

- Mike Adams, Natural Health Solutions

12. Because the lignans in flax are actually phytoestrogens (weak estrogenic compounds from plants), they may help relieve menopausal symptoms. In fact, in one study, flaxseed was as effective as hormone replacement therapy in reducing mild menopausal symptoms in menopausal women.

- Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S., The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why

13. Between 1963 and 1975, dollar sales for prescription estrogen replacements quadrupled. As one Harvard researcher noted: "Few medical interventions have had as widespread application as exogenous estrogen treatment in postmenopausal women." By 1975, with prescriptions at an all time high of 30 million, estrogens had become the fifth most widely prescribed drug in the United States.

- Gerald E. Markle and Frances B. McCrea, What If Medicine Disappeared?

14. One of the most popular herbs for treatment of less severe forms of anxiety — as well as for menopausal depression and insomnia — is kava. According to Chris Kilham, author of Medicine Hunting in Paradise, which recounts his work as founder of the Cowboy Medicine Expeditions, specializing in researching and creating plant-based products, kava has an exotic history. It was "brought to the Western world after Captain Cook's first voyage to the South Pacific in the late 1700s. There has been ongoing scientific interest in kava since then.

- Gary Null and Amy McDonald, The Food-Mood Connection: Nutrition-based and Environmental Approaches to Mental Health and Physical Wellbeing

15. Calendula has a particular attraction to the female reproductive system and can regulate menstruation, relieve menopausal symptoms, relieve uterine congestion, and reduce cysts and fibroid tumors as well as relieve menstrual cramps. In this way, the heart and spirit of Calendula complement each other.

- Pam Montgomery, Plant Spirit Healing: A Guide to Working with Plant Consciousness

16. Hormonal decline is typically a slow, gradual decline in all of our hormones for both women and men. We refer to this phase of life as perimenopause in women and andropause in men. These are milestones leading to our older age. I like to think of these phases as the adolescence of old age. Do you recall how tough adolescence was?"

- Phuli Cohan, The Natural Hormone Makeover: 10 Steps to Rejuvenate Your Health and Rediscover Your Inner Glow

17. The incidence of vertebral fractures in women begins to rise early in the sixth decade, corresponding in time to the menopausal loss of endogenous estrogen.

- Ann M. Coulston and Carol J. Boushey, Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease

18. Women who have been eating raw diets for several years prior to the onset of menopause report having neither signs nor symptoms that indicate they are passing through menopause. The only way they discover that they have gone through the passage is via blood tests for hormone levels. Temperature extremes are suddenly tolerated more easily. Body odors vanish or greatly diminish after a year or two of eating mostly or 100 percent raw. Skin becomes soft and smooth. Hair grows thick and wild. Bad breath becomes a thing of the past. Air travel does not entail jet lag.

- Susan E. Schenck, The Live Food Factor: The Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirit & Planet

19. Recent studies suggest that short-term hormone replacement early in menopause may have some cardiovascular benefits, but the cardiology jury is still undecided.

- Stephen Sinatra, M.D. and James C., M.D. Roberts, Reverse Heart Disease Now: Stop Deadly Cardiovascular Plaque Before It's Too Late

20. Over the past few years, a great debate has ensued in the research community: Will eating more soy during menopause keep hot flashes away? A recent Italian study suggests soy isoflavones perhaps don't actually minimize hot flashes but instead have the ability to improve mood, thereby rendering women less inclined to care about their hot flashes. The theory makes sense, given that estrogen receptors exist in the mood area of our brain, and soy is rich in natural plant estrogens.

- Elaine Magee, Food Synergy: Unleash Hundreds of Powerful Healing Food Combinations to Fight Disease and Live Well

Hot flashes, irregular periods, headaches, cold hands and feet, forgetfulness – these are common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Affecting each woman differently, the symptoms of menopause signify the cessation of menses and the end of the fertile phase in a woman’s life, usually occurring during their late 40s or early 50s. This transition is brought on by a major reduction in hormonal production, which is either due to the natural aging process or through artificial means, such as a surgical hysterectomy.

1. Menopause itself is technically just one point in time: the day when an entire year has passed since the end of a woman's last menstrual cycle. The average age on this day is 51 years, but women may be as young as 40 or as old as 58 and still be within the normal range for menopause. Just as the timing of this change in ovarian function differs from one woman to another, so do the timing and intensity of menopausal symptoms. Some women barely notice a hot flash or two. We've even spoken with women who had "cold flashes" rather than hot flashes.

- Joe Graedon, M.S. and Teresa Graedon, Ph.D., Best Choices From the People's Pharmacy

2. “Natural menopause" is simply menopause not caused by any medical intervention, as opposed to "induced menopause," which is usually due to removal of both ovaries (surgical menopause), but can also be secondary to drugs (such as chemotherapy) or radiation treatment. Natural menopause can also refer to the experience of menopause without the use of replacement hormones, such as estrogen or progesterone.

- Bradley J. Willcox, D. Craig Willcox, and Makoto Suzuki, The Okinawa Program: How the World's Longest-Lived People Achieve Everlasting Health

3. Menopause occurs when there are no longer any active eggs left in the ovaries due to normal aging or as a result of chemotherapy or surgery.

- Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods

4. Estrogen production after menopause or hysterectomy decreases bone calcium and strength. Most if not all American women are deficient in calcium.

- Joseph E. Mario, Anti-Aging Manual: The Encyclopedia of Natural Health

5. During the perimenopausal period, many women have irregular periods.

- Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods

6. The most common complaints of perimenopause and menopause are hot flashes, headaches, atrophic vaginitis (vaginal dryness and irritation due to lack of estrogen), frequent urinary tract infections, cold hands and feet, forgetfulness, and inability to concentrate.

- Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods

7. In the United States, 65 to 80 percent of menopausal women experience hot flashes to some degree.

- Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods

8. Over half of women who have ovary-sparing "partial" hysterectomies experience early menopause.

- Phyllis A. Balch, CNC, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 4th Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs & Food Supplements

9. Osteoporosis in women typically starts in their mid-thirties, often 15 years before menopause, with a bone loss rate of about I to 1.5 percent a year. At menopause, that rate increases to 3 to 5 percent for about five years, then levels off and continues at about 1.5 percent per year. If estrogen prevents osteoporosis, he asks, "why does bone loss occur 10 to 15 years before menopause, when estrogen levels are still normal?" The answer, he says, is that levels of the hormone progesterone (the other hormone manufactured by the ovaries of menstruating women) begin to fall during a woman's mid-thirties.

- Bill Gottlieb, Alternative Cures: The Most Effective Natural Home Remedies for 160 Health Problems

10. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is taken by many women in order to alleviate unpleasant effects of menopause, protect bone health and prevent coronary heart disease. However, it is now becoming widely acknowledged that HRT is not as beneficial as once thought, and it may have certain severe side effects.

- T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D. and Thomas M. Campbell II, The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health

11. Menopausal and post-menopausal women have an even greater risk for UTIs because of their hormone imbalance. Estrogen and progesterone help prevent bladder infections by reinforcing the urethral cells and attracting and trapping bacteria that enter the urinary tract. When women lack these hormones, the body is not able to expel bacteria properly, allowing them to remain in the bladder and urethra and cause infection.

- Mike Adams, Natural Health Solutions

12. Because the lignans in flax are actually phytoestrogens (weak estrogenic compounds from plants), they may help relieve menopausal symptoms. In fact, in one study, flaxseed was as effective as hormone replacement therapy in reducing mild menopausal symptoms in menopausal women.

- Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S., The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What You Should Eat and Why

13. Between 1963 and 1975, dollar sales for prescription estrogen replacements quadrupled. As one Harvard researcher noted: "Few medical interventions have had as widespread application as exogenous estrogen treatment in postmenopausal women." By 1975, with prescriptions at an all time high of 30 million, estrogens had become the fifth most widely prescribed drug in the United States.

- Gerald E. Markle and Frances B. McCrea, What If Medicine Disappeared?

14. One of the most popular herbs for treatment of less severe forms of anxiety — as well as for menopausal depression and insomnia — is kava. According to Chris Kilham, author of Medicine Hunting in Paradise, which recounts his work as founder of the Cowboy Medicine Expeditions, specializing in researching and creating plant-based products, kava has an exotic history. It was "brought to the Western world after Captain Cook's first voyage to the South Pacific in the late 1700s. There has been ongoing scientific interest in kava since then.

- Gary Null and Amy McDonald, The Food-Mood Connection: Nutrition-based and Environmental Approaches to Mental Health and Physical Wellbeing

15. Calendula has a particular attraction to the female reproductive system and can regulate menstruation, relieve menopausal symptoms, relieve uterine congestion, and reduce cysts and fibroid tumors as well as relieve menstrual cramps. In this way, the heart and spirit of Calendula complement each other.

- Pam Montgomery, Plant Spirit Healing: A Guide to Working with Plant Consciousness

16. Hormonal decline is typically a slow, gradual decline in all of our hormones for both women and men. We refer to this phase of life as perimenopause in women and andropause in men. These are milestones leading to our older age. I like to think of these phases as the adolescence of old age. Do you recall how tough adolescence was?"

- Phuli Cohan, The Natural Hormone Makeover: 10 Steps to Rejuvenate Your Health and Rediscover Your Inner Glow

17. The incidence of vertebral fractures in women begins to rise early in the sixth decade, corresponding in time to the menopausal loss of endogenous estrogen.

- Ann M. Coulston and Carol J. Boushey, Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease

18. Women who have been eating raw diets for several years prior to the onset of menopause report having neither signs nor symptoms that indicate they are passing through menopause. The only way they discover that they have gone through the passage is via blood tests for hormone levels. Temperature extremes are suddenly tolerated more easily. Body odors vanish or greatly diminish after a year or two of eating mostly or 100 percent raw. Skin becomes soft and smooth. Hair grows thick and wild. Bad breath becomes a thing of the past. Air travel does not entail jet lag.

- Susan E. Schenck, The Live Food Factor: The Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirit & Planet

19. Recent studies suggest that short-term hormone replacement early in menopause may have some cardiovascular benefits, but the cardiology jury is still undecided.

- Stephen Sinatra, M.D. and James C., M.D. Roberts, Reverse Heart Disease Now: Stop Deadly Cardiovascular Plaque Before It's Too Late

20. Over the past few years, a great debate has ensued in the research community: Will eating more soy during menopause keep hot flashes away? A recent Italian study suggests soy isoflavones perhaps don't actually minimize hot flashes but instead have the ability to improve mood, thereby rendering women less inclined to care about their hot flashes. The theory makes sense, given that estrogen receptors exist in the mood area of our brain, and soy is rich in natural plant estrogens.

- Elaine Magee, Food Synergy: Unleash Hundreds of Powerful Healing Food Combinations to Fight Disease and Live Well

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Water Fountains for Cats

Grant DC: Effect of water source on intake and urine concentration in healthy cats, J Feline Med Surg 12:431, 2010.


Lower urinary tract disorders account for about 1.5% of primary care veterinary visits for cats. One strategy to prevent the recurrence of urolith types in cats is to maintain dilute urine. Dietary methods used or recommended to increase water intake and promote urine dilution have included feeding canned food, high sodium diets, and the addition of water to diets. Water fountains have also been recommended to increase water intake. This study evaluated thirteen cats assigned to have 24 hour water intake and urine osmolality measured when water was offered from a bowl or a fountain. One cat refused to drink water from the fountain and developed barbering of hair and vomiting and was removed from the study. Results indicated that offering water from a fountain led to greater water intake in cats compared with water offered from a standard bowl. Yet, when urine osmolalities were compared, there was no significant difference.  This suggests the accuracy of the intake volume from the fountain was falsely elevated. The results here do not support replacing a cat’s water bowl with a fountain to achieve increased water intake and production of dilute urine. However, the results did suggest water fountains might provide a source of enjoyment for some cats though not all. [VT]

Related articles:
Xu H, Laflamme DPL, Long GL: Effects of dietary sodium chloride on health parameters in mature cats, J Feline Med Surg 11:435, 2009.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
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Grant DC: Effect of water source on intake and urine concentration in healthy cats, J Feline Med Surg 12:431, 2010.


Lower urinary tract disorders account for about 1.5% of primary care veterinary visits for cats. One strategy to prevent the recurrence of urolith types in cats is to maintain dilute urine. Dietary methods used or recommended to increase water intake and promote urine dilution have included feeding canned food, high sodium diets, and the addition of water to diets. Water fountains have also been recommended to increase water intake. This study evaluated thirteen cats assigned to have 24 hour water intake and urine osmolality measured when water was offered from a bowl or a fountain. One cat refused to drink water from the fountain and developed barbering of hair and vomiting and was removed from the study. Results indicated that offering water from a fountain led to greater water intake in cats compared with water offered from a standard bowl. Yet, when urine osmolalities were compared, there was no significant difference.  This suggests the accuracy of the intake volume from the fountain was falsely elevated. The results here do not support replacing a cat’s water bowl with a fountain to achieve increased water intake and production of dilute urine. However, the results did suggest water fountains might provide a source of enjoyment for some cats though not all. [VT]

Related articles:
Xu H, Laflamme DPL, Long GL: Effects of dietary sodium chloride on health parameters in mature cats, J Feline Med Surg 11:435, 2009.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter

Read More

Cat Owner Attitudes About Vaccination

Habacher G, Gruffydd-Jones T, Murray J: Use of a web-based questionnaire to explore cat owners' attitudes towards vaccination in cats, Vet Rec 167:122, 2010.

While vaccination against infectious diseases is known to be useful and effective, concern about vaccines and their safety continues to affect management decisions made by pet owners. These researchers developed a questionnaire for evaluation of cat owners’ perception of and knowledge about vaccination of cats. Owners were asked to fill out the questionnaire with only one cat in mind (i.e., separate submissions for each cat they owned). A total of 3,163 questionnaires were evaluated. Vaccination as a kitten was the strongest predictor of up-to-date vaccination status, followed closely by the intention to take the cat to a boarding cattery or cat show in the coming year. Owners who perceived the severity of infectious diseases or veterinary advice as very important were more likely to vaccinate their cats than owners who perceived these factors as less important. The owners’ perceptions of the risk and their previous experiences of side effects in a cat were not associated with a decreased likelihood of vaccination. A cat owner’s view of the severity of infectious diseases was an important factor in their decision whether to vaccinate their cat, with cat owners who considered the severity as ‘very important’ being four times more likely to report vaccination in the previous 12 months than owners who considered the severity to be less important. The more important cost was perceived to be, the less likely the cat was reported to be vaccinated. However, there was no significant difference between the household income of owners of vaccinated and unvaccinated cats. The researchers noted that owners with a strong interest in cats, as indicated by willingness to fill out the questionnaire, may have been more motivated to participate in the survey, potentially introducing a bias. Despite this, vaccination was generally recognized as important and few concerns about safety were expressed. This information might be helpful to increase awareness of cat owners’ perceptions by veterinarians and allow them to address owners’ concerns and communicate with them more effectively. [MK]

Related articles:
Lue TW, Pantenburg DP, Crawford PM: Impact of the owner-pet and client-veterinarian bond on the care that pets receive, J Am Vet Med Assoc 232:531, 2008.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter

Habacher G, Gruffydd-Jones T, Murray J: Use of a web-based questionnaire to explore cat owners' attitudes towards vaccination in cats, Vet Rec 167:122, 2010.

While vaccination against infectious diseases is known to be useful and effective, concern about vaccines and their safety continues to affect management decisions made by pet owners. These researchers developed a questionnaire for evaluation of cat owners’ perception of and knowledge about vaccination of cats. Owners were asked to fill out the questionnaire with only one cat in mind (i.e., separate submissions for each cat they owned). A total of 3,163 questionnaires were evaluated. Vaccination as a kitten was the strongest predictor of up-to-date vaccination status, followed closely by the intention to take the cat to a boarding cattery or cat show in the coming year. Owners who perceived the severity of infectious diseases or veterinary advice as very important were more likely to vaccinate their cats than owners who perceived these factors as less important. The owners’ perceptions of the risk and their previous experiences of side effects in a cat were not associated with a decreased likelihood of vaccination. A cat owner’s view of the severity of infectious diseases was an important factor in their decision whether to vaccinate their cat, with cat owners who considered the severity as ‘very important’ being four times more likely to report vaccination in the previous 12 months than owners who considered the severity to be less important. The more important cost was perceived to be, the less likely the cat was reported to be vaccinated. However, there was no significant difference between the household income of owners of vaccinated and unvaccinated cats. The researchers noted that owners with a strong interest in cats, as indicated by willingness to fill out the questionnaire, may have been more motivated to participate in the survey, potentially introducing a bias. Despite this, vaccination was generally recognized as important and few concerns about safety were expressed. This information might be helpful to increase awareness of cat owners’ perceptions by veterinarians and allow them to address owners’ concerns and communicate with them more effectively. [MK]

Related articles:
Lue TW, Pantenburg DP, Crawford PM: Impact of the owner-pet and client-veterinarian bond on the care that pets receive, J Am Vet Med Assoc 232:531, 2008.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter

Read More

Teens who smoke, weigh too much, fail to exercise may risk headache

THIS STUDY analyzed data on 5,847 teenagers, including how often they exercised, how much they weighed and whether they smoked. Among those who were overweight, smoked and did not exercise, about 55 percent had recurring headaches, compared with 25 percent of the teens who had none of these traits. Smoking alone raised the risk for headaches by 50 percent, being overweight increased it by 40 percent and not exercising raised it by 20 percent, when compared with teens who did not smoke, were not overweight and did exercise. Frequent headaches were nearly twice as common among teens with two negative behaviors and more than three times as frequent with three such behaviors.

WHO MAY BE AFFECTED? Teenagers. Physical activity often decreases as kids become teens. In the United States, an estimated 20 percent of high school students and 6 percent of middle school students smoke, and at least 20 percent are overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CAVEATS Data on the teens' behaviors came from their responses to questionnaires as well as from interviews and examinations. Other factors, such as socioeconomic and psychological status, were not considered and may have affected the results. The study did not test whether changing negative behaviors would reduce the frequency of headaches.

THIS STUDY analyzed data on 5,847 teenagers, including how often they exercised, how much they weighed and whether they smoked. Among those who were overweight, smoked and did not exercise, about 55 percent had recurring headaches, compared with 25 percent of the teens who had none of these traits. Smoking alone raised the risk for headaches by 50 percent, being overweight increased it by 40 percent and not exercising raised it by 20 percent, when compared with teens who did not smoke, were not overweight and did exercise. Frequent headaches were nearly twice as common among teens with two negative behaviors and more than three times as frequent with three such behaviors.

WHO MAY BE AFFECTED? Teenagers. Physical activity often decreases as kids become teens. In the United States, an estimated 20 percent of high school students and 6 percent of middle school students smoke, and at least 20 percent are overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CAVEATS Data on the teens' behaviors came from their responses to questionnaires as well as from interviews and examinations. Other factors, such as socioeconomic and psychological status, were not considered and may have affected the results. The study did not test whether changing negative behaviors would reduce the frequency of headaches.

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Antibiotics mess up your stomach, U.S. study finds

An intimate study of three women given ciprofloxacin showed the drug suppressed entire populations of beneficial bacteria, and at least one woman took months to recover.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, supports the common wisdom that antibiotics can damage the "good" germs living in the body.

It may also support the idea behind the development of so-called probiotic products including yogurt with live cultures of bacteria.

The researchers tested the three volunteers daily, giving them a five-day course of the commonly used antibiotic ciprofloxacin twice during the 10-month study.

They ran DNA tests on stool samples from the volunteers to determine what kind of microbes were living in the gut.

"The effect of ciprofloxacin on the gut microbiota was profound and rapid," Les Dethlefsen and David Relman of Stanford University in California wrote.

"By one week after the end of each course, communities began to return to their initial state, but the return was often incomplete."

More and more studies support the idea that humans and other animals have a symbiotic relationship with germs. Microbes in the intestines help digest food and "good" germs can take up space and keep bad germs away.

"The human distal gut is one of the most complex ecosystems on the planet," the researchers wrote in the study, available here

Gut microbes can affect obesity and may play a role in allergy. Lactobacillus reuteri, found in breast milk, may protect against rotavirus infections, other researchers have found.

Several recent studies have found that certain bacteria cause inflammation that can affect appetite as well as inflammatory bowel conditions like Crohn's disease and colitis.

Regularly wiping out the body's bacterial population could also be helping drive the rapid spread of drug-resistant superbugs, the Stanford team said.

"One potential ramification of the altered community is an enhanced carriage of antibiotic-resistance genes in the human population," they wrote.

"Every course of antibiotics may represent another roll of the dice," they added -- potentially a "bad" strain to replace a beneficial species.

An intimate study of three women given ciprofloxacin showed the drug suppressed entire populations of beneficial bacteria, and at least one woman took months to recover.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, supports the common wisdom that antibiotics can damage the "good" germs living in the body.

It may also support the idea behind the development of so-called probiotic products including yogurt with live cultures of bacteria.

The researchers tested the three volunteers daily, giving them a five-day course of the commonly used antibiotic ciprofloxacin twice during the 10-month study.

They ran DNA tests on stool samples from the volunteers to determine what kind of microbes were living in the gut.

"The effect of ciprofloxacin on the gut microbiota was profound and rapid," Les Dethlefsen and David Relman of Stanford University in California wrote.

"By one week after the end of each course, communities began to return to their initial state, but the return was often incomplete."

More and more studies support the idea that humans and other animals have a symbiotic relationship with germs. Microbes in the intestines help digest food and "good" germs can take up space and keep bad germs away.

"The human distal gut is one of the most complex ecosystems on the planet," the researchers wrote in the study, available here

Gut microbes can affect obesity and may play a role in allergy. Lactobacillus reuteri, found in breast milk, may protect against rotavirus infections, other researchers have found.

Several recent studies have found that certain bacteria cause inflammation that can affect appetite as well as inflammatory bowel conditions like Crohn's disease and colitis.

Regularly wiping out the body's bacterial population could also be helping drive the rapid spread of drug-resistant superbugs, the Stanford team said.

"One potential ramification of the altered community is an enhanced carriage of antibiotic-resistance genes in the human population," they wrote.

"Every course of antibiotics may represent another roll of the dice," they added -- potentially a "bad" strain to replace a beneficial species.

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Chemicals In Indoor Swimming Pools May Increase Cancer Risk

Newswise — Swimming in indoor chlorinated pools may induce genotoxicity (DNA damage that may lead to cancer) as well as respiratory effects, but the positive health effects of swimming can be maintained by reducing pool levels of the chemicals behind these potential health risks, according to a new study published in a set of three articles online September 12 ahead of print in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP). This study is the first to provide a comprehensive characterization of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in an indoor pool environment and the first to study the genotoxicity of exposure to these chemicals among swimmers in an indoor chlorinated pool.

DBPs form in pool water from reactions between disinfectants such as chlorine and organic matter that is either present naturally or is introduced by swimmers, such as sweat, skin cells, and urine. Previous epidemiologic studies have found an association between exposure to DBPs in drinking water and risk of bladder cancer, and one such study has found this association for dermal/inhalational exposure such as occurs during showering, bathing, or swimming.

The new study details a comprehensive investigation of DBPs and mutagenicity of water samples collected from two indoor pools, one disinfected with chlorine, the other with bromine. In addition, short-term changes in biomarkers of genotoxicity and respiratory effects were studied in swimmers who swam in the chlorinated pool. No previous studies have combined investigations of the mutagenicity (ability to cause permanent DNA mutations) of pool water with a comprehensive chemical characterization of the water and studies of human exposures, the authors stated.

Evidence of genotoxic effects were seen in 49 healthy adults after they swam for 40 minutes in the chlorinated pool. Specifically, researchers found increases in two genotoxicity biomarkers relative to the concentration of the most common types of DBPs in exhaled breath, which were used as a measure of the swimmers’ exposures. The biomarkers that increased were micronuclei in blood lymphocytes, which have been associated with cancer risk in healthy subjects, and urine mutagenicity, which is a biomarker of exposure to genotoxic agents.

Detailed measurements were also made of the most common exhaled DBPs (trihalomethanes) in air around the pool and in exhaled breath of the swimmers before and after swimming. Researchers measured several biomarkers of respiratory effects after swimming and found changes in only one—a slight increase in serum CC16, which suggests an increase in lung epithelium permeability. This result was explained by the effects of exercise itself as well as exposure to DBPs. Further research is needed to sort out the clinical relevance of this acute change, the researchers stated.

In addition, the authors identified more than 100 DBPs in the pool waters, some never reported previously in swimming pool water and/or chlorinated drinking water. In vitro assays showed that the swimming pool water was mutagenic at levels similar to that of drinking water but was more cytotoxic (can kill cells at a lower concentration) than drinking water.

The human exposures studied were short-term, and further investigations of genotoxic and respiratory effects of longer-term exposures are needed, the authors stated. Also noted was a need for further research on an array of swimming pools under various conditions of maintenance and use, as well as more complete evaluations of the uptake and potential effects of the wide range of compounds present in pool water. These are preliminary results that should be confirmed in studies with larger sample sizes.

Newswise — Swimming in indoor chlorinated pools may induce genotoxicity (DNA damage that may lead to cancer) as well as respiratory effects, but the positive health effects of swimming can be maintained by reducing pool levels of the chemicals behind these potential health risks, according to a new study published in a set of three articles online September 12 ahead of print in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP). This study is the first to provide a comprehensive characterization of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in an indoor pool environment and the first to study the genotoxicity of exposure to these chemicals among swimmers in an indoor chlorinated pool.

DBPs form in pool water from reactions between disinfectants such as chlorine and organic matter that is either present naturally or is introduced by swimmers, such as sweat, skin cells, and urine. Previous epidemiologic studies have found an association between exposure to DBPs in drinking water and risk of bladder cancer, and one such study has found this association for dermal/inhalational exposure such as occurs during showering, bathing, or swimming.

The new study details a comprehensive investigation of DBPs and mutagenicity of water samples collected from two indoor pools, one disinfected with chlorine, the other with bromine. In addition, short-term changes in biomarkers of genotoxicity and respiratory effects were studied in swimmers who swam in the chlorinated pool. No previous studies have combined investigations of the mutagenicity (ability to cause permanent DNA mutations) of pool water with a comprehensive chemical characterization of the water and studies of human exposures, the authors stated.

Evidence of genotoxic effects were seen in 49 healthy adults after they swam for 40 minutes in the chlorinated pool. Specifically, researchers found increases in two genotoxicity biomarkers relative to the concentration of the most common types of DBPs in exhaled breath, which were used as a measure of the swimmers’ exposures. The biomarkers that increased were micronuclei in blood lymphocytes, which have been associated with cancer risk in healthy subjects, and urine mutagenicity, which is a biomarker of exposure to genotoxic agents.

Detailed measurements were also made of the most common exhaled DBPs (trihalomethanes) in air around the pool and in exhaled breath of the swimmers before and after swimming. Researchers measured several biomarkers of respiratory effects after swimming and found changes in only one—a slight increase in serum CC16, which suggests an increase in lung epithelium permeability. This result was explained by the effects of exercise itself as well as exposure to DBPs. Further research is needed to sort out the clinical relevance of this acute change, the researchers stated.

In addition, the authors identified more than 100 DBPs in the pool waters, some never reported previously in swimming pool water and/or chlorinated drinking water. In vitro assays showed that the swimming pool water was mutagenic at levels similar to that of drinking water but was more cytotoxic (can kill cells at a lower concentration) than drinking water.

The human exposures studied were short-term, and further investigations of genotoxic and respiratory effects of longer-term exposures are needed, the authors stated. Also noted was a need for further research on an array of swimming pools under various conditions of maintenance and use, as well as more complete evaluations of the uptake and potential effects of the wide range of compounds present in pool water. These are preliminary results that should be confirmed in studies with larger sample sizes.

Read More