Dr. Dolittle, meet AI: new model identifies pain in cats

Scientists use deep learning models and facial recognition analysis to detect subtle changes in ear tips, eyes and whiskers that indicate pain.

Naama Barak writes about a fascinating discovery that will help cats and their owners. Great news!

As any cat owner knows, felines can be pretty difficult to read – a problematic situation when our beloved pets are in pain. But now, a new artificial intelligence model can help us identify when our little tigers need that extra TLC. The reason it is difficult to tell when cats are in pain is their evolutionary ability to hide discomfort. This can result in house cats suffering from chronic pain without their humans ever knowing about it or taking them for treatment.

A team of researchers from the University of Haifa’s the Tech4Animals lab is developing the Dr. Dolittl-E app to detect animal feelings, using AI technology to advance and transform the world of veterinary care.

Along with researchers from São Paulo University in Brazil and Lincoln University and Nottingham University in the UK, they used deep learning models and facial recognition analysis to achieve a success rate of more than 70 percent in identifying cats in pain.

Their research, recently published in the Scientific Reports journal, is based on a study of 29 British shorthair cats. The researchers photographed female cats’ faces before and after sterilization, while they were still under the influence of painkillers and after the painkillers had worn off.

The AI models detected subtle changes in facial expressions, for example in the tips of the ears, eyes, whiskers and mustaches, that indicate pain. The areas around the mouth and eyes were found to be most significant in identifying pain.

The researchers say that their findings could change the way in which we care for cats, enabling anyone to photograph them in order to know whether they are in pain – and without the need for physical contact.

 

How to Diagnose and Prevent Skin Allergies in Dogs

Guest columnist Ashley Sanders offers her insights on dog skin allergies:

 

Skin allergies in dogs are identified through a thorough evaluation of the dog's medical history, a physical examination, and diagnostic procedures to detect certain allergens, such as blood tests or skin testing.

 

Based on the patient's medical history, veterinarians can identify skin allergies. After going over the patient's medical history and doing a physical examination, vets may suggest allergy testing to identify what causes skin allergies. To determine which allergen is triggering the dog's symptoms, veterinarians can administer intradermal skin tests, serum allergy testing, dog probiotics or use elimination diets.

What Dogs Can Do to Avoid Skin Issues?

Following is a list of things you can do to keep your dog's skin healthy.

• The best way to keep your dog's hair and skin healthy and free of allergens is to groom it regularly. Before bathing, brush the dog's coat to eliminate loose fur and avoid matting.

• Maintaining good skin and coat is easier with a balanced diet that includes water and nutritional foods. Make sure the dog gets enough protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals in its food. Never be without access to clean, fresh water; it's essential for staying hydrated and maintaining healthy skin function.

• The goal of environmental management is to protect dogs from potentially harmful substances by reducing their contact with pollen, dust mites, mould, and other allergies. Reduce exposure by keeping the house clean, using air purifiers, and washing the dog's bedding regularly.

• Fleas are a known allergen and a contributor to skin issues like flea allergy dermatitis in dogs. Incorporate a flea control program that is regularly executed and includes

• Maintaining a dog's skin and coat health requires frequent veterinary examinations. A veterinarian can spot the first symptoms of skin issues and provide you with the best advice on how to avoid them.

• Skin irritation and infections can be caused by parasites like ticks, mites, and lice. To prevent them, it is important to take measures against them. Protect your dog against parasites by taking the necessary precautions, like giving them mite and tick preventatives.

• Keeping your dog active and mentally engaged is essential for their entire health, including their skin. Getting a charming gift for your dog for outdoor adventure looks is always a good idea.

• Anxiety and stress can compromise a dog's immune system and make skin issues worse. Create a safe and secure space for dogs to live in, and deal with any problems that may cause them discomfort or anxiety.

 

If an allergic dog gets a secondary bacterial or yeast infection, the vet can give antibiotics or antifungal medicine to treat the problem.

What Steps Can I Take to Minimise My Dog's Risk of Skin Allergies?

Dog owners can help their canines avoid skin allergies by keeping them away from common allergens, feeding them a balanced diet, and grooming them regularly.

 

When it comes to controlling dog allergens, environmental measures are crucial. Dust mites and pollen can be lessened by maintaining a clean living space by frequent vacuuming and washing of bedding.

 

For a healthy immune system and skin barrier, dietary factors are crucial. Supporting a dog's overall health and lowering the danger of allergic reactions is a balanced diet that is rich in necessary nutrients.

 

Ensuring that dogs get regular grooming is crucial for the prevention of skin disorders. To promote good hygiene and remove allergies from fur, bathe pets using mild, hypoallergenic shampoos.

What is the Life Expectancy of a Dog with Skin Allergies?

Although skin allergies can reduce a dog's quality of life, cause discomfort, and increase the risk of secondary skin infections, the dog can still enjoy a normal lifespan. According to a study titled "Quality of life of dogs with skin disease and their owners. Part 2: administration of a questionnaire in various skin diseases and correlation to the efficacy of therapy, 2011," dogs whose skin allergies go untreated have a worse quality of life overall. The top five skin diseases in dogs are scabies, pododermatitis, complicated atopic dermatitis, pemphigus foliaceus, and endocrine alopecia.

 

Itchy, scratchy skin is a common symptom of untreated skin allergies, which can develop into infection-prone wounds and ulcers. Irritability, restlessness, and aggressiveness are symptoms of chronic irritation in dogs, which impacts their relationships with people and other animals.

How Can We Keep Our Dogs' Skin Healthy and Problem-Free?

Consistent grooming, a healthy diet, and limiting exposure to allergens are the ways to keep dogs' skin in good condition and less likely to develop problems.

 

To prevent skin problems caused by clogged pores and excess oils, regular grooming is necessary. A dog's coat can be brushed to spread its natural oils and protect it from dryness and allergy sensitivity. Proper nutrition, in the form of high-quality, well-balanced meals, is an important factor in maintaining healthy skin.

 

The Potty Mouthed Parrot

Now here is something you don't hear about every day - A report from the Washington Post on a potty mouthed parrot:

A few days after the Niagara SPCA animal shelter took in a white-fronted Amazon parrot last month, staffers and volunteers got an earful. “Do you want me to kick your [expletive]?” the parrot named Pepper asked a volunteer at the Niagara Falls, N.Y., shelter. Pepper and six parakeets were surrendered by a woman who said she could no longer care for them.

White-fronted Amazon parrots can mimic 30 to 40 sounds, and Pepper’s former owner warned that the bird was likely to unload a bawdry blue streak when the mood hit him, said shelter director Amy Lewis. Right away, Lewis knew exactly how she’d rise to the challenge of finding a new family for Pepper.

“If you think Pepper’s feathers are colorful, you should hear his language,” Lewis wrote on Facebook on June 15, announcing the shelter had a “potty-mouthed parrot” up for adoption.

Pepper after his arrival at the Niagara SPCA in mid-June. (Niagara SPCA)

“Bringing home a cursing conure might seem like a fun idea until Pepper offends grandma’s Tuesday night knitting group,” she continued. The post went on: “On the bright side, if you want to keep unannounced company from dropping in, adopt Pepper. They’ll think twice after being cussed out by your new foul-mouthed feathered friend.”

Lewis then advised that only people with experience caring for birds should apply. “Give us a call if you want to add a spicey Pepper to your life!” she wrote. “Somebody get this guy a bar of soap or a humor-loving home!”

More than 400 applications poured in, Lewis said.

“We had adoption offers from all over the country,” she said, noting that applicants included a Texas saloon owner named Wild Bill and a former Navy sailor who said he had a vocabulary to rival Pepper’s. “It seemed like everyone wanted a cursing parrot,” Lewis said.

Both bird lovers and lovers of salty language flooded her Facebook post with comments.

“My grandma is about to be 81 years old and swears all the time,” wrote one person.

“Can we have a video of Pepper cussing?!? I can’t be the only one who wants to see this!!” wrote another.

“If I had a cage, pepper and I would be bff’s,” wrote a third, using shorthand for “best friends forever.”

Pepper enjoys hanging around outside his cage in Olean, N.Y. More than 400 people applied to adopt him. (Tiffany Turner)

Lewis and her staff spent three weeks studying the applications and narrowed them to 10 before deciding that Tiffany Turner, a special-education teacher from Olean, N.Y., was the best choice for Pepper.

Turner and her fiancé, Tim Sage, already had another cursing bird at home — an African grey parrot named Shelby. “They had a lot of knowledge about parrots, and their home is like a regular truck stop with another swearing bird,” Lewis said. “It seemed like a perfect fit.” She said she was also impressed that Turner acknowledged the challenges of caring for parrots in her application.

White-fronted Amazon parrots live an average of 40 years but with proper care can live into their 60s, 70s and beyond, she said.

“Pepper is in his mid-20s,” Lewis said. “Tiffany said [she and Tim] were in their 30s and would be able to age with Pepper. That told me they were prepared and had put some thought into applying.”

On Friday, shelter staffers drove Pepper two hours to his new home in Olean. Turner said she and the bird connected right away. “He’s really sweet, and he seems to love women,” she said. “I could tell he was definitely a ladies’ man.” She said she is slowly introducing Pepper to Shelby and has high hopes that they’ll soon be having lively conversations.

Shelby, Tiffany Turner's African grey parrot. (Tiffany Turner)

“Shelby is also foul, so we’re happy to have another swear bird,” Turner said.

So far, she’s heard only one curse word from Pepper, but she said she has a hunch there will be more.

 

“He’s a very vocal and loud bird,” she said. “He’s also very excitable. When my mother came up and visited, he fanned out his feathers and did a little dance with a butt wiggle.”

Turner said she learned about Pepper after her mother-in-law passed along the Niagara shelter’s adoption post.

“We’d wanted another parrot for years, but we didn’t want a young one because they live for so long,” she said. “When we heard about Pepper, we thought he’d be perfect.”

Tiffany Turner with Pepper at home in Olean, N.Y., a few days after she adopted him. (Tiffany Turner)

Once Pepper is accustomed to being outside his cage, he’ll be allowed to roam freely around the house for 6 to 12 hours a day like Shelby, Turner said.

“They get lots of fresh fruits and veggies every day, and we have a living room upstairs where they each have their own window to look out at our bird feeders and free-range chickens,” she said.

“Pepper is really intelligent, so he should soon be adding some new words to his diverse vocabulary,” Turner added. “It’s probably a good thing that we don’t have kids.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lost Dog Finds Her Way Back Home to a Shelter

This amazing story of Bailey from the Washington Post:

It had been 36 hours since Bailey the dog disappeared. Her new owner and the animal shelter where she had lived for more than a year knew that every second that passed dimmed the likelihood that she would be found alive. The Animal Rescue League of El Paso sounded the alarm on its Facebook page: Bailey was missing, and it needed locals to keep an eye out and notify the shelter if she was spotted. People soon called in sightings. Others joined in the search. Her owner scoured the city deep into the night.

All of it for naught. Bailey remained on the loose, at risk of being run over, ravaged by a wild animal or falling prey to some unknown horror in the unforgiving West Texas desert. Then, deep into the second night after her disappearance, animal shelter employees were notified that someone was pressing their Ring camera doorbell. They opened up the app, which showed the exterior of the animal shelter and its late-night caller: Bailey.

Her doorbell camera cameo ended a 36-hour search for a dog that did not need to be rescued. Bailey knew where she was going and traveled some 10 miles to get there. But she now faced an obstacle she could not overcome. Without a key or opposable thumbs, she needed someone to let her in.

Bailey first came to the Animal Rescue League of El Paso more than a year ago. After housing her for a few months, another shelter transferred her to the rescue league in the hopes that its higher foot traffic would lead to her adoption. Despite the boost, Bailey languished at the rescue league for more than a year because of “some quirks that were not easy for people to overcome,” including being hyper, untrained and a bit of an “escape artist,” according to rescue league director Loretta Hyde. “She spent most of her life in a shelter,” Hyde said, adding that Bailey took an obedience course during her time at the rescue league.

Bailey’s quirks bubbled up after she was adopted a few months ago, Hyde added. Her new owner returned her three days later because Bailey escaped from her crate and destroyed a piece of his artwork. About a month later, a second owner adopted her. He already had a feral dog that he had painstakingly trained for a year. After a few visits to make sure the two got along, he brought Bailey into the fold, taking the two dogs with him every day to his job training, teaching and competing in martial arts.

 

All was going well until around noon on Jan. 29 when Bailey slipped her new owner’s grasp as he tried to fit her for a new harness and bolted, Hyde said. He chased her on foot and then by car, but she eluded both efforts. So he called the shelter, which put out an urgent alert on its Facebook page that night informing its more than 33,000 followers that Bailey was on the loose and asking them to report any sightings.

There were at least three over the next 36 hours but none panned out, Hyde said. By the time shelter workers arrived at each location, Bailey had taken off. One of the shelter employees, Yvonne Arratia, was at home in bed and nearly asleep on Jan. 31 when she heard a loud ding from her phone. The noise meant that someone was pushing the shelter’s Ring doorbell. But it was 1:15 in the morning. No one would be there this late, she thought, believing she was dreaming. Then, a second ding. And finally a robotic voice emanated from the phone: “Someone is at your door.”

Annoyed, she got up to check. She opened the Ring app, which showed an image of the late-night caller with two beady eyes glowing in the dark. Then, the animal’s full body came into view. “Oh my God, is that Bailey?!”Arratia ran to her daughter’s room. Geneieve also worked at the shelter and Arratia wanted her opinion. They unmuted the doorbell’s microphone so they could speak with the dog outside the shelter. “Bailey! Bailey! Is that you?!”

Bailey’s brown head popped up to fill the entire screen, followed by whining and scratching at the door. Arratia and her daughter hopped in the car and started heading to the shelter. Arratia drove while Geneieve kept talking with Bailey through the phone, coaxing her to stay put during the roughly 15 minutes it took them to get there. When they did, Bailey was ecstatic. Arratia secured her in a harness and let her into the shelter. Bailey muscled her way back to the kennels where she had lived for more than a year. They fed her and let her rest. Later that morning, they notified her owner that his dog had been found safe and was at the shelter.

Bailey’s odyssey reminded Hyde how amazing dogs are. During her trip, she traveled some 10 miles, crossing over a main drag in El Paso and Interstate 10 to somehow find her way back to the shelter. Hyde said that is a feather in the shelter’s cap.“She lived at the shelter for soooo long this was home to her,” the shelter wrote one Facebook announcing that Bailey had been found. “She felt safe here. When she got loose she was on a mission to get home.”

The best pet supplies

The World's Oldest Dog

Bobi is world’s oldest dog. Yours can live a long, happy life, too.

Walk, eat, play, sleep. Repeat.

That’s how Bobi, recently deemed the world’s oldest living dog by Guinness World Records, spent much of his 30 years on his family’s farm in the village of Conqueiros, Portugal. Unlike the owner of the Rafeiro do Alentejo, the rest of the world hasn’t had the chance to watch their furry friend age three decades with them.

“That really is an unusual thing,” Erik Olstad, an assistant professor at the University of California at Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, told The Washington Post. “Owners will always ask me, ‘How can I make my dog live the longest life that they can?’ That’s a loaded question because there are so many variants that go into life expectancy.”

A lot of it is genetics. Life expectancy and predisposition for diseases vary by breed, Olstad said. But there are still things dog owners can do to give their pets the opportunity to live a long and happy life, vets told The Post.

“Dogs are very much like people,” said Natasha Olby, a veterinary professor at North Carolina State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “They need healthy diets, exercise, community, engagement and regular health care.”

Maintaining a healthy weight is crucial, experts told The Post. Dog owners should strive to give them quality dog food and avoid overfeeding because, as they age, the extra weight will make it much harder to treat mobility conditions such as arthritis or ruptured ligaments.

“If I see dogs entering senior years overweight, I can always bet money that we are going to have some serious mobility conversations moving on,” Olstad said.

New record: Oldest dog EVER - Bobi at 30 years and 266 days 🐶

The secrets to a long life, according to human Leonel Costa, is free roaming, human food and socialising with other animals 🥰️ pic.twitter.com/Ur5c2Gh8yb

— Guinness World Records (@GWR) February 2, 2023

Preventive care is a must. Keep their vaccinations up to date, take them to the dentist and visit the vet once or twice a year for a regular checkup.

If you’ve been fortunate enough to raise a senior dog, you should not conclude that certain behaviors or conditions are just ailments that come with age, said Nicole Ehrhart, director of the Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging at Colorado State University.

“One thing that we should not assume as a pet slows down is, ‘Well, it’s just getting old,’” Ehrhart said. If you are seeing your dog slowing down, that should be a warning flag for you to seek veterinary assessment.”

Physical and mental exercise are also key. Take your dog on regular walks and runs that stretch out as long as your dog’s breed and age allow.

The five-mile run that works well for your 1-year-old border collie will not be the same workout that your bulldog with arthritis will require. In that case, experts said, you are better off with giving your dog 15-minute walks four times a day, for example. For mental stimulation, hide food and treats inside their toys.

As much as one wants their dog to live a long life like Bobi — who Guinness says is the oldest ever recorded — experts highlighted that the focus should be on giving pets the most quality of life possible. Life expectancy is not a contract, Olstad told The Post.

“My job as a vet is not to get your dog to live as long as possible if it compromises their quality of life,” Olstad said. “Their happiness is much more important to me than the longevity.”

“Try to not focus on that life expectancy, and look at your dog as an individual,” he said. “I have some [clients] that say, ‘Hey, I heard that someone’s Great Dane lived to 15!’” (Great Danes live an average of eight to 10 years.) “That can be a really tough thing if your expectations aren’t managed.”

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Cat City Film

A New Documentary by Ben Kolak CAT CITY

Opens in Los Angeles on May 9, 2024! Los Angeles Premiere – Thursday, May 9 at 7:30pm at Laemmle's Glendale Followed by Saturday & Sunday Matinee shows at Laemmle's Royal Director Ben Kolak will be in attendance opening night at the Glendale and Saturday, May 11 at 1:00 pm at the Royal! Cat City chronicles Chicago's love/hate relationship with feral cats. It tells the story of Chicago's outdoor cats and the communities who look after them. What is the right way to care for feral cats and who gets to decide? A ground-breaking 2007 ordinance protects feral cats in Chicago that have been trapped, neutered and returned ("TNR") to their neighborhoods. Dubbed community cats, they control rats and provide love and meaning to their caretakers. There are now thousands of cat colonies in Chicago, many with only a single cat, but some with more than 40. These colonies are fed by volunteer caretakers who report on their well-being. Many ferals succumb to the elements, but the most hardy, tough and careful survive many seasons and become legends in their neighborhoods. Los Angeles Theatrical Premiere Screening – Thursday, May 9 at 7:30pm at Laemmle's Glendale. Tickets >> Director Ben Kolak in person! Weekend Matinee Screenings – Saturday & Sunday, May 11-12 at Laemmle's Royal. Tickets >> Director Ben Kolak in person at Saturday's 1pm Show More Cities Coming Soon!

Monk parakeets have “voiceprints” just like humans

A very interesting discovery as reported by Salon:

Previously, it was thought that these birds introduced themselves to other monk parakeets with a sort of "catchphrase" that distinguished their identity. However, after running the vocalizations collected in this study through the program, a team led by Simeon Smeele, a doctoral student at Aarhus University in Denmark, found that the birds actually had "voiceprints" like humans that identify themselves in the group. Read more.

 

Parrots Taught to Video Call Each Other Become Less Lonely

This interesting article from The Guardian makes a lot of sense!

Pet parrots that are allowed to make video calls to other birds show signs of feeling less isolated, according to scientists.

The study, which involved giving the birds a tablet that they could use to make video calls, found that they began to engage in more social behaviour including preening, singing and play. The birds were given a choice of which “friend” to call on a touchscreen tablet and the study revealed that the parrots that called other birds most often were the most popular choices.

Dr Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas, of the University of Glasgow and a co-author of the research, said that video calls had helped many people feel less isolated in the pandemic. She added: “There are 20 million parrots living in people’s homes in the USA, and we wanted to explore whether those birds might benefit from video calling too. If we gave them the opportunity to call other parrots, would they choose to do so, and would the experience benefit the parrots and their caregivers?”

Their analysis, based on more than 1,000 hours of footage of 18 pet parrots, suggested that there were, indeed, benefits for the birds. In the wild, many species of parrots live in large flocks, but as pets tend to be kept alone or in a small group. Isolation and boredom can cause birds to develop psychological problems, which can manifest as rocking, pacing back and forth, or self-harming behaviours such as feather-plucking.

Video calling could reproduce some of the social benefits of living in a flock, the scientists suggested.

The parrots were recruited from users of Parrot Kindergarten, an online coaching and educational programme for parrots and their owners. The birds first learned to ring a bell and then touch a photo of another bird on the screen of a tablet device to trigger a call to that bird, with the assistance of their owners. In total the birds made 147 deliberate calls to each other during the study, while owners took detailed notes on the birds’ behaviour and the researchers later reviewed the video footage.

Dr Jennifer Cunha, of Northeastern University and co-founder of Parrot Kindergarten, said that the parrots “seemed to grasp” that they were engaging with other birds because their behaviour mirrored that seen during real-life interactions. “All the participants in the study said they valued the experience, and would want to continue using the system with their parrots in the future,” she said.

“I was quite surprised at the range of different behaviours,” said Hirskyj-Douglas. “Some would sing, some would play around and go upside down, others would want to show another bird their toys.”

The team’s paper is published in Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.

Street Cat Bob

Most of the 1,100 monuments scattered around London are dedicated to individuals who carried out heroic deeds in the service of the Crown. Others applaud the achievements of persons in the fields of arts or sciences. However, there is one unorthodox statue dedicated to a furry, famous Londoner who once walked on four legs.

In the south-east corner of a park in the borough of Islington, lies a life-size bronze of a cat named Bob, who rests perched on a stack of books. This feline was immortalized in a series of novels written by his adopted owner, James Bowen. These two individuals were able to look after one another, and in turn, their lives became the stuff of legend.

Read more here on Atlas Obscura

 

Tracking Your Dog's Fitness With a Smart Collar

News about the ability to track your dog's fitness was announced at this years Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas. A French company called Invoxia announced a "smart" dog collar that can measure and tracks a dog's health through sensors and other tech. It can not only monitor health, it also keeps track of their whereabouts and warns of any potential health issues that come up. This is done by measuring respiratory and heart rate. It also has WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth to track the physical location of your pet.

Listen to the podcast here, thanks to USAToday: