If you’re wondering what you can do to make your pet’s life as long and healthy as possible, it’s a good idea to consider banking your dog’s stem cells. Gallant is a new startup devoted to pet health that can help you do just that.

Human health care has benefited enormously from stem cell technology in the recent past. Now with the help of Gallant, pet health can benefit too. Gallant’s mission is to make it so that dogs can benefit from regenerative therapies. The company now has collected $11 million in funding and is based in Los Angeles. 

The founders of Gallant have made note of the fact that we plan ahead for our children, but we rarely plan ahead for the lives of our pets. However, harvesting stem cells when dogs are young and healthy creates a huge asset to pet health care in the future. 

The stem cell banking service offered by Gallant has just recently launched. Yet it is already stirring up a lot of attention in pet care. The company has grown to acquire part of the previously existing company Cook Regentec. This acquisition has included possession of stem cell banking services that were already being offered by Cook Regentec. It has also included acquisition of various cell therapy products that involved harvesting reproductive tissues. 

The strength of the operations of this company lie in the fact that it involves harvesting stem cells when neutering and spaying is being performed. This maximizes the efficiency of the harvesting and also makes it so that stem cells are harvested when the animal is young. At this time, the stem cells are healthiest and best for regenerative cell therapies.

The founder of the startup enterprise is Aaron Hirschhorn. Hirschhorn initially founded DogVacay. He founded this company after suffering from back pain himself. After suffering from back pain, Hirschhorn also saw his dog suffer through arthritis pain. While Hirschhorn noted that he was able to benefit from regenerative therapies, no such therapies were available for his dog. 

Another leading figure at the company is Linda Black. Linda Black is an entrepreneur with experience with other ventures in the past involving the life sciences. Other companies Black has worked for have included SciStem and Medicus Biosciences. These two ventures were also focused on regenerative therapies. 

Thanks to the $11 million in initial funding available to Gallant, the company made the purchase of the Cook-Regentec division. Now Gallant is able to offer pet owners the option to have stem cells collected any time they take a pet to have a spay or neuter surgery performed. 

In the future, regenerative therapies will be more widely available for pet owners, but it’s important to have the young stem cells available to provide these therapies. With the services of Gallant, it’s easy to ensure that effective treatments will be available for your dog for chronic conditions like arthritis down the road. 

One of the many fires in California recently was the Easy fire, the one that almost burned down the Reagan library in the Simi Valley area.  This area is a ranching community, so the sudden fire resulted in many large animals needing to be rescued quickly. This is not easy to do during a fire, since the animals often become frightened of the smoke and fire.

One was an elderly horse named Prieta.  The horse had been led away from the corral to the safety of the transportation area first because she was peaceful during the smoke.  The ranchers thought this might be due to her being an elderly horse.  Normally, in a fire horses can be quite difficult to rescue due to their fear and anxiety.

Whatever the reason, Prieta was calm during the fire and was one of the first horses led away. All of a sudden, she reared up and headed back toward the smokey corral, galloping right back into the fire.  Despite attempts to call her back, the horse continued on to the corral.  Now the rescuers had to go back and do the rescue again.

Once in the corral, Prieta seemed to round up the horses in her horse group.  She seemed to calm them down, but she was leading the horses in the wrong direction!   She led them deeper and deeper  into the corral.  This, of course, was no help to the people trying to rescue the horses in a hurry.  As the horses disappeared from view, the rescuers became very concerned.

Shortly thereafter the rescuers heard the sound of hooves on the road. At first the rescue group thought that these were other horses running away from the fire from a different ranch.  However, a rescuer noticed these horses looked familiar.   This was the group of horses that were in the smokey corral.  Apparently, the horses had found a way that allowed the horses to exit the corral as a group.  Part of the fence was damaged by the fire or the horses trying to get out, resulting in a side exit in the corral fence. At the end of the line came Prieta.  

The fire had led to the fence being damaged in an area the rescuers could not see because of the smoke.   It seemed Prieta had gone back to make sure her horse family was rescued from the fire.  She did an amazing job, rescuing all of her horse family.  She was even able to calm down a frisky colt named Onyx who was not responding well to the rescuers.  

Local vetinarians suggested that Prieta was using her natural maternal instincts to make sure her family was safe.  She herded her “children” together and then followed them to a path of safety.  Thanks to Prieta’s efforts, much time was  saved and other animals were able to be rescued at other ranches.  Prieta’s owner is looking forward to returning his herd to their ranch in the future, once the fire damage is cleared and the fence is rebuilt.

If you have a new puppy, one of your worst fears may be that it is attacked by another animal. It’s one of those fears that we all have when we first get a new puppy. We’ve heard about and seen other attacks, so it’s very much in the realm of possibilities. Fortunately, there are some important tips that you should consider, so you can protect your puppy. 

What Are the Signs of Attack?

Your puppy will probably appear to be an easy target to dogs and other animals, but if you pay attention, you may just notice the signs, and be able to remove yourself and your pet form the situation. You may notice the following signs:

• Snarling
• Barking
• Growling
• Baring teeth

You should be aware of your surroundings any time you’re outside playing with, walking, or in other ways interacting with your puppy. So, at the first sign of aggressive behavior by another animal, take immediate action. If that behavior is directed specifically at your puppy, this is typically a good time to pick your puppy up and put yourself between you and the other animal. 

You can also mitigate the circumstances by avoiding areas like dog parks where you know there may be dangerous animals or aggressive dogs, particularly when your dog is still so young. There are plenty of ways to give your puppy the social interaction and the exercise they need without putting them in a bad situation. 

Stay Calm & Collective

You should be aware of your surroundings, but you must also stay calm both before and after the attack. When you are calm and collected, you may be able to pull the animals apart, ask for help from others who are close by, and even add a level-headed approach to the situation.

When you are calm and collected, you can also assert your authority over the other animal. It doesn’t always work, particularly if the other animal already sees you as a threat or challenge.

• Speak with conviction and command.
• Watch your body language.
• Stand tall and avoid submissive postures. 

The best strategy is still to remove yourself and your puppy from the situation by making a quick exit. While you’re edging away, though, you can (hopefully) avoid being bitten or attacked. 

Emotional Support

Your first thought is to protect your puppy and get you and the puppy away from the situation. Your next thought should be to offer emotional support to your puppy. Check to make sure that your puppy really is physically ok. Are there bite marks? Bruising? Limping? Is the puppy whimpering? 

If you’re concerned about the well-being of your puppy, take your little one to the veterinarian. They will perform a full exam and may recommend additional tests or scans to make sure everything is ok. The vet may also recommend that you monitor your puppy over the next few days. 

Gather Information

Don’t forget to talk to the other owner(s). It’s not typically helpful to confront or accuse the other person(s). Remain calm, and ask for contact information. Take pictures, and jot down (or record) details about what happened, what the dog looks like (breed if you know it), and any previous history about the animal. For example, if you know or if the owner mentions that the animal has attacked other dogs in the past, it shows a pattern of aggressive behavior. Take note of the date, time, and any other information that’s related to the incident. 

If your puppy is in good health, you may never need to remember the details of the attack or potential incident. But, it’s better to be safe than sorry. If the owner of the other animal claims that you’re at fault, you need as much information as you can get to describe what really happened. 

There are lots of reasons why you’ve chosen to spay or neuter your puppy. It’s the responsible thing to do, because there are already too many homeless pets. It can also contribute to the health and long life of your puppy. Neutered males live 18% longer, while spayed females live 23% longer. Part of those longevity stats probably link back to lower incidents of testicular cancer and prostate cancer. a

How Does It Work?

When your female puppy is spayed, the vet removes the uterus and ovaries in a procedure called an ovariohysterectomy. So, your puppy will not be able to reproduce, and she will probably not demonstrate the behavioral issues associated with going into heat.

When your male puppy is neutered, the vet puts him under anesthesia, makes incisions, and removes the testicles. The vet typically fits your puppy with a cone to prevent them from licking the area. The incision should take about two weeks to heal, and your vet will monitor the healing and continued health of your pet. 

Quick Tips to Support Recovery

The spay or neuter procedure is not the most pleasant experience, but your puppy will recover fairly quickly. You can support his or her recovery by following these quick tips: 

• Check the incision every day. Make sure it’s healing properly. Contact your vet if you notice unusual swelling, discharge, or odors. 
• Don’t give your puppy a bath for ~10 days, or as instructed by your vet. 
• Set up a quiet, comfortable environment for your puppy to avoid over-stimulation. 
• Use the cone to prevent your puppy from licking or biting at the incision. 
• Keep your puppy from getting overexcited. Keep him or her from jumping around or running until fully recovered.
• If your puppy develops diarrhea or vomiting, or demonstrates other symptoms, contact your vet right away. 

Why You Should Spay/Neuter? 

While there is some risk associated with any medical procedure, the benefits far outweigh any possible dangers. It’s an effective and low-cost way to help your puppy live a long and happy life. After a minor inconvenience, your puppy can return to their former playful selves. It can help improve their behavior, since your puppy more affectionate. Your puppy may also be less likely to roam or engage in fights. 

Your puppy is a part of your life. You care about him or her, and you really don’t want to inflict any pain. Sometimes, it’s just important to consider your puppy’s overall health and happiness.  The best time to spay or neuter your puppy is by four months of age, but the breed will also factor in. Seek out and discuss the procedure with your vet. He or she should have the experience to provide the care you need, while insuring that you’re doing what’s best for your puppy at the appropriate time. It really is a loving and caring decision that will only serve to solidify the bond you have with your puppy both now and in the future. 

There are lots of people who have pets and one of the most common is the housecat. Those who have experience living with a cat probably understand why these animals are so popular. They are fluffy, cuddly, and purr beautifully. At the same time, even though families love their cats, there is always that nagging feeling in the back of one’s mind, wondering if their cat actually loves them back. Sometimes, the cat seems like a member of the family; however, this typically centers around feeding time. At other times, cats might seem like they have everyone and everything. This is typically around the time that cats are bathed. It seems like the love of a cat is conditional more than anything else; however, a recently published research study is looking to change all of this.

A team of researchers recently conducted a research study at Oregon State University. The researchers ultimately decided that cats do form secure, meaningful attachments to their owners. This means that cats have feelings that are similar to those of dogs and babies. Furthermore, these findings were even published in the peer-reviewed journal Current Biology. In the research study, the scientists took more than 100 cats and their owners. They tested the cats using a method that was put together back in the 1970s that was used to study the bond that formed between children and their parents. Then, the researchers tried to figure out whether or not the cats were forming attachments in a manner similar to parents and babies.

During the study, the cat was placed in a room with its owner for two minutes. After this, the owner left the room for a period of two minutes. Then, the owner came back into the room. The researchers used the change in the way that cats responded to decide how strong the attachment was between the owner and the cat. Out of the cats studied, close to two-thirds of the cats showed signs of a secure attachment. This means that the cats show signs of trust in their owner. They rely on their owner to take care of the cats’ needs, such as food, and will greet the owner upon returning. This is a key finding in deciding whether or not cats love their owners.

The results of this study show that it is important for owners to know that their cats rely on them for their own survival and well-being. When cats have a sense of anxiety or insecurity, they often look to their owners for strength and support. This is not unlike children and parents. Therefore, owners need to keep their cats’ needs in mind. Some of the signs that cats are a bit insecure include running away, hiding, and other similar behaviors. While this behavior is often stereotyped as cats being unpleasant, this behavior can have important implications for the feeling of the animal. Owners need to pay attention to this behavior and respond appropriately.

In the end, this study shows that cats do indeed love their owners. Therefore, anyone who is wondering whether or not their cat loves them back can rest easy at night. It is important for owners to act in a way that will further this attachment. Showing love and support for a pet, including a cat, can go a long way. These results are not that different from the feelings that dogs and babies have for their counterparts. Everyone who owns a cat should keep this in mind when deciding how they are going to interact with their beloved pet.