The food preferences of 64 cats, of which 28 were domestic pets and 36 were free-ranging animals on three farms, were tested using five food types; a sixth type was also tested on the farm cats. Information was also gathered on the background diet of the house cats (individually) and of each farm cat colony. Consistent differences were found between the predefined groups of cats in their prefer...

AIMS The farming environment in childhood has been reported to decrease the risk of sensitisation to allergens. The purpose of the present study was to explore whether later exposure to a farming environment also could affect this sensitisation. METHODS A population based sample of 202 women who did not live on a farm and 231 who did. The subjects filled in a questionnaire and underwent skin ...

Exposure to animals can provide many benefits during the growth and development of children. However, there are potential risks associated with animal exposures, including exposure to nontraditional pets in the home and animals in public settings. Educational materials, regulations, and guidelines have been developed to minimize these risks. Pediatricians, veterinarians, and other health care p...

A genetic marker is a gene or DNA sequence with known localization on a chromosome. It can be de-scribed as a variation that can be measured or detected by a suitable method, and can be used subsequently to detect the presence of a specific genotype. Such variations occurring at chromosomal or DNA level can serve as genetic markers. The progress in development of molecular markers suggests thei...

Furry mammals kept as pets, farm and laboratory animals are important allergen sources. The prevalence of sensitization to furred mammals appears to be increasing worldwide. Several mammalian allergens from diverse species are well characterized with regard to their molecular structure and immunogenicity, and some are already available for component-resolved allergy diagnostics. The distributio...

The increasing prevalence of toxic substance-exposure in pets South Korea endangers the health and safety numerous companion animals, has become a cause for concern. Notably, annual incidence forensic analysis increased by more than 150% Korea, mainly populous regions such as Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi. In response to this growing issue, veterinary examinations were conducted on 549 dogs cats fro...

In 2007, the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety (NCCRAHS) published Agritourism Health and Safety Guidelines for Children to provide helpful recommendations for protecting the health and safety of children visiting agritourism farms. Supplement A: Policies and Procedures Guide and Supplement B: Worksite Guide were subsequently published in 2009 and provided ...

BACKGROUND The protective effect of farm upbringing on allergic rhinitis is well known, but how upbringing in other environments influences the development of allergic rhinitis is scarcely investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between place of upbringing and pet keeping in childhood and allergic rhinitis and nasal symptoms in adulthood. METHODS The population-...

We explore the role of farm animals in providing care to different types of participants at care farms (e.g., youngsters with behavioural problems, people with severe mental problems and people with dementia). Care farms provide alternative and promising settings where people can interact with animals compared to a therapeutic healthcare setting. We performed a literature review, conducted focu...