Lauren Blanchard

If you’re not sure what your pet’s ideal weight should be for their age and breed, ask your veterinarian. A physical examination will help determine your pet’s body condition score and level of obesity. The vet can then help you determine what kind of diet your dog needs to be on. Some veterinarians will offer nutritional counseling, providing you with a very specific meal plan, a specific number of calories per day, or prescription diet. A lot of this information is additionally covered in the

March 23 is National Puppy Day - Here Are Five Ways to Celebrate They’re small, excited, and sometimes fluffy. No one can deny the utter cuteness of a puppy: just look at their tiny paws and wagging tails! In 2006, Pet & Family Lifestyle Expert, author, and animal behaviorist Colleen Paige founded National Puppy Day to celebrate the most adorable of our four-legged friends, while also raising awareness on puppy mills and ethical ways of adopting. So, we’re bringing you five ways you can celebrat

Thinking of getting a pet? If you don’t have time to walk a dog or the space to keep a cat, then consider getting a rabbit. Rabbits are officially the third most popular pet in the US. With so many wonderful rabbit breeds to choose from, each with a distinct personality, these compact critters are the perfect pet for apartment dwellers. Before considering which of the many rabbit breeds is best for you, it’s best to be aware of a few bunny basics. Although each has their own personality, beneat

When you start out, the dogs are likely to have a different level of training. Trying to teach them as a group is like trying to teach primary and high school kids together. Some kids get the message and listen, whilst those who are bored or don’t understand are likely to disrupt the rest of the class. It’s just not possible to keep order and do the job effectively. Equally, if the dogs are pals then coming together in a group in their minds equals playtime! It’s far more likely to end in a gam

A good place to start is to consider events from a dog’s eye view: "Mom and Dad used to lavish me with praise, then they brought home this squalling, smelly, mini-alien and everything changed. When I tried to give the alien a friendly lick, Mom screeched and scolded me. Now I’m not allowed on the sofa, can’t go in rooms I used to, and dinner doesn’t happen on time. The only time Mom gives me attention is when the alien is asleep and the fun stops as soon as it wakes up. I haven’t changed but not

INSIDE AND OUT: 6 Ways to Keep Your Cat Safe in the Great Outdoors Most cats love nature and it’s only natural that they do! While your furry friend may enjoy cuddling up with you, they may prefer to spend days or nights outdoors. Cats are very curious creatures and have an innate drive to run, pounce, climb, and hunt. Many families decide that it is best for their cat to live an indoor-outdoor lifestyle, providing the best of both worlds. There are always pros and cons when making this decision

It is National Dog Training Month: Here are Four Ways to Celebrate! Did you know January is National Dog Training Month? Whatever the resolutions you made for 2023, do they include a dog-shaped one? After all, getting out and about with your dog is the paw-fect way to burn off those Christmas calories. Organized by the APDT (Association of Professional Dog Trainers), National Dog Training Month is an annual event where dog owners are encouraged to focus on deepening their relationship with thei

Pet tags are used to identify an animal and provide information about the owner. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Tags are made out of many different types of materials, from plastic to aluminum or even gold! Tags typically hang from a collar or harness, but sometimes identification information is embroidered directly onto the collar itself. Tags can be made in a variety of ways as well - the information is either engraved or stamped onto the material. Kiosks at pet stores can

One thing we tend to underestimate about our canine companions is their keen sense of smell. To dogs, the ability to pick up a scent is like a super-power, and opens up a full fascinating story about who passed by and when. If the dog picks up an interesting scent, such as vermin that crossed the yard, many dogs’ (terriers especially) natural instinct is to dig. After all, that’s what we bred terriers for – to dig rats out of holes! Other dogs like to dig because it exposes the cool earth beneat

What is and What Can You Do To Help? Every year, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) promotes Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. It’s a time for getting those animals in shelters into loving and caring homes. Wondering what you can do to help? Here are four ways you can lend a hand... If you have the space and the ability for it, bring a dog into your life and give them a loving home. 3.3 million dogs enter shelters every year so one of them has got to be the perfect m

Many houseplants are toxic to both cats and dogs. Some can cause mild digestive upset while others can cause irreversible organ damage and death. It is important for all pet owners to be aware of these toxic plants and avoid keeping them in their home. Cats are especially at risk for poisoning, as they are very curious creatures and can jump up high to reach almost any plant for tasting. Lilies are beautiful and many varieties make beautiful bouquets and houseplants. But if you own a cat, think

In our current economy, knowing how to properly manage your finances is vital. Whether you are interested in a career as an accountant or bookkeeper, want to become a better asset to your business or are looking to prepare for tax season, our online Accounting and Bookkeeping class will give you the tools and knowledge you need to do it. Get ready to tackle the financial world by learning how to: • Keep track of sales, cash flow and inventory • Report taxes and prepare a business for audit (wh

Profiling has become a subject of significant interest since the rise in popularity of crime drama series and psychological thrillers. This thought-provoking course will give you an overview of various approaches and processes involved in generating a profile and a greater understanding of crime and the theories behind investigation. Explore forensic science, criminology theories, types of crime and punishment and how to read a crime scene. Study famous case studies like Jack the Ripper & Charl

Forensic science applies science to law and it has become a fundamental part of criminal investigations. This introductory course explores the processing and reconstructing of a crime scene, fingerprinting, DNA and even understanding of blood splatter analysis. Discover the basic principles that are applied, and the different techniques and technologies that are used in the process of criminal investigations and the court cases that follow them. If you have an interest in criminology, forensic

Take a deep dive into the world of Criminal Psychology and explore the criminal mind. Learn about the motivations behind criminal acts, the types of crime and the behaviors and reactions of the criminals behind them. Improve your critical thinking skills and get a better understanding of: • The science and psychology that supports criminology. • Bias, how to avoid it and be culturally competent • Tools and abilities to carefully consider theories International Open Academy courses are designed

Purpose: To analyze and provide an overview of the incidence, management, and prevention of conjunctival erosion in Argus II clinical trial subjects and post-approval patients. Methods: This retrospective analysis followed the results of 274 patients treated with the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System between June 2007 and November 2017, including 30 subjects from the US and European clinical trials, and 244 patients in the postapproval phase. Results were gathered for incidence of a serious adverse event, incide

Purpose: To compare clinical outcomes between two trifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs): the new FineVision POD F GF trifocal IOL made of hydrophobic acrylic glistening-free material, and the FineVision POD F IOL made of hydrophilic acrylic material with 26% water uptake in patients undergoing routine cataract surgery using standard phacoemulsification.

To evaluate visual outcomes and satisfaction after implantation of 2 trifocal intraocular lenses (IOLs): a spherical IOL and a toric IOL. Patients (>50 years) were implanted bilaterally with either a trifocal spherical hydrophilic IOL (FineVision POD F) if corneal astigmatism was 1.0 diopter (D) or less, or with a trifocal toric hydrophilic IOL (FineVision POD FT) if astigmatism was more than 1.0 D. Outcomes analyzed 3 months after surgery included monocular and binocular visual acuities at dis

Case presentation: A 43-year-old Caucasian man with moderate loss of visual acuity in his left eye (20/40) and normal visual acuity in his right eye (20/20), with clinical Doyne honeycomb retinal dystrophy diagnosis and genetic confirmation of the common heterozygous mutation (EFEMP1) by genetic testing, underwent nanopulse subthreshold laser treatment in his left eye. A safety examination, carried out 7 days after treatment, and clinical follow-up, conducted 60 days following laser treatment, showed improvement of visual acuity from baseline by two letters and a subjective improvement of blurring. While no apparent morphological changes were found on fundoscopy, increased autofluorescence in the treated eye was observed on imaging. In addition, 2 months after nanopulse subthreshold laser treatment, rod-mediated and cone-mediated full-field electroretinography b-wave amplitudes showed an increase from baseline in both the treated eye (300%) and untreated eye (50%). At 2 months after nanopulse subthreshold laser treatment, multifocal electroretinograms showed improvement. Acuity and full-field electroretinography improvement persisted at 6-month follow-up.

Purpose: To evaluate objective and subjective results after bilateral implantation of a diffractive trifocal intraocular lens (IOL) in a Mexican population. Methods: Prospective, interventional case series involved 15 cataract surgery patients who underwent bilateral implantation of the trifocal Micro F lens FineVision IOL (PhysIOL, Liège, Belgium). Objective analysis involved assessment of monocular uncorrected distance (UDVA), near (UNVA) at 30 and 40 cm, and intermediate visual acuity (UIVA)