Bizarre beauty trends are hardly a new thing - we've seen everything from nose hair extensions to 'halo eyebrows' and let's not forget some women's ongoing obsessions with developing a deep fake tan - that makes them look like a 'mahogany table', apparently. Although they make look a little bit silly, until now they've pretty much been harmless. I mean, yeah, going green overnight might not be your cup of tea, but each to their own and all that. However, one new nail 'trend' has got people seriously pissed off, with many branding it 'cruel' and 'disgusting' for its use of live ants entombed inside some acrylic to create a bit of nail art. The weird design was shared online by Nail Sunny in Moscow, and showed the ants being placed inside hollow, clear acrylic nail tips. Despite the post stating that no ants were harmed in the making of the nails, the whole thing was quickly slammed by Instagram users. One wrote: "This is absolutely disgusting, you should be ashamed of yourself. Any nail technicians I know would NEVER dream of doing anything as ridiculous as this. The poor ants suffer for no reason, the nails look horrid!" To read more on this story, click here: Weird New Trend Puts Live Ants Inside Nail Tips
The adorable orphaned tabby cat that served as mascot and morale booster for cops at Coney Island’s 60th Precinct was struck by a car and killed, cops said Monday. He was 2 years old. “Sad to announce our Precinct cat Martin has passed away. He was hit by a car and later died due to his injuries. He will truly be missed by all in the command. RIP Marty,” Deputy Inspector Joseph Hayward wrote on Twitter. A DCPI spokeswoman told the Post the cat was discovered to have been hit by a car on Saturday morning, after he was “heard meowing in distress outside of the precinct back door.” Police did not know how or where Marty was struck. He was taken to a local animal clinic, where he died. The lovable feline was dropped off by a woman at the station house on West Eighth Street and Surf Avenue in late 2016. Cops lobbied for the cat to become a permanent resident. He soon softened the hearts of even the toughest officers — snuggling with them and munching on scraps of turkey.
For a lot of new dog owners, it can be difficult to determine how often you should wash your dog. The truth is, the answer depends on a lot of things. “How frequently a pet needs a bath greatly varies based upon their breed, lifestyle, length of coat, and how much homework a pet owner is willing to do,” says Beth Cristiano, owner of Pretty Paws LLC, headquartered in Harrison, N.Y. The type of coat your dog has is a big factor in how often he requires baths. However, it’s not as simple as the shorter the hair, the less bathing required. Hairless breeds, such as the Chinese Crested and the Xoloitzcuintli, are actually quite care intensive, according to Cristiano, who says these breeds require weekly baths. At the other end of the spectrum are the long-coated breeds, such as the Maltese and the Collie. “Obviously, the more hair a dog has, the more work is involved, including the frequency of the bath,” says Jorge Bendersky, a celebrity dog groomer, pet expert, and best-selling author of “DIY Dog Grooming, From Puppy Cuts to Best in Show: Everything You Need to Know.” He adds, “For dogs with medium-to-large coats, a bath could be needed from weekly to every 4-to-6 weeks, as long as the coat is properly maintained in-between baths.” To read more on this story, click here: How Often Should You Bathe Your Dog? Groomers Weigh In
If you've ever been to the Smithsonian's National Zoo's Small Mammal House, you’ve probably seen the naked mole-rats—those small, nearly hairless rodents running through a series of tubes and chambers. These funky Zoo favorites are ready for a home renovation. Because of your generosity, we're getting a new exhibit: a corner habitat with more realistic tunnels where guests can see the mole-rats up close and peek at a keeper area behind them, along with a webcam so online viewers can watch the naked mole-rats anytime, anywhere! We would like to extend a special thank you to the following donors who made this exhibit possible. To read more on this story, click here:Smithsonian's National Zoo: We Are Building A Naked Mole-Rat Exhibit
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have only been married a few months, but the couple have been non stop since their wedding. Between their public appearances and luxurious vacations, Duke and Duchess of Sussex have had nothing but excitement in their fast-paced royal world. And if they weren't already busy enough, things just got even more interesting for the couple: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle just got a dog together. Earlier today, People confirmed that the two have taken the next step and are now the proud owners of a dog, which is rumored to be a labrador. Reportedly, the couple adopted the dog earlier this summer and it has joined them at their place in Cotswolds area and at Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace in London, a source says. It comes as no surprise that the two have chosen to add a pup to their family—Meghan, 37, is an avid dog lover and adopted a dog named Bogart in the past. The Duchess had to leave the pooch behind in Toronto when she moved to London in November last year, but it's now in the care of a family friend. She is also the fur mama to her beagle Guy, who made an appearance on her wedding day.
Chagas disease, a parasitic infection that can cause heart disease and stroke, has spread from South and Central America to the United States in recent decades, according to a statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) published this week in the journal Circulation. The statement aims to help U.S. doctors better recognize, diagnose, and treat the infection, which is transmitted by an insect called the kissing bug. About one-third of people who are infected with the parasite that causes Chagas disease develop chronic heart problems at some point in their lives. The infection often goes undiagnosed until it’s too late, experts say, which is why early screening and prevention practices are so important. To learn more about Chagas disease, Health spoke with Paula Stigler-Granados, PhD, assistant professor at Texas State University's School of Health Administration. Stigler-Granados was not involved in the AHA’s new statement, but she has researched Chagas disease extensively. Here’s what she, and the AHA, want people to know about this scary-sounding and often silent disease. To read more on this story, click here:Heart Doctors Are Warning About Chagas Disease, a Fatal Infection Caused by the 'Kissing Bug'
Muscular dystrophy is a genetic disorder that deteriorates the muscles of dogs and cats because of low amounts of dystrophin. There isn't a cure for the disease, but there are treatments available that can help slow down the progression of the disease. Find out more here. Muscular dystrophy is a type of genetic disease that dogs, cats, humans, and a few other species can get. It is very serious, but you can still be there for your animal. WHAT IS MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY? Muscular dystrophy refers to any of a group of disorders in which low levels of the protein dystrophin causes progressive muscle degeneration. Which muscles are affected, when the disorder manifests, and how quickly the disease progresses depends on which of several possible genetic mutations the patient has. In both cats and dogs, the most common forms of muscular dystrophy begin at birth or shortly thereafter. While the condition is very serious, animals who survive to adulthood can often live fairly well as indoor companion animals for a number of years. MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY IN DOGS In dogs, males are much more at risk than females, although females can be carriers and pass the mutation on to their sons. When females do get the disease, they often get a less severe form. Although muscular dystrophy is always rare, some breeds, particularly Golden Retrievers, are more at risk than others. Japanese Spitz dogs and Labrador Retrievers also have their own, even less common, versions of the disease. Signs and symptoms always involve weakening of the muscles.
Did you know that cats meow to people, but not to other cats? Adult cats, living apart from humans, have very clear communication with one another. Cat language is spoken mostly through scent, then through facial expression, complex body language and touch. Cat sounds for vocal communication involve caterwauls for mating, chattering upon spotting prey, hissing to ward off an intruder or shrieking when hurt or terrified. Meowing is not part of natural cat language, it was developed almost exclusively for humans. The only meowing in cat language is done between a mother cat and her kittens. A kitten’s tiny “mew” is a cute, endearing sound, used to solicit attention and care from mom cat. Once the kittens are grown, the mews and meows would stop, if not for communicating with humans. So why do cats meow to people? Because meowing is what works. Your cat is dependent on you and quickly learns that you are clearly not picking up the scent messages she leaves on your belongings or the body language she is attempting to use. The meows and mews are what get you to do what she wants. So the meowing develops into a second language to communicate to you. Some scientists would go so far as to say that cats have refined their meows specifically to manipulate people. And we have to admit, it works! Cat people know cat language Dr. Nicholas Nicastro, Ph.D., did his thesis on humans’ ability to understand meows. He recorded hundreds of meows cats used in real settings with their owners. He had people listen to the meows, then asked what they thought the cats were communicating. Part of the experiment asked general interpretations (Does the cat sound angry or pleasant?) and part were more specific translations (Is this cat asking for food or does he want you to go away?). Not surprisingly, the more experience the people had with cats, the better they were at understanding meows. People who owned cats could correctly translate 40% of the meows. That’s pretty remarkable considering the respondents did not have the benefit of seeing the cat. Normally, when a cat meows, we get more clues to the meaning from the context—including location (by the door, near a dirty litterbox) time of day and body language. Different meows. Different meanings. There are dozens of meows that cats can use, they vary in pitch, length and volume. Most cat owners learn the language easily. A short, high-pitched meow is a standard “Hello!” Several of those strung together can communicate excitement,“You’re home! YAY!” Cats use pleasant meow sounds to solicit you for food, to go outside or to simply get attention. Your cat learns which meow is going to get the results she wants. Cats use unpleasant, harsher, louder meows for demands, reprimands or to express annoyance. These meows have a lower pitch. Even though there is a distinct “demand meow,” for example, your cat may have separate variations for each of her regular demands. Generally, the following meows have these meanings:
Short meow or mew: Standard greeting. “Hello!”
Multiple meows or mews: Excited greeting. “Great to see you!”
Mid-pitch meow: Plea for something. “I’d like to eat.”
Drawn-out mrrroooow: Demand for something. “Open the door. NOW.”
Low-pitch MRRRooooowww: Complaint of a wrong you have done. “Hey—why’s my bowl still empty?”
High-pitch RRRROWW!: Anger or pain. “That’s my TAIL you just stepped on!”
