https://phys.org/biology-news/veterinary-medicine en-us Veterinary medicine news stories about diseases, disorders and injuries in non-human animals Golden retrievers are one of the most popular breeds of dogs. But research shows they have up to a 65% chance of dying from cancer. In a new study, University of California, Davis, researchers set out to find if certain genetic factors could help their survival rate. But instead of searching for genes associated with a cancer diagnosis in the breed, they instead chose to look for genes associated with longer life. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-golden-longer-gene-longevity.html Molecular & Computational biology Veterinary medicine Thu, 19 Oct 2023 17:06:04 EDT news616953962 A new study provides compelling evidence that animal care and management practices at zoos and aquariums have significantly improved over time. The study, led by Species360 and University of Southern Denmark Research Scientist Dr. Morgane Tidière in collaboration with 41 co-authors from academic, governmental, and zoological institutions around the world, is the first to examine life expectancy and lifespan equality together as a proxy of population welfare in marine mammal species. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-marine-mammal-longevity-reveals-remarkable.html Ecology Veterinary medicine Tue, 17 Oct 2023 19:00:01 EDT news616756183 A new analysis estimates a variety of potential benefits for environmental sustainability—for instance, reduced freshwater consumption and greenhouse gas emissions—that could result from switching all pet dogs and cats in the US or around the world to nutritionally sound, vegan diets. Andrew Knight of Griffith University, Australia, presented these calculations in the open-access journal PLOS ONE. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-vegan-dog-cat-diets-environmental.html Plants & Animals Veterinary medicine Wed, 04 Oct 2023 14:00:02 EDT news615633417 Gut microbes found in wild wolves may be the key to alleviating a debilitating gastrointestinal condition common to domestic dogs, according to a study led by researchers at Oregon State University—Cascades. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-gut-bacteria-wild-wolves-key.html Cell & Microbiology Veterinary medicine Tue, 03 Oct 2023 09:29:03 EDT news615544142 Periodontal disease is one of the most common canine diseases, affecting at least 80% of dogs aged three and over. Periodontal disease begins as gingivitis, where gums become red and inflamed, and may bleed. Untreated, the disease can progress to periodontitis, where the alveolar bone is progressively damaged so that teeth may loosen or fall out. In turn, periodontitis is a risk factor for other diseases like cardiovascular and lung disease. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-mouthwash-dogs-additive-pomegranate-canine.html Plants & Animals Veterinary medicine Fri, 29 Sep 2023 00:20:01 EDT news615136225 Veterinary researchers have used organoids—three-dimensional organ-like structures grown from stem cells and tissue samples—to investigate the biological processes of lung cancer in dogs, a disease that is much rarer in our canine friends than it is in humans, but often far more deadly https://phys.org/news/2023-09-3d-organoids-insights-lung-cancer.html Cell & Microbiology Veterinary medicine Tue, 26 Sep 2023 11:58:08 EDT news614948240 A team of ethologists, natural scientists and psychologists affiliated with several institutions in Hungary has found evidence suggesting that some of the attraction by humans to flat-faced dogs can be tied to their stronger reliance on being helped than other dog breeds. In a study reported in the journal Scientific Reports, the group conducted experiments with two flat-faced breeds, comparing them with non-flat faced breeds, as they engaged in a task. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-flat-faced-dogs-cuddly-longer-muzzled.html Plants & Animals Veterinary medicine Fri, 22 Sep 2023 10:10:01 EDT news614594150 Researchers from the University of Helsinki and the Folkhälsan Research Center, together with their international partners, have identified the genetic background of dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease that enlarges the heart muscle, in dogs and humans. The findings are published in the journal Genome Medicine. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-genes-heart-muscle-disorders-humans.html Molecular & Computational biology Veterinary medicine Wed, 20 Sep 2023 13:22:20 EDT news614434937 In a survey of cat owners, those who fed their cats vegan diets tended to report better health outcomes for their pets than those who provided meat-based diets, though the differences were not statistically significant. Andrew Knight of the University of Winchester, U.K., and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on September 13. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-owners-cats-vegan-diets-healthier.html Veterinary medicine Wed, 13 Sep 2023 14:00:01 EDT news613815924 In a study involving several wolves and dogs, both animals performed better at finding hidden food if they had observed the food being hidden by a person—suggesting that they remembered where the food was, and did not rely solely on scent to find it. Sebastian Vetter of the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on September 13. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-wolves-dogs-people-hid-food.html Plants & Animals Veterinary medicine Wed, 13 Sep 2023 14:00:01 EDT news613815782 Behavioral sensors attached to wild boars have been used to detect when animals are sick with African Swine Fever, a fatal viral disease that affects both boar and domestic pigs. Accelerometer sensors, which measure tiny changes in movement, showed that wild boars reduced their daily activity by up to 20% when infected with the virus. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-accelerometers-behavior-wild-boars-infected.html Plants & Animals Veterinary medicine Tue, 12 Sep 2023 16:28:52 EDT news613754924 Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School and their collaborators have uncovered several previously unknown strains of swine flu viruses that have been circulating unnoticed in Cambodian pig populations over the past 15 years, potentially posing a pandemic risk. The strains include viruses that have been passed by humans to pigs, as well as some with genes originating from as far as North America. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-scientists-strains-influenza-virus-pigs.html Molecular & Computational biology Veterinary medicine Fri, 08 Sep 2023 09:38:04 EDT news613384681 Most dogs respond in specific ways to certain vocalizations, such as another dog barking or humans using certain tones of voice. Of course, this all happens while the dogs are awake. https://phys.org/news/2023-09-dogs-vocalizations-snooze.html Plants & Animals Veterinary medicine Fri, 08 Sep 2023 09:30:01 EDT news613382274 A new epidemiological study of endangered juvenile green sea turtles in eastern Brazil suggests that factors such as water temperature, salinity and proximity to environmental stressors could trigger the development of a tumor disease associated with a herpesvirus. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-scientists-green-sea-turtle-tumor.html Plants & Animals Veterinary medicine Thu, 31 Aug 2023 12:59:04 EDT news612705542 In a pair of new studies, researchers from North Carolina State University have found that as veterinary students progress through their coursework, their beliefs about dog breeds' pain sensitivity and trustworthiness change, becoming more in line with those of practicing clinicians and faculty. The work is important in understanding how veterinary attitudes and culture are being transmitted to future veterinarians, particularly in cases where the culture may be at odds with reality. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-veterinary-school-transmits-culture-students.html Veterinary medicine Mon, 28 Aug 2023 15:20:03 EDT news612454801 Dogs show greater brain sensitivity to the speech directed at them than to adult-directed speech, especially if spoken by women, according to a new study in Communications Biology. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-dog-brains-tuned-dog-directed-speech.html Evolution Veterinary medicine Tue, 22 Aug 2023 13:54:10 EDT news611931246 A research group led by Dr. Tomoaki Murakami from the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology has revealed that fibrinogen Aα-chain amyloidosis, a previously unreported disease in animals other than humans, is highly prevalent in Japanese squirrels (Sciurus lis). In this study, they compared the pathology with that of humans, and suggested the importance of Japanese squirrels in the comparative pathological analysis of fibrinogen Aα-chain amyloidosis. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-japanese-squirrels-human-hereditary-diseases.html Molecular & Computational biology Veterinary medicine Fri, 18 Aug 2023 10:51:04 EDT news611574662 The domestication of canines and their co-evolution with humans has fostered an incredibly unique relationship with these animals. Over time, our four-legged friends have adapted well to understanding human modes of communication, both verbal and nonverbal. However, researchers at the George Washington University say humans could do more to better understand our furry companions, and a dogs' facial markings may be one key to meeting them halfway. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-dogs-complex-facial-communication-humans.html Plants & Animals Veterinary medicine Mon, 07 Aug 2023 14:35:11 EDT news610637704 Declawing house cats to keep them from scratching people and furniture is controversial—and even banned in some countries and areas in the U.S.—but the practice is not limited to house cats. In a new study, researchers looked at the effects of declawing on larger cat species and found that declawing disproportionately impacts their muscular capabilities as compared to their smaller brethren. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-shouldnt-declaw-tigers-big-cats.html Plants & Animals Veterinary medicine Mon, 31 Jul 2023 16:51:27 EDT news610041083 An analysis of more than 2 million pet dogs living in the UK in 2019 has identified the most common overall breeds—topped by mixed-breeds, Labrador retrievers, and Jack Russell terriers—while also highlighting the popularity of breeds with physical features associated with increased health risks. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-mixed-breeds-labradors-jack-russell-terriers.html Plants & Animals Veterinary medicine Wed, 26 Jul 2023 14:00:02 EDT news609580531 Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome viruses (PRRSV) cause significant damage to pig farms worldwide every year. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-treatment-porcine-virus-billions-farmers.html Veterinary medicine Agriculture Wed, 26 Jul 2023 11:08:04 EDT news609588481 Researchers at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Korea, have created a browsable epigenetic atlas for dogs called EpiC Dog (Epigenome Catalog of the Dog) to assist with future research efforts. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-epic-dog-tool-canine-epigenetics.html Molecular & Computational biology Veterinary medicine Mon, 17 Jul 2023 09:20:01 EDT news608804218 A new study published in the CABI journal Human-Animal Interactions suggests that companion animals—including dogs, cats, fish and birds—do not significantly benefit the emotional health of owners with severe mental illness. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-pets-significantly-benefit-emotional-health.html Plants & Animals Veterinary medicine Fri, 14 Jul 2023 05:00:02 EDT news608476202 In a landmark study published today in Scientific Reports, researchers from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the University of Georgia, and the One Health Company have unveiled the results from the largest-ever genomic sequencing study of canine tumors. The study shows that dog and human cancers are far more genetically similar than previously known and underscores the important role of canine cancer data in accelerating the development of precision treatments for cancer patients of both species. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-largest-ever-genomic-sequencing-canine-cancers.html Molecular & Computational biology Veterinary medicine Thu, 06 Jul 2023 12:26:04 EDT news607865161 In an advance that will help scientists track coronavirus variants in wild and domesticated animals, researchers report they can now detect exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus in any animal species. Most coronavirus antibody tests require specialized chemical reagents to detect host antibody responses against the virus in each species tested, impeding research across species. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-team-all-species-coronavirus.html Molecular & Computational biology Veterinary medicine Thu, 06 Jul 2023 11:00:01 EDT news607790553 A University-of-Queensland-developed vaccine may protect farmed saltwater crocodiles from West Nile virus (WNV), providing economic and biodiversity benefits to northern Australia. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-vaccine-crocodiles-multi-million-dollar-industry.html Plants & Animals Veterinary medicine Thu, 29 Jun 2023 09:43:32 EDT news607250609 Dog breeds differ in pain sensitivity, but these differences don't always match up with the beliefs people—including veterinarians—hold about breed-specific pain sensitivity. The results appear in a new study from North Carolina State University published in Frontiers in Pain Research, which also found that a dog's temperament (specifically in the way they interact with strangers) may influence the way veterinarians view breed pain sensitivity. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-dog-affect-pain-sensitivity-necessarily.html Veterinary medicine Wed, 28 Jun 2023 16:27:41 EDT news607188459 Dogs who slow down physically also slow down mentally, according to a new study from North Carolina State University. Measuring gait speed in senior dogs could be a simple way to monitor their health and to document decline in their neurological function as they age. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-dementia-older-dogs.html Veterinary medicine Tue, 27 Jun 2023 13:48:03 EDT news607092481 A new analysis suggests that wild, stray, and feral cats living in areas with higher human population density tend to release—or "shed"—a greater amount of the parasite that causes the disease toxoplasmosis. The study also draws links between environmental temperature variation and parasite shedding. Sophie Zhu of the University of California Davis and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on June 21. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-wild-feral-cats-toxoplasmosis-parasites.html Ecology Veterinary medicine Wed, 21 Jun 2023 14:00:01 EDT news606563563 In a new study, researchers from North Carolina State University detected elevated PFAS levels in the blood of pet dogs and horses from Gray's Creek, N.C.—including dogs that only drank bottled water. The work establishes horses as an important sentinel species and is a step toward investigating connections between PFAS exposure and liver and kidney function in dogs and horses. https://phys.org/news/2023-06-pfas-blood-dogs-horses-fayetteville.html Plants & Animals Veterinary medicine Wed, 21 Jun 2023 00:00:01 EDT news606497914