Pets & Veterinary Medicine

Using nutrient-rich coconut water to artificially inseminate female pigs could improve breeding and meat quality, a project carried out in Uganda has found.... Read more

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an infectious disease that affects the central nervous systems of animals, typically affecting cervids such as deer, elk and moose.... Read more

Although the microbiome—the collection of all microbes that live in the body—in the fecal matter of dogs has been investigated extensively, those studies have mostly been limited to domesticated dogs. In a new study, researchers have sampled the fecal microbiomes across diverse geographical populations to better understand what they look... Read more

An international team of scientists found that sociality is not linked to intestinal nematode infection in Asian elephants. The researchers looked at loneliness and characteristics of the elephants' social groups and found no differences in infection levels.... Read more

They are loyal companions to thousands of people. Now, research shows the lockdown experience of Britain's favorite dog breed affected their lifestyles and veterinary care.... Read more

West Nile virus may no longer be a death sentence to crows. In a new study from the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, wildlife experts describe successfully treating and releasing five American crows infected with the deadly disease—the first known crows to survive West Nile virus.... Read more

Contact with non-traditional pets increases the risk of exposure to zoonotic pathogens, which are pathogens that spread between animals and people. The National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians, together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, examine the threat to pet owners and provide recommendations for prevention in... Read more

A bird flu outbreak in the U.S. that led to the deaths of more than 40 million chickens and turkeys and contributed to a spike in egg and meat prices appears to be waning, but experts caution the virus hasn't disappeared and worry another surge could take hold this fall.... Read more

Thirteen genetic variants associated with disease in cats are present in more pedigreed breeds than previously thought, according to the largest ever DNA-based study of domestic cats, led by Heidi Anderson from Wisdom Panel in the United States and colleagues from the University of Helsinki in Finland. However, these variants... Read more

Contrary to some beliefs about internationally sourced dogs, a new survey analysis has found no evidence for a poorer relationship between Canadian dog owners and dogs born outside of Canada versus in Canada. Kai von Rentzell of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, and colleagues present these findings... Read more

English Bulldogs must be bred with more moderate physical features, as a new study reports that the breed is significantly less healthy than other dog breeds. English Bulldogs are at increased risk of breathing, eye, and skin conditions due to their extreme physical features, including shortened muzzles, folded skin, and... Read more

As the Morris Animal Foundation Golden Retriever Lifetime Study approaches its 10th anniversary, a newly published paper in the journal PLOS ONE reviews the study's findings to date and previews research in progress. ... Read more

Anyone who has seen a cat experience catnip knows that it makes them go a bit wild—they rub in it, roll on it, chew it, and lick it aggressively. It is widely accepted that this plant, and its Asian counterpart, silvervine, have intoxicative properties, but this might not be the... Read more

Dogs regulate their behavior in a similar way to humans, new research from La Trobe University has revealed. The study, published in Animal Cognition, identified six key markers of executive function in dogs, many of which overlap with the structures associated with human cognition—including the ability to follow instructions, control... Read more

Many dog lovers want to know what goes on in their furry friends' minds. Now scientists are finally getting closer to the answer. In a new study just published in the journal Animal Cognition, researchers from the Family Dog Project (Eötvös Loránd University University, Budapest) found that dogs have a... Read more