As if you needed it, here is another reason that cats are different from dogs: the way they drink.

Injuries in children due to metal landscape edging (metal strips half-buried in the ground to edge lawns) have been previously documented. A 2001 study showed that over a two-year period, 126 children were admitted to the Children’s Hospital in Denver for lacerations caused by metal lawn edging, mostly to the feet and knees. But what about the risk to pets? The danger of metal landscape edging to animals has not been documented until now. A new study shows that the sharp-edged landscaping tool also poses a risk of injury to dogs. Amanda Duffy, DVM, DACVECC, led the study while at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH). Her team looked at the frequency and severity of limb injuries in dogs resulting from contact with metal edging. Over a 10 year period, the VTH admitted 60 dogs that fit the conditions for the study. These 60 dogs accounted for nearly one-third of all paw injuries at the VTH’s emergency service, according to the study.

Lost pets in New York City may now be harder to find.

Several newsworthy items relating to the veterinary world have come out of California recently.

According to a recent poll, pet owners are more likely to obtain a new pet from an animal shelter or rescue than from a pet store or breeder.

 Responsible breeders are always trying to reduce the risk of hip dysplasia in their dogs blood lines. One way to achieving this goal is to have an accurate test for susceptibility to this disease. A recent study attempted to look at the differences in the two most common tests. Currently the test regarded as the "gold standard" used to determine a dogs susceptibility to hip dysplasia is the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) hip joint scoring system. This system rates a dogs hip joint on a seven-point scoring system. The test relies on interpretation of a radiograph of the dogs hips, which are then assigned a score by three independent radiologists: Excellent, Good, Fair, Borderline, Mild, Moderate and Severe (Click here to read an explanation of each score). Another, more recently developed test, is the University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program (PennHIP) test. Unlike the OFA test, PennHIP requires the dog to be anesthetized. Three radiographs are taken to measure the hip joint laxity. A score between 0-1 is assigned, with 0 being very tight hips and 1 being very loose. The test is not pass-fail, and the score is actually based on a measurement of the hip’s distraction index (DI).

Practices that subscribe to Vetstreet and use its Online Store service will now be able to sell Hill’s Pet Nutrition products to clients for home delivery.

A federal report on Animal Welfare Act (AWA) violations details multiple alleged infractions by a major U.S. airline company that resulted in the deaths of at least 16 animals between 2007 and 2009. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) released its monthly "Recent Animal Welfare Act and Horse Protection Act Enforcement Actions" on the APHIS website. The report lists administrative complaints that were filed against alleged violators of the AWA, as well as a list of those who agreed to pay fines to APHIS for alleged violations of the act.

Missouri voters approved the state’s Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act on Nov. 2 by a narrow margin.

Election Day was mixed for veterinarians running for office across the country.