Canine influenza vaccines

Researchers at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry have developed two vaccines for the canine influenza virus (CIV). One targets H3N8 CIV, an equine virus transferred to dogs, and the other targets H3N2 CIV, an avian-origin virus. Unlike current vaccines that include an inactivated or killed flu virus, these new vaccines are “live-attenuated,” aiming to provide better immune responses over longer periods of time. The research was published in the Journal of Virology.

Increasing veterinary school applications

The number of college undergraduates applying to veterinary school in the U.S. increased in 2016, according to the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC). As reported by Veterinary Practice News, a total of 7,071 students used the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) to apply to schools, as compared to the 6,673 students who used VMCAS in 2015, accounting for an increase of 6%.

Morris Animal Foundation feline grants

The Morris Animal Foundation announced feline grants for 2017 amounting to five fully funded studies. These grants total over half a million dollars and support five research teams at four universities. Topics for studies include cancer, Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), and diabetes.

CSU faculty receives research award

Jessica Quimby, DVM, PhD, DACVIM at Colorado State University has been awarded the 2017 Zoetis Research Excellence Award for her work analyzing therapies for sick cats, with particular focus on kidney disease.

Therapeutic plasma exchange saves dog

In UC Davis’s case of the month, Bella, a 5-year-old female pit bull terrier, was taken to the hospital with extremely low red blood cell counts (RBCs). Despite receiving multiple blood transfusions, her count didn’t better, so veterinarians proceeded with therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE). This process improved her RBC count and she was successfully discharged.