Veterinarians talk racial discrimination

William Draper,  DVM, DACVIM (Neurology) and his wife, Françoise Tyler, DVM, have been successful by any measure. They founded The Village Vets, one of the largest privately owned groups of veterinary hospitals in the metro-Atlanta area. They have their own TV show, Love & Vets, on Disney+. And they have four children, one of whom is heading to law school and another who is studying neuroscience at Georgia Tech. But Dr. Draper can also tell you about the challenges and racism he has faced as a black man raised in Inglewood, California, who has practiced in the South for nearly 30 years. . . . more

Going to the dogs, and the occasional cat

Dogs don’t chase after this ambulance; they ride inside. What’s up with that? It’s the pet ambulance, and veterinarians Eric Patrin, DVM, and Robert Jung, DVM, use the 2007 Nissan Xterra to make house calls. The SUV’s vinyl wrap has orange stripes with “Pet Ambulance” in big letters and blue medical emblems covering the side-rear windows. It is parked at the ready in front of their South Whidbey Animal Clinic in Clinton, Washington. Now for the letdown: “It’s just a normal car,” Jung said. No cardiac monitors, oxygen tanks, or IV equipment—just a pet bed and a chew toy. And dog hair. . . . more

USDA adds welfare provisions for dog dealers, exhibitors, researchers

Dog breeders and dealers will need to meet more stringent veterinary care requirements and give their dogs continuous access to water to meet federal requirements starting November 9. All animal dealers, exhibitors, and researchers regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service also will need to apply for new licenses every three years, rather than renew their licenses yearly. Gaining a new license requires submitting to an inspection and demonstrating compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and its regulations, while the current renewal system requires only providing a statement affirming that the person or company still meets all requirements. . . . more

Can humans eat dog food?

Dog food isn’t intended for human consumption and isn’t held to the same production standards as human food, but a small amount is unlikely to cause any major harm. Dog food is typically made from a combination of animal byproducts, grains, soybeans, vitamins, and minerals, creating a nutritionally balanced diet for pets. Animal byproducts frequently found in commercially prepared dog food include scraps of meat, ground bones, skin, organs, and damaged animal parts deemed unfit for human consumption. Although these ingredients are unappetizing to most people, they’re not technically dangerous to consume—as long as they’ve been cooked, processed, and stored properly. That said, the types of vitamins added to a dog’s food are a human health concern. . . . more

Foxes in cities are evolving to have smaller faces and skulls—similar to the way dogs and cats changed as they became domesticated

City foxes have developed noticeably different features from their country-dwelling counterparts, a new study has found. The research, conducted by scientists at the University of Glasgow, shows that foxes observed in London, England, have stubbier snouts than rural foxes. The urban foxes also have smaller braincases (the part of the skull that holds the brain) and less extreme size differences between males and females. Scientists have seen these types of changes before: They’re similar to the traits that dogs and cats developed as they became domesticated between 20,000 and 40,000 years ago. . . . more