Goldendoodle survives rare tumor after treatment by University of Florida veterinarians

A 12-year-old female goldendoodle named Cello, who had a rare tumor so aggressive that it caused a life-threatening obstruction of major veins, is home recovering from surgery at the University of Florida (UF) College of Veterinary Medicine after being given only weeks to live without intervention. The successful outcome was the result of veterinarians from many specialties at UF working together to manage the unusual case—and not giving up, said Elizabeth Maxwell, DVM, a clinical assistant professor in surgical oncology at UF and part of the team who treated Cello in May. Maxwell, who has followed Cello throughout her recuperation, said, “This was one of the most advanced cases of tumor invasion that any of us had seen, and there was a very high chance that Cello could have died during surgery.”. . . . more

Social distancing service dogs say hi

It’s easy to let social distancing slip your mind when you see an adorable dog helping their handler with a disability. In the “before” times, well-meaning strangers have petted, talked to, tried to feed, or gazed longingly at working service dogs, potentially distracting the dog. However, in the COVID-19 era, social distancing can be more important for people with disabilities who may have vulnerable immune systems. With changing needs due to the pandemic, one service-dog provider changed how they train service dogs to interact with the public. . . . more

Outbreak of Salmonella illnesses in Canada linked to contact with pig ear dog treats

The Public Health Agency of Canada is collaborating with provincial and territorial public health partners to investigate an outbreak of Salmonella infections occurring in British Columbia, Alberta, and Yukon. Exposure to pig ear dog treats has been identified as a likely source of the outbreak. Some of the individuals who became sick reported feeding their dog Paws Up! and Western Family brands of pig ear dog treats before their illnesses occurred. The outbreak investigation is ongoing, and it is possible that additional products may be identified. Although products are no longer available for purchase in stores, they may still be in consumer homes. . . . more

Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine achieves historic milestone

After carefully considering the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine’s detailed plan to meet the standards of accreditation, the AVMA Council on Education has issued the school a Letter of Reasonable Assurance. This historic milestone allows the school to begin the application process to admit its inaugural class. With this achievement, the school remains on track, on time, and on budget. The school will begin with an inaugural class of approximately 60 students in the fall of 2021. . . . more

Penn Vet study finds minimal long-term health risks for 9/11 search-and-rescue dogs

Search-and-rescue dogs deployed during the 9/11 attacks lived as long as dogs not at the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon, a new study finds. “I was at Ground Zero and I would hear people make comments like, ‘Did you hear that half of the dogs who responded to the bombing in Oklahoma City died of X, Y, or Z?’ Or they’d say dogs responding to 9/11 had died,” said Cynthia Otto, DVM, PhD, DACVECC, director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Working Dog Center. But Otto and her School of Veterinary Medicine colleagues’ findings are reassuring. Dogs who participated in search-and-rescue efforts after 9/11 lived as long as search-and-rescue dogs not at the scene—a median of about 12.8 years, meaning half died sooner, half did not. They also outlived the lifespans of their breeds. There was no difference in the dogs’ cause of death. The researchers expected to see respiratory problems in the exposed dogs, but they did not. . . . more