Interesting & unusual
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July 19, 2019World’s largest canine cancer study could lead to a cancer vaccine for humans
Researchers are testing a new cancer vaccine on dogs in the largest clinical trial ever conducted for canine cancer. It could potentially lead to a... -
July 15, 2019
FDA issues xylitol update: It’s not just in chewing gum anymore
We already knew that Xylitol is poisonous to dogs; researchers figured that out back in the 1960s. But it turns out there’s way more of it out ther... -
July 11, 2019
Vibrating dog vest makes it possible to train dogs without saying a word
Imagine telling a dog to sit, lie down, or roll over without words or hand signals. Researchers have developed a special dog vest that makes it... -
July 11, 2019
Weekly News Roundup 7/5 to 7/11
This week: Another downside to legalized pot and a pit bull gets some good press. Plus: can dogs help your headaches go away? -
July 8, 2019
Study: Adopting shelter dogs is a lot like dating (minus that first visit to Starbucks)
It turns out that adopting a dog is a lot like dating, only without the “getting-to-know-you” cup of coffee. Those are the findings of a study that... -
July 3, 2019
Weekly News Roundup 6/28 to 7/3
This week: A service dog summits Mount Rainier, a cat door that prevents cats from bringing home dead things, and a cure for HIV—in mice. -
June 26, 2019
Osteoarthritis and obesity in pets go hand in hand (slowly)
Cases of osteoarthritis (OA) in pets have increased at an alarming rate in the past decade, and that increase corresponds with rising rates of... -
June 19, 2019
New study suggests that skull shape may not be the only reason some breeds have trouble breathing
It turns out the shape of the skull may not be the only reason some short-snouted dog breeds have trouble breathing. The culprit could be a genetic... -
June 17, 2019
Study shows a change in feline diet could curb cat allergies in people
“You’re allergic? Whoops.” Cat dander, which holds the allergens that set off the sneezing, the itching, and the runny eyes and nose, is also the... -
June 13, 2019
Endotracheal tubes for elephants: A Project V.E.T.S. story
Every couple of months, the staff at AAHA-accredited Veterinary Center of Parker (VCP) in Parker, Colorado, sterilizes a couple of dozen used... -
June 12, 2019
Calm down. You’re stressing out the dog
When momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy—including the dog.That’s what new research out of Scandinavia suggests. Scientists from Linkoping... -
June 6, 2019
New study identifies most damaging dog bites by breed
Nearly five million people in the US are bitten by dogs each year. The most common victims are children, most of whom are bitten by family pets. Bu... -
May 20, 2019
Why owning a dog is like having male-pattern baldness
Some people own dogs, others don’t. How come? A group of researchers in Great Britain and Sweden wondered why. After all, there would seem to be a... -
May 9, 2019
On moving day, remember: Pets are family, not furniture
We’ve entered the peak moving season in the US. On average, more than 40 million people move each year in the United States, with an estimated 80% ... -
April 18, 2019
Men’s beards obscure true purpose of dog study
It’s hard to say which one’s hairier: the man or the dog. But we do know which one’s got more germs in his fur. That’s thanks to a recent study by... -
April 10, 2019
Study: Cats know quite well when you call them by name
They just don’t care. At least, that’s a reasonable conclusion to draw from a new study by Japanese researchers that suggests household cats can... -
April 4, 2019
Overweight dogs live shorter lives
A new study by scientists at the University of Liverpool and Mars Petcare’s Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition showed that the lifespans of overweigh... -
April 3, 2019
Study: One-third of cat owners use puzzle feeders. What’s really puzzling is why more don’t
Cats are basically freeloaders. They’re perfectly capable of foraging for food on their own, but there they are at feeding time, tails twitching li... -
March 11, 2019
Study: Plastic balloons are killing seabirds
If we want to save seabirds, banning plastic straws alone won’t cut it. We need to ban plastic balloons. A recent study of more than 1,700 dead... -
March 6, 2019
Old dogs can learn new tricks. It just takes them longer
At least, that’s the conclusion reached in a new study that tested the efficacy of using computer touchscreens to stimulate dogs’ mental abilities,... -
March 4, 2019
Study: If either of you ever want offspring, you might want to get off that couch
If you know a couple that’s having trouble trying to conceive, their couch could be part of the problem. Or their shower curtain. Or any number of... -
February 28, 2019
Weekly News Roundup 2/22 to 2/28
This week: One day soon, your dog could be tucking into a bowl of Kibbles ’n . . . Tusks? Plus, feeding a stray cat costs a Florida woman $48,000,... -
February 27, 2019
Staff at AAHA-accredited hospital finds cure for potentially fatal canine heart ailment
Usually, scientists discover cures for human health conditions by testing them on animals. This time, it’s the other way around. In a refreshing... -
February 25, 2019
“You’re both so different since you came back from Cabo. What happened down there?”
Dogs’ personalities can change to reflect similar changes in their owners. Which means your midlife crisis could have life-changing consequences fo... -
February 20, 2019
More bad news about longhorned ticks
Originally from East Asia, the longhorned tick, or Haemaphysalis longicornis, successfully established itself in other areas of the world, includin... -
February 4, 2019
Are big dogs smarter than small dogs?
It depends on what you mean by smart. A new study published in Animal Cognition indicates that bigger dogs, who have larger brains than smaller dog... -
January 31, 2019
Weekly News Roundup 1/25 to 1/31
This week: Unhand that hedgehog! Plus, animal-free cosmetic testing closer to reality, and you might want to double check your dog’s cremains. -
January 30, 2019
Naughty dogs die young—And it’s not their fault
Aggression, disobedience, repeatedly running away, and too much barking can doom dogs to an early death, according to a new study by researchers in... -
January 28, 2019
Study: We’re finding new feline viruses faster than we can figure them out
Things are moving fast in the world of feline pathogens. The authors of a recent review article in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery say... -
January 23, 2019
Are dogs’ personalities hardwired into their DNA?
When we think of certain dog breeds, specific characteristics come to mind: Beagles are boisterous. Afghans are aloof. Pembroke Welsh Corgis are...
