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When Julia Beatty's cat Jasper died of heart disease, it never occurred to her that his death would lead to the breakthrough discovery of a virus previously unknown in cats. But now, samples of his tissue have helped Beatty and other Australian researchers identify a new feline disease: domestic cat hepadnavirus.

Which are healthier, purebred or mixed-breed dogs? That question has fueled debate for years. One school of thought maintains that mixed-breed dogs are inherently healthier because they’re less prone to genetic diseases. But “less prone” doesn’t mean they can’t contract them. Now, a new study shows that genetic testing can give owners and veterinarians a heads up on what genetic diseases a mixed-breed dog might get, depending on his DNA.

Can animals predict natural disasters? A lot of anecdotal evidence suggests that they can. Many people claim that their dogs or cats behaved oddly just prior to an earthquake. But despite the abundance of such assertions, a recent study suggests that animals have no real predictive ability when it comes earthquakes.

Searching “dog nail trimming” on Google reveals a plethora of information. Most of it focuses on our reluctance to routinely trim nails because of unruly animals or the fear of cutting into the quick. Dr. Karen Gellman reminds us that long toenails have consequences on the pet.

The same cast that can help heal a broken limb can lead to complications such as pressure sores, edema, and dermatitis—complications that can mean prolonged pain for the patient, and, in rare cases, amputation of the affected limb. Researchers at Colorado State University (CSU) wanted to know if there was a better way to cast limbs that might decrease those secondary injuries.

Cat, or other pets, may experience placebo effects, according to a study at North Carolina State University evaluating a novel approach for cats with degenerative joint disease. Though conducted in 2014, interesting results were aired this week.

People have been traveling with emotional support animals for years, claiming they serve a mental health purpose. But the scientific case for comfort animals is very weak, according to this Prevention article. “These animals provide the sole purpose of emotional support,” says Molly Crossman, a doctoral student in clinical study at Yale University who authored a study about how animals impact human psychological distress.

Your client’s dog used to run toward the vacuum cleaner. Now he runs away from it.He didn’t used to be afraid. What changed?

Veterinary behavior is a relatively new specialty in our profession. Unfortunately, as such, plenty of old wives tales persist. As veterinarians and veterinary nurses, we critically evaluate and use evidenced-based medicine for our patients on a daily basis, and this should apply to behavior and training, as well. Here are some of the most common misconceptions about our patient’s behaviors that still are being propagated, despite scientific evidence to the contrary.

Feeding dogs raw chicken meat, particularly chicken necks, has been linked to a rare but potentially fatal type of canine paralysis. A study by researchers at University of Melbourne’s U-Vet Werribee Animal Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, found that dogs who consumed raw chicken meat had a 70% greater risk of developing acute polyradiculoneuritis (APN).