Dog News

Of the four influenza virus types—A, B, C, and D—all can infect animals and type D is known to only infect humans. Influenza type A viruses include the highly pathogenic avian flu subtypes, such as H5N1, H7N9, and H9N2, as well as the swine flu subtypes H5N1 and H9N2.  No known human-to-human spread has occurred

The veterinary tranquilizer xylazine is indispensable in large-animal care, and some veterinarians worry that listing xylazine as a controlled substance to make distribution for human use illegal would require veterinarians to maintain logbooks and manufacturers to implement controls that might raise the drug’s price or discourage them from making the drug altogether. Instead of listing

Historically, the agencies have determined oversight for products topically administered to animals to treat fleas and ticks on the basis of whether the chemical is systemically absorbed into the bloodstream (FDA oversight) or remains on the skin (EPA oversight). This arrangement originated with a 1971 memorandum of understanding between the two agencies. The agencies now

The North American Bat Conservation Alliance says more than half of the continent’s 154 known bat species could face “severe population decline” over the next 15 years, putting agriculture and ecosystem relationships at risk. White-nose syndrome has devastated bat populations since 2006, and forest fragmentation and climate change are further stressing the animals, but scientists

Veterinarians throughout the US are offering free eye examinations for service and working animals during May in an event sponsored by the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists. In addition to caring for pets and working animals, veterinary ophthalmologist Jessica Meekins has performed cataract surgery on two colobus monkeys and a gibbon.

The National Academies of Practice (NAP), an interdisciplinary organization of health care practitioners and scholars, inducted AVMA President Lori Teller and Drs. Julia Ponder and John Tegzes as 2023 fellows in the Veterinary Medicine Academy. This year’s awards were presented on April 1 during a ceremony in Washington, D.C. Fellows of the NAP have spent

Clinicians at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital in Nashville, Tenn., have treated nearly 200 children for dog bites over the past three years. Dog bites are preventable by learning to read dogs’ body language, asking permission from handlers before approaching dogs, extending an open hand to the dog and never approaching a dog that is

With veterinary professionals in high demand and short supply, some veterinary hospitals are struggling to retain staff members while also attracting new hires. Employee satisfaction depends on several factors—salary, benefits, and scheduling being chief among them. Workplace culture is another, and its effect on employee retention cannot be overstated. One way businesses attempt to promote

Minnesota’s poultry farmers are bracing for an influx of H5N1 avian influenza after officials announced the state’s first known case in four months last week. Veterinarian Jill Nezworski says lessons learned last season will mean a greater focus on preventing contact between flocks and wild birds as part of what she says is a new

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) and Merck Animal Health announced on April 5 that they are providing $100,000 in funding to help communities in Turkey and Syria recover from the earthquakes that hit in February. The AVMF, the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association, and Merck Animal Health, a research-driven company that

Toy rabbits or chocolate bunnies are far better Easter gifts than live animals, according to rabbit rescues, which frequently see an influx of animals after the holiday. Rabbits need a specialized diet, physical activity, grooming and veterinary care, and experts say unwanted domestic rabbits should not be released into nature, as they are not equipped

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has established welfare standards for certain birds, which were previously excluded under the Animal Welfare Act. APHIS published a Federal Register notice on Feb. 21 to provide for the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of birds—excluding birds bred in captivity for use in

While humans, dogs, horses, mice, squirrels, raccoons and other species can become infected with Lyme disease, deer are considered “noncompetent reservoirs” because they can be infected by but don’t efficiently harbor and transmit the causative agent, Borrelia burgdorferi. University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers found that white-tailed deer serum killed the bacteria in cell cultures, and

To help educate the public and reduce dog bites, the AVMA is once again sponsoring National Dog Bite Prevention Week, held this year from April 9-15. The AVMA’s webpage on dog bite prevention offers an overview of the topic, an explanation of why dogs bite, and advice about what people can do individually to prevent

Legislation introduced in Congress earlier this week would make the animal sedative xylazine a controlled substance, and AVMA President Dr. Lori Teller says the organization “fully supports” the effort. Several states have already moved to reclassify the drug, which has been found in almost one-fourth of fentanyl powder seizures and 7% of pill seizures. The

Cat-transmitted sporotrichosis has emerged as a zoonotic epidemic and major public health threat in Brazil with the potential of spreading to the United States, warned the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a March 1 teleconference. Ian Hennessee, PhD, an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer in the Mycotic Diseases Branch of the CDC, explained during

Seeing a veterinarian before adopting a pet may be the best way to ensure a good fit between a family and the animal they welcome into their home, writes veterinarian Cynthia Maro. Owners should be prepared for the cost of veterinary care, and a busy lifestyle, allergies or other issues may rule out certain types

Cats need protection against disease-causing viruses and bacteria regardless of whether they stay indoors or go outside, and all cats should be vaccinated starting when they are kittens to protect their health and prevent costly bills for treatment, says AVMA President Dr. Lori Teller. All cats should have year-round protection against flea and tick infestations