https://phys.org/biology-news/veterinary-medicine/ en-us Veterinary medicine news stories about diseases, disorders and injuries in non-human animals After more than 15 years of collaborative research, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and Houston Zoo have reached a major milestone in the fight against elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV), publishing the first peer-reviewed evidence that an experimental mRNA vaccine may help protect young Asian elephants from one of the deadliest diseases facing the species. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-elephant-vaccine-deadly-virus.html Veterinary medicine Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:40:01 EDT news704457975 Researchers have found that an arginine vasopressin stimulation (AVP) test offers a reliable way to assess endocrine function in sick foals. The work, published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, could lead to faster identification and treatment, improving survival rates for foals with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal gland axis (HPAA) dysfunction. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-tool-endocrine-dysfunction-sick-foals.html Veterinary medicine Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:20:02 EDT news704375702 A new study by the Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research at the University of Oxford reveals that industrial poultry farming has led to a more than 100-fold increase in the movement of Campylobacter, allowing strains that once circulated in wild birds to mix extensively in commercial poultry populations. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-industrial-poultry-farming-major-foodborne.html Veterinary medicine Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:00:07 EDT news704357396 Imagine you're driving down a winding road when you spot an injured possum. Your instincts might tell you to hit the brakes, check what's wrong and bundle it into your car. Research shows many of us want to help wild animals in distress. This may be out of empathy, obligation or simply wanting to do the right thing. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-wild-animal.html Ecology Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:40:11 EDT news704102282 If you've been anywhere near the internet in recent days, you will likely have seen the viral footage of "Jimothy": an unusually round raccoon in Seattle that hops and skips along in a video filmed by local resident Kiana Hall. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-jimothy-raccoon-short-spine-syndrome.html Plants & Animals Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:20:03 EDT news704102221 A new scientific review has found that nutritionally sound vegan dog food, vegan cat food and vegetarian pet diets are generally well digested and broadly comparable to conventional meat-based diets. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-vegan-dog-cat-food-generally.html Veterinary medicine Fri, 24 Jul 2026 08:20:01 EDT news704098861 Warm weather often means more time outside with your pets, but higher temperatures also increase the risk of heat stress, which occurs when an animal's body cannot properly cool itself, causing its core temperature to rise. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-pets-stress-expert-advice.html Veterinary medicine Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:20:03 EDT news704087882 When it comes to protecting livestock from devastating diseases, simply telling people what to do may not be enough. A new review led by a researcher from the University of Vermont and collaborators from two institutions in Australia suggests that improving farm biosecurity requires something often overlooked in animal health: understanding how humans make decisions. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-human-side-animal-health-global.html Veterinary medicine Thu, 23 Jul 2026 07:20:01 EDT news704002382 Cachexia—a syndrome characterized by progressive muscle wasting—affects both humans and dogs with chronic diseases such as cancer. A recent study in Molecular Oncology found that lower circulating levels of certain microRNAs—small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression—often indicate the presence of cachexia in senior dogs. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-circulating-micrornas-insights-cachexia-senior.html Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 22 Jul 2026 03:00:04 EDT news703832514 Members of the Horse Microbiome Research Group recently published a new study in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, led by Dr. Joy Leng, who is currently undertaking the Alborada Well Foal 2 project. This research aims to understand how the foal gut microbiome develops by investigating the microbiomes of mares and their foals. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-rapid-bacterial-community-profiling-equine.html Molecular & Computational biology Tue, 21 Jul 2026 22:20:04 EDT news703857261 Texas Tech University's School of Veterinary Medicine fourth-year students Kayden Tanner and Marshall Mays have both been published in international journals after putting hundreds of hours into their research papers. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-fourth-year-vet-students-reveal.html Biotechnology Mon, 20 Jul 2026 08:00:04 EDT news703748101 Blood transfusions are crucial in human and veterinary medicine, yet human blood reserves are in constant need of donors, while blood bank systems in veterinary care are nearly nonexistent. This leaves canine transfusions largely reliant on donations from healthy dogs, but securing compatible blood remains a major challenge because dogs also have different blood types. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-generating-red-blood-cell-cells.html Biotechnology Sun, 19 Jul 2026 20:00:05 EDT news703496702 Horses know a predator when they see one—even if it's only on a video screen while they're standing in a stall, with no sounds, smells or previous experience providing context for what they're viewing, a new study suggests. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-eyeing-predator-horses-poker-hearts.html Plants & Animals Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:00:07 EDT news703325708 Most people in the U.K. don't fully understand dog laws in the country and often believe stronger protections exist than actually exist, according to a new University of Stirling study. The research, led by psychologist Sarah Weir of the University's Faculty of Natural Sciences and involving more than 1,700 people across the U.K., explored how changing attitudes toward dogs are shaping public expectations and knowledge of dog law. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-people-overestimate-legal-dogs.html Veterinary medicine Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:50:05 EDT news703326143 Mizani, a 12-year-old male western lowland gorilla at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, underwent a first-of-its-kind mastoidectomy to treat an infection that had spread into portions of his skull. The surgery was performed by a multidisciplinary team of wildlife health experts from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and surgeons from UC San Diego Health. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-kind-surgery-western-lowland-gorilla.html Biotechnology Tue, 14 Jul 2026 07:00:04 EDT news703223581 Cats may be cute and adorable, but stray and feral cats can sometimes pose a risk to human health. Veterinary researchers have discovered that more than 50% of free-roaming cats in New York City carry parasites that could potentially be transmitted to humans. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-hidden-health-york-city-free.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 10 Jul 2026 10:30:01 EDT news702895994 About 1 in 3 people worldwide have been infected with a microscopic parasite called Toxoplasma gondii—or simply "toxo"—which can cause toxoplasmosis. After the initial infection, toxo settles into our muscles and brains, where it can remain for life. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-people-toxoplasmosis-dangerous-brain-parasite.html Cell & Microbiology Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:40:04 EDT news702893221 Rutgers Office for Research (OfR) leaders collaborated with researchers around the world to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) program that has the potential to revolutionize lab research. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-lab-animals-ai.html Biotechnology Fri, 10 Jul 2026 08:00:05 EDT news702888117 Scientists have detected the highly contagious H5 bird flu in an Australian seabird for the first time, the government said Friday. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-h5-bird-flu-australian-seabird.html Veterinary medicine Fri, 10 Jul 2026 04:10:01 EDT news702874673 The summer heat can be unrelenting, sending pets who usually run straight to their owners after being outside in search of their water bowls instead. Rehydrating after playtime is important, so if a pet does not have proper access—or a desire to seek out—water, the owner must step in before the companion's health is at risk. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-dangers-dehydration-pets.html Veterinary medicine Thu, 09 Jul 2026 18:40:04 EDT news702815687 Since the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the first case of New World screwworm (NWS) in the United States on June 3, pet owners and shelters alike have expressed concern about what this might mean for their animals. Because the larvae of the parasitic fly infest wounds and can create significant tissue damage if left untreated, veterinarians are encouraging shelters and pet owners, including those who work with colonies of stray or other unowned animals, to remain vigilant and stay informed, especially because NWS infestations can be easily prevented and treated. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-pets-world-screwworm.html Plants & Animals Wed, 08 Jul 2026 22:40:03 EDT news702747009 A rat first frees a cagemate rat and then shares food with it. Is this animal just as empathetic as humans? In an American study from 2011, researchers observed that rats first freed their fellow rats from a cage and then shared food with them instead of leaving them in the cage and eating alone; this means they showed empathy. But do they have the same capacity for empathy as we humans, or do we differ in that regard? https://phys.org/news/2026-07-rats-empathy.html Plants & Animals Sun, 05 Jul 2026 16:00:03 EDT news702217587 As human cases of flea-borne murine typhus continue to occur in South Texas, researchers are working to better understand the role cats and their fleas may play in the disease's transmission cycle. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-feline-fleas-bacteria-linked-human.html Veterinary medicine Thu, 02 Jul 2026 22:00:01 EDT news702210631 In the northern hemisphere, the summer season is rolling in, and the heat is on the rise. For horses, these high temperatures also mean an increased risk of respiratory issues, such as recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN). https://phys.org/news/2026-07-pressure-recurrent-laryngeal-neuropathy-horses.html Plants & Animals Wed, 01 Jul 2026 16:20:04 EDT news702136442 The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has been found in seabirds in two Australian states. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-bird-flu-deadly-backyard-chickens.html Veterinary medicine Sun, 28 Jun 2026 18:30:01 EDT news701605428 A new Cornell University study helps deepen the understanding of skull shapes in dogs of different sizes and draws a link between cranial and facial shapes, body weight, and the risk of syringomyelia, a spinal condition common in some dog breeds. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-dog-skull-body-weight-linked.html Veterinary medicine Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:20:12 EDT news701609361 Scientists have shown that the stride length of the front legs (but not the hind legs) of senior and geriatric dogs decreases as their cognitive performance worsens. In contrast, chronological age itself was a poor predictor of stride length. A similar reduction in step length has been well documented in people with dementia. These results suggest that a decline in stride length could be an early warning sign of canine dementia, and so an informative new tool for veterinarians. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-shorter-front-leg-early-dementia.html Plants & Animals Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:01 EDT news701451602 Scientists have detected the highly contagious H5 bird flu strain in a second Australian state, the nation's agriculture minister said Wednesday. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-h5-bird-flu-australia-state.html Veterinary medicine Wed, 24 Jun 2026 04:10:02 EDT news701491836 Sight-threatening antibiotic-resistant eye infections are becoming a significant threat to vision in dogs, cats and horses, according to a new comprehensive review published in Veterinary Ophthalmology by researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The study examines global trends in antimicrobial resistance in animal eye infections and warns that multidrug-resistant bacteria are becoming more common in referral veterinary settings. The review also highlights a critical challenge for veterinarians: Standard laboratory tests may not always predict how well topical eye treatments will work in practice. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-antibiotic-resistance-threatens-vision-pets.html Veterinary medicine Tue, 23 Jun 2026 15:40:03 EDT news701438821 The dried larvae of the yellow mealworm beetle (Tenebrio molitor) are comparable to beef or poultry in nutritional value, but the mealworm has a far smaller ecological footprint. It was recently approved for human consumption by the European Food Safety Authority. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-yellow-mealworms-anatomically.html Veterinary medicine Tue, 23 Jun 2026 13:20:12 EDT news701432655