https://phys.org/biology-news/veterinary-medicine/ en-us Veterinary medicine news stories about diseases, disorders and injuries in non-human animals A benign but invasive canine oral cancer is often mistaken for a similar malignant one, leading to misdiagnoses in close to a third of cases. But a new diagnostic tool can now distinguish between the two, according to a new study that also identified a promising FDA-approved drug ready for clinical trials. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-drug-invasive-canine-oral-tumors.html Veterinary medicine Tue, 18 Aug 2026 17:40:07 EDT news706273621 A new AI framework, known as SHIC-XE, has been developed to detect signs of pain in horses from video analysis while providing stable, anatomically consistent explanations for its decisions. The framework was developed by an international team of researchers led by Dr. Marcelo Feighelstein, head of the Artificial Intelligence Systems Engineering Program at Tel-Hai University's new Cluster of Engineering and Advanced Computing. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-ai-pain-animals-theyre.html Biotechnology Tue, 18 Aug 2026 17:30:04 EDT news706291501 When people think about climate change and animals, they might picture melting sea ice, drought-stricken landscapes or species struggling in the wild. Far less attention is given to the animals living in our care. Yet as heat waves become more frequent, intense and unpredictable, zoos may be facing one of the biggest animal welfare challenges of the coming decades. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-zoos-ready-climate.html Ecology Mon, 17 Aug 2026 15:40:05 EDT news706190821 A distinctive black or dark brown lesion that appears on the eyes of some cats has long puzzled veterinarians. Now, researchers have identified two elements that may help explain what is happening inside the affected cornea. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-elements-clues-mysterious-black-eye.html Veterinary medicine Mon, 17 Aug 2026 12:20:08 EDT news706181222 For many people, a trip to the zoo is a chance to watch playful otters dart through the water and chatter with one another. But while we may worry that crowds could stress the otter community, a new Australian study shows that happy onlookers may indeed be helping them flourish. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-otters-attention-humans.html Ecology Mon, 17 Aug 2026 11:40:01 EDT news706179653 Bird flu is circulating among birds on the Australian mainland. So, with the confirmed number of detections growing, you may be wondering about the risk of birds infecting humans. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-bird-flu-infecting-humans.html Veterinary medicine Mon, 17 Aug 2026 07:40:03 EDT news706165741 Humans love dogs, but petting them can leave some people sneezing and wheezing. About 15% of the world's population lives with a dog allergy, which can increase the risk of hay fever and asthma. The main culprit is Can f 1, a protein found mainly in dog saliva. Right now, staying away from furry friends or getting regular immunotherapy shots or tablets is the only way to deal with the symptoms. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-gene-beagles-major-dog-allergen.html Biotechnology Sun, 16 Aug 2026 14:00:01 EDT news705919142 Canine sarcoptic mange (scabies) is a skin condition in which microscopic mites (Sarcoptes scabiei) infest dogs' skin. The condition is contagious and zoonotic and can be difficult to detect. If left untreated, it can cause bleeding sores, malnutrition, emaciation and secondary bacterial infections that may eventually lead to a dog's death. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-topical-clove-oil-canine-sarcoptic.html Veterinary medicine Sat, 15 Aug 2026 13:40:01 EDT news705918202 A three-month Fulbright U.S. Scholar trip to Argentina wasn't just about bringing Texas know-how to South America for Gabriel Hamer, Ph.D., a Texas A&M AgriLife Research entomologist and professor in the Department of Entomology in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-scholar-south-america-chagas-disease.html Ecology Fri, 14 Aug 2026 07:30:03 EDT news705906832 For dogs with heart disease, a fraction of a centimeter can make a life-changing difference. Veterinarians often rely on chest radiographs to monitor subtle changes in heart size that help determine when treatment should begin. But those measurements can vary from one doctor to the next, making it difficult to know whether a dog's condition is truly changing or whether the difference is simply the result of human interpretation. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-ai-tool-veterinarians-track-heart.html Veterinary medicine Wed, 12 Aug 2026 15:30:01 EDT news705765121 Fourth-year veterinary students matched—and experienced clinicians outperformed—an AI-enabled digital stethoscope in diagnosing heart murmurs and arrhythmias in cats and dogs, according to a new study from North Carolina State University. The study emphasizes the importance of human expertise when using AI-assisted technology, particularly with instruments designed for "universal" usage. The research is published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-human-clinicians-outperform-ai-stethoscope.html Biotechnology Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:20:09 EDT news705753527 University of Bristol–led researchers have identified a naturally occurring gut molecule that could strengthen chickens' immune response against a wide range of bacterial infections. This development, published today, Aug. 12, in The Journal of Immunology, offers a major step forward in sustainable farming and the global fight against antibiotic resistance. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-immune-reprogramming-poultry-deadly-diseases.html Veterinary medicine Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:20:01 EDT news705747624 According to new research, viewers often dismiss, trivialize or even romanticize signs of cat distress during "play" interactions, raising concerns for cat welfare. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-internet-cats.html Plants & Animals Wed, 12 Aug 2026 10:20:06 EDT news705745323 A new study out of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine suggests that West Nile virus (WNV) has had impacts on one in five Pennsylvania bird species, demonstrating how decades of community science data and mosquito surveillance can uncover the long-term ecological effects of wildlife disease. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-impacts-west-nile-virus-pennsylvania.html Ecology Mon, 10 Aug 2026 15:20:03 EDT news705586375 How have selectively breeding dogs across decades and individual training shaped the way that dogs communicate? New from JNeurosci, researchers at Harvard University, led by Mélina Cordeau, sought to answer this question by examining the brain structure of 108 dogs using a noninvasive 3D imaging technique. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-dogs-capacity-communication.html Veterinary medicine Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:00:09 EDT news705248568 A favorite toy or treat can become dangerous in an instant if it gets lodged in your pet's airway. Because choking is a terrifying emergency for pets and their owners, Dr. Christine Rutter, a clinical associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, shares what every pet owner and pet sitter should know about recognizing choking and responding safely. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-veterinarians-case-pet-dog-cat.html Veterinary medicine Mon, 10 Aug 2026 11:40:06 EDT news705574921 Scientists—and dog lovers—have long known that dogs are remarkably good at interpreting our laughs, frowns and tears. But the biology behind this ability has remained largely unexplored until now. In a study published in the journal iScience on Aug. 7, researchers peered inside the brains of dogs as they viewed images of various human expressions. The brain scans revealed that dogs process smiles in a unique brain region and, for the first time, provided evidence that dogs can distinguish between negative facial expressions, including anger, sadness and fear. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-mri-dogs-distinguish-human-sadness.html Plants & Animals Mon, 10 Aug 2026 11:00:07 EDT news705246541 Decades of selective breeding and intensive agricultural practices have reshaped cattle genetics—often at the expense of valuable diversity preserved in traditional herds—according to new research from Aberystwyth University. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-traditional-cattle-herds-diversity.html Biotechnology Mon, 10 Aug 2026 07:20:02 EDT news705560407 We call them "man's best friend," and the evidence supports it. Dogs have been found buried alongside humans in graves dating back 14,000 years. They appear in ancient art from every continent, and they feature in the mythology, religion and folklore of virtually every culture. Archaeological evidence shows they have helped us hunt, protected our homes, hauled our possessions, herded our livestock and provided companionship through the entirety of recorded history. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-dogs-evolved-differently-globe-human.html Evolution Sun, 09 Aug 2026 19:10:01 EDT news705243839 Around 15 years ago, I created a Facebook page for my cat, Sandi. Friends thought it was weird. Today, social media accounts for cats attract millions of followers, cats travel in backpacks and strollers, and surveys consistently show that the overwhelming majority of owners regard their pets as family. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-cats-tamer-people.html Evolution Thu, 06 Aug 2026 15:00:03 EDT news705237842 Lethal bird flu is now spreading in Australia. This is bad news for many native species. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-dont-threatened-species-bird-flu.html Plants & Animals Thu, 06 Aug 2026 11:20:06 EDT news705228181 The deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has now spread from migratory birds to infect resident Australian birds. Clusters of dead birds have been found in several locations. The virus will inevitably infect other wildlife, most notably mammals. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-ways-australia-birds-mammals-bird.html Ecology Wed, 05 Aug 2026 08:40:02 EDT news705136382 The Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, spreads serious pathogens, including severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus, Rickettsia and Theileria, and its bite can cause a meat allergy in humans. Once confined to Japan, South Korea, North Korea, China and Russia, the ticks have expanded across Oceania, and in 2017, they were detected in the United States. Perhaps contributing to this spread is the ability of some female ticks to produce offspring without fertilization by a male: a feat known as parthenogenesis. Only parthenogenetic ticks—the vast majority of which are female—have been found outside their previously known range. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-globally-evolved-asexual-reproduction-multiple.html Ecology Tue, 04 Aug 2026 12:00:01 EDT news705055562 Moving a pet cat from an outdoor lifestyle to living indoors is easier than many owners expect, according to new research that could help improve feline welfare, protect wildlife and ease concerns about keeping cats contained. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-indoor-easier-cats-owners.html Ecology Tue, 04 Aug 2026 08:20:02 EDT news705043022 A highly contagious herpes virus causes Marek's disease, a deadly illness that mainly infects chickens. While it does not make people sick, the virus causes tumors and paralysis in chickens and, if unchecked, can spread rapidly through entire flocks. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-ten-viral-genome-regions-deadly.html Veterinary medicine Mon, 03 Aug 2026 13:40:04 EDT news704979061 Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Department of State Health Services have reported a likely case of soft tick-borne relapsing fever (STRF) in an Austin-area resident. Now, they highlight the growing risk of exposure to infected ticks in urban and residential settings. The study appeared in Open Forum Infectious Diseases. https://phys.org/news/2026-08-case-soft-borne-relapsing-fever.html Veterinary medicine Sat, 01 Aug 2026 09:20:01 EDT news704770165 I am a runner who loves being active alongside my dogs. Actually, I am more of a plodder—and one with very bad knees. Those knees benefit from regular physiotherapy and sports massage. You might not be surprised, then, to hear that I have regular physiotherapy appointments. The slight curveball is that the last three appointments I have attended have been with my dogs' veterinary physiotherapist. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-poochmaxxing-wellness-industry-pets.html Veterinary medicine Fri, 31 Jul 2026 10:00:02 EDT news704703061 Constant scratching, bumpy skin and tufts of lost fur. Those are just some of the signs that an animal has scabies, a severe and potentially fatal skin disease caused by tiny mites (Sarcoptes scabiei) that burrow into the skin. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-scabies-animals-beloved-wombat.html Plants & Animals Thu, 30 Jul 2026 11:40:07 EDT news704622638 The University of Glasgow's Small Animal Hospital is the first in the UK to use a treatment for dogs suffering from serious allergic reactions to bee and wasp stings. The treatment, Hymenoptera Venom Immunotherapy (VIT), has now been successfully used on a number of patients, and while the approach is still relatively new, clinicians believe it offers a way to prevent recurrent anaphylaxis in dogs. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-dogs-uk-bee-wasp-venom.html Biotechnology Thu, 30 Jul 2026 08:40:06 EDT news704614022 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