https://phys.org/biology-news/veterinary-medicine/ en-us Veterinary medicine news stories about diseases, disorders and injuries in non-human animals What happens inside the lungs before COVID-19 symptoms appear? Research in mink offers a rare window into the early stages of the disease. These insights matter for both animal and human health. Researchers and veterinary pathologists from Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR, part of Wageningen University & Research), together with Royal GD and Utrecht University, followed the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection in mink. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-covid-mink-farm-reveals-early.html Veterinary medicine Wed, 15 Apr 2026 22:00:01 EDT news695463744 An international group of scientists mapped the spread of the current dominant strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus through North American bird populations in 2024. Led by scientists from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the collaboration provides a comprehensive view of this novel flu spreading through birds in North America. The investigators collected and sequenced samples from birds across the continent, letting them map the virus's spread. They also compared the virus from birds to those causing human infections, showing that current human vaccine stockpiles will likely work well against both. Closer evaluation of the viruses led the researchers to classify them as low risk for human-to-human spread in their current form. The study was published today in Nature Medicine. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-emerging-alaska-dominant-h5n1-strain.html Molecular & Computational biology Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:00:07 EDT news695486799 If you live with a pet, you might feel like you can almost read each other's minds. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-dog-pain.html Veterinary medicine Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:20:08 EDT news695472602 Among dog breeds, Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers (tollers) have an unusually high rate of Addison's disease, a condition in which the adrenal glands do not produce enough hormones, notably cortisol and aldosterone. In humans, Addison's disease is thought to occur when the body's immune system attacks the adrenal glands, making it a type of autoimmune disease. Affected tollers typically develop Addison's disease at a young age and the condition appears to be inherited. Now scientists have identified a gene variant in tollers, RESF1, which is strongly associated with the disease in dogs. The research is published in the journal Scientific Reports. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-discovery-addison-disease-gene-dogs.html Plants & Animals Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:40:01 EDT news695398562 Modern broiler chicken strains have been selectively bred for rapid growth, increased meat yield and feed efficiency, making poultry meat affordable and widely available. But this has led to reduced movement and natural behaviors, such as foraging, and increased susceptibility to conditions linked to inactivity such as poor leg health and skin lesions. These welfare issues can in turn cause significant economic losses in the broiler industry. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-insects-boost-poultry-welfare.html Veterinary medicine Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:00:04 EDT news695384823 The wave-shaped chart Ratul Chowdhury pulls up on a computer monitor in his office captures the evolutionary cat-and-mouse game his research lab is up against. The undulating curves track variants of the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus, which causes a swine disease that annually costs the global pork industry more than $1 billion—damage attributable in part to how quickly it adapts to escape from immune defenses. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-future-proofing-livestock-vaccines-viruses.html Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:20:06 EDT news695300942 Felicia Beswick's two English bulldogs, 6-year-old Jax and 5-year-old Tun, couldn't be more different. "If you look at 'bulldog' in the dictionary, it's Jax; he's just very, very stereotypical of the breed. He prefers to sit in judgment of everybody, and he's allergic to exercise," Beswick said. "Tun is a little Labrador in a bulldog body; he wants to run and play. He has two switches—one is on 100% and one is asleep. There's almost nothing in the middle." https://phys.org/news/2026-04-weight-loss-short-muzzled-dogs.html Veterinary medicine Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:20:05 EDT news695293142 Mutations in a key protein make a yeast found in dogs with common outer ear infections more resistant to the topical antifungals used to treat it, veterinarians and pathobiologists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found in a new study. The work is published in the journal Veterinary Dermatology. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-dogs-fungal-ear-infections-evade.html Molecular & Computational biology Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:30:02 EDT news694861344 Bird flu—specifically H5N1—is no longer just a poultry problem in Asia. What started as a major United States outbreak, first in wildlife, then in poultry, and later in dairy cattle, is raising new concerns about food security, the economy, the health of farm workers, and the potential for future human outbreaks. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-experts-vaccinate-dairy-cattle-bird.html Biotechnology Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:00:02 EDT news695016721 African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most devastating diseases affecting domestic pigs and wild boars worldwide. Since its introduction into Europe, this deadly virus has spread widely, threatening pig production and causing significant economic losses. Understanding the mechanisms of transmission between domestic pigs and wild boars is essential for developing effective control strategies. However, this has proven to be highly challenging—not only due to the multiple transmission pathways between animals and farms, but also because surveillance data on ASF in wild boar populations remain limited. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-african-swine-fever-transmission-domestic.html Plants & Animals Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:20:10 EDT news694970161 Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus type 2 is a terrible way for any animal to die, especially creatures as gentle as these. Highly contagious and lethal, it threatens wild and domestic rabbits. First detected in the United States in 2020, it has rapidly spread throughout the western states, becoming endemic as far as South Dakota, Kansas, and Texas. Two years later, Pennsylvania had its first two cases at a Fayette County domestic farmed rabbit facility. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-deadly-virus-pennsylvania-rabbits-hares.html Veterinary medicine Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:40:02 EDT news694942622 Permanently wiping out a disease is tricky business. Polio, measles, mumps—all have effective vaccines, yet they persist in certain pockets around the world. To date, the World Health Organization considers just two viruses as successfully eradicated: smallpox and rinderpest. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-years-eradication-rinderpest-lessons-true.html Biotechnology Tue, 07 Apr 2026 09:50:02 EDT news694773661 Why do cats often leave food unfinished? Many cat owners have experienced this puzzling behavior. Domestic cats are well known for eating multiple small meals throughout the day, a pattern thought to reflect their evolutionary origin from the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica), a solitary hunter that repeatedly captures small prey. It has also often been assumed that cats leave food unfinished simply because they have a small appetite or a capricious nature. However, the mechanism underlying this characteristic feeding pattern has remained unclear. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-cats-fullness.html Veterinary medicine Mon, 06 Apr 2026 14:30:01 EDT news694704544 A quick heart trace taken during a warm-up trot could identify racehorses at risk of cardiac arrhythmias during high-intensity exercise, according to a new study led by the University of Surrey. The screening method analyzes short, routine electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings that could be used to help prevent cardiac events in otherwise healthy horses, where no obvious signs of arrhythmia have been detected. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-simple-ecg-flag-racehorses-arrhythmias.html Veterinary medicine Sat, 04 Apr 2026 14:00:01 EDT news694177860 Although neighborhood cats may seem like a fun, charming presence, unowned cat populations have been criticized for causing harm to a community and its environment. Without proper management, stray cat populations can rise rapidly, leading to concerns about predation, disease, and public nuisance. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-benefits-community-neuter-unowned-cats.html Veterinary medicine Thu, 02 Apr 2026 22:50:02 EDT news694347688 In the search to replace antibiotic growth promoters with effective alternatives in modern swine production, plant-based essential oils are showing potential to provide lasting benefits. In a rare long-term public study that compared the effects of phytochemicals from rosemary and oregano with antibiotic growth promoters, animal scientists with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station found that the natural agents given to weaned pigs supported favorable gut health and growth performance later in their lives by preserving microbial diversity to improve nutrient utilization. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-oregano-rosemary-term-swine-natural.html Veterinary medicine Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:00:01 EDT news694278434 Chicks, just like pets, also benefit from gentle human touch, new research has revealed. Scientists at the University of Bristol have discovered that gentle human interactions do not only prevent fear in baby chicks but also trigger positive emotions. The findings offer new insights into how early-life handling affects the welfare of young farm animals. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-human-chicks-happy.html Plants & Animals Mon, 30 Mar 2026 20:10:01 EDT news694083923 Novel marine mammal health surveillance can now detect deadly diseases in whales and dolphins in oceans, beaches and remote locations, thanks to new research from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The portable unit delivers results in about an hour, leading to faster decision-making during mass stranding events. The study is published in Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-portable-quickly-deadly-whale-dolphin.html Plants & Animals Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:30:06 EDT news694108921 By comparing osteoarthritis pain pathways known to be active in dogs and humans to those in cats with degenerative joint disease (DJD), researchers found that elevation of a particular molecule, artemin, could serve as a marker of disease (and possibly pain) as well as a potential therapeutic target. The findings offer the most comprehensive evidence to date that naturally occurring osteoarthritis (OA) in cats mirrors important biological features of human disease. The study appears in Frontiers in Pain Research. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-potential-disease-marker-therapeutic-cats.html Veterinary medicine Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:40:02 EDT news694089715 Desperate to help his sick dog, one Australian man went down the ultimate ChatGPT research hole, using artificial intelligence to design a personalized experimental treatment and finding top scientists to administer it. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-dog-chatgpt-australia-ai-vaccine.html Veterinary medicine Mon, 30 Mar 2026 04:30:05 EDT news694063724 New research from the Dog Aging Project and Texas A&M University highlights that for many families, losing a dog means losing a family member—and that the grief is profound regardless of how a pet dies. The studies underscore the need for veterinarians to support owners through every step of the end-of-life process. The research is published in two articles in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-insight-owners-pet-loss.html Plants & Animals Wed, 25 Mar 2026 15:10:06 EDT news693668216 Most people have experienced it: when you're moving, engaged, and focused, pain fades into the background, then flares when you're immobilized with nothing to do. That isn't imagination; it's biology. A comprehensive review published in Frontiers in Animal Science shows that barren captive housing removes exactly those pain-dampening inputs—movement, exploration, social contact—while triggering stress-driven mechanisms that amplify pain. Drawing on decades of evidence from neuroscience, immunology, veterinary medicine, and animal welfare science, the study reveals that an animal's environment doesn't just provide the backdrop to pain; it actively shapes how pain is processed, amplified, or suppressed at the biological level. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-barren-captive-environments-dont-restrict.html Veterinary medicine Tue, 24 Mar 2026 18:10:02 EDT news693565856 A stark rise in the number of stray dogs being euthanized across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, with rates more than tripling over a three-year period, are revealed in a new collaborative study. The research is published in Animals. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-euthanasia-stray-dogs-triple-animals.html Veterinary medicine Mon, 23 Mar 2026 18:40:04 EDT news693479628 Opioid-class drugs are commonly prescribed as powerful pain medications in both humans and animals, though they can also be accessed or used illicitly. These substances carry a significant risk of overdose in people and in pets because they slow the central nervous system. At high doses, this effect can slow the respiratory system to the point of stopping breathing. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-dogs-overdose-naloxone-pets-humans.html Veterinary medicine Sat, 21 Mar 2026 13:00:05 EDT news692877141 A critically endangered monkey has given birth just months after pioneering surgery saved her from undergoing an amputation. Masaya, a 15-year-old roloway monkey at Chester Zoo, had a golf-ball-sized mass removed from her foot last summer in a complex operation carried out jointly by zoo vets and surgeons from the University of Liverpool's Small Animal Teaching Hospital. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-critically-endangered-monkey-birth-surgery.html Plants & Animals Sat, 21 Mar 2026 09:00:02 EDT news693133332 Pets encounter a variety of everyday risks, from outdoor threats like animals or parasites to physical dangers like vehicles or sharp objects and household toxins like plants or cleaners. However, many owners may underestimate the invisible dangers—such as poisonous metals—that their pets could also come across in their daily lives. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-mind-metal-staying-wary-toxicities.html Veterinary medicine Thu, 19 Mar 2026 22:40:03 EDT news693141720 Sudden drop in milk production, thickened milk, and cows under movement restrictions. Since 2024, American farmers have had bitter experiences with the feared bird flu (H5N1), which in several cases has been introduced to cattle—and then spread rapidly among cattle herds. In some instances, humans have been infected as well. The contagious virus is increasingly being transmitted from wild birds to mammals—such as cattle. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-bird-flu-danish-cattle-tool.html Plants & Animals Thu, 19 Mar 2026 21:20:01 EDT news693123853 In a new, survey-based study of three kinds of "designer" crossbreed dogs, cockapoos, cavapoos and labradoodles, all three showed more undesirable behaviors than at least one of their purebred progenitor breeds, with cockapoos displaying the most unwanted habits. Gina Bryson of the Royal Veterinary College, U.K., and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS One. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-crossbreed-dogs-problem-behaviors-pure.html Plants & Animals Wed, 18 Mar 2026 20:10:01 EDT news693043261 Livestock breeders could soon have more tools to improve the health and quality of their animals, thanks to a recent study that sheds new light on regulatory elements in the sheep genome. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-insight-tissue-specific-gene-sheep.html Molecular & Computational biology Mon, 16 Mar 2026 18:10:06 EDT news692897701 The performance horse industry had a problem: Some of their most beloved and sought-after mares simply couldn't have foals safely. To make matters more complicated, in vitro fertilization (IVF) had not yet produced a healthy equine embryo, despite years of success in other species like cattle. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-horse-ivf-milestone-florida-frozen.html Biotechnology Fri, 13 Mar 2026 19:30:01 EDT news692617362