Science News Daily: Dog News

The first questionnaire survey to identify possible separation-related problems in cats found 13.5 percent of all sampled cats displayed potential issues during their owner's absence, according to a new study.

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New research indicates that for physicians and nurses working evening shifts in the emergency department, interacting with a therapy dog for several minutes may help lower stress.

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The DNA sequencing of a healthy German shepherd offers scientists new insight into the evolution of the domestic dog while also enabling dogs to be screened for hip and other diseases much more accurately.

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Inadequate socialization, inactivity and an urban living environment are associated with social fearfulness in dogs. Among the most fearful breeds were the Shetland Sheepdog and the Spanish Water Dog, while Wheaten Terriers were one of the most fearless breeds.

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While they can't pick out precise numbers, animals can comprehend that more is, well, more. A neurobiologist explored the current literature on how different animal species comprehend numbers and the impact on their survival, arguing that we won't fully understand the influence of numerical competence unless we study it directly.

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A severe hereditary lung disease has been described in Finnish Airedale Terriers with a failure to thrive during the first days of lives. Researchers discovered the underlying gene defect in the LAMP3 gene, which may also be associated with the lung problems of certain newborn babies.

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Researchers have discovered that large predators play a key yet unexpected role in keeping smaller predators and deer in check. Their 'fatal attraction' theory finds that smaller predators are drawn to the kill sites of large predators by the promise of leftover scraps, but the scavengers may be killed themselves if their larger kin return for seconds.

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Separation anxiety in dogs should be seen as a symptom of underlying frustrations rather than a diagnosis, and understanding these root causes could be key to effective treatment, new research by animal behavior specialists suggests.

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All dog breeds have unwanted behavior, such as noise sensitivity, aggressiveness and separation anxiety, but differences in frequency between breeds are great. Various unwanted behavior traits often occur simultaneously.

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Just like humans, dogs are sometimes born with impaired hearing or experience hearing loss as a result of disease, inflammation, aging or exposure to noise. Dog owners and K-9 handlers ought to keep this in mind when adopting or caring for dogs, and when bringing them into noisy environments.

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How a study aimed at assessing the wildlife impacts of domestic cats was foiled by the mysterious ingredients of cat food.

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Researchers have invented a new health tracking sensor for pets and people that monitors vital signs through fur or clothing.

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Scientists have recovered DNA from a well-preserved horned lark found in Siberian permafrost. The results can contribute to explaining the evolution of sub species, as well as how the mammoth steppe transformed into tundra, forest and steppe biomes at the end of the last Ice Age.

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Researchers have discovered that the Himalayan wolf is a unique wolf characteristically adapted to the harsh life in the Asian high altitudes where low oxygen levels challenge all life forms.

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A simple, portable test can detect the deadliest of the mushroom poisons in minutes, researchers say. Eating toxic mushrooms causes more than 100 deaths a year, globally, and leaves thousands of people in need of urgent medical assistance. Amanitin is the class of mushroom toxins that cause the most serious issues.

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Analysis of Paleolithic-era teeth from a 28,500-year-old fossil site in the Czech Republic provides supporting evidence for two groups of canids -- one dog-like and the other wolf-like - with differing diets, which is consistent with the early domestication of dogs.

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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used in a wide range of consumer products, from pizza boxes to carpets to non-stick cookware. Therefore, it's not surprising that these water- and stain-repelling substances are ubiquitous in the environment. Now, researchers report that cats and dogs excrete some PFAS in their feces at levels that suggest exposures above the minimum risk level, which could also have implications for the pets' owners.

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Thread-like parasitic worms cause millions of cases of canine heartworm each year, and more than 100 million cases of lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis, in humans. New research shows that ramping up the immune response of mosquitoes blocked their ability to transmit these harmful parasites.

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WSU study finds that environmental transmission rather than antibiotic use explains the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in people, domestic animals and wildlife.

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Dogs that are smaller, younger, non-neutered, or live in US counties with high opioid prescription rates are at higher risk of being the subjects of phone calls about accidental opioid poisoning to a poison control center.

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Pet dogs are highly receptive to commands from their owners. But is this due to their training or do dogs have an innate ability to understand human signals? A new study finds that 80% of untrained stray dogs successfully followed pointing directions from people to a specific location. The results suggest that dogs can understand and respond to complex gestures without any training, meaning that dogs may have an innate connection to human behaviors.

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Researchers have found a very high prevalence of Bartonella bacteria in tumors and tissues - but not blood samples - taken from dogs with hemangiosarcoma, a cancer of the blood vessels.

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When it comes to playing a game of fetch, many dogs are naturals. But now, researchers report that the remarkable ability to interpret human social communicative cues that enables a dog to go for a ball and then bring it back also exists in wolves.

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Why are Irish Setters so red while other breeds can come in different hues? Geneticists now have an answer for why some dogs have more intense coat colors than others.

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If not identified before surgery, a rare genetic mutation could result in your dog being exposed to dangerously high levels of anesthetic agents.

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