According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, heartworm is a potentially serious (even fatal) parasite that affects dogs, cats, and pets such as ferrets. In the wild, heartworm is found in many animals, including foxes, raccoons, and opossums. Mosquitoes transfer the heartworm parasite from animal to...
The Association for Pet Obesity Prevention has released the results of its 2018 Pet Obesity Survey. You can click HERE to read the full report. Here are a few interesting findings about our pets: 59.5% of cats and 55.8% of dogs are classified as either...
Ready for a heartwarming documentary about service dogs and the people who rely on them? Be sure to keep an eye out for the movie Buddy, a film from the Netherlands that tells the stories of six special service dogs and their owners. Buddy is currently...
A study of anxiety and fearfulness in German Shepherd dogs has identified a genetic connection with certain mental health disorders in humans. Researchers at the University of Helsinki studied noise sensitivity and general fearfulness (such as fear of new people and situations) in a group of...
The Ballejos family of Paradise, California reunited with their Akita Kingston 101 days after he went missing during last year’s devastating Camp Fire. Kingston jumped out of their truck while they were evacuating, and the family never gave up hope that they would find their dog...
Animal advocates have been warning potential dog owners to avoid getting puppies from retail pet stores because they come from large scale, for profit breeding operations known as puppy mills. Now there’s another reason to say no to pet store puppies. A report on the American Veterinarian...
The human microbiome (the many microorganisms that live in and on our body) is a popular topic in science news these days. Researchers are especially interested in how the microbes that live in our intestines impact our health and well-being. Our pets have microbiomes too, and...
The American Veterinary Medical Association recently released its latest Pet Ownership and Demographics Sourcebook. The number of pets in the U.S. is increasing, including non-traditional exotic pets like birds and reptiles. Here’s a summary of some of the key findings: 57% of all U.S. households own...
Cats are considered to be “seniors” when they reach 11+ years of age. Senior cats can develop a variety of chronic health problems, including: Arthritis Kidney disease Diabetes Cancer Dementia High blood pressure Thyroid disease Other common health issues seen in older cats include weight loss,...
The #UnscienceAnAnimal trend on social media is a great way for biologists to share fun pictures of their favorite animals! You can see all kinds of animals getting "unscienced"--from birds to red pandas to T-Rexes! Here are just a few pets and domestic animals getting in on...
Here’s a good word of the day for animal lovers: “zooeyia”—a combination of the Greek words for animal and health. It describes the human health benefits of companion animals. And there are a lot of them! An article for physicians in the Journal of the American...
What will the hottest pet trends be in 2019? The Michelson Found Animals Foundation surveyed 1,000 dog and cat owners and compiled a list of pet trends to watch in the coming year. Here are the highlights: Pet-related technology will play a greater role in the...
A study published in the journal Animal Cognition has identified multiple “signals” dogs use to indicate when they want our attention. Signals are defined as requests made with an object and/or a part of the body. They also need to be directed at an individual and...
Is your pet upset by loud noises like fireworks or thunderstorms? There will soon be a new high-tech option to consider in addition to tranquilizers and calming coats… The Ford Motor Company has taken its noise-cancelling technology to the dogs! Ford has developed a prototype kennel...
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by a cute baby animal that you wanted to squeeze it or take a pretend bite out of it? Don’t worry you’re not weird…turns out there’s a scientific explanation for this feeling. It’s called cute aggression! A study published in...
Grab a box of tissues before you start watching the new 6-part Netflix documentary series “Dogs.” “Dogs” is a moving and heartwarming look into the unique bond between people and their dogs. Each episode takes you on a journey across the world and introduces you to some...
Happy #WorldKindnessDay from success story "Komet" and all of us here at the FACE Foundation! Thank you to our wonderful veterinary partners, friends, and supporters for all you do to help us save the lives of beloved family pets in need of urgent veterinary care! ...
This week’s midterm elections saw two major animal welfare victories in the states of Florida and California. Florida’s Amendment 13, a measure to ban commercial Greyhound racing, was approved by 69% of voters in the state. Thanks to this new legislation, Greyhound racing will be phased...
Did you know that the National Sheriffs’ Association has a division called the National Law Enforcement Center on Animal Abuse? The NLECAA website has lots of great information for animal lovers around the US who are interested in finding out how law enforcement responds to animal maltreatment. They...
In many parts of the world, fall is the time of year when mushrooms make their appearance in woods and other natural areas. Is your dog at risk of poisoning if she eats a wild mushroom while out on a walk? According to the North American...
Chi Chi is a very special 4 year old Golden Retriever from Arizona who truly deserves to win the American Humane Hero Dog Award! Chi Chi was found abandoned in the garbage in South Korea, with her legs bound and the flesh already dying. In order...