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Health News Results - 187

Pets in the Bedroom? Your Sleep Might Suffer, Study Finds

If your bedtime routine includes snuggling up with your Boston terrier or lulling yourself to sleep to the gentle purrs of your calico cat, you might want to rethink it.

Pets can offer a sense of security and comfort, but sharing a bed with them may lead to wakeful nights, according to a new study.<...

Have an Anxious Dog? Study Seeks Clues in Canine Brains

Like humans, some dogs suffer from anxiety. They might show fear or excitability toward strangers. Loud noises might result in "accidents." They may get destructive when you leave home.

The cause of their distress could lie in their brain makeup, researchers from Ghent University in Belgium say.

For the study, published March 15 in PLOS ONE, res...

Cats, Dogs 'Part of the Family' for Most American Pet Owners: Poll

It won’t come as a surprise to those who love their furry friends, but a new poll finds many Americans saying their pets offer them mental health benefits and are a part of the family.

Roughly 86% of cat and dog owners said their pets had a positive impact on their well-being, the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA)

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 3, 2023
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  • Lessons From a Wildfire on How to Save Pets' Lives

    In the wake of natural disasters like wildfires that have destroyed whole communities with alarming speed, some folks are focused on the beloved pets left behind — and how to save others in the future.

    More than 1,000 pets died in the Marshall fire on Dec. 30, 2021, in Boulder County, Colo., according to

    Cancer in Dogs: Breed & Size Matter, Study Shows

    If your dog is bigger, male and a purebred, it may get a diagnosis of cancer earlier in its life compared to other dogs, a new study finds.

    A dog’s size, gender and breed appear to affect its average age at cancer diagnosis, researchers found. This should inform canine cancer screening guidelines, they wrote in the Feb. 1 issue of PLOS ONE.

    Cancer kills more adult dogs th...

    What Is Heartworm and How Can You Protect Your Pet From It?

    It’s possible to prevent heartworms in many of your furry friends — dogs, cats and ferrets, specifically.

    Heading off a severe and sometimes deadly illness simply requires regular, year-round preventive treatment through a pill, injection or topical medication, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

    Heartworms are parasitic worms that can grow to 12 inches in length...

    Cats Now Have an FDA-Approved Pill to Treat Their Diabetes

    Owners whose cats have diabetes now have a new option to care for the condition in their otherwise healthy pets.

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the first pill to improve control of diabetes in some cats.

    The drug, call...

    Your Dog's Behavior Is in Its DNA

    Is your pooch a herder or a hunter? You can try taking them to a trainer, but new research shows much of their behavior is hardwired in their DNA.

    For the new study, researchers analyzed DNA samples from more than 200 dog breeds and surveyed 46,000 pet-owners to try to suss out why certain breeds act the way they do.

    “The largest, most successful genetic experiment that humans hav...

    Special Human-Cat Bond May Have Started 10,000 Years Ago

    That special link you may have with a purring, four-legged friend has been going on between the species for millennia, new research shows.

    The human-cat relationship was probably forged over a shared interest in rats more than 10,000 years ago, investigators say. As farming became a way of life, cats served as ancient pest control, killing rodents and making a bond with people that contin...

    A Beloved Pet's Death Can Trigger Deep Grief. Finding Support Can Be Tough

    Anyone who's ever loved a pet like a member of the family knows that the grief when that dog, cat or other furry friend dies can be devastating.

    But too often, finding others who truly understand and support that sense of loss can be challenging.

    Michelle Crossley, a mental health counselor, ...

    A Gel Could Help Treat Cancers in Dogs, and Maybe Kids, Too

    A new immunotherapy gel being tested in pet dogs could pave the way for gentler and more effective treatment of one of the most common childhood cancers, researchers say.

    Sarcoma is one of the most common cancers in dogs, affecting the bones and soft tissues.

    It's also the third most common cancer in children, with 1 in 3 dying from the disease, researchers said.

    Sarcoma in ca...

    Your Cat Wants a Talk With You, and Only You

    For cat owners who are convinced that their furry feline understands and even responds to the sound of their voice, here's the reward they've been waiting for: A new French study finds that, yes, cats can identify their owner's cooing and calling.

    After extensive work with 16 cats, the investigators...

    Stress-Relief Programs Often Rely on Dogs. What About Cats?

    Universities sometimes offer "Pet Your Stress Away" events offering a chance to relax while gently patting the head and stroking the back of a calm dog.

    But some people are more interested in interacting with cats than dogs, according to a new study that linked preference to personality type.

    Petting a Dog Does Your Brain Some Good

    If you have dogs, you probably already know that petting them can give you a lift.

    Researchers set out to prove that using technology to show what happens in the brain when stroking or sitting next to a dog. They also compared that to petting a stuffed animal.

    They found that when study participants viewed, felt and touched real dogs it led to increasingly high levels of activity ...

    Not All Kids With Autism Will Benefit From Therapy Dogs

    For many kids with autism, Rhett, a black Labrador retriever, has been a calming and comforting influence in his seven years as a therapy dog.

    But parents shouldn't assume that a service pooch is the solution for every child on the autism spectrum, a new study...

    Perceptive Pooches Can Smell Your Stress

    Everyone knows dogs have a keen sense of smell, but now researchers have discovered they can even smell stress in the breath and sweat of humans.

    "Dogs possess an incredible sense of smell. Previous research has demonstrated their ability to detect changes within the human body from odor alone, such as ou...

    Clinic Brings Free Health Care to Homeless Youth -- and Their Beloved Pets

    Five years back, “Nugget” the Jack-A-Poo was in serious need of some tender loving veterinary care.

    “He needed vaccinations and a few other things,” Seattle native Grace Stroklund recalled of her sidekick, a Jack Russell Terrier/Toy Poodle mix. “But I was just not in the wheelhouse financially to do any of that.”

    At 23, Stroklund was struggling with her own challenges. H...

    Fewer Pet Neuterings in Pandemic Means Shelters Are Filling Up

    The COVID-19 pandemic has undone decades of progress controlling dog and cat populations through spay and neuter surgeries, a new University of Florida study finds.

    Spay-neuter procedures perform...

    Dogs Have Died After Licking a Common Chemotherapy Cream, FDA Warns

    Your dog may like to lick your hand or face, but if you're using a chemotherapy cream that treats certain skin conditions, you should not allow it, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises.

    The medication fluorouracil is fatal to dogs when ingested. People who keep the cream on a nightstand or counter sh...

    Like Humans, a Dog's Odds for Dementia Rises With Age

    Much like humans, dogs can develop dementia as they age -- and that risk climbs by half with every extra year of life in a dog's golden years, new research shows.

    The study, of more than 15,000 dogs and their human companions, found that just over 1% had canine cognitive dysfunction (...

    Dogs Get Healthier When People Get Fitter

    Writer Jenny Block and her chiweenie, Aurora, are on a health kick.

    "We walk at least 1 mile and up to 4 miles in the early morning, before it gets too hot," said the Houston-based author.

    "She needs it, and I need it, so it works out great," said Block, who has shed...

    Michigan Officials Puzzled by Mysterious Deaths of 30 Dogs

    Health authorities are investigating a parvovirus-like illness that has killed more than 30 dogs in northern Michigan, most within three days.

    The dogs died in Otsego County after showing symptoms such as vomiting and bloody stool, signs of canine parvovirus, but tests were negative for the virus, according to a Facebook

  • By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 24, 2022
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  • Dogs Do Cry When Reunited With Owners

    Humans and dogs undoubtedly share a powerful bond, but can dogs cry when overcome with emotion?

    According to a recent study, possibly the first to try to answer that question, canine's eyes do indeed well up with tears, most often when they are reunited with their beloved owner.

    “We ...

    Cooler Weather Could Mean More Diabetes in Dogs

    Just like their humans, dogs are more often diagnosed with diabetes in certain places and times of year, new research reveals.

    Diagnoses of type 1 diabetes in humans rise during the winter months and in northern latitudes of the United States. This

  • By Carole Tanzer Miller HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 22, 2022
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  • Dog Contracts Monkeypox From Owners, Prompting Change to CDC Guidance

    Adding yet another wrinkle to the monkeypox outbreak, a new case study suggests that people can pass the virus on to their pet dogs.

    Therefore, people who are infected with the virus should avoid close c...

    When Older Dogs' Hearing Fades, Risk of Dementia Rises

    When dogs' hearing fades, their mental skills follow, new research reveals.

    For the study, the researchers examined the link between hearing loss in aging dogs and dementia. The findings shed light on ways sensory loss affects canine cognition (thinking skills) and could lead to better tre...

    FDA Warns of Salmonella Danger in Darwin's Raw Cat Food

    Cat owners should not feed their pets certain lots of Darwin's Natural Pet Products, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns.

    Some lots of the raw cat food tested positive for salmonella and were associated with illness in three kittens, the agency said in a

  • By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 8, 2022
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  • Your Dog's Gut Microbes Change Quickly With New Diet

    Switching Fido to a new dog food? What happens in his gut as a result is nothing short of remarkable, a new study reveals.

    The population of bacteria living in his gut — his microbiome — will change dramatically in as little as a week.

    It starts when "wallflower bacteria," those that were on ...

    How Service Dogs Help Vets with PTSD

    A service dog can lower the severity of a U.S. military veteran's post-traumatic stress disorder, according to past research.

    Hoping to learn more about this therapeutic bond, researchers worked with 82 vets and their trained service dogs. Their study was published July 27 in the journal

    Does Your Cat Play Well With Others? Hormones Might Be Why

    While cats often prefer to be alone and closely guard their territory, some seem to thrive on togetherness even at a crowded shelter.

    Chalk it up to chemistry.

    That's the takeaway of a new study that investigated the role hormones and gut bacteria play in felines' social

  • By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • July 28, 2022
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  • Salmonella Linked to Pet Turtles Has Hospitalized 5, CDC Says

    Tiny turtles are the cause of a multistate outbreak of salmonella that has led to five hospitalizations, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.

    The agency has linked an outbreak that has infected at least 15 people in 11 states to turtles that are less t...

    Raw Meat Diet May Have a Downside for Dogs

    Feeding raw meat to your dog may spread antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to researchers who studied the poop of dogs fed these diets.

    What did the British scientists find? Dogs who were fed raw meat were more likely to shed antibiotic-resistant

  • By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • July 21, 2022
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  • Dogs' Keen Sense of Smell May Help Them 'See'

    While humans typically use their sight to orient themselves, dogs navigate the world by combining their sense of smell with their vision.

    So claims a new study that found dogs' sense of smell is integrated with their vision and other unique parts of their brain.

    "We've never seen this connection between the nose and the

  • By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • July 21, 2022
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  • Cats Injured in Wildfires at High Risk for Blood Clots

    While California works to restore its landscape after years of historic wildfires, new research could transform the way in which veterinarians treat animals recovered from damaged forests.

    The study found that cats who inhaled smoke or suffered burns are at risk for forming deadly clots. Not only that, the scientists were able ...

    Panting Pooches: When Summer Heat Is Too Much for Your Dog

    Summer is a great time to enjoy the outdoors with your dog, but when the temperatures spike or the fireworks come out, it's time to make sure your furry best friend is having just as good a time as you are.

    When a heat wave rolls in, try to only take your dog for walks in the coolest hours of the day, advised Mark Fr...

    Chicken Strips Dog Treats Recalled Due to Salmonella Danger

    Dog treats are being voluntarily recalled due to possible salmonella contamination.

    The North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services reported July 6 that some Stormberg Foods LLC dog treats were contaminated with salmonella, which triggered

  • By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
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  • July 14, 2022
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  • Scientists Track the Microbiomes of Stray & Pet Dogs Around the World

    Whether they're household pets in South Africa, strays in India or living in rural Laos, dogs have similar microbes colonizing their digestive tracts.

    That's the key takeaway from a new study that built upon existing research into the canine microbiome - the collection of bacteria that live inside dogs' guts.

    Researchers noted that most other studies have worked with dogs that eat ...

    Pets Have Helped People With HIV Through Two Pandemics

    Pets have helped people weather both the HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 pandemics, a survey of long-term HIV/AIDS survivors shows.

    "The underlying question in our minds has always been: What role do pets play for people who are so isolated and suffering so much stigma?" said study leader Lynette Hart, a professor of veterinary medicine at the University of California, Davis.

    She and her coll...

    Pets Help Their Humans De-Stress, Stay Fit: Survey

    While chronic stress is a key risk factor for heart disease and stroke, most cat and dog owners say pets help them chill out and stay active.

    A new American Heart Association (AHA) survey of 1,000 pet owners found 95% relying on their animal companions for stress relief. About 7 in 10 said they'd rather spend time with their pet than watch television, and nearly half (47%) said their pets...

    Squeaky or Furry: New Insights Into Dogs' Love of Toys

    What goes through your dog's mind when you tell him to find his favorite toy?

    Hungarian researchers say Fido relies on a mental image based on sensory features. Dogs call to mind the way that toy looks, feels and smells.

    The finding - from the Family Dog Project at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest - was recently published online in the journal

  • By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
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  • June 20, 2022
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  • Breeding Puts English Bulldogs at High Risk of Multiple Ailments

    English bulldogs are plagued by health problems due to their breeding, which needs to be changed to improve their well-being, British researchers say.

    The short skull, protruding jaw, skin folds and squat, heavy build that are part of their breed standards put English bulldogs at increased risk of breathing problems and eye and skin conditions, and they're much less healthy than other dog...

    Cats' Smart, Secret Reason for Loving Catnip

    Catnip may do more than give cats a wicked buzz: A new study finds it may also help protect them from pests such as mosquitoes.

    The leaves of catnip and its Asian counterpart, silvervine, contain nepetalactol and nepetalactone -- two types of compounds called iridoids, which repel insects.

    Researchers in Japan investigated how cats' chewing and rubbing on silvervine leaves affected ...

    In Rare Cases, Your Cat Can Give You COVID

    The first reported case of a cat giving COVID-19 to a person shouldn't alarm pet owners, but a Canadian expert says it's a reminder to take precautions.

    "I think it's important for us to recognize this virus still can move between species," veterinary specialist Dr. Scott Weese recently told the

  • By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter
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  • June 14, 2022
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  • Sleep With Your Pet? Survey Finds You're Not Alone

    If you sleep with Fido or Fluffy, you're in good company, a new survey shows.

    Nearly half of respondents to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) poll said they share their bed with a pet, and 46% of those people said they sleep better with their pet in the same bed. Only 19% said th...

    A Child's Pet Dog May Shield Them From Crohn's Disease

    Add a lower risk of Crohn's disease to the many benefits of having a dog during childhood, a new study suggests.

    Sorry, cat lovers, researchers didn't find a similar benefit for you.

    "We did not see the same results with cats, though we are still trying to determine why," said senior author Williams Turpin, a research associate with Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto and the University...

    You Let Your Cat Out - Where Does It Roam?

    Ever wonder where your cat wanders when you let it out? New research suggests your kitty most likely sticks close to home.

    Scientists used GPS (global positioning system) to track the movements of nearly 100 pet cats in a small town in Eastern Norway when they were outside. All of the cats lived in homes within about one square kilometer.

    The cats spent an average of 79% of their ou...

    Your Dog's Breed Has Little Influence on Behavior, Study Finds

    For the past couple of centuries, humans have been breeding dogs to meet specific physical characteristics - to make Golden Retrievers fluffy, to make Rottweilers muscular, or to make Chihuahuas tiny.

    Dog enthusiasts...

    Dog Years: Research Shows Which Breeds Live Longest

    If longevity were a priority when choosing a pup, Jack Russell terriers and Yorkshire terriers would be top picks.

    Those little dynamos have the longest life expectancy of a host of common dog breeds, according to a new study by Dr. Dan O'Neill, an associate professor of companion animal epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College in Hertfordshire, England.

    Jack Russells and Yorkie...

    Hair of the Dog: A Quick, Painless Stress Test for Pooches

    The strange smells and sounds at an animal shelter can stress out even the most placid pup, and invasive tests to see if they need medicine to calm down only add to the anxiety.

    So there's some good news for Fido in new research out of the Netherlands.

    The study found that analyzing a single sample of a...

    More Pets Being Poisoned by Cannabis

    With marijuana now legal in many U.S. states, some veterinarians are seeing more cases of cannabis poisoning in dogs and other pets, according to a new survey.

    The poll, of 251 vets in Canada and the United States, found that those incidents usually end well: Most animals recover quickly, without needing a hospital stay.

    But in some cases, more intense treatment is needed. And a sma...

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