New World Screwworm: What Dog Owners Need to Know
Reports of New World screwworm cases in the United States have understandably raised concerns among dog owners. New World screwworm was eradicated from the United States decades ago, but recent detections have brought renewed attention to this serious pest and the importance of early detection. USDA is tracking confirmed cases and urging animal owners to […]
Revisiting Epilepsy in Irish Wolfhounds to Understand What Has Changed
Epilepsy can be frightening for any dog owner. Seizures can strike without warning, turning an ordinary moment into one filled with confusion, fear, and helplessness. One minute, a dog is playing, resting, or walking through the house as usual, and the next, everything changes. In dogs, epilepsy is the most common neurologic disorder, affecting approximately […]
Turning the Tide on Canine Epilepsy Through Research
When a Seizure Changes Everything Natalie remembers the moment it first happened with painful clarity. She was standing at the sink washing vegetables while her three-year-old black Standard Poodle, Max, wandered casually around. A sudden thud shattered the ordinary evening. She turned to see him lying on the floor, his body stiff and then suddenly […]
Sequencing the Clues Behind a Mystery Canine Respiratory Disease
A New Question in Canine Respiratory Health Respiratory infections are familiar to many dog owners, often grouped under the umbrella term “kennel cough,” which can include coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, and difficulty breathing when the deeper tissues are affected. But when an unusually long lasting and medication-resistant form of canine respiratory disease began appearing across […]
Finding Resistance: How Research Is Helping Veterinarians Outsmart Canine Hookworms
Hookworms are parasites that live in the soil and can infect dogs. Dogs can get hookworms in different ways: by swallowing them, through skin contact, or, in the case of puppies, through their mother’s milk. Using hook-like mouths with sharp cutting plates, they attach to a dog’s intestinal wall and feed on blood. Signs of […]
A Common Skin Bacteria, Two Different Outcomes
Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (often abbreviated S. pseudintermedius) is the most common bacteria found on the skin of dogs. In most dogs, it causes no problems at all, much like the harmless bacteria that normally live on our skin. For some dogs, when their skin becomes irritated or damaged, like from scratching, moisture, or small wounds, the […]
When Treatment Takes Months: How CHF-Funded Research Is Helping Veterinarians Outsmart Canine Blastomycosis
Owning a dog means protecting them from risks they cannot always see, including hazards found in the environment. In parts of North America, especially near the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys and the Great Lakes, one of those hazards is Blastomyces dermatitidis is a fungus found in damp soil and rotting wood. When dogs breathe […]
Decoding Irregular Heart Rhythms in Sighthounds
How Genetics and Data Are Coming Together to Better Understand Cardiac Risk Heart disease in dogs can take many forms, and in some cases, it may appear suddenly and without warning, even in dogs that seemed healthy days before. In certain sighthound breeds, particularly Borzoi, but also Afghan Hounds and Salukis, veterinarians and owners have […]
Tracing the Genetic Roots of Kidney Disease in Dogs
How Breed-Focused Research is Helping Scientists Better Understand Renal Disease Kidney disease is a complex condition that often progresses silently in its early stages, affecting many dogs, especially as they age. In fact, it impacts one in three senior dogs, making it a critical focus for advancing canine health. At Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary […]
Why Some Dogs Are More Likely to Develop to Epilepsy
Research in Standard Schnauzers is Helping Uncover the Genetic Link of a Challenging Neurologic Disorder Epilepsy is the most common neurological disorder in dogs, but many questions remain about why it occurs and why some dogs have more severe symptoms than others. Idiopathic epilepsy is the most common type of epilepsy in dogs, and the […]