ScienceDaily: Dog News

Gene associated with eczema in dogs identified

Thu, 09 May 2013 18:46:46 EDT

A novel gene associated with canine atopic dermatitis has been identified. The gene encodes a protein called plakophilin 2, which is crucial for the formation and proper functioning of the skin structure, suggesting an aberrant skin barrier as a potential risk factor for atopic dermatitis.

Pets may help reduce your risk of heart disease

Thu, 09 May 2013 16:39:39 EDT

Owning a pet, particularly a dog, could reduce your risk of heart disease. It is unclear whether owning a pet directly reduces risk. Despite the likely positive link, people shouldn't get a pet solely to reduce heart disease risk.

An electronic nose can tell pears and apples apart

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:28:28 EDT

Engineers have created a system of sensors that detects fruit odors more effectively than the human sense of smell. For now, the device can distinguish between the odors compounds emitted by pears and apples. Scientists have created an electronic nose with 32 sensors that can identify the odors given off by chopped pears and apples.

Killer entrance suspected in mystery of unusually large group of carnivores in ancient cave

Wed, 01 May 2013 19:31:31 EDT

An assortment of saber-toothed cats, hyenas, an extinct 'bear-dog', ancestors of the red panda and several other carnivores died under unusual circumstances in a Spanish cave near Madrid approximately 9-10 million years ago. It now appears that the animals may have entered the cave intentionally and been trapped there, according to new research.

When dogs are most likely to pick up ticks

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:09:09 EDT

It may be slighter later than expected but spring finally seems to be upon us. Unfortunately, this also means the start of the tick season, both for humans and for their pets. But when exactly is the risk of dogs’ picking up ticks greatest?

Is pet ownership sustainable?

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:11:11 EDT

There has been much talk about sustainability, but little attention has been paid to its nutritional aspects. Scientists have raised a number of important questions on the sustainability of pet ownership.

Spayed or neutered dogs live longer

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:59:59 EDT

Many dog owners have their pets spayed or neutered to help control the pet population, but new research suggests the procedure could add to the length of their lives and alter the risk of specific causes of death.

Bear baiting may put hunting dogs at risk from wolves

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:55:55 EDT

Wisconsin permits bear baiting for much longer than Michigan does. Wisconsin also pays reparations for wolf attacks on hunting dog, but Michigan doesn't. These factors make Wisconsin's risk of wolf attacks up to 7 times higher.

Parents tend to share more bacteria with family dogs than children

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:21:21 EDT

As much as dog owners love their children, they tend to share more of themselves, at least in terms of bacteria, with their dogs.

Molecular techniques are 'man's new best friend' in pet obesity research

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:30:30 EDT

Molecular biology technologies are making the mechanisms underlying the pet obesity epidemic more easily understood.

The equine 'Adam' lived fairly recently: Close relationships among modern stallions

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 07:29:29 EDT

The analysis of DNA inherited from a single parent has provided valuable insights into the history of human and animal populations. However, until recently we had insufficient information to be able to investigate the paternal lines of the domestic horse. This gap has now been filled with new information on the genetic variability in the horse Y chromosome. Researchers have shown how various breeds of the modern horse are interrelated.

More fat, less protein improves canine olfactory abilities

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:26:26 EDT

From sniffing out bombs and weapons to uncovering criminal evidence, dogs can help save lives and keep the peace. Now, researchers have uncovered how to improve dogs' smelling skills through diet, by cutting protein and adding fats.

Pavlov inverted: Reward linked to image is enough to activate brain's visual cortex

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:29:29 EDT

Once rhesus monkeys learn to associate a picture with a reward, the reward by itself becomes enough to alter the activity in the monkeys' visual cortex.

How does the price of cheese influence perceptions of wolves?

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:51:51 EDT

Relationships between humans and wolves are often linked to conflicts with livestock breeding activities. Contrary to a widespread belief among western environmentalists, these conflicts don’t only occur only in western countries, even though their intensity often appears lower in other places. Indeed, in many countries, livestock breeding activities have been dealing with wolves for centuries and rural societies have developed paths to coexistence through protection of livestock and control of wolf populations.

Five-million-year-old saber-toothed cat in newly discovered genus discovered in Florida

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:09:09 EDT

A new genus and species of extinct saber-toothed cat has been discovered in Polk County, Florida. The 5-million-year-old fossils belong to the same lineage as the famous Smilodon fatalis from the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, a large, carnivorous apex predator with elongated upper canine teeth. Previous research suggested the group of saber-toothed cats known as Smilodontini originated in the Old World and then migrated to North America, but the age of the new species indicates the group likely originated in North America.

European invader outcompetes Canadian plants even outside its usual temperature range

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:20:20 EDT

Vincetoxicum rossicum, commonly known as dog-strangling vine, is an alien invasive plant from the Ukraine and southwestern Russia that has now established itself in the northeastern United States and southern Ontario, Canada. This species successfully displaces local native plants, demonstrating high tolerance for environmental variables such as light and soil moisture.

Hope for threatened Tasmanian devils

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 17:36:36 EDT

New research paves the way for the development of a vaccine for the Tasmanian devil, currently on the brink of extinction because of a contagious cancer.

Prairie dogs disperse when all close kin have disappeared

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 14:54:54 EST

Prairie dogs pull up stakes and look for a new place to live when all their close kin have disappeared from their home territory -- a striking pattern of dispersal that has not been observed for any other species.

Siberian fossil revealed to be one of the oldest known domestic dogs

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 22:11:11 EST

Analysis of DNA extracted from a fossil tooth recovered in southern Siberia confirms that the tooth belonged to one of the oldest known ancestors of the modern dog.

Children with autism show increased positive social behaviors when animals are present

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:35:35 EST

The presence of an animal can significantly increase positive social behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorders, according to new research.

New insight into dogs' fear responses to noise

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:25:25 EST

A study has gained new insight into domestic dogs' fear responses to noises. The study provides an important insight into dogs' fear of noises, and could improve our understanding of behavioral signs of fear or anxiety.

Same genetic defect causes Pompe disease in both humans and dogs

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 08:39:39 EST

Pompe disease, a severe glycogen storage disease appearing in Lapphunds is caused by a genetic defect in acid α-glucosidase gene. The same genetic mutation also causes the equivalent disease in humans. Based on this finding, canine Pompe disease can now be diagnosed with a genetic test.

Dog spots the dog: Dogs recognize the dog species among several other species on a computer screen

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 10:37:37 EST

Dogs pick out faces of other dogs, irrespective of breeds, among human and other domestic and wild animal faces and can group them into a category of their own. They do that using visual cues alone, according to new research. Their work is the first to test dogs' ability to discriminate between species and form a "dog" category in spite of the huge variability within the dog species.

Dogs may understand human point of view

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:08:08 EST

Domestic dogs are much more likely to steal food when they think nobody can see them, suggesting for the first time that dogs are capable of understanding a human's point of view.

Putting our heads together: Canines may hold clues to human skull development

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 10:53:53 EST

Researchers have reviewed research on dog cranium development, suggest future research and how it may inform human skull development.

Pest uses plant hairs for protection: Trichomes save insect from beetle predation

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 09:49:49 EST

Guam cycads' hairy problem allows invasive insect to flourish. Everyone needs to eat. But it's a dog-eat-dog world, and with the exception of the top predators, everyone also gets eaten. To cope with this vicious reality, a tiny insect that eats plants has learned to employ the plant's hairs for physical protection from its beetle predator.

Evidence moles can smell in stereo

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 12:30:30 EST

Neuroscientists have performed a series of tests that shows definitively that the common mole uses stereo sniffing to locate its prey.

Caring for dogs to reduce spread of parasite eggs harmful to humans

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:21:21 EST

New research has shown that dogs act as a major source of the parasite egg, Toxocara, which can potentially contaminate the public environment and infect humans.

Klondike, puppy born from a frozen embryo, fetches good news for endangered animals

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:11:11 EST

Meet Klondike, the western hemisphere's first puppy born from a frozen embryo. He's a beagle-Labrador retriever mix, and although neither of those breeds are endangered, Klondike's very existence is exciting news for endangered canids, like the red wolf.

Misconceptions about a popular pet treat

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:29:29 EST

A popular dog treat, the "bully stick," could be adding more calories than pet owners realize, and possibly be contaminated by bacteria, according to a new study.

Why wolves are forever wild, but dogs can be tamed

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:20:20 EST

An evolutionary biologist suggests the different behaviors are related to the animals' earliest sensory experiences and the critical period of socialization.

Italian wolves prefer pork to venison

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 14:37:37 EST

Some European wolves have a distinct preference for wild boar over other prey, according to new research. Scientists found that the diet of wolves was consistently dominated by the consumption of wild boar which accounted for about two thirds of total prey biomass, with roe deer accounting for around a third.

Bugs in the Christmas tree

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 08:18:18 EST

Your Christmas tree may be adorned with lights and glitter. But 25,000 insects, mites, and spiders are sound asleep inside the tree.

Dogs can help wake sleepy patients on public transport

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:31:31 EST

Researchers in Belgium show in a new article how dogs can help patients with severe sleep problems.

Dogs can accurately sniff out 'superbug' infections

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 19:31:31 EST

Dogs can sniff out Clostridium difficile (the infective agent that is responsible for many of the dreaded "hospital acquired infections") in stool samples and even in the air surrounding patients in hospital with a very high degree of accuracy, a new study finds.

Researchers find first evidence of Ice Age wolves in Nevada

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 18:11:11 EST

A research team recently unearthed fossil remains from an extinct wolf species in a wash northwest of Las Vegas, revealing the first evidence that the Ice Age mammal once lived in Nevada.

Virus-host co-evolution: How specialized should a strain of a multi-host virus be?

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:31:31 EST

A new study of canine distemper virus (CDV) provides the first evidence that the virus occurs as specialist strains that emerge in response to strong evolutionary selection in the large global domestic dog population, and as generalist strains adapted to infect a broad range of carnivore species that occur as smaller host populations. The study not only unraveled one key mechanism which led to the evolution of specialist and generalist strains, it also showed that specializing on one host species comes at the cost of a reduced ability to infect other host species.

BPA in dog training aids: High estrogen-mimicking chemical concentrations found in dog training batons

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 16:07:07 EST

Sometimes orange, sometimes white, dog trainers often use plastic fetching batons called bumpers to teach dogs how to retrieve. But researchers have discovered that the dogs also may fetch a mouthful of potentially dangerous chemicals at the same time.

Man's best friend: Common canine virus may lead to new vaccines for deadly human diseases

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:13:13 EST

Researchers have discovered that a virus commonly found in dogs may serve as the foundation for the next great breakthrough in human vaccine development.

Fetch! First clear evidence that dogs do not naturally distinguish objects by shape

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 09:53:53 EST

Researchers have provided the first empirical evidence that the way in which dogs relate words to objects is fundamentally different to humans. Many pet owners marvel at their dog's ability to fetch different objects such as toys on instruction, perceiving this as evidence that the dog 'understands' these words in a similar way to us. Psychologists and animal behavior specialists have shown however, through a series of unique behavioral experiments that the mental lexicon of domestic dogs is constructed in a substantially different manner to our own.

Call that a ball? Dogs learn to associate words with objects differently than humans do

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:02:02 EST

Dogs learning to associate words with objects form these associations in different ways than humans do, according to new research.

Nanotech device mimics dog's nose to detect explosives

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 10:04:04 EST

Engineers have designed a detector that uses microfluidic nanotechnology to mimic the biological mechanism behind canine scent receptors. The device is both highly sensitive to trace amounts of certain vapor molecules, and able to tell a specific substance apart from similar molecules.

What should be done about the wolves at Isle Royale National Park, U.S.?

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 08:52:52 EST

The number of wolves at Isle Royale National Park has dropped to its lowest ever. Should the wolves be let go locally extinct? Reintroduced? Wildlife ecologists and environmental ethicists weigh in.

Pig genome offers insights into the feistiest of farm animals

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:45:45 EST

The pig and its cousin the wild boar have much in common with humans. They are world travelers. They often damage their own habitat. They are easy to seduce (with food) and susceptible to domestication, but when conditions allow, they revert to a feral lifestyle. A new genomic analysis reveals some new, unexpected and potentially beneficial similarities between pigs and humans, and a few distinct differences.

Species persistence or extinction: Through a mathematical lens

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 13:56:56 EST

A new study uses mathematical modeling to study Allee effects, the phenomenon by which a population's growth declines at low densities.

Call for global monitoring of infectious diseases in dogs and cats

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 10:10:10 EST

Most emerging infectious diseases of humans come from animals. International health agencies monitor these diseases, but they do so only for humans and livestock, not for companion dogs and cats. A new study recommends a global system is needed to monitor infectious diseases of companion dogs and cats.

Saber-toothed cats and bear dogs: How they made cohabitation work

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 19:16:16 EST

The fossilized fangs of saber-toothed cats hold clues to how the extinct mammals shared space and food with other large predators 9 million years ago.

Obese dogs at risk of health condition experienced by humans

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 11:14:14 EDT

Veterinary scientists have found that, like humans, obese dogs can experience metabolic syndrome, a condition that describes multiple health issues that occur in the body at the same time.

Animals learn to fine-tune their sniffs

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EDT

Animals use their noses to focus their sense of smell, much the same way that humans focus their eyes. Researchers found that rats adjust their sense of smell through sniffing techniques that bring scents to receptors in different parts of the nose. The sniffing patterns changed according to what kind of substance the rats were attempting to detect.

New cat breed, Selkirk Rex, genetically different from other curly-haired cats

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 16:14:14 EDT

Pet owners and animal breeders are frequently attracted by curly-haired animals. Indeed, three curly-haired varieties of cat are already recognized and have been developed into competitive breeds. Serina Filler at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna now shows that a fourth curly-haired breed, Selkirk Rex, is genetically distinct from previously known breeds and presents a genetic analysis of the new cats.

Bushmeat pushes African species to the brink

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:07:07 EDT

A recent report says illegal hunting of wildlife in South African Development Community (SADC) states can lead to the eradication of many species across extensive areas and even complete ecological collapse.

Puppies don't pick up on yawns: Dogs, like humans, show a gradual development of susceptibility to contagious yawning

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 10:09:09 EDT

Do you get tired when others yawn? Does your dog get tired when you yawn? New research from Sweden establishes that dogs catch yawns from humans. But not if the dogs are too young. The study found that, like humans, dogs show a developmental trend in susceptibility to contagious yawning. While dogs above seven months of age catch human yawns, younger dogs are immune to yawn contagion.

Leaves of carob tree, source of chocolate substitute, fight food-poisoning bacteria

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 14:18:18 EDT

Leaves of the plant that yields carob -- the substitute for chocolate that some consider healthier than chocolate -- are a rich source of antibacterial substances ideal for fighting the microbe responsible for listeriosis, a serious form of food poisoning, according to a new report.

Gold nanoparticle prostate cancer treatment found safe in dogs, study shows

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 15:20:20 EDT

Scientists have demonstrated that a new form of prostate cancer treatment that uses radioactive gold nanoparticles is safe to use in dogs.

Yellowstone wolf study reveals how to raise successful offspring

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 10:22:22 EDT

What are the key ingredients to raising successful, self-sufficient offspring? A new life sciences study using 14 years of data of wolves in Yellowstone indicates cooperative group behavior is key.

Healthy mom with lots of help key to thriving brood, wolf study shows

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 09:30:30 EDT

What does it take to raise successful, self-sufficient offspring? A healthy mom with lots of in-house help. While this advice may benefit humans, a recent study actually focuses on another group of large, social mammals -- namely, wolves.

Urban coyotes could be setting the stage for larger carnivores -- wolves, bears and mountain lions -- to move into cities

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 10:09:09 EDT

Coyotes are the largest of the mammalian carnivores to have made their way to, and thrived in, urban settings. A researcher estimates that about 2,000 coyotes live in the Chicago metro area. The coyote is "the test case for other animals," he says, such as wolves, bears and mountain lions.

Onset of flu season raises concerns about human-to-pet transmission

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:10:10 EDT

As flu season approaches, people who get sick may not realize they can pass the flu not only to other humans, but possibly to other animals, including pets such as cats, dogs and ferrets. This concept, called “reverse zoonosis,” is still poorly understood but has raised concern among some scientists and veterinarians.

Taking the battle against the toxic trio beyond 'Leaves of three, leave it be'

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 12:38:38 EDT

With more than half of all adults allergic to poison ivy, oak and sumac, scientists are reporting an advance toward an inexpensive spray that could reveal the presence of the rash-causing toxic oil on the skin, clothing, garden tools, and even the family pet. Using the spray would enable people to wash off the oil, or avoid further contact, in time to sidestep days of misery.

Urban coyotes never stray: New study finds 100 percent monogamy

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:25:25 EDT

Coyotes living in cities don't ever stray from their mates, according to a new study. The finding sheds light on why the North American cousin of the dog and wolf, which is originally native to deserts and plains, is thriving today in urban areas.