August 30, 2012 BY MAF
Treating disease in horses is never an easy task. They are large and often headstrong animals with a complicated physiology to match. Although advancements in equine health have made large strides in recent decades, still, no treatment plan is more effective—or less expensive—than preventing disease from happening in the first place. That’s why several recent Morris Animal Foundation–funded studies are focusing on equine disease prevention.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Horse health, Veterinary research
August 29, 2012 BY MAF
Anyone who has experienced the pain of a urinary tract or bladder infection can empathize with a pet that suffers from chronic infections.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Veterinary research
August 28, 2012 BY MAF
With Hurricane Isaac quickly descending upon Louisiana, it’s important that all pet owners take the necessary precautions to keep their animals safe and healthy, especially in the case of an evacuation.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Pet health
August 27, 2012 BY MAF
More than 25 percent of retired racing Greyhounds experience abnormal bleeding after routine spay/neuter surgery. In people, the drug epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA) has been used to decrease the need for blood transfusions during certain surgeries. The drug works by strengthening and accelerating clot formation.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Canine health, Veterinary research
August 20, 2012 BY MAF
Coral reefs are some of the most beautiful, oldest and most diverse ecosystems on our planet, but they are dying throughout the world because of human impact. The reef- building corals in the Caribbean show the greatest signs of disease-related decline.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Veterinary research , Wildlife health
August 15, 2012 BY MAF
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and feline coronavirus (FCoV) are two serious infectious diseases that significantly affect the health of cats worldwide. Mitochondrial genomics has determined that variations in mitochondrial DNA (mitochondria are the energy-producing factories within cells) are associated with differences in disease progression in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Cat diseases, Cat health
July 24, 2012 BY MAF
Little is known about the effectiveness of stem cell therapies to help treat dogs that have suffered paralyzing injuries—but that promise exists.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Animal studies
July 23, 2012 BY MAF
Learn how Morris Animal Foundation is taking the lead as the largest nonprofit source of funding to identify how stem cells really work.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Animal studies, Animal welfare
July 23, 2012 BY MAF
Obesity in cats has reached epidemic proportions: An estimated 20 to 48 percent of owned cats are now overweight. Obese cats are more likely to develop health problems, such as diabetes, skin conditions, heart disease and severe lameness. Researchers at Auburn University investigated whether they could use drugs to act on two protein molecules in the brain, known as melanocortin-3 and melanocortin-4 receptors, to treat obesity in cats.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Cat health, Obesity
July 21, 2012 BY MAF
Did you know that chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the number one killer of cats in the country? Though the disease can be managed if caught in the early stages, it is often not diagnosed until the late stages, leaving few treatment options.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Animal studies, Animal welfare
July 20, 2012 BY MAF
National Zookeepers Week is July 15-20 and zoos across the country are celebrating it in a variety of different ways. The week is dedicated to honoring the approximately 7,000 animal care professionals across the country and the work they do in animal care, conservation and education.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Veterinary research , Wildlife health
July 19, 2012 BY MAF
It’s time again to rally together for the annual Pepper/Sampson This marks the 12th anniversary of the agility event, which to date has raised more than $144,000 for canine lymphoma research.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Canine cancer , Dog health
July 17, 2012 BY MAF
Mycoplasma haemolamae is a bacterium that attaches to red blood cells and causes anemia in South American camelids. A recently developed blood test for diagnosing infection indicates that some infected animals do not show clinical signs of anemia.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Animal studies, Llama health
July 10, 2012 BY MAF
Drug interactions are a significant cause of death in human patients, but problems caused by drug interactions in dogs have received little attention. Understanding more about potentially harmful drug interactions is a critical component of preventive medicine.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Dog diseases, Veterinary research
July 4, 2012 BY MAF
In a past Morris Animal Foundation-funded study at the Wildlife Center of Virginia, researchers showed that sevoflurane is safer and more effective than isoflurane in anesthetizing bald eagles.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Veterinary research , Wildlife health
July 3, 2012 BY MAF
Captive cheetah populations worldwide are plagued by debilitating diseases and infertility, conditions that are rare in wild cheetahs. Although these condtions were originally thought to be associated with the lack of genetic diversity in captive animals, mounting evidence indicates that chronic stress in response to aspects of the captive environment alters the cheetah’s immune system.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Animal studies, Wildlife health
June 28, 2012 BY MAF
Once a year, the nation’s leading online voices in pet health, advocacy, welfare and lifestyle come together at the BlogPaws annual conference, and Morris Animal Foundation staff was delighted to join this year’s event.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Animal welfare, Pet health
June 19, 2012 BY MAF
Asthma caused by an inappropriate immune response to inhaled allergens affects an estimated 1 to 5 percent of pet cats. Allergy shots show promise as a potential cure, according to previous Morris Animal Foundation–funded studies; however, they can take months to work, and most cats require concurrent treatment with steroids to control serious symptoms.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Cat health, Veterinary research
June 4, 2012 BY MAF
Part of Morris Animal Foundation’s unique contribution to animal health is that our mission includes helping wildlife. And not only do we fund wildlife health research, but the Foundation is often the only source of funding for wildlife scientists.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Animal studies, Wildlife health
May 21, 2012 BY MAF
The Meisha’s Hope Fund, established to advance research into autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), will celebrate its 10-year anniversary on May 25, 2012.Read more »
POSTED IN: Animal health, Animal studies, Dog health
