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Penn in the News
A round-up of Penn mentions in local, national, and international media.
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Penn In the News
Researchers investigating whether dogs can detect coronavirus
Cynthia Otto of the School of Veterinary Medicine was interviewed about Penn’s Working Dog Center, which is exploring the possibility of using dogs to sniff out odors associated with COVID-19.
Penn In the News
Dogs are being trained to sniff out coronavirus cases
Cynthia Otto of the School of Veterinary Medicine is quoted on training dogs to detect disease.
Penn In the News
Horses and dogs share a surprisingly common language of play
Sue McDonnell of the School of Veterinary Medicine commented on new research that finds shared play language between dogs and horses. “It’s a wonderful study, and takes the questions surrounding play behavior to a new level,” she said.
Penn In the News
Cats can get coronavirus. How worried should you be?
Shelley Rankin of the School of Veterinary Medicine weighed in on a study that found that cats can contract and spread the coronavirus. “All this study showed is that they could experimentally infect cats: It doesn’t mean that the virus is causing disease in the cat population, and it does not mean that cats can infect humans,” she said. “Whether or not this can happen in the wild … is still open to interpretation.”
Penn In the News
They said pets couldn’t get the coronavirus, so how did a tiger test positive? Vets explain
Shelley C. Rankin of the School of Veterinary Medicine spoke about the transfer of disease between animals and humans with regard to COVID-19, which anecdotal evidence suggests could be passed to pets from their owners.
Penn In the News
Think you’re young and safe from COVID-19? Your immune system might disagree
Christopher Hunter of the School of Veterinary Medicine said young people are at risk of developing a cytokine storm in response to COVID-19. “While the vast majority of young people are going to be fine, we’re seeing reports here and there of when this isn’t going to be the case,” he said.
Penn In the News
Sit, stay forever: Americans willing to pay top dollar to keep old dogs alive
Anna Gelzer of the School of Veterinary Medicine spoke about the increase in spending on life-extending medical care for dogs. “Dogs are like a person, a family member,” she said.
Penn In the News
Quarantine the cat? Disinfect the dog? The latest advice about the coronavirus and your pets
Shelley Rankin of the School of Veterinary Medicine addressed the risk of COVID-19 infection in pets. While the virus could theoretically attach to receptors in the cells of cats and dogs, it’s unlikely, she said. “Still, people infected with SARS-CoV-19 should limit contact with their pets. Wash your hands, and don’t let them lick you on the face.”
Penn In the News
Women’s work: 12 stories of female success and struggle in male-dominated fields
PIK Professor Dorothy Roberts, Angela Duckworth of the School of Arts of Sciences, and Julie Engiles of the School of Veterinary Medicine were interviewed for a photo-essay about being women in the workplace.
Penn In the News
Three fourths of dogs are angst-ridden—and owners may be partly to blame
James Serpell of the School of Veterinary Medicine said an uptick in dog anxiety stems in part from owners failing to properly socialize their pets. “It’s a sort of helicopter-parenting concept applied to dogs,” he said. “Animals are not getting enough exposure to normal social interactions, play behavior and roughhousing with other dogs. That’s asking for trouble.”