Veterinary Medicine | Penn Today

CNN

Man dies after being licked by his dog and contracting rare infection

Stephen Cole of the School of Veterinary Medicine said that capnocytophaga canimorsus, a bacterium found in the mouths of some pets, is “completely normal flora of a dog’s mouth and usually doesn’t cause any sort of significant disease. However, in the wrong place, at the wrong time, in the wrong patient ... it can lead to severe infections—but very, very rarely.”

This Penn heart patient is a 9-year-old boxer dog named Sophie

Sophie underwent a cardiac ablation procedure in a Perelman School of Medicine translational research lab to treat her arrhythmia—the first time a dog with her diagnosis received such a treatment. Veterinary cardiologist Anna Gelzer says of the collaboration, “It’s the best of both worlds.”

The New York Times

How Narwhal the ‘unicorn’ puppy may have grown a tail on his head

Margret Casal of the School of Veterinary Medicine explained that the puppy with a tail on its face that went viral is likely the result of another embryo that didn’t fully separate in utero.

Quanta Magazine

Cells that ‘taste’ danger set off immune responses

De’Broski Herbert of the School of Veterinary Medicine spoke about the presence of tuft cells, which are covered in taste receptors, in the lungs of mice infected with influenza.

two smiling veterinarians in an exam room, one holding a Chihuahua dog

Estrogen’s opposing effects on mammary tumors in dogs

Estrogen’s role in canine mammary cancer is more complex than previously understood. New findings may help explain why dogs spayed at a young age are more likely to develop more aggressive cancers.

Huffington Post

What to do if your dog eats weed

Kenneth Drobatz of the School of Veterinary Medicine spoke about the increase in cases of pets who have ingested marijuana. “We see this a lot during the holiday season when kids come home from college and bring home brownies or something like that,” he said.

Row of six adorable and different dog breeds

Genes play a role in dog breed differences in behavior

Border collies are highly trainable, greyhounds love to chase, and German shepherds make good guard dogs. While the environment plays a role, traits like these are highly heritable. A new study identifies 131 genetic variants associated with breed differences in behavior.

Philadelphia Magazine

A new cannabis study is launching in Philly — for your dog

Kimberly Agnello of the School of Veterinary Medicine is quoted on her work studying the safety and efficacy in CBD use for dogs.

four panels of cellular molecules highlighted by fluoroscopy. Right panels show fewer bright green dots but otherwise look similar to those on the left.

Identifying a gene for canine night blindness

An international team of researchers led by the School of Veterinary Medicine’s Keiko Miyadera has identified the gene mutation responsible for a form of night blindness in dogs. Strategies to treat this condition could also inform treatment of other diseases that rely on targeting this cell type.

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