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Veterinary Medicine

Do dogs get headaches?
Gizmodo

Do dogs get headaches?

The School of Veterinary Medicine’s Charles Vite discussed whether or not dogs can get headaches. While Vite believes dogs with brain tumors probably do suffer from headaches, he says they’re unlikely to experience random headaches like people do. “Fortunately,” he says, “hangovers are … very rare in dogs.”

Shelter medicine is on a roll
Two women stand in front of a trailer with the words "Penn Vet Shelter Medicine" emblazoned on it and pictures of dogs and cats on the front

A new mobile unit for Penn Vet's Shelter Medicine program is getting rolling this spring, bringing state-of-the-art veterinary care into animal shelters and underserved communities. Veterinarians Brittany Watson and Chelsea Reinhard led the program’s efforts.

Shelter medicine is on a roll

The School of Veterinary Medicine’s Shelter Medicine Program just got a lot more nimble. They’ve unveiled a state-of-the-art mobile clinic that will expand their services to the animal shelter community.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Be careful when using natural anti-tick treatments on dogs or cats
The Washington Post

Be careful when using natural anti-tick treatments on dogs or cats

The School of Veterinary Medicine’s Lisa Murphy said that “all-natural does not equal safe” when it comes to anti-tick treatments. But no matter what treatment you use, Murphy recommends thoroughly checking pets for ticks on a regular basis.

Penn Vet unveils mobile clinic to serve community, area shelters
CBS Philadelphia

Penn Vet unveils mobile clinic to serve community, area shelters

Penn Vet’s Shelter Medicine Program unveiled a 40-foot mobile clinic over the weekend. The unit will provide medical and clinical assessments for animals, along with facilities to perform surgeries. The unit will also be used for humane education programs.

Specialized surgery gets Goliath back to the farm
Goliath the dog on a farm with his canine buddy behind a fence with two farmhouses in the background

Goliath, at left, with Hershey on the Jefferson farm. (Photo courtesy: Penn Vet)

Specialized surgery gets Goliath back to the farm

Diagnosed with an abnormal blood vessel in her liver, Goliath, a Great Pyrenees farm dog, underwent a successful specialized procedure at Penn Vet to correct her blood flow and get her back to work on the farm.

Penn Today Staff

Hindering melanoma metastasis with an FDA-approved drug
Two square panels, the left labeled "vehicle" and the right labeled "resperine." The vehicle panel has both blue and green dots and markings throughout, while the resperine panel has only blue markings.

In a mouse model, the FDA-approved drug reserpine seemed to hamper the ability of tumors to reshape distant tissues in ways that would encourage metastasis, for example, reducing the accumulation of fibronectin, a protein associated with certain types of cancer.

Hindering melanoma metastasis with an FDA-approved drug

A drug approved by the FDA 65 years ago for blood pressure control may aid in preventing cancer from spreading to distant organs. New research led by Serge Fuchs revealed that this drug disrupted formation of a fertile environment for metastasis by protecting healthy cells from harmful vesicles released by tumors.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Does opioid use in pets create higher risk for abuse in humans?
Labrador puppy on exam table with vet in background

Weapons-grade cuteness.

nocred

Does opioid use in pets create higher risk for abuse in humans?

A new study shows a 41 percent increase in opioids for small animals over the past 10 years, indicating an avenue of potential risk for human access to opioids.

Penn Today Staff

More pet insurance policies are being sold. But are they worth the cost?
The New York Times

More pet insurance policies are being sold. But are they worth the cost?

The School of Veterinary Medicine’s James Serpell commented on the motivations behind purchasing pet insurance. “People are much more inclined to think of their animals like children, and treat them accordingly,” he said.

Celebrating science
a stack of books in front of a chalkboard with math equations

Celebrating science

Eight Penn faculty share their favorite general interest books about science.

Erica K. Brockmeier