Animal Welfare

The genetic diversity of the English Bulldog is now so limited it could be difficult to improve the health problems associated with the breed. Selective breeding of the English Bulldog for specific traits has been carried out by humans for many years. This has caused large changes in the genome of the Bulldog, which now put it at the top …

Cat food puzzles are being used to help combat the negative physical and behavioural effects an indoor lifestyle has on felines. Keeping a cat indoors is recommended for their safety and health. However, indoor housing is associated with physical and behavioural problems, such as: Obesity Type-2 diabetes Joint problems Chronic lower urinary tract diseases Aggression Attention-seeking behaviors Stress-related behaviors e.g. house-soiling and overgrooming A new study …

Flat faced dog breeds, such as the much loved pug, are increasing in popularity. Unfortunately, the characteristics of these breeds can lead to debilitating health problems later in life.

Microchipping dogs is now compulsory under new English law. The Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015 states that from the 6th April 2016, all dogs over the age of 8 weeks must be fitted with a microchip. This new law affects England, Scotland and Wales. Failure to comply with this new regulation could result in a criminal prosecution and a £500 …

Cat pain can be difficult to spot. As a species, cats are extremely good at hiding their pain. It is usually not until their pain becomes excessive that we are able to notice. Spotting the signs of pain in cats usually relies on being able to notice slight changes in their behaviour. Opinions are mostly mixed about what behavioural changes indicate pain. A …

Shelter dogs are often labelled incorrectly as ‘pit bull’ by shelter workers. These mistaken identities could have tragic consequences for the dogs in question. A University of Florida study found as many as 1-in-3 shelter dogs are incorrectly identified as pit bulls by experts. Pit bull is not a breed as such, more a type of dog. Lawfully, pit bull describes …

A recent study conducted at the University of Bristol, supervised by Dr. Clare Rusbridge, has identified two significant risk factors for the development of a painful neurological disease in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. The findings implicate certain aspects of skull shape in the onset of syringomyelia, a painful condition more common in toy breeds, including the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and …

Bringing puppies into this world is always a huge decision and should not be taken lightly. If you are considering breeding your dog, please make sure that all of the proper health testing is conducted before your dog is pregnant, and have your dog checked over thoroughly by a vet before the breeding takes place. Females should absolutely not be …

As with other pets, owning rabbits requires a certain amount of responsibility. Some rabbits require more attention than others, but they all need you to look out for their safety. Before deciding that a rabbit is the right pet for you, take a second to think about what owning a rabbit requires and what you are going to have to …

All this week, we here at PetSci are going to be raising awareness of canine stress. Just like us, dogs too can suffer from stress and stress can unfortunately cause some negative effects. In some mild to moderate cases, stress can go unnoticed in dogs (although you’re probably going to notice if your pet is really stressed). To help with …