A number of population surveys have indicated a rise in pet ownership over the last year. Propelled by lockdown limitations and isolation, pet ownership has soared. The benefits of pet ownership have become apparent, but how will our new friends cope when life returns to normal? The National Poll on Healthy Ageing (NPHA) is a recurring household survey of American …

Correlation between brain size and intelligence isn’t straightforward. Humans are the most intelligent lifeform on the planet, yet our brain is smaller than that of an elephant or whale. Relative to body weight, humans still don’t have the largest brains, we have a similar relative brain size to mice! Even comparing sizes of human brains to one another, intelligence and …

With the field of holistic and complementary medicine gaining popularity we’ve gathered some advice for pet owners looking to try animal aromatherapy in their homes. Always follow the advice of your veterinarian, only they are qualified to prescribe the use of alternative medications such as essential oil aromatherapy. Are Essential Oils Safe for Dogs and Other Pets? Essentials oils are …

Bonfire night can be a stressful time if your pet is scared of fireworks. A PDSA report from 2015 found 39% of pets have a fear of fireworks. Although we know the colourful explosions in the sky are perfectly safe, our pets don’t understand. Their heightened sense of hearing also makes fireworks more intense. For dogs, cats and other pets …

Research from the University of Alberta has found pet ownership could reduce obesity and allergic diseases in children. The study conducted by Anita Kozyrskyj, a pediatric epidemiologist, looked at 746 infants. They found babies from households with pets had higher levels of certain microbes in the gut. These microbes are linked to a reduced risk of obesity and allergic diseases …

Have you ever wondered why small dogs live longer? Although still a debated topic, new research suggests life expectancy is determined during the early stages of development. Smaller dog breeds outliving larger breeds seems to go against the rest of the mammalian kingdom. For example, mice live for only a few years whereas elephants can live for up to 70 years! …

Minitablets for cats could improve the compliance of feline patients in the future. All cat owners know that giving their pet a pill is no simple task. Cats are stubborn enough to resist taking a tablet and clever enough to avoid them if mixed in with food. Minitablets are much smaller, compressed pills only a few millimetres in size and …

A gene potentially linked to epilepsy has been discovered in dogs. A study investigated juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) in Rhodesian Ridgebacks in search of its genetic cause. The genome wide association study (GWAS) revealed DIRAS1 to be a strong candidate gene. The gene has previously been linked to neurotransmission, making it a good entry point for future research into myoclonic epilepsies. DNA testing …

Researchers at the University of  Glasgow explored how different music genres affected the behaviour of kennelled dogs. In the study ‘The effect of different genres of music on the stress levels of kennelled dogs’ soft rock and reggae had the most beneficial effect on behaviour. The study follows on from previous research that investigated the impact of classical music on …

A recent study compared the relationships children have with pets to those with their siblings. The findings revealed that kids got greater satisfaction from relationships with their pets. The study also provided further evidence that pets are important in the social development of children and early adolescents. It’s no surprise that pets are considered a fully-fledged addition to the family. We …