Animal Airwaves

When a wildfire is bearing down, animals need to be evacuated quickly. If a horse is involved, that can only happen with advanced planning. Every horse needs a go kit...

As our pets age, their risk of chronic pain increases. Osteoarthritis affects one-in-five dogs over one year of age, and the risk increases thereafter. Likewise, up to 90 percent of...

It never pays to rely on the internet for veterinary advice. Every animal is different, so what works for one may not do the trick for another. Online advice often...

Bladder or urinary stones that affect people can also be a problem in some dogs, cats and other mammals, including dolphins and otters. Why some animals are prone to forming...

Honey bees can withstand a relatively wide range of temperatures to maintain the brood nest — that is, the core of the hive that houses the queen, eggs and young...

Once again, the American Veterinary Medical Association is cautioning pet parents against feeding raw or undercooked animal proteins to dogs and cats. These include meat, poultry, fish, eggs and milk...

Like people, dogs can suffer from disorders of the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, which can cause significant pain and functional problems. The canine TMJ is very narrow, so noninvasive access...

According to owner-reported data from a large-scale study of dogs across the U.S., over 80 percent of our canine companions show mild signs of fear or anxiety in day-to-day situations....

There's been a lot of talk lately about permanent daylight savings time, but has anyone considered its possible effects on animals? Pets need a few days — even weeks —...

Considering the various injuries that can befall cattle, you might think a swollen joint is no big deal — never mind an emergency. But that's not the case. Whatever the...

Ever wonder what happens when a sample is sent to UF's Diagnostic Laboratory? Dr. Michael Dark, clinical associate professor and director of CVM's veterinary diagnostic labs, takes listeners behind the...

Some areas of the U.S. are experiencing a boom in human cases of flea-borne murine typhus. Consequently, public health officials are hot on the trail for answers. Flea-borne murine typhus...

Feline infectious peritonitis, or FIP, used to be a death sentence for cats. Now they have a lot brighter future. In short, FIP is a complex disease caused by a...

Eye infections are common in pets and horses and are routinely treated with topical antibiotics. However, a recent study shows a troubling trend in antimicrobial resistance. The study zeroes in...

Tapeworms called Echinococcus multilocularis use canids as their definitive, or “normal,” hosts. That means they complete their life cycle in dogs, coyotes, foxes or wolves without causing them many problems....

Globally, about 50 percent of pet cats and dogs are obese. What's more, weight loss plans for our furry friends often fall flat. So, what can we do to help...

Many potential toxins may be lurking in a pet bird's home, several of which often cause immediate, life-threatening danger. Teflon™, or PTFE, lines certain nonstick pans and may also coat...

Over half of mature light-breed horses in the U.S. are obese — an incidence that's among the highest in the world. For most of them, the problem is equine metabolic...

The American Heartworm Society, or AHS, recently released the results of its latest three-year survey of canine heartworm disease. Although the Gulf Coast and southeastern U.S. still have high case...

For dogs with severe hip dysplasia that progresses in spite of conservative treatment, total hip replacement can restore their quality of life. The hip joint is a classic ball-and-socket structure....

A recently published case report from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences described two dogs that suffered toxicity after accidentally ingesting a livestock feed additive. Ractopamine...

Just like their right-handed or left-handed parents, dogs may have a paw preference. A newly developed test includes four tasks that help determine a dog's laterality, or pawedness. In one...

If you're a pooch parent, blastomycosis should be on your radar — especially if your dog's a digger. Blastomycosis is a fungal infection that most often affects dogs along river...

Good nutrition is key to managing feline diabetes. It may even help cats achieve diabetic remission — that is, maintenance of normal glucose levels for over four months without treatment....

For some pet parents, boarding their furry friends may be the only option when they're away from home. But don't despair. There are ways to help ease the stress on...

At least 32 states have laws that prohibit leaving an animal in a vehicle in dangerous conditions, or they provide civil immunity to folks who break in to save them....

When it comes to testing bear-resistant camping equipment, the bears have the last word. To be labeled “bear-resistant,” products have to pass bear-assisted tests, and the grizzlies at Washington State...

The oddest of odd animals on earth has to be the platypus. It's a duck-billed mammal with flippers and a beaver-like tail and is one of only five species of...

While pet-proofing our homes, potential exposure to heavy metals often escapes our notice — but it can make our pets really sick. Zinc intoxication usually results from swallowing pennies minted...

Creative benefit packages are becoming more common in today's workplace. Some companies are offering back-up care, which refers to temporary support for family members when regular care plans fall through....

Tetanus is caused by bacteria that live in soil and manure, lying in wait to infect wounds, surgical sites and umbilical stumps in horses and livestock. So, it's important to...

Colic — or abdominal pain resulting from gastrointestinal conditions — is one of the most common equine emergencies. While it can occur any time of year, there are specific causes...

Did you know that some of the longest animal migrations in the world are the river journeys of freshwater fish? You've likely heard of salmon or eel migrations, but billions...

Many dogs don't miss a trick, especially when it comes to behavior repeated right in front of them. That's how we inadvertently teach them the very dangerous habit of opening...

Both animals and people can overdose on opioids, like fentanyl or heroine. Dogs — especially those on police K9 units — are the animals most at risk, since they explore...

Canine epilepsy, which results in chronic intermittent seizure activity, is the most common neurologic condition in dogs. While most dogs with seizures fall down, shake and foam at the mouth,...

Spring and summer are boom times for newborn wildlife like raccoons, foxes, skunks and coyotes. As they learn to navigate the world, they're susceptible to many threats, including infection by...

For those of you pooch parents who really want to get inside the mind of your dog, Harvard University may be a place to start. Harvard's Canine Brains Project —...

Spring may feel fresh and bright, but the dry air and surges of pollen often trigger allergies that leave our animals' eyes irritated, itchy and uncomfortably dry. Add to that...

You may think of Toxocara, or roundworms, as parasites that only affect dogs and cats. But toxocariasis – roundworm infection – can cause serious disease in people, too. Dogs are...

Our pets love springtime just as much as we do. But even in balmy weather, we need to protect them against potential dangers. Topping the list are parasites, like fleas,...

Hanging on to your pet's old medications can be risky, but what's the best way to get rid of them? The safest method is to use take-back programs offered by...

Each year, thousands of animal and plant species are objects of illegal wildlife trafficking. Many affected mammals — like elephants and rhinos — are well known, but chances are you've...

Recently, dogs in need of critical first aid have received some positive news. Following a risk review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Mantel Technologies' canine freeze-dried plasma —...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, has had a busy first quarter of 2026 approving medications for the animals that we care so much about. In early March—and...

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Numelvi™ tablets for the control of itch associated with allergic dermatitis in dogs six months of age or older. According...

As of April 2026, New World Screwworm, or NWS, still hasn't made its way into the U.S. But if, or when, it does, there's a new agent to fight it....

Both people and dogs can suffer from seasonal allergies — it's just that they're affected in different ways. In each case, allergic individuals overreact to certain environmental substances, like pollen,...

As the weather warms, dogs and their humans have something in common — that's the threat of Lyme disease caused by bacteria spread by blacklegged, or deer, ticks. As opposed...

Scientists have long known that cats have an uncanny ability to land on their feet when they fall. But just how they do it remained a mystery. Earlier this year,...

For bumblebees, beating the odds is old hat. After all, their ability to fly was once a mystery. Now we know that bumblebee queens can survive under water — sometimes...