Proposition 129 aims to address Colorado's veterinary care shortage by introducing the Veterinary Professional Associate (VPA) role. Modeled after Physician Assistants in human healthcare, VPAs would be highly trained professionals working under the supervision of licensed veterinarians. This proposition has garnered support from animal welfare groups and veterinarians, while some trade associations express concerns about changing the traditional care model. If passed, Prop 129 could improve access to affordable veterinary services, particularly in rural and low-income areas across the state. Find out what this means for pet owners and the veterinary community.

In a world first, veterinary scientists at Université de Montréal have found a way to scan the brains of cats while they’re awake, using electrodes concealed under specially knitted wool caps.

When being tested for chronic pain from common conditions like osteoarthritis, awake cats tend to shake off and chew the wired electrodes placed on their heads to produce electroencephalograms (EEGs).

A new website, AnimalMethodsBias.org, created by the Coalition to Illuminate and Address Animal Methods Bias (COLAAB), provides researchers guidance and resources aimed at helping them successfully publish nonanimal biomedical research by overcoming the preference some peer reviewers have for animal-based research methods.

A new international study has revealed the genetic impact of hunting in northern elephant seals. Published today (27.09.2024) in ‘Nature Ecology and Evolution’, the research shows that this species narrowly escaped extinction by hunting, resulting in lasting genetic effects in the present population. Fifteen German, British and US researchers from seven universities and four research institutions collaborated for this study led by Bielefeld University.

Adversity early in life can have permanent health consequences for people — even if their circumstances improve dramatically later on. Scientists use a cumulative adversity index, or CAI, which quantifies measures of hardship including poverty and stress, to understand health and longevity over the course of an individual’s life. This has been helpful in identifying specific measures governments, health care providers and families can take to improve people’s lives.