Mechanistic Insights into Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Pathway Analysis Highlights Age and Sex Differences
This article summarizes a study investigating molecular mechanisms in feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) via pathway analysis of cardiomyocyte markers. The study highlights age-related declines in gene expression, increased marker levels in HCM-affected cats, and significant sex differences with males showing higher expression. Findings emphasize continuous myocardial adaptation and the role of age and sex in disease pathogenesis. Keywords include feline HCM, cardiomyocyte gene expression, age and sex in cat heart disease, and molecular pathogenesis of feline cardiomyopathy.
Cat Brains Age Like Humans: Pet Cats as Natural Models for Human Aging
Understanding how aging progresses across species is crucial for advancing research into age-related diseases and developing effective treatments. However, identifying animal models that age in ways closely comparable to humans—especially reaching equivalent advanced ages—has remained a challenge.
Rhisotope project goes live: scientific innovation offers new weapon against rhino poaching
After six years of intensive research and testing, the Rhisotope Project has officially reached operational status – where rhinos will effectively be protected through nuclear technology.
Predicting respiratory disorder mortality in dogs
Respiratory disorders in dogs can quickly become critical and are reported to be the second leading cause of cardiac arrest in canines. Therefore, it is necessary to take appropriate measures according to each patient’s condition. This, however, requires rapid and accurate disease severity assessments. In human medicine, scoring systems that incorporate physical examinations and blood tests results with respiratory function assessments exist, and enable more accurate severity assessments. In contrast, there are only a few reports on severity assessments that use tests other than respiratory function evaluations in veterinary medicine. Further, these evaluations usability remains unclear.
Genetic rescue of endangered species may risk bad mutations slipping through
The established conservation practice of relocating animals from large, genetically diverse populations to small communities of inbred endangered species may risk introducing more damaging than beneficial gene variants into the threatened group, a new study suggests.
What’s in the pet bowl? Heavy metals, reveals 10-state survey
Two-thirds of dogs tested in a recent survey consume higher-than-recommended levels of heavy metals in their drinking water, according to a study published August 6, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS Waterby Audrey Ruple from Virginia Tech, U.S., and colleagues. The survey, which focused on well water households in 10 states, uncovered 13 instances where arsenic, lead and copper tested above EPA-recommended levels.