A new study points to the lifesaving role that pets have played in 2020 and why governments need to sit up and take notice. In the absence of human-to-human contact, in millions of households worldwide, animals have stepped into the breach for many people, providing much-needed comfort via cuddles, pats and a constant physical presence.…

Puppyhood dietary factors may affect the onset of canine allergy and atopy related skin symptoms in adulthood, according to a new study. «The puppies that had been fed raw tripe, raw organ meats, and human meal leftovers during puppyhood showed significantly less allergy and atopy related skin symptoms in adult life. On the other hand,…

While current events have increased stress for all families, parents of children with autism report higher levels of stress on average than parents of typically developing kids. Feeling overwhelmed and overburdened by various responsibilities, some parents turn to pets as a source of comfort and support. Now, research from the University of Missouri has found…

New research has found that feeding cats one large meal a day may help control hunger better than feeding them several times a day. Animal nutrition specialists in U of G’s Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) and Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) have found that feeding cats one large meal a day may help control hunger better…

Savvy shoppers increasingly expect to know the origin of the food they eat, whether they shop at farmers’ markets or big-box major retailers. A prototype app aims to provide full transparency from farm to table along food supply chains and meet the needs of smallholder farmers, boutique producers, and industrial growers. Official food certification systems…

Disappearing habitats and use of pesticides are driving the loss of pollinator species around the world, posing a threat to ‘ecosystem services’ that provide food and wellbeing to many millions – particularly in the Global South – as well as billions of dollars in crop productivity. This is according to an international panel of experts,…

The majority of dog breeds are highly inbred, contributing to an increase in disease and health care costs throughout their lifespan, according to new research. In a recent study published in Canine Medicine and Genetics, an international team of researchers led by University of California, Davis, veterinary geneticist Danika Bannasch show that the majority of…

Cats are twice as likely to survive a venomous snakebite than dogs, and the reasons behind this strange phenomenon have just been revealed. The research team compared the effects of snake venoms on the blood clotting agents in dogs and cats, hoping to help save the lives of our furry friends. The research team, led…

Older adults with low intake of foods and drinks containing flavonoids, such as berries, apples, and tea, were more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias over 20 years, compared with people who consumed more of those items, according to a new study. The epidemiological study of 2,800 people aged 50 and older examined…

A research team’s deeper examination of the nutritional content of plant-based meat alternatives, using metabolomics, shows they’re as different as plants and animals. Beef contained 22 metabolites that the plant substitute did not. The plant-based substitute contained 31 metabolites that meat did not. The greatest distinctions occurred in amino acids, dipeptides, vitamins, phenols, and types…