msnbc.com: Pet health

FDA expands dog food recall over possible salmonella contamination

Tue, 1 May 2012 19:47:29 GMT

By msnbc.com staff Diamond Pet Foods is expanding a voluntary recall to include puppy food over possible salmonella contamination, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

FDA inspectors probe pet jerky treats in China

Wed, 4 Apr 2012 21:49:27 GMT

Federal health officials have sent inspectors into Chinese plants that make chicken jerky pet treats to investigate potential links to illnesses and deaths in hundreds of dogs in the United States, two lawmakers say.

FDA steps up scrutiny of chicken jerky dog treats

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:46:37 GMT

Amid reports of more than 500 dogs sickened by chicken jerky pet treats imported from China, government health officials are ramping up border inspections for dangerous toxins, including melamine.

Vets push pets to help with cancer research

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:58:05 GMT

Leading Texas veterinarians are mobilizing to enlist pets in the testing of experimental cancer therapies, a potential benefit to not just dogs and cats but people.

Chicken jerky tied to mystery illnesses in dogs

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:57:46 GMT

Chicken jerky treats may be to blame for dozens of new reports of mysterious illnesses and some deaths in dogs, health officials warn. At least 70 dogs have reportedly been sickened this year after eating chicken jerky products imported from China.

Ugliest-dog owner: ‘We love her just like she is’

Sat, 25 Jun 2011 07:41:28 GMT

Yoda's short tufts of hair, protruding tongue and long, seemingly hairless legs were enough to earn her the World's Ugliest Dog title at a Northern California fair. Her owner told TODAY she loves her prize-winning pooch's ugly mug.

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Sat, 25 Jun 2011 07:41:28 GMT

Baby's first pet may protect against allergies

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 15:51:00 GMT

Rover and Fluffy are unlikely to raise kids' risk of developing pet allergies, and could lower them, according to a new 18-year-long study.

Pet abuse registry may also protect children

Thu, 19 May 2011 17:05:42 GMT

A New York county is launching a registry for animal abusers which could also help to identify potential violence against women and children.

So long, litter box: These cats are potty-trained!

Tue, 17 May 2011 20:58:13 GMT

Barbara Ogburn was waiting for guests to arrive for a dinner party when her Siamese cat Toby went to use his litter box.

Volunteers still find lost pets in tornado ruins

Fri, 13 May 2011 19:16:45 GMT

More than two weeks after twisters shattered the South, teams from the Humane Society of the United States are still rounding up stray animals and pets in the most heavily damaged areas.

Therapy kangaroo can stay with owner, city rules

Wed, 4 May 2011 18:04:51 GMT

A depressed woman can keep a partially paralyzed kangaroo at her home in a northeast Oklahoma city, officials have agreed, just weeks after she was warned that the therapy pet might be run out of town.

As doggie diabetes soars, human tools may help

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:33:30 GMT

Human drugs have long been used to treat the disease in animals, but now vets are using another human tool, the continuous glucose monitor, to develop treatments for Fido and Mittens.

Female dogs smarter than males? Maybe

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 19:52:16 GMT

A new study finds that the brains of male and female canines are not the same — and in at least one task, the females have an edge.

Therapy kangaroo may be saved by donated insurance

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:33:53 GMT

An anonymous donor has purchased a $50,000 insurance policy to help an Oklahoma woman keep her pet kangaroo as a therapy pet.

What to do if you find an injured animal

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:02:59 GMT

Countless homeowners will find hobbled or mauled animals on their property this year. It's not always clear what to do. There are differences in how to handle, say, a baby chick versus a frothing raccoon. And it's not always easy to find someone to help.

Pooch pop? Bird bras? The wackiest new pet products

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 19:10:16 GMT

Ostensibly a showcase for the latest fads in pet health, the Global Pet Expo is also a stage for the whimsical and wacky. Learn about the bizarre new items for dogs, cats, fish and even chickens.

A soldier and his dog make a final journey together

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 23:17:10 GMT

Liam and Theo were a team, fast friends doing a dangerous job — searching out roadside bombs laid by insurgents in Afghanistan.

Calif. ferret owners want their pets legalized

Mon, 7 Mar 2011 17:49:47 GMT

California's ferret owners are tired of being criminals.

Video: Stray dogs in Detroit focus of YouTube video

Tue, 1 Mar 2011 19:36:27 GMT

A YouTube video shows Detroit's growing population of stray dogs. TODAYshow.com’s Dara Brown talks to Monica Martino, co-founder of Detroit Dog Rescue, about safety concerns and community efforts to control the population. (TODAY)

Cats bond with women -- and not just for food

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 23:37:49 GMT

The bond between cats and their owners turns out to be far more intense than imagined, especially for cat aficionado women and their affection reciprocating felines, shows a study.

Poll: It's OK to declaw cats, most pet owners say

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:14:36 GMT

Cats scratch and dogs bark. Is declawing or debarking the answer?

Pit bull puppy swallows foot-long drumstick

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 00:26:25 GMT

Veterinarian Dr. Kathy Blanchard thought she was being punked when she first saw the x-rays of a 4-month-old pit bull mix who consumed a drumstick nearly as long as her body.

Stem cells could get pup walking again

Wed, 9 Feb 2011 21:23:18 GMT

The 3-year-old lab has trouble walking, but vets are optimistic that she'll live pain-free.

Teen's best friend? Kids with dogs exercise more

Tue, 8 Feb 2011 16:55:07 GMT

A furry, four-pawed best friend could be the key to getting your kid off the couch and away from the TV screen, a new study suggests.

Video: Life-saving Lab sniffs out danger for diabetic girl

Mon, 7 Feb 2011 20:08:12 GMT

Diagnosed with an especially severe case of type 1 diabetes at the age of four, Rebecca Farrar was unable to feel any change in her blood sugar levels and suffered from life-threatening complications. Shirley, a yellow Labrador, can detect changes in Rebecca's glucose levels and is now Rebecca's constant companion. ITV's Lawrence McGinty reports. (Nightly News)

Training, not nature, causes pet bullies

Thu, 3 Feb 2011 22:33:11 GMT

The majority of American pet owners believe a well-trained dog is safe — even if it comes from one of the "bully breeds."

Your dog's head can reveal how strong, fast it is

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 18:23:57 GMT

The size and width of a dog's head accurately predict the strength and running ability of the canine, according to a paper in the latest issue of the journal Behavioural Processes.

Pets poisoned by your pills, group says

Sat, 29 Jan 2011 00:45:17 GMT

Human medications sickened more pets in the United States last year than any other toxin.

Missing pedigreed cat turns up — neutered

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 04:22:41 GMT

A valuable pedigreed cat that went missing from its New Zealand home turned up two days later a little different — it had been surgically castrated.

Video: Pooch gets prosthetic paw

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:03:35 GMT

After being accidentally run over in his own driveway, "Peg-Leg Polo" is thriving with a new custom-designed artificial paw. WSMV's Dennis Ferrier reports. (NBC News)

Bad dog? Pets pose threat to safe driving

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 22:08:04 GMT

While lawmakers have been banning drivers from texting or using cell phones, many motorists are riding around with another dangerous risk — their dogs.

'Animals on Treadmills' will shame you to fitness

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:26:52 GMT

Here you are 18 days into yet another failed New Year's Resolution to get in shape, while all around you Corgis, tabby cats, bunnies, crustaceans, hamsters, ferrets and a dog of indistinct heritage wearing a moose suit, are hitting the gym and going for the burn.

Most owners see pet's 6th sense

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:45:46 GMT

Two-thirds of American pet owners say their pets have a sixth sense about everything from bad weather to bad news, a new poll finds.

Can't kick bad habits? Blame the brain

Mon, 3 Jan 2011 19:30:04 GMT

Uh-oh, the new year's just begun and already you're finding it hard to keep those resolutions to junk the junk food, get off the couch or kick smoking. There's a biological reason a lot of our bad habits are so hard to break — they get wired into our brains.

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Mon, 3 Jan 2011 19:30:04 GMT

Video: Dog gives birth to 17 puppies

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 16:07:43 GMT

Celebrations in Germany after a Rhodesian Ridgeback gives birth to 17 puppies, and all survive. TODAYshow.com's Dara Brown reports. (TODAY)

Kroger recalls pet foods in 19 states

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 14:58:26 GMT

The Kroger Co is recalling select packages of dog and cat foods at some of its retail stores because the products may pose a health risk to pets.

1,200 dogs euthanized after distemper scare

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:06:49 GMT

An estimated 1,200 dogs at a Kansas kennel were euthanized after an outbreak in Wyoming of the highly contagious disease distemper was linked to the large-scale breeding operation.

Michael Vick: A dog could help my rehabilitation

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 17:04:38 GMT

"I would love to get another dog in the future," the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback told theGrio. "I think it would be a big step for me in the rehabilitation process. I think just to have a pet in my household and to show people that I genuinely care, and my love, and my passion for animals."

Dogs are Santa's favorites, poll shows

Wed, 8 Dec 2010 17:58:02 GMT

A majority of all pet owners — 53 percent — said in an Associated Press-Petside.com poll that they plan to get their animals a present this holiday season.

Puppy without ears finds foster home

Wed, 1 Dec 2010 00:38:19 GMT

He was found in the bottom of a Dumpster, after having his ears viciously hacked off.

Loved to death? Some want pets to die with them

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 13:51:05 GMT

Donald Ellis loved his 2-year-old Yorkshire terrier to death. He left instructions in his will that when he died, his dog was to be put down. Other pet owners have made the same request, fearing no one will love their animals like they do.

11 surprising myths about pets

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 00:34:30 GMT

Do cats always land on their feet? Does a warm nose mean a sick pet? Are dogs color blind? We sort out the fact from fiction on 11 pet myths.

Employee fired for euthanizing wrong dog

Sat, 20 Nov 2010 02:03:55 GMT

Officials say an employee for Arizona's Pinal County has been fired after euthanizing a war-hero dog that wasn't scheduled to be put down.

Hero dog from Afghanistan mistakenly killed

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:30:48 GMT

A dog named Target that lived through explosions in war-torn Afghanistan couldn't survive a brief stay at an Arizona animal shelter.

Dog that 'came back to life' gets new home

Tue, 9 Nov 2010 21:37:01 GMT

A Rottweiler that was supposed to be put to sleep will live the rest of her life frolicking in the country.

Botched euthanasia leaves dog owner in quandary

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 20:03:16 GMT

A suburban Detroit man whose ailing 11-year-old Rottweiler survived a botched euthanasia said he has neither the heart nor the money to try the procedure again.

Pessimistic dogs have more separation anxiety

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:45:42 GMT

Dogs with a "food-bowl-half-empty" attitude are more likely to bark, yowl and chew when left alone than dogs with a sunnier outlook, according to a new study.

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Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:45:42 GMT

Crazy pet stunts: Simply stupid or death wish?

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 12:41:50 GMT

A Labrador who ate a bee-hive. The terrier who attacked a chain-saw. These aren't doggies with a death wish. They're just normal pooches, according to some of the bizarre accidents reported to pet insurance companies.

When animal rescuers become animal hoarders

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:54:53 GMT

Linda Bruno called her Pennsylvania cat rescue the land of milk and tuna. It thrived for years as people sent pets they couldn't care for from hundreds of miles away — unaware it was a death camp for cats.

Doggie lifeguards? Canines saving swimmers in Italy

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 18:23:06 GMT

Hundreds of specially trained dogs form Italy's corps of canine lifeguards, are deployed each summer to help swimmers in need of rescue.

Hero dog seeks help after owner collapses

Mon, 9 Aug 2010 21:11:10 GMT

A small dog who refused to return home until a neighbor followed her helped rescue her owner after he collapsed at home following heart surgery.

In the doghouse: Babies steal pet's spotlight

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 19:21:54 GMT

Pet owners often swear that a new baby won't change how they feel about their cat or dog. But a new study of pet owners in Indiana finds that parenthood does affect the way people think about and treat their domesticated furballs.

Pudgy pup? Human diet tricks may help

Sun, 19 Sep 2010 16:37:42 GMT

As human waistlines have ballooned, so has the girth of our pets. A 2009 national survey of veterinarians found that 45 percent of dogs and 58 percent of cats were overweight or obese.

Video: Danger in the dog dish, warns CDC

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 22:04:34 GMT

The Centers for Disease Control says salmonella tainted pet food poses danger to young children. WNBC's Lynda Baquero reports. (NBC News)

Tainted pet food sickened children, report says

Mon, 9 Aug 2010 04:49:44 GMT

Fido's food may be making kids sick, a government report warns, detailing the first known salmonella outbreak in humans, mostly young children, linked to pet food.

Easter bunnies often discarded come summer

Fri, 6 Aug 2010 13:46:12 GMT

Easter bunnies grow up and the novelty wears off. Come summer, people often just dump the bunnies.

Military dog comes home from Iraq traumatized

Tue, 3 Aug 2010 17:41:54 GMT

Gina was a playful 2-year-old German shepherd when she went to Iraq as a highly trained bomb-sniffing dog with the military. Now, veterinarians say, she has post-traumatic stress disorder.

2 Iams cat food lots recalled for salmonella

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:13:00 GMT

Consumer products giant Procter & Gamble Co. said Sunday it is voluntarily recalling two lots of Iams brand prescription renal dry cat food because it could be contaminated with salmonella.

Yappers united! State bans debarking surgery

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:04:08 GMT

Massachusetts on Wednesday will become the first state to ban the surgery that devocalizes dogs and cats, which many animal rights advocates see as a cruel and unnecessary procedure.

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Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:04:08 GMT

Swimming kitty proves she’s no fraidy cat

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:30:26 GMT

A 6-year-old cat named Nazzaning has defied conventions of kitty-kind. The Turkish Van cat has learned to walk again after being paralyzed, thanks to hydrotherapy treatment typically used for less water-averse canines.

Pets may be the next frontier of health reform

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:41:55 GMT

While states across the nation grapple with national health care reform, a new population of patients is gaining attention in California: Fido and Fluffy.

More pet owners paying for high-tech vet care

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 22:29:28 GMT

Veterinarians are practicing ever more advanced medicine on the nation's 77 million dogs, 90 million cats and other animals — treatments that vie with the best of human medicine.

Short-snouted dogs most likely to die on planes

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:17:06 GMT

Bulldog and pug owners, beware: Short-snouted breeds accounted for roughly half the purebred dog deaths on airplanes in the past five years, government data released Friday shows.

Shelters filling up as Gulf pet owners struggle

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:46:11 GMT

Double-bunked behind the bars at the overrun St. Bernard Animal Shelter are more victims of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill: shiny-coated Labrador retrievers, long-haired Chihuahuas and a fluffy Shih Tzu.

Three new dog breeds recognized by AKC

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 14:49:31 GMT

The American Kennel Club is welcoming a trio of new breeds to join the 164 already in its registry. The Icelandic sheepdog joins the Herding Group, while the Cane Corso and the Leonberger are new entrants in the Working Group.

Calif. dogs get new leash on life north of border

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 22:12:16 GMT

Life after doggy death row was just a three-hour jet ride away for 60 pooches flown to Canada on Friday for adoption north of the border.

Bionic cat has 9 lives, 2 faux paws

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 18:55:40 GMT

A cat that had both its back legs severed by a combine harvester can walk again after being fitted with prosthetic limbs in a world-first operation.

Dog stylists unleash your pets’ fabulousness

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 12:44:39 GMT

There's a new breed of dog groomer for those who can afford it — dog stylists. Groomers keep dogs clean; stylists make them fabulous.

Driving dog runs over his owner

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 20:31:28 GMT

A Florida man was reportedly run over by his own truck after his dog put it into gear.