Weekly companion animal news: August 15, 2022

Housing-related pet surrenders tick up as inflation forces relocations and dampens pet spending

Most pet owners are spending more on their animals now than they were six months ago, according to a new survey by Rover. More than 90% of pet owners across the country said they’ve noticed an increase in pet-related costs due to inflation, up from 71% who said the same in January, according to the survey. Rover also found that to adjust for increasing prices, pet owners are buying less expensive food, treats and accessories for their dogs. In some cases, owners have had to give up their pet. Monica Dangler, director of Pima Animal Center in Tucson, said the shelter is hearing more often from pet owners that they’ve been forced to surrender their animals because of housing concerns such as eviction or lack of affordable housing. A year ago, housing -related surrenders made up 6% of the shelter’s surrenders. Now, they make up 18%, according to CNBC.

New report from WalletHub ranks the 100 largest U.S. cities on pet friendliness

Scottsdale, Arizona, was named the most pet-friendly city in the United States in a new report from the personal finance website WalletHub. Tampa, Florida, and Portland, Oregon, followed in the second and third spots on the list, which ranked the 100 largest U.S. cities on pet friendliness. The ranking accounted for 23 metrics, including pet care provider rate per visit, pet businesses per capita and walkability. Columbus, Ohio, ranked No. 1 among cities with the lowest veterinary care costs.

Chou2 Pharma launches clinical trial to study canine osteoarthritis CBD treatment

Chou2 Pharma and the University of Pennsylvania’s Veterinary Clinical Investigations Center have initiated a clinical study on the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) on osteoarthritic pain in the elbow of dogs. The study launches Chou2’s Investigative New Animal Drug process with the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. Chou2 plans to bring a natural, pharmaceutical-grade treatment option to dogs suffering from osteoarthritis.

Companies consider offering pet bereavement leave as they try to get workers to stay

As companies work to keep employees onboard, some are considering offering time off for workers to grieve when their pet dies. “I think we’re on the cusp” of this benefit becoming more standard, said David Lewis, CEO of human resources consulting firm OperationsInc. The pandemic has been key in driving the trend, Lewis said. Many pet owners working at home strengthened their bond with their pets, and many people also adopted pets during the pandemic. As of now though, pet bereavement leave remains uncommon, according to MarketWatch.

CATalyst Council launches grant program to fund new innovations in feline health care

The CATalyst Council has launched a new grant program meant to improve health care for cats. Through the program, grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded to organizations and individuals working on projects such as feline telehealth, animal welfare and sheltering, data collection, access to care and preventive care. Applications are open through October 15. Grantees will be announced December 1, 2022, for the 2023 calendar year.

Washington State University scientists will advance research to block transmission of two major tick-borne diseases

A $2.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will allow Washington State University veterinary researchers to study how to block transmission of Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. The four-year grant comes after the scientists discovered a novel immune mechanism that allows ticks to survive against the two bacteria that cause these diseases. According to WSU, the study could lead to a better understanding of how to manipulate the tick’s own immune mechanism when it’s colonized by the bacteria, potentially limiting its ability to transmit Lyme disease and anaplasmosis to humans.

Rude clients and co-workers lead to increased anxiety, depression and burnout risk among veterinary professionals, study shows

Client rudeness is linked to increased levels of anxiety and depression among veterinary staff, as well as greater risk of burnout and the possibility for some professionals to rethink their future in the field, new research shows. The research was led by psychologists at the University of Aberdeen, who studied client and co-worker incivility toward veterinarians and veterinary nurses across the United Kingdom and Ireland. (An initial study was published by the journal Veterinary Record, and a new study is in-press with the same journal.) Client incivility was linked to increased anxiety and risk of burnout, while rudeness from senior colleagues was tied to reduced job satisfaction and increased likelihood of quitting. Veterinary nurses especially may be more at risk of leaving their practice or the profession if they don’t receive support from their organization, the researchers found.

Online dashboard shows global cases of COVID in animals

Researchers in Austria have begun compiling a global database of animals that have contracted the coronavirus. The interactive dashboard, which is still in its preliminary stages, allows users to see which animals have gotten COVID, how many cases were reported for each species and the source of the data. It covers what happened to the animals, ranging from mild symptoms like a runny nose to more severe symptoms like myocarditis or sudden death. The number of cases reported are undercounts since there’s no systematic gathering of information across countries, among other reasons. Still, scientists say this is a welcome addition to the body of COVID data, according to NPR.