Weekly companion animal news: February 1, 2021

Contaminated pet food may have gone to 36 countries: FDA

Dog and cat food from Midwestern Pet Foods with lethal aflatoxin levels may have gone to 35 other nations, the FDA said. The agency also said it now knows of 110 pets that have died and 210 other pets that have gotten sick after eating Sportmix dog food or cat food. The change from “dogs” to “pets” indicates some cats are in the sick and dead counts now, the Miami Herald reports.

Miami Heat to use COVID-sniffing dogs to screen fans at games

The Miami Heat will use coronavirus-sniffing dogs at AmericanAirlines Arena to screen fans who want to attend their games, the Associated Press reports. They’ve been working on the plan for months, and the highly trained dogs have been in place for some games this season where the team has allowed a handful of guests—mostly friends and family of players and staff. Now, a limited number of ticket holders will be allowed to watch if they get past the dogs. Fans arriving for the game will be brought to a screening area and the detection dogs will walk past. If the dog keeps going, the fan is cleared; if the dog sits, that’s a sign it detects the virus and the fan will be denied entry.

Memphis considers ordinance to stop Petland from selling cats and dogs in the city

Memphis City Council members are considering an ordinance to prevent retail stores within city limits from selling puppies and kittens. The legislation proposed by Memphis Animal Services comes after news that Petland is planning to open a new store in the city. The retailer is the only national pet store chain in the country that still sells dogs and cats, WREG reports. Activists have collected more than 20,000 signatures on a petition to keep the store out, saying the company has a long history of obtaining animals from puppy mills and mistreating the puppies and kittens sold in its stores.

Animal Health Summit stays online in 2021

The KC Animal Health Corridor’s annual summit, traditionally held in August in Kansas City, Missouri, will be online for the second year in a row. The August 24-26 event will include the virtual Emerging Company Presentations along with webinars and networking. The Veterinary Hospital Managers Association meanwhile is proceeding with plans for an in-person conference in September in Philadelphia, with a theme of “ReConnect for Success.”

Ohio State partners with nonprofit on canine parvovirus research

Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine partnering with Gigi’s, a nonprofit that serves shelter dogs, on an initiative that aims to advance research on canine parvovirus. The study lasts through the beginning of 2024. In the first phase, researchers will create a repository of samples (blood, urine and feces) and clinical information from dogs suffering from canine parvovirus enteritis. Stage two will focus on clinical trials to address the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of two treatment options.

Some dogs show ability to rapidly learn new words: study

Some dogs can learn new words after hearing them only four times, a new study shows. Most dogs don’t learn words unless they’re extensively trained, but a team of researchers has found that some pets have “exceptional abilities.” Researchers from Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest observed two “gifted” dogs, testing their ability to learn a new word after hearing it only four times. “Such rapid learning seems to be similar to the way human children acquire their vocabulary around 2-3 years of age,” said Adam Miklósi, a coauthor on the study. But in a test of 20 other dogs, scientists didn’t find the same skill. CNN reports.

Southwest Airlines bans emotional support animals

Southwest Airlines is the latest airline to ban emotional support animals, the Associated Press reports. The airline said it will allow passengers to bring trained service dogs in the cabin, but not support animals, beginning March 1. Customers who want to bring a dog or cat on board as a pet will have to pay a fee, and the animal must be kept in a carrier that fits under an airplane seat.

Missouri city allows pet pigs

The City Council in Nixa, Missouri, passed a bill allowing residents to keep miniature pigs as pets. The unanimous vote ended months of debate that began when a resident was reported to authorities for keeping a pig named Penny in her home and backyard. The ordinance, which is modeled after similar ones in other cities, limits the pig to a maximum weight of 120 pounds. Pigs also have to be registered with City Hall and must be vaccinated for rabies. They’ll also need to have microchips. The Christian County Headliner News reports.