Ciekawostka: There are over 58 million dogs in the US

Evidence: 41 • authority: 80

A pink diamond just sold for over US$ 14 million – why are they so valuable?

Evidence: 41 • authority: 80

Tri-Tech awarded contracts worth over US$3.5 million

Evidence: 41 • authority: 92

Exploratory evaluation of encapsulated kratom using multimodal quantitative sensory testing in dogs.. Introduction Kratom has experienced rapidly rising popularity in Western countries, particularly the United States where an estimated 10-20 million individuals use it for management of mental health conditions, performance enhancement, substance use substitution, and chronic pain conditions. Despite widespread anecdotal claims of analgesic benefits, robust preclinical data on kratom's efficacy remain limited, necessitating translational models to evaluate its potential. The objective of this study was to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of an encapsulated kratom extract compared to buprenorp…

Evidence: 41 • authority: 92

Welfare Under Transient Pressure: Rethinking Behavioral Assessments and Stress Mitigation for Shelter Dogs.. Nationally, there is a growing population of shelter dogs that are experiencing longer lengths of stay as euthanasia rates decline. Well-documented shelter-specific stressors can induce physiological and behavioral changes correlated with immediate and future welfare concerns. Dogs vary in their responses to the shelter environment based on genetics, past experiences, and context, leaving some individuals unable to adapt. Those that struggle may display maladaptive coping behaviors perceived as less desirable by adopters, perpetuating the stress response cycle. To address welfare con…

Evidence: 41 • authority: 92

Sustainable Pet Diets: A Leading Effective Altruism Issue.. While animal-derived ingredients continue to dominate pet food, mounting animal welfare and environmental pressures are starting to reshape the market-opening the door to plant-based and cultivated meat alternatives for dogs and cats. This study assessed the effective altruism case for more sustainable pet food options, using the scale, neglectedness, and tractability framework, and found strong alignment across all three dimensions. By 2018, at least 9% of farmed land animals were fed to companion dogs and cats globally, with more consumed by average dogs (13) than by average people (9) annually. A global transition to nutritional…

Evidence: 41 • authority: 92

Treatment of heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) disease in dogs in the USA: general findings and cost of disease.. Background Heartworm (HW) disease is caused by the adult worms of Dirofilaria immitis. Treatment of HW disease is costly and often challenging. Therefore, the mainstay of HW disease management is to prevent the development of adult worms. The objective of this retrospective study was to use a transaction database to collect information and cost estimates on the prevention and treatment of canine HW disease in the USA. Methods Anonymized transaction data from clinics throughout the USA were used. For the HW disease treatment group (TG) dogs were identified that had a transaction re…

Evidence: 41 • authority: 72

Cats & Dogs is a 2001 American spy comedy film directed by Lawrence Guterman and written by John Requa and Glenn Ficarra. It stars Jeff Goldblum, Elizabeth Perkins and Alexander Pollock, with the voices of Tobey Maguire, Alec Baldwin, Sean Hayes, Susan Sarandon, Charlton Heston, Jon Lovitz, Joe Pantoliano and Michael Clarke Duncan. The story centers on the relationships between cats and dogs, depicting the relationship as an intense rivalry in which both sides use organizations and tactics that mirror those used in human espionage. It was released by Warner Bros. Pictures on July 4, 2001. The film received mixed reviews and earned $200.7 million on a $60 million budget.

Evidence: 41 • authority: 72

The dog (Canis familiaris or Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated descendant of wolves. Also called the domestic dog, it was selectively bred during the Late Pleistocene by hunter-gatherers. Dogs and the modern gray wolf share a common ancestor. Dogs were the first species to be domesticated over 14,000 years ago, before the development of agriculture, though genetic studies suggest the domestication process may have begun over 25,000 years ago. Due to their long association with humans, dogs have gained the ability to thrive on a starch-rich diet that would be inadequate for other canids. Dogs have been bred for specific behaviors, sensory abilities, and physical traits. Dog breeds va…

Evidence: 41 • authority: 92

Pre-exposure prophylaxis as a complementary vaccination strategy to reduce rabies in Kerala, India: a cost-effectiveness modelling study.. Background Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and dog vaccination continue to be the widely adopted vaccination strategy for rabies control in high-burden countries like India. To determine the public health and economic impacts of childhood pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) relative to existing strategies, we carried out a modelling analysis in the state of Kerala, India. Methods We adapted a probabilistic decision-tree model over a 10-year time horizon (2026-2035). This timeframe is sufficient for dog vaccination to interrupt rabies transmission and for pro…

Evidence: 41 • authority: 92

Imaging Characteristics of Pylorogastric, Duodenogastric, and True-Gastrogastric Intussusception in 25 Dogs and One Cat.. Gastric intussusception in dogs and cats is uncommon, and there are multiple variations described in the literature. The aim of this study was to describe the imaging characteristics of pylorogastric (PG), duodenogastric (DG), and true-gastrogastric (true-GG) intussusceptions. In this multicenter retrospective study, available medical records and imaging (radiographs, ultrasound [US], and computed tomography [CT]) were evaluated. Group allocation (PG, DG, and true-GG) was based on US/CT findings, or surgical/necropsy findings if only radiographs were available. Available…

Evidence: 41 • authority: 92

An Estimate of the Number of Dogs in US Shelters in 2015 and the Factors Affecting Their Fate.. The objective of this study was to estimate the total number of shelters in the United States; estimate the number of dogs entering US shelters annually; determine what happens to the dogs that enter shelters; and identify the characteristics of shelters affecting the outcome of the dogs in their care. An initial list of 10,890 animal shelter and rescue organizations was refined to include 2862 organizations. A telephone survey of each shelter was conducted. A mark-capture method was used to estimate the total number of shelters in the United States. In total, 413 (14%) completed the interview. A…

Evidence: 41 • authority: 72

Askals, also called aspins, are a diverse population of mongrel free-ranging dogs found in the Philippines. The term "askal" is a portmanteau from the Filipino language asong kalye, meaning "street dog". It is a neologism, commonly used as a derogatory term for describing stray or mixed-breed dogs that roam the streets of urban and rural areas across the country. It is considered to reflect class discrimination in the country, particularly towards indigenous elements. The euphemism "aspin" is a portmanteau of asong Pinoy, meaning "Filipino dog". The origins of askals can be traced back to two main categories. Firstly, some askals are entirely descended from indigenous dog breeds that have e…