Screening event puts canine eye disease under the microscopeMarch 30, 2023Spotting and treating early signs of ocular conditions in hardworking canines is the goal of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists’ (ACVO’s) National Service Animal Eye Exam Event.
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18,000-dog milestone achieved by service animal groupDecember 22, 2022A two-year-old Labrador retriever named Hugh is the 18,000th dog to be paired with a human through The Seeing Eye.
Service dogs' impact on children with ASD to be exploredNovember 15, 2022Service dog training and its impact on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families is set to be explored in a new study supported by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI)
Hero service dogs receive celeb supportSeptember 7, 2022Honoring the role service dogs play in helping America’s veterans and promoting the human-animal bond is the driving force behind a new celebrity-backed awards program.
Service, support dogs require specialized DVM careNovember 26, 2021Ensuring “dogs with jobs” receive the best care possible is the goal of a newly published industry resource.
Easing anxiety top-ranking task for PTSD service dogsJuly 23, 2020Disrupting episodes of anxiety might be the most incredible gift a service dog can give to a handler diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Covetrus delivers 2,000th puppy care packageJune 4, 2019Covetrus has delivered its 2,000th puppy care package to volunteers who train assistance dogs in support of Canine Companions for Independence. For the last four years, the company has equipped volunteer puppy raisers, who are responsible for socializing and training the puppies, with a puppy care package supplied with vital products for raising the puppy during the first 18 months of its life. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to providing highly trained assistance dogs at no charge to recipients with disabilities. "We are thrilled to have delivered our 2,000th Puppy Care Package in support of Canine Companions for Independence," says Davey Stone, Covetrus vice president of specialty markets and corporate philanthropy. "This philanthropic initiative was designed and managed by Covetrus employees wanting to support volunteers who raise puppies for Canine Companions and the veterinarians who provide their care. It has been a rewarding mission for our employees, and a wonderful channel for their compassionate philanthropic spirit." During the 18 months with their puppy raiser, the future assistance dogs must learn 25 commands to enable them to assist their future partners, including opening doors, retrieving items, or pulling a wheelchair. Afterward, the puppies move to professional training for four to six …
Merck Animal Health, NEADS launch educational service dog campaignMay 22, 2019A new educational campaign highlights the importance of keeping service dogs healthy from fleas and ticks. Through Bravecto Cares, Merck Animal Health will donate a portion of every Bravecto sale to National Education for Assistance Dog Services (NEADS) World Class Service Dogs from now until June 30. The funds raised will be used to support the training of NEADS Service Dogs. "Merck Animal Health knows how important it is to protect our pets, especially those that work for us," says Mark Pelham, DVM, companion animal professional services, Merck Animal Health. "More than just a nuisance, fleas and ticks can carry illness, such as Lyme disease, to our pets and our families. We are proud to collaborate with NEADS, an organization that shares our dedication to keeping pets healthy as part of their extensive service dog training program." According to NEADS, being in top health is a major factor for a world-class service dog. "The health of our dogs is as important as their task training—if they are not at optimal health, they will not be at ideal performance and can potentially put their handlers at risk," says Cathy Zemaitis, NEADS director of development. As part of the campaign, Merck is …
Service dogs can lead to a better life for ownersMay 21, 2019Service dogs improve the quality of life for their owners, according to a new study. Due to an increase in demand for service dogs, researchers at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine determined a need for using standardized measures to look at the relationship between the human-animal bond and psychosocial outcomes among people with service dogs over a four-year period. Elanco Animal Health funded the study. "Our goal was to apply strong science in quantifying the effects these dogs can have on well-being," says Maggie O'Haire, PhD, associate professor of human-animal interaction at Purdue University. "The research also reveals the distinctive role a service dog may have in the lives of the families of those individuals." Of the 154 recruited participants, 97 people who used a mobility or medical service dog displayed better psychosocial health, including higher levels of social and emotional functioning, and better functioning at work and/or school in comparison to the 57 who were on a waiting list. "Previous smaller and chiefly qualitative studies have found preliminary evidence service dogs can have psychosocial benefits among individuals with physical disabilities, but the research has been limited," said Tony Rumschlag, DVM, director, consulting veterinarians, U.S. companion animal business …
What makes a good working dog?February 5, 2019The canine labor market is diverse and expansive. Assistance dogs may be trained to work with the visually or hearing impaired, or with people in wheelchairs. Detection dogs may be trained to sniff out explosives, narcotics, or bedbugs. Others even learn to jump out of helicopters on daring rescue missions. Despite the wide variety of working roles available for man's best friend, those jobs can be tough to fill, since not every dog will qualify. Even among those specifically bred to be assistance dogs, only about 50 percent starting a training program will successfully complete it, while the rest go on to be very well-trained family pets. As a result, the wait list for a trained assistance dog can be up to two years. Evan MacLean, PhD, director of the Arizona Canine Cognition Center at the University of Arizona (UA), is exploring ways to identify the best dogs for different jobs—before they start the long and expensive training process—by looking at their cognitive abilities. He is lead author of a study in Frontiers in Veterinary Science looking at whether canines' cognitive abilities can help predict their success as working dogs. While a dog's physical characteristics and temperament are often considered …
