Top 5 Articles for September 2017

A study published in PLoS ONE reported on a set of personality factors called the “feline 5,” thus filling a longstanding knowledge gap about domestic cat behavior and personality. Identification of these factors—neuroticism, extraversion, dominance, impulsiveness, and agreeableness—“opens the door to future interdisciplinary intervention,” the study’s researchers wrote.

2. AVMA 2017: How Pets Can Advance New Drug Development for Humans

According to Carol Robertson-Plouch, DVM, from Translational and Comparative Medical Research, LRL Strategic R&D Innovations at Eli Research Laboratories, who discussed the One Medicine approach to drug development in a presentation at the American Veterinary Medical Association Convention 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana, pets could play a crucial role in improving medicines of the future.

T-3. Can You Become a Certified Bee Veterinarian?

There currently is no certification available to become a bee veterinarian, but there should be. Christopher Cripps, DVM, owner of Betterbee, talks about how there needs to be more training for veterinarians who want to learn how to care for bees.

T-3. The Lassie Effect: Factors That Affect Dog Walking Behavior

A BMC Public Health study on dog walking behavior reported that various demographic and behavioral factors contribute to the “Lassie effect,” an aspect of the dog-human relationship that attaches special meaning to an owner’s sense of encouragement and motivation to walk his or her dog.

5. Moving Closer to Immunotherapy for Canine Cancer

In a study, published in Nature Scientific Reports, a Japanese research team developed a canine chimeric monoclonal antibody that targeted PD-L1 and demonstrated notable antitumor activity.