For Pugsley and Xaden, it was time to play. The two hounds galumphed around the playroom, tails spinning in lazy circles as they explored what was new about the space. The balls and rope toys scattered across the floor had been switched out, as they are every week, to encourage play. Another dog had been […]
Read MoreSerious damage to short-term kidney function—known as acute kidney injury, or AKI—can be fatal and also increase the risk of irreversible chronic kidney disease. It can be triggered by stressors ranging from sepsis to heart surgery, and it affects more than half of ICU patients. There are currently no drugs to treat AKI. Now, researchers […]
Read MoreWhen Bill the 10-foot-long crocodile started showing health changes, radiologists and animal experts joined forces in a unique diagnostic endeavor. At 61 years old, Bill had started showing changes to his health—decreased appetite, weight loss, and abdominal bloating. But his bloodwork was normal, leaving the cause of his symptoms unknown. The next step was […]
Read MoreDifferences in the gut microbiome—the bacteria and fungi in the gut—are associated with obesity and weight gain, raising the possibility that changing the microbiome could improve health. New research has identified a specific type of gut bacteria, called Turicibacter, that improves metabolic health and reduces weight gain in mice on a high-fat diet. The results could lead […]
Read MoreWhy it matters: A new surgical device developed through University of Utah research is saving animals’ lives by helping them heal from serious, hard-to-treat infections—and providing a proof of concept for potential use in people. It wasn’t looking good for Major. The terrier had been badly attacked by another dog, and his back leg was severely […]
Read MoreAs use of the popular anti-diabetic and weight-loss drug Ozempic skyrockets, so have concerns about the medication’s side effects. One side effect is loss of “lean mass”—body weight that isn’t fat—raising concerns that Ozempic could be reducing muscle mass and strength. New research in mice suggests that muscle mass changes less than expected, but muscles […]
Read MoreOver six million Americans live with heart failure. In most cases, the disease is caused by a blockage of blood to the heart from coronary artery disease or a heart attack, leading to what’s called “ischemic” heart failure. Treatment options for ischemic heart failure generally aim to slow the progression of the disease rather than […]
Read MoreHogle Zoo and University of Utah Health have collaborated to diagnose and treat one of the zoo’s California sea lions, Diego, which fell ill in September 2024. Through a combination of anesthesiology, veterinary science, and advanced imaging, the team identified the cause of the sea lion’s reduced activity as advanced spinal disease and determined an […]
Read MoreA new gene therapy can reverse the effects of heart failure and restore heart function in a large animal model. The therapy increases the amount of blood the heart can pump and dramatically improves survival, in what a paper describing the results calls “an unprecedented recovery of cardiac function.” Currently, heart failure is irreversible. In […]
Read MoreMost of what parents pass down to their children biologically is passed down through DNA. DNA in the egg and sperm make up a biological blueprint that influences traits from eye color to cancer risk. But eggs and sperm contain more than just DNA, and some of the other molecules they carry can also influence […]
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