Penn Vet News

Surprise! It's Twins!

Excitement over a first pregnancy turned to concern for owner Adel Dukes Melson when her pregnant Holsteiner began showing signs of premature foaling. Weeks before the mare’s March 13 due date, her mammary gland started to develop and secrete milk, a typical indication that her body was preparing to soon give birth.

Innovative vaccine offers canine cancer patients a shot at a longer, happier life

Osteosarcoma is the most common bone cancer to affect dogs. It is a painful and aggressive disease. Affecting more than 10,000 dogs annually, predominantly larger breeds, it kills more than 85 percent within two years. 

Learn to Demystify Equine Lameness at May First Tuesday Lecture

Join Penn Vet New Bolton Center’s Elizabeth Davidson, DVM, ACVS, ACVSMR, and Liz Arbittier, VMD, CVA, as they present the first in a series of educational talks called "Mythbusting the Lameness Exam: Deconstructing Common Misconceptions" as part of the First Tuesday Lecture series.

Penn Vet’s Ronald N. Harty, PhD, Earns Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching

Penn Vet’s Ronald N. Harty, professor of microbiology, has earned the University of Pennsylvania’s prestigious Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. Dr. Harty is one of eight faculty members at Penn to receive the award this spring.

How working dogs are sniffing out cancer

At Penn, collaboration is as ingrained in the culture as innovation. And, it turns out, some teams end up having quite the crew. One specific group—working to detect early stage ovarian cancer—maintains experts spanning obstetrics and gynecology, chemistry, physics, and veterinary care. It also includes human’s best furry friends: dogs.

Making a Difference on Conservation Issues

On Sunday, April 8, 2018, at the Philadelphia Environmental Film Festival, Penn Vet Dean Joan Hendricks moderated a Q&A session after a screening of Thriving with Their Feet, Valve Turners, and The Last Animals.

New telemedicine app connects veterinarians and pet owners with behavioral expertise

Whether it’s excessive barking, aggression, or chewing up a favorite pair of shoes, many dogs exhibit behaviors that are less than ideal. But with only around 75 veterinary behavior specialists scattered across the United States, not many pet owners have access to expert advice on how to manage their pets’ behavior.

Dean Joan Hendricks Receives Trustees Council for Penn Women-Provost’s Award

Dean Joan C. Hendricks is the recipient of the Trustees’ Council of Penn Women (TCPW) Provost Award and speaks at the Trustees’ Council of Penn Women luncheon.

Penn Vet’s Opportunity Scholarship Program Celebrates 20 Years of Student Success

Students, faculty, alumni and supporters gathered on Sunday, April 14, 2018 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine’s Opportunity Scholarship (OS) Program.

Princess Chulabhorn of Thailand visits Penn, with scientific partnerships in mind

Penn President Amy Gutmann welcomed Professor Dr. Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol of Thailand to campus on Thursday, April 5, at a meeting aimed at linking scientific resources on campus with those at Chulabhorn Royal Academy, where the princess serves as president.

Augmented Reality at Penn Vet

Innovating Diagnostics for Equine Arthritis

Arthritis can sideline a sport horse. Catching and treating the joint disease early is key to keeping an athletic equine comfortable and active. But when arthritis affects a horse’s elegant and powerful neck, with its complex map of muscles and vertebrae, it’s hard to pinpoint.

Lilly’s Courageous Journey Inspires a Commitment to Penn Vet

My interest in animals with special needs began with Columbus, a blind cat I adopted in 2000. At first I felt sorry for Columbus, but soon I realized that animals don’t feel sorry for themselves and don’t know they have limitations. Columbus was intrepid and more fearless than my cats with sight. He taught me about determination and perseverance, and brought love to everyone who had the honor of knowing him.

Cancer and Autoimmune Disease

Immunosuppression by regulatory T cells—the key to reducing some autoimmune diseases—Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a critical role in immunosuppression and therefore have the potential to reduce or prevent harmful autoimmune and inflammatory immune responses.

Infectious Disease Experts to Explore “Bad Bugs,” Critical Care at First Tuesday Lecture

Join New Bolton Center’s Drs. Helen Aceto, Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Director of Biosecurity at the large animal hospital, and Rose Nolen-Walston, Associate Professor of Large Animal Internal Medicine, for an hour-long session on infectious diseases as part of the First Tuesday Lecture series.

Penn Vet Announces Student Research Awards Recognizes Scholarly Achievements of VMD and VMD-PhD Candidates

Forty-five students presented their research, conducted over the course of one year, during last week’s Student Research Day held at the Vernon and Shirley Hill Pavilion at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet). Dr. Patricia Conrad, from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California at Davis, delivered the keynote lecture.

Penn Vet Student Awarded Merck Animal Health Poultry Scholarship

Through a partnership with the American Association of Avian Pathologists Foundation (AAAP Foundation) and Merck Animal Health, third-year Penn Vet student Linnea Tracy has been awarded one of ten scholarships presented to veterinary students focused on poultry health this year.

Four Faculty Have Been Promoted to Full Professorship at Penn Vet

Four faculty members at Penn Vet have been promoted to full professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine: William A. Beltran, DVM, MSc, PhD; Margret L. Casal, DVM, Dr phil II, PhD; Wilfried Mai, Dr. Méd Vét, MSc, PhD; and Charles H. Vite, DVM, PhD.

New Guidelines Offer Vets and Owners the Latest on Preventing and Treating Strangles, 'Strep Throat in Horses'

To assist veterinarians, and owners, in understanding the most up-to-date clinical recommendations when it comes to treating strangles, Ashley Boyle, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine, took the lead in writing a new consensus statement, issued by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, on treating, controlling, and preventing strangles in horses.

Agricultural Sustainability Project Reached 20.9 Million Smallholder Farmers Across China

Smallholder farmers who cultivate perhaps only a few hectares of land dominate the agricultural landscape in places like China, India, and sub-Saharan Africa. Increasing their efficiency while reducing their environmental impact are critical steps to ensuring a sustainable food source for the world’s growing population.