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The Thinking Pets Program

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Explore the sections below to learn about our noteworthy news in The Thinking Pets Program:

Service Dog Cognition: NIH-Funded Partnership with the Duke Canine Cognition Center

Girl in wheelchair with lab service dog in lap.

CVM Service Dog Research Awarded $1.5 Million NIH Grant

“Dr. Margaret Gruen is the recipient of a $1.5 million National Institutes of Health grant for a five-year study into the traits that make certain puppies excellent candidates to become service and companion dogs.”

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Labrador Retriever stares happily into distance with tongue sticking out.

Which Pups Will Make the Grade as a Service Dog?

“What makes a successful service dog — and can it be predicted in a puppy as young as Yonder? At stake is a lot of money and a lot of dogs.”

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Adult Labrador Retriever with a toy in his mouth is playing with many puppies surrounding him.

Duke Puppy Kindergarten Admits Seven New Students

“In the first program of its kind, the Duke Canine Cognition Center will welcome to campus seven puppies from Canine Companions for Independence, the leading assistance dog non-profit in the U.S.”

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In the news

Black and white photo of an older retriever staring into the distance with a smile.

Quantifying Cognitive Decline in Dogs Could Help Humans with Alzheimer’s Disease

“Researchers have found that a suite of complimentary tests can quantify changes in dogs suspected of suffering from cognitive decline.”

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Gray Weimaraner puppy lays in dog bed staring at the camera.

AAHA’s Updated Pain Management Guidelines: A Paradigm Shift in Managing Pain

“This marks the first update of the guidelines since 2015 and there have been some big changes.”

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Gray and white kitten lays against a pillow with their end on one paw.

FDA Approves Pain-Management Game-Changer for Cats

“It’s the first monoclonal antibody new animal drug approved by the FDA for use in any animal species…From a clinician’s perspective, this is big news.”

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Mixed breed dog staring into the distance with a red flower in the background.

Helping Humans Understand Their Dogs

“‘What’s going on inside my dog’s head?’ In truth, you have probably heard the question more often than you can count or remember.”

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Gray cat snuggled in a tan and red swirled blanket leaning against a pillow.

Tips to Help Pets Adjust to Life After COVID

“That’s a big change from the last year and a half when kids and pets and parents got used to spending all day, every day together. Many owners are worried about how the change in routine is going to impact their pets.”

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German Shepherd dog looking into distance with tongue out.

Pets and Pain – NCSU Study Seeks to Unravel Link Between Breeds’ Sensitivity

“The two-year study, funded by the American Kennel Club, is unlike anything done before at NC State — or in veterinary research.”

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Black cat looks upward into the distance.

Home Alone – What Happens When Owners of Pandemic Pets Return to the Office?

“Dogs are more likely to show signs of anxiety when their routine changes, however, cats can show signs as well.”

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Mixed breed dog sleeps in dog basket bed.

COVID-19 and Dogs’ Sleep – Pandemic Routines Could be Stressing Canines Out

“So should your dog really be sleeping for 12 hours a day? Or is there a problem? Here’s the lowdown.”

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Tan mixed breed puppy sleeps on a bathmat towards the camera.

Understanding Sleep Patterns in Healthy Adult Dogs

“A new canine sleep study from researchers at North Carolina State University could serve as a baseline for future research on chronic pain and cognitive dysfunction in dogs—which could lead to improved detection and treatment of these conditions.”

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Grey shar pei naps next to a watch.

Study Sets Baseline for Sleep Patterns in Healthy Adult Dogs

“A new canine sleep study from North Carolina State University could serve as a baseline for research on chronic pain and cognitive dysfunction in dogs, potentially improving detection and treatment of these conditions.”

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Mixed breed dog looking into distance with a blurred background.

How to Help Your Pet with Separation Anxiety

“You’ve probably heard about pet separation anxiety, but what does it actually look like?”

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Chihuahua with a lion's mane hat yawns toward the camera in a bed.

Preventing Dog Bites – Staying Safe While Social Distancing

“We provide injury prevention tips to keep you out of the hospital as well as regional trauma education and updates on our trauma center.”

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White German Shepherd lays down and stares toward the camera.

Do Dog Breeds Differ in Their Sensitivity to Pain?

“A team of researchers decided to survey veterinarians to see if they had observed how various breeds differ in pain sensitivity.”

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Fluffy white cat stares into the distance.

New Tool Helps Diagnose Feline Degenerative Joint Disease

“Nearly all cats have identifiable signs of degenerative joint disease (DJD), yet it often goes undiagnosed.”

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Bernese Mountain Dog stares into the distance.

The 9 Dumbest Dogs That Are Actually Pretty Smart

“Don’t judge a book by its goofy-looking cover.”

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Informing the wolfpack

NC State Belltower in the spring with a blooming tree in front.

NC State Announces 2021-22 Goodnight Early Career Innovators

“NC State announced its 2021-22 class of Goodnight Early Career Innovators today. This program recognizes and rewards promising NC State early-career faculty whose scholarship is in STEM or STEM education. The 25 faculty selected will receive $22,000 ­for each of the next three years to support their scholarship and research endeavors.”

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Two female researchers are sitting with a Golden Retriever in the lab.

New NC State Veterinary Medicine Project Aims to Unlock Mysteries of Dog Pain

“Deep down, pet owners know it. Veterinarians do, too. There’s the bulldog who seems tougher than other breeds and the pug who’s a little more squeamish than others. There’s the golden retriever who is as happy-go-lucky as only golden retrievers can be, even when in pain.

What’s unknown is if there is actual science behind the perceptions.”

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A stethoscope and a cellphone lay on a table.

Survey: Barriers, Not Demographics, Affect Willingness to Pursue Veterinary Care

“A survey of dog owners from across the U.S. shows that when it comes to seeking veterinary care for dogs, barriers to access – including a lack of trust – have more effect on the decision-making process than differences in race, gender or socioeconomic status.”

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Brown and tan mixed breed dog sits and stares at the camera with a smile.

Study Sets Baseline for Sleep Patterns in Healthy Adult Dogs

“‘The study was necessary because research on dogs and sleep has outpaced our basic knowledge about what a ‘normal’ sleep/wake cycle looks like,’ says Dr. Margaret Gruen.”

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Striped cat stares around a brown bush.

Does Your Cat Have Arthritis?

“Degenerative joint disease, or feline arthritis, is a lot more common in cats than you’d think. So why aren’t more cats being diagnosed and treated?”

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Gray puppy lays on a leather couch staring at the camera.

Is Your Dog Really Happy You’re Home?

“Humans aren’t the only species that finds routine comforting – our pets benefit from it as well. So making the transition to working from home can impact the entire family, pets included.”

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Orange cat lays in the sun and faces the camera upside down.

How Do Pets Show Love?

“We’d all like to think that our pets love us as much as we love them, but how can we know? How exactly could pets show love, anyway?”

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Check out more research happenings at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine on Twitter @CVMResearch & Instagram @CVMResearch