For the past couple of centuries, humans have been breeding dogs to meet specific physical characteristics — to make Golden Retrievers fluffy, to make Rottweilers muscular, or to make Chihuahuas tiny. Dog enthusiasts have thought they also were passing along specific behavioral traits within breeds, giving rise to certain stereotypes — Golden Retrievers are affectionate…  read on >  read on >

If longevity were a priority when choosing a pup, Jack Russell terriers and Yorkshire terriers would be top picks. Those little dynamos have the longest life expectancy of a host of common dog breeds, according to a new study by Dr. Dan O’Neill, an associate professor of companion animal epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College…  read on >  read on >

An experimental vaccine given during pregnancy has shown early promise for protecting infants from a potentially severe respiratory infection. The vaccine, being developed by Pfizer, aims to protect babies from respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. Most of the time, RSV causes nothing more than a cold. But it can lead to serious lung infections in…  read on >  read on >

COVID-19 death rates are significantly higher in U.S. counties that remain largely unvaccinated than in those where more people have gotten their shots, according to a new study. The findings add to evidence that vaccination among individuals can prevent infection and illness on a much larger scale, University of Oxford professor Christopher Dye wrote in…  read on >  read on >