Mice, rats and other wildlife can pick up bacteria called leptospira from water or soil and excrete it in urine. If your dog contacts any soil or water contaminated by the germ (especially if they have an open wound) they can easily develop a potentially deadly disease called leptospirosis. “Every dog that has access to…  read on >  read on >

The Mediterranean diet has already been shown to be great for a person’s physical health, but new research finds that following the Mediterranean diet also can lift your mood. People on the diet tended to have lower levels of anxiety and stress, researchers reported recently in the journal Nutrients. “It’s a big tick for the…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a kit that will allow women to collect their own vaginal sample for HPV screening, a move that could increase early detection in those at risk for cervical cancer. Women will be able to swab themselves in privacy at a doctor’s office, clinic or pharmacy, and the…  read on >  read on >

Having private insurance may not be all it is cracked up to be when it comes to hospital bills, new research warns. In a report published Monday by the nonprofit research institute RAND Corp., researchers discovered that patients with private health insurance may wind up paying more for procedures or tests performed during their stay than Medicare…  read on >  read on >

Babies born by C-section are unlikely to receive protection from a single dose of measles vaccine, a new study finds. A single measles jab is up to 2.6 times more likely to be completely ineffective in C-section babies, compared to those born vaginally. Their immune systems fail to produce antibodies to fight against measles infection.…  read on >  read on >

Actress and “X-men” star Olivia Munn has revealed that she underwent egg retrieval and then a hysterectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer. In an article published on Mother’s Day, Munn told Vogue she opted for hysterectomy because it allowed her to avoid using an estrogen-suppressing cancer drug called Lupron, which left her drained of…  read on >  read on >

Early research in mice suggests a new path forward to restoring hair growth in people affected by a form of alopecia.  Alopecia areata is an autommune disorder that affects an estimated 6 million Americans and has no cure, according to researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston.  The condition causes immune system…  read on >  read on >