A research team led by the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo), in cooperation with the Bundeswehr, the Hannover Medical School and the University Medical-Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, has carried out a study with eight specialised sniffer dogs from the Bundeswehr to sniff out people infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The dogs were able to distinguish between samples from infected (positive) and non-infected (negative) individuals with an average sensitivity of 83 percent and a specificity of 96 percent. Sensitivity refers to the detection of positive samples. The specificity designates the detection of negative control samples.

Veterinary pathologists have varied tasks: they determine the causes of diseases and death in pets, zoo animals, and livestock, and also perform research on the emergence and course of diseases. They acquire their basic skills for this purpose during necropsy exercises in the seventh semester of their veterinary education.

Regular necropsies are also performed at the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW) at the TiHo in Büsum, for instance in order to determine potential causes of reducing inventories or the stranding of marine mammals. Here you can look over Professor Dr. Ursula Siebert’s shoulder while the Head of the ITAW performs the necropsy of a porpoise.

Researchers of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, (TiHo) are currently investigating the husbandry of dual-purpose chicken in cooperation with scientists from other research institutions. These chickens can be used for producing both eggs and meat. A market test in the Hanover cafeterias of the Studentenwerk is also part of this project. The male birds of the dual-purpose chicken are sold as half a roast chicken, and guests asked for their opinion.

Why do I have trouble breathing? About 5 percent of all Germans suffer from asthma. No wonder that scientists are searching for new drugs to alleviate their suffering. Unfortunately, animal testing is currently the only means to find out if a chemical causes allergies. Fraunhofer ITEM is now working on an animal-friendly alternative.