Best ProtectionFebruary 14, 2011 There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to canine vaccinations, but the American Animal Hospital Association is about to update what one professional calls “some very good science-based recommendations.” A special AAHA council expects to release vaccine recommendations this month that will replace a set issued in 2006. AAHA President Gregg Takashima, DVM, says that despite all the changes in this area of veterinary practice over the past 10 years, much of the decision-making about what is appropriate for patients occurs just as it always has: on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the dog’s lifestyle and the region in which the veterinarian is practicing. Michael San Filippo, media relations assistant at the American Veterinary Medical Association, says current research is too inconclusive to make sweeping recommendations that will work for every dog. “Veterinarians have traditionally vaccinated annually; however, they are now learning that some vaccines induce immunity that lasts less than one year, whereas others may induce immunity that lasts well beyond one year,” he says. “The AVMA recommends that veterinarians customize vaccination programs to the needs of their patients. More than one vaccination program may be effective.” Chris Pappas, DVM, director …
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Dispelling Myths About CaOx UrolithsNovember 29, 2010 Therapeutic diets for dogs with urinary disease have simplified its management. Fearing that something “nonprescription” will upset the delicate balance between urinary solutes and their saturation, veterinarians may find themselves administering stern precautions to clients against feeding any “real” or human food, including fruits and vegetables. Certainly, preventing recurrence of calcium oxalate (CaOx) urolithiasis in stone-prone dogs can prove difficult, and some caregivers welcome the simplicity of feeding one food to their dog every day for life. They have no urge to dabble in homeopathics, experiment with herbs or turn to culinary solutions through homemade diets or plant-based embellishments. Others, however, search high and low for natural remedies and may seek help elsewhere if their veterinarian insists on commercial diets, given consumers’ persistent mistrust of the pet food industry since the Chinese melamine disaster.1 In the absence of a clinically proven medication or foolproof commercial diet, the drive for plant- or food-based options for CaOx stone prevention remains strong.2-3 As medical professionals know well, a one-size-fits-all approach to urolithiasis prevention rarely holds water. Metabolic abnormalities, foods and urinary tract health all influence lithogenesis, but stone type determines the specific treatment and prevention …
Diabetes Emergency Preparedness As Important As InsulinOctober 18, 2010 Owners often are shell-shocked when they hear their pet has diabetes. But a veterinarian’s optimistic attitude can help a client successfully manage the disease. “It’s usually a traumatic piece of information for an owner when a veterinarian tells them their pet has diabetes,” says Randy Lynn, DVM, a technical service veterinarian with Intervet Schering-Plough Animal Health of Summit, N.J. “If the owner is handling the news well, you can discuss the emergency situations that may occur in a diabetic animal. If you’re speaking to them and their eyes gloss over, you might want to send them home with written information, and then have the owner return in a day or two once they’ve processed everything. “It’s a delicate balance that the veterinarian has to weigh. If you tell them too much on day one, you could tip them over the edge.” Dr. Lynn says a diabetes diagnosis gives veterinarians a “chance to shine,” noting that owners will rely heavily on them for information on choosing insulin, injecting insulin and monitoring the animal. Besides hearing the diabetes news, distressed clients also have to be warned about hypoglycemia, the No. 1 emergency concern of veterinarians who …
Nutrition By The Book: Reducing The Figure Of Obese Pets Is A PriorityAugust 10, 2010 Only 7 percent of pets that could benefit from therapeutic food are on such a regimen, according to an American Animal Hospital Association study. This reality led an AAHA task force to develop nutritional assessment guidelines that can not only help identify the right diet but emphasize how proper nutrition can enhance pets’ quality of life and optimal health. AAHA’s Nutrition Guidelines The American Animal Hospital Association’s Nutritional Assessment Guidelines for Dogs and Cats are based on the notion that good nutrition enhances a pet’s quality and quantity of life and is integral to optimal animal care. “Incorporating nutritional assessment into the routine examination protocol for every patient is important for maintaining optimal health, as well as their response to disease and injury,” said Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, executive director of AAHA. “The goal of the new guidelines is to provide a framework for the veterinary practice team to help make nutritional assessments and recommendations for their patients.” The guidelines, made available through an educational grant from …
Crowns Can Be Long-Lasting SolutionJuly 7, 2010 Dogs can generate huge amounts of force when they bite an object. Just ask Cherry Hill, N.J., police officer Kevin Seta, the handler of a 10-year-old German shepherd named Boz. Cherry Hill, N.J., police officer Kevin Seta and his K-9 partner Boz. Photos copyright University of Pennsylvania Trainers of police dogs often utilize bite sleeves. During training, or in the throes of duty, large canine teeth can fracture from the force and leverage placed on them. When Boz was 4, his right mandibular canine tooth fractured during a bite work session. Seta knew to take Boz to the University of Pennsylvania’s Dentistry and Oral Surgery Service at Ryan Veterinary Hospital in Philadelphia. Boz’s fractured canine tooth was a complicated crown fracture, resulting in pulp exposure and the loss of about one-third of the tooth. Once Boz was placed under anesthesia, dental radiography was performed to determine the extent of trauma to the fractured canine tooth and to assess all other teeth. Pathology was limited to the fractured canine tooth, and radiographic examination showed that Boz’s tooth was a good candidate for endodontic treatment and placement of a protective crown over the tooth after …
Fleas Persist, But Reason Isn’t ResistanceMarch 2, 2010 Veterinarians are in a tough spot when a client challenges the efficacy of spot-on insecticides. They can’t force the client to follow product directions, nor can they administer the flea control every month. Asking a client about product application, the home environment and untreated pets can reveal a potentially resolvable situation. However, more often than not, the owner projects a sterling report of by-the-book compliance and a bewilderment of continued flea propagation. Attempting to resolve the infestation, veterinarians often switch to a different product and the resistance tale grows. “What clients are likely seeing are new fleas from the environment as opposed to fleas surviving after a proper spot-on application,” says Michael Dryden, DVM, Ph.D., a professor of veterinary parasitology in Kansas State University’s Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology. “I have investigated homes that by owner description sound like there could be a resistance problem but found, when I looked closer, there was always a reason for the failure. None was ever resistance.” Without an investigation, experts say, it’s difficult to know why fleas persist on a client’s pet after treatment. One thing researchers agree on is it’s not a resistance issue. “Resistance …
Arthritis Rehabilitation: A Team EffortFebruary 7, 2010 Persuading a client to dedicate time and money to a pet’s potentially lifelong arthritis rehabilitation isn’t easy, experts say. But educating owners to be proactive can delay the onset and severity of the disease and lead to a more therapy-receptive client. A dog receives electrical muscle stimulation after arthroscopy for arthritis. More modalities than ever are available for patients suffering from arthritis pain, certified veterinary rehabilitators say. The key to maximizing the benefits, they say, lies in veterinary and client education along with an appropriate diagnosis. “Arthritis rehabilitation is a multimodal process,” says Janet B. Van Dyke, DVM, CCRT, CEO of the Canine Rehabilitation Institute in Wellington, Fla. “Veterinarians interested in expanding this area of their practice should consider becoming certified in rehabilitation. A lot can be learned in the three to four months it takes to complete the certification process.” Veterinarians looking to provide rehabilitation services need a general understanding of the available therapies, Dr. Van Dyke says. Back to School Deep-water swimming strengthens muscles and improves aerobic fitness without taxing the joints. More veterinarians are educating themselves on the best practices in animal rehabilitation through the Canine …
Raw Diets Linked To SalmonellaJune 9, 2009 Veterinarians have a responsibility to provide pet owners with information about zoonotic disease that gives a realistic appraisal of any risks pets could present to the household’s human inhabitants and how to minimize this risk. This is especially true if the household contains small children or immuno-compromised individuals. While there are myriad potential patho-gens, this article will focus on one major concern: Salmonellosis. Why It’s Important Salmonellosis was in the headlines continuously last summer (2008) during a large outbreak associated with contaminated food. In this outbreak, at least 1,438 people were proved to be infected and 282 were hospitalized.1 Food-associated outbreaks are not unusual because contaminated food is the primary way that humans become infected with Salmonella. The infection can be acquired from meats and eggs, but many outbreaks have been linked to other sources such as sprouts, peanut butter, tomatoes or, recently, chili peppers. The majority of humans who become ill are young. The rate of diagnosed illness in children under 5 years old is five times higher than any other age group. This probably relates to the disease’s affecting children more severely than otherwise healthy adults. It is estimated that Salmonellosis causes 1.4 …
Treating Congestive Heart FailureJune 2, 2009 Karsten Schober, DVM, Ph.D., recently concluded a clinical study at Ohio State University that sought to utilize cardiac ultrasound to identify and stage congestive heart failure (CHF) in dogs. Twenty-one dogs with asymptomatic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), 23 dogs with degenerative mitral valve disease (MVD) and 10 dogs with CHF caused by MVD or DCM were enrolled, for a total of 63 canine patients. Any dog with dilated cardiomyopathy or MVD was welcome to the study unless it was treated with high doses of diuretics. The study began in 2006 and concluded in April. “The patients were given a clinical exam, chest radiography, cardiac ultrasound, blood chemistry, NTproANP and NTproBNP,” Dr. Schober says. “The dogs’ owners were asked to monitor respiration at home three times a day. Patients were re-evaluated in five to 14 days, and the effects of treatment based on the initial diagnosis and home monitoring were assessed.” The results of the study may help to diagnose CHF earlier, better stratify cardiovascular risk, tailor therapy to specific dog needs, and reduce the exposure of radiation required for repeated thoracic radiography, which is current protocol. “A lot of thinking has to go behind the final …
Successful Allergy Management Hinges On Awareness, Proper ProtocolsApril 17, 2009 For veterinarians and pet owners alike, few conditions in pets are as frustrating as allergies. But as awareness of the challenges associated with allergies continues to increase—as do the number of treatment options available—veterinarians are finding greater success in diagnosing and managing allergic pets. The list of allergies most commonly seen in dogs and cats has remained relatively constant over the years. “These allergies are to things they come in direct contact with, such as pollens, mites, fleas and molds,” says Dena Ware, a marketing manager for Heska Corp. “Additionally, they can have adverse reactions to foods they eat, which causes them to exhibit the same signs as contact allergens. “Until fairly recently, it was commonly believed that atopic disease is caused by allergens inhaled by the animal, but now it is understood that the allergens are absorbed into the animal’s skin,” Ware says. Some emerging allergic trends are evident. For example, Ware notes that the incidence of adverse reactions to foods has increased as the number of pet food choices has grown. Lowell Ackerman, DVM, Dipl. ACVD, a clinical professor in the dermatology and allergy service at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary …
