Why Teeth Removal is Best When Your Patient Has Feline StomatitisOctober 24, 2014Originally published in the September 2014 issue of Veterinary Practice News Feline stomatitis is an exquisitely painful condition, and it can be a frustrating condition for pet owners and feline caregivers. When I see a stomatitis patient for the first time, I try to set pet owners’ expectations early: stomatitis is a disease that we sometimes control rather than cure. However, with aggressive treatment, cures can be achieved. Gingivitis or Stomatitis? Sometimes it is difficult to discern whether a cat has stomatitis or merely gingivitis. Clinical signs will often be a good indicator, even before you take a look in the mouth. Gingivitis is generally well tolerated by cats. However, cats with stomatitis will show signs of hyporexia progressing to anorexia, preference for canned vs. dry food, crying when yawning or eating, ptyalism and occasionally bloody oral discharge. When trying to distinguish gingivitis from stomatitis, the key is the mucogingival line. Routine gingivitis never extends beyond the gingiva, whereas stomatitis always extends beyond the mucogingival line into the alveolar and buccal mucosa. Inflammation extending beyond the gingiva to the alveolar mucosa is referred to as rostral stomatitis or alveolar mucositis. Cats with stomatitis also often show inflammation lateral to the …
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Feline Stomatitis: Medical Therapy for Refractory CasesOctober 22, 2014Originally published in the October 2014 issue of Veterinary Practice News In a previous article, we discussed extractions as the gold standard treatment of feline stomatitis. Even after undergoing extractions, approximately 20 percent of patients will continue to experience clinically relevant signs of oral inflammation. We call these “refractory” cases. The goal of treatment is to reduce or eliminate oral discomfort to a degree where appetite is consistently good and patient body weight is maintained. Attack Plaque Recall that feline stomatitis is often an immune-mediated disease, due to an aberrant response of the immune system toward component(s) of dental plaque, likely bacterial antigens.1 If the patient still has teeth and the owner does not want them extracted, frequent professional dental cleanings (supra- and subgingival) will help to decrease plaque accumulation and inflammation. Daily tooth brushing would help decrease plaque accumulation, but brushing is difficult in stomatitis cats—an understatement!—due to oral pain. Application of plaque retardant substances during professional dental cleanings might be considered to slow the rate of plaque accumulation. Perioperative Medications for Oral Surgery Cases Multimodal pain medication regimens are necessary when embarking on surgical extractions. Premedication with an injectable opioid is a good place to start. Once the …
Legal Fight Escalates Between Purina, Blue BuffaloSeptember 22, 2014 Pet food giant Nestlé Purina filed additional legal claims last week against Blue Buffalo Co., accusing the competitor of overstating the quality of its LifeSource Bits, cat litter and Jolly Joints dog treats. Blue Buffalo called the allegations a “smear campaign” and challenged the qualifications of an independent scientific expert who examined other Blue Buffalo products. The legal brawl stems from a false-advertising lawsuit filed May 6 by Nestlé Purina Petcare Co., which asserted that a preliminary laboratory report had uncovered poultry byproduct meal and grain in some Blue Buffalo recipes. Blue Buffalo, which filed a countersuit May 14, declares in its advertising and legal responses that the company’s dog and cat foods are free of chicken and poultry byproduct meals, corn, wheat and soy. The Wilton, Conn., company defended its LifeSource Bits, cat litter and dog treats. “Nestlé Purina is attempting to muddy the waters … by adding a list of new unfounded allegations to continue its malicious attack,” said Blue Buffalo founder and chairman Bill Bishop. “With numerous quotes in its press release from its chief marketing officer, Nestlé Purina makes it clear that this entire lawsuit is simply a marketing campaign disguised …
National Take Your Cat To Vet Day GraphicAugust 21, 2014 August 22 is National Take Your Cat To The Vet Day! We at VeterinaryPracticeNews.com created this helpful graphic for you to share with your clients on social media. Use this graphic as a starting point to discuss why your clients should bring in their cat. Include your phone number and website so people can contact you. Just right-click on the image and save it onto your computer. Let us know how it goes!
Vets Say Why they Use Laser TherapyAugust 20, 2014 Veterinarians are adopting and implementing therapeutic lasers at practices across the country. The therapy's effectiveness is still debated in some quarters — though less so than in the past — so why have they taken the plunge? The consensus among practitioners interviewed for this story is that the results speak for themselves—the lasers are effective at treating injuries and speeding healing with little to no side effects. And with a relatively gentle learning curve and quick return on investment, they say lasers are a no-brainer for their practices. Tales from Veterinarians On the Fence Linda Baty, DVM, of East Brook Animal Clinic in Waverly, Tenn., began offering laser therapy as a low-cost alternative to surgery for such injuries as ligament tears and back problems. “We were faced with keeping dogs on painkillers for the rest of their lives or even putting them down,” she said. “So we were looking for therapy that would relieve the pain and put them back to some function without going through major surgery [such as ACL repairs] if [the client] couldn’t afford that.” Though she had done a fair amount of research, Dr. Baty was still hesitant. “It wasn’t until …
VPI Wellness Plans Win AAHA’s EndorsementAugust 14, 2014 Veterinary Pet Insurance Co.’s pet wellness plans have earned the approval of the American Animal Hospital Association, which named the company a Preferred Business Provider. Brea, Calif.-based VPI joins MWI Veterinary Supply, Wells Fargo and CareCredit as Preferred Business Providers under a program that offers special pricing or other services for AAHA members. VPI’s pet wellness plans, known as Everyday Care, can cover examinations, tests, vaccinations, sterilization and dental cleanings, depending on the level of care purchased by a cat or dog owner. Wellness exams help meet the goals of the AAHA/AVMA Preventive Healthcare Guidelines. “We believe the [VPI] program is consistent with our core mission of improving pet health and increasing patient visits by providing pet owners with cost-effective ways to manage ongoing pet health care costs,” said AAHA’s CEO, Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, Dipl. ABVP. “AAHA reviewed the VPI program, and we believe it offers veterinarians and pet owners a wellness program option that eliminates many of the challenges of practice-administered wellness plans,” Dr. Cavanaugh added.
Veterinary Anesthetic Alfaxan Approved for U.S. DistributionAugust 14, 2014 An intravenous injectable anesthetic commonly used in Australia will be released to U.S. veterinarians Aug. 25, the manufacturer, Jurox Animal Health, reported. Alfaxan (alfaxalone 10 mg/mL) is approved for use in cats and dogs. The drug is indicated for the induction and maintenance of anesthesia and for the induction of anesthesia followed by maintenance with an inhalant anesthetic. Winning U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of Alfaxan took time, said JJ O’Brien, CEO of Australia-based Jurox. “Since beginning this process, we have had countless inquiries as to why it has not been available to U.S. veterinarians,” O’Brien said. The drug is widely accepted by Australian veterinarians and has been used in 20 countries. “An independent study commissioned by Jurox reported Australian veterinarians to rely on Alfaxan for induction as often as 74 percent of the time in cats and 52 percent in dogs,” the company stated. Alfaxan’s U.S. distributors will include Henry Schein Animal Health, MWI Veterinary Supply, Patterson Veterinary Supply, NEVSCo, Midwest Veterinary Supply and Victor Medical Co. Jurox earlier this summer opened its U.S. headquarters in Kansas City, Mo.
AVMA House of Delegates Backs New Dentistry, Declawing PoliciesJuly 25, 2014 The American Veterinary Medical Association’s House of Delegates today approved revised policies on veterinary dentistry and cat declawing and chose the organization’s 2015-16 president. Meeting in Denver at the annual AVMA convention, the delegates followed the lead of the American Animal Hospital Association in advocating the use of anesthesia when dental procedures beyond an oral examination are performed. AAHA in June 2013 passed a rule requiring member hospitals to anesthetize and intubate all dental patients under the group’s updated Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. Kate Knudson, DVM, the past president of AAHA and an alternate delegate, urged the House to pass Resolution 6. “The only way you can provide dental diagnostics and come up with a therapeutic plan is to do dental radiography,” Dr. Knudson said. “We have many, many, many studies … demonstrating how something that looks normal when you’re just looking at it with your eyes is abnormal once you take radiographs. “The only way you can look your client in the eye and give them the confidence that you indeed are giving the best therapeutic and diagnostic plan is to take full-mouth X-rays,” she added. “As of this time …
Drug Makers, Compounders at Odds Over FDA OversightJuly 17, 2014 The Animal Health Institute, a trade group representing pharmaceutical manufacturers, is demanding that the Food and Drug Administration crack down on the illegal compounding of veterinary drugs, saying the practice puts animals at risk and jeopardizes the development of new medications. The appeal was made during a media conference call Wednesday and at a recent meeting in Washington, D.C., involving stakeholders and organizations such as the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the American Animal Hospital Association. The Animal Health Institute is not asking for the elimination of all drug compounding. The group supports a pharmacist’s manipulation of FDA-approved drugs to meet individual patients’ needs and the occasional compounding of bulk, active ingredients under FDA’s discretionary powers. “The third type of compounded drugs … is dangerous and illegal,” said Richard Carnevale, VMD, the Animal Health Institute’s vice president for regulatory, scientific and international affairs. “These are dangerous drugs crafted by pharmacies acting as manufacturers and often promoted to veterinarians as a way to increase profits. “They are not looking to help Mrs. Jones’ cat,” Dr. Carnevale said of such companies. “They even offer disclaimers that they are not responsible for …
Sterilization Effects Worse for Golden Retrievers Than LabsJuly 15, 2014 Golden retrievers are more likely than Labrador retrievers to be diagnosed with joint disorders or cancer after the animals have been spayed or neutered, according to the results of a study published Monday in the online journal PLOS ONE. Intact members of both breeds enjoy lower rates of joint disorders and cancer, researchers at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine added. The researchers did not take a stand on spaying and neutering, which is done to an estimated 83 percent of all U.S. dogs to control the pet population and prevent unwanted behaviors. Instead, they stated that the study served to measure the long-term health effects of sterilization and to educate breeders and dog owners who are deciding when, and if, to spay or neuter their animals. When a golden or Labrador retriever is sterilized can play a role in the onset of joint disorders and cancer, the researchers stated. A connection was found between early sterilization—before the animal is 6 months old—and the appearance of joint disorders. About 5 percent of intact golden and Labrador retrievers of both genders suffer from a joint disorder, the researchers determined. The rate in dogs …
