Megacolon can be curable when handled the right wayFebruary 1, 2018Garfield, a 12-pound, 8-year-old domestic shorthair cat, had become constipated in the past few months. His family veterinarian initially prescribed psyllium fiber (Metamucil). Then, a few weeks later, the vet prescribed methylcellulose fiber (Citrucel). Then a few weeks later, lactulose.
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Survey reveals cat-friendly practices rate high in client satisfactionJanuary 18, 2018The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) announced the results of its 2017 Cat Friendly Practice® (CFP) Survey, which provides an in-depth look at the effect the program has on feline healthcare and the veterinary industry. The 2017 survey revealed a 99 percent satisfaction rate among participants and that the program continues to grow and positively influence veterinary care for cats, caregivers, and veterinary teams. What the survey said 98 percent would recommend the CFP program to other veterinary professionals. 92 percent state the CFP program has positively impacted their team morale when handling, treating, and caring for cats. Many practices said they are now more confident when working with cats, and their teams have adopted the use of cat-friendly techniques to reduce stress during the visit. 91 percent reported an improvement in feline knowledge and care among practice team members. Many practices noticed a great improvement in staff understanding of feline behavior, feline-friendly handling, and ability to read a cat's body language. 80 percentreceived positive feedback from clients on implementing the program. 80 percent have increased visits because they are a CFP. 79 percent report increased practice revenue since implementing the CFP program. 75 percentstate the acquisition of new feline patients due to their CFP …
Information overload means good newsDecember 8, 2017Let’s face it; we can’t even keep up with all the email, client communications, and news flashing on our smartphones while maintaining a busy clinical load. Once-a-year continuing education barely keeps us afloat in the ocean of veterinary information, and now that information—thanks to accelerating advancements in technology and biological research—is coming at us more and more rapidly and in more forms.
Winn Feline Foundation: Funding five decades of feline healthNovember 10, 2017If you’ve never treated a cat for dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), thank the Winn Feline Foundation. If you’ve ever vaccinated a cat for feline leukemia, thank Winn. If you’ve adjusted a diabetic cat’s diet by adding protein and simultaneously creating a weight loss plan that sent the cat into remission, thank Winn.
Zoetis launches Witness FFH test to detect three feline diseasesOctober 4, 2017Zoetis Inc. announced the launch of Witness FFH, a triple test that detects antigens to feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline heartworm, as well as antibodies to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Witness FFH is a simple, convenient, and cost-effective test that requires no refrigeration and is priced comparably to current FeLV-FIV tests on the market with the added benefit of heartworm testing, the company stated. "Zoetis is committed to delivering high-quality, point-of-care diagnostics to help easily and affordably diagnose conditions or diseases that affect the quality or duration of a pet's life," said Chris Demiris, marketing director, U.S. Diagnostics at Zoetis. "The new Witness FFH test is a rapid, reliable test that helps keep cats healthy." "A shared clinical sign of all three diseases is vomiting, so a triple test helps veterinarians make accurate diagnoses more quickly," said Matthew Krecic, DVM, MS, MBA, DACVIM, senior technical services manager, U.S. Diagnostics at Zoetis. "Sick cats may also have FeLV or FIV; therefore, testing for those concurrent with heartworm is sensible." Veterinarians should consider testing for heartworm infection in cats because clinical signs can be confused with those of many other diseases, including feline asthma, …
American Association of Feline Practitioners revises declawing positionSeptember 7, 2017The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) has revised its previous 2015 position statement on declawing to strongly oppose onychectomy as an elective procedure.
AAFP Cat Friendly Practice endorsements promote programSeptember 6, 2017The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) has announced endorsements of the Cat Friendly Practice (CFP) Program by CATalyst Council, Cat Healthy, and the Association of Shelter Veterinarians. The program is a global initiative designed to elevate care for felines by reducing stress for the cat, their caregiver, and the entire veterinary team, according to the AAFP. The CFP program, launched in 2012, currently includes more than 1,100 clinics in North and South America. It provides tools to integrate the feline perspective into clinics' physical environments and the delivery of medical care, focuses on increasing the standard of feline care, educating practices about feline patients' needs, decreasing the stress of veterinary visits, and ensuring each cat receives the highest quality, according to the association. To earn the CFP designation, veterinary clinics must meet specific criteria, such as embracing gentle and respectful handling of all cats, providing adjusted procedures to make veterinary visits less stressful for cats and their caregivers, and training staff to understand the individualized needs of cats. "Visiting the veterinarian can be stressful for both cats and their caregivers," said Elizabeth Colleran, DVM, MS, DABVP (Feline), co‐chair of the CFP committee. "So often regular check-ups …
Food as medicine messagingAugust 25, 2017Therapeutic diets, increasingly part of pets’ health care regimens, are good tools at veterinarians’ disposal when addressing specific ailments. A problem surrounding these diets, however, isn’t whether they work; it’s discussing their benefits with clients.
Four reasons veterinary clients avoid regular checkups for their cats—and what you can do about itAugust 17, 2017In a recent survey, 92 percent of cat owners say their cat’s health is important to them, but why are only half of all American cats taken to the veterinarian by their caretakers on a regular basis.
The amazing grace of senior petsAugust 17, 2017I think the dilemma for a lot of veterinarians is the healthy pet,” said Steven Marks, BVSc, MS, MRCVS, Dipl. ACVIM, but he wasn’t trying to be humorous in his assessment.
