KSU study demonstrates loss of compounded drug potencyDecember 11, 2017A new Kansas State University (KSU) study funded by Morris Animal Foundation (MAF) shows a commonly compounded antimicrobial drug used in veterinary medicine may be losing potency over time. The study recently was published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The KSU research team showed that compounded formulations of doxycycline lost potency within three weeks of receipt, with many dropping to sub-therapeutic content in that time, as defined by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standards. The findings could have a significant impact for practicing veterinarians who rely on this antimicrobial to treat various infectious diseases in animals, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever and leptospirosis, and as an adjunct therapy for heartworm disease. "These study results have important ramifications for practicing veterinarians," said John Reddington, DVM, Ph.D., president and CEO for MAF. "The study helped fill in a knowledge gap about compounded medications, and may lead to additional studies on this important but often overlooked topic." The research team at KSU included Tanner Slead, a MAF Veterinary Student Scholar, and his mentor, Kate KuKanich, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM. The team compared FDA-approved formulations of doxycycline with compounded doxycycline obtained from …
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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.
UC Davis creates 3D printed mask for dog with fractured skullDecember 6, 2017Loca, a 4-month-old female Staffordshire bull terrier, was bitten by another dog so severely that her right zygomatic arch (cheekbone) and mandible (jawbone) were fractured, and her temporomandibular joint (TMJ) suffered extensive damage. In addition, there were multiple puncture wounds on her face and neck. University of California, Davis, veterinary hospital Dentistry and Oral Surgery Service (DOSS) faculty members Frank Verstraete, BVSc, DrMedVet, MMedVet, and Boaz Arzi, DVM, DAVDC, DEVDC, and resident Colleen Geisbush, DVM, saw promising aspects to this challenging case. First, Loca was young, which meant there was a good chance that the damage to the TMJ could correct itself with natural bone regrowth. Second, this case offered them the opportunity to utilize a new face mask they developed with biomedical engineering students. Designed to be used as a cast for a fractured skull while it heals, the mask was the result of a long-standing collaboration between the oral surgeons and the UC Davis College of Engineering. To assist with surgery preparation, DOSS has used COE's Biomedical Engineering (BME) Department many times over the years to 3D print skull models in BME's Translating Engineering Advances to Medicine (TEAM) Laboratory. Recently, DOSS has been working with BME …
Wiley releases second edition on common neoplasias in geriatric dogs, catsDecember 5, 2017Canine and Feline Geriatric Oncology: Honoring the Human-Animal Bond, Second Edition by Alice Villalobos, DVM, with Laurie Kaplan, MSC, newly released by Wiley, provides a complete clinical approach to the most common neoplasias in geriatric dogs and cats.
Study finds animal sterilization possibly safer than hysterectomy in womenDecember 4, 2017A six-year study of 113,906 spay/neuter surgeries performed in a Florida spay/neuter clinic found that the canine mortality rate was lower than that reported for hysterectomy in women. The study, presented at an international specialty conference last month, found a canine mortality rate of 0.9 per 10,000 surgeries (0.009 percent), compared to 1 per 10,000 surgeries in women. Even though cats didn't fare as well, with a mortality rate of 5/10,000 surgeries (0.05 percent), the overall mortality rate of 3.3/10,000 (0.03 percent) closely approached that found in human surgical practice. "This is a stunning validation of the expertise and skill of spay/neuter veterinarians," said lead researcher Julie Levy, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, DABVP, of the Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida. The research also echoed similar findings from human literature about the importance of specialized skills and volume of practice in achieving high surgical success rates. The study examined surgery performed at a high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter clinic operated by the Humane Society of Tampa Bay within the parameters of The Association of Shelter Veterinarians' Veterinary Medical Care Guidelines for Spay-Neuter Clinics. It's unsurprising that extreme focus on a specific set of …
Surgical sterilization, neutering options for male cats, dogsNovember 21, 2017Strong support exists for the view that gonadectomy has a net health benefit for female dogs and cats, but it is less clear that neutering benefits individual males. The risks of some diseases occurring are reduced or eliminated by neutering (for example, testicular neoplasia, benign prostatic hypertrophy), but other disease appear to be more common in neutered males, though risk varies by breed and age at neutering (e.g., cranial cruciate ligament disease, feline interstitial cystitis).
Is keeping pets a luxury?November 20, 2017Ever marveled at how much more livable our lives are now that we’re lucky enough to have pets in them? Wonder how we could ever function without their soothing companionship and unconditional love?
Recent discoveries advance diagnostics, understanding of CKDNovember 17, 2017A significant number of animals develop some form of kidney disease during their lifetime (approximately 1 in 3 cats1 and 1 in 10 dogs2). Kidney disease can be challenging to diagnose and manage, but recent discoveries have led to more diagnostic tools and a greater understanding of this disease.
UC Davis launches survey on the use of cannabis products for petsNovember 17, 2017The University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine has launched a survey to learn more about the use of cannabis products on pets. "With the increasing use of medical cannabis and the start of recreational use [in California] in January, the interest in using it for pets has really grown," said Jamie Peyton, DVM, chief of small animal integrative medicine at UC Davis and the primary researcher behind the study. "The goal of the survey is to start the conversation about the use of hemp and cannabis products for pets." More pet owners are asking veterinarians about cannabis use for their companion animals, but vets currently are not allowed to prescribe or recommend cannabis products for pets, Dr. Peyton said. The anonymous online survey asks basic information about the pet and about its medical history, and includes questions about the type of marijuana products the pet owner administers, the reason for using the product, and how often it is administered. The final question asks if the respondent would involve their pet in a study of marijuana products for pets. The goal of the survey is to inform future research. "There's no published, peer-reviewed study on …
PetPace smartcollar aids first human-canine 12,500-mile All-In Trek teamNovember 16, 2017Breanna Cornell and her 4-year-old husky-rottweiler mix, Sophie, are scheduled to set out on completing the nation's longest and most rigorous mega-hike expedition on Sept. 4, 2018, with help from PetPace, a provider of health monitoring technology for pets. Cornell and Sophie will attempt to be the first female and human-canine team to complete the All-In Trek. The mega-hike requires a continuous, self-supported hike through the top four hiking trails in the nation. The duo will start their journey on the North County Trail, followed by the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Coast trail, and the Continental Divide, traveling by air to each start point. Besides facing a mix of rough terrain, adverse weather conditions, and the unexpected, and the pair also will battle the physical drain of hiking roughly 35 miles per day. In order to better safeguard Sophie's health, Cornell will receive a special travel pack for Sophie from the company. The travel pack will provide full connectivity between Cornell's PetPace smartphone app and Sophie's PetPace health monitoring smartcollar. This will allow Cornell to closely monitor her pet's caloric expenditure, activity levels, and vital signs. Sophie's smartcollar also can send …
