Yunnan baiyao for patients with hemorrhage, neoplasiaDecember 11, 2017Herbal remedies are widely available to animal owners as over-the-counter products intended for both human and veterinary use. Some veterinarians prescribe these remedies, usually as part of a broader complementary and alternative medicine approach.
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UC Davis veterinarians warn of poisonous Amanita phalloides mushroomsDecember 11, 2017Veterinarians at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine are warning pet owners to be aware of Amanita mushroom intoxication. The Amanita phalloides version, commonly known as the death cap mushroom, is extremely toxic to animals. Found throughout Northern California and many other locations, A. phalloides can be potentially fatal to animals with ingestion of only a small amount. One of the most poisonous of all known mushrooms, its toxins cause acute liver failure and can also damage other organs such as the kidneys and the intestinal tract. "We've had several calls from local pet owners concerned about Amanita mushrooms," said Kate Hopper, BVSc, Ph.D., DAVECC, director of the small animal clinic at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. "They report these mushrooms growing in the Sacramento area currently, but it may grow in all areas of Northern California." On Dec. 4, the UC Davis veterinary hospital admitted an 8-week-old male Alaskan Klee Kai puppy that ingested the mushrooms over the weekend. "The dog's owner reported that they have hundreds of these mushrooms on their lawn in Loomis, and they think there are a lot more in the local area," said Dr. Hopper. According to Dr. Hopper, …
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 …
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.
