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 …
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U.S. Cracks Down on Sale of Foreign PuppiesAugust 19, 2014 The federal government has imposed new restrictions on the importation of puppies under 6 months old, drawing praise from the American Kennel Club and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The rule, part of an amendment to the Animal Welfare Act, prohibits young puppies from entering the continental United States for resale, research or veterinary purposes. Puppies under 6 months old will be permitted if they are a personal pet, breeding stock, or a show, competition or training dog. The regulations were published Monday in the Federal Register and go into effect Nov. 17, 2014. “We welcome this new rule as it will reduce the suffering of thousands of animals by curbing the importation of sick puppies from overseas,” said Cori Menkin, senior director of the ASPCA Puppy Mills Campaign. “Breeding facilities in foreign countries are not subject to oversight by the United States government, so the conditions under which many of these dogs are bred and raised are substandard. The new rule means that the U.S. no longer provides a friendly marketplace for these suffering animals.” The AKC, which registers purebred dogs and sanctions events, stated that it was “pleased.” …
Purdue to Develop Standards for Dog BreedersAugust 15, 2014 Commercial dog breeders nationwide may adhere to the same animal care standards in a few years if a Purdue University project is successful. Candace Croney, MS, Ph.D., an associate professor of comparative pathobiology and animal science, is embarking on a two-year research assignment designed to develop and test science-based best practices covering everything from the housing of breeding dogs to their health. “Although many states have standards in place, they are highly variable from state to state,” Croney said. “In addition, several factors that significantly impact dog welfare, such as their housing, have not been well studied, raising questions about the basis and adequacy of current standards. “This project will help fill the gaps in regard to better meeting dogs’ needs,” she said. The work is underwritten by the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, the Pet Food Institute and the World Pet Association. Other Purdue researchers and institutions such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Center for Animal Welfare will participate. Dog breeders have come under fire for the conditions that some animals and their offspring are exposed to. Some jurisdictions ban the retail sale of commercially bred dogs. “Given that over …
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.
Secrets Of Feline Tooth ExtractionAugust 13, 2014 In this article, we will discuss feline surgical extractions, including tips and tricks that will make your next feline dental extraction easier. Flaps Are Our Friends! When I speak with general practitioners about extraction of firmly rooted feline teeth, sometimes they will begin the conversation with a confession: “We don’t do flaps here.” To this I will pose an analogy. Trying to extract large, firmly rooted feline premolar, molar or canine teeth without a flap is analogous to trying to catch a football with one arm tied behind your back. It can be done, but not reliably, and not without much frustration. For our discussion today, let’s use the scenario of a feline patient whose right mandibular cheek teeth need to be extracted [third premolar (407), fourth premolar (408) and first molar (409) teeth]. This raises an important point about extraction of adjacent teeth. If you identify a tooth that needs to be extracted, assess the adjacent teeth to determine if these teeth also need to be extracted. If so, rather than raising multiple flaps for each individual tooth, a single flap can be raised to extract multiple teeth. John r. …
Alabama, Louisiana Lead Nation in Heartworm DiseaseAugust 8, 2014 Blame the mosquitoes first, but dog owners share responsibility for Alabama having the highest rate of heartworm disease in the nation in 2013, the American Heartworm Society reported Wednesday. Alabama veterinary hospitals and animal shelters each diagnosed an average of 90 heartworm-positive dogs in 2013, compared to 31 per site in 2010. Those gloomy numbers easily topped No. 2 Louisiana’s figure of 81 heartworm-positive dogs per clinic. The good news for Louisiana is that the state was first in heartworm disease three years earlier—the last time the study was conducted—when it had 105 heartworm-positive dogs per clinic. The Wilmington, Del.-based American Heartworm Society stressed that heartworm disease is easily preventable when dogs and cats receive a monthly medication. “We know that far too many pets in Alabama are affected with heartworm disease,” said Chris Rehm, DVM, an American Heartworm Society board member who practices in Mobile, Ala. “However, we also know that veterinarians and pet owners have the power to prevent this deadly disease.” Heartworm disease is spread by mosquitoes and is found in all 50 states, but the threat tends to be worse in warm-weather locations, especially the Southeast. The top …
Veterinarian Saves Kitten’s LifeAugust 6, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. CIOLI/I5 STUDIO A black kitten clung to life after being abused by its owner. Found with a rope tied around its neck, presumably dragged by a car or thrown to the ground, the small creature was lifeless. Several of its teeth were knocked out and its face was bleeding. Authorities rushed the helpless animal to HOPE Veterinary Clinic in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Jennifer Magilton, VMD, was on hand to care for the kitten. Upon examining the feline, Dr. Magilton concluded it was suffering from trauma to the head and was unresponsive and lethargic. The first conclusion was euthanasia. Further examination revealed the kitten had ingested heroin. Magilton quickly gave the kitten Narcan, a drug for reviving humans having a drug overdose. The kitten’s condition improved immediately. Had heroin not been in the kitten’s system, Narcan, also known as naloxene, would have had no effect. James Myers, the kitten’s owner, is being charged with drug possession and animal cruelty. He is currently being held at Chester County Prison. The kitten is still recovering at HOPE Veterinary Clinic. Once fully recovered, it will …
Elanco, FDA Say Trifexis Played No Role in Dog DeathsAugust 5, 2014 Trifexis, a flea killer and heartworm preventive introduced in 2011, is being blamed for nearly 1,000 dog deaths, but both the manufacturer and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cautioned that no evidence has been found tying the drug to the claims. Atlanta television station WSB learned after filing a Freedom of Information Act request that the FDA had received 965 complaints of Trifexis-related dog deaths. Pet owners have debated the drug’s safety on multiple websites and even started a Facebook page called Does Trifexis Kill Dogs? FDA, which approves and regulates human and animal drugs, acknowledged that dog owners and veterinarians have lodged formal complaints about Trifexis (spinosad and milbemycin oxime). “FDA is aware of adverse event reports in connection with Trifexis and continues to closely monitor them,” the agency reported in a prepared statement. “It is very important to realize that reports of adverse events do not necessarily mean that the product caused the event. Other factors, such as existing disease, exposure to chemicals or contaminants, foods, or other medications may have triggered or contributed to the cause of the event.” WSB-TV also reported in late July that 1,500 Trifexis complaints were …
CAPC Urges Additional Heartworm TestsAugust 4, 2014 The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) has updated its heartworm guidelines to recommend that a microfilariae test be performed annually on all dogs in addition to the customary antigen test and that veterinarians consider administering tests twice a year in heartworm-prevalent areas. Reports of an increasing number of false-negative antigen results led the Salem, Ore., organization to modify the guidelines July 28 after a meeting of the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists. Some dogs appeared to have developed immune complexes that led to a rising number of false negatives involving commercial antigen tests. “Some of the CAPC parasitology specialists speculate that one of the reasons for the increase in these false-negative test results may be related to the practice of placing heartworm-infected dogs on long-term regimens of macrocyclic lactone preventives and antibiotics rather than treating them with an approved adulticide,” the organization stated. The combination treatment, known as the slow-kill method, came into favor with some veterinarians because of an ongoing shortage of Immiticide, an adulticide manufactured by Merial Ltd. Dogs managed with these protocols may experience prolonged inflammation, which could result in the formation of immune complexes that mask the detection …
