A brief history of veterinary specialtiesDecember 20, 2022The Veterinary Dental Forum (VDF) provides educational opportunities for people who are at various levels of their dental journey, including fundamental, intermediate, advanced, research, anesthesia, and technician lecture tracks.
SPONSORED CONTENTHELP THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THEIR OWN SKIN.Could the key to managing the constant itching and inflammation of canine atopic dermatitis be at the bottom of a bowl? + Learn More
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveMemorializing a Pet InfographicDecember 19, 2022As veterinary professionals and pet owners, we are all too familiar with the void left behind when a beloved pet passes away. This infographic gives pet parents some ideas of different ways to memorialize a pet that has crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. Some of these could also be used as ideas for your practice to gift to long-term clients you have a special bond with
The pros and cons of food allergy testingDecember 12, 2022Cutaneous adverse food reactions (CAFR), also known as food allergies, are an immunological reaction to food allergens. CAFR is thought to affect about 20 percent of dogs, and up to 13 percent of cats with allergic skin disease.
Feline diabetes pill gets FDA green lightDecember 9, 2022Bexacat has been approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for improved glycemic control in diabetic cats. Developed by Elanco Animal Health, the oral medication, which contains the active ingredient bexagliflozin, marks the first sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor (i.e. not insulin) approved by FDA in any animal species, the agency reports.
The pros and cons of colloidal silverDecember 9, 2022Like so many supplements, the widely available product, “colloidal silver,” has amassed an ardent following, despite insufficient evidence of safety and effectiveness. Who can blame people for becoming excited when they read an inexpensive bottle of colloidal silver “is an extremely safe and natural antibiotic to treat all sizes and ages of felines, including very young kittens,” and it “can be used internally and externally, to attach the germ from the inside out and the outside in”?
Can you solve this puzzle?December 9, 2022Can you solve this puzzle? A 12-year-old female spayed golden retriever 12 hours post splenectomy for hemoabdomen.
PAW Program provides aid to cancer patients with petsDecember 8, 2022CancerCare, a national organization that has provided assistance to cancer patients for nearly eight decades, aids pet owners in cancer crisis via its Pet Assistance & Wellness (PAW) Program.
FDA updates compounding guidelines for vetsDecember 7, 2022This past summer, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a new Guidance for Industry (GFI) that will take effect in April 2023, affecting how compounding pharmacies fill veterinary prescriptions. Called GFI #256, the guidance is intended to encourage the use of FDA-approved drugs by veterinary professionals and control which bulk substances are used to create compounded medications.
How the helium crisis impacts vet medicineDecember 6, 2022When asked about the challenges facing the veterinary industry, few people will jump straight to a helium shortage. Industrially, helium is primarily used in cryogenics, cooling down machinery to allow proper usage. This includes high-field MRI machines, used throughout the veterinary industry to detect causes of foreign bodies, seizures, spinal pain, and behavioral changes in companion animals. These machines use liquid helium to cool the super-conducting magnet, which creates the strong magnetic field strength required for clarity and consistency while imaging.
The importance of fecal testingDecember 5, 2022Stool samples, a fecal analysis, parasite screenings, a “poop check.” It does not matter what you call it, if you work in a veterinary hospital, it is not the most popular test. Yet, they are performed, most likely, multiple times a day. They give a practitioner a wealth of knowledge, if done correctly, that cannot be discovered by any other means.
