Zoetis expands diagnostics capabilities with ZNLabs acquisitionNovember 27, 2019Zoetis has strengthened its diagnostics portfolio with the acquisition of ZNLabs, a full-service veterinary clinical reference laboratory company.
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2019 They Ate What?! X-ray Contest winnersSeptember 30, 2019 You can't help but marvel and shake your head a little when checking out the X-rays we get every year as part of our They Ate What?! Contest. You've got to wonder what an animal is thinking when they swallow an object whole, especially the long pointy ones (think fishing poles and forks). This year's entries didn't fail to deliver in the wild and wacky department, which made choosing a winner especially challenging for our panel of experts. Check out the X-ray that nabbed the highest scores in relevancy, appeal, originality, description, and appearance, along with the runners-up and honorable mentions. This year, the winner receives a $500 VISA gift card from contest prize sponsor, Trupanion. Contest judges Marty Becker, DVM, writes VPN's "In the Middle" column John Lewis, VMD, FAVD, DAVDC, writes VPN's "Dental Pearls" column Brennen McKenzie, MA, MSc, VMD, cVMA, writes VPN's "Evidence-Based Medicine" column Alice Villalobos, DVM, FNAP, is a member of VPN's editorial advisory board Phil Zeltzman, DVM, DACVS, CVJ, Fear Free Certified, writes VPN's "Surgical Insights" and "Practice Management" columns Patty Khuly, VMD, MBA, writes VPN's "Off Leash" Check out the winner >
Ultrasound and telemedicineMay 27, 2019Don't just send him an ultrasound image and think he'll do business with you. "I will not read ultrasound images unless I've taught the person through doing the ultrasound," said Anthony J. Fischetti, DVM, MS, DACVR, department head of diagnostic imaging at the Animal Medical Center in New York, and president of Veterinary Ultrasound Society of the American College of Veterinary Radiologists (ACVR). "If I'm just reading still images from someone I haven't trained, I won't read them. I won't take their money, I won't try to make a diagnosis, and I kind of wish my colleagues would do the same," Dr. Fischetti said. Why? There's just too much to get wrong, he said. "You can make so many things look abnormal with ultrasound if you don't know the orientation of the probe or how the image was made," Fischetti said. In human medicine, often a relationship is already developed between those performing the ultrasound and the radiologist, so there's a level of trust and comfort. "We're just not there with veterinary medicine yet, and I'm personally against most telemedicine ultrasound," Fischetti said. Building relationships to improve trust and communication is also of utmost importance for Nathan C. Nelson, …
Gathering vital patient information with ultrasoundMay 27, 2019Anthony J. Fischetti, DVM, MS, DACVR, department head of diagnostic imaging at the Animal Medical Center in New York, had just finished his shift. It had been an odd day; two dogs that had turned yellow had been brought into the clinic. The first patient, an older dog, had a tumor at the entrance of the gall bladder into the intestines—a common bile duct obstruction. The second patient had collapsed, experiencing diarrhea and vomiting. "I used the ultrasound to diagnose that it wasn't the liver," said Dr. Fischetti. "It turned out the dog was hemolyzing." An old, corroded coin in the dog's stomach was causing zinc toxicity. Thanks to the ultrasound images, the endoscopist retrieved the coin and the dog improved. Fischetti, who also is president of Veterinary Ultrasound Society of the American College of Veterinary Radiologists (ACVR), as well as other experts, say ultrasound is a safe and simple way to get more information on ailing patients. "I think the real value of ultrasound is its noninvasive nature," said Nathan C. Nelson, DVM, MS, DACVR, a clinical associate professor of radiology at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Why use ultrasound? Key considerations for adding …
Enter Veterinary Practice News' 2019 They Ate What?! X-ray ContestMay 23, 2019Did you ever hear the one about the dog who swallowed 14 quarters? Or what about the cat who just couldn't resist her owner's toy lizard's foot? Pets eat the darndest things, so much so, we are still amazed at what veterinarians find on their X-rays, even after all these years of running our They Ate What?! X-ray contest. Which brings us to our annual call for those hard-to-believe radiographs. Share your most outrageous X-rays with Veterinary Practice News and the veterinary community. Selected by a panel of veterinarians, the winner will receive a $500 VISA gift card from contest prize sponsor, Trupanion. How to enter: Go to VeterinaryPracticeNews.com/xraycontest and log in or register to enter. Upload high-resolution images—large files reproduce best—and fill in your name, clinic name and address, telephone number, and a short explanation of the case, including the outcome. If available, include images of the patient and the recovered item(s). The submission deadline is July 19. The winner and honorable mentions will be unveiled in the October issue of Veterinary Practice News. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER. Contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia, age …
CT or MRI? When to use each and whyMarch 15, 2019Use MRI for meningitis, encephalitis, fibrocartilaginous embolism, malignancy of liver tumors, muscle tears and strains, and cranial cruciate rupture, says Tony Pease, DVM, MS, DACVR, chief veterinary medical officer of the Western Veterinary Conference Oquendo Center in Las Vegas, Nev. For fragmented medial coronoid processes, dental disease, 3-D reconstructions, and small bone fractures, use CT, he advises. "In general, MRI can see more medically treated lesions, but CT and MRI can see lesions that are amenable with surgery," Dr. Pease says. "However, gastrointestinal lesions are questionable. The motion of the gastrointestinal tract makes large artifacts, as does metal (e.g. microchips), which is not a factor with CT as opposed to MRI." MRI is preferred whenever disease of the central nervous system is suspected, says Nathan C. Nelson DVM, MS, DACVR, clinical associate professor of radiology at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. "MRI has excellent ability to image soft tissue structures and is able to differentiate gray matter, white matter, nerves, and cerebrospinal fluid to a much greater extent than CT," Dr. Nelson says. "In any case, where brain disease is suspected—such as the acutely seizing dog or the dog with sudden behavior change—MRI is the …
Digital cytology: The future of clinical pathologyDecember 14, 2018Digital radiography can change how we practice medicine and creates a whole new paradigm for accessing veterinary expertise. Additionally, many major veterinary labs now scan histological sections for remote pathologist review.
CT or MRI? When to use each and whyDecember 10, 2018The dilemma over whether to use CT or MRI is fairly common. While there are many cases that could be imaged via either modality, experts say there are specific instances where one is preferred over the other.
UC Davis vets remove life-threatening tumor from koi fishOctober 18, 2018The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) veterinary hospital’s Aquatic Animal Health Unit of the Companion Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Service has removed a large tumor from Madonna, a six-year-old female koi fish’s distended abdomen.
Brain Teaser: Can you solve this puzzle?October 17, 2018 Presentation Cystotomy in a five-year-old Rottweiler who had 178 struvite stones. Challenge What is the holding layer—the one to include in the suture line? Which suture material is ideal? Which needle is best? Which suture pattern is recommended? Check your answer on the next page.
