Drug-resistant heartworm strain found in Louisiana LabradorDecember 12, 2017A drug-resistant strain of heartworm was discovered in a dog in Metairie, La., according to local veterinarian, Cynthia Benbow, DVM, CVA. Maddie, a yellow lab from Metairie, was a patient of Dr. Benbow. According to the news release issued by Benbow's office, Maddie contracted heartworm while on a monthly preventive. The heartworms had resurfaced in Benbow's long-time patient after a bout three years prior even though Maddie's owner had, as Benbow described, "religiously" stuck with the prescribed prevention regimen. Testing revealed the dog was infected with a drug-resistant strain of heartworm. A sample of Maddie's blood was sent to Ray Kaplan, DVM, at the Department of Infectious Diseases at University of Georgia (UGA) College of Veterinary Medicine, according to Benbow. Dr. Kaplan's lab confirmed that the heartworms were indeed drug-resistant, and established the strain for research purposes, naming it Metairie-2014. Louisiana hosts "by far the most cases" of suspected drug-resistant heartworm strains, according to Cassan Pulaski, a doctoral candidate at Louisiana State University (LSU). Southern states show higher incidences of likely drug-resistant strains, particularly those surrounding the Mississippi River Delta, he said. It's unknown how many drug-resistant heartworm strains exist because local veterinarians do not have the research tools to verify resistant strains, according to …
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Diagnosing, treating Lyme diseaseDecember 5, 2017Lyme disease is a frustrating problem confronting veterinarians and horse owners in areas where ticks are prevalent. The disease, caused by a spirochete bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted through the bite of infected deer, or blacklegged ticks. As ticks are virtually ubiquitous, the carrier of the disease is essentially impossible to eradicate.
Zoetis accepting research grant proposals on controlling parasitic diseaseDecember 1, 2017Zoetis is accepting grant proposals for research into innovative approaches to help protect dogs, cattle, sheep, and poultry from parasitic diseases and to extend the efficacy of therapeutics through new formulations. Through a grant awards program, Zoetis will award a minimum of $25,000 and maximum of $150,000 to support each selected grant proposal. More than one grant may be awarded. "We at Zoetis are interested in advancing novel approaches to protect animals from parasitic diseases, to improve the health and productivity of livestock animals and to help companion animals live longer, healthier lives," said Debra Woods, Ph.D., research director, head of Parasitology Global Therapeutics Research for Zoetis. "Through this grant program, we aim to energize investigation into anti-parasitic therapeutics research and advance science in this area of high need in animal health." The company seeks proposals focused on helping to protect dogs from heartworm disease by taking novel biological or biopharmaceutical approaches to prevention and on developing diagnostic tools to detect the early stages of infection. Projects might also look at understanding early stages of heartworm infection, including the mechanisms of their migration through the tissues to the heart. In cattle and sheep, the company seeks proposals that explore …
Four important internal parasites to considerOctober 20, 2017Instead of just deworming all the time, it’s a good idea for equine practitioners to perform periodic fecal egg counts to determine how badly—or whether—a horse is affected by parasites prior to being dewormed.
Zoetis launches Witness FFH test to detect three feline diseasesOctober 4, 2017Zoetis Inc. announced the launch of Witness FFH, a triple test that detects antigens to feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline heartworm, as well as antibodies to feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Witness FFH is a simple, convenient, and cost-effective test that requires no refrigeration and is priced comparably to current FeLV-FIV tests on the market with the added benefit of heartworm testing, the company stated. "Zoetis is committed to delivering high-quality, point-of-care diagnostics to help easily and affordably diagnose conditions or diseases that affect the quality or duration of a pet's life," said Chris Demiris, marketing director, U.S. Diagnostics at Zoetis. "The new Witness FFH test is a rapid, reliable test that helps keep cats healthy." "A shared clinical sign of all three diseases is vomiting, so a triple test helps veterinarians make accurate diagnoses more quickly," said Matthew Krecic, DVM, MS, MBA, DACVIM, senior technical services manager, U.S. Diagnostics at Zoetis. "Sick cats may also have FeLV or FIV; therefore, testing for those concurrent with heartworm is sensible." Veterinarians should consider testing for heartworm infection in cats because clinical signs can be confused with those of many other diseases, including feline asthma, …
AHS urges best practices to prevent, minimize heartworm transmission in dogsSeptember 14, 2017By Veterinary Practice News Editors The American Heartworm Society (AHS) has announced a new set of veterinary best practices for minimizing heartworm transmission in dogs relocated due to recent natural disasters, a cross-country family move, or other circumstances. The guidelines include recommendations for heartworm testing, treatment, and prevention, and were developed in collaboration with the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV). "Preventing transmission of D. immitis has always been a focus of the AHS Heartworm Guidelines," sais Chris Rehm, DVM, AHS president. "However, we believe we need to do more, given the potential for heartworm-positive dogs to serve as reservoirs for infection. For example, if a microfilaria-positive dog is rescued in one state and subsequently moved to a new home in another state where nearby pets are unprotected, mosquitoes feeding on the new dog can quickly become heartworm vectors. The results can be disastrous for unprotected pets in the vicinity." Measures can be taken to protect the health of both infected animals and their new neighbors, according to Dr. Rehm. While the ideal scenario is to treat infected dogs before transporting or traveling with them, situations often dictate that infected animals cannot undergo …
UC Davis vets remove 5-inch heartworm from cat's femoral arteryJuly 13, 2017Stormie, a 4-year-old female Siamese with a history of heartworm disease since she was 1 year old, was with her owner while she visited family in the Bay Area when one of her rear legs became lame.
AHS survey shows heartworm on the riseMay 30, 2017The American Heartworm Society (AHS), an organization devoted to funding research and spreading awareness about heartworm disease, released its 2016 Incidence Survey findings and the news is not good—per-clinic cases of heartworm are on the rise.
How one vet clinic improved flea and tick complianceMay 25, 2017Meghan Bingham, CVPM, has been with West Alabama Animal Clinic in Houston since 1996, when it was a one-doctor practice. In the past 20 years it’s grown to a nine-doctor practice with a staff of 45.
How to take care of itchy petsMay 18, 2017he evolution of flea and tick control has been impressive, while therapeutic options for allergic dermatitis—atopic dermatitis in particular—have made significant strides.
