Acupuncture For PainApril 17, 2009 Between 65 percent and 80 percent of humans experience back or neck pain at some point in their lives. The elderly complain of back pain more often than any other musculoskeletal ailment.1 Whether small animals experience spinal pain with similar frequency is unknown. Perhaps the majority of animals afflicted with back or neck pain recovers spontaneously within six weeks, as do humans.2 For animals that do not recover, the pain frequently remains untreated, undertreated or treated inappropriately.3 Clients may misinterpret alterations in their animals' behavior as "slowing down," "getting old and grouchy" or "being stubborn." Mapping the Course Determining the proper course of action for spinal pain requires in-depth knowledge of veterinary anatomy and pathology. Some clients are tempted to pursue treatment from non-veterinarian chiropractors or physical therapists in lieu of proper diagnostics. Doing so may cause irreparable harm to the animal because of delayed diagnosis and improper treatment, especially when back pain arises from neoplastic or infectious causes.4 Nevertheless, clients may prefer a nonpharmacologic approach for their animal's condition, given the potential adverse effects of conventional approaches. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and renal damage, especially in older …
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Convenience Euthanasia? Just Say NoApril 17, 2009 His face was flushed and his ears were red. He was leading two big, beautiful German shepherd dogs toward the back of the clinic. I knew something was wrong. He was upset, exasperated, frustrated. He said that the owners of these dogs were going on a long vacation and they wanted the dogs put down. It was 1972, my first job, my boss. What could I say? What should I say? Something like this came from my heart: “You shouldn't do this if you don't want to. They can take their dogs to the pound where they might have a chance to be adopted. A pet hospital is not the place for healthy pets to be conveniently killed. If it is against your personal ethics, tell them to take their dogs elsewhere.” But he looked at me wistfully. Then he dutifully shrugged his shoulders and continued walking to the back, closer to the freezer. Death was in the air that day. Since foreclosure fever has added to the meltdown of the U.S. economy, more animals are being dumped in the nation’s shelters and veterinary hospitals. I will never forget that moment and the look in …
New Hampshire Veterinary Referral Hospital Celebrates Grand OpeningApril 17, 2009More than 180 people attended Port City Veterinary Referral Hospital's ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 3 in Portsmouth, N.H. The 12,000-square-foot hospital provides 24 hour emergency veterinary services for dogs and cats seven days per week, in addition to board certified specialty services in internal medicine and surgery six days per week, and ophthalmology and radiology four days per week. Deputy Mayor Jack Blalock said that he was "gratified to know that Portsmouth was home to an organization that would elevate the level of pet care available to members of the local community." Port City Vet is part of InTown Veterinary Group, which includes five veterinary hospitals serving the metropolitan Boston area as well as the new Portsmouth location. <HOME>
Dog Given Prosthetic LegsApril 17, 2009Siberian Husky is the first canine to receive permanent prostheses, vet says. A formerly abused amputee dog has regained the ability to walk after a series of groundbreaking prosthetic implant surgeries, according to Denver-based Alameda East Veterinary Hospital. Triumph, a 4-year-old Siberian husky rescued from Turkey and now living in a home in Nashville, is the world's first canine to receive permanent prosthetic legs, according to the hospital. The complicated task of developing custom artificial legs and surgically implanting them began more than a year ago and required a three-phase approach. The initial implants for Triumph's two hind legs were provided in late 2005, the hospital says. In 2006 Triumph returned to Colorado for follow-up visits and improvements, with the most recent and final phase being another adjustment surgery that took place in December. Triumph's implant surgeries are now complete and she is walking and running every day with her new legs, according to the hospital. "Triumph's journey has been truly amazing and inspiring and I feel lucky to have been part of her success story," said Robert Taylor, DVM, MS, the Alameda East Veterinary Hospital veterinarian who performed the surgeries "As the first dog to receive the permanent artificial …
BVA Elects New PresidentApril 17, 2009 The British Veterinary Assn. recently elected Nicky Paull of Lostwithiel, Cornwall, as president for 2008/2009. The ceremony took place during the Annual General Meeting in London on Sept. 28. “The challenges ahead appear daunting but I guess no one would take this job on and expect it to be easy,” Paull said during the inaugural president’s speech. “And that is how I see it—a job—not an honor—the honor will be at the end of my tenure if the profession can look back and see I have done a good job.” Paull said one of BVA’s biggest challenges is to engage fully with its members as well as with the whole profession, and therefore will be the theme of her presidency: communication and engagement with the profession in the whole of the United Kingdom. During this next coming year, BVA will look into increasing membership, “by providing services and support that members want and by providing the political lobbying that the profession needs.” The association will also tackle the current pets travel derogation, which needs lobbying both in the United Kingdom and Europe, and address hot topics such as the genetics of pedigree dog …
Thyroid Diagnosis, Treatment Options EvolveApril 17, 2009 Options for diagnosing and treating the most common thyroid conditions in dogs and cats are far from stagnant. “I always tell our students that if we proportioned the hours of our teaching of endocrinology to be consistent with the likelihood of seeing a problem in practice, I estimate that we’d spend 70 to 80 percent of our time teaching about thyroid disease,” says Duncan Ferguson, VMD. Dr. Ferguson, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM and ACVCP, is a professor of pharmacology and head of the department of veterinary biosciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In dogs and cats, two thyroid conditions are by far the most prevalent. “In dogs, the most common thyroid condition is hypothyroidism, with 50 percent lymphocytic thyroiditis and 50 percent idiopathic atrophy,” says Julie Flood, DVM, who works in the internal medicine department at Advanced Critical Care & Internal Medicine in Tustin and Culver City, Calif. “It is currently unknown if the idiopathic atrophy is the end result of lymphocytic thyroiditis. “In cats, the most common thyroid condition is hyperthyroidism—with more than 95 percent secondary to functional thyroid adenomas,” she adds. “Thyroid carcinomas are rare.” Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism …
ProHeart 6 To Relaunch Under Risk Minimization ProgramApril 17, 2009 Fort Dodge Animal Health will reintroduce its ProHeart 6 (moxidectin) Sustained Release Injectable for Dogs to the U.S. market under a post-marketing surveillance, restricted distribution and risk minimization program patterned after similar programs for human medications—a first for a veterinary medication. Under the program, veterinarians wishing to purchase ProHeart 6 must first participate in an online training program and communicate the product’s risks and benefits to pet owners, including providing them a Client Information Sheet and obtaining a signed informed-consent form, before administering the product. Fort Dodge will hold the first training program Thursday, June 12, at 1 p.m. EDT (register at www.vetsymposium.com/proheart6). The program will then be available continuously the following day. The product’s label has been revised to warn against administering the drug within one month of vaccinations and to use the product with caution in dogs with pre-existing allergic diseases, including food allergies, allergic hypersensitivity and flea allergy dermatitis. It also warns against administering the drug to dogs that are sick, debilitated, underweight or that have a history of weight loss. “This is the first veterinary drug to be marketed under a risk minimization and restricted distribution program,” …
"Pocket Pet" Specialty Provisionally RecognizedApril 17, 2009 The American Veterinary Medical Assn. has granted the exotic companion mammal specialty provisional recognition. The new specialty will focus on rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, mice and other small mammals commonly known as “pocket pets.” It also includes more unusual small pets such as hedgehogs and sugar gliders, but doesn’t include illegal pet species such as prairie dogs and Gambian giant pouched rats. The new specialty is needed because of the increasing knowledge about small animals, and there are now enough specialists and potential diplomates to administer and govern the new practice area, said Larry Dee, DVM, the AVMA American Board of Veterinary Specialties representative from the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. Applicants for the new specialty will be required to have six years' experience in the specialty, letters of reference and relevant education. They must have published articles in the field and must pass a two-day examination. The American Board of Veterinary Practitioners will oversee the credentialing and testing of candidates. The first examination is expected to be held in November 2009, and the first group of diplomates is expected to be certified in December 2009. Click here for details.
Illinois Holds Hearing On Tail Docking, Ear Cropping RestrictionsApril 17, 2009 The Illinois Senate Agriculture & Conservation Committee held a hearing on March 10 concerning SB 139, which limits the practices of tail docking and ear cropping in the state. Results of the hearing were not available at press time. The bill amends the Humane Care for Animals Act and considers ear cropping and tail docking “animal torture” unless the procedures are performed by an Illinois licensed veterinarian for a medical reason. Torture, as defined in the bill, means the infliction of or subjection to extreme physical pain, motivated by an intent to increase or prolong the pain, suffering or agony of the animal. A person convicted of violation would be guilty of a Class 3 felony. The American Kennel Club posted a news alert March 10 encouraging dog owners and breeders to contact their state legislators to oppose the measure. The AKC said it “recognizes that ear cropping, tail docking and dewclaw removal, as described in certain breed standards, are acceptable practices integral to defining and preserving breed character and/or enhancing good health. Appropriate veterinary care should be provided.” <HOME>
Ducks Could Pose Avian Flu ThreatApril 17, 2009 Domestic ducks may be a silent reservoir for H5N1 avian influenza virus and be playing a greater role in the spread of the disease than previously thought, three international health organizations reported today. A laboratory sudy of domestic ducks infected with several strains of H5N1 virus isolated in 2004, compared with infections caused by viruses from 2003, showed that domestic ducks were shedding the virus for longer periods and without showing signs of illness, the Food and Animal Organization of the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) reported in a joint statement. The study found the quantities of virus shed by healthy-looking ducks appoached thoses shed by visibly diseased chickens. The finding follows previous evidence that the virus has become more virulent in chickens and mice and is now infecting mammals, notably domestic cats and tigers, that had not been previously considered susceptible, the organizations reported. The agencies called for research to determine how widespread avian flu is in ducks and to determine the effectiveness of existing vaccines on duck populations. The agencies also said health officials in affected countries, primarily Asia, should consider exposure to ducks …
