N.C. Vet School Recruiting Dogs with SARDSJanuary 7, 2016The North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine has begun enrolling dogs for a study on Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome (SARDS), an ocular disease that damages the rods and cones within the retina of an affected dog’s eye. The retina then degenerates and the result is complete blindness, as visual input no longer is transported to the brain via the optic nerve, according to the college. Freya Mowat, BVSc, Ph.D., Dipl. ECVO, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the vet college, has set out to find out why this happens and how to prevent it in her study, “Defining the effect of immune-mediated damage to the pineal gland in the etiopathogenesis of Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome in dogs.” The two-year research study is funded by a $30,000 grant from the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists Vision for Animals Foundation. “Veterinarians have diagnosed Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome for more than three decades but we still don’t understand it well enough to try to develop effective treatments,” Dr. Mowat said. “Several theories have been advanced but without definitive results. How can we treat SARDS if we don’t understand …
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OSU Names DeMars Clinical Associate ProfessorJanuary 5, 2016Paul DeMars, DVM, an adjunct associate professor and receiving clinician at Oklahoma State University’s Veterinary Medical Hospital, has been promoted to clinical associate professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at the hospital. “There really won’t be any change in my job,” said Dr. DeMars, who served the previous position for more than 15 years. “I have always been treated like a full faculty member of the department. While we may be a small group of faculty, staff and students and the challenges seem huge at times, I appreciate everyone I work and interact with. I love my job and this just makes it official.”
Veterinarians Study Cat Coat Patterns, Discover Attitude in Certain CatsJanuary 5, 2016If any of your clients ever asks why their calico or tortoiseshell cat gives them attitude, you can now tell them that it’s a typical personality trait in cats with those coat patterns. Veterinarians at the University of California, Davis recently conducted research in which coat patterns of cats were studied, based on a survey of over 1,200 cat owners. The online survey did not inform cat owners of the focus of the study, but did ask them questions about their cats as well as requested the cat owners choose what color category their cat best fits in as well as a written description of their pet. This limited the study in some ways since the researchers did not observe the cats themselves; however, the researchers found the insights revealing. The study, led by Elizabeth Stelow, DVM, Dipl. ACVB and published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, revealed that “cats with calico and tortoiseshell coat patterns tend to challenge their human companions more often” than cats with other coat patterns, according to Seattle …
UC Davis Seeks Appaloosa, Friesian Horses for Clinical TrialsJanuary 4, 2016The University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine recently posted two new clinical trials currently accepting equine patients: “Genomic investigation of Equine Recurrent Uveitis in Appaloosa horses” and “Chronic Progressive Lymphedema in Friesian Horses.” The purpose of the first study, according to UC Davis, is to determine the genetic factors contributing to equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) in Appaloosa horses. ERU is the leading cause of blindness in horses, marked by repeated episodes of inflammation of the uveal tract of the eye. Appaloosa horses are eight times more likely than any other breed to develop this disease and four times more likely to go blind, suggesting genetics plays a major contributing role, according to the school. The clinical trial is seeking Appaloosas with known pedigrees. The results of this work may help to lower the incidence of this ocular disease in Appaloosas and other affected breeds, help breeders to make informed mating decisions and be used by veterinarians to predict risk of developing disease for earlier diagnosis and treatment, according to UC Davis. The purpose of the second study is to identify the region of the horse genome associated with Chronic Progressive Lymphedema (CPL), a …
UC Davis Vet Food-Safety Lab Receives $1.89 Million GrantDecember 31, 2015The University of California, Davis’ California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System recently received a $1.89 million, five-year grant from the federal Food Emergency Response Network to support its food-safety efforts. The new grant will increase the capacity of the lab’s toxicology services to respond to contamination threats to the American food supply involving food animals and to carry out day-to-day diagnostic and early detection activities, according to the university, which made the announcement in late December. “Without the network’s support, we could not provide many of the current analytical toxicology services that are vital to protecting the food supply and ensuring public health,” said Robert Poppenga, DVM, Ph.D., a toxicologist at the UC Davis lab. The toxicology lab — one of the busiest in the world — offers comprehensive, rapid and reliable diagnostic testing for contaminants that can affect animals and humans, according Dr. Poppenga. It also provides analyses of suspected contaminated animal feeds and animal-based foods, which could prompt regulation to ensure a safe food supply, he further noted. The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine operates the laboratory system on behalf of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The system also …
Year in Review: Most Shared Veterinary Practice News Facebook Posts of 2015December 30, 2015F威而鋼 rom a reminder about the need for genetic testing, to veterinarians commiserating about the vet medicine struggle, these were the top shared Veterinary Practice News Facebook posts. 1) Canine Breed-Specific Considerations for Anesthesia Everything you need to know about anesthesia and how it affects the various dog breeds. 2) Ear Cropping Ban Spreads to Western Canada B.C. veterinarians who perform medically unnecessary ear crops could be disciplined. 3) Wanted: 4,600 Dogs for Bloat Study Tufts University will examine 23 breeds to try to find genetic links to life-threatening bloat. 4) FDA Permits Longer Use of Canine Anti-vomit Drug Cerenia Tablets no longer carry a time limit in older dogs. 5) Vet Techs Say Sedation Is Underutilized In certain cases, sedation can lower stress levels in animals and veterinary staff and make handling the pets easier. 6) 2014 X-Ray Contest Winners Animals will eat just …
Top 10 Most Read Veterinary Practice News Facebook Posts of 2015December 30, 2015From canine breed-specific considerations for anesthesia to comparing notes about the vet medicine struggle, here's what the Veterinary Practice News Facebook group was reading in 2015. 1) 5 Times the Vet Medicine Struggle Got a Little Too Real Laugh so you don't cry. 2) 2014 X-Ray Contest Winners Animals will eat just about anything. The proof is in the radiographs. 3) What to do When You Make a Mistake in Your Vet Clinic Use the "TEAM" approach. 4) Top Veterinary Technician Schools & Education Thinking about becoming a vet tech? Here’s a sampling of vet tech schools and programs to look into. 5) Veterinary Students Pose for Charity Calendar Proceeds from the $20 calendar benefit Cornell University Hospital For Animals' Patient Assistance Fund. 6) Vet Fired After Bragging of Killing Cat ‘My first bow kill’ was how …
Top 10 Veterinary Practice News Articles of 2015December 29, 2015What were you reading in 2015? Check out the top articles on VeterinaryPracticeNews.com of this year: 1) 2015 X-Ray Contest Winners Find the winners for the 2015 X-ray contest on Veterinary Practice News. This year’s contestants were truly unbelievable! 2) 2014 X-Ray Contest Winners Animals will eat just about anything. The proof is in the radiographs. 3) What You Need to Know About Sexual Aggression In Neutered Cats In the absence of testosterone, a cat's masculine behavior is not inactive, simply less active. 4) Vet Fired After Bragging of Killing Cat ‘My first bow kill’ was how Dr. Kristen Lindsey allegedly described a cat’s death. 5) How To Treat The Rare And Deadly Nasal Cancer In Dogs And Cats Nasal passage cancer generally develops very insidiously in older pets, so find out the signs of this disease and how to treat it. 6) Texas Moves to Discipline ‘Bow Kill’ Vet Dr. Kristen Lindsey committed an unidentified violation, the Board of …
UGA to Host Shelter Medicine SymposiumDecember 29, 2015The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine will host the 8th annual Shelter Medicine Symposium on Feb. 6. The event—designed for veterinary professionals and others involved with shelter medicine in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and South Carolina—will focus on best management and medicine practices for local and regional animal shelters. “The mission of this symposium is to provide an opportunity for those practicing shelter medicine to share their ideas and collaborate with one another and learn from professionals in the industry,” said Cher Hung, president of the UGA Shelter Medicine Club. “Our hope is that it will help improve the quality of shelter medicine in Georgia and beyond. “We are extremely excited about the positive feedback we have received from previous symposiums. Last year, we had a record-breaking 300 registrations, and it just shows how much our symposium is growing each year and how important shelter medicine is.” Scheduled conference speakers include: Gerryll Hall, DVM, lead veterinarian for Merck Animal Health; Michaela Austel, DrMedVet, Dipl. ACVD, a dermatologist at North Georgia Veterinary Specialists; Andy Moorhead, DVM, Ph.D., an assistant research scientist in the college and …
WesternU Veterinary Dean Receives Public Policy Advocacy AwardDecember 24, 2015Phillip Nelson, DVM, Ph.D., dean of Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, recently received the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) 2016 Senator John Melcher, DVM Leadership in Public Policy Award. The award will officially be presented at the AAVMC’s 2016 Annual Conference, March 4-6, 2016, in Washington, D.C. The award is given to current or former faculty, staff or students at an AAVMC member institution to recognize leadership in public policy that advances veterinary medical education and success in advocating for veterinary medical education on a national or international scale. Dr. Nelson has been very active in the AAVMC’s advocacy efforts, serving on numerous committees, including the Advocacy Committee, according to WesternU. Through the AAVMC, he has participated in “Hill” visits for more than a decade, developing relationships with governmental decision makers and lobbying Congress to address pressing issues such as the Veterinary Medical Student Loan Repayment Program. “The AAVMC is always pleased to recognize outstanding educators in academic veterinary medicine,” said AAVMC Executive Director Andrew Maccabe, DVM. “These are extraordinary people who exemplify excellence and inspire others through their commitment and visionary dedication …
