Virginia Tech Vet Students Bathe Dogs in Biannual EventApril 26, 2016Veterinary students from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine spent this last weekend working in the biannual Community Dog Bath. For $10, dog owners could have their dogs washed, and for an additional $5, they could have their dogs’ nails trimmed and ears cleaned. “It’s just a fun day,” Will Culver, a first-year veterinary student and one of the event organizers, told The Roanoke Times. “The class spends time doing community service washing dogs, and then we try to give community members something out of it, too, by just taking care of things.” More than 100 students helped washed a whole range of dog breeds, from beagles to Labradors to huskies. The event is one dog owners look forward to, the Roanoke Times reports. Proceeds from the event went to the DVM Class of 2019 and the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
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Study: Diabetic Children with Pets Manage Blood Sugar Levels BetterApril 26, 2016In a sample of young people with type I diabetes, those who actively helped care for family pets were 2.5 times more likely to have well-controlled blood sugar levels, according to a study published April 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE. The paper is called “Association between Responsible Pet Ownership and Glycemic Control in Youths with Type 1 Diabetes.” Attributes that aid in the effective self-management of type I diabetes, such as family cohesion and self-regulatory behavior, are similar to those required for responsible care of household pets. To investigate a possible positive association between pet care and self-care in chronic illness, the authors of the present case-controlled study surveyed 23 young people with type I diabetes on responsible pet ownership and analyzed the results with respect to successful self-management of their illness. The researchers found that diabetic children who actively care for at least one household pet were 2.5 times more likely to maintain healthy blood sugar levels than children who did not care for a pet. The authors were careful to distinguish actual care responsibilities from the level of attachment to …
Cornell Remembers Dr. John M. KingApril 26, 2016Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine recently announced the passing of John M. King, DVM, a professor emeritus of pathology. He was 89. “Dr. King was a legend in Anatomic Pathology,” said Elizabeth Buckles, DVM, clinical associate professor of pathology. “A large number of current pathologists were either trained by him or were trained by his trainees, and there are legions of vet students who were inspired by him.” King came to Cornell in 1955 and worked at the vet college for 50 years, during which time he authored three textbooks and published numerous papers. King spent his sabbaticals in foreign countries that invited him to teach and do applied research. Over the years he earned a reputation for ground-breaking insights into disease, the college noted. “John was the unrivalled master of observation and perhaps the finest pure pathologist our field has ever known,” said longtime friend Bruce Williams, DVM. Dr. King, according to the college, was famous for his necropsy “Show and Tell” events. He challenged students and faculty to identify diseases by looking at affected tissue. “Even at 5:00 on a Friday afternoon, the risers were …
11th Edition of The Merck Veterinary Manual Coming This SummerApril 25, 2016Merck and Co., Inc. will publish the 11th Edition of The Merck Veterinary Manual this summer. Nearly 400 veterinary experts contributed to the completely revised and updated reference, which covers all domesticated species and diseases in veterinary medicine worldwide and numerous emerging topics since the last edition was published in 2010. The 11th Edition features hundreds of color images, a new section on public health and zoonoses, expanded coverage of fish and aquaculture and new chapters on backyard poultry, toxicological workplace hazards and smoke inhalation. The redesigned book uses a 2-column format and color throughout for easy-to-read text and tables. Find out more at The Merck Veterinary Manual website.
Merck Veterinary Manual to Provide Content for VetMedTeam CoursesApril 25, 2016The Merck Veterinary Manual is making its content available for use in continuing education opportunities offered by VetMedTeam. “This partnership is consistent with our goal of sharing authoritative information on diseases and conditions likely to be seen by veterinary professionals,” said Susan E. Aiello, DVM, ELS, the editor-in-chief of Merck Veterinary Manual. The comprehensive reference covers the diagnosis, treatment, control and prevention of disorders and diseases in companion, production, exotic and laboratory animals. First Course to Focus on Mange The first in a series of online courses based on subject matter in the manual will focus on mange, a skin disease caused by parasitic mites, in cats and dogs. After completing the course, titled “It Mite Be Mange,” participants should be able to recognize the signs of mange and understand diagnostic testing protocols and treatment options. The free course carries 1 credit for non-interactive Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) for both veterinary technicians and veterinarians. Enrollment is on demand, with instant online access. Upon passing the examination and submitting the survey, the user is emailed a completion certificate from VetMedTeam. Learn more about the "It Mite Be Mange" course here. See the complete …
How This Human Cardiologist is Bridging the M.D.-Vet GapApril 22, 2016Have you heard of TED talks? The 15-minute presentations enable a variety of fascinating people to share information on a variety of captivating topics—from science to technology to entertainment to business. What would happen if you typed “veterinarian” in the search box at www.TED.com? You’d be sorely disappointed to see only a few entries. One leads to a presentation by Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, M.D., MA, a board- certified cardiologist in human medicine and a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. She advocates better cooperation and interaction between physicians and veterinarians. You can watch her talk below: Her TED talk, which has been viewed well over a million times, was so interesting that I decided to interview her and dig deeper. Q. How did you connect with veterinarians? I had been practicing cardiology at UCLA for almost 20 years when I got a call from the veterinarians at the L.A. Zoo asking if I’d help image some of their animal patients. I said, “Of course.” It was there, listening to the veterinarian on rounds, that I had my first much-needed wakeup call. I became fascinated by the overlap between …
Illinois Vet Student Wins NIH AwardApril 22, 2016Robin Holland, a student in the Veterinary Medical Scholars Program at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, has received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award. The award—given to individuals pursuing dual-doctoral degrees, both a Ph.D. and a DVM, MD or other medical doctoral degree—was created to increase the pool of highly trained clinician-scientists in the biomedical research workforce. Holland entered the joint-degree program specifically because she saw the advantages of balancing the narrow focus of research for a Ph.D. with the breadth of knowledge and perspective involved in attaining a veterinary degree, according to the college, which made the announcement in mid-April. “I chose the rigor of the DVM-Ph.D. program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to achieve my goal of being trained as a veterinarian-scientist to ultimately lead an infectious disease research laboratory,” Holland said. Holland is currently finishing the fourth year of study for her Ph.D. in pathobiology. She has already completed her first year of the veterinary curriculum. The remaining three years will be finished after she finishes her Ph.D. Holland attributes her win …
Miniature Horse Gets Artificial Hoof, New Chance at Life Thanks to CSU VetsApril 21, 2016 brightcove.createExperiences(); After a dog attack, Shine the miniature horse was left with a mangled hoof and infection. If he had any chance of survival, he needed surgical amputation. As Shine’s owners wrote on their crowdfunding page: “On December 29, 2015 Shine was viciously attacked by a dog/dogs while standing in his paddock. I went to feed that morning before 6:00 am and found him mauled and standing in a pool of blood. I called my husband then my vet. Shine had punctures to his face, his bottom lip was torn, his front knee gashed open and his rear fetlock covered in blood. There was no visible white on him only blood. It was freezing cold and the blood stuck to him like icicles. It was the worst thing I have ever seen in my life. I rushed to call the vet and to get him cleaned up. Shine has been under veterinary care ever since. Shine healed up everywhere except his rear leg. It progressively got worse. So on March 8 I …
Study: Seniors Can Benefit from Having a DogApril 21, 2016The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults of all ages should engage in 150 or more minutes of moderate physical activity per week. Among adults 60 years of age or more, walking is the most common form of leisure-time physical activity because it is self-paced, low impact and does not require equipment. Researchers at the University of Missouri have determined that older adults who also are pet owners benefit from the bonds they form with their canine companions. Dog walking is associated with lower body mass index, fewer doctor visits, more frequent exercise and an increase in social benefits for seniors. “Our study explored the associations between dog ownership and pet bonding with walking behavior and health outcomes in older adults,” said Rebecca Johnson, a professor at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Millsap Professor of Gerontological Nursing in the Sinclair School of Nursing. “This study provides evidence for the association between dog walking and physical health using a large, nationally representative sample.” The study analyzed 2012 data from the Health and Retirement study sponsored by the National Institute on Aging and the Social Security Administration. …
Banfield: Diabetes, Dental Disease on RiseApril 21, 2016The diabetes rate is soaring among canine patients seen at Banfield Pet Hospitals, while dental disease plagues more than two-thirds of all cats and dogs examined, the company revealed Wednesday in its 2016 State of Pet Health Report. The statistics, based on the medical data of 3 million Banfield patients, function as a reminder of the disorders afflicting many animals and as an advisory to cat and dog owners that they could do more to improve pet health. “It is our hope that the information in this report continues to serve as a catalyst for pet owners to partner with veterinary teams to help pets live better lives through preventive care,” said Banfield’s chief medical officer, Daniel Aja, DVM. The rate of canine diabetes—most often insulin-dependent Type 1—has jumped by 79.7 percent since 2006, to 23.6 cases out of every 10,000 patients in 2015. Over the same period, feline diabetes rose by 18.1 percent, to 67.6 cases in 10,000. Addressing the disease usually means more frequent veterinary visits as well as dietary changes—the latter adjustment because of the link between obesity and diabetes. The Banfield report found canine diabetes to be most prevalent in Iowa, Kentucky, Montana, Nevada and Wisconsin. Among …
