Equine Nasal Strips Do Work, Kansas State ReportsMay 21, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. Flair equine nasal strips are designed for both performance and exercise horses. For the owners of the horse favored to win the Belmont Stakes on June 7, a $10.50 investment in a Flair nasal strip is a small price to pay. Researchers at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine reported today that the nostril-opening product, manufactured by Flair LLC of Delano, Minn., is more than a cosmetic device. Howard Erickson, DVM, Ph.D., and David Poole, Ph.D., DSc, say it has proven health benefits and possible performance advantages. Their randomized control study on seven geldings running on a treadmill found that equine nasal strips "tent" the airway and hold it open, protecting the lungs. Flair equine nasal strip "The Flair nasal strip has been shown by our research to reduce exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage by approximately 50 percent," Dr. Erickson said. "I think that is beneficial." The New York Racing Association this week cleared the way for California Chrome to wear a nasal strip during his run for the …
SPONSORED CONTENTHelping manage the hidden signs of stressOur therapeutic nutrition targets underlying stress in cats with GI or urinary issues — helping provide relief to pets and their humans. + Learn More
Petco Removing All Dog, Cat Treats Made In ChinaMay 21, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. Petco operates 1,300 company stores and more than 100 smaller-format Unleashed by Petco stores. Petco will stop selling Chinese-made dog and cat treats by year's end in reaction to an ongoing investigation of pet illnesses possibly linked to tainted jerky. The San Diego-based chain today became the first national pet specialty retailer to ban Chinese-made treats from its shelves. The action came days after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported that more than 5,600 dogs and 24 cats had became ill over the past seven years after eating jerky treats. More than 1,000 dogs died. No proof has been found to conclusively link jerky to the pet illnesses. Most of the jerky was produced in China. Chinese-made dog and cat treats will disappear from Petco's 1,300 stores, its website and Unleashed by Petco locations over the coming months. "We know some pet parents are wary of dog and cat treats made in China, especially chicken jerky products, and we've heard their concerns," Petco CEO Jim Myers said. "Very simply, we feel this decision …
Animal Care Students Help Care For Abandoned KittenMay 20, 2014Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. Early one brisk morning in Rugeley, Staffordshire County, England, a package awaited the employees of a veterinary clinic on Market Street. It was no ordinary, post-office-delivered package lying on the doorstep. It was a living, breathing entity, meowing in its infancy: a kitten. Lenny's abandonment was short-lived. Without his feline mother, or a human substitute, Lenny found refuge in the hands of Joanne Waldron, RVN, head nurse at the Donnachie & Townley veterinary clinic. Waldron took the kitten home and for the first few days fed him at two-hour intervals. A lecturer of the Level 2 Animal Care Course at Stafford College, Waldron brought Lenny to her students, who help care for the kitten. They have bathed Lenny carefully and keep track of his developments. They dote on the kitten, bringing him to and from Stafford College in a specially-prepared basket ? one that contains a hot water bottle and a teddy bear. They have even taken over his feeding schedule, which is now every four hours, on weekdays. "The students have been giving me a bit of a break and …
Merck Releases 12-Week Flea, Tick MedicineMay 20, 2014Merck Animal Health today upped the ante in the world of flea and tick preventives with a flavored chew proven to be effective for 12 weeks at a time. "Bravecto is a breakthrough innovation that offers pet owners and veterinarians something that no other product does—the longest-lasting oral flea and tick prevention currently available," said KJ Varma, senior vice president of research and development at Summit, N.J.-based Merck. The product is indicated to kill fleas for 12 weeks, the black-legged tick, American dog tick and brown dog tick for 12 weeks, and the Lone Star tick for eight weeks. The 12-week claims do not apply to dogs less than 6 months old. The active ingredient, fluralaner, is a new ectoparasiticide belonging to the isoxazoline group, Merck noted. The chew may be given to help control flea allergy dermatitis, the manufacturer added. Bravecto's five dosages are based on a dog's weight: 4.4 to 9.9 pounds, 9.9 to 22 pounds, 22 to 44 pounds, 44 to 88 pounds and 88 to 123 pounds. Clinical trials revealed the most common adverse reactions to be vomiting, decreased appetite, diarrhea, lethargy, polydipsia and flatulence.
Merial's NexGard Now Indicated Against 2 More TicksMay 19, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter @vetpetnews. Afoxolaner, the active ingredient in NexGard, helps treat and control fleas and ticks for 30 days at a time. NexGard (afoxolaner) Chewables, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved last year as a flea and tick preventive, is now indicated to protect against the black-legged tick and the Lone Star tick. The manufacturer, Merial Ltd. of Duluth, Ga., reported the update today in regard to ticks linked to Lyme disease, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and tularemia. "As ticks continue to become more of a threat and spread to new geographic areas, treatment with a product like NexGard, which kills both fleas and ticks, will be especially important," said Hal Little, DVM, Merial's director of field veterinary services. Laboratory studies found that NexGard was highly effective against the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and the Lone Star tick (Amblyomma americanum) 48 hours after treatment and that it maintained efficacy for one month, Merial stated. The initial claim involved the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis). The active ingredient, afoxolaner, is formulated to kill fleas and ticks for 30 …
Jerky Probe Reveals 1,800 More Cases, No AnswersMay 19, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter at @vetpetnews. The FDA investigation of pet jerky involves treats made with chicken, duck or sweet potato. Ciolo/I-5 Studio Advice to Pet Owners The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released this advisory to pet owners: "Jerky pet treats should not be substituted for a balanced diet and are intended to be fed only occasionally and in small quantities. "FDA is advising consumers who choose to feed their dogs jerky pet treats to watch their dogs closely for any or all of the following signs that may occur within hours to days of feeding the products: decreased appetite, decreased activity, vomiting, diarrhea, increased water consumption or increased urination. "If the dog shows any of these signs, consumers should immediately stop feeding the jerky pet treat. In addition, owners should consult their veterinarian if signs are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests may indicate kidney failure (increased urea nitrogen and creatinine). Urine tests may indicate Fanconi-like syndrome (increased glucose in …
4 Horses Die After Receiving Compounded EPM DrugMay 16, 2014Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter @vetpetnews. Horses are infected with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis through contaminated food or water. Cioli/I-5 Studio The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday issued an advisory about compounded veterinary medications after four horses being treated for equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) died. Adverse events such as seizures, fever and death were reported in two Kentucky horses and eight Florida horses that received a pyrimethamine-toltrazuril combination. Four of the horses died or were euthanized and six horses are recovering, FDA reported. Wickliffe Veterinary Pharmacy of Lexington, Ky., compounded two lots—one paste and one oral suspension—containing pyrimethamine and toltrazuril. "At this time, FDA testing indicates that one lot of product contained higher levels of pyrimethamine than the labeling indicates," the agency stated. "All of the products in these lots are accounted for and are no longer in distribution," FDA added. The usual dose of pyrimethamine in horses is 1 mg/kg when combined with sulfadiazine as an FDA-approved treatment for EPM. Toltrazuril is not approved for use in horses, the agency noted. Bayer Animal Health offers toltrazuril as the active …
California Wildfire Damages Sound-Eklin HeadquartersMay 16, 2014 Follow Veterinary Practice News on Twitter @vetpetnews. Among Sound-Eklin?s product offerings is the Mark portable X-ray system. The Carlsbad, Calif., headquarters of veterinary imaging company Sound-Eklin was severely damaged in one of the wildfires ravaging San Diego County, affecting the offices and warehouse and shutting down the manufacturer's website. All 70 people who work at the location escaped injury when the Poinsettia Fire reached the property Wednesday. "While the fire has caused severe damage to a substantial portion of the facility, VCA is working diligently to satisfy customer requirements and prevent supply disruptions," parent company VCA Inc. reported. "VCA has in place standard insurance coverage for both property damage and business-interruption losses, but it is unable at this time to assess the financial impact of the fires to its business." Sound-Eklin's customer support department remains open at 800-819-5538. "Thankfully, due to our contingency protocols, customer service is up and supporting customers, and the SoundSafe image cloud has all images safe and secure in the AT&T data center in Mesa, Ariz.," Sound-Eklin noted on its lone Web page. Sound-Eklin, which sells
How To Perform A Thorough Oral ExaminationMay 15, 2014 Courtesy Dr. John Lewis Figure 1: Laceration on ventral suface of a dog's tongue Published in the April 2014 issue of Veterinary Practice News. It was the day after Valentine's Day, and the East Coast was in the throes of yet another snowstorm. An 8-year-old male great Dane presented to our hospital through the emergency service for sudden onset of bleeding from either the mouth or nose at home. The dog had a prior history of immune mediated thrombocytopenia, so it was a surprise when a complete blood count showed a normal platelet count. The patient was not very cooperative for a conscious oral examination, and no source of bleeding was visible because bleeding had subsided prior to the patient's arrival. The pet owners declined an anesthetized oral exam, but two hours later a second and more severe episode of bleeding brought the owners and the pet back to the hospital. The dog's face and front legs were drenched in blood, and packed cell volume and total protein were found to be 24/6.0. During the active bleed, it became obvious that the bleeding was arising from the oral cavity. The patient …
The Anesthetized Intraoral ExaminationMay 15, 2014 Working ends of an ODU 11/12 explorer, left, and an UNC periodontal probe, right. Courtesy of John Lewis, VMD, BVMS, Dipl. ACVS In last month's column, we discussed the components of the conscious intraoral and extraoral examination. The conscious examination, however, reveals only so much. A comprehensive oral examination requires anesthesia to obtain a complete assessment of oral health and disease. In particular, the periodontium (the attachment structures of the teeth) cannot be evaluated without using a probe at multiple sites around each tooth. Each patient deserves an individual treatment plan based on appropriate diagnostics. The same hold true for teeth: The adult dog's mouth contains 42 patients and the adult feline mouth contains 30 patients that require individual attention. Use your dental probe, explorer and dental radiographs to determine if each and every tooth will be able to provide pain-free function or if it is non-salvageable. Start the anesthetized exam by assessing those structures that were not adequately assessed in the conscious examination: tonsils, pharynx, soft palate, caudal tongue, caudal buccal mucosa. Identify each of these structures as normal or abnormal and document this information on the dental record. Determine the …
