New Study Highlights Breed-Specific Causes Of Death In DogsApril 19, 2011 A new study is shedding more light on breed-specific causes of death in dogs. The findings can be used to create breed-specific health maintenance programs and is a starting point for future studies that will explore the genetic underpinnings of disease in dogs, according to the study’s researchers at University of Georgia. The researchers examined data from the veterinary medical database to determine the cause of death for almost 75,000 dogs representing 82 breeds over the 20-year period of 1984 through 2004. They classified the deaths by organ system and disease process and further analyzed the data by breed, age and average body mass. While some of the findings corroborate smaller, breed-specific studies, the UGA researchers said they also discovered new information. For example, toy breeds, such as Chihuahuas and Maltese, are known to have high rates of cardiovascular disease (19 percent and 21 percent of deaths within the breeds, respectively), but the researchers found that Fox Terriers also have high rates of cardiovascular disease accounting for 16 percent of deaths. Another example: Golden retrievers and boxers are known to have high rates of cancer (50 percent and 44 percent of deaths, respectively), but the …
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A Career Devoted To PestsApril 18, 2011As a young, perhaps slightly naïve graduate student, Michael Dryden, DVM, MS, PhD, began his work in parasitology at Purdue University in 1986 expecting that he would immediately be plugged into an existing structure of sophisticated research. Instead, his professor, S. Gaafar, DVM, PhD, gave him a simple assignment: Go into the library and absorb all the existing literature on fleas. At the end of three months, they would talk. “Within three days, I knew we were in trouble,” says Dryden, now 51. “I realized we knew nothing. We just knew nothing about the biology of fleas in dogs and cats.” But what he did next would change all that. Dryden designed what he calls a very simple master’s program focused on fleas. He decided he had to start by understanding the basics—where they mated, where they laid eggs, how many eggs they laid at a time, and how much time they spent on host animals. That research, and the years of study that followed, have earned him a catchy nickname—Dr. Flea—and a string of honors, including being named by Ceva Animal Health this past February as the 2010 Veterinarian of the Year. But it has also provided the very …
Series Of Free Dog Heart Health Screenings Start April 16April 18, 2011 Veterinarians will be performing free dog heart screenings in North Carolina, Maryland and Pennsylvania over the next couple of days as part of the Mobile Dog Heart Health Tour. The tour, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. of St. Joseph, Mo., is designed to educate people about congestive heart failure in dogs. Veterinarians will also be available to answer questions about heart disease in dogs, an ailment that affects about 11 percent of the nearly 75 million dogs in the United States, according to Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica. That figure increases to as many as 60 percent among aged dogs and certain predisposed breeds. The most common symptoms of heart disease are reduced willingness to walk or exercise, difficulty breathing, coughing, loss of appetite and weight loss, according to the company. The Mobile Dog Heart Health Tour dates and locations are as follows: • Saturday, April 16, from noon to 4 p.m. at Millbrook Exchange Park in Raleigh, NC. • Sunday, April 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Druid Hill Park in Baltimore. • Monday, April 18, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Seger Dog Park in Philadelphia. No …
Daytona Beach Mulls Mandatory Spay/NeuterApril 18, 2011 In an effort to reduce the number of unwanted animals, officials in Daytona Beach, Fla., have introduced an ordinance that would require all of the city’s dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered. A public hearing on the measure is set for Wednesday, April 20, 2011. The proposed ordinance would prohibit anyone from harboring in the city a dog or cat six months old or up that has not been spayed or neutered, unless the owner obtains an unaltered animal permit for the animal. To qualify and receive an unaltered animal permit, the dog or cat must be: • A show or competition dog/cat; • A law enforcement dog; • A service animal; • A hunting or herding dog; • Used for breeding; or • Medically unfit, as determined by a licensed veterinarian. An unaltered animal permit would cost $10, except for law enforcement and service animals, and be valid for the life of the dog or cat. As a condition for obtaining an unaltered animal permit, some dog and cat owners would have to implant an identification microchip in the animal and provide that microchip number to the …
Viewing Forms Of RegretApril 18, 2011 It is amazing to work in a profession that allows us to help people and pets every day. A number of clients have expressed an emerging type of wistful regret about their pets recently. I believe it’s because the recession has deepened for so many people, but there may be more to it. Money-Related Regret? Marisol Ramirez truly loves her 14-year-old shepherd-chow mix, Murda, who is being successfully treated for splenic lymphoma. Murda presented with two significant co-morbid conditions, severe osteoarthritis and degenerative myelopathy with mild posterior ataxia, but remains in an extended stable remission. On a recent recheck, Marisol said Murda indicates that she wants to go outside, but once out, immediately wants to come back in. We explained this most likely stems from a common condition in geriatric dogs. Murda was probably exhibiting signs of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome, which might respond to medication and/or a diet change to Hill’s b/d. This odd behavior has frustrated Marisol and she feels guilty about reacting sternly on a few occasions. She also feels compelled to stay at home with Murda so she can watch her closely. When I asked her why she feels so strongly …
What’s The True Cost Of Euthanasia?April 18, 2011 I had cause to consider the plight of the average vet professional in this regard after a weeklong series of unfortunate euthanasia-related events. Regrettably, this contemplation coincides with my son’s spring break vacation. To be fair, any weekend following the horrendous work days that preceded it would’ve demanded some serious down-time before returning to professional activities in a functional capacity. So it was that I wasted the first 48 hours of a five-day California vacation acclimating to a condition of reasonable stresslessness. Stress Fest Not only was the hospital abuzz with lots of distracting not-quite-emergencies and a plethora of poorly scheduled routine procedures in the midst of my gotta-get-prepped-for-the-trip angst, I also managed to get smacked with the planned euthanasia of two long-time patients. If you’re anything like me you’ll recognize yourself in the above stress fest. You’ll also be jiggy with the following sentiment: Being a family-style general practitioner on death detail is like being at the center of an emotional tornado that sometimes goes on for weeks. The indecision, the recriminations, the sorrow, the sense of impending doom, the hesitation, the process and then ... the aftermath. Make no mistake; this is …
NC Vet School To Unveil New Animal Medical Center On May 6April 14, 2011 North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine will unveil its new $72 million companion animal medical center on Friday, May 6. The Randall B. Terry, Jr. Companion Animal Veterinary Medical Center almost doubles the size of the existing animal center. The new 110,000-square-foot complex has 30 examination rooms, 10 surgical suites, three dedicated emergency exam rooms, an expanded intensive care unit with a patient visitation area and a pharmacy with specialized capabilities for sterile compounding of drugs for pet health needs. Medical enhancements include a new linear accelerator, a 64-slice computed tomography scan, biplane fluoroscopy unit, four ultrasound stations and special copper-shielded rooms required for neurological and ophthalmological diagnostics. The Terry Center also has a canine bone marrow transplant unit with a reverse isolation air filtration system to protect immunocompromised patients. The center is the only academic clinical facility in the country offering canine bone marrow transplants, according to the university. In addition, the Terry Center includes sustainable features such as water filtration, natural day lighting and sensors in each space that control energy usage based on occupancy. The center's developers are seeking LEED Silver Certification. The center is named in honor of …
FDA Holding Public Meeting On Preventive Controls For Food Facilities April 20April 13, 2011 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, April 20, focusing on preventive controls for food facilities as part of the recently enacted FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. The meeting will be held at the FDA White Oak Campus in Silver Spring, Md., from 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Food facilities include those that manufacture, process, pack or hold human food or animal food and feed, including pet food. The Food Safety Modernization Act amends the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to establish the foundation for a modernized, prevention-based food safety system and gives FDA for the first time a legislative mandate to require comprehensive, science-based preventive controls across the food supply, according to the FDA. Specifically, the FDA is seeking information on preventive controls used by facilities to identify and address hazards associated with specific types of food and specific processes. The meeting is meant to give the public an opportunity to provide information and share views that will inform the development of guidance and regulations on preventive controls for such food facilities, according to the FDA. The meeting, “FDA Food Safety Modernization Act: Focus on Preventive Controls …
AVMA Launches Online Vet Finder Tool For Pet OwnersApril 12, 2011 The American Veterinary Medical Association has launched a veterinary practice search tool for pet owners online at MyVeterinarian.com. The website provides pet owners with detailed information about veterinary practices from around the country, including the clinic’s name, address, phone number and business hours; the medical services provided; the species of animal served; and the names of the veterinarians on staff. Practices can also list their website address. A map is available to show the clinic’s location. “Thousands of practices are listed on MyVeterinarian.com, and we’re adding more every day,” said Larry Kornegay, DVM, president of the AVMA and a companion animal practitioner from Houston. “Pet owners who visit our site can be assured that they are getting information from a trusted source that represents more than 81,500 veterinarians across the country.” In addition, pet owners can search the site for specific health and pet care related topics, such as what clinics might offer dermatologic or behavior services, or where boarding and training is available. There is also a link to the AVMA’s Animal Health page, which provides information related to general pet care, emergency and first aid resources. Veterinarians …
More Awareness Needed On Canine Vector Borne Diseases, Researchers SayApril 11, 2011 Researchers are calling for a greater awareness of the dangers posed to animals and humans by canine vector borne diseases (CVBD). The call was put forth today at the 6th Canine Vector Borne World Forum in Nice, France. The forum is supported by Bayer Animal Health. CVBD are diseases transmitted by parasites—also called vectors—such as ticks, fleas, sand flies and mosquitoes. “A number of the CVBDs cause real suffering and even death in dogs, and many CVBDs represent a zoonotic risk,” said Dwight Bowman, Ph.D., a professor of parasitology at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “It’s vital that veterinarians and pet owners everywhere understand the seriousness of the threats posed, and take action to prevent transmission of these diseases.” Martin Pfeffer, a professor at the Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health in Germany, added, “Data presented here highlight the underestimation and underreporting of serious diseases such as Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE), despite their potential to threaten the life of infected animals. Like many of the CVBDs, TBE has spread beyond its traditional home and is being found across Europe and Asia, exposing previously unaffected populations to this serious disease. In light of the increasing …
