High Achiever: Lance S. Fox, DVMDecember 30, 2009 It’s a somewhat unlikely tale: Motivated by his father’s early death and his son’s premature birth, a 39-year-old veterinarian with limited climbing experience decides to take on the world’s highest mountain. Photo courtesy of Dr. Lance S. Fox. Dr. Lance S. Fox pauses on top of Mount Everest. But it’s all true, even the Hollywood-style happy ending. On the morning of May 21, after 10 final, exhausting hours of climbing—six of them by headlamp in the dark—Lance S. Fox, DVM, joined a very exclusive club. He reached the summit of Mount Everest, one of fewer than 3,000 people who have set foot on top of the world. And now the Wisconsin vet is telling his story to the world. Soon to be featured in the third season of the Discovery Channel series “Everest: Beyond the Limit,” Dr. Fox is drawing on his adventure during speeches to high school and college kids, hoping to persuade them to conquer their personal Everests. “My opening slide is ‘If You Believe, You Can Achieve,’ ” Fox says. “So often we hear people say the words, ‘I can’t.’ But I disagree …
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Digital RadiographyDecember 30, 2009 Conventional X-ray technology has been used for decades, virtually unchallenged and unchanged. Now the rapid evolution of digital X-ray options makes veterinary consumers ask what’s the right system for me? How do I store my images? Who do I make them available to? About 25 percent of veterinarians use digital radiography equipment in their practice and 70 percent are expected to use the technology within the next five years, according to Idexx Laboratories of Westbrook, Maine. But the profession is divided when privacy enters the conversation, leaving some less eager to trust an outside company with the responsibility of storing images. Veterinarians agree that determining what to do with picture archiving and communication systems, or PACS, is a big decision. PACS are servers dedicated to the storage, retrieval, distribution and presentation of images. They can stay under the owners’ roof or be placed in the care of an outside company. While keeping images in-house solves privacy concerns, an off-site company takes responsibility for the images’ protection and can be a good way to protect records in the event of a fire or natural disaster. “There are a small percentage of clients who educate themselves to …
Dogged Determination: Dr. Gail C. GolabDecember 30, 2009 When Gail C. Golab was studying biomedical research in graduate school at Texas A&M University, well before she planned to become a veterinarian, she happened to live in a neighborhood popular with vet students. Other students knew that future vets lived there. So when they no longer could care for their pets, the students often dumped them at the housing complex. Golab and the veterinary students tried to take care of the strays. They bought food, tried to find new homes for the animals and held meetings to talk about the problem. But Golab quickly realized their efforts were likely to fail. “No one was trying to figure out why students were getting rid of the animals,” Golab, Ph.D., DVM, MACVSc (Animal Welfare), recalls now, more than 20 years later. “And it seemed to me that if we didn’t figure out the source of the problem, we wouldn’t ever be able to solve it.” First, she helped found a student chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, figuring that educating students on the costs and challenges of pets might keep them from adopting an animal they couldn’t keep. Then she …
Equine Wellness, Compliance Remain Works In ProgressDecember 30, 2009 The 4,000 veterinarians expected to attend the 55th American Assn. of Equine Practitioner convention are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to discuss wellness concerns and equine issues with colleagues. Though observations vary region-ally, even those practicing in affluent areas are seeing clients pull back on preventive care for horses and are chalking it up to economic concerns. Some are concerned because the proactive approach is the best for staying ahead of potential disease, parasite and viral issues. “People are doing more of their own routine care [because] of the economy,” says Christi Garfinkel, DVM, of Equine Veterinary Services Inc. in El Cajon, Calif. “This makes preventive care difficult.” Wellness is defined differently by veterinarians, varying by region, client compliance and beliefs, says Harry W. Werner, VMD, of North Granby, Conn., president of the AAEP. “I define wellness as practicing preventive medicine,” Dr. Werner says. “Biannual physical examinations provide baseline findings that tell us what is normal for the patient. Exams help determine which vaccinations, parasite control and care are appropriate and help us identify diseases and problems early. Exam findings can also be valuable comparison points if the horse has health problems in the future.” Preventive …
Survey: Pet Owners Aware Of Insurance, Balk At CostDecember 30, 2009 More than nine of 10 surveyed pet owners (94 percent) know that pet insurance exists but are likely to avoid buying plans because of cost concerns, according to a survey of pet owners and veterinary professionals. The online survey, conducted by the marketing firm LePoidevin Rickinger Group of Brookfield, Wis., polled 806 veterinary professionals and 4,626 pet owners in September to gauge their awareness of pet insurance providers. Results were provided exclusively to Veterinary Practice News. “The most significant finding was the relatively high number of veterinarians who had no opinion or a low opinion of the facts of pet insurance,” said Dean LePoidevin, strategic director at LePoidevin Rickinger Group. He referred to a finding that 40 percent of veterinary professionals surveyed do not recommend pet health insurance. “We see pet insurance as more likely to help save a pet’s life by allowing the owner to avoid decisions based solely on economic euthanasia,” he said. “Armed with information, vets and pet owners should embrace the benefits of pet insurance. After all, it’s about being able to practice better medicine.” Despite the high awareness of insurance in general, the survey found that 78 percent of …
A Look Ahead For 2010December 30, 2009What’s new and improved? It’s an appropriate question as we greet a new year. We asked some veterinary leaders to envision advances and other influences likely to affect veterinary practice in 2010 and beyond. Their insights covered considerable ground, from targeted therapies to regenerative medicine, diagnostic imaging to diet and nutrition. Collectively, the view ahead is not of giant leaps but of carefully placed steps, with advice to keep one eye on the economics and the other searching for that elusive target: the cutting edge. Our insiders didn’t have to strain to find reasons for optimism. “Looking at the big picture, I’m excited about 2010 and the future,” says Leah Cohn, DVM, Ph.D., vice president of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. More Specialists Dr. Cohn’s first choice for an area of impact and expansion: specialization. She expects to see not only the number of specialists grow but also an acceleration of the shift from academic settings to private specialty practices. The trend is good for clients because we will see “vast increases in knowledge and treatment options,” she says. But it’s also good for practitioners, she adds, because while she sees generalists as excellent clinicians, “No one can …
Treating Advanced Periodontal DiseaseDecember 30, 2009 Periodontal disease is the most common disease of companion animals—more common than kidney disease, diabetes and lymphoma. Most dogs and cats show early signs of periodontal disease by 4 years old. Many practices are realizing there’s more to the treatment of periodontal disease than just cleaning and polishing. Advancing your knowledge of perio-dontal disease treatment is good for the patient and good for your practice. What follows is a list of dental pearls highlighting today’s approach to periodontal therapy. 1. Don’t call it a “prophy.” Don’t call it a dental, either. These terms grossly underestimate the effort required in most veterinary patients. The term “prophy,” shorthand for “prophylaxis,” is simply inaccurate. In our patients, we are rarely just preventing disease and more commonly treating existing disease. Calling this procedure a “prophy” is like referring to an engine rebuild as an oil change. Other terms have been proposed that more accurately describe the extent of treatment. COHAT is an acronym gaining in popularity. It stands for comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment. In our practice, we often refer to various aspects of the procedure to ensure that clients comprehend the steps that may be …
AAHA Names Cavanaugh New Executive DirectorDecember 29, 2009Mike Cavanaugh, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, has been named the new executive director for the American Animal Hospital Association, effective Jan. 21. Dr. Cavanaugh is replacing John Albers, DVM, after 23 years with the association. “I am very pleased with the choice of Dr. Cavanaugh as AAHA’s new executive director,” said John Tait, DVM, president of AAHA. “He has an extensive history of accomplishments in veterinary medicine and is well suited to lead AAHA and maintain the high standards the association has set. “Mike possesses the leadership, innovative qualities, ethics, communication skills and analytic abilities to implement the direction of the [AAHA Board of Directors] and make decisions in the members’ best interests. I look forward to working with Mike in his new capacity as executive director.” Cavanaugh has practiced small animal medicine at various AAHA accredited practices, including West Ridge Animal Hospital in Topeka, Kan., a hospital he founded and owned from 1988-1996. Before joining AAHA, Cavanaugh served as director of Veterinary Hospital Services at Pfizer Animal Health of New York. He has also worked for Heska Corp. of Loveland, Colo., and Hill’s Pet Nutrition of Topeka, Kan. “Ever since I first discovered AAHA in veterinary school, I have always …
Researchers Use New Method To Develop Genetically Sterile ScrewwormsDecember 29, 2009 Scientists are developing transgenic sterile, male-only screwworm flies that could eliminate the need for the expensive irradiation technique now used in screwworm control programs, according to the Agricultural Research Service, the scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sterile insect techniques are used to control pests such as screwworms, Cochliomyia hominivorax, Mediterranean fruit flies and tsetse flies, among others. Screwworm eradication efforts in particular save U.S. livestock producers about $900 million annually in potential losses, according to the ARS. The ARS team involved with the project include entomologists Margaret Allen and Steven Skoda and geneticist Alfred Handler. Allen is at the ARS Biological Control of Pests Research Unit in Stoneville, Miss.; Skoda is a research leader with the ARS Livestock Insects Research Laboratory at Kerrville, Texas; and Handler works at the ARS Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research Unit in Gainesville, Fla. Using a genetic element called a “piggyBac transposon” as a vector, the researchers introduced a green fluorescent protein gene (GFP) into the genomes of eight screwworm strains. When viewed under ultraviolet light, the transgenic screwworms emitted a fluorescent glow, helping confirm GFP’s activation, according to ARS. The research also revealed that transgenic …
Dr. Joel Pasco Dies At 62December 29, 2009 Joel Pasco, DVM, founder of All Creatures Care Cottage in Costa Mesa, Calif., died Oct. 24 during a fishing trip to Convict Lake in the Sierras, the Daily Pilot reported. He was 62. Dr. Pasco, also founder of the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach, Calif., was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2006. Last year he was told that he had about 12 months to live. In a story published in July in Veterinary Practice News, Pasco said he decided to surround himself with family and friends upon hearing the news. He would continue to pursue hobbies that brought him joy, like painting, sculpting, fishing and bonsai gardening. And, as long as he could, he would continue to practice veterinary medicine, the profession he’d loved for more than 30 years. “People ask me, ‘Why are you working? You should be retired,’ ” Pasco told Veterinary Practice News. “But my answer is, ‘I love what I do. I love my animal patients and I love my human clients, and my life would be very empty if I could not continue to do this.’ ” A celebration of Pasco’s …
