VPN Plus+ ExclusiveWhen summer ends, heartworm doesn'tOctober 10, 2024This trend of increasing incidence and regional spread is the confluence of a perfect storm — including a shift in the way pet owners acquire and care for their pets, a lack of awareness of how easily and efficiently heartworm infections are spread, and a lack of urgency regarding the growing nationwide risk of heartworm infection by pet owners.
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VPN Plus+ ExclusiveSupplemental insight on melatoninOctober 4, 2024It is important for doctors to have a basic knowledge of natural supplements (or at least have a colleague to whom they can refer for help in this area). With these thoughts in mind, I want to share some basic information about melatonin, a supplement clients often inquire about (likely because many of them are taking it, as well).
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveClearing up the confusion with aerosol disease transmissionSeptember 19, 2024Aerosol disease transmission, including droplet nuclei travel, is often a misunderstood and underestimated mode of disease transmission. As a result, veterinarians and veterinary infection control plans frequently fail to recognize measures aimed at this modality of spread. If we take steps to limit aerosol disease transmission, we can protect our patients, humans, and the environment, protecting the human-animal bond and ensuring a One Health infection control plan.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveA question doesn't mean you're being questionedAugust 29, 2024Why do we feel that when someone asks us, “Did you fed the cat in ISO?” is an accusation and we respond, “No, I have been doing all of the treatments on the other patients, so I haven’t had time!” Instead of just answering, “No,” or “Not yet.” Why do we think someone is accusing us of not doing our job because they ask us, “Did you walk this dog yet?” Why can’t we take it as a simple question and not an accusation of something bad?
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveTips to reduce pain in ferrets, mice, rabbits, and ratsAugust 23, 2024Whenever possible, multimodal pain control is essential to provide the most pain relief in ferrets, mice, rabbits and rats by blocking pain signals from multiple pathways. Do not let your concerns about pain control prevent you from the surgical treatments of pain control in these small animals. This guide for the assessment and treatment of pain should boost your confidence and reduce suffering in your patients.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveTips to diagnose and treat feline meningiomasAugust 15, 2024Feline meningiomas are slow-growing tumors originating from the arachnoid layer of the meninges that surround the brain and cause compression and subsequent dysfunction of the surrounding brain tissue. There are several other differential diagnoses to consider when presented with a cat suspected to have a meningioma. There are a variety of treatment options available for feline meningiomas.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveHow to make your lab work for youJuly 25, 2024Laboratory testing, when combined with a thorough history and proper physical examination, contributes to forming a correct diagnosis. This improves medical care for the patient as we are treating a known (proper diagnosis) versus an unknown (suspected diagnosis or simply clinical signs and symptoms,) and easily increases practice profitability without the need to simply try to find ways to “increase the bill.”
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveLinking livestock welfare and veterinary medicineJuly 12, 2024Fear Free adds livestock management techniques to its curriculum, overseen by Temple Grandin, PhD, director of animal well-being. Dr. Grandin, professor of animal science at CSU, hopes Fear Free training will help encourage interest in the field, as well as continue to increase productivity and improve animal welfare.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveBenefits of using portable ultrasound in large animal careJune 21, 2024Bringing diagnostic imaging out into the field can have benefits for patients and veterinarians. However, many practices may not know the full breadth of improvements a portable ultrasound unit can have on equine and large animal care and practices.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveHow to develop a sensible euthanasia policyJune 6, 2024After this horrible experience, I made the decision that no longer would I ever euthanize a pet simply because an owner requested this service. No, I instead developed a euthanasia policy that I and my staff could live with and allow us to minimize euthanasia in our practice. Here are the additional parts of our policy that allow us to achieve peace of mind whenever euthanasia was needed.