New website pinpoints whether cats are picky eaters or sickApril 16, 2019A new website launched by KindredBio will inform owners about their cat's eating and drinking habits and as a result will lead to more visits to the veterinary clinic. PickyOrSick.com will help owners identify a problematic change in their cat's eating and drinking behavior and will direct them to a veterinarian should there a problem. "The best resource will always be the veterinarian. Yet, the society we live in today is technologically capable of providing answers at the stroke of a keyboard," says Christina Fernandez, DVM, DACVECC, MRCVS, KindredBio senior manager, veterinary affairs. "What's not often mentioned online is cats do not tolerate even short periods of inadequate nutrition. It can be critical to seek veterinary care immediately if an adult cat refuses food for even just a day." The science-based resource directs owners to make an appointment with their local veterinarian. The website features: • a five-question quiz to encourage owners to seek veterinary advice concerning changes in their cat's eating and drinking habits; • suggestions for determining whether their cat's behavior is a sign of illness or just picky eating; • a downloadable log to help monitor their cat's behavior, which can be shared …
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Cats are taking over Times Square this springApril 12, 2019Cats will take the spotlight in Times Square this spring as part of a campaign to promote the love of cats. The International Cat Association (TICA), Winn Feline Foundation, and Dr. Elsey's Cat Products have joined together to create a feline billboard campaign that will be front and center in one of the world's busiest pedestrian areas. The initiative runs until June 30. TICA has celebrated the welfare of cats since its start in 1979. Currently, it is made up of more than 8,000 cat lovers in 104 countries. The Winn Feline Foundation has been supporting and funding feline research since 1968. More than $6 million has been given to researchers working toward a better understanding of diseases, treatments, and cures for feline health conditions. Dr. Elsey's creates various cat products. The company will be in New York from April 22 to May 15 to host the first Power of Purrsuasion pop-up event at Meow Parlour.
USDA no longer experimenting on cats and kittensApril 3, 2019The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) says it will no longer carry out parasite experiments on cats and kittens, a practice that ultimately resulted in their being euthanized. The announcement comes weeks after U.S. congressmen Brian Mast and Jimmy Panetta introduced the Kittens in Traumatic Testing Ends Now Act of 2019. At the time, Mast said the USDA was breeding kittens for the sole purpose of feeding them raw meat laced with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), a parasite considered to be a leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the U.S. ARS says cats were used in the research because they are the only host in which T. gondii can complete its life cycle and produce oocysts. The kittens were then killed even though they were healthy. In May 2018, the USDA reviewed its procedures after hearing feedback from its customers and stakeholders. ARS maintains cats have not been infected with toxoplasmosis pathogens or euthanized since September 2018. "Food safety research in ARS is of paramount importance for agriculture and the public we serve," said ARS administrator, Chavonda Jacobs-Young, PhD. "We are continually assessing our research and priorities and aligning our resources to the …
AHS releases new heartworm recommendationsApril 2, 2019The American Heartworm Society (AHS) has released its 2018 Canine Heartworm Guidelines. The guidelines recommend yearly screenings for dogs more than seven months of age, the use of heartworm preventive medications, and reduced exposure to mosquitoes. It also suggests veterinarians recommend the use of Environmental Protection Agency- (EPA-) approved mosquito repellents for heat-treating a pet patient's serum. It is especially important for pet owners in Texas to follow the guidelines as mosquitoes are extremely widespread, according to the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA). The most telltale signs a dog has been infected is a persistent cough, difficulty breathing, intolerance to exercise, decreased appetite, and weight loss, while cats will suffer from lethargy, vomiting, or asthma. It is very common for the first indication of heartworm to be a sudden collapse or death. Preventing the disease in dogs is easy, safe, and affordable, whereas treatment is not. There is currently no treatment for cats. Testing and treating for heartworm can be difficult, which is why prevention is key to protecting pets. See the website to view the updated guidelines.
Stoner news: Struvite diets for cats and dogsMarch 28, 2019While struvite uroliths may in some cases require surgical intervention, the recommended standard of care by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) is medical dissolution with a therapeutic diet formulated to alter urine acidity and encourage water consumption. Dietary dissolution of struvite stones is both effective and inexpensive. Therapeutic diets limit calculogenic compounds (e.g. phosphorus and magnesium) and acidify urine. That makes the urine a less welcoming environment for stone formation and dissolves stones that are present. Concerns medical dissolution places pets at risk of urethral obstruction are not borne out by the literature, according to the ACVIM consensus statement, published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine (JVIM) in 2016. Dietary management itself has changed as well. The shift from struvite-only dissolution or prevention diets to combination struvite dissolution/prevention and calcium oxalate prevention diets is the biggest change in management of these uroliths, says Cailin Heinze, VMD, Dipl. ACVN, assistant professor of nutrition at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. Causes differ Struvite uroliths occur in both dogs and cats, but have different causes. In dogs, struvite stones—the most common type seen—develop almost exclusively as a result of urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by …
Nationwide members paid $119 million to treat their dogs and catsMarch 21, 2019Nationwide members spent $119 million in 2018 to treat their dogs and cats. The pet health insurance company analyzed its database of more than 725,000 insured pets to determine the top 10 most common conditions that prompted veterinary visits. "Pet owners are encouraged to schedule regular medical checkups as recommended by their veterinarians to prevent many common, yet problematic medical conditions," says Nationwide vice president and chief veterinary officer, Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA. "Early detection can be key. The majority of medical conditions on the top 10 list can be successfully managed if treated promptly by a veterinarian." The following conditions affect dogs and cats the most, according to Nationwide: Dogs 1) skin allergies 2) ear infection 3) noncancerous skin mass 4) diarrhea/intestinal upset 5) skin infection 6) vomiting/upset stomach 7) arthritis 8) dental disease 9) anal gland inflammation 10) bladder urinary tract disease Cats 1) bladder/urinary tract disease 2) dental disease 3) chronic kidney disease 4) vomiting/upset stomach 5) diarrhea/intestinal upset 6) excessive thyroid hormone 7) upper respiratory infection 8) skin allergies 9) diabetes 10) heart valve malfunction
Trust, education can build vaccine complianceMarch 18, 2019Can people control their exposure to whatever virus du jour is making the rounds? No—and that's the point veterinarians should stress among vaccine-wary clients, says Tony Rumschlag, DVM, director of consulting veterinarians, companion animal at Elanco Animal Health. "We cannot in all circumstances control our pets' exposure to disease," he says. "We can help prevent disease in our beloved pets by simply following an appropriate vaccination protocol." As in human medicine, some veterinary clients are expressing concern over the necessity and safety of vaccines for companion animals. "Because some of the diseases we vaccinate against are not as prevalent as in the past, both on the human and animal side, people start to lose sight of the value of vaccines," Dr. Rumschlag explains. "When vaccination rates decrease, these diseases tend to reappear. And I understand how pet owners can forget the extent of parvo and distemper cases we saw in the 1980s and early '90s." Rumschlag says that while there is a lot of science backing the safety and value of vaccines, many of the concerns about them are based more on emotions. "Veterinarians who have treated dogs infected with preventable diseases, such as parvo and distemper, need to …
Veterinary Dentistry Specialists expands with new clinic in Chadds Ford, PaMarch 13, 2019Dogs and cats in Chadds Ford, Pa., will now have access to advanced dental care by board-certified veterinary specialists in dentistry and anesthesia. Veterinary Dentistry Specialists (VDS) is opening a second clinic, expanding its services from its original location in Mt. Laurel, NJ. Owned by Carlos Rice, DVM, DAVDC, Veterinary Dentistry Specialists is one of few dentistry practices where a full-time, board-certified veterinary dentist and a full-time, board-certified veterinary anesthesiologist work alongside each other. Veterinary dentist and Veterinary Practice News columnist, John Lewis, VMD, FAVD, DAVDC, and veterinary anesthesiologist, S. Bryce Dooley, DVM, MS, DACVAA, will be at the helm of the new clinic. "We spent a large amount of time and resources creating a facility showcasing the future of veterinary dentistry," Dr. Lewis says. "I think it's safe to say this facility rivals even the best medical facilities for humans. We are excited to open our doors and provide concierge-level care for pets in the region." VDS offers advanced services for the care of orofacial conditions and diseases, which affect the mouth, teeth, jaws, and face. The services cover tooth restoration, periodontal surgery, oral oncologic surgery, jaw fractures, salivary gland diseases, endodontics, orthodontics, palate surgery, etc. There are …
U.S. congressmen introduce bill to end deadly experiments on kittensMarch 11, 2019A new bill has been introduced to get the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to stop performing harmful experiments on felines. U.S. congressmen Brian Mast and Jimmy Panetta have introduced the Kittens in Traumatic Testing Ends Now Act of 2019. "The fact we need a piece of legislation to tell the federal government to stop killing kittens is ridiculous on its face, but what's even worse is when you hear the government is actually breeding hundreds of these cats just to intentionally feed them parasite-ridden raw meat and then kill them even though they're perfectly healthy," Mast says. "These tests are awful, abusive, and unnecessary, not to mention a serious misuse of millions of taxpayer dollars. This needs to stop now." "This common sense, bipartisan bill will require the USDA to adhere to the same animal welfare standards the department is charged to uphold," Panetta says. "While I strongly support scientific research, taxpayer money and federal resources should be spent on advancing scientific research in an ethical manner, not on inflicting pain on innocent kittens in outdated experiments. I hope this bill helps us get closer to ending this cruel practice.
Getting to the bottom of root canal therapyMarch 8, 2019Anyone who has tried to extract a firmly rooted mandibular canine tooth in a dog or cat has likely muttered the phrase, "There's got to be a better way," (amongst other muttered phrases!) while performing the frustrating procedure. In some cases, there is indeed a better way. Although root canal therapy is not an option for every diseased tooth, it is an elegant way to treat dead teeth and teeth with pulp exposure. Terminology, development, and anatomy Endodontics refers to the study and treatment of the inside of the tooth (pulp) and periapical tissues, the latter of which are located around the tip (apex) of the tooth root. The pulp consists of nerves, blood vessels, lymphatics, and connective tissue. Pulp tissue is found in the pulp chamber of the crown and the root canal of the root. The pulp communicates with the periapical tissues through numerous small openings in the apex of the tooth root called the apical delta. Dental pulp is important for the development of the tooth in a young animal. Cells called odontoblasts continually produce dentin internally throughout the tooth's life. This makes the walls of the root and crown thicker. Recently erupted teeth have walls that …
