Smoke inhalation, burns may lead to heart problems in catsFebruary 27, 2020Suffering moderate burns and smoke inhalation might have a detrimental effect on the cardiovascular health of animals, according to a new study out of the University of California, Davis, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (UC Davis VMTH).
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Practice management focus of UC Davis certificate programJanuary 10, 2020Those interested in running their own practice may want to consider heading to the Golden State to refine their business skills.
ASU begins clinical study for cancer-preventing vaccineMay 10, 2019An Arizona State University (ASU) professor has begun a five-year clinical study examining the effectiveness of a cancer-preventing vaccine for dogs. Stephen Johnston, PhD, a scientist, professor at the School of Life Sciences, and director of the Biodesign Center for Innovations in Medicine, developed the vaccine over a span of 12 years. He says his goal is to change the way veterinarians treat cancer by preventing it before it can start. Over the course of the five-year study, 800 dogs will either be given the vaccine or a placebo and will be monitored. The University of Wisconsin (UW) School of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University (CSU) and University of California (UC), Davis are also participating in the trial. "We're testing a totally novel way of creating an anticancer immune response," says David Vail, DVM, DACVIM (oncology), professor and board-certified oncologist at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine. "The holy grail would be to prevent cancer as opposed to waiting for it to start and then treating it." The vaccine is designed to target common canine cancers, including lymphoma, osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, and mastocytomas. At the beginning, two sets of vaccines will be given every two weeks and then annually. The …
Homemade cat food diets low on nutrientsMay 8, 2019Most homemade cat food recipes are unlikely to provide essential nutrients and some may even contain potentially toxic ingredients. Those are the results of a study by researchers at the University of California (UC), Davis who looked at 114 recipes from online sources and books written by non-veterinarians and veterinarians. While recipes authored by veterinarians had fewer deficiencies, the study found they were still lacking nutrients. Of the all the recipes studied, 40 percent did not provide feeding instructions and the rest lacked detail or were unclear. "Only 94 recipes provided enough information for computer nutritional analysis and of those, none of them provided all the essential nutrients to meet the National Research Council's (NRC's) recommended allowances for adult cats," says lead author, Jennifer Larsen, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine veterinary nutritionist. In addition, the study found many of the homemade cat food was lacking concentrations of three or more nutrients, with some missing up to 19 essential nutrients. Further, many recipes provided less than 50 percent of the recommend allowances of several essential nutrients, including choline, iron, zinc, thiamin, vitamin E, and manganese. The study revealed seven percent of the recipes included ingredients that are potentially toxic …
Study finds only low levels of methylmercury in dog foodApril 25, 2019A study by the University of California (UC), Davis on levels of methylmercury in samplings of commercial dog food has found low concentrations in the majority of the tested brands. Only three of the 24 types of dog food tested positive for low concentrations of total mercury, and only one contained detectable methylmercury. "The concentrations detected are unlikely to pose a risk to healthy adult dogs," says lead author, Rae Sires, a nutrition resident at UC, Davis's Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. "These results should be reassuring to dog owners." Other studies have measured total mercury in dog food, but this is the first time testing for methylmercury has been done. As methylmercury is present in aquatic species, researchers evaluated dog food containing fish, as well as fish-free foods. They found two of the three positive samples among the non-fish diets, which suggests common sources of mercury in pet foods. "We need more data to determine where the total mercury detected in dog foods is coming from, but our study doesn't support avoiding fish or salmon-based diets," Sires says.
UC Davis veterinarian discovers rare blood disorder in catAugust 22, 2018Miao Miao, a four-year-old male domestic shorthair cat, was brought to the University of California, Davis veterinary hospital with persistent nosebleeds. Based on previous medical issues, his owners were aware that he had some variation of a blood platelet disorder, but the exact makeup of that was never discovered. Specialists with UC Davis' internal medicine service ran a range of tests to discover the root of his bleeding issue. A complete blood count showed that Miao Miao was not anemic, had no evidence of inflammation, and a normal platelet count. An ultrasound also was performed, which showed that Miao Miao had no evidence of bleeding into any of his other bodily cavities. Miao Miao was hospitalized for a few days to ensure he did not develop significant bleeding, and so that the team could discuss his case with other clinicians and researchers. Through a collaboration of UC Davis emergency, internal medicine, and research specialists, a unique cause to Miao Miao's bleeding was found. Ronald Li, DVM, MVetMed, PhD, DACVECC, a critical care specialist with the UC Davis veterinary hospital's emergency room, operates a platelet physiology laboratory with equipment and capabilities found in only a handful of veterinary centers around …
UC Davis treats uncommon AVM in German shepherdJuly 10, 2018Crash, a six-year-old male German shepherd, was starting to tire more easily on his walks and seemed zoned out and listless, according to his owners, Sally Fuess and Steve Yant from Boulder Creek, Calif. He also displayed signs of what were perceived as severe headaches. He would "bury" his head and squint his eyes, suggesting that something was bothering him. Those headache signs started occurring more frequently and affected his overall well-being. "It was like watching someone have a massive migraine and be nonfunctioning," said Fuess. "The bigger the headaches, the more disorientated he would become. His hearing would get distorted, his perception … all his senses were affected." Fuess and Yant discussed this with an internal medicine specialist who was already treating Crash for some unrelated gastrointestinal issues. The veterinarian performed an MRI of Crash's head that revealed an intracranial arteriovenous malformation (AVM) located within the brain behind his eyes. A consultation with Bill Culp, VMD, DACVS, at the University of California, Davis veterinary hospital was arranged. Redirecting the blood flow "AVMs, in general, are very uncommon in veterinary patients," said Dr. Culp. "A brain AVM is extremely rare and not a situation that I have encountered before. Because …
UC Davis performs total hip replacement on champion show dogMarch 16, 2018Swiss Star's Chasing Moonbeams, aka Luna, a 1-year-old female Bernese mountain dog, recently jumped out of the window of a moving car. After Luna immediately showed lameness in her pelvic limb, co-owner Mary Beam had her examined. X-rays showed a break in the head of Luna's right femur, so she was referred to a local veterinary surgeon. After discovering that Luna was a champion show dog, the surgeon suggested Beam take her to see orthopedic surgeon Denis Marcellin-Little, DEDV, DACVS, DECVS, at the University of California Davis veterinary hospital. Dr. Marcellin-Little discussed three options for Luna. Option one included medical management with cage rest and pain medication, to let the hip heal on its own. However, this option brought an increased risk of persistent hip joint instability and osteoarthritis. Option two was a femoral head osteotomy, a surgery that would relieve the pain and discomfort, but involved a high risk of causing an abnormal gait. Beam chose option three, a total hip replacement. This more-involved surgery would give Luna the best chance of returning to a normal gait and preventing osteoarthritis in the long term. After serving on the faculty at North Carolina State University for 23 years, Marcellin-Little …
UC Davis launches survey on the use of cannabis products for petsNovember 17, 2017The University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine has launched a survey to learn more about the use of cannabis products on pets. "With the increasing use of medical cannabis and the start of recreational use [in California] in January, the interest in using it for pets has really grown," said Jamie Peyton, DVM, chief of small animal integrative medicine at UC Davis and the primary researcher behind the study. "The goal of the survey is to start the conversation about the use of hemp and cannabis products for pets." More pet owners are asking veterinarians about cannabis use for their companion animals, but vets currently are not allowed to prescribe or recommend cannabis products for pets, Dr. Peyton said. The anonymous online survey asks basic information about the pet and about its medical history, and includes questions about the type of marijuana products the pet owner administers, the reason for using the product, and how often it is administered. The final question asks if the respondent would involve their pet in a study of marijuana products for pets. The goal of the survey is to inform future research. "There's no published, peer-reviewed study on …
UC Davis plans to improve Vet Med CenterOctober 19, 2017University of California, Davis announced plans to raise $115 million to update and improve three areas of its Veterinary Medical Center (VMC): the Livestock and Field Service Center, the Equine Performance Center, and the All-Species Imaging Center. This campaign, Leading the Way, marks the first phase in a long-term plan to transform the VMC. According to the university, its veterinary teaching hospital is overdue for an update. Opened in 1970 to serve 3,000 patients per year, the hospital now sees more than 50,000 patients annually. Space, layout, and capacity constraints are a problem, as is the speed at which clients receive care. "… Let's take some much-needed next steps, ones that ensure that UC Davis will continue to offer world-class care and an unbeatable education for students with a comprehensive veterinary medical center that builds on UC Davis' strengths and reinforces our role as a world leader," said Gary May, UC Davis chancellor. The university already has raised $67 million—more than half of the campaign goal—prior to the announcement. Davis' first phase The Livestock and Field Service Center will become the first patient-service area to come online. Upgrades and modifications will improve student and clinician …
