UC Davis scores top marks in veterinary scienceMarch 23, 2023The California school has been named the No. 1 veterinary college in North America and second-best in the world.
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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.
University of California, Davis ranked number one U.S. veterinary medicine schoolMarch 15, 2019University of California, Davis is the best school for veterinary medicine in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report. The results were released as part of the 2020 U.S. News Best Graduate Schools Rankings. These are the 28 best schools for veterinary medicine: 1) University of California, Davis 2) Cornell University 3) Colorado State University 4) North Carolina State University 5) Ohio State University 6) Texas A&M University, College Station 7) University of Pennsylvania 8) University of Wisconsin, Madison 9) University of Florida 10) University of Georgia 11) University of Minnesota, Twin Cities 12) Tufts University 13) Purdue University, West Lafayette 14) Auburn University 15) Iowa State University 16) Washington State University 17) Michigan State University 18) Virginia Tech, University of Maryland 19) Kansas State University 20) University of Missouri 21) University of Tennessee, Knoxville 22) Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge 23) University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign 24) Mississippi State University, Oregon State University (tied) 25) Oklahoma State University - Tuskegee University, (rank not published (RNP) - Western University of Health …
UC Davis Veterinary Hospital launches free public educational seriesJune 20, 2018The University of California, Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) has launched a public educational series of lectures on animal health topics. The series—An Evening with Vet Med—will feature on-campus seminars once a month that are free and open to the public. The lecture series is geared toward both large and small animal owners interested in learning the latest in caring for their four-legged family members. The first three lectures in the series are: Farrier Services: Hoof Care Myths and Truths June 26, 7-8 p.m. Presented by UC Davis farrier Shane Westman The event is free, but you must register. Basic First Aid and Preventative Care for Horses July 24, 7-8 p.m. Presented by UC Davis equine resident Emily Schaefer, DVM The event is free, but you must register. Pet Dental Health Aug. 21, 7-8 p.m. Presented by UC Davis dental hygienist Kimi Kan-Rohrer The event is free, but you must register. "We are so excited to bring this lecture series to animal owners in the community," said Jane Sykes, BVSc (Hons), PhD., DACVIM, VMTH chief veterinary medical officer. "At UC Davis, the health and wellness of our clients' …
Researchers review mesenchymal stem cell therapy potentialApril 18, 2018 In a review published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, Jessica M. Quimby, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at The Ohio State University, and Dori L. Borjesson, DVM, MPVM, Ph.D., Veterinary Institute for Regenerative Cures at the University of California, Davis, consider both the current and potential clinical applications of mesenchymal stem cell therapy in cats. The use of bone marrow-derived stem cells is established for the treatment of human cancer patients and, as such, veterinary applications for bone marrow- and adipose-derived stem cells are being evaluated. In their review, Drs. Quimby and Borjesson consider the emergence of this trend, as well as the current understanding of the biology/immunology of mesenchymal stem cells. Additionally, the authors analyze previous use of mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of a number of inflammatory, degenerative, and immune-mediated diseases of cats. Traditionally, managing such conditions relies on a lifelong use of medication, with the potential for associated side effects. Often, cats do not respond to standard treatment strategies and, thus, the medication may not protect against the progression of the underlying disease. So far, applications of mesenchymal stem cell therapy in cats have produced encouraging results, including …
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 …
