Study finds animal sterilization possibly safer than hysterectomy in womenDecember 4, 2017A six-year study of 113,906 spay/neuter surgeries performed in a Florida spay/neuter clinic found that the canine mortality rate was lower than that reported for hysterectomy in women. The study, presented at an international specialty conference last month, found a canine mortality rate of 0.9 per 10,000 surgeries (0.009 percent), compared to 1 per 10,000 surgeries in women. Even though cats didn't fare as well, with a mortality rate of 5/10,000 surgeries (0.05 percent), the overall mortality rate of 3.3/10,000 (0.03 percent) closely approached that found in human surgical practice. "This is a stunning validation of the expertise and skill of spay/neuter veterinarians," said lead researcher Julie Levy, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, DABVP, of the Maddie's Shelter Medicine Program at the University of Florida. The research also echoed similar findings from human literature about the importance of specialized skills and volume of practice in achieving high surgical success rates. The study examined surgery performed at a high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter clinic operated by the Humane Society of Tampa Bay within the parameters of The Association of Shelter Veterinarians' Veterinary Medical Care Guidelines for Spay-Neuter Clinics. It's unsurprising that extreme focus on a specific set of …
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Surgical sterilization, neutering options for male cats, dogsNovember 21, 2017Strong support exists for the view that gonadectomy has a net health benefit for female dogs and cats, but it is less clear that neutering benefits individual males. The risks of some diseases occurring are reduced or eliminated by neutering (for example, testicular neoplasia, benign prostatic hypertrophy), but other disease appear to be more common in neutered males, though risk varies by breed and age at neutering (e.g., cranial cruciate ligament disease, feline interstitial cystitis).
Is keeping pets a luxury?November 20, 2017Ever marveled at how much more livable our lives are now that we’re lucky enough to have pets in them? Wonder how we could ever function without their soothing companionship and unconditional love?
Recent discoveries advance diagnostics, understanding of CKDNovember 17, 2017A significant number of animals develop some form of kidney disease during their lifetime (approximately 1 in 3 cats1 and 1 in 10 dogs2). Kidney disease can be challenging to diagnose and manage, but recent discoveries have led to more diagnostic tools and a greater understanding of this disease.
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 …
PetPace smartcollar aids first human-canine 12,500-mile All-In Trek teamNovember 16, 2017Breanna Cornell and her 4-year-old husky-rottweiler mix, Sophie, are scheduled to set out on completing the nation's longest and most rigorous mega-hike expedition on Sept. 4, 2018, with help from PetPace, a provider of health monitoring technology for pets. Cornell and Sophie will attempt to be the first female and human-canine team to complete the All-In Trek. The mega-hike requires a continuous, self-supported hike through the top four hiking trails in the nation. The duo will start their journey on the North County Trail, followed by the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Coast trail, and the Continental Divide, traveling by air to each start point. Besides facing a mix of rough terrain, adverse weather conditions, and the unexpected, and the pair also will battle the physical drain of hiking roughly 35 miles per day. In order to better safeguard Sophie's health, Cornell will receive a special travel pack for Sophie from the company. The travel pack will provide full connectivity between Cornell's PetPace smartphone app and Sophie's PetPace health monitoring smartcollar. This will allow Cornell to closely monitor her pet's caloric expenditure, activity levels, and vital signs. Sophie's smartcollar also can send …
When is it time?November 15, 2017During my 45 years of practicing veterinary medicine, I have had the privilege of practicing companion animal medicine at three select institutions, the pleasure and aggravation of starting and maintaining a bricks-and-mortar companion animal practice, the mind-opening experience of working as a locum tenens veterinarian and the ultimate satisfaction of being a companion animal house call veterinarian.
TechLab receives USDA licenses for Giardia Vet CheckNovember 15, 2017 TechLab Inc. in Blacksburg, Va., a developer and manufacturer of rapid noninvasive diagnostic tests for gastrointestinal diseases, announced that it has received a USDA establishment license and product license for Giardia Vet Check. The test, an automatable enzyme immunoassay, qualitatively detects Giardia cyst antigen in canine and feline fecal samples and is the first USDA-licensed Giardia microwell ELISA available in the US veterinary market.
Cornell, Tufts scientists receive $2.5M from NIH for cancer studyNovember 14, 2017Cornell and Tufts University scientists have received a five-year, $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to use dogs as a model for studying cancer immunotherapies. The dogs used in the study are treated with similar care as human patients, with the potential of being cured of lymphoma. Kristy Richards, Ph.D., MD, associate professor of Biomedical Sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine with a joint appointment at the Division of Hematology/Medical Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine is co-principal investigator on the grant, along with Cheryl London, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, a research professor at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. The grant will investigate whether combinations of PD1 inhibitors and other targeted therapies may increase effectiveness of cancer treatment in dogs, thereby setting up the possibility for human trials. Clinical trials in dogs should begin in the next six months, at which time, the researchers will reach out to referring veterinarians for candidate canine patients with lymphoma. Veterinary oncologists at the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine and at Cornell University Veterinary Specialists in Stamford, Conn., will enroll and treat patients during the trials. Patients also will be enrolled at the …
Winn Feline Foundation: Funding five decades of feline healthNovember 10, 2017If you’ve never treated a cat for dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), thank the Winn Feline Foundation. If you’ve ever vaccinated a cat for feline leukemia, thank Winn. If you’ve adjusted a diabetic cat’s diet by adding protein and simultaneously creating a weight loss plan that sent the cat into remission, thank Winn.
