How Pain Management In Small Animals Has GrownJuly 29, 2014For Duncan X. Lascelles, a professor of small animal surgery at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, understanding pain is the cornerstone to building a better foundation for treating it in small animals. And Lascelles, BVSc, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVS and ECVS, is encouraged by the improvements in recognizing pain being made in veterinary medicine and at institutions like NC State. "I think the first breakthrough I see is the increasing amount of information regarding pain assessment," Lascelles said. "We're seeing more tools for practitioners and also for clinical researchers." Better assessment tools enable practitioners to know whether non-drug therapies are working, and they enable practitioners dealing with pain management to better monitor the efficacy of their treatments Lascelles suggested that practitioners dealing with perioperative pain in dogs use the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale Short Form. The same group that came out with the scale is soon to publish the feline version, Lascelles noted. For chronic pain in dogs, Lascelles likes the University of Pennsylvania's Canine Brief Pain Inventory and the Helsinki Chronic Pain Index. There are also a number of new tools that can help pet owners measure chronic pain, or can assist veterinary technicians with measuring …
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Abbott Wins Approval of Daily Feline Pain DrugJuly 28, 2014 Simbadol, a pain-control drug designed to minimize the need for overnight dosing after feline surgery, has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Abbott Animal Health reported today. The medication is the first and only FDA-approved opioid analgesic for cats to provide 24-hour pain control in a single dose, the Abbott Park, Ill., drug maker noted. Simbadol (buprenorphine injection) is indicated for the control of postoperative pain associated with surgical procedures in cats. The drug has the backing of pain specialist Robin Downing, DVM, CVPP, CCRP, Dipl. AAPM, the hospital director at Windsor Veterinary Clinic and The Downing Center for Animal Pain Management in Windsor, Colo. “For the first time veterinarians have a once-daily opioid to provide 24-hour surgical pain control for their feline patients, even through the night,” Dr. Downing said. A randomized blinded clinical program involving more than 200 cats found Simbadol to be safe and effective, she said. Simbadol’s approval was the second this year for an Abbott veterinary drug. The FDA in February approved Paccal Vet-CA1 (paclitaxel for injection), which is indicted for the treatment of canine mammary carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Abbott obtained the …
Apoquel Shortage Should End by April 2015July 27, 2014Update, January 2016: More Apoquel on Way for Dogs, Zoetis Says Dog owners desperate to put their pets on the new anti-itch drug Apoquel will have to wait nine more months as the manufacturer ramps up production. Zoetis Inc. of Florham Park, N.J., had expected the Apoquel shortage to last until mid-2015, but the company recently reported that the distribution clampdown should loosen sooner―by April 2015. Apoquel (oclacitinib tablet) received an enthusiastic response from dog owners and veterinarians after the drug hit the U.S. market Jan. 20. Often effective within 24 hours of initial use, the prescription-only drug is indicated for the control of itching associated with allergic dermatitis and the control of clinical manifestations of atopic dermatitis. The tablets, which work by blocking a dog’s urge to scratch, are given twice a day for the first two weeks and daily thereafter. The drug’s success combined with growing demand and a complicated manufacturing process quickly left Apoquel in short supply. Zoetis responded by giving priority to pets already on the drug and by rejecting new orders from veterinarians. In some cases, veterinarians who were able to get Apoquel were suddenly cut off. Steven …
AVMA House of Delegates Backs New Dentistry, Declawing PoliciesJuly 25, 2014 The American Veterinary Medical Association’s House of Delegates today approved revised policies on veterinary dentistry and cat declawing and chose the organization’s 2015-16 president. Meeting in Denver at the annual AVMA convention, the delegates followed the lead of the American Animal Hospital Association in advocating the use of anesthesia when dental procedures beyond an oral examination are performed. AAHA in June 2013 passed a rule requiring member hospitals to anesthetize and intubate all dental patients under the group’s updated Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. Kate Knudson, DVM, the past president of AAHA and an alternate delegate, urged the House to pass Resolution 6. “The only way you can provide dental diagnostics and come up with a therapeutic plan is to do dental radiography,” Dr. Knudson said. “We have many, many, many studies … demonstrating how something that looks normal when you’re just looking at it with your eyes is abnormal once you take radiographs. “The only way you can look your client in the eye and give them the confidence that you indeed are giving the best therapeutic and diagnostic plan is to take full-mouth X-rays,” she added. “As of this time …
N.Y. Clinic Gets Facelift Courtesy of NovartisJuly 22, 2014 Cats visiting Village Vet of Lewiston can rest easy now and forget about the dogs traipsing through the waiting room. The western New York hospital has opened two feline-only examination rooms after winning Novartis Animal Health’s Onsior Clinic Makeover contest. The $20,000 in upgrades also includes the purchase of spay and neuter equipment used in partnership with Community Cats Alive, a group that operates a sterilization and vaccination program for feral cats. Some 964 clinics entered the contest sponsored by Novartis’ Onsior brand. Onsior (robenacoxib) tablets are indicated for the control of postoperative pain and inflammation in cats. “Creating a feline-friendly clinic goes beyond the functional clinic elements and includes feline-friendly products, practices and protocols,” said Juan Angel, associate brand manager with Novartis Animal Health US Inc. of Greensboro, N.C. Village Vet, operated by sole practitioner Kristen Ruest, DVM, also received new roll-up window blinds and two fish aquariums—one in the waiting room and another cut into an exam room and hallway. The feline-only rooms feature wall décor, climbing trees and examination baskets, which cats are placed in to help steady their nerves. BDA Architecture, an Albuquerque, N.M., firm that specializes in veterinary …
Drug Makers, Compounders at Odds Over FDA OversightJuly 17, 2014 The Animal Health Institute, a trade group representing pharmaceutical manufacturers, is demanding that the Food and Drug Administration crack down on the illegal compounding of veterinary drugs, saying the practice puts animals at risk and jeopardizes the development of new medications. The appeal was made during a media conference call Wednesday and at a recent meeting in Washington, D.C., involving stakeholders and organizations such as the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the American Animal Hospital Association. The Animal Health Institute is not asking for the elimination of all drug compounding. The group supports a pharmacist’s manipulation of FDA-approved drugs to meet individual patients’ needs and the occasional compounding of bulk, active ingredients under FDA’s discretionary powers. “The third type of compounded drugs … is dangerous and illegal,” said Richard Carnevale, VMD, the Animal Health Institute’s vice president for regulatory, scientific and international affairs. “These are dangerous drugs crafted by pharmacies acting as manufacturers and often promoted to veterinarians as a way to increase profits. “They are not looking to help Mrs. Jones’ cat,” Dr. Carnevale said of such companies. “They even offer disclaimers that they are not responsible for …
New Heartgard Made for Dogs With Food AllergiesJuly 17, 2014 The oral heartworm preventive Heartgard now comes in tablet form for dogs that have food allergies. The new medication, Heartgard Tablet (ivermectin), does not contain food ingredients that may trigger an allergic reaction, according to the manufacturer, Merial Ltd. of Duluth, Ga. “Many dogs suffer from food allergies, and most oral heartworm preventives have meat components in their formulation,” said Michael Murray, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, a Merial technical marketing director. Merial is offering Heartgard Tablet in addition to the longtime preventive Heartgard Plus (ivermectin/pyrantel), a beef-flavored chewable. Both formulations are administered monthly for the prevention of heartworm disease. Heartgard Tablet is available in three dosages based on a dog’s weight: up to 25 pounds, 26 to 50 pounds and 51 to 100 pounds.
Sterilization Effects Worse for Golden Retrievers Than LabsJuly 15, 2014 Golden retrievers are more likely than Labrador retrievers to be diagnosed with joint disorders or cancer after the animals have been spayed or neutered, according to the results of a study published Monday in the online journal PLOS ONE. Intact members of both breeds enjoy lower rates of joint disorders and cancer, researchers at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine added. The researchers did not take a stand on spaying and neutering, which is done to an estimated 83 percent of all U.S. dogs to control the pet population and prevent unwanted behaviors. Instead, they stated that the study served to measure the long-term health effects of sterilization and to educate breeders and dog owners who are deciding when, and if, to spay or neuter their animals. When a golden or Labrador retriever is sterilized can play a role in the onset of joint disorders and cancer, the researchers stated. A connection was found between early sterilization—before the animal is 6 months old—and the appearance of joint disorders. About 5 percent of intact golden and Labrador retrievers of both genders suffer from a joint disorder, the researchers determined. The rate in dogs …
What to Tell Your Clients About the Rumor of Ice Water & DogsJuly 9, 2014Have you been getting a lot of questions from clients and friends asking if ice water is lethal to dogs? It’s a rumor that’s circulating the Internet and worrying dog owners. The cautionary tale (titled "NO ICE WATER FOR DOGS...PLEASE READ ASAP”) was written in 2010, but the rumor has been circulating since 2007. It centers on a dog named Baran, and his owner who unthinkingly added ice cubes to the dog’s water bowl to help him cool off on a hot day. Shortly after, Baran appears to be in distress and is rushed to the animal hospital. The veterinarian tells the owner that the ice water caused the dog to experience violent muscle spasms in his stomach, which led to bloating. Bloat — also known as gastric dilation-volvulus—is a life-threatening condition in dogs. If worried clients come to you about this myth, take the time to educate them about the dangers of ice, heat stroke and bloating. What To Tell Your Clients About Ice Although eating ice technically is safe for dogs, ensure owners are aware that eating ice can pose a few dangers. Dogs that munch on ice can potentially damage or break their teeth, …
How To Extract Teeth In CatsJune 20, 2014 I recently had an opportunity to help a referring veterinarian with her surgical extraction technique. Extracting teeth in cats was causing her much grief, so we discussed tips to transform the act of extracting firmly rooted feline teeth from a dreaded task to a satisfying part of veterinary practice. First, let’s discuss the decision-making approach based on dental radiographs and clinical exams in the context of one of the most common dental problems in cats that create challenging extractions: tooth resorption. Dental Rads First! Feline extractions should not be attempted without preoperative dental radiographs. Tooth resorption may occur in varied manifestations, and the approach to treatment depends on the radiographic appearance of the affected tooth. Tooth resorption in cats is commonly external tooth resorption starting on the root surface, resulting in focal tooth resorption where the crown meets the root, often referred to as Type 1 resorption. Teeth affected by Type 1 resorption require extraction, and these extractions can be challenging because in some areas, the tooth may be “spot welded” to the surrounding alveolar bone. Type 2 external resorption is seen on radiographs as root replacement resorption, in which the radiographic density of …
