Brain Teaser: Can you solve this puzzle?March 11, 2019 Presentation: A toy was found in the jejunum of a nine-month-old Shih Tzu. Challenge: 1) What is the holding layer of the small intestine—the one to include in the suture line? 2) Which suture material is ideal? Which needle is best? 3) Which suture pattern is recommended? Check the answers on the next page.
SPONSORED CONTENTProtect your patients from the start.Simparica Trio (sarolaner, moxidectin, and pyrantel chewable tablets) is the first monthly preventative of its kind. Combining three ingredients for month-long protection. + Learn more
Cat declawing may soon be a thing of the past in CaliforniaFebruary 27, 2019Assemblyman Bill Quirk has introduced a bill that would ban the declawing of cats in California. "Declawed cats can suffer long-term physical complications as a result of declawing—it's not just a fancy manicure," Quirk said upon introducing AB 1230. "It's painful, unnecessary, and needs to stop… When this bill becomes law, only licensed veterinarians performing the procedure for specific therapeutic purposes will legally be able to declaw a cat, saving them from a lifetime of pain and possible lameness." The practice is already illegal in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and six other California cities. Further, in several other parts of the world, declawing has been banned. "Declawing is one of the most painful and unnecessary surgeries in all of veterinary medicine," said Jennifer Conrad, DVM, CVA, founder of the veterinarian-run nonprofit Paw Project. "We've seen what these cats go through. We are veterinarians who are standing up against the status quo because it is the right thing to do. We want veterinary medicine to be about helping animals, not helping couches." Studies have found declawed cats are more liable to bite or have other behavioral issues and often end up in animal shelters as a result.
10 golden rules of cancer surgeryFebruary 20, 2019Surgery plays a critical role in the management of cancer. One significant advantage of surgery is a chance at an immediate cure—after a single session. No other treatment modality can offer that. Here are 10 rules that must be followed to ensure the best possible surgical outcome. Do the math: Surgery is only 10 percent of the entire story. What follows mainly pertains to skin masses, but it applies to any tumor, even intrathoracic or intra-abdominal. 1) Client communication Whenever a mass is discovered, it is important to take the time to prepare the client for the worst, while hoping for the best. Don't sugarcoat things. Don't make assumptions. Don't claim to have microscopic vision. Don't overpromise. Remember, for example, that a mast cell tumor is called "the great imitator" for a reason. It can feel like anything, including a lipoma. 2) Preop workup Even though we typically say you can't diagnose cancer by looking at blood work, it will occasionally show abnormalities, such as infection, hypercalcemia, or increased liver values. Staging the patient (i.e. determining the extent of the disease) is a mandatory part of the preop workup. Before surgery is ever considered, perform three views of the thorax …
Veterinarian guilty of illegally declawing lions at zooOctober 25, 2018A lawsuit by PETA against Rick L. Pelphrey, DVM, has been settled after the veterinarian admitted to declawing lions and tigers illegally without pain medication at Wildlife in Need zoo in Charlestown, Ind.
UC Davis vets remove life-threatening tumor from koi fishOctober 18, 2018The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) veterinary hospital’s Aquatic Animal Health Unit of the Companion Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Service has removed a large tumor from Madonna, a six-year-old female koi fish’s distended abdomen.
Brain Teaser: Can you solve this puzzle?October 17, 2018 Presentation Cystotomy in a five-year-old Rottweiler who had 178 struvite stones. Challenge What is the holding layer—the one to include in the suture line? Which suture material is ideal? Which needle is best? Which suture pattern is recommended? Check your answer on the next page.
Pad corns: A pain for both dog and veterinarianSeptember 26, 2018A canine corn is a focal circular area of hyperkeratinization found in the digital paw pads of sighthound breeds (e.g. greyhound, whippet, and lurcher). A prevalence of around five to six per cent in retired greyhounds has been reported in the literature (Lord et al, 2007), making it the most common dermatologic condition among this group of dogs. Approximately 80 per cent of corns occur in digits three and four, while 80 per cent are found in the digits of the thoracic limbs (Guilliard et al, 2010). Their occurrence has not been reported in the metacarpal and metatarsal paw pads. Corns commonly cause lameness, which can be severe. The lesion is analogous to heloma durum (corn/clavus), which usually occurs on the foot in humans (Roven, 1968).
Nova Scotia outlaws cosmetic surgery on animals unless medically imperativeSeptember 24, 2018Nova Scotia has introduced changes to the Animal Protection Act intended to strengthen the welfare of livestock and companion animals in the province.
Claw counselingAugust 31, 2018Declawing is banned in more than 20 countries worldwide. As bans start to take effect in municipalities and regions throughout North America, veterinarians will need to shift their focus to living with clawed cats and without partial digital amputation (PDA). Developing a thorough understanding of feline scratching behavior is the first step.
Diabetes and dental diseaseAugust 16, 2018As veterinary practitioners, we see our fair share of diabetic patients who require extensive dental work. The goal with these patients is to improve their quality of life and, in some cases, improve glycemic control by removing a source of chronic infection in the form of periodontal disease. The challenge is to “do no harm” in the process. Invariably, oral surgery will set back the appetite of any patient. Lack of appetite becomes a bigger issue when a patient has diabetes and is supplemented with injectable insulin.
