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.
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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.
How to reduce surgical site infectionsJuly 11, 2018Considering the emergence of resistant bacteria, having a solid plan to decrease infection risk becomes increasingly important. A surgical site infection (SSI) is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an infection occurring at the surgical site within 30 days following a procedure, or within one year of placing an implant. You can significantly decrease risk in your practice by scrutinizing four factors that contribute to SSI incidence: patients, environmental and human factors, and miscellaneous risks.
College of Veterinarians of British Columbia bans onychectomyJune 14, 2018The College of Veterinarians of British Columbia (CVBC) has banned the practice of partial digital amputation, also known as onychectomy or declawing, of domestic cats, effective immediately. The province is the second in Canada to ban declawing, following the procedure's condemnation from the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA). "Elective and nontherapeutic declawing is ethically problematic and not an appropriate means of dealing with feline behavior issues," reads CVBC's statement. The college acknowledges there are …
Aratana Therapeutics seeks feline label expansion for NocitaJune 12, 2018Aratana Therapeutics Inc. announced it has submitted a supplemental new animal drug application with the FDA to approve the use of Nocita in cats to provide regional analgesia following onychectomy. Nocita (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension), which provides up to 72 hours of analgesia postoperatively using multivesicular liposomal technology, was first approved in August 2016 for canine use following cranial cruciate ligament surgery. "We believe veterinarians are in need …
Hydrocephalic fur seal undergoes brain surgery at TuftsDecember 28, 2017A neurosurgical team at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University has successfully performed a first-of-its-kind brain surgery on a female adult Northern fur seal in an attempt to address her worsening neurologic condition. Ziggy Star is recovering well at her permanent home at Mystic Aquarium in Mystic, Conn. Ziggy was first seen at the Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals at Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University in September for …
