Animal Charities Raise Funding To New LevelsApril 17, 2009 Americans gave $260.28 billion to charities in 2005, $8.86 billion of it going toward environmental organizations and groups working for animal welfare, reported Giving USA, a publication of Giving USA Foundation, researched and written by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. This charity sector saw a 16.4 percent increase from the previous year. Cheryl and David Duffield, who contributed $93 million to Maddie’s Fund, the animal welfare organization they created in 1999, topped environmental and animal contributions for 2005. In turn, these charities distribute money toward animal-related causes, many in the form of grants. Maddie’s Fund is an example of money at work. It recently announced spay/neuter grants of up to $200,000 over two years. The grants are for counties with live animal release rates of 40 percent or less—counties where the animal control, traditional and rescue shelters euthanize 60 percent or more of the total shelter population of dogs and cats. In the past several months, other animal charities have announced how they will distribute their funds. Morris Animal Foundation of Englewood, Colo., recently approved $4.3 million in funding for 2007. The money will go toward 55 new and 45 continuing …
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Equine Oral HealthApril 17, 2009In April, the American Assn. of Equine Practitioners launched a campaign to promote giving horses thorough oral examinations at least once a year. The campaign runs through 2008 and is designed to reach horse owners. Heightened awareness means clients are becoming more concerned about the practice of equine dentistry. Many seek veterinarians who specialize in dentistry and are up on the latest research and oral health care technologies. Indeed, the basic tool set of an equine dentist—speculums, headlamps, floats, forceps and other extraction devices—may include some newer technologies. Mechanical Restraint Many veterinarians sedate their equine patients during dental exams and treatment, and many employ some form of mechanical restraint to keep a patient still. Effective yet safe and humane restraint is imperative in good dentistry. Often, however, equine patients don't comply. "You can do better quality work, and do it more efficiently, on a still, quiet horse," says Illinois-based Marc Miles, DVM, who has been in equine practice more than 30 years. "You can do a better job of educating clients, too, because you can safely show them what's going on in their horses' mouths without worrying about someone getting hurt." With this in mind, Miles developed the Miles Equine …
Equine Rehabilitation Becomes Team EffortApril 17, 2009Improvements in veterinary medicine, specifically high-tech diagnostics and advanced surgery techniques, have changed the way veterinarians view serious equine injuries. Rather than prompting euthanasia, many injuries are now successfully treated and, in some cases, horses are brought back to pre-injury performance levels. As more options become available to repair injuries, veterinarians are realizing the benefits of—and need for—equine rehabilitation, or physiotherapy. Arlene D. White, PT, M.AnimSt, heads up the equine section of the Animal Rehabilitation Institute in Loxahatchee, Fla., which offers rehabilitation courses for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, physical therapists and physical therapy assistants. White explains that rehabilitation "has been proven in human literature and is now gaining popularity in the veterinary population. [Veterinarians] have begun to see the outcome of a well-designed rehab program. Evidence-based medicine is proving that these techniques work. There is a lot of work to be done in the research aspect, but the future is bright." Narelle Stubbs, B.appSc (PT), M.AnimSt (animal physiotherapy) Ph.D. (equine back pain) agrees: "Within the last 10 years we've started to see a bit of evidence-based research coming out on equine rehabilitation." Stubbs, who conducts physiotherapy research alongside Hilary Clayton, BVMS, Ph.D., MRCVS, at Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, …
Feline Insulin Market Sees ChangesApril 17, 2009 Veterinarians can expect some changes in the feline insulin market as a new product is entering the market and another is leaving. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved Intervet Inc.’s Vetsulin (porcine insulin zinc suspension) for the reduction of hyperglycemia and hyperglycemia-associated clinical signs in cats with diabetes mellitus. The insulin was previously indicated only for treating diabetic dogs. Around the same time, Idexx Pharmaceuticals Inc. discontinued its PZI VET (protamine zinc insulin), an insulin for cats that is derived from bovine and porcine pancreatic glands. The company says it is discontinuing the product because the raw materials to produce it are no longer available. “All of the FDA-approved plants that produced the beef/pork insulin crystals have been closed,” says Randy Lynn, DVM, director of the Professional Services Group of Idexx Pharmaceuticals. When the plants were built decades ago, Dr. Lynn says, they primarily supplied beef and pork crystal for use in human beings. However, with the recent move toward recombinant human insulin, there is not enough volume to keep those plants open, he adds. The company’s previous public filings had indicated that this time would come, but the formal letter …
For The Mobility-Impaired, Try A Wheelchair RentalApril 17, 2009 Why buy when you can rent? Barbara Parkes, co-founder of K9 Carts West in Langley, Wash., this year began allowing customers to rent pet wheelchairs instead of buying them. Many dogs need mobility assistance for only two or three weeks after an injury or surgery, she says, so a short-term rental is often the cheaper choice. K9 Carts West’s standard two-wheel cart for a 50-pound dog runs $185 for three weeks’ use, plus shipping and a $79 deposit. A four-wheel cart for the same canine costs $240, plus shipping and a $99 deposit. Two-wheel carts work for dogs that have good forelimb strength, and the four-wheelers are for animals that need complete body support. Rentals give owners more options for assisting their paralyzed or ambulatory pets, and the results Parkes sees make her smile. “The joy, the happiness, for the owners is fabulous,” she says. Parkes suggests that with increasing interest in animal rehab, such centers might follow her move and offer a rental carts. “Five carts will fit probably 90 percent of all breeds,” she says. Some dogs may not do well in a wheelchair. Parkes has found that the terrier …
Heartworms Easy To Overlook In CatsApril 17, 2009The American Heartworm Society has released its 2007 Guidelines for the Diagnosis, Prevention and Management of Heartworm Infection in Cats, paying specific attention to the newly defined heartworm associated respiratory disease, or HARD. "Each year cats die needlessly from complications related to this very preventable disease," said Tom Nelson, DVM, president of the society. "These new guidelines clearly indicate more than ever the need for veterinarians to encourage cat owners to comply with prevention for the health of their cats." Some cats never exhibit clinical signs, but even a small number of worms can be life-threatening, according to the society. When signs are evident, they usually develop either in the first stage when the heartworms enter a blood vessel and are carried to the pulmonary arteries, or in the second stage, when the heartworms die. Signs associated with the first stage are often misdiagnosed as asthma or allergic bronchitis, when they are actually due to HARD. The second stage often leads to fatal acute lung injury. Signs of HARD include difficulty breathing, convulsions, diarrhea and vomiting, blindness, rapid heart rate, fainting, sudden death, coughing, vomiting, lethargy, anorexia and weight loss. The updated guidelines also provide information on interpreting serology test …
Taking RootApril 17, 2009 AAHA Awards First Seal in Its Insurance Acceptance Program The American Anial Hospital Assn. has awarded its first “Seal of Acceptance” to Trupanion’s the Trupanion Plan. This past spring, AAHA launched a “seal of acceptance” program designed to encourage pet insurance companies to make high-deductible ($500 to $1,000) policies available. The seal would be awarded to a company’s policy, not the company itself. Jason Merrihew, marketing communications coordinator for AAHA, says feedback from the pet insurance industry has been positive. “The AAHA Seal of Acceptance mandates that a company using the seal must be licensed to sell the high-deductible policies in all of the states or provinces in which it is licensed,” Merrihew says. “For existing companies, the high-deductible policies must be approved for sale in at least 50 percent of the states in which the company is licensed, and the policies must have been filed in all other states where the company is licensed. Because of these stipulations, the association anticipates the first seal being awarded during the fall of 2008.” AAHA President Anna Worth, VMD, says one of the …
In With The NewApril 17, 2009 In the domain of the veterinary oncologist, the reality of gravely ill patients tends to trump any natural tendency toward optimism. So when someone like Gregory K. Ogilvie, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM (oncology), Dipl. ECVIM (oncology), peers into the immediate future of cancer treatment and says, “We’re looking at some tremendous breakthroughs,” it’s a moment to savor. “I’ve been in this for over 25 years,” he adds, “and it feels like we started with sticks and stones compared to the treatment options we have today.” Add the voice of Douglas Thamm, VMD, Dipl. ACVIM (oncology), to those express-ing hope that 2009 will be a watershed year in the cancer fight. “This is a really exciting time,” he says. “The long and short of it is we’ve just scratched the surface of how to use these new therapies.” Ditto Katherine Skorupski, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM (on-cology): “Absolutely I’m excited about these new treatments. … If they work as well as they should and could, we may be choosing them over chemotherapy or even surgery. “They have a huge potential to impact the way we practice veterinary oncology.” So what exactly is all the rosy hubbub …
Feline Diabetes: Diet, Insulin And ConfidenceApril 17, 2009In at least one regard, cats have been great at following the lead of humans, only to suffer unwanted consequences. As with humans, increasing numbers of cats are living with the effects of diabetes. In many cases, the root cause is all too familiar–advancing years and a sedentary lifestyle, which fosters weight gain and, eventually, obesity. For people and for cats, "This body condition predisposes to diabetes," says Margie Scherk, DVM, Dipl. ABVP (feline), founder of Cats Only Veterinary Clinic in Vancouver, British Columbia, and immediate past president of the American Assn. of Feline Practitioners. The good news? Feline diabetes can be highly manageable and need not shorten Kitty's life. Be consistent with treatment and diet, as well as attentive to the cat's blood glucose curves and frutosamine values, Dr. Scherk advises colleagues and clients alike. "We will get your kitty's condition stabilized over two to three months," she tells cat owners. "Be patient, because it does take some time." Scherk says her 2,500-client practice sees about three new diabetic cats a month, and it's common for clients to be fearful and a bit overwhelmed about what lies ahead. "They're concerned about the unknown costs associated with the ongoing condition," …
Seize The MomentApril 17, 2009 Advanced diagnostic procedures such as endoscopy and ultrasound are sometimes viewed as referral-only procedures. However, improvements in training and equipment have created a growing niche for these tools in general veterinary practice. With proper training and advice, practitioners may hone their skills to a level that allows the practical use of endoscopy for some cases and promotes good decisions regarding referral for other cases. Even if your practice goals don’t include the purchase of endoscopy equipment, you may benefit from becoming more familiar with this procedure. The initial cost outlay for veterinary endoscopy equipment varies. The purchase price for a general setup ranges from $5,000 to $20,000, whereas experienced endoscopists may seek equipment costing from $30,000 to $50,000 or more. Some vendors provide attractive equipment leases and lease-to-purchase options. Used and reconditioned equipment is often available at a lower cost. In addition to cost, however, veterinarians should factor in the service and support available from endoscopy vendors familiar with the veterinary market. These vendors can be an excellent resource for proper care and use of the products. Technicians trained in the cleaning and storage of endoscopy equipment can add years to the …
